Shakumbhri Devi

Shakti Peeth Shakumbhri , meaning the abode of Shakti Goddess Shakumbhri, is situated in the Jasmour village area, at a distance of 40 km to the north of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh state of Northern India. It has two important temples of Hindu deities: one of the Goddess (Devi) Shakumbhri herself and another one, Bhura-Dev temple, located one kilometer away from it to the east, of the deity Bhairava , considered to be her guard. Another temple dedicated to this goddess and quite famous is near the Sambhar Lake, in Rajasthan.

Mythology

It is said that, at this place, Mother Goddess Shakumbhri killed the mighty demon king (Maha Daitya) Mahishasura. It is also believed that, here She performed worship and meditation (Tapas) for 100 years, having a vegetarian meal (shaka-ahar) only once at the end of every month. During this time, the saints and seers (Rishis/Munis) who came for her worship (Darshan) were welcomed and honoured with vegetarian meals. Because of this the temple was named the Shakumbhri Devi temple and She also got very strongly connected with the cult of vegetarianism among Hindus.

Temples of Shakumbhri Devi

aharanpur, Uttar Pradesh

[http://www.geocities.com/shakumbhridevi] Shakumbhri Devi's most famous shrine is situated near Jasmour village, in the Shivalik mountain range 40 kilometers to the north of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. [ [http://saharanpur.nic.in/sre_place.htm Religious places of Saharanpur] ]

The temple is claimed to date back to ancient times. However, the sculpture of the idols of the Devi Shakumbhri temples does not seem to be of an ancient style. Some people believe that the famous Adi Sankracharya performed his meditation (Tapasya) here and that these idols were installed by him, while others believe that the temple was re-constructed on the site of a more ancient original temple by the Marathas. Though it is not an ancient temple, its devotees consider it to be a Shakti Peetha, a powerful seat of Shakti, the divine feminine. [ [http://www.india9.com/i9show/Shakumbari-Devi-Temple-37440.htm Shakumbari Devi Temple at India9] ]

ambhar Lake, Rajasthan

Another shrine dedicated to Shakumbari Devi is near the famous Sambhar Lake, 90 kilometers west of Jaipur, Rajasthan. [ [http://sambharlake.tripod.com/ Sambhar Lake] ] This temple is quite ancient and popular estimates put the age of this temple at 1300 years or more.

According to a Hindu tradition, Shakumbhari Devi - tutelary Goddess of Rors and Chauhan Rajputs - converted forest to a plain of precious metals. When people worried and felt it as curse rather than blessing, and requested her to retract her favor, she converted the silver to salt, now found in the lake.

Other associations

Another temple that finds its association with Shakumbhari Devi is "Jeen-Maa temple", near Goriya, Sikar, Rajasthan. [ [http://shrijeenmaa.org/history%20of%20mata.htm History of Jeen Mata] ]

Shakumbhri Devi Mela

Twice a year, in the Ashwin and Chaitra months of the Hindu calendar (during the days of Navratra), the famous Shakumbhri mela is organised. The devotees to Shakumbhri first visit Bhura-Dev temple and then proceed to the temple of the Goddess.

The popularity of this temple has been increasing day by day and many devotees from far and near visit this temple for "Darshan" these days. During this famous mela organised during the Navratri, lakhs of Hindu devotees visit this temple for darshan.

Films on Shakumbhri Devi

Jai Shakumbari Maa (2000) [ [http://www.b4umovie.com/shop/product.php?productid=16491 Jai Shakumbari Maa Film] ]

References

External links

* [http://saharanpur.nic.in/ Saharanpur]
* [http://saharanpur.nic.in/sre_place.htm Religious places of Saharanpur]