Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 23

Undertaking the executives - Essay Example Undertaking arranging and planning encourages venture administrators to take ace dynamic measures to evade a portion of the dangers that rise up out of the outside and inner condition that encompasses the contractual workers (Kerzner, 2013). Venture arranging is an iterative procedure. Assignments attempted are related of one another; thus, disappointment of a subsystem influences the entire frameworks. Undertaking arranging salvages the task group from unanticipated conditions due the high vulnerability that is with a dominant part of ventures. The main phase of the undertaking plan is distinguishing the objectives of the task. In the stage, recipients of the venture are distinguished and the partners. Their necessities are with the goal that the task is intended to meet them. A timetable is then evolved to set up the measure of time and assets that is destined to be. A spending plan of the assets essential is set up to decide the expense of executing the undertaking. Moreover, a Human Resource plan is additionally evolved to decide the abilities that will be expected to achieve the mission. Besides, a correspondence plan is plot demonstrating how progress of work will be. In conclusion, a hazard the executives plan is made to give gauges that can be taken to shield action from impedance (Turner, 2014). Mode Sante, an organization, situated in France propelled a yearning plan of developing ultra present day relaxation buildings. The organization redistributed for temporary worker through a serious offering process who should manufacture one of the offices in Uxbridge. With a capital as a limitation, the new Active Being Complex must be worked by the particulars furnished with the base cost conceivable. A capital measure of  £300,000 must be apportioned judiciously towards establishment of another IT framework, security framework, music and open location frameworks and different pleasantries that should have been in the new structure. Strangely, an old structure that had been left

Natural Disaster free essay sample

As of late, New Yorker has confronted a few catastrophes that we have never understanding. Only one years prior, we saw individuals have gotten destitute, harmed and lost properties. Cataclysmic event, in contrast to Terrorism, can happen whenever and anyplace. A few people may think calamity is an activity of God to rebuff blameworthy human. Numerous individuals see debacle happens out of the blue and terribly and think it is out of our control and nobody can forestall it. Be that as it may, the truth of the matter is that human do expand the opportunity of event of catastrophic event. There are confirmations to show that catastrophic event is reason for human’s exercises. For instance, storm Sandy made landfall in late October 29, 2012 and turned into the most damaging tropical violent wind in New York’s record. Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea and afterward progressed to Tropical Storm inside couple hours. Tropical storm Sandy slaughtered numerous individuals, caused food deficiencies and left around 200,000 destitute. We will compose a custom paper test on Catastrophic event or then again any comparative theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page For what reason could that occur? Human have made a great deal of harms the earth. It has become a sound judgment that the green house impacts occur on the earth and along these lines ice in the North Pole is liquefying. The researcher has discovered that human’s exercises have made direct impacts the green house impacts. Human murders huge amounts of trees, assemble production lines; squander vitality and that have caused huge increment on carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide speeds up ice liquefying. In view of the ice softening in the North Pole, the earth can't discharge the sight-seeing. That’s why sensational climate and catastrophic event happened more much of the time than previously.

Aggressiveness Brain Success essays

Forcefulness Brain Success expositions These days, the ladies in Asia are getting an ever increasing number of notorieties than previously. In China the best and invited TV anchormen are the people half to half and the female anchormen have considerably more opportunity to partake in some TV arrangement appear than their male associates; even the national lady soccer group of China, after they procured the second prize in the World Cup a year ago, their splendid greatness eradicated our male soccer player⠡â ¯s inadequacy. Ladies, particularly the Asian ladies, are not, at this point those whom just needed to remain at home dealing with her better half and youngsters, making meals and cleaning the houses to go through her entire time on earth. Presently some of them might want to share substantially more regard from the men instead of get by relying upon them as in the past. How could ladies stand up so quick? Why couldn⠡â ¯t they understand 100 years sooner? As the article RISE OF THE ASIA WOMEN has referenced, the women⠡â ¯s ascending at present, relies for the most part upon the advancement of the new economy, which incorporates IT, the executives, and data administrations. Females who are effective in certain fields are the individuals who have gotten advanced education and have a lot of skill in their work. Females are brought into the world a similar IQ level with the male, so to utilize their shrewdness is the key for their prosperity. It will be non sense for them to contend the men by quality. They need cerebrum. Numerous works, be that as it may, requests both intelligence when at work, and forcefulness for rough test. So to be forceful as a man, as opposed to ground-breaking, makes sense in women⠡â ¯s ascending. In custom, women are faithful to the men and afterward what did they get, the fault, the beat, and the preference? They are not allowed to have their own musings and recommendations to insult the benefits of male, and that makes the ladies awkward and they never oppose up to this point. Be that as it may, presently, things are very surprising. A few ladies set out to hurl diverse supposition t ... <!

To Climb That Ivy, or Not

You check the mailbox every day. Finally, it’s there: the envelope you’ve been waiting for. The whole family gathers expectantly while you tear it open with shaking hands and . . . Congratulations! You are now a part of the Ivy League. Harvard. Yale. Princeton. Columbia. The glamour and prestige of the Ivies are undeniable. And it is glamour and prestige based on proven performance, consistent quality, and years of experience in education. But when your education is at stake, you want to consider more than just a name, even one that carries such weight. And that process starts before the mailman drops anything off at your door. All universities have some departments and disciplines that are more well known than others. Of course, not every student at Harvard is a pre-law student, just as not everyone at Penn is enrolled at Wharton or in pre-med classes. Also, smaller departments at major universities can provide unparalleled support and individual attention. But when evaluating and comparing schools, it’s an excellent idea to pay attention to each institution’s strengths and possible weaknesses in relation to your career goals. For example, Harvard is a top school for astronomers, but were you aware that according to U.S. News World Report, University of California at Berkeley is also ranked as one of the five best locations in the world to study the stars? Sometimes â€Å"weaknesses† may hinge on something as basic as location. Oceanography majors should probably think twice about attending a landlocked school. The University of Hawai’i at Manoa or the Florida Institute of Technology might be more practical locations to investigate. Do you play a sport, something you are counting on to net you a scholarship? Are you interested in competing professionally or as an amateur? A potential Olympic skier may not want to spend time looking at schools in desert settings! A student’s major interest might also be better served at more specialized schools. Eastman School of Music, Juilliard School in New York City, and Philadelphia’s own Curtis Institute of Music are not generally considered Ivy League, but their names command impressive respect among musicians. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a leader in the field of science education. Finally, don’t forget to factor any scholarships, grants, and loans into your decision. An Ivy League name on your rà ©sumà © is a huge advantage, but so is starting your career without a massive burden of student debt! Lots of choices, aren’t there? That’s a good thing! While you are weighing them, remember that A+ Test Prep and Tutoring can take at least one area of indecision off your mind. As test prepexperts, we can advise you whether you are better suited to take the SAT or the ACT. Then, we will match you with the right A+ tutors who can teach you both content and strategies to help you do your best on test day. That way, you can spend less time worrying about what kind of score you will show the schools and more time evaluating what each school has to offer you. We are here to help. A look at our website shows that our staff keep up-to-date with education news (peruse our weekly newsletter!). We also have extensive connections with college admissions consultants. We invite you to call A+ Test Prep and Tutoring at 215-886-9188 to consult with one of our Client Service Directors. Nathan Rudolph, Anne Stanley, and Susan Ware are available to answer questions, provide solutions, and assist you in achieving your educational goals. Sooner than you know, the biggest decision you’ll be facing is what to pack for college and what to leave at home! Photo courtesy of: Bettye Rainwater

The Number Of Juveniles Committing Crimes - 1745 Words

The number of juveniles committing crimes seems to be decreasing every year, but the numbers are still high and police force can’t seem to figure out what the problem is. Though no one answer can tell people why numbers are going up, researchers are determine to figure out what may be the root of the issue. It has been stated by many studies that the environment a child comes from can determine whether they will become a criminal. There are 3 main categories that have been discussed that researchers believe may affect the way a juvenile acts. These categories are family disruptions, single parent households, and lower class living. All these categories are things that come up in every study done to figure out whether a juvenile is affected†¦show more content†¦A child’s mind can be massively affected by divorce and this is what makes them delinquent. A child who is use to seeing marital discord in their home is sometimes prone to delinquent ways. Marital discor d is the lack of concord or harmony between two married people. Many parents experience unhappy conflicts where they bicker a lot amongst each other and sometimes in front of the children. While most hostile parents get divorced, some decide to stay together for the sack of their children. These parents do not always understand how exposing their children to ongoing conflict can be very harmful to them. The children can be emotional and physical affected in ways such as depression, anti-social behavior, and aggressive delinquent behavior. The social learning theory argues that aggressive behavior is learned because children tend to imitate what they see. Researchers have come up with three major relationships between family disruption and delinquency which are trauma theories, life course theories, and selection theories. The trauma theories suggest that the loss of a parent has a damaging effect on children, most commonly because of the effect on attachment to the parent (Juby and Farrington 2001). Life course theories focus on separation as a long drawn out process rather than a discrete event, and on the effects of multiple stressors

Essay on Role of Identity in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

In past and present, society has always put an emphasis on external appearance as opposed to inner personality. As a result, social classes are formed, such as upper and lower, wherein members of each class must uphold the norms defined by the prestige of the class. Upper classes are deemed to be perfect, as they contain the wealthy and the beautiful. This class distinction is heightened in Gothic literature where emotions and the persona of the characters are externalized. Emotions are literalized as characters, supernatural phenomena, and the protagonist and antagonist roles. Victor Frankensteins upbringing in a perfect society ultimately led to the destruction of his life which coincided with the lives of those emotionally close to†¦show more content†¦This need of power led Victor to create what he believed would be a beautiful human being. But he failed to see that combining the most beautiful human features does not necessarily create a beautiful human being. He was inspired by scientists who ...acquired new and almost limitless powers... (Shelley, Frankenstein, P. 47). Victor sought this unlimited power to the extent of taking the role of God. He not only penetrated nature, but also he assumed power of reproduction in a maniacal desire to harness these modes of reproduction in order to become acknowledged, respected, and obeyed as a father. While bringing his creation into the world he was himself alienated from society, and isolated himself from the community. Isolation and parental neglect cause viciousness within man. Because of his upbri nging, Victor had no sense of empathy, and therefore could not realize the potential harm he was creating towards himself and his creation. The sole purpose of his project was an attempt to gain power, but instead of power Victor realized that a morally irresponsible scientific development could release a monster that can destroy human civilization. Victor Frankenstein is in many ways more monstrous than the monster he created. Victor and his creation demonstrate a thesis-antithesis correspondence wherein they reflect opposite character traits. Victor has no sense of empathy or compassion, whereas the monster, although hideous and rejected by society as an outcast, hasShow MoreRelatedRole of Identity in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essays1046 Words   |  5 Pagesphenomena, and the protagonist and antagonist roles. Victor Frankensteins upbringing in a perfect society ultimately led to the destruction of his life which coincided with the lives of those emotionally close to him. Victor was raised in an atmosphere where beauty and physical appearance define ones quality of life. This superficial way of life results in a lost sense of morals and selfishness, which in turn produces a lost sense of personal identity. This can cause a feeling of failure and resentmentRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1527 Words   |  7 PagesShelley s narrative is seen to symbolize romantic fears, offering a tale of certain demise, one that gives technology negative connotations in the form of the creature whom is represented as an outcast of society. To emphasise this, the sublime settings in the text, provide a space where the marginalised can be heard, however, for in contrast to the power of beauty which works to contain and maintain social distinctions, the sublime in Frankenstein opens the way for the excluded to challenge theRead MoreFrankenstein by Mary Shelley Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesArchetypal Characters inside Frankenstein The novel â€Å"Frankenstein† by Mary Shelley involves the complex issues with the creation of life through an inanimate life. Shelley uses these character archetypes to develop a deeper meaning of the characters intentions. Shelley does an excellent job at allowing the reader to have a peak at the characters inner thoughts and feelings. The archetypes presented in Frankenstein allow readers to identify with the characters role and purpose. The foremost archetypesRead MoreFeminism And Women In Frankenstein1318 Words   |  6 PagesMary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein seems to focus on the characterization of men yet what is ironic is the fact that she is a woman. After the birth of Shelley, her mother Mary Wollstonecraft who was one of the first and most important feminist advocates had died, leaving Shelley to continue in her footsteps (â€Å"Feminism Women in Frankenstein†). Growing up, she was exposed to the work done by her mother and this led her to become exposed to feminist ideals at a very early age (â€Å"Feminism Read MoreGothic Literature : A Dark Atmosphere967 Words   |  4 Pageslooking more depth into a hero whose identity is identified at the end of a novel (Mullan). Some novels that have given us a chance to look more in depth with gothic literature just like Frankenstein. These novels include Horace Walpole’s Otranto and The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner ( 1824). In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley focuses on the main gothic elements such as setting, supernatural elements, and the presence of evil. Throughout the Frankenstein novel, a dark atmosphere helpsRead MoreBiblical Analysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1376 Words   |  6 Pages16 November 2015 Biblical Analysis: Frankenstein Frankenstein by Mary Shelley often refers to the bible on a number of occasions. However, it is worth noting that many references used by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein can often be identified in Genesis. Much like Genesis, the story of Frankenstein is a viable creation story. The book of Genesis first explains the creation of man and woman, and also recounts the fall of humanity. Unlike Genesis, Frankenstein begins with the fall of humanity, leadingRead MoreMary Shellys Frankenstein and the Consideration of Psychological Traumas Women Face in the Lack of Control Over Their Reproductive Organs1798 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Mary Shellys Frankenstein and the Consideration of Psychological Traumas Women Face in the Lack of Control Over Their Reproductive Organs I. Objective The objective of this study is to examine Mary Shellys work Frankenstein and to consider the psychological traumas women face in the lack of control over their reproductive organs. II. Introduction Women throughout the world have experienced psychological trauma over the lack of control over their reproductive organs and whether this traumaRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1589 Words   |  7 PagesExtended Response (Q2) - Frankenstein By Mary Shelley Rachel .Corrie The perspective, from which a story is told, causes an influential response from readers to certain issues, characters and conflicts that are found in literary texts. Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, was published in 1818 and tells the story of a scientist known as Victor Frankenstein who reanimates life in an unethical science experiment. In this novel Walton, Victor and the creature tell their sideRead More Identity of Women in Shelleys Frankenstein, Brontes Jane Eyre, and Eliots The Mill on the Floss1471 Words   |  6 PagesIdentity of Women in Shelleys Frankenstein, Brontes Jane Eyre, and Eliots The Mill on the Floss George Eliot is quoted as stating: A womans hopes are woven of sunbeams; a shadow annihilates them (Miner 473). To extend this notion, Jean Giraudoux in Tiger at the Gates, states I have been a woman for fifty years, and Ive never been able to discover precisely what it is I am (474). These two statements are related to each other because they express, in large part, the dilemma facing MaryRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1107 Words   |  5 Pages Marta Przybylowska Mary Shelley chose to write Frankenstein from the perspective of three narrators, which, not surprisingly, were all male. We are presented with the accounts of Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and the Monster. The women that are portrayed in this novel are simply tools used by the author to further develop the importance of the male experience of the narrators. They are portrayed as beautiful, capable of self sacrifice, delicate and nurturing to their men, yet at the same

Sacred Shrine Kamakhya free essay sample

Through the ages Kamakhya has remained the most celebrated centre of the Sakti cult in Assam. Instead of an image or iconic representation of the goddess, prayer is offered to a Yonimandala of stone. Several literary works like the Kalika Purana, the Yogini Tantra give different accounts of the Aryan origin of Kamakhya. However Banikanta Kakati and Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi mention Kamakhya as a non-Aryan goddess. The temple was constructed by Koch king Biswa Singha during 1515-1540 A. D. The present temple was constructed on the earlier temple by Koch King Naranarayana with the help of his brother Chilarai in 1564. Kamakhya temple is associated with different religious cults like Tantricism, Saktism, Saivism, Buddhism and Vaisnavism etc. As a Tantric Pitha, it is related with religious practices like animal scarifies, Kumari Puja, Yantra worship and several other Tantrik rites and rituals. Several religious rituals and festivals like Ambubachi, Devadhani, Durga Puja, Vasanti Puja, Kumari Puja, Punsavan ceremony etc. are observed in the temple Ambubachi is the most popular among these festivals. Besides Kamkhya temple there are many other Sakti temples like Bhubaneswari temples, Chatrakara temple, Ugratara temple, Dirgheswari temple, Kali temple at Ajara, Kali temple at Baliluha, the Dipteswari temple, the Bhairabi temple, the Mahamaya temple, the Burhi Gosani temple, the Tamreswari temple etc. The Bhubaneswari temple situated at the top of the Nilachala Hills. The worship of Bhubaneswari is of Tantric origin. The Chatrakara temple is situated in the Uzanbazar area at Guwahati. Yogini Tantra mention the temple is situated on an umbrella shaped hillock as a sacred place. The Ugratara temple is also situated in the Uzanbazar area. According to the Kalika Purana the naval of sati had fallen in this place when lord Siva, Sati’s husband, journeyed towards the east taking Sati’s dead body on his shoulder. The temple of goddess Dirgheswari is situated at the Rangmahal area of North Guwahati. The mode of worship of the goddess is of Tantric origin. The Kali temple at Ajara is located in the district of Nalbari. The image in the temple is known as Daksinakali. The kali temple at Baliluha is situated in the village of Baliluha of Nalbari district. Ahom king Siva Singha constructed the temple and donated land to the temple. By the river side of Puthimari near Rangia in the Kamrup district there is a temple of goddess Dipteswari. It is interesting to note that water in the temple never runs insufficient and the image is seen on the surface of the water. The Tamreswari temple, popularly known as the Dikkaravasini temple is situated at eighteen miles away from modern Sadia town in Tinsukia district. According to Hari Nath Sarma Doloi, the river Digaru flowing through Sadia, might have a sanskritized name Dikkara after which the goddess came to be known as Dikkaravasini. There are various mythological and historical evidences written in literary works like the Kalika Purana, Yogini Tantra, and Assam Buranji of Gunabhiram Barua about the origin of Kamakhya. It is mentionable here that instead of an image or iconic representation of the goddess in the temple, prayer is offered to a Yonimandala made of stone. The Yoipitha and Yonimandala of Kamakhya temple are different froms each other. The Yonipitha is a vast tract of land in which the Yonimandala is situated. The Yonipitha has a length of ‘five crosh’. Inside of the Yonipitha there is the Hill called Nila situated within the Yonipitha. They are the Brahmasaila, the Nilasaila, the Maniparvat and the Bhasmachala Hills. The Yonimandala is a squire sized red stone. It remains always wet with water that flows from a spring below. The length of the Mandala is one arm and twelve fingers. It is also attracted with a Siva Linga. Saktism, the cult of worshipping the mother goddess as the supreme deity known by various names such as Devi, Durga, Kali, Kalika, Uma, Kamakhya, Tara, Chandi, Chamunda, Vindhyavasini, Sakambhari and so on were centered in and around the Kamakhya temple in ancient Assam. However, as literary records like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Kalika Purana and epigraphical records like the Allahabad Pillar inscription inform Assam was then known as either Kamrupa or Pragjyotisa. According to the Kalika Purana and Yogini Tantra Kamrupa remained the most suitable place for Sakti worship from the ancient period for the practice of magic and witchcraft which were mainly practiced in the Kamakhya. According to the Kalika Purana, Siva was not interested in worldly activities. Brahma, the creator was afraid that if Siva did not marry, then the whole process of creation would come to a halt. So he engaged Kamadeva the God of love to enchant Siva. By doing this Brahma wanted to convince Siva to marry which would ultimately, help in the process of Creation. Brahma wanted to make the Primal energy to be the wife of Siva. So he told Daksa to worship the mother goddess so that she was born as the daughter of Daksa. At the advice of Brahma, Daksa worshipped the mothers goddess for about three thousand years. Being satisfied the goddess told Daksa that she would take birth as Daksa’s daughter and also marry Siva. But at the same time, she warned Daksa that if she was neglected by Daksa, she would abandon her life. According to her promise, the mother goddess took birth as the daughter of Daksa. In her youth she worshipped Siva to get him as her husband. Siva was satisfied. He married her and began to stay at the Himalayas. King Daksa was dissatisfied with Siva when he did not get sufficient respect and hounour from Siva. Once he decided to perform a sacrifice without giving invitation to Siva and Sati, his daughter. He had invited everybody excluding Siva and Sati in the sacrifice. Hearing about the performance of the sacrifice, Sati went to the sacrifice alone. But in the sacrifice Daksa insulted her saying ill of Siva as the Kapalika. He maintained that Sati was merely the Kalpika’s wife. Being neglected by her own father, Sati abandoned her life at the sacrificial fire. When Siva heard of the sudden death of Sati, he became angry and went to Daksa’s house with his follower Birabhadra to destroy the sacrifice. Siva destroyed the whole sacrifice and also beheaded Daksa. But at the request of Daksa’s wife Birini, he transposed the head of a goat to Daksa’s body. With heavy panic, Siva took the dead body of Sati in his shoulder and started his journey towards the east. Seeing the anger of Siva, Brahma, Visnu and Sani entered into the dead body of Sati. Visnu started to cut the different parts of the dead body with his Chakra. The parts of the deadbody of Sati, a human incarnation of the mother goddess fell into fifty one places. At each place, there emerged a Saktipitha, a Shrine of Sakti along with a Linga, the phallic representation of Siva. The Kalika Purana mentions the different places where the parts of Sati have fallen in the following way. â€Å"Kamrupe Kamagirau nyaptat yonimandlam | Tatraiba nyaptaddhumau purbato nabhimandlam||43|| Jalandhare Stanayugan Svarnaharabhibusitam | Ansagriban Purnagirau Kamrupaotah Sirah||44||† (The genital organ of Sati fell into the Kamaparvata in Kamrupa. The naval portion of Sati fell into the eastern side of Kamrupa. Again, the breast of Sati fell into Jalandhara. The head of Sati had fallen into the last part of Kamrupa. ) The Kalika Purana also mentions five main Saktipithas in which different parts of Sati has fallen. â€Å"Katayani Coddayane Kamakhya Kamarupini| Purnesvari Purnagirau Chandi Jalandhare girau||50||† (These five main centres of Saktism are Katyani at Uddiana, Kamakhya at Kamrupa, Purneswari and Chandi at Jalandhara and Dikkaravasini at the eastern-most part of Kamrupa). Kamakhya came to be recognized as the most important Saktipitha among the five main one as it is related to the genital organ of the mother goddess. According to the Kalika Purana, as the goddess came to fulfill her sexual desire with Siva in the Nilakuta Hillock, she is named as Kamakhya. The Kalika Purana says, â€Å"Kamarthamagota Yasmanamaya Sarddhan mahagirau| Kamakhya procyote nilkute rahogata||1||† Kalika Purana also mentions the other variants of the name of the goddess Kamakhya as Kamada, Kamini, Kama, Kanta and Kamangadayini. In this respect, the Kalika Purana says- â€Å"Kamada Kamini Kama Kanta Kamangadayini| Kamanganasini Yasmat Kamakhya tena cocyate||2||† The Kalika Purana, written in the 10th century A. D. , also relates the story of Naraka, the mythological king of Kamrupa, with the goddess Kamakhya. According to the Kalika Purana, â€Å"Rajasvala gatraya gorbhe beeryena potrinah| Yato Yatastato bhuto deva putraohapi so ha surah||7||† (Mother Earth gave birth to Naraka. He was fathered by the Boar incarnation of Visnu. The concept took place during the period of her menstruation. Therefore, he beheaved like a demon) According to the Kalika Purana, Mother Earth gave birth to Naraka at the sacrificial place of Janaka, the king of Mithila, also known as Videha. Mother earth told Janaka that he would have to take care of the son. After the birth of the son, Visnu told Mother Earth that he would be the king of Pragjyotisapura at the age of sixteen. He again said that until he followed the human conduct he would be happy and wealthy. King Janaka adopted the baby-boy born placing its head on a human skull in his sacrificial place. So the sage Gautama named the boy as Naraka. Mother Earth took care of the boy in disguise of a nurse named Katyayani. Sixteen years later, mother earth brought Naraka to the bank of the river Ganga from where Visnu brought of them to pragjyotisa and Siva dwelt in a secret place. In Pragjyotisa, Naraka killed Ghataka, the kirata king ruling in the region. Then Naraka started to worship Mother Kamakhya on the advice of Visnu. However, at the end of the Dvapara age, Naraka gave up the worship of Visnu and Kamakhya as he came under the influence of Bana, the king of Sonitpura and a worshipper of Siva. Naraka also prevented sage Vasistha to offer his prayer to the goddess Kamakhya. The sage cursed Naraka that his own father would kill him very soon and until then the goddess would disappear from the Nilachala Hills. Being frightened, Naraka worshipped Brahma who blessed him with five boons. Being empowered by Brahma, Naraka started neglecting all Brahmanical rites and took away the Kundala (ear-rings) of Aditi, the Mother of the gods. Hearing the misesies created by Naraka, Krishna, the incarnation of Visnu at the Dvapara age, killed Naraka in a battle. Thus, Krishna translated Vasistha’s curse into reality. After the death of Naraka, his son Bhagadatta was enthroned by Krisna as the king of Pragjyotisa. The Yogigni Tantra, written in the sixteen century A. D. , gives a different account about the origin of Kamakhya. According to the fifteenth Patal (Chapter) of the Yogini Tantra, Devi asked Maheswara about Kamakhya and Maheswara answered in the following way. â€Å"Ya Kali parama vidya Brahmarupa sanatani| Kamakhya Saibe dibesi Sarbasiddhibinodini||† (Supreme Goddess Kamakhya is not different from Kali) According to the Yogini Tantra, Brahma after creating the Universe, became arrogated at his Creation. The goddess then created a fearsome Demon called Kesi from the pride of Brahma. The Demon Kesi tried to swallow Brahma as son as he was born. The Demon Kesi also built a city named Kesipura and started to harass the people of the three worlds. Finding no way of rescue, both Brahma and Visnu started to pray the goddess Kali. Kali asked Brahma to create a hill from the ashes of Kesi. She asked Brahma to do so, so that he can free himself from his sin of taking pride in his creation. Kali, or Kamakhya, killed the Demon Kesi at the request of both Brahma and Visnu. Goddess Kali told Brahma that in the spot where Brahma and Visnu prayed her to kill the Demon Kesi, would emerge a Yonimandala (yoni circle). This Yonimandala would emerge for the welfare of Brahma and the whole world. The entire region would be known as Kamrupa. The literary evidences inform us that Naraka was a devotee of Kamakhya. However there is no information in the Kalika Purana about the construction of the Kamakhya temple by Naraka. Only in the Assam Buranji by Raibahadur Gunabhiram Barua mentioned that the Kamakhya temple was constructed by Naraka. He also tells a story about it. It is stated that being attraction by the beauty of Kamakhya, Naraka wanted to marry her. Goddess Kamakhya told Naraka that she will marry him only if he built a rest house and four stone roads from four sides to the shrine within one night. Naraka started his construction and was about to complete the task. The goddess forged a cock to declare the advent of dawn. Being angry, Naraka beheaded the cock. The road built by Naraka still prevail in the Kamakhya temple and the place where Naraka beheaded the cock still known as Kukurakota Chaki. Though there are various literary evidences about the origin of Kamakhya, it is difficult to determine definite and specific date and period of the origin of Kamakhya. The Kalika Purana says that the genital organ of Sati fell on a hillock named Kubjikapitha in Kamrupa before the advent of Naraka. As the genital organ of Sati fell on the hill, the hill turned blue. Hence the hill came to be known as the Nilachala. As soon as the genital organ of Sati fell on Nilachala Hill, it turned into a slab of stone which came to be considered as the goddess Kamakhya. Yuan Tsang, who visited Kamrupa during the period of Bhaskar Varman. Gives a valuable description of Kamrupa in his book si-yu-hi. According to him, during that period there were several Deva temples in Kamrupa which also prove, the existence of Saivism at that time. All the ruling dynasties of Assam, occupy the Pala king Vaidyadeva, who was a worshipper of Visnu, had worshipped Siva. Therefore, probably during the period of the Varman dynasty, Saivism had a predominant role in the religion of Assam and the glory of Saktism had declined after them. It is mentionable that the Koch king Biswa Singha, who belonged to sixteen century, built a temple on the Nilachala Hills. There is no sufficient evidence about the construction of the Kamakhya temple before sixteenth century. Only the Assam Buranji of Gunabhiram Barua mentions that Naraka constructed a road by the Kukurakota Chaki on the Nilachala Hills. One day, Biswa Singha during his expedition against the Ahom Kingdom arrived at the Nilachala Hills and came to know that the hills are the sacred dwelling place of Goddess Kamakhya. Biswa Singha worshipped Goddess Kamakhya with great devotion to help him to regain his lost army. He promised her to build a temple of gold in that place. Surprisingly his desire was fulfilled. Consequently he had constructed a temple on the Nilachala Hills by giving one Rati of gold to every slab of stone according to his promise. Thus Biswa Singha revived the glory of Kamakhya by constructing the temple complex. However temple constructed by Biswa Singha was destroyed by Kalapahar, the powerful general of Nawab of Gauda (Bengal). Chilarai, the brother of Biswa Singha’s son and successor reconstructed the Kamakhya temple in 1565. According to Raibahadur Gunabhiram’s Assam Buranji, king Naranarayan had brought some Brahmanas from Uttar Pradesh to worship goddess Kamakhya. Thus Naranarayana and his brother Chilarai took significant roles in the renovation of the temple and also in the spread of Saktism in the region. Chilarai or Sukladhvaja, introduced Durga Puja in the Kamakhya temple. During the period of Ahom role, the glory of Kamakhya enhanced greatly. Siva Singha, the son of Rudra Singha was preached by Krishnaram Bhattacharya, the chief priest of the Kamakhya temple to become a disciple of Saktism. The Nat Mandir of the Kamakhya temple was constructed by king Rajeswar Singha and Gaurinath Singha. Two inscriptions belonging to the Ahom king Pramatta Singha testify that he constructed the Amratakeswar Mandir and the Daul Mandir of the Kamakhya temple. On the basis of several literary evidences a critical investigation about the origin of Kamakhya can be done. Banikanta Kakati mentions that the word ‘Kamakhya’ has its origin in the Austric Khasi word Kesh, meaning pine trees. After cutting down the pine trees on an around the Nilachala Hills, some hermits started worshipping Kama, a ‘cremation-ground-dwelling goddess. ’ Eventually this goddess came to be known as Kamakhya. Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi mentions that at the beginning Kamakhya Pitha was the place of mother worship of the non-Aryan people. The concept of mother worship remains important among the Austric Khasi people. Moreover, the Mongoloid Bodo people worshipped the Sakti. Therefore, Kamakhya might, be a place for mother worship of the Bodo and Khasi people in the ancient period. In North-East India the tribal people worship bamboo in some of their festivals instead of an image. The Kamakhya temple also lacks an image. Here also a symbol of Yoni is worshiped. The Yoni represents the creative force of the mother goddess. The worship of Yoni existed as Linga worship existed among the non-Aryan people in the ancient period. During the age of the prevalence of Tantricism, this worship of yoni was assimilated with the religions beliefs of the Aryan group of people. Being influenced by the Aryan culture, the Yonipitha or the worship of the female genital organ got associated with the worship of Sakti or Devi and Kamakhya became centre for the worship of Yoni. Saktipitha Kamakhya, famous for Sakti worship in India is a meeting ground of various religious cults like Tantricism, Saivism, Vaisnavism, Buddhism etc. All, these religious cults which exist in the temple are deeply associated with each other and so it is difficult to make a separate study of each of these cults. Saktism enjoyed a strong hold in the religion of Assam from the ancient period. According to Kalika Purana and Yogini Tantra Kamrupa was the most suitable place for the worship of Sakti. Saktism, the cult of worshipping the mother goddess as the supreme deity known variously as Devi, Durga, Kali, Kalika, Uma, Kamakhya, Tara, Chandi, Chamunda, Vindhyavasini, Sakamabhari and so on, centred in and around the Kamakhya temple in ancient Assam. The Saktipitha Kamakhya came to be recognized as the most important Saktipitha not only among the Saktipithas of Assam but also among the five main Sakti centres in India viz, Katyayani at Uddiyana, Kamakhya at Kamrup, Purneswari and Chandi at Jalandhara and Dikkaravasini at the eastern part of Kamrupa. Saktism is associated with the sacrifices of various animals, human beings etc. Sacrifice of pigeons, ducks, goats and buffaloes are still prevalent in the Kamakhya temple. Without the sacrifice the worship of Kamakhya is not supposed to be completed. Saktism is also associated with the worship of Yoni in the Kamakhya temple. In the temple, prayers are offered to a Yonipitha of stone in lieu of an image or iconic representation of the goddess. Though there is an image of goddess Kamakhya belonging to much later period main worship is still offered to the Yonipitha in the monobhavaguha (the cave in which the Yoni of the goddess exists). The sex organ of a female represents creation. Therefore, Yoni worship means the desire for fertility. Thus, the desire for fertility in the form of Yoni worship got associated in the Kamakhya temple. Saktism has three types of worship viz, Jap, Hom and Tarpan. Jap is the system of worship in which mantras are uttered by the priest to worship the goddess. Hom is system of worship in which items like Ghee, Belpat (wood-apple leaves), Til (serame) and Chaul (rice) are sacrificed in the sacred fire. Tarpan, the worship of the goddess with sixteen upacara is also an important part of Sakti worship in the temple. The sixteen upacaras are- Asana (seat), Swagata (calling), Padya (protection for foot), Arghya (an utensil made of copper to pour milk or water to the goddess), Asamania (to wash hand and mouth), Madhuparka (mixture of honey, curd, milk, molasses and sugar), Punarasamaniya (again to wash hand and mouth), Snana (bath), bastra (cloth), Abharana (ornaments), Gandha (perfume), Puspa (flower), Dhup (incense sticks) Deep (eathen lamp) and Naibedya (eatable items like gram and fruits offered to the goddess). The religious festivals observed in the Kamakhya temple are related with the worship of Sakti. The festivals associated with the Sakti worship are Durga puja, Manasa Puja, Kali Puja, Lakshmi Puja and Saraswati Puja and so on. Durga Puja which is observed in the autumn season is a popular festival of temple. It is observed in the month of Ahin (mid September to mid October) of Assamese calendar and worship is offered according to the Tantric mode. No image of goddess Durga is used in the temple. Sacrifices of animals like goats, pigeons and buffaloes are offered to the goddess during that period. Another important festival observed in the Kamakhya temple is the Manasa Puja or Devadhani festival. It is observed on the last day of Shaon and first day of Bhada (mid August) of Assamese calendar. The folk goddess Manasa is considered as the goddess of snakes. During this festival different musical instruments are played along with the recitation of the Beula-Lakhindar ballad. Sacrifices of animals are offered to the goddess during this festival. Laksmi Puja is also observed in the Kamakhya temple on the next bright fortnight of Bijayadasami (the last day) of Durga Puja. In this festival sacrifices are offered to goddess Kamala, one of the Dasmahavidyas. Goddess Kamala is considered as the Laksmi in the Kamakhya temple. Kali Puja is observed in the Kali temple (one of the Dasamahavidya temples) in the Kamakhya temple complex on the next black fortnight of Laksmi Puja. The worship of goddess Kali is performed by giving animal sacrifices. The Sarawati Puja which is also a worship of Sakti is performed on the fifth day of bright fortnight of Assamese Magh (mid January to mid February) month. The Saraswati Puja is performed in the Matangi Pitha (one of the Dasamahavidyas) of the Kamakhya temple in which animal sacrifices are offered to the goddess. Kamakhya temple is also associated with the worship of folk goddess Sitala in the Sitala temple on the southern side of the Kamakhya temple. Moremover, an image of goddess Sitala also exists in the Kamakhya temple premises. In Assam, goddess Sitala is considered as ‘nature goddess’ who can cure small-pox, one of the common diseases of Assam. Saivism is another important religious cult associated with the Kamakhya temple. In Kamakhya temple, the Mahadeva cult is connected with the cult of Sakti. The cult of fertility or the worship of the phallus or Linga which was later personified as Lord Siva is also found in the Indus valley remains and Vedic literature. Saivism is one of the oldest religious faiths of Assam. During the period of Naraka Siva dwelt secretly. He was then worshipped by the indigenous Kirata people. Banana the king of Sonitpura followed Saivism. Siva worship was first introduced in early Assam by king of Jalpaiguri (North Bengal) known as Jalpeswara and also had founded a Siva temple by his name. The Chinese traveler Yuan Tsang had given some information about the prevalence of Saivism in Assam. Yuan Tsang who visited Kamrupa during the period of the Varman king Bhaskar Varman (594-650 A. D. ) mentions in his book Si-Yu-Ki that there were hundreds of Deva temples in Kamrupa. Perhaps those Deva temples mentioned by Yuan Tsang were dedicated to Lord Siva, because he used the word Deva in place of the word Devi. Probably during that period the tradition of mother worship continued in a low profile. The worship of Siva prevailed in Assam from a remote period and it was the popular form of religion amongst both the aboriginals and the Aryanized people. The popularity of Saivism in ancient Assam is also proved by the copperplates and land grants of the kings appeard in the Kamrupa Sasanavali. The kings of ancient Assam had expressed their allegiance to Saivism through those copperplates and land grants. In the Kamakhya temple the joint worship of Siva and Sakti is prevalent. Tantra also popularizes the worship of Siva and Sakti. According to Tantras, Siva without Sakti is not capable of moving. The joint worship of Siva and Sakti is purely of a Tantric origin. The mother goddess Kamakhya is united with Siva or Mahakala or Kamesa and pairs with Him as Kameswara-Kameswari. The union of Siva and Sakti is proved by the Dasamahavidya temples existing in the Kamakhya temple. Dasamahavidyas represent ten different forms of Sakti. There are ten Mahavidya temples in the Kamakhya complex. Except Dhumavati, who is represented as widow, the nine Mahavidyas are worshipped with their Bhairavas. The Bhairavas of the Mahavidyas are- Goddess Kali (worshipped with Mahakala), Tara (with Aksaubha), Sodasi (with Kameswara), Bhubaneswari (with Tryamvaka Siva), Bhairabi (with Dakshinamurti), Chinnamasta (with Kavandha), Bagala (with Ekavakltra Siva), Matangi (with Matanga Siva) and Kamala (with Sri Visnu). There are five Pithas of Panchanana Siva within the Kamakhya temple which proves the existence of Siva cult in the Kamakhya temple. Besides this there are some other Siva temples in the Kamakhya Pitha. Some local festivals observed in the Kamakhya temple are also related with Saivism. One such local festival prevalent in the Kamakhya temple in the Puhan Bia or Punsavan ceremony. This ceremony is one of the ten Hindu Samskaras. It is performed to produce male child. It is observed at the seventh or eight month of the first conception of any remembrance of the Hara-Gauri’s (Siva-Parvati’s) marriage ceremony. This festival is held on the second or third Tithi of dark fortnight of the Pusya constellation of the Puh or the Magh month (mid December to mid February). Sivaratri, another religious ceremony performed to worship Siva in the Kamakhya temple on the Krishna Chaturdasi Tithi, i. e. , on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Fagun (mid February to mid March), also proves the prevalence of Saivism. In this occasion non-vegetable Bhoga, made of fish and meat of castrated goat is offered to Kamakhya in the five Siva Pithas (Panchanana). In this festival a castrated goat is decapitated in the temple. Tantricism is also associated with the worship of goddess Kamakhya. The shrine in regarded as the perfect place for the practice of the Tantric cult. Tantricism has also a non-Aryan origin and all the elements like the use of magic and charms, the use of wine, the evolting rites the beliefs in the efficacy mantras and sex worship are found in other primitive cultures around the world. One element of the religious heritage of ancient Assam is ‘Fetishism’, a belief in magic which is associated with objects like stones and trees etc. constituting the foundation of Tantricism in Assam with its centre at the Kamakhya temple. Tantric worship centres round the union of Siva and Sakti. In the Kamakhya temple unified prayer is offered to Siva and Sakti in the forms of Kameswara and Kameswari respectively. As a centre of Tantricism, the Panchamakara i. e. the ‘fifth M’ method is practiced in the Kamakhya temple. These Panchamakara include Madya (alchohol), Mangsa (meat), Matsya (fish), Mudra (signs of seats) and Maithuna (sexual intercourse). Yantra worship is also an integral parts of Tantrik worship which existed in the Kamakhya temple. In the temple worship is mainly performed on the Srichakra (Yantra) which is considered as principle among the other 960 Yantras. This Srichakras (Yantras) are actually symbols which the Sadhaka tries to establish god or goddesses in that symbol. Several festivals are observed in the Kamakhya temple at various times. Many of them are related with Tantricism. The Ambubachi festival observed in the Kamakhya temple from the seventh day to the eleventh day of Ahar (within the first fortnight of the month of June) is an example of such festivals. It is believed that this is the period of menstruation of goddess Kamakhya. During this period the temple is closed for the devotees and Visitors. The temple is re-opened on the fourth day. After the period of menatruation, the productive power of a woman becomes active. Ambubachi is a festivals which signifies the power of fertility. Thus, the concept of fertility is related with mother goddess Kamakhya. This is a Tantrik belief. In the Kamakhya Pitha, the worship of the Dasamahavidyas is also prevalent. These temples are the Kali temple, the Tara temple, the Bhubeneswari temple, the Bhairavi temple, the Bagalamukhi temple, the Dhumavati temple, the Sinnamasta. All the Mahavidyas except Bagalamukhi, are worshipped with red flowers. The use of wine is the speciality of the worship of the Dasamahavidyas along with Dhyana and Bija-mantra. The Kamakhya temple is also associated with the Buddhist faith especially with the Buddhism or Tantrik Buddhism. The architectural remains of the Natachala Hills indicate the Buddhist influence on the temple. Some Buddhist tradition state that Buddhism entered Kamrupa around the third century B. C. Kalhana’s Rajtarangini also mentions about the prevalent of Buddhism in Kamrupa of the Pre-Bhaskarvarman era. The Bagalamukhi is one of the famous goddess among the Dasamahavidyas and in Kamakhya temple also there is a temple of goddess Bagala. Bagala is the best example of the assimilation of the Buddhist and the Hindu Tantras. In the Buddhist Tantras, there is a goddess named Bagala or Bogla Dakini. Various Buddhist relies are found on the Nilachala Hills in which testify the Buddhist influence on the Kamakhya temple. All the sculptures are in various shapes. They are on the verge of decay. They depict episodes of Gautam Buddha’s life. Two images of Buddha and Buddhisattava are found on the Nilachala Hills. Moreover, a rock cut image of Buddha under the Bodhi tree was discovered by the side of the old path of the Kamakhya temple. Some other Buddhist sculptures like Gautama in archery contest, Gautama on hoseback etc. are also found on the Nilachala Hills. Moreover, a broken image of Padmapani Buddha in the form of Dhyana and an image of a mother with a child, probably representing the Buddhist goddess Hariti are found in the temple. Some broken images of elephants and oxen’s are also found in the Kamakhya temple. All these sculpture belong to the seventh or the eight centuries and they signify the existence of the Buddhist cult in the Kamakhya temple. The cult of Vishnu is also associated with the Kamakhya shrine. According to the Kalika Purana, Mother Earth gave birth to Naraka. Naraka was fathered by the Boar incearnation of Visnu. After coming to Pragjyotispura, Naraka started to worship goddess Kamakhya on the advice of Visnu. This signifies the influence of Vishnu cult over the Kamakhya Shrine. In the Kamakhya temple there is a temple of Vishnu, known as Kamleswar in which both Visnu and Siva Jointly exist and the sonnet form is known as Kambalakhya. There are several stone structures and statues related with the Visnu cult in the Kamakhya temple. These testifies the prevalence of Vishu cult in Kamakhya temple. There are several stone structures related with the Visnu cult in the Kamakhya temple. In the Nilachala Hills, there is a stone statue of Visnu Vasudeva and three statues of Visnu Krisna. Moreover, there are several stone stuatues of Visnu Balarama, the elder brother of Krisna, carrying a plough in his hand. In the first gate of the main walking path to the Kamakhya temple, a statue of young Balaram is affixed. Balaram is seen as killing Mustika, the wrestler of king Kansa. A rock cut flute playing statue of Krisna Vasudeva is also found in the Kamakhya temple. Moreover, near the main temple of goddess Kamakhya, a Krisna temple exists. Regular worship is held in the Krisna temple. Some festivals observed in the Kamakhya temple are also related with the cult of Visnu. The Douljatra or Holi, the festival of colour and joy is observed in the temple on the full moon day of the Assamese month Fagun (mid February to mid March). The Douljatra is a festival related with Lord Krisna. The festival is observed in the Kamakhya temple with pomp and grandeur. Another important festival related with the Visnu cult or Krisna cult is the Janmastami (the birthday of Krishna). Janmastami is celebrated in the Kamakhya temple on the Krisnastami Tithi (day) of the month of Bhada (i. . on the eight day of the black fortnight between mid-August to mid September). In this festival, Hom is offered in the Kamaleswar temple. Moreover, animal sacrifices are also conducted in the main Pitha of the Kamakhya temple on this occasion. All these festivals signify the existence of the Visnu cult in the Shrine. The worship of Ganesa is an important pa rt of the religious aspect of the Kamakhya temple. In the temple, a traditional ritual exists in which the devotee can enter the main Kamakhya Pitha after taking permission from the image of Ganesa which is situated near the tank Saubhangakuda. Stone images of Ganesa are found on the Nilachala Hills in large numbers. The numbers of Ganesa idols discovered on the Nilachala Hills are above fifty. It is mentionable here that most of the Ganesa statues on the Nilachala Hills have two full teeth where the Ganesa images of rest of India are generally single toothed. The Kamakhya Pitha is assimilated with several religious cults like Saktism, Tantricism, Saivism, Buddhism and Vaisnavism etc. However, it is popular mainly as the centre of Sakta Tantricism. On the Nilachala Hills, several families inhabit. They are mainly Brahmanas, Kayasthas, Napits, Dhobas and so on. All these people are associated with the Kamakhya temple by several professions. The Brahmanas are the Pandas who conduct the worship of Goddess Kamakhya. All these people are live at the Nilachala Hills are followers of Sakta Tantricism. Besides Saktism, they believe in other cults like Saivism and Vaisnavism. As all these religious cults are amalgamated with the worship of the Kamakhya shrine, the people have naturally, become the followers of all these cults. Therefore, there is no distinct sectarian division among the inhabitants of the Nilachala Hills who belong to Sakta, Tantric, Saivite and Vaisnavite sects at the same time. In the day to day worship of goddess Kamakhya, some important rituals are observed in the temple. The Shrine remain open from dawn to dusk. For the regular worship of the goddess, the main temple is opened in the morning. The Kumari Puja or virgin worship is one of the important religions rituals observed in the Kamakhya temple. There is no specific time for virgin worship in the Kamakhya temple. Virgin worship is mainly performed in the Panchanan temple, in the Dasamahavidya temple and in the homes of the Pandas. In the virgin worship there is no caste division. But in the Kamakhya temple, preference is generally given to the Brahman girls from the age of five to nine. In this ritual, the selected girl is bathed at first. She is then decorated with new cloths, ornaments and flowers. The priest then imagines the virgin as the goddess and worships her with flower, lamp. Besides this there are several religious rituals associated with the goddess in the Kamakhya temple. Some important religious festivals observed in the Kamakhya temple are Ambubasi, Devadhani, Durga Puja, Vasanti Puja, Durga Deul, etc. Ambubasi the festival observed during the period of menstruation at Kamakhya i. e. from the seventh to the eleventh day of the month of Ashadha (i. e. the first fortnight of the month of June). On this occasion red clothes, symbolizing menstruate blood, are worshipped and distributed among the devotees. The festival reminds us of mother earth. Thus, the festival symbolizes the fertility cult, originating probably from the belief of the aboriginals that emphasized on the worship of mother earth for better yield of the crops. Thus festival of Ambubasi is of much importance as thousands of devotees throng the temple premises for several days even at present. Another important festival observed in the temple on the last day of Shravana and first day of Bhadra (i. e. mid August) is Devadhani in which different musical instruments are played along with the recitation of the Beula-Lakhindar ballad worship of Manasa is held in the Pancaratna temple. The worship of Durga and Vasanti are held in autumn and spring season respectively. Except the time of worship, Durga and Vasanti are not different for they are incarnations of Kamakhya. Both Dugra and Vasanti are worshipped in the Devipitha according to the instructions of the Kalika Purana and Devi Purana. Accordingly, Laxmi, Saraswati and Ratanti, Kalika Puja, Kali Puja, Sivaratri ‘Brata’, Janmastami, Daul Jatra and local festivals like Pusyabhiseka, Madanacaturdasi and Navana are also regularly held. ‘Durga Deul’ is, however uncommon in the other parts of the country. This festivals is held during the spring particularly a second, third, forth, fifth and sixth day of the bright fortnight. Like Radha Krishna in the Daul Jatra, Kameswara and Kameswari are kept in the swing in their respective temples. On the evening of the sixth day, Devi Kameswari is taken out in a procession for all these days special worships are held. This is held in the month of Caitra (i. e. , March-April). There are some fixed procedure one has to observe before entering the shrine. The devotee needs to go to the ‘Saubhagyakunda’, the play resort of Kamakhya and the place of worship of Prajapati by Indra and other gods worship Prajapati. After taking a holy bath in the tank, the devotee needs to approach Ganesha to seek his permission to visit Kamakhya. Before entering the shrine proper, one has to go to Kambalesvara. After entering the Shrine, the devotee is to worship the mobile image or ‘Calanta Murti’. The image of the Yoni of goddess Kamakhya is at the doorsteps of the ‘Manobhavaguha’. The ‘Pujaris’ or the ‘Pandas’ are the priests, who according to Sastric myth, were brought from Uttar Pradesh by a king named Dharmapala. Gradually they became the mediator between the devotee and the goddess. They get ‘Dakhina’ from the devotees and this has remained now-a-days as the only means they live by. The Pujaris conduct the whole Puja according to the injunctions of the Kalika Purana. They also perform scarifies of animals on behalf of the devotees. Everyday a number of goats and pigeons and sometimes buffaloes are sacrificed to the goddess. The mother goddess, Kamakhya had a great influence in the minds of the people of Assam from the earliest time till today. The temple of Goddess Kamakhya not only attracts people of Assam but also from all over India and abroad. The goddess Kamakhya became an important Sakti cult in Assam centering round the Kamakhya temple. REVIEW OF SOME OF THE AVAILABLE LITERATURES A review of some of the literature related to Saktism and Kamakhya temple have been made to get an idea about the socio-religious context of Kamakhya temple. The first volume of The Comprehensive History of Assam, edited by H. K. Barpujari gives us some information about Saktism in Assam. It also gives us some information of the origin of the temple. However, the discussion on Saktism and Kamakhya included in the book is rather short and hence there is a dearth of sufficient information or discussion of the socio-religious context of the temple. Bani Kanta Kakati, in his book Purani Kamrupar Dharmar Dhara, throws light on different myths related with the origin of Kamakhya. He also gives detailed information about Saivism, Saktism, the conflict between Saivism and Saktism and their consequent union, the system of worshipping Kamakhya and the system of animal sacrifice in the temple, besides discussing a few rites and rituals like Kumari Puja and the previous existence of the Natinee system. Though the religious aspect of the temple has found some notable expression in the book, the social context is remains untouched. Still, it must be mentioned that this literary giant has not discussed all the religious rites and rituals. Hari Nath Sarma Doloi, in his Ph. D. thesis Saktism and Sakta Literature in Assam has thoroughly discussed the history of Saktism, its nature and philosophy in Assam. Moreover, the thesis gives us information about different Sakti temples of Assam. He also gives information about the impact of Saktism on Assamese life and society. However, a critical reading of the thesis develops a feeling that the religious context of Kamakhya needed some extra emphasis. Moreover, the thesis says little about the social context of the temple. Asamat Saktipuja by Debendra Nath Bhattacharyya informs us about the origin and development of Saktipuja in Assam. It also throws light on cults like Saivism and Tantricism. However, the book only mentions Kamakhya here and there without mentioning anywhere its socio-religious context. Nirmal Probha Bordoloi in her book Devi has focused on the origin of the temple. She has given valuable information about the construction of the temple, besides giving information about various rituals and festivals associated with Kamakhya. However, all information regarding the rituals and festivals in the book deserves detail discussion. Moreover, the socio-religious context was scarcely discussed there. Kali Prasad Goswamis Ph. D. thesis Kamakhya Temple: Its Origin, Religious Aspect and Economic Impact discusses the economic impact of the temple on the people associated with it, besides discussing many rites and rituals observed in the temple. However, the rites and rituals of the temple have not been studied from the socio-religious point of view. Saktipith Kamakhyar Aitihasik aru Sanskritik Adhyayan, an M. Phil dissertation by young scholar Grihalakshmee Talukadar has described the religious rituals in details, but everything has been done from a point of view of culture only. Thus some of the available literature regarding Saktism and Kamakhya establish the fact that the socio-religious context of the temple still stands as an unexplored area. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books: Adhikari, Gajendra. History of. the Temples of Kamrup and TheirManagement. Guwahati: Chandra Prakash, 2001. Barpujari, HK. (Ed. ) Comprehensive History of Assam: Vol. I. Guwahati: Assam Publication Board, 2004 (1990) Barua, BK. Cultural History of Assam (Early Period). Guwahati: LawyersBook Stall, 1969 Barua, Birinchi Kumar. Asamar Loka Sanskriti. Guwahati: Bina Library, 1989. Barua, Gunabhiram. Asam Buranji. Guwahati: Assam Prakashan Parishad, 1972. Basu, AK. Sakta Geeti Padavali. Calcutta: Orient Book Corporation, 1964. Basu, NN. Social History of Kamrupa: Vol-I, II, III. New Delhi: Northern Book Centre, 1983. Bhandarkar, RG. Vaishnavism, Saivism and Minor Religious Systems. NewDelhi: Asian Educational Service, 1983. Bhattacharya, Debendranath. Asamat Saktipuja. Pathsala: Bani Prakash, 1977. Bhattacharyya, Mahendra Nath. Shri Shri Kamakhya Teertha. Guwahati: Tara Devi Bhatacharyya, 2000. Bhattacharyya, N. Tantra Bhidhana: A Tantric Lexicon. New Delhi:- Manohar Publishers and Distributors, 2002. Bordoloi, Nirmal Prabha. Devi. Guwahati: Sahitya Prakash, 1986 Chaudhury PC. The History of the Civilization of the People of Assam to the Twelfth Century. Guwahati: Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies, Government of Assam, 1955 Chatterji, SK. The Place of Assam in the History and Civilization of India Gauhati: Gauhati University Press, 1955.. Chattopadhyaya, SM. TrantrerKatha. Calcutta: Sahitya Sansad, 1983. Das, Narayan and Paramananda Rajbongshi. (Eds. ) Asamiya Sanskritir Kanika. Guwahati: Chandra Prakash, 1998. Das, Surjya. Asamar Dharmiya Paramparat Narabali. Guwahati: Dalimi Prakashan, 1992. Devasarma, Dharani Kanta. Kamakhya Teertha. Guwahati: Kamakhya Pradarshani, 1991. Doloi, H. N. S. Asamat Saktisadhana aru Sakti Sahitya. Barpeta: SB Devi,1983. Gait, E. A. A History of Assam. Guwahati: Lawyers Book Stall, 1981. Goswami HC. Kamaratna Tranta (Tr. ) Shillong: Government of Assam, 1928 Goswami Mamoni Roysom. Cinnamastar Manuhto. Guwahati: Students Stores, 2001. Kakoti, BK. Mother Goddess Kamakhya. Guwahati: Assam Publication Board, 1989 Kakoti BK: Purani Kamrupar Dharmar Dhara. In Bani Kanta Kakoti Racanavali Ed. by Maheswar Neog. Guwahati: Assam Prakashan Parishad,1991. Madan TN. Indias. Religions: Perspective from Sociology and History. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. Neog, M. Prascyasasanavali. Guwahati: Assam Publication Board, 1974 Neog, Maheswar. Asamar Dharmar Buranji. : Andhar aru Pohar. Jorhat: Assam Sahitya Sabha, 1998. Neog, Maheswar. (Ed. ) Pabitra Assam. Jorhat: Assam Sahitya Sabha, 1969. Radhakrishnan, S. Shakti and Her Episodes. Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers, 1986. Sarma, PK. The Principles of Shakti. Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers, 1986. Sastri, Gaurinath (ed. ) Introduction to Tantra: Vol I, II. New Delhi: Cosmo Publications, Division of Genesis Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Sharma, MM. Inscriptions of Ancient Assam. Guwahati: Gauhati University Press, 1979. Singh, Rajnath. Religious Tantricism, Vol. II. New Delhi: Dominant Publishers and Distributors. Tripathi, RS. History of Ancient India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1987. Theses: Devi, Minakshi. Kamakhya Dhamar Puja Parvan Aru Utsava Anusthan: Ek Bishleshanatmak Adhyayan. Guwahati: Department of MIL, Gauhati University, 2008 Doloi, HNS. Saktism and Sakta Literature in Assam. Guwahati: Department of Assamese, Gauhati University, 1969. Goswami, Kali Prasad. Kamakhya Temple: Its Origin, Religious Aspect and Economic Impact. Guwahati: Department of Economics, Gauhati University, 1996 Dissertations: Talukdar, Grihalakshmee. Shaktipith Kamakhyar Aitihasik aru Sanskritik Adhyayan. Guwahati: Department of MIL (Assamese), Gauhati University, 2003- 2004