Kamakhya Temple sits on the peaceful Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, Assam, India.
The hill rises about 800 feet above sea level along the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River.
It is one of the oldest and most powerful shrines in this tradition.
It stands as the kamakhya, the main global center for Tantric worship and Shakti Sadhana.
Throughout centuries, it has attracted scholars, devotees, and tantric practitioners.
The site’s influence extends across Assam and beyond, shaping regional rites.
Its spiritual significance remains central to worshipers seeking guidance and insight.
Additionally, the inner sanctum features a unique mystery.
There is no stone or clay idol inside the main shrine.
Instead, devotees worship a natural rock fissure shaped like a yoni.
A natural underground spring keeps this bedrock moist.
Devotees honor this sacred spot as the creative womb of the universe.
On regular days, Darshan timings run from 5:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and reopen from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM.
Message from TariniMani Maa
As a Cosmic Healer, I welcome you to this sacred space on kamrupni.in. The energy of Kamakhya is a profound vibrational frequency. It governs the creative blueprint of the entire cosmos. During my own spiritual journeys to the Nilachal hills, I have physically felt the immense shifting frequencies that occur when the temple gates close.
When you visit this space during the Ambubachi festival, you enter a literal cosmic stargate.
Moreover, the veil between your physical body and divine primordial energy becomes exceptionally thin.
Through my work in cosmic healing, I have seen how this kamakhya energy grid accelerates personal transformation.
Consequently, this guide prepares your body, mind, and spirit to receive these energetic upgrades safely.
Ultimately, it invites reverence and steady practice throughout your journey.
Mythology, History, and Legends
The origins of this shrine are deeply woven into ancient Puranic history and local folklore.
Hindu texts state that Lord Shiva was filled with deep grief.
He was angry after the tragic self-immolation of Goddess Sati.
Additionally, he carried her body on his shoulders and performed the destructive Tandava dance across the universe.
To save the cosmos from destruction, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshana Chakra.
He cut Sati’s body into 51 holy parts.
Her reproductive organ fell directly onto Nilachal Hill.
This event established Kamakhya Temple as the ultimate source of cosmic power.
Millions of pilgrims visit this sacred spot seeking blessings for fertility, family well-being, and spiritual alignment.
Local legends say that the demon king Narakasura built the original shrine.
He was a dedicated devotee of the Goddess.
Historical accounts show that the temple underwent many phases of growth.
In the sixteenth century, the Koch king Maharaja Biswa Singha played a huge role in rebuilding the complex.
Moreover, his sons, Chilarai and Naranarayan, supported the effort.
Later, the Ahom king Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha carried out detailed renovations and expansions.
The Nilachal Architectural Style
The main shrine is a beautiful example of the Nilachal style of architecture, which is a unique regional design found in Assam. The building features a large beehive-shaped tower that rises right above the main sanctum. Smaller decorative towers flank it on three sides. This design was highly popularized during the Koch and Ahom dynasties.
To reach the heart of the temple, pilgrims descend a narrow, dark staircase into a subterranean cave set below ground level. This hidden chamber holds the natural rock fissure that is the core object of worship. The outer stone walls and pillars feature intricate carvings of celestial figures, gods, and goddesses. Visitors can look for the rare carving of Lajja Gauri embedded on the outer walls, which represents ancient fertility. Near the main complex sits Hemkunda, a sacred spring that devotees believe holds deep purificatory properties. At the base of the hill sits the matching Navagraha Temple, housing nine planetary shrines built during the same historical era.
About Ambubachi Mela
Ambubachi Mela stands as the single largest religious festival in Northeast India. It is a massive 4-day Tantric festival that takes place annually during the monsoon month of Ahaar, which falls between June and July. The name comes from Sanskrit roots where Ambu means water and Bachi means flowing. The festival is also known as Ambubasi, Ameti, or Amati across different regions.
This holy gathering is triggered exactly when the Sun enters the zodiac sign of Gemini and transits into the Ardra Nakshatra. According to the solar calendar, it aligns with the calculation of Mithuna Sankranti plus seven days. The festival honors the annual menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya. It celebrates the divine feminine power of fertility, creation, and the natural cycle of Mother Earth. While many global traditions avoid discussing menstruation, the ancient Tantric paths embrace it as the true source of universal life.
Understanding the Month of Jyeshtha
The festival marks the transition from the Hindu calendar month of Jyeshtha into Ashadha. The month of Jyeshtha is known for intense pre-monsoon heat across India. It is a sacred period filled with important Vedic observations centered on nature and purification.
- Snana Yatra: Celebrated on Shukla Purnima, this event marks the grand ritual bathing of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra at Puri before they enter their annual isolation period.
- Vat Savitri Vrat: Also observed on Shukla Purnima, this fast is kept by married women under sacred banyan trees to pray for the long life and well-being of their husbands.
- Ganga Dussehra: Falling on Shukla Dashami, this day celebrates the cosmic descent of the holy river Ganga from heaven to earth to purify humanity.
- Raja Parba: A solar-based three-day festival starting on Pahili Raja when the sun enters Gemini. Celebrated mainly in Odisha, it closely mirrors Ambubachi Mela by honoring womanhood and the earth’s fertility cycles.
Historical Context: Looking Back at 2025 and 2026
To understand the massive scale of this event, it helps to review recent timelines managed by the temple administration.
- The 2025 Event: The temple gates closed for the festival on June 22, 2025. The shrine remained sealed until June 26, 2025, when reopening rituals began around 3:19 AM. Despite tight crowd control measures, the reopening day drew an astonishing crowd of around two lakh devotees seeking holy water and cloth fragments.
- The 2026 Event: The subsequent cycle was observed from Monday, June 22, 2026. The doors closed at approximately 9:00 PM IST following the temple calendar. The sanctum remained shut through June 23–25 and officially reopened on Friday, June 26, 2026, right after the morning Nitya Puja.
Ambubachi Mela 2027 Exact Dates and Schedule
The upcoming schedule for the 2027 festival follows a strict operational timeline based on astronomical tracking.
- Festival Begins (Pravritti): Tuesday, 22 June 2027. The mela officially begins in the late evening as the solar transit starts, and the temple doors close immediately to the public.
- Sanctum Closed (Garbhagriha Band): 23 June – 25 June 2027. The inner shrine remains completely sealed for three full days while the Goddess rests. All routine worship, farming, and soil-digging activities in the region are strictly paused out of respect for the Earth.
- Temple Reopens (Nivritti): Saturday, 26 June 2027. The doors swing open to the public in the morning hours after the traditional holy bath and Nitya Puja conclude at sunrise.
The Ritual Flow and Spiritual Celebrations
Seclusion and Outer Prayers
During the three days of complete closure, the inner sanctum remains isolated to mirror the ancient practices observed during menstruation. While formal rituals inside the cave cease, the surrounding hills turn into a massive spiritual ground. Thousands of pilgrims, sadhakas, and seekers gather in the outer courtyard. They chant holy names, practice meditation, and play traditional instruments, filling the air with profound mystical energy.
Sacred Offerings and Prasad Distribution
When the temple reopens on the fourth day, the atmosphere turns into a joyous celebration. Devotees line up to present traditional offerings like seasonal fruits, fresh flowers, and heavy layers of vermilion. Betel nut and red hibiscus flowers are considered highly sacred offerings to the Goddess.
The main highlight is the distribution of two highly sacred forms of Prasad. The first is Angodak, which is the holy spring water gathered from the rock cleft after the three days of isolated flow. The second is Raktabastra, also known as Angabastra. This is a rare cotton cloth placed over the natural stone spring before the temple doors are locked. When the temple reopens, this white cloth is found soaked red. Cut into tiny pieces, it is distributed to the public. Devotees wear it around their wrists or place it inside home lockers to ward off negative energies and protect their health.
Gathering of Sadhus and Aghoris
The festival serves as a historic global meeting point for diverse esoteric ascetic groups. Thousands of Naga Sadhus, Aghoris, and advanced Tantric practitioners travel from remote mountain caves and distant states to camp across the Nilachal Hill layout. Concurrently, the temple administration establishes platforms for spiritual discourses, traditional devotional singing, and ritualistic dance performances led by recognized spiritual scholars.
Monsoon and Footwear Guidelines
- Weather Alert: Late June brings heavy monsoon downpours and extreme humidity to the state of Assam. Devotees must carry durable umbrellas or heavy-duty raincoats to withstand sudden, intense rain.
- Strict Footwear Regulations: To maintain complete crowd safety and sanctity on wet, slippery paths, the local administration enforces strict shoe policies. Pilgrims are required to remove and deposit all footwear at designated holding points under the Nilachal Flyover or foothill base before beginning the uphill trek. Devotees must trek the remaining distance barefoot. Carrying a waterproof bag to shield your electronics and basic personal items from wet weather is highly recommended.
Food, Dining, and Restrictions
- Free Community Kitchens (Bhandaras): The temple trust alongside authorized NGOs operate massive, free community kitchens across all key transit points. These facilities serve clean, freshly cooked vegetarian meals, tea, and purified drinking water to the lakhs of incoming pilgrims free of charge.
- Guwahati City Dining: If you prefer proper restaurant dining, a wide variety of multi-cuisine options are available at the base of the hill within the main Guwahati city limits.
- Strict Bans: The consumption of non-vegetarian food, tobacco, and alcohol is absolutely prohibited within the entire Kamakhya temple perimeter and across the sacred hill boundaries.
Detailed Route and Transport Logistics
Guwahati acts as the primary gateway to Northeast India, making transit routes simple to plan across multiple transport networks.
- By Road: Shared auto-rickshaws and public city buses run frequently from commercial city centers like Fancy Bazaar and Paltan Bazaar directly to the base area of Nilachal Hill. Private taxis and app-based options like Ola and Uber operate across the city. Regular long-distance state buses terminate at the main ISBT Guwahati. From the base, a dedicated road leads to the upper parking terminals, though vehicle access is heavily restricted during peak festival hours.
- By Train: Kamakhya Junction is the closest railway terminal, located a short 5 km distance from the shrine grounds. The larger Guwahati Railway Station sits roughly 7 to 8 km away but offers superior nationwide connectivity. It serves as a major terminal for high-speed cross-country trains coming from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.
- By Air: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is located 20 km away from the foothills. Taxis can cover the route to the temple in 45 to 60 minutes. Major domestic commercial carriers—including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air—run daily flights connecting major metropolitan transit hubs to Guwahati. Travelers should note that Vistara completely ceased separate flight operations following its official merger into Air India.
Safety, Transit Camps, and Logistics
- High Security Infrastructure: The Assam Government deploys extensive police battalions, paramilitary forces, and 24/7 CCTV security monitoring grids to manage the massive flow of foot traffic safely.
- Government Transit Camps: Large, temporary managed shelter tents known as Shanti Shibirs are constructed at primary arrival terminals. These free transit camps are set up at Kamakhya Railway Station, Old Pandu Ghat, and Sonaram Field to provide clean rest zones, basic sanitation, and medical access.
- Medical Emergency Response: Fully staffed medical emergency stations and standby ambulances are stationed at short intervals along the entire path up the hill. If you experience physical exhaustion, dizziness, or crowd anxiety, alert the nearest security official immediately.
- Accessibility Options: For senior citizens, disabled individuals, or those with mobility challenges, a dedicated aerial ropeway operates from the base of Nilachal Hill up to the main temple complex area. It runs during standard temple operational hours for a nominal fee, providing safe transit alongside expansive aerial views of the Brahmaputra River.
Exploration Beyond the Main Shrine
A complete pilgrimage to the hills involves exploring adjacent sacred points.
- The Ten Mahavidya Shrines: The hills house individual temples dedicated to the ten powerful cosmic aspects of the Divine Mother—including Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, and Kamala.
- Umananda Temple: Located on a small river island in the middle of the Brahmaputra River. It is accessible via a scenic boat ride from the Fancy Bazaar ghat area.
- Where to Stay: Budget lodges populate the upper hill roads. For luxury or standard comfort, book central Guwahati hotels such as Radisson Blu, Kiranshree Grand, Novotel, Vivanta by Taj, or Ginger Hotel. Heritage home-stays line the neighborhoods of Ambari and Fancy Bazaar.
Major Annual Festivals at Kamakhya Temple
The ritual calendar features multiple high-vibrational celebrations:
| Festival Name | Standard Calendar Window | Spiritual Significance & Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Ambubachi Mela | Late June | 4-day observance of the Earth’s fertility; inner sanctum closes for 3 days; massive global pilgrim rush. |
| Chaitra Navratri | March to April | 9-day observation of spiritual purification; special daily public pujas. |
| Sharadiya Navratri | September to October | Significant crowd expansion overlapping with regional Durga Puja celebrations; elaborate tantric offerings. |
| Durga Puja | September to October | 5-day cultural and ritual celebration across Guwahati city and the main hill complex. |
| Pohan Biya | December to January | Celebrates the unique annual ritual marriage ceremony of Goddess Kamakhya. |
| Makar Sankranti | January 14 | Devotees take a sacred purificatory dip in the Brahmaputra River followed by special prayers. |
Booking Strategy
Attending the Ambubachi Mela 2027 at the Kamakhya Temple is a transformative spiritual journey. Moreover, kamakhya offers an unforgettable view into India’s ancient traditions. Kamakhya Mata inspires devotion.
Under normal operating schedules, fast-track VIP entries cost ₹501 per person, and special Defence Personnel passes are available for ₹51 to ₹101 through official portals like mkdonline.in or the state government’s PRASANG Portal. However, during the specific days of the Ambubachi Mela, all paid bookings and priority privileges are strictly frozen. Ensure you secure your train tickets, flights, and hotel bookings 3 to 4 months in advance (by March or April 2027). Last-minute travel availability across Assam is virtually non-existent during this peak festival window.
In my personal practice as a cosmic healer, I have found that tracking these shifts and approaching the deity with an open, prepared energy field yields profound inner peace. May the blessings of the Divine Mother look after your journey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is photography allowed inside the temple?
Ans: Mobile phones, digital cameras, and recording devices are strictly banned inside the inner sanctum (Garbhagriha). However, you are completely free to capture the historic architecture and vibrant landscape views of the outer temple courtyard.
How much does a VIP Darshan ticket cost during Ambubachi Mela?
Ans: Under normal operating conditions, a Special Darshan ticket can be booked for ₹501 per person. However, during the specific days of the Ambubachi Mela, the Assam Government and temple board completely suspend all VIP tickets, VVIP protocols, and paid preferential queues. Every pilgrim, regardless of background, must stand in the same free, general public line to ensure complete equality before the Goddess.
What happens during the Ambubachi Mela?
Ans: The annual festival marks the three-day operational closure of the temple to signify the regular creative cycle of the Goddess. While the inner sanctum remains closed to the public, the outer hills turn into a massive spiritual ground filled with prayers, devotional chants, and cultural gatherings. The doors reopen to the public on the fourth day.
Why is Kamakhya Mata called the “Bleeding Goddess” temple?
Ans: The temple celebrates the supreme power of female creation and life-giving energy. There is no structural idol inside the main shrine area. Instead, a natural rock fissure that continuously channels an underground natural spring is revered as the ultimate source of Shakti.
What is the red cloth prasad (Angavastra)?
Ans: The Angabastram or Rakt Vastra is a sacred cotton cloth placed over the natural stone spring before the temple doors are locked. When the temple reopens on the fourth day, the cloth is found soaked red and is cut into tiny fragments to be given to devotees as a powerful protective blessing.
What is the mythological story behind the temple?
Ans: According to ancient Puranic history, Kamakhya is one of the premier Shakti Peethas. When Lord Vishnu used the Sudarshana Chakra to divide the physical body of Goddess Sati to calm Lord Shiva’s intense grief, Sati’s Yoni fell directly onto the Nilachal Hills, turning it into holy land.
Does the Brahmaputra River really turn red?
Ans: The iron-rich geological soil conditions of Assam combined with the massive amounts of traditional vermilion offered by thousands of priests and practitioners wash into the rising seasonal monsoon waters, giving the river water a distinct reddish tint during the peak ritual days.
Is there any entry fee for the Kamakhya Temple during Ambubachi Mela?
Ans: No, entry into the main temple grounds and transit camps is completely free of cost for all visitors. However, because all premium fast-track entries are suspended, you must prepare for longer queue wait times than regular calendar days.
How long does it take for darshan when the temple reopens on June 26?
Ans: Wait times inside the general moving queue can range anywhere from 8 to 12 hours due to the sudden surge of millions of devotees trying to enter the main gates simultaneously. If you are travelling with senior citizens or small kids, pack sufficient water, dry snacks, and necessary personal items before stepping into the lines.
Can we buy the Rakt Vastra prasad online?
Ans: No. The temple administration does not authorize any external travel agents, e-commerce portals, or private websites to distribute the holy prasad or collect fees for online rituals. The authentic prasad must be obtained in person directly from the authorized temple counters or official family priests during the reopening days.
What is the best way to energetically connect with Maa Kamakhya if we cannot visit in person?
Ans: As I often share with my seekers, physical distance does not limit your connection to the divine blueprint. During the three days of seclusion, sit in quiet meditation facing the North-East direction, focus on your Mooladhara chakra, and chant the sacred Kamakhya Beej Mantra. This practice opens up your energy field to receive the global spiritual upgrades occurring at the Nilachal hills.
What spiritual precautions should a seeker take when interacting with sadhus and tantriks at the mela?
Ans: While the event attracts true masters, it also features varied energy dynamics. I always advise keeping your auric shield strong by maintaining clear personal boundaries. Never accept unverified edible substances or threads from unknown individuals, keep your intentions anchored strictly in the divine love of the Cosmic Mother, and trust your intuition if a situation feels ungrounded.
Why is Ambubachi Mela considered important for cosmic healing and energy purification?
Ans: During the festival, the Earth’s life-force energies undergo a natural cleansing and replenishment cycle. In my healing sessions, I have found that meditating during this window facilitates deep karmic clearing, breaks stagnation in personal growth, and aligns individual biological systems with the shifting cosmic consciousness of Mother Nature.
Is there a strict dress code enforced at the temple?
Ans: Yes, out of deep respect for the sanctity of the shrine, modest traditional attire is expected. Women are advised to wear sarees, salwar kameez, or fully covered ethnic wear. Men are expected to wear kurtas with pyjamas, dhotis, or formal trousers with shirts. Revealing clothes, shorts, and sleeveless tops should be avoided.
How can one complete the online booking process for standard VIP tickets outside the mela period?
Ans: To book outside the festival days, first visit the official portal and select Online Booking. Read the guidelines, proceed to user registration, and fill in your physical address, contact details, and ID type. Verify the profile using the text OTP, input individual traveler details with original ID numbers (Aadhaar or Passport), complete the entry payment via digital modes, and save a generated digital soft copy to present at the checkpoint along with your matching physical ID.
Are there luggage locker facilities available at the Kamakhya Temple?
Ans: Yes, the temple provides authorized cloakroom facilities near the main entrance gates where pilgrims can safely store their bags, leather belts, and standard personal belongings. However, during the intense peak crowd days of the Ambubachi festival, these counters face heavy congestion, so it is highly recommended to leave large suitcases at your hotel or transit camp.
Is dynamic pricing applied to the local transportation up the Nilachal Hill during the festival weeks?
Ans: The local government strictly bans commercial auto-rickshaws and private taxis from charging higher rates during the mela. In fact, standard public vehicle traffic up the hill road is entirely restricted. The administration operates free public shuttle buses to move pilgrims from the foothill checkpoints up to the main gate terminal safely.
Can foreign nationals book special darshan tickets using international credit cards?
Ans: The official portal accepts standard international cards processed through global gateway networks. Foreign passport holders must input their active passport number as their official identification during the booking process and carry the physical matching passport on the day of their visit for seamless verification.
What is the exact baseline operational altitude of the temple structure on the hill?
Ans: The main architectural complex sits at a geographic elevation of approximately 800 feet above mean sea level. This high elevation requires a steady uphill drive or a stair climb, which provides expansive views of the surrounding Brahmaputra valley.
Does the temple close completely during solar or lunar eclipses?
Ans: Yes, following traditional cosmic alignment principles, the temple doors close tightly during the entire duration of both solar and lunar eclipses. Traditional purificatory cleansing rituals are performed by the family priests immediately after the eclipse ends before public entry is allowed again.
What are the standard pricing protocols for local shoe-keeping counters at the base?
Ans: The administration sets up free shoe deposit counters under the main flyover layout during the festival days. If you utilize smaller temporary stands run by local sellers along the walkways, they charge a very minor nominal change fee of five to ten rupees per pair. Keep small physical currency notes handy for quick transit.
How many steps must a pilgrim climb to reach the temple via the ancient rock path?
Ans: Walking up the traditional stone pathway from the foothill base requires climbing approximately 600 to 700 rock steps. The stairs are lined with active stalls selling flowers, incense, and prasad items, which forms a vital part of the traditional walking experience.
Are wheelchairs readily available for senior citizens at the foothill drop points?
Ans: The administrative volunteer teams maintain a supply of basic wheelchairs and medical stretchers at the main checkpoints. Because the paths can be steep and crowded during major festivals, utilizing the aerial ropeway car system remains the most comfortable option for travelers with severe mobility limitations.
Does the temple trust provide online live streaming of the daily morning Aarti?
Ans: The temple administration does not provide official live internet video broadcasts of the inner sanctum rituals due to traditional confidentiality rules surrounding Tantric practices. Real-time scheduling alerts and festival updates are shared exclusively through their official web notices.
Is it safe for solo female spiritual travelers to visit the Nilachal hills during the peak festival days?
Ans: The venue maintains a very high level of safety due to the heavy deployment of women police battalions, dedicated volunteer task forces, and round-the-clock camera networks. Solo travelers are advised to remain within well-lit public paths, stay inside authorized transit camps, and align their movement with daylight hours.
Can devotees bring personal offerings of home-cooked food inside the main sanctum?
Ans: Worshippers are strictly prohibited from bringing outside cooked food items inside the inner cave shrine. All formal culinary food offerings presented to the deity are prepared exclusively by the authorized temple priests inside the highly secured ritual kitchens.
What specific materials are used to construct the distinctive beehive-shaped temple roof towers?
Ans: The unique beehive shikhara structure features specialized stone masonry and historic brickwork reinforced during the seventeenth-century Koch restoration. The exterior walls are decorated with relief sculptures made of local terra-cotta paneling.
Are medical first-aid centers operational throughout the night during the festival days?
Ans: Yes, the government sets up fully staffed 24/7 medical tents and keeps standby ambulances active during the entire four-day festival window. Emergency healthcare personnel are stationed at regular short intervals up the main walking path to assist pilgrims instantly.
How is the exact launch time of the annual festival calculated each calendar year?
Ans: The exact timestamp for the festival commencement is determined by traditional astrologers using the solar panchang. The timing depends on the precise hour the sun completes its celestial transit into the specific degrees of the Gemini constellation.
Is matching spot registration required for children under five years of age?
Ans: Children under the age of five do not require separate online pass registrations or identity validation tickets. They are permitted to enter the main gates along with their registered parents or legal guardians.
Can pilgrims find affordable pure vegetarian dining choices near the Fancy Bazaar bus stands?
Ans: Fancy Bazaar serves as a major commercial center at the base of the hill and features numerous clean, traditional dining options serving budget-friendly North Indian and Assamese pure vegetarian thalis.
What concrete tracking portals should international travelers monitor for official crowd safety advisories?
Ans: Visitors should monitor the official updates released directly by the Assam State Tourism Department and the centralized announcements on the Maa Kamakhya Devalaya portal to check current local transport routes and crowd control arrangements.
Are private drone cameras permitted for capturing aerial views of the festival grounds?
Ans: The local city police department strictly bans the operation of private drone cameras over the entire Nilachal Hill area during the festival weeks for security reasons. Authorized aerial documentation is carried out exclusively by government agencies.
Why is the unique sculptural figure of Lajja Gauri considered highly important by spiritual seekers?
Ans: The historic panel carving of Lajja Gauri embedded on the exterior walls represents the ancient cosmic energy of fertility and universal balance. Spiritual seekers focus on this carving to realign their personal energy networks and connect with the creative life force of the Divine Mother.
How long does the sacred Raktabastra cloth remain placed inside the hidden cave chamber before distribution?
Ans: The white cotton cloth remains wrapped over the natural bedrock fissure for three consecutive nights while the temple doors are locked. The cloth absorbs the moisture from the spring during this period of divine seclusion before it is divided on the fourth morning.