Ambubachi

Today is 7 Ashar 1428 as per the Bengali calendar. Ashar and Srabon are the two delightful monsoon months in Bengal. 22 June 2022 is also Ambubachi which translates as ‘spoken with water’.  The erstwhile parched land is getting ready to embrace the rain which will make the soil fertile preparing it for bountiful crops. Monsoon blesses the earth with water making it a cradle for lush vegetation and yummy colourful crops to sprout.

The first monsoon rain of the season is likened to the menstrual cycle of a woman. This process makes the earth ready for procreation which will give rise to the plant world germinating and overflowing the landscape. This marks a three to four-day fair at the Kamakhya Temple in Assam and other parts of India. Baul singers and sannyasis assemble at this congregation to sing and dance.

It is believed that the menstruating goddess Kamakhya turns the water of the River Brahmaputra red.  According to scientists red algae, certain minerals and iron content found in the river during this time turn it crimson. What hue does the river shine with today?

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https://pixabay.com/photos/tomatoes-vines-water-droplets-wet-1561565/: Image by kie-ker from Pixabay