Sri Bajreshwari Devi Temple, Himachal Pradesh

Address

Sri Bajreshwari Devi Temple, Mandir Road, New Kangra, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh 176001

Diety

Shakti: Jayadurga Bhairava: Abhiru Body part or ornament: Left Breast

Introduction

The Bajreshwari Devi Temple is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh behind the crowded market of Kangra Town. It is said to be constructed by Goddess Bajreshwari itself at a place where once the famous Ashwamedh or horse-sacrifice took place. Standing behind the cricket field, numerous food selling stalls and bustling streets, the temple stands high and proves its presence by the echoing sounds of its huge bells. The annual Makar Sankranti festival is celebrated at this temple with great pomp and show. On this auspicious occasion ghee is applied on the idol of the goddess and water is poured 100times. After that the idol is decorated by flowers. This is practised for a week.

Puranic Significance

The original temple is said to have been built by the Pandavas at the time of Mahabharatha. Legend says that one day Pandavas saw Goddess Durga in their dream in which she told them that she is situated in the Nagarkot village and if they want themselves to be secure they should make a temple for her in that area otherwise they will be destroyed. That same night they made a magnificent temple for her in the Nagarkot village. In 1905 the temple was destroyed by a powerful earthquake and was subsequently rebuilt by the government. ANOTHER STORY OF SATI: In Hindu mythology, the son of Brahma, King Prajapati Daksha had a daughter named Sati. Princess Sati grew up adoring the legends and tales of Shiva, and when finally her age of getting married came, she knew it was only the ascetic Lord Shiva of Kailash where her heart and soul resided. Soon enough, Daksha’s daughter left her father’s luxuries and palace and began her meditation to win Shiva’s heart. She performed intense penance in dense forests and renounced food completely. When she finally pleased Shiva through her austerities, the lord of Kailash appeared in front of her and agreed to marry her. The legend goes that Sati and Shiva were happy in their marital bliss, but their marriage had not gone down too well with King Daksha, who considered ascetic Shiva nothing short of an uncouth lad who lives a hermit’s life not worthy of his daughter.So when Daksha organized a great yajna, he invited all the deities, gods and sages–but consciously excluded his son-in-law Shiva to insult him. Hurt by her father’s decision, Sati decided to visit her father and demand the reason for not inviting them. When she entered Daksha’s palace, she was bombarded with insults directed towards the Shiva. Haughty and proud King Prajapati Daksha called him all sorts of names right from a dishevelled god who hung out in graveyard to the supposed ‘lord of the beasts’. Unable to bear anything against her husband, a devastated Goddess Sati threw herself in the glowing scared fire of yajna. When Shiva’s attendants informed him about the demise of his wife, he grew enraged and created Veerbhadra from a lock of his hair. Veerbhadra created havoc in Daksha’s palace and killed him. Meanwhile, mourning his beloved soulmate’s death, Shiva tenderly held Sati’s body and started his dance of destruction (taandav). To save the universe and bring back Shiva’s sanity, Lord Vishnu cut Sati’s lifeless body using Sudharshan Chakra into 51 pieces.According to mythological beliefs, the both Ears as fell on this Temple.

Festivals

Makar Sankranti, which comes in second week of January, is also celebrated in the temple. Legend says that after killing Mahishasura in the battle, Devi had got some injuries. To heel those injuries Goddess had applied butter on her body, in Nagarkot. Thus to mark this day, the Pindi of Goddess is covered with butter and the festival is celebrated for a week in the temple.