Guwahati: A large number of devotees from across the country thronged Kamakhya temple in Guwahati as the annual Ambubachi Mela (fair) started on Saturday.
After Ambubachi Mela's Pravritti, the temple's main door will remain closed for three days and open only after the Nivritti on June 26.
The annual mela is held a day before the 3-day closure of the temple. It is believed that the goddess menstruates for these three days. This event symbolises fertility and womanhood.
On Saturday, as part of the holy ritual, the priests chanted the goddess mantras and the sound of conches echoed in the air.
The devotees worshipped the goddess. Some lay down on the ground as a mark of devotion. Some devotees were also seen posing for pictures, wearing devotional headbands. (with Agency inputs)