An early morning at Kamakhya Temple

Kamakhya is a temple to the goddess Kamakhya, a form of Shakti, and is considered one of the most important of the Shakti peeths, the sites linked to the body of the goddess Sati. The present temple was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries under the Koch and Ahom kings, with a distinctive beehive-shaped tower over a cave sanctum, where the goddess is worshipped as a natural stone kept moist by a spring.

The temple draws large crowds, especially on Tuesdays, Saturdays and festival days. The general queue is free and can be booked online, while a special darshan costs ₹501 per person and shortens the wait considerably. We book this in advance and arrive soon after the morning opening, about 8 am, to see the sanctum before the heat and crowds build.

Afterwards, your guide leads you around the hill's other shrines, dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas, and to viewpoints over the river. Animal sacrifice is still practised at Kamakhya on certain days, which some visitors find difficult, and we explain this in advance. Dress modestly and expect to remove shoes.