Annual Ambubachi Fair Sustains Generations of Traders
The annual Ambubachi Mahayog at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati draws lakhs of pilgrims, but for many traders, it is not just a spiritual gathering—it is a vital source of income that has sustained their families for generations. Among them is 34-year-old Heena from Rajasthan, whose family has traveled across India's religious fairs for decades, selling rudraksh products.
Heena's family follows a yearly circuit of pilgrimage destinations, including Ambubachi, Khatu Shyam, Ambarnath, Kumbh Mela, and Jagannath Puri, to continue their ancestral trade. At her temporary stall near the temple, she displays rudraksh beads carved into figures of Hindu deities such as Lord Ganesh and Shiva, along with other religious symbols. “My father and grandfather also used to come to Ambubachi to sell rudraksh,” she said. Like many traders at the mela, she spends nights at temporary camps around the Nilachal Hills, set up for devotees.
Another Trader Reports Fluctuating Earnings
Sajjan from Kolkata has been attending the Ambubachi mela for the last five years. Accompanied by his son, he sells spinal discs and oils derived from cod fish sourced from Odisha at melas across Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand. According to Sajjan, wearing the spinal discs as rings and rubbing the oil helps alleviate body aches. Staying at a relative's house in Jalukbari during the mela, he said earnings have fluctuated significantly over the years. “In 2023, I sold products worth around Rs one and half lakh. Last year it dropped to around Rs 55,000,” he said.
Hundreds of Wandering Traders Depend on Religious Gatherings
Every year, the Ambubachi mela attracts hundreds of wandering traders from different parts of the country, many of whom depend heavily on such religious gatherings for a substantial part of their annual income. The fair not only serves as a spiritual congregation but also as a crucial economic lifeline for these families, preserving centuries-old traditions of mobile commerce.
