2.1 The Expedition Begins

 2/3/24 Saturday

Today is a no-driving day. We are visiting the Kamakhya temple and the Umananda temple in Guwahati.

The Kamakhya Temple is one of the most revered and also one of the oldest of the 51 shaktipeethas in India and is dedicated to Kamakhya Devi or Maa Kamakhya, the goddess of desire. The temple is located in the Nilachal Hills.

It is believed that the temple is where parts of Devi Sati’s corpse fell while her husband Lord Shiva performed taandav. As per religious beliefs, her genitals and womb fell where the present-day temple is located. According to the legends, the location of the fallen genitalia and the womb was not known till Kamdev, the God of love, went in search of it for his penance. After finding the parts, Kamdev was rid of his curse (given by Brahma). There is no idol of a goddess or a god here in this temple. Instead, in the garbha graha of the temple, there is a yoni or the female genitalia, which is worshipped.

Next we visited the Umananda Temple located on Peacock Island that lies on the mighty Brahmaputra River. The only way to reach this temple is to board ferries and motor launches available at the Umananda Ghat. This serene place of worship is named after and dedicated to Lord Shiva. The name 'Umananda' comes from the two Hindi words, namely 'Uma', which was another name for Lord Shiva’s wife and 'Ananda' which means happiness. In fact, Peacock Island is one of the smallest inhabited islands and possibly one of the most beautiful too. At present there are only 4 families that live here.

The temple is situated on the top of a hill called Bhasmakala or Bhasmakuta. The island was originally built in 1694 A.D. by King Gadadhar Singha. However, it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1897 and later rebuilt by a wealthy local merchant. The Umananda temple was crafted beautifully by the skilled Assamese workmen. Aside from Lord Shiva, there are 10 other Hindu Gods whose idols reside in the shrines. Devoid of the cacophony of forceful religion, this place has a serene environment which makes you want to sit down for a while and absorb the beauty of the place.

We returned to the hotel, and had the car washed. My Fortuner, once dusty from the road, emerged gleaming under the care of soapy water and scrub brushes, ready for the next leg of our journey.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, a sense of excitement filled the air. The evening brought us together with the other daring souls embarking on the expedition. Prachur, our guide and storyteller for the journey, took center stage, as he briefed us about the upcoming escapade.

At dinner, the gathering of nine enthusiastic participants and three crew members, formed a  vibrant group ready to conquer the challenges ahead. A convoy of seven cars, our car proudly wore the number 3, each with its own story to tell, promised an unforgettable road trip through the enchanting landscapes of North East India.