your bridge home
Tales of the Gods
Every June the river turns red - iron-rich silt off the hills. At Kamakhya it is read as evidence that the goddess has begun to menstruate.
Every June the river turns red.
The southwest monsoon reaches Assam. The Brahmaputra comes up with the first heavy rain, and the water runs reddish with iron-rich silt washed down out of the hills.
Anywhere else this is a fact about a river.
At Kamakhya it is read as evidence. The goddess - whose sanctum sits directly above the water table feeding that same river system - has begun to menstruate.
For three days it closes completely.
The doors of the inner sanctum are sealed. A white cloth is laid over the yoni-shaped stone.
No worship. No priest enters the garbhagriha. Pilgrims who arrive in that window wait outside without approaching the doors.
The rest of this story, read aloud, and a new one every day.