Shakti Peethas

The Shakti Peethas (Sanskrit: शक्ति पीठ, Bengali: শক্তিপীঠ, Śakti Pīṭha, seat of Shakti^[1]) are places of worship consecrated to the goddessShakti or Sati, the female principal of Hinduism and the main deity of the Shakta sect. They are sprinkled throughout the Indian subcontinent.^[2]

This goddess Shakti, the Goddess of power is the complete incarnation of Adi Shakti, has three chief manifestations, as Durga, Goddess of strength and valour, as Mahakali, goddess of destruction of evil and as Goddess Gowri, the goddess of benevolence.

Legend

When Lord Bhrahma was tired after creating the universe, he performed a yagna to please Shakti and Shiva. Goddess Shakti emerged, separating from Shiva and helped Brahma in the creation of the universe.

Then Brahma decided that one day Shakti would be given back to Lord Shiva. Therefore, Daksh (son of Bhrahma) performed several yagyas to obtain Shakti as his daughter in the form of Sati. It was then decided that Sati was brought into this world with the motive of getting married to Shiva.

However, due to Lord Shiva's curse to Bhrahma that he would not be worshiped and also his fifth head was cut off due to his lie in front of Lord Shiva, Daksha started hating Lord Shiva and decided not to let Lord Shiva and Sati get married.

But Destiny has its own fate, series of incidents happened due to which Sati got attracted to Lord Shiva and finally one day Lord Shiva and Sati got married. This marriage only increased Daksh's hatred towards Lord Shiva.

One day, in Satya Yuga, Daksha performed a yagna with a desire to take revenge on Lord Shiva. Daksha was angry because his daughter Dakshayani also known as Sati had married the yogi God Shiva against his wish. Daksha invited all the deities to the yagna except Lord Shiva and Sati. The fact that she was not invited did not deter Sati from attending the yagna. She expressed her desire to attend the yagna to Shiva, who tried his best to dissuade her from going. Shiva eventually relented and Sati went to the yagna.

But Sati, being an uninvited guest, was not given any respect at the yagna. Furthermore, Daksha insulted Shiva. Sati was unable to bear her father's insults toward her husband, so Dakshayani (the other name of Sati meaning the daughter of Daksha) invoked her yogic powers and immolated herself.

Enraged at the insult and the injury, Shiva destroyed Daksha's sacrifice, cut off Daksha's head, and later replaced it with that of a male goat as he restored him to life due to the prayers of all demi gods and Brahma. Still immersed in grief, Shiva picked up the remains of Sati's body, and performed the Tandava, the celestial dance of destruction, across all creation. The other Gods requestedVishnu to intervene to stop this destruction, towards which Vishnu used the Sudarshana Chakra, which cut through the corpse of Sati. The various parts of the body fell at several spots all through the Indian subcontinent and formed sites which are known as Shakti Peethas today.

At all the Shakti Peethas, the Goddess Shakti is accompanied by her consort, Lord Bhairava (a manifestation of Lord Shiva). Goddess Shakti is an aspect of the Supreme Being Goddess Adi parashakti, the mother of the trimurti, the holy trinity in Hindu mythology.

Four Adi Shakti Pithas

Some of the great religious texts like the Shiva Purana, the Devi Bhagavata, the Kalika Purana and the AstaShakti recognize four major Shakti Peethas (centers), like Bimala (Pada Khanda) (inside the Jagannath temple of Puri, Orissa), Tara Tarini (Sthana Khanda, Purnagiri , Breasts) (Near Berhampur, Orissa), Kamakhya (Yoni khanda) (Near Guwahati, Assam) and Dakhina Kalika (Mukha khanda) (Kolkata, West Bengal) originated from the limbs of the Corpse of Mata Sati in the Satya Yuga.

The Astashakti and Kalika Purana says (in Sanskrit):

"Bimala Pada khandancha,

Sthana khandancha Tarini (Tara Tarini),

Kamakshya Yoni khandancha,

Mukha khandancha Kalika (Dakshina Kalika)

Anga pratyanga sanghena

Vishnu Chakra Kshyta nacha"

Further explaining the importance of these four Pithas, the "Brihat Samhita" also gives the location of these Pithas as

Rushikulya* Tatae Devi,

Tarakashya Mahagiri,

Tashya Srunga Stitha Tara

Vasishta Rajitapara

*(Rushikulya is a holy river flowing on the foot hill of the Tara Tarini Hill Shrine).

List of 4 Adi Shakti Pithas

In the listings below:

§  "Shakti" refers to the Goddess worshipped at each location, all being manifestations of Dakshayani, Parvati or Durga;

§  "Body Part or Ornament" refers to the body part or piece of jewellery that fell to earth, at the location on which the respective temple is built.

Sr. No.	Place	Body Part or Ornament	Shakti
1	In Puri, Orissa (inside Jagannath Temple complex)	Pada	Bimala
2	Near Berhampur-Orissa	Sthana khanda	Tara Tarini
3	Guwahati-Assam	Yoni khanda	Kamakshya
4	Kolkata- West Bengal	Mukha khanda	Dakshina Kalika

5 Orissa-Jajpur Nabhi khanda Biraja

Apart from these four there are 52 other famous Peethas recognised by religious texts. According to the Pithanirnaya Tantra the 52 peethas are scattered all over India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Pakistan. The Shivacharita besides listing 52 maha-peethas, speaks about 26 more upa-peethas. The Bengali almanac, Vishuddha Siddhanta Panjika too describes the 52 peethas including the present modified addresses. A few of the several accepted listings are given below.^[3] One of the few in South India, Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh became the site for a 2nd century temple.^[4]

The 51 Shakti Pithas

In the listings below:

§  "Shakti" refers to the Goddess worshipped at each location, all being manifestations of Dakshayani, Parvati or Durga;

§  "Bhairava" refers to the corresponding consort, each a manifestation of Shiva;

§  "Body Part or Ornament" refers to the body part or piece of jewellery that fell to earth, at the location on which the respective temple is built.

Sr. No.	Place	Body Part or Ornament	Shakti	Bhairava
1	Kanchipuram, Kamakshi temple, Kamakoti Peetam mentioned in Lalita Sahasram, Trishati, Astothram etc.	Ottiyana (Ornament covering stomach)	Kamakshi	Kaal Bhairav
2	Nainativu (Manipallavam), Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Located 36 km from the ancient capital of the Jaffna kingdom, Nallur. The murtiof the Goddess is believed to have been consecrated and worshipped by Lord Indra. The protagonist, Lord Rama and antagonist,Ravana of the Sanskrit epic Ramayana have offered obeisances to the Goddess. Nāga and Garuda of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata; resolved their longstanding feuds after worshipping this Goddess.	Silambu(Anklets)	Indrakshi (Nagapooshani /Bhuvaneswari)	Rakshaseshwar (Nayanair)
3	Shivaharkaray, a little distance from Sukkur Station from Karachi, Pakistan	Eyes	Mahishmardini	Krodhish
4	Sugandha, situated in Shikarpur, Gournadi, about 20 km from Barisal town, Bangladesh, on the banks of Sonda river.	Nose	Sugandha	Trayambak
5	Amarnath in Kashmir, India from Srinagar through Pahalgam 94 km by Bus, Chandanwari 16 km by walk	Throat	Mahamaya	Trisandhyeshwar
6	Jwalamukhi, Kangra, India from Pathankot alight at Jwalamukhi Road Station from there 20 km	Tongue	Siddhida (Ambika)	Unmatta Bhairav
7	Ambaji, at Anart, Gujarat, India	Heart	Ambaji	Batuk Bhairav
8	Nepal, near Pashupatinath[disambiguation needed] Temple at Guhyeshwari Temple	Both knees	Mahashira	Kapali
9	Manas[disambiguation needed], under Tibet at the foot of Mount Kailash in Lake Mansarovar, a piece of Stone	Right hand	Dakshayani	Amar
10	Bardhaman in West Bengal, India	Navel	Mata Sarbamangala Devi	Bhagwan Shiv/Mahadev
11	Gandaki in Pokhara, Nepal about 125 km on the banks of Gandaki river where Muktinath temple is situated	Temple	Gandaki Chandi	Chakrapani
12	Bahula, on the banks of Ajay river at Ketugram, 8 km from Katwa, Burdwan, West Bengal, India	Left arm	Goddess Bahula	Bhiruk
13	Ujaani, 16 km from Guskara station under Burdwan district of West Bengal, India	Right wrist	Mangal Chandika	Kapilambar
14	Udaipur, Tripura, at the top of the hills known as Tripura Sundari temple near Radhakishorepur village, a little distance away fromUdaipur town of Tripura, India	Right leg	Tripura Sundari	Tripuresh
15	On Chandranath hill near Sitakunda station of Chittagong District, Bangladesh. The famous Chandranath Temple on the top of the hill is the Bhairav temple of this Shakti Peetha, not the Shakti Peeth itself.	Right arm	Bhawani	Chandrashekhar
16	Locally known as Bhramari Devi. Behind a rice mill, near Jalpesh Temple in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India.	Left leg	Bhraamari	Ambar
17	Kamgiri, Kamakhya, in the Neelachal hills near Guwahati, capital of Assam, India	Genitals	Kamakhya	Umanand
18	yoga adya at Khirgram under Burdwan district, West Bengal, India	Big Toe (Right)	Jugaadya	Ksheer Khandak
19	Kalipeeth, (Kalighat, Kolkata), India	Right Toes	Kalika	Nakuleshwar
20	Prayag near Sangam at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India	Finger	Alopi Devi Mandiror Madhaveswari	Bhava
21	Jayanti at Nartiang village in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya state, India. This Shakti Peetha is locally known as the Nartiang Durga Temple.	Left thigh	Jayanti	Kramadishwar
22	Kireet at Kireetkona village, 3 km from Lalbag Court Road station under district Murshidabad, West Bengal, India	Crown	Vimla	Sanwart
23	Varanasi at Manikarnika Ghat on banks of the Ganges at Kashi, Uttar Pradesh, India	Earring	Vishalakshi & Manikarni	Kalbhairav
24	Kanyashram, Kanyakumari the Bhadrakali temple within the precincts of Kumari[disambiguation needed] temple, Tamil Nadu, India (also thought to be situated in Chittagong, Bangladesh)	Back	Sarvani	Nimish
25	Present day Kurukshetra town or Thanesar ancient Sthaneshwar, at Haryana, India	Ankle bone	Savitri/BhadraKali	Sthanu
26	Manibandh, at Gayatri hills near Pushkar 11 km north-west of Ajmer, Rajasthan, India	Two Bracelets	Gayatri	Sarvanand
27	Shri Shail, at Joinpur village, Dakshin Surma, near Gotatikar, 3 km north-east of Sylhet town, Bangladesh	Neck	Mahalaxmi	Sambaranand
28	Kankalitala, on the banks of Kopai River 10 km north-east of Bolpur station in Birbhum district, Devi locally known as KankaleshwariWest Bengal, India	Bone	Devgarbha	Ruru
29	Kalmadhav on the banks of Shon river in a cave over hills near to Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India	Left buttock	Kali	Asitang
30	Shondesh, at the source point of Narmada River in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India	Right buttock	Narmada	Bhadrasen
31	Ramgiri, at Chitrakuta on the Jhansi Manikpur railway line in Uttar Pradesh, India	Right breast	Shivani	Chanda
32	Vrindavan, near new bus stand on Bhuteshwar road within Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India	Ringlets of hair	Uma	Bhutesh
33	Shuchi, in a Shiva temple at Suchindrum 11 km on Kanyakumari Trivandrum road, Tamil Nadu, India	Upper teeth	Narayani	Sanhar
34	Panchsagar exact location not known (thought to be near Haridwar)	Bottom teeth	Varahi	Maharudra
35	Bhavanipur union, at Karatoyatat, 28 km distance from interior Sherpur upazila, Bogra District, Bangladesh	Left anklet (ornament)	Arpana	Vaman
36	Shri Parvat, near Ladak, Kashmir, India. Another belief: at Srisailam in Shriparvat hills under Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India	Right anklet (ornament)	Shrisundari	Sundaranand
37	Vibhash, at Tamluk under district Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India	Left ankle	Kapalini (Bhimarupa)	Sarvanand
38	Prabhas, 4 km from Veraval station near Somnath temple in Junagadh district of Gujarat, India	Stomach	Chandrabhaga	Vakratund
39	Bhairavparvat, at Bhairav hills on the banks of Shipra river a little distance from Ujjaini town, Madhya Pradesh, India	Upper lips	Avanti	Lambkarna
40	Goddess Saptashrungi (Goddess with 18 arms)]], at Vani in Nasik, Maharashtra, India	Chin (2 parts)	Bhramari	Vikritaksh
41	Sarvashail or Godavaritir, at Kotilingeswar temple on the banks of Godavari river near Rajamundry, Andhra Pradesh, India	Cheeks	Rakini or Vishweshwari	Vatsnabh or Dandpani
42	Virat, near Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India	Left toes	Ambika	Amriteshwar
43	Locally known as Anandamayee Temple. Ratnavali, on the banks of Ratnakar river at Khanakul-Krishnanagar, district Hooghly, West Bengal, India	Right Shoulder	Kumari	Shiva
44	Mithila, near Janakpur railway station on the border of India and Nepal	Left shoulder	Uma	Mahodar
45	Nalhati, known as "Nalateshwari Temple" near Nalhati station of Birbhum district, West Bengal, India	Vocal chord with part of the tracheae	Kalika Devi	Yogesh
46	Karnat, Kangra, himachalpradesh.	Both ears	Jayadurga	Abhiru
47	Bakreshwar, on the banks of Paaphara river, 24 km distance from Siuri Town, district Birbhum, 7 km from Dubrajpur Rly. Station West Bengal, India	Portion between the eyebrows	Mahishmardini	Vakranath
48	Jessoreswari, situated at Ishwaripur, Shyamnagar, district Satkhira, Bangladesh. The temple complex was built by Maharaja Pratapaditya, whose capital was Ishwaripur.	Palms of hands and soles of the feet	Jashoreshwari	Chanda
49	Attahas village of Dakshindihi in the district of Bardhaman, near the Katwa railway station, in West Bengal, India	Lips	Phullara	Vishvesh
50	Sainthia, locally Known as "Nandikeshwari" temple. Only 1.5 km from the railway station under a banyan tree within a boundary wall,Birbhum district, West Bengal, India	Necklace	Nandini	Nandikeshwar
51	Hinglaj (Or Hingula), southern Baluchistan a few hours North-east of Gawadar and about 125 km towards North-west from Karachi,Pakistan	Bramharandhra (Part of the head)	Kottari	Bhimlochan
52	Danestwari (Kuldevi Of Bastar state ), Dantewada 80 km from Jagdalpur Tehsil, Chhattisgarh	Daant (teeth)	Danteshwari	Kapalbhairv
53	Vajreshwari, Kangra 18 km from Dharamshala Tehsil, Kangra	left Breast (teeth)	Vajreshwari	Kalbhairv
53	[Padmavati Devi] (Padmavatipuri Dham), Panns 80 km from Satna Madhya Pradesh	Padm	Padmavati Devi	Kapalbhairav
54	Tarapith, on the banks of Dwarka river, about 6 km from Rampurhat sub-division, Birbhum district, West Bengal, India	Third eye or spiritual eye (Tara)	Tara
55	Chandika Sthan or chandisthan, at Munger temple on the banks of Ganges near Ganga Darshan, Bihar, India	Left eye	Chandika or Chandi devi	Bholeshankar
56	Patan Devi, at PATNA, BIHAR, India	left shoulder with cloths	Badi Patan Devi/chhoti Patan Devi	Bhairav
57	Arbuda Devi, at Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India	Adhar	Arbuda Devi or Adhar Devi	Bhairav

§  Chandi Mandir in (near Memari Rail station) Memari, Bardhaman, Westbengal, Fullara in Birbhum district are also considered to be a shakti peetha.^[5]

§  Naina Devi Temple. Nainadevi in Himachal Pradesh (Bilaspur) is also considered a shakti peetha, where Sati's eyes fell.

§  Sharda Devi Temple at Maihar near Satna Dist. Satna is also considered a shakti peeth where the necklace of Sati fell.

§  Bhadrakali Temple in holy city Kurukshetra(Haryana)is also considered as one of the 51 holy Shakti peethas. The temple is dedicated to Bhadrakali a form of shakti. This is considered to be one of the fifty one Shakti pithas of India. It is believed that the right ankle of Sati fell here in the well. The "consort of Savtri is called Sthanu". Hence, the city is called "Staneshwar" meaning abode of Shiva. It is believed that the mundun (hair removing) ceremony of Srikrishna and Balarama was also performed in this temple.^[6]

§  Mahakali temple at Pavagadh near Vadodara in Gujarat is also consdiered shakti peeth where a part of Sati's foot is said to be fallen.^[7]

Historical notes

First relating to Brahmanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, it mentions 64 Shakthi Peetha of Goddess Parvati in the Bharat or Greater India including present day India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Another text which gives a listing of these shrines, is the Shakthi Peetha Stotram, written by Adi Shankara, the 9th century Hindu philosopher.^[8]

According to the manuscript Mahapithapurana (circa 1690-1720 CE), there are 52 such places. Among them, 23 are located in the Bengal region, 14 of these are located in what is now West Bengal, India, 1 in Baster (Chattisgarh), while 7 are in what is now Bangladesh.

Rishi Markandeya composed the 'Devi Saptashati' or the seven hundred hymns extolling the virtues of the Divine Goddess at the shaktipeetha in Nashik. The idol is also leaning a little to the left to listen to the sages composition. The Saptashati or the "Durga Stuti" forms an integral part in the vedic form of Shakti worship.

Preserving the mortal relics of famous and respected individuals was a common practice in ancient India - seen in the Buddhist stupas which preserve the relics of Gautama Buddha. It is believed by some^{[citation needed]} that these 64 peethas preserve the remains of some ancient female sage from whom the legend of Kali could have emerged and then merged with the Purusha - Prakriti(Shiva Shakti) model of Hindu thought.

18 Maha Shakti Pithas

The modern cities or towns that correspond to these 64 locations can be a matter of dispute, but there are a few that are totally unambiguous, these are mentioned in the Ashta Dasa Shakthi Peetha Stotram by Adi Shankara.^[9] This list contains 18 such locations which are often referred to as Maha Shakthi Peeths.^[10]

Sr. No.	Place	Part of the body fallen	Name of Shakti
1	Trincomalee (Sri Lanka)	Groin	Shankari devi
2	Kanchi (Tamil Nadu)	Back part	Kamakshi Devi
3	Tuljapur (Maharashtra)	face	Tulja Bhavani
4	Mysore (Karnataka)	Hair	Chamundeshwari devi
5	Alampur (Andhra Pradesh)	Upper teeth	Jogulamba devi
6	Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh)	Neck part	Bhramaramba devi
7	Kolhapur (Maharastra)	Eyes	Mahalakshmi devi[11]
8	Mahur (Nanded District, Maharastra)	Right hand	Renuka Devi
9	Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)	Upper lip	Mahakali devi
10	Pithapuram (Andhra Pradesh)	Left hand	Puruhutika devi
11	Purnagiri Temple, Tanakpur State Uttrakhand India])	Navel	Purnagiri temple Tanakpur , Uttrakhand India
12	Draksharamam (Andhra Pradesh)	Left cheek	Manikyamba devi
13	Guwahati (Assam)	Vulva	Kamarupa devi
14	Prayaga (Uttar Pradesh)	Fingers	Lalita devi
15	Katra, Jammu and Kashmir	Head part	Vaishnavi devi
16	Gaya (Bihar)	Breast part	Sarvamangala devi
17	Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)	Wrist	Vishalakshi devi
18	Kashmir*	Right hand	Saraswathi devi

[*]This temple is currently non-existent. Only ruins are found in these places. Instead, Sringeri in Karnataka is believed to be the Shakti Peeth of this aspect of the goddess.

Among these, the Shakti Peethas at Kamakhya, Gaya and Ujjain are regarded as most sacred as they symbolise three most important aspects of mother Goddess viz. Creation (Kamarupa Devi), Nourishment (Sarvamangala Devi/Mangalagauri) and Annihilation (Mahakali Devi).

When observed carefully one can see that they lie in a perfect straight line from Kamakhya to Ujjain via Gaya symbolizing that every creation in this universe will annihilate one day without fail.

Notes

1.     ^ Fuller, Christopher John (2004). The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-691-12048-5.

2.     ^ Article, from Banglapedia.

3.     ^ 52 Pithas of Parvati - From Hindunet

4.     ^ Shakti Pitha sites in India

5.     ^ "Labhpur". Birbhum District administration. Retrieved 2007-08-24.

6.     ^ http://www.bhadrakalishaktipeeth.com/

7.     ^ "Pavagadh-a Shakti Peeth". K. Kannikeswaran. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

8.     ^ Shakthi Peetha Stotram Vedanta Spiritual Library

9.     ^ Ashta Dasa Shakthi Peetha Stotram From Hindupedia

10.   ^ html ASTADASA MAHA SAKTHI-PEETHAS From srisailam.co.in

11.   ^ Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur

Heart Ambaji gujarat

References

§  Phyllis K. Herman, California State University, Northridge (USA), "Siting the Power of the Goddess: Sita Rasoi Shrines in Modern India", International Ramayana Conference Held at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL USA, September 21–23, 2001.

§  Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley

§  com/navratra/Shaktipeeth.html 51 Nav Durga Shaktipeeths- Legend and listing Zee News

§  [1]

External links

§  Shaktipeeth - Website on Shakti peethas

§  52 shakti peethas map

§  51 Shakti Peethas of Ma Durga

§  18 shakti peethas map

§  Sri Swamiji visits Sri Lanka for Shankari Temple Darshan

§  Comprehensive guide on 51 Shakti Peethas

§  Daksha Yagna - The story of Daksha's sacrifice and the origin of the Shakti Pithas

§  Gayatri Shaktipeeth, Vatika: An Introduction

Navratri Mantra Chanting

First Navratri – Shailputri Devi, Daughter of the Himalayas. She is a form of Shakti, the companion of Lord Shiva.

“Om aim hring kleem chamundayi vichche”.

Second Navratri – Bhramcharini Devi,'Brahma' means 'Tapa' or penace. form of Mata Shakti.

“Om doom durgaya namah”.

Third Navratri – Chandraghanta Devi,Symbolic representation of beauty and bravery.

“Om sarva mangal mangalye shive sarvarath sadhike,

Sharanye triambake gauri narayani namostute.”

Fourth Navratri – Kushmanda Devi , Creator of the entire Universe.

“Om dukha hantraya namah”.

Fifth Navratri – Skandmata Devi, mother of the chief warrior of the Gods army.

“Om hreeng mahadurgaya namah”

and “Om nityaya namah”.

Note: Each may be chanted separately not together.

Sixth Navratri – Kaatyayani Devi, Goddess with three eyes and four hands.

“Om hreeng katyayini namah”.

Seventh Navratri – Kaalratri Devi , Meant to make the devotees fearless.

“Durga kshama shiva dhaatri svaha svadhaa Namostute”.

Eighth Navratri – Mahagauri Devi, Representing calmness and exhibits wisdom.

“Om nitya buddhaya namah”.

Ninth Navratri – Siddhiratri Devi, It is believed that she has all the eight siddhis and is worshiped by all the Rishis and Yogis.

Ambubachi Mela of Kamakhaya temple begins in Assam; devotees expected from across the world

In Assam, the four -day long Ambubachi Mela of Kamakhaya temple begins from June 21. The temple door was closed at 6:12 AM and would reopen at 7 AM on 25^th of this month. It is expected that around 5 lakh devotees from across the world are expected to gather in the annual festival. The District administration and Kamakhaya Debuttar Board have made all necessary arrangements.

Nine pandals have been set up to shelter the devotees atop the Nilachal hillock. Medicals teams and ambulances are being deployed for any eventuality. Security arrangements have also been put in place to avoid any untoward incident. A -24 hour control room has been set up at the Mela premises.

More than 500 police personnel, 4 companies of Para -military forces, 200 volunteers and 150 NCC cadets have been deployed to maintain law and order situation .CCTV cameras have already been installed across the temple premises.  About 100 Scouts and Guides and 60 NCC cadets would also assist the police to avoid any untoward incident while river police would patrol the Brahmaputra, flowing below the Nilachal Hills sources said.

Solar lighting project approved for Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

• Tata group has agreed to take up massive plantation work at Tara Tarini hill
• Rs. 50 lakh would be financed by the Central government for the project
• Bathroom complex & facilitation centre for pilgrims would be built up

A big solar lighting project would be taken up at the famous Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district. It was part of discussion in the Annual General Body Meeting of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) held in the conference hall in the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division, in Berhampur on May 25, 2012. This meeting was presided by the RDC Laxmi Narayn Nayak, who happens to be the chairman of the TTDB. Vice-chairman of the TTDB, the Ganjam Collector Kishen Kumar, its secretary Pramod Panda, and officials of different departments, office bearers of TTDB, members of TTDB and dignitaries of the city were present at the meeting.

TTDB secretary Mr. Panda said such major solar light project is being implemented in any religious shrine in the State for the second time. A similar solar light project is already on in Sri Jagannath temple in Puri. According to Mr. Panda for this solar lighting project Rs. 50 lakh would be financed by the Central government and it would be installed by Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA). The hill top of this hill shrine would be lighted up by this renewable source of energy.

During discussions it was also revealed that funds worth around Rs.72 lakh from the Central government and State government for development of tourism prospects of this hill shrine was already with the district administration. Using this fund a bathroom complex and a facilitation centre for pilgrims would be built up at the hill shine.

Month long Chaitra Jatra ends at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine, Odisha

With the chanting of the holy names of Maa Tara Tarini, recitation of hymns, Mantras and Jagna on the Fourth Tuesday, the month long Chaitra Jatra came to an end at the famous Tara Tarini Hill Shrine near Berhampur in Odisha. Considered as one of the biggest religious fairs in India, the Chaitra Jatra at this hill shrine has centuries old history behind it. It is noteworthy that of the 4 Adi Shakti Peethas and other major Shakti Peethas in India, it is only in the Tara Tarini Peetha, considered as the Sthana Pith (Breast Shrine) of Adi Shakti that the Chaitra Jatra is held over the entire month of Chaitra whereas in most other shrines it is held for just one day or the Nine days coinciding with Navratra culminating on Ram Navami.

On the last Tuesday, following the age-old traditions, the Sevakas opened the sanctum sanctorum of the temple past the midnight on Monday. After Snana (the divine bath), Majana and Maha Arati the Amruta Kalasha or the first Bhoga was offered to the goddesses at around 3.55 a.m in the morning. Then the goddesses went for a Parikrama of the temple. After the completion of the Parikrama, large number of devotees who gathered on the hilltop to take the first glimpse of Maa were allowed for Darshan. The Darshan continued non-stop till the late evening of Tuesday.

Like other Tuesdays of this month, around two to three lakh devotees gathered on the fourth and last Tuesday of Chaitra month in the Shrine. The large gathering of devotees and their prayers filled with emotion and enthusiasm surcharged the atmosphere of the ancient Shrine.

Around one thousand barbers were engaged in tonsuring the heads of around five thousand newborn babies on this occasion.

As per traditional beliefs devotees preferred to climb the 999 holy steps to reach the hill top though transportation facilities to the hill top by Arial Rope way and special Buses were made available. They climbed 999 steps as a penance to get the blessing of the deities.

As per initial reports, so far around 20 lakh people have visited the shrine for Darshan during the month, including the four Tuesdays. People from far off places like North and South India and from the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, many Sadhakas from the Tara Pith and other famous Shakti Shrines of India, many Buddhists and Hindu researchers from Nepal and many people from abroad were present during the Chaitra Mela.

A unique feature of this Shrine is that large number of people flocked to the Shrine from various nearby villages in their bullock carts along with their kith and kin. There were also large number of people seen feasting all across the Shrine as a thanksgiving gesture to the Goddesses. The fair comprising rural artisans had large number of buyers and onlookers. Many devotees who could not take the pain of reaching the hilltop made it a point to worship the sacred Ratnagiri Mountain (Tarini Parvat) from a distance.

It may be noted that over the years the number of visitors to this hill shrine have been growing steadily during this Chaitra festivals. As a result, large number of visitors and mainly the elderly persons who find it difficult to reach the hilltop by taking the overcrowded steps and special buses generally prefer the aerial Ropeway to the hill top which is first of its kind in Eastern India. But, the capacity of the existing aerial ropeway is limited. So, sensing the need to accommodate the ever increasing number of devotees, the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) has decided to raise the capacity and frequency of Aerial rope-way service in collaboration with ‘USHA Pvt. Ltd’ a reputed Rope Way service provider in the country. It is expected that by this time next year the carrying capacity of the Aerial rope Way will increase many folds.

On the occasion of the last Tuesday the District administration, Temple administration and Development Board made wide range arrangements like drinking water, Prasad, Transportation, Primary health care facility, traffic control, and police deployment for peaceful Darshan of the devotees. The office bearers, volunteers of the TTDB, different NGOs, voluntary organizations, media houses, corporate houses and local residents extended their helping hand through out the month to the devotees who came from various parts of the country.

Visitors throng Tara Tarini

Some eight lakh visited the shrine during four Tuesdays of 'Chaitra'

Over eight lakh pilgrims visited Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district during the four Tuesdays of the Hindu month of Chaitra.

On Tuesday which was the fourth and last one of the month, around two lakh devotees visited the shrine. Visitors in large numbers thronged the famous Shakti shrine from the wee hours till late evening. Devotees started thronging the spot from Monday night.......................... Link..The Hindu

10 lakh devotees celebrate Third Tuesday of Chaitra at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

The Third Tuesday of the month of Chaitra, also considered as the holiest day in the religious calendar of the Tara Tarini Hill Shrine witnessed a sea of devotees. The massive congregation at this Shrine, also famous as the breast shrine and considered as one amongst the four major ancient Shakti Peethas in India, filled the air with religious fervor and devotion. The ongoing Navratri puja coinciding with the Chaitra festivities further added to the enthusiasm among the people. Stream of visitors thronged the famous Shakti Shrine from the wee hours till late in the evening and the police administration toiled hard to control the crowd and maintain law and order.

The estimated number of visitors this year has far exceeded the gathering witnessed in previous years with more than 5 lakh people reaching the temple on the hill-top while an equal number of people taking part in the fair on the foothill and on the banks of river Rushikulya.

Thousands of kids tonsured their head as per the age-old belief associated with this Shrine.

Following the tradition associated with Chaitra festivals, people from far and wide were seen cooking food with their family members as thanksgiving to the goddesses on fulfillment of their desires. This is undoubtedly tradition unique of its kind in the country where such large number of people indulge in cooking and which has become an integral part of the Chaitra festivities in Tara Tarini.

The rural fair and temporary shops all across the roads leading to the Temple is another attraction which added to the rush and by noon time the heavy police deployment proved inadequate in front of a congregation of this magnitude. However, the day passed off peacefully without any untoward incident.

The development activities taken up by the Tara Tarini Development Board in recent years helped in ensuring better amenities and services for the devotees this year. Infact, some development projects were also inaugurated on this occasion including the long awaited ring road, street lighting and bathing Ghats on the banks of River Rushikulya which were thrown open for the public.

Keeping in mind the expected gathering, the temple administration made elaborate arrangements for transport, food and water with the help of large number of volunteers. The local administration took all possible measures through heavy deployment of police forces, ambulances and fire brigade. Many senior officials of the state government, district administration and peoples’ representatives visited the Shrine on this occasion to seek blessings of Maa.

Why we invoke Devi Maa?

Why do we celebrate Navaratri, a festival that exalts Devi in her various forms - and that, too, more than once a year - even as despicable instances of crime against women continue in our daily lives? Find out with P C Jain and Daljeet.

Combining festivity with faith and transforming ritualism and austerity into a carnival, Navaratri, the nine-night celebration of faith in the Feminine Principle, is resplendent with its cultural colour and content. Rigorous fasting and temple visits by fervent devotees, hymn-humming old and young seekers and children in fancy dress that resonate a mystic seriousness, peal of bells, full-throated invocation of Devi for her accomplishments, fragrance wafting forth from ritual hearths - all these enrich the collage of tradition that is an ode to the Sacred Feminine.

Dance of religion

Add to this richly bejeweled and brilliantly costumed dancers moving in circles around the ritual pot that symbolises absolute good - that Navaratri's presiding deity, the Devi as Sarva Mangala, represents - manifesting the socio-religious texture of Navaratri, and you have one of the region's most widely celebrated festivals.

Not an ancient convention or the texts' mandate, Navaratri, the nine-day-and-night long festivity seems to have sprung out of a prevailing cult of personal austerities for a desired end dedicated to Shakti, the supreme female power. Perhaps it is also something that spilled out of a shrine's rituals onto the streets, flooding the minds of people seeking to revive qualities of inherent determination and spiritual strength to fight evil in any form and for any period.

All for the girl child

Certainly not a one-time initiative or an individual mind's creation, Navaratri perhaps began as expression of an agitated mind unwilling to accept the prevailing exploitation of foreign invasions and rules.

Navaratri found expression in Devi's diverse manifestations, each representing an aspect of divine energy, inspired by her confidence-generating acts against corruption and crime as enumerated in Devi-related texts, and imbibing its basic spirit - people's desire to regain what had been seemingly 'lost'.

More importantly, the medieval mind seems to have embraced Navaratri as correction of the general attitude towards the girl child. Over the years, as the girl child or woman became victim of violence at the hands of intruders, she came to be seen as a 'curse', as someone who could irreparably dent family 'honour'. Hence, it became necessary to exalt her with dedication for nine days and nights, each celebrating the Devi's various divine forms.

While most other festivals, religious or social, are annual features, Navaratri is celebrated several times in a year, perhaps to keep alive the spirit of social transformation that would restore to women the respect due to them. Two of them, Vasanta and Sharada Navaratris - respectively, the first nine days of the second halves of Chaitra and Ashvina, the first and the seventh months of the Indian calendar - the first ending with Rama Navami, and the other, with Dussehra, have greater significance than the other three occurring in the months of Ashada, Pausha and Magha. Devi leads one from darkness to light; the festival is hence called Navaratri, nine nights.

Ritual celebration is dedicated to Durga, one of Devi's manifestations. Followers of classical texts like the Devi Mahatmya or Devi Bhagavata dedicate Navaratri rituals to her three early forms: Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. Mahakali, destroyer of all impurities and vices, is invoked the first three nights, Mahalakshmi, destroyer of poverty and provider of means and abundance, the next three, and Mahasaraswati, destroyer of ignorance and provider of divine wisdom, the last three days.

Austerities dedicated to these three forms, representing tamas, rajas and sattva, three elemental constituents of the manifest cosmos, help the seeker transcend the perplexing diversity of manifest existence to ultimate union with the Supreme. This is Navaratri's higher spiritual perspective.

 The average mind perceives Devi as enshrining all forms and hence as one with myriad manifestations, though for purposes of ritual it identifies nine of them as principals to preside over each day's rites. They represent nine supreme auspices and forms of life.

Usually Navaratri rites are dedicated to these nine forms: one day's rites to one form, rendered on a specially painted and consecrated altar. Some of its Mata-de-Pachedi type regional variants represent only Devi's arch form or as one of the Matrikas - Devi in another early cult, with legends of her brave actions.

Whichever the medium, Devi is represented invariably in her multi-armed warrior form carrying different attributes. Regional variations apart, Navaratri traditions name the nine forms as Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushamanda, Siddhidatri, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kala Ratri and Maha Gauri.

Nine powerful forms

Eight of them represent Devi's various aspects while the ninth, Siddhidatri is Sarva Mangala, the all-auspicious and all-accomplishing One, sum aggregate of her divine power. Siddhidatri occupies a central position in some traditions and is invoked on Mahanavmi, Navaratri's concluding day. With fulfilment as its essence, Siddhidatri images are conceived with two of their hands held in varad mudra, denoting accomplishment. Shailaputri, Parvati's other name, is exalted the first day, Brahmacharini, engaged in penance, the second day, Chandraghanta, with a bell-shaped mark of moon on the forehead on the third, Kushamanda on the fourth, Skanda Mata, Kartikeya's mother, on the fifth, Katyayani, on the sixth day, the fierce-looking Kala Ratri on the seventh, and Maha Gauri, the elegant, beautiful and delightful aspect of the Goddess, on the eighth day.

Courtesy: ToI

3 Lakhs of devotees throng TaraTarini Hill Shrine on Second Tuesday of Chaitra

TTDB welcomes devotees to the famous Chaitra Parva at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

OTDC comes out with package tour to Tara Tarini hill shrine

The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has come up with a package tour to promote the famous Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district. This tour would be taken up around five times in a month to enable devotees and tourists from other parts of the State to have a comfortable luxurious trip to this famous hill shrine. As Bhubaneswar would be starting pint of this tour it would enable tourists coming to visit golden triangle, Puri-Bhubaneswar-Konark, to opt for a visit to another chunk of Odisha.

The Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), Berhampur has decided to provide all possible assistance for this project of OTDC, said secretary of TTDB, Pramod Panda. According to him this package tour would be on Tuesdays along with the day of Sankranti. These are most preferred days for devotees to visit this hill shrine. Mr. Panda said this package tour for Tara Tarini was being provided at affordable price of around Rs 640 per passenger. Tourists would start from Bhubaneswar in air-conditioned luxury buses and reach Tara Tarini hill shrine just before noon.

The TTDB authorities would welcome the passengers and provide them all possible hospitality. These tourists would be provided ‘Prasad' of the temple as lunch which is part of the package. Along with accompanying guide the troupe of tourists would get a chance to move around scenic spots around the hill shrine during their stay there. Ropeway between the hill top and the foot hill was also part of the tour package, Mr. Panda said. According to him this project of OTDC would help in promotion of this hill shrine as a major tourist destination.

Mr. Panda said the second hill top road to the shrine was almost completed and it would be ready for use by public by the end of the year. This new road starts from Keshpur junction. Work was also under way for construction of a ring road around the Tara Tarini hill. The ghat road to the hill top is being widened further for easy driving. In some places gradient of steep slopes have been reduced.

To beautify adjoining areas embankment of Rushikulya River that flows around the Tara Tarini hill is being beautified. “We are planning to increase parking space on the hill top by cutting down and leveling some more portions on the hill top,” Mr. Panda added. During past few years the TTDB has made a complete face lift of this hill shrine that includes erection of a complete new temple in place of the old temple. This new temple is based on ancient Rekha style temple architecture of Odisha. Source: The Hindu

Tara Tarini and Kamakhya see rush of devotees during Navaratri

The Tara Tarini Shakti shrine near Berhampur, Odisha is agog with activity with Navaratri celebrations. People are thronging the hill top temple near Berhampur in lakhs during this period.

Devotees light lamps before Maa Tara Tarini from the first night of the Navaratri and it continues to burn till the end of the celebrations. There is also constant chant of Chandi Patha and Tara Tarini development Board also organize cultural and bhajan programmes. "We have made necessary arrangements for visitors to the famous hill top temple for a glimpse of Maa during Navaratri," general secretary of Tara Tarini Development Board Pramod Kumar Panda said, adding that we expect the maximum number of devotees on Saptami, Ashtami and Dasami.

Kamakhya temple atop Nilachal Hills near Guwahati, Assam has also started witnessing rush of devotes from various parts of the state and abroad. With Maha shasthi falling on a Sunday, devotes thronged the temple premises on Saturday seeking blessing of goddess Durga, who is another incarnation of Sati like Kamakhya.

Secretary of Kamakhya Debuttor Board, Nabakanta Sarma is expecting at least two lakh visitors at the temple during this Puja. "Though it is believed that Durga Puja in Assam was started by Ahom Queen Phuleshwari in the 17th century AD, according to other sources it goes back before 1200 AD", said Sarma.

He expressed hope that number of visitors at Kamakhya temple increasing from September 28 with the starting of Navratri, the organizers are expecting large crowds even from Maha Sasthi.

Invoking the Universal Mother

By M N CHATTERJEE

Adi Shankara exalted the Mother Goddess: "Immersed in dangers, O Durga, i turn my mind to you, O ocean of Mercy and spouse of Shiva; please don't consider this as anything less than heartfelt, since children remember their mother when they suffer from hunger and thirst."

During Navratri, the nine-day festival that celebrates the feminine principle, the 'Chandi' or Devi Mahatmyam of the Markandeya Purana is recited before daybreak. The word 'Durga' means a fort - something that is difficult to access. It is a pointer to the fact that her origin is traced to the determined efforts of all the harassed gods who had to share their power and weapons with her to make her powerful enough to successfully challenge the rampaging demons that were terrorising the earth, hea-vens and the nether world. The word also implies 'Durgatinashini' - that is, one who removes sufferings.

Her iconographic representation during Durga Puja follows her portrayal in Devi Mahatmyam as Mahi-shasuramardini, the destroyer of the buffalo-demon. Astride a lion, she is shown thrusting her trident into the chest of the buffalo-demon, half-emerged from the carcass of a slain buffalo. It is the climactic scene of the narrative when, after a series of fierce and protracted battles with the tricky demon changing his form and shape, the Devi ultimately traps him in the deadly combat and restores cosmic order to the great relief of the helpless gods. The supreme deity is flanked by goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati and gods Kartikeya and Ganesha, representing pros-perity, erudition, prowess and auspiciousness.

Her 10 hands carry weapons and articles that bear symbolic significance. The conch suggests sound and the mystic Aum. The sudarshan chakra or divine discus is an unfailing weapon which shows her to be invincible in her battle to uphold righteousness. The thunderbolt enables her to destroy the target without being hit back. Through the grimacing lion she conveys her firmness, strength and determination, the qualities she wants her devotees to imbibe.

She is hailed as 'Bhuktimuktipradayini' suggesting that she can grant freedom from material bondage to achieve ultimate liberation.

Since the Devi's advent is around harvest time she is closely associated with vegetation and nourishment. An epithet of Durga is Shakambhari or the herb-nourishing goddess. She is also worshipped as Annapurna or Annada the goddess of food and as Navapatrika, consisting of a plantain tree and eight other plants and herbs, representing all that is necessary for sustenance of life and well-being. Hence, Durga is also a harvest goddess and the goddess of fertility. In the spring she is invoked as Vasanti Devi. She is also venerated as Jagaddhatri, fosterer of the earth.

The annual enactment of the gory battles is of allegorical significance. The seemingly irrepressible demon representing the chaotic and dark underworld is face to face with the Supreme Deity representing light and all that is good in life. The anthropomorphic villain is a repository of some of the heinous traits found in us. But Mahisha had once done severe penance which impressed Brahma so much that he gave him a boon that no god could kill him. Hence the emergence of a mighty goddess to subjugate him.

The cyclical presentation of the protracted battles every year also shows that it is not easy to rid oneself of the pernicious instincts entrenched within. But hope burns bright in the belief that everyone has a divine spark that could light the fire of self-purification.

Source: The Times of India

Devotion surges as Ambubachi Mela ends at Kamakhya

Thousands of devotees queued up in front of the main door of Kamakhya Temple which opened after the five-day Ambabuchi Mela came to an end. Since morning, lakhs of visitors from every corner of the globe were seen waiting for their turn to have a glimpse of goddess Kamakhya braving rains. The temple door was thrown open at 6.45 am. The door was closed from June 22 to June 26 in accordance with the rituals of Ambubachi Mela. The fair is the most important mela celebrated at Kamakhya Temple. It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time. This year, some 13 lakh visitors from across the globe attended the fair. On Sunday, about 30, 000 people offered their prayers to the goddess. "We have even avoided the afternoon break of one hour so that the visitors can have a glimpse of the goddess without any delay. This will continue till June 28 as there is a huge rush of people during this period," said Riju Sarma, the administrator Kamakhya Temple Debutter Board. "I have come all the way from Tamil Nadu to have this wonderful experience. I always wanted to come here. This is amazing here to see such a huge crowd and I felt highly spiritual," said Usman Ali, a businessman from Chennai.

Irine, a researcher from Holland, reached the temple premises last week and witnessed the entire festival. "I learnt a lot after coming here. I am presently doing my research on Hinduism and this fair is one of the main attractions of my studies. I will come here again," she said. She asked the state government to take up initiatives to promote this festival at a global platform. "There should be wide publicity of Ambubachi Mela. This is one lovely place for tourists and everyone should know about it," she added. The Ambubachi Mela is also known as Ameti or tantric fertility festival since it is closely associated with the Shakti cult prevalent in the eastern parts of India. Even some tantrics make public appearances only during these five days. The rest of the year, they remain in seclusion. Some sadhus are also seen displaying their psychic powers like standing on one leg for hours at a stretch. "The prasad is distributed in two forms - angodak and angabastra. Angodak literally means the fluid part of the body - water from the spring. Angabastra means a piece of red cloth used to cover the stone yoni during the days of menstruation," said N K Sarma, the secretary of Ambubachi Mela.

Source: TOI

4 lakh devotees visit Kamakhya temple

GUWAHATI, June 23 – Around four lakh devotees visited the Kamakhya temple on the first day of the Ambubachi mela, which started around last midnight to perform the “parikrama” round the Shakti seat.

According to publicity secretary of the Ambubachi Mahotshav Parichalana Samiti, Anup Prasad Sarma, the rush of the local people to the temple started at 8 pm yesterday and it has been continuing till this evening.

Meanwhile, devotees from various parts of the country and from abroad have arrived at the Nilachal hillock to take part in the celebration. They include hundreds of devotees from West Bengal and other parts of the country, three Australians, around 100 from Nepal, around 15 from Bhutan, four from Germany, two each from USA and France and one from Italy.

A Discovery Channel team, comprising two Indians and six from abroad, has also arrived at the Hillock to cover the festival.

The devotees from various parts of the country and abroad are performing the “parikrama” singing religious songs and are thus creating a festive atmosphere on the hillock.

Folk artiste teams comprising Bauls and Shyamasangeet artistes from West Bengal are also adding to the festive environment.

However, power failure in the camps, set up for sheltering the devotees near the Kamakhya Higher Secondary school and along the road leading to the Lalita Kanta temple, has created problems for the devotees as well as the local people. Moreover the road leading to the Lalita Kanta temple is also filled with filthy materials leading to the misery of the people.

The Guwahati Municipal Corporation has not taken much care to keep the road clean, alleged the local residents.

Source: Assam Tribune  

Security beefed up at Assam's Kamakhya temple for 'Ambubachi Mela'

Security has been tightened at the Kamakhya temple in Assam, where thousands of pilgrims are going to assemble during the upcoming four-day 'Ambubachi Mela'.  About 1.5 million devotees and tourists from across the globe are expected to visit the state for the festival, which will begin on June 22 and end on June 25.

With the recent discovery of a programmable timer device from the Kanchenjunga Express on June 17, police have made elaborate arrangements for the safety of the pilgrims who visit the temple.

The district administration has deployed police and paramilitary forces at the temple premises. 64 CCTV cameras have been installed at strategic points inside and outside the temple precincts.

The cameras would help the police to closely monitor the visitors and ensure their security. The strategically placed CCTV cameras would transmit live feeds, which will be monitored from the control room by the police.

"The Debutter board has installed 64 CCTV cameras and security officials as well as paramilitary forces have been posted in and around the temple premises. Scouts and guides have also agreed to volunteer during the festival, apart from the local volunteers that would be present. So, security arrangements have been beefed up from our side," said Nabapati Sharma, secretary of Kamakhya Debutter Board. Police patrolling has also been intensified to maintain law and order situation in and around the temple premises. More than 600 volunteers, including scouts, guides and National Cadet Corps cadets would be deployed to assist temple authorities to maintain order during the Ambubachi festival. The temple authorities have made adequate arrangement to accommodate the huge conglomeration of devotees, including their food.

Appropriate arrangements have been made for emergency services like fire and health too. Social groups have also stepped in to help in the supplies of food, shelter and management. "The number of devotees visiting this place is increasing each year. Considering the crowd this time, it seems that more than 1.5 million would be visiting the temple. Last year, around 1.3 million devotees came for the festival," said Deepak Choudhary, SSP, Guwahati.

The festival of Ambubachi, which normally falls on June 22, symbolizes earth or mother Kamakhya attaining fertility as she prepares herself to conceive.

Source: The Indian Express

Additional 51 cameras at Kamakhya

 As many as 64 electronic eyes will keep a close watch on devotees during the annual Ambubachi mela beginning at the Kamakhya temple on June 23. A police source said the closed-circuit television cameras would keep tabs on visitors and look out for troublemakers during the four-day religious congregation.  He said apart from 13 permanent CCTVs at the temple, 51 additional cameras would be installed at strategic points inside and outside the temple precincts for the mela. Lakhs of devotees from across the country will arrive at the ancient temple for the festival.

A source said the CCTVs would help police closely monitor the visitors and ensure their security. “The strategically-placed CCTV cameras would transmit live feeds which will be monitored from the control room to be set up by police for the festival.” He said police pickets would be posted atop Nilachal Hill and patrol would be intensified in and around the temple to avoid any law and order problem during the mela days. Policemen in plainclothes will also be deployed during the festival.

The mela will commence on the night of June 22 when the temple doors will be closed to devotees. It will conclude on June 26 when the temple doors will reopen and more than one lakh devotees are expected to enter the sanctum sanctorum for darshan.
The source said adequate number policemen and CRPF personnel besides policemen in civvies would be deployed and any person who would arouse suspicion would be frisked.

Hectic preparations are on at the temple for the festival as the district administration and temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the convenience of the devotees. Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner J. Balaji, additional deputy commissioner Mrinal Gogoi, chief engineer of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, T. Rahman, and the officer-in-charge of Jalukbari police station, Kamal Rajbongshi, today visited the temple and took stock of the preparations.
Around 200 cleaners and sweepers will be engaged and the GMC will provide three garbage disposal trucks to maintain cleanliness on the temple premises from June 19 to 28. More than 600 volunteers, including scouts, guides and NCC cadets will be deployed to assist temple authorities to maintain order during the mela.
The source said arrangements for 16 special buses and 60 taxis would be made to ferry pilgrims.  The source said 200 temporary toilets would be constructed and 250 drinking water taps set up for the devotees. “Moreover, sufficient number of floodlights and streetlights will be installed in and around the temple and on the road leading to the temple from the foothills,” he added.

Famous Ambubachi Mela in Kamakhya, Guwahati



Source: http://www.religiousportal.com/index.html

Ambubachi Mela, also known as Ambubasi festival, is held annually during monsoon in the Kamakhya Devi Temple at Guwahati, Assam. In 2010, the beginning date of Ambubachi Mela is June 22nd and the festival ends on June 26. The Ambubachi festival is closely related to the Tantric cult and is also known as Kamkhya Devi Puja. It is believed that Goddess Kamakhya goes through her menstrual cycle during these days and therefore the temple remains closed for three days. Ambubachi Mela is also known as Ameti or Tantric fertility festival and is a four-day mela (fair).

It is widely believed that Goddess Kamakhya goes through her yearly menstrual cycle during the Ambubachi days. The temple remains closed for three days – the menstruation period.

People in large numbers wait outside the temple on the fourth day, when the temple will be opened. Sanyasins and Pandas from around the country assemble at the Kamakhya temple during this period.

Large number of devotees make a mad rush when the temple reopens to receive the unique ‘prasad’ which is small bits of cloth, which is supposedly moist with the menstrual fluid of Goddess Kamakhya. It is considered highly auspicious and powerful.

Four lakh devotees throng Taratarini hill shrine on 2nd Tuesday of Chaitra month

Tara Tarini Hills (Kumari Hills) from the Sky (Image Source: Google earth)

Around four lakh devotees from various parts of Orissa and from neighbouring states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh thronged the Tara Tarini hill shrine on the auspicious Second Tuesday of the month of Chaitra. Tara Tarini, an ancient Shakti shrine located on the banks of the mythologically famous river of Rushikulya, 30 km from Berhampur city, is believed to be the Sthana Pitha (Breast Shrine) of Adi Shakti. The Shrine is one of the ancient most places of Shakti worship and among the four major Shakti centers in India. It bears a history of not less then 5000 years.

It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this month long fest in honour of the twin goddess is the biggest fair of India held at any religious shrine.

As per the report available, on the second Tuesday of Chaitra festival around 10,000 babies offered their hairs to the goddess and the number this year surpassed the number registered in the corresponding Tuesday of the previous years.

The festivities started at this shrine from Monday midnight itself and throughout the night there were cultural programmes to entertain the devotees. After the traditional ceremonial works, the sanctum of Maa Tara Tarini opened at around 1 a.m in the morning and darshan started after that.

Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) of Southern Division, Odisha, Shri Laxmi Narayan Nayak, Secretary Fisheries Government of Odisha Shri Satyabrata Sahu, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian, Superintendent of Police Berhampur and Ganjam and many other senior state and central government officials, apart from the executive officer and all other office bearers of Tara Tarini Development Board, were present on the occasion.

Last year on the third Tuesday of Chaitra, more than 6 lakh people visited the hill shrine. Therefore, sensing that, the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) is making elaborate arrangements for the smooth darshan of devotees on the upcoming 3rd and 4th Tuesdays.

Month long famous ‘Chaitra' festival begins at Tara Tarini Breast shrine near Berhampur

BERHAMPUR: Traditional Chaitra festival began at Tara Tarini hill shrine of Ganjam district on Tuesday. Four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are celebrated as a festival called ‘Tara Tarini Chaitra Jatra' at this hill shrine. Over a lakh devotees thronged to this hill shrine on the first Tuesday of Chaitra. A new ghat road to the hill top was also opened for devotees. Apart from the road communication there is also a ropeway to the hilltop. But most of the devotees who visited the hill shrine on Tuesday preferred to trek to the hill top rather than opting for easier modes of travel. As per Pramod Panda, secretary of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB), special buses have been arranged to transport devotees to the hill top, yet devotees including the aged, women and children preferred to climb 999 steep steps to reach the hill shrine. Around 95 per cent of the devotees preferred to climb to the hilltop. Flow of devotees continued from 4 a.m. when the gates of the temple were opened. It continued till evening. The TTDB authorities arranged medical facilities. A village fair also came up at the foot hill. Devotional cultural programmes continued at the hilltop and downhill.

The authorities had put strict curbs on animal sacrifice at the hill shrine. It was totally banned on the hill and in area in close proximity to the hill.

This year, the almost complete new temple of this hill shrine attracted the visitors. According to TTDB authorities, the date for the ritualistic inauguration ceremony of the new temple would be decided a meeting to be held Thursday. Twelve senior Vedic pundits from all the nine traditional taluks of Ganjam district will attend the meeting.

Pratistha Utsav of renovated temple at Tara Tarini hill shrine to be held on 9th March

Traditional ritualistic inaugural ceremony of the grand new temple dedicated to Adi Shakti Maa Tara Tarini will be held from March 03-09, 2011. This was decided at a general body meeting of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) held at Tara Tarini Hill shrine. The Law and Rural Development Minister, Government of Odisha Shri Bikram Keshari Arukh presided over the meeting. Ganjam District Collector and Vice President of TTDB, Shri V. Kartikeyan Pandian, Secretary TTDB Shri Pramod Panda and other office bearers of TTDB, members of the Technical committee TTDB and senior officials of Government of Odisha were present on the occasion.

It is believed that Taratarini Sthana Pitha (Breast Shrine) is one of the ancient most and among the four major Shakti centers in India. It bears a history of not less then 5000 years. After the formation of the Tara Tarini Development Board the oldest Shakti Shrine got the much needed attention and owing to that in the last 7 years the number of pilgrims visiting to the shrine has gone up significantly. Last year more than 20 lakh devotees and tourists visited the hill shrine during the famous Chaitra Yatra in the month of Chaitra.

The new temple on the hilltop replacing the old temple of 18th Century, built by one of the historic and iconic figures in the religious history of Odisha Shri Basu Praharaj, is being built as part of the measures initiated to transform the hill shrine into a major religious- tourist destination of the Country. It is important to mention that during its more than 5000 years old history the temple has come up again and again.

The new temple is unique as it is a modern temple completely built adhering to the tenets of ancient Odishan temple architecture. Construction of the temple started in 2003. It is a ‘Rekha' style temple and bears intricate carvings. Sculptor Padmavibhusan Raghunath Mohapatra was the master architect of this modern temple built up in ancient form. Its major building material was sandstone which was abundantly used in the ancient temples of Orissa. Like the traditional temples, large black granite slabs were used as lintels for the new temple. These black granite slabs were procured from Buguda region of Ganjam district. The finishing work of the construction is on and within next one-and-half months total construction work of the main temple will be completed. The new Rekha style temple at the hill shrine has an elevation of about 68 ft. above the hilltop. The sandstone slabs used for the construction of the temple were procured from Ganjam and Nayagarh districts.

To cater to the needs of lakhs of visitors and to improve the communication facility on the lines of Tirupati and Vaishno Devi Hill Shrines the work on the new ghat road to the hill top is also under way. The new road will be less steep and wider than the existing old road. The road is being laid at a cost of Rs. 5 crores by the Rural Development Department of government of Odisha. Another ring road is also being laid around the Tara Tarini hill Shrine. These new on going projects are also scheduled to be completed by the end of February, 2011 much before the commencement of the famous Chaitra Festival.