49:
By tradition, during ritual days mother earth is believed passing through menstrual period and thus to be in an unclean state. Hence on those days farmers would not till the soil or plant any seeds. Orthodox widows and
54:(especially Rajbongshi)abstain from any food except fruits. All household article are believed to contact uncleanliness and go through a cleaning operation as Amati period is over.
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The idea of earth's menstruation is symbolic of the belief in her productive capacity which naturally activated after the onset of the wet weather.
126:
71:
30:
37:. It is an ancient fertility cult and also incorporated into the mother goddess cult as
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26:
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complex and opening of main doors of temple after brief closure during Amati days.
70:
The end of Amati days is celebrated with a fair known as "Ambuvachi Mela" in
38:
51:
8:
92:religious fairs and Festivals of Assam,
83:
7:
108:Folk Culture of the Goalpara Region
14:
94:Journal of Assam Research Society
1:
106:Datta, Birendranath (1995),
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25:, is a ritual followed in
90:D. Sarma (1968),
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21:, also known as
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127:Kamrupi culture
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72:Kamakhya Temple
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41:as its centre.
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66:Ambuvachi Mela
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35:Western Assam
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96:, vol. XVIII
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33:regions in
78:References
58:Symbolism
45:Practices
23:Ambuvachi
121:Category
110:, p. 114
52:Brahmins
39:Kamakhya
31:Goalpara
27:Kamrup
18:Amati
29:and
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