Guwahati, June 22: It is 2,605km from the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir to Kamakhya temple here and a section of sadhus brave the distance every year to attend Ambubachi mela.
This year, however, the transport travails of the sadhus and other pilgrims have been cut short with the introduction of a direct train, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi-Kamakhya (Weekly) Express, which connects the two towns of Devi Peeth Katra and Guwahati.
"I mostly pray at Vaishno Devi and visit it during Kumbh mela. When I was in Vaishno Devi, I came to know about the train to Kamakhya. So I decided to come here. This is the first time I have come here," a Naga sadhu said.
With Ambubachi mela beginning today, the Nilachal Hill here, abode to Kamakhya temple, a shakti peeth, got crowded with sadhus, tantriks, pilgrims and foreign researchers. While thousands used the buses provided by the government and smaller vehicles to reach the temple, sadhus and tantriks preferred to take the ancient stone stairs leading up to it. The door of the temple was closed at 7 this morning and will remain so till Sunday.
These five days mark the annual menstrual cycle of goddess Kamakhya, during which devotees are barred from entering the sanctum sanctorum. On the fifth day, however, thousands will queue up to pay obeisance to the goddess.
"Several pilgrims are, however, paying obeisance from the temple premises outside the sanctum sanctorum. We had a footfall of more than two lakhs today. Sadhus and tantriks have started their prayers and this time we have made arrangements for their stay. Over 20,000 tantriks have come this year," said Bhaskar Sharma, general secretary of the Ambubachi Mela Managing Committee.
The number of pilgrims from Vaishno Devi has increased to around 1.5 lakh, said Kabindra Sarma, president of the Bordeuri Samaj and Kamakhya Management Committee.
"The inflow of pilgrims is highest this year. Earlier, pilgrims came mostly from West Bengal, Bihar and other northeastern states. This time, thanks to the newly launched train, we have around two lakh pilgrims from northern India," Sarma told The Telegraph.
Suresh Kumar, who is heading a group of 107 pilgrims, said, "We started from our hometown Kishanganj in Bihar. After we came to know that there is a direct train from Vaishno Devi to Kamakhya, we visited Mata Mandir in Katra and then took the train to pay our obeisance to Devi Kamakhya. We will return the day after tomorrow."
The Vaishno Devi-Kamakhya Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month. It leaves Kamakhya railway station every Sunday and reaches Katra on Tuesday. It leaves Katra on Wednesday and returns on Friday, a journey of almost 58 hours.
"During its past three trips, the train was fully reserved, carrying almost 1,500 passengers. Pilgrims are coming on other trains as well," said Nripen Bhattacharya, public relations officer of NF Railway.
NF Railway had also launched four special trains to West Bengal - two to Calcutta, one to Malda and another to New Jalpaiguri.
