For the first time since 1565, then Ambubachi mela began at the Kamakhya temple on Monday without fanfare.
Ambubachi is a festival marking the annual ‘menstruation’ of Goddess Kamakhya and lakhs of devotees including mendicants and hermits throng the temple premises for four days.
The rituals began on Monday at 7:53 am and would end at 8:16 am on Thursday.
The door of the sanctum sanctorum would be opened for devotees only after the rituals are over, however, without the beginning of the usual menstruation-ending fair.
Even though several temples and places of worship opened in Assam from June 3, the Kamakhya temple, however, was kept closed in view of the spike in COVID-19 positive cases in the state.
A total of 5586 persons had tested positive for COVID-19 till Sunday, out of which 2170 are still active.
So far 11 persons have died of COVID-19 in the state.