According to a survey of Pan-India level Purāṇic temples of Hindu goddesses (Devis), there are 395, out of which 77 are associated with hills and mountains. As one of the five oldest such Shakti Pīthas, perhaps no other is as renowned throughout India as that of Kāmākhya, located in the city of Guwahati, Assam. This article expands the cultural narrative of this pītha by examining the relationship between the Kāmākhya Temple and its broader physical context, the Nilachal Hill. The article assesses the geo-cultural landscape of the hill through four simultaneous perspectives: Ecoscape, Mythscape, Sacredscape, and Ritualscape, highlighting the intertwined “sacred conversation” between the environment, deities, culture, and society. It delves into the threats and challenges facing the hill, and calls for a renewed, multifaceted and multidisciplinary understanding of the revered setting. The article identifies key issues and aspects that require urgent attention, serving as topics for deeper reflection and strategic action in maintaining sacred sustainability.
Keywords: Kāmākhya, Mythscape, Shaktipīth, Nīlāchal, Biodiversity, Sacredscape.