GUWAHATI: Amidst growing concerns over the proposed Kamakhya corridor project, the Assam government has announced that the project's design and working drawings will undergo rigorous scrutiny by IIT Guwahati. This includes mandatory hydrological and geological studies to ensure the sacred geography and underground springs of the Kamakhya hill remain undisturbed. This decision follows two legal petitions filed at the Gauhati High Court, expressing fears that the construction could negatively impact the area's revered springs.
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The Kamakhya corridor project aims to improve infrastructure around the Kamakhya temple, one of India's most significant Shakti Peethas. However, local residents, devotees, and scholars worry that the development could disrupt the underground springs integral to the temple's sanctity.
The Assam government, in a recent affidavit, emphasised, "Based on the finalised site plan, work on detailed design and working drawing is ongoing. The same shall be sent to IIT Guwahati for structural vetting. No construction shall start until due clearance from IIT Guwahati and other relevant agencies is received." This assurance aims to address the core concern that the project might disturb the sacred springs that many devotees consider the essence of the temple's divinity.
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The springs within the Kamakhya temple complex, particularly the one in the innermost sanctum or garbhagriha, are not merely water sources but are worshipped as the goddess Kamakhya herself. This unique form of worship, focusing on a natural geographical feature, underscores the petitioners' concerns.
In one writ petition, petitioner Nabajyoti Sarma highlighted that various academic works have established that the worship at the Kamakhya shrine revolves around the water in the temple's garbhagriha. "The worship of multiple feminine divinities seems to have begun much earlier than the actual temple construction. At many sacred places, a particular geographical feature, such as a mountain, rock, cave, pool, river, or pond, is considered a vital object of worship rather than the temple structure itself," he noted. This perspective suggests that the temple marks the sacredness of the local geography rather than enhancing it.
In the Kamakhya temple, the garbhagriha is a cave below ground level, where a stone slopes into a yoni-like depression constantly filled with water from an underground spring. This feature is the primary object of worship, symbolising the goddess Kamakhya. The concern is that any construction might affect this vital aspect of the temple's sanctity.
Nabajyoti Sarma, speaking to GPlus, emphasised, "The very basis of devotion to Kamakhya is tied to the eternal underground spring that manifests in the main and various temples. Any construction that disturbs this could affect the fundamental nature of Kamakhya worship."
He elaborated, "When any devotee visits Kamakhya, their devotion is expressed by touching the water from the spring. This water is the primary basis of their devotion. The proposed Kamakhya corridor, with its multilevel construction plans, could disrupt these interconnected sacred springs."
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The Kamakhya corridor project involves extensive construction, including soil cutting, earth sealing, and retention work. Sarma raised concerns that such activities could alter the underground water flow, impacting the springs that connect various temples within the complex.
Earlier, local residents have also expressed their worries. Many fear losing their homes and businesses due to the construction. A shopkeeper at the Kamakhya temple, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "We are not sure what the government plans to do with our shops. It's disheartening to see my shop, which has been in my family for generations, will be dismantled due to the Kamakhya Corridor construction. Although the government will allot new places for our shops, what are we going to do until then?"
A long-time resident of Notun Path added, "If our house is broken for this Kamakhya corridor, we will definitely stage a protest. Our house has been here for 70-80 years."
Despite these concerns, the Assam government submitted a report to the court in April 2024, asserting that the corridor's construction will not harm the Nilachal hills or the temple structures.
The debate over the Kamakhya corridor highlights the delicate balance between development and preservation of cultural and religious heritage. For many, the springs at Kamakhya are not just natural features but embodiments of the divine, integral to their faith and traditions.