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Like many other temple site of Assam, the history of Madan-Kamdev still remain under the warp of an obscurity. No concrete form of literary, inscriptional or numismatic evidences are there to support the historical existence of this majestic temple complex at Madan-Kamdev. Despite of the dearth of source materials, we however, have some indirect evidences (mainly in literary form) which can be summerised (more or less) with some probabilities regarding the historicity of this famous temple site through-out the period of our study. SECTION: 2.1 Literary Evidences鈥擳he Kalika-Purana and the Yogini Tantra: People live in and around Madan-Kamdev often like to give historical exposure to this temple complex in reference to a Sloka in the Yogini Tantra which is about the auspicious celebration of Kam triodasi tithi. Highlighting the importance of this auspicious celebration, the Sloka describe that in the month of Chaita (March-April) the people who celebrate the kam triodasi tithi with utmost sincerity (in utterance of mantra), becomes free from all sorts of sin and received brahmapada,¹ symbolizing moksha. That means, the sloka has nothing to do with the history of Madan-Kamdev, as it simply endorsed the importance of the celebration of kam 1. Caitre kamtrayodasyan mantrananena zatnatah Sarbba Papabinirmuktah Sa Gachhet brahmanh Padan Yogini Tantra -2/9/51.

15 triodasi tithi. But the people of this locality tried to acclaim the description of this sloka in connection with the traditional celebration of Madan triodasi tithi at this famous temple site. The kam triodasi is the main utsava, which being celebrated every year in a traditional way of pomp and grandeur at this temple complex at Madan-Kamdev.2 While examining the linkage of this description of auspicious celebration with Madan-Kamdev, it is interesting to find that, Yogini Tantra itself nullify the supposition. The reference to the celebration of kam triodasi tithi is there in the Tantra simply in connection of one Baranasi kunda, situated on the eastern side of Apurnabhaba with an extension of seven dhenu.³ The Tantra states that on the auspicious occasion of Madan triodasi tithi who take holy deep at Baranasi Kunda would free from all sorts of sin.4 Giving a further celearification about the geographical location of Baranasi Kunda, the Tantra in one of its advising note stated that people should take holy bath at Baranasi Kunda prior to his visit to lord Kamaleshwar.5 According to Maheshwar Neog, the temple of Lord Kamaleshwar is situated on the Gokarna parvat.6 Gokarna being referred as an entrance to the heaven." The people should take holy deep first at Apurnabhaba kunda It is on the occasion of Kam triodasi tithi, people under grounded two long bamboo tree with red flags at their top and worship there. This is a popular custom to follow every nock and corner of lower Assam on the occasion of the celebration of annual Bhatheli Scholars believe that Bhatheli is a converted form of Indra Puja or a form of workshop of Madan -Kamdeva in search of fertility. Bargohain, J.K. : Asomar Utsav Aru Puja(As),2004, p.104 Yogini Tantra , 2/9/50. 2. 3. 4. 5. 34567 Ibid. Ibid, 2/9/118. 6. Neog, M.(ed.) : Prabitra Asom(As)1991, p.234. 7. Yogini Tantra -2/9/116.

16 (prior to make their appearance in Gokarna³), the sacred place of Janardana,⁹ than at Baranasi kunda¹0 to make their visit to the abode of Lord Kamaleshwar. Thus, the location of Apunabhaba and Baranasi kunda may be referred somewhere around Hayagriva Madhab temple at modern Hajo. Accordingly, the circumstantial evidences, inspired us to state that the description of the celebration of Kam triodasi tithi is there in the Yogini Tantra, only in connection of its traditional celebration at Kedar temple at modern Hajo, not in reference to Madan-Kamdev temple. Comparing to the Yogini Tantra the Kalika Purana, a product of 10 th century A.D.," has provided us more reliable reference to the historical existence of this temples at MadanKamdeva. One school believed that-Madan-Kamdev is the place where Lord Kamdeva regain his lost beauty after a prolonged and rigorous tapashya (meditation) of Lord Sadasiva, who once burnt him to ashes. 12 In explaining the story, the Kalika Purana has made some interesting references ¹³ that, Ibid. 8. 9. Ibid. 2/9/22-31. 10. 11. 12. 13. The existence of Baranasi kunda is not found today, but still it supposed to be at the lower ridge of Kamaleshwar temple near Swargaduar (entrance to the heaven) at Hajo. Dutta, Sarma, S. : Sri Sri Hayagriva Madhab, 2002, p.32. Barua, B.K. Cultural History of Assam(1951), 1986, p.12. Kalita, K.K. : Madan-Kamdev, 2003, p.13. Manikutacalat purbbat Matshyatdhwajkulacalah! Nirdagdho zatra Madano Haranetragnina Pulah ! Sarirang Prana Tapasa Samaradhya brisdhwajam !! Tatra Matshyaswarupastu kamadeben samstitah Adhityakayan Prithibin bikhman Samantath !! Nade Tu Saswati Nama Tatraste Dakhinsraba Sabah kamasaro Nama Tatra Sdile Byabastitam !! Saswatyan Bidhibat Snata Pitwa kamsarohnvsi Bimukta Papah suddhatma Sibaloke Mahayate !! Kalika Purana 79/52-56.

17 on the eastern side of Manikut Parvat, there is a hillock known as Matshyadhvaj where Kamdeva regained his lost beauty after a year long meditation of Lord Brikhadhvaj. Matshyadhvaj Parvat is the abode of Lord Vishnu in fish form. The sacredness of this place has received further elaboration with the existence of a dakshina bahini river known as Swaswati and a sarobar known as kam sarobar. Poet Ananda Chandra Agarwal, in his famous composition Kamrupar Tirtha Bibaran, has already identified Matshyadhvaj Parvat (A popular name of Madan-Kamdev) as second Madanasal, the Kamsarobar as Madan kut and the Madankur river came out of Madan kut sarobar as Swaswati river of the Kalikapurana. 14 However, in accepting the geographical identity of Matshyadhvaj Parvat as Madan-Kamdev, there is a confusion itself created by the Kalika Purana over the question of the exact location of Manikut Parvat. The Kalika Purana amicably identified the location of the Manikut Parvat on the north eastern side of the Bhasmakuta¹5 Bhasmakuta being presently identified with Umananda. 16 The problem arises when the sloka has made a description about the existence of one Manikarno Siva linga at Manikut Parvat. The term Manikarno has normally inspired to call it as the Manikarneshwar Dewalai (a Siva temple) in north. Guwahati. This identity has made it difficult to accept the Matshyadhvaj Parvat as Madan-Kamdev, because it would place it on the norther side of Manikut Parvat which should be on eastern side of the same as to the description of the Kalika Purana. 14. Saikia, N. (ed.): Anandachandra Agarwalla, Granthavali, (As), 1974, p.304 15. Kalika Purana 79/44 16. Bardoloi, N.P.: Siva, (As), 1979, p. 355

18 However, the problem would have found an amicable solution, on the light of an another description in the Yogini Tantra for the identity of the Manikut Parvat. The Tantra described one Manikutasala as an abode of lord Vishnu in Hayagriva form. This description led us to identify Manikutasala as the present Hayagriva Madhab temple at Hajo in Kamrup district. This has widen the scope to presume Matshyadhvaj with Madan-Kamdev, as it would place the temple complex of our concern on the eastern. side of Manikutasala of Hayagriva Madhab temple at Hajo in compliance of the descriptions of the Kalika Purana. While working on this presumption, again it is interesting to note that the Yogini Tantra was written in a much later period comparing to that of the Kalikapurana. The importance of the Yogini Tantra in the history of Kamrupa lies mainly to the description of the holiness of different pilgrimage places situated in Kamrupa. Under such circumstance, why Yogini Tantra failed to make any reference regarding Madan-Kamdev is not understandable. Probably the place had lost its importance in due course of time, more specifically, by the time of the commencement of Yogini Tantra, Madan-Kamdev might have lost all of its importance to the socio cultural entity of Kamrupa.