DEODHAni FestivaL
The Deodhani Festival is held annually for three days every August within the ritual courtyards of the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati in Assam State. It is one of the most important Shakti (Goddess) temples in all of India.
The festival is dedicated primarily to Goddess Manasa, the serpent goddess but also to the broader Shaktri tradition of divine feminine power. It is a ritual of appeasement and protection, especially from disease, snakebite and misfortune but also celebrates female fertility.
The word Deodhani literally means Deo=God and Dhani=one who is possessed.
Male performers dance themselves into a trance like state to the rhythmic beating of drums and symbols, with often violent movements and their eyes fixed or rolling. Their bodies become a divine force as they become the Goddess Manasa.
The present temple dates to the 16th century, but the sacred hill it stands on has been a site of Goddess worship for over a millennium. It differs from all other temples as there are no Idols or statues, just a Yoni, the sacred symbol representing the female vagina, the source of life.
Anyone considering attending should be aware that many animals are sacrificed. The final act on the third day is when the performers sacrifice live pigeons by biting their necks. One of my images records the event but from behind.
