Sri Manibandh Shakti Peeth Temple, Rajasthan

Address

Sri Manibandh Shakti PeethTemple, Pushkar Bypass, Nedaliya, Rajasthan 305022

Diety

Shakti: Gayatri Bhairava: Sarvananda Body part or ornament:two bracelets

Introduction

Manibandh Shakti Peeth is located in the calm and beautiful environment near the Gayatri hills in Pushkar, about 11 km north-west of Ajmer, Rajasthan. Constructed on a hill, the temple is made of stones where statues of various deities are engraved. Moreover, the commendable artwork and architecture of the temple reflect the glory of ancient India, and pillars show the grandeur of this divine temple.Manibandh Shakti Peeth, popularly known as Manivedika Shakti Peeth and Gayatri Temple, is a holy pilgrimage site. On one side of PushkarSarovar, Savitri temple is situated on the top of the mountain, which has a magnificent statue of the Goddess Savitri, and the Gayatri temple on the other side that is considered as a Shakti Peeth. Goddess Sati dwells in the form of “Gayatri” and Lord Shiva as “Sarvananda” in the temple. The temple is deemed to be sacred for the Meditation (Sadhna) of the Gayatri Mantra. Devotees visit the temple in huge reverence to worship Goddess Gayatri. Annakoot (Govardhan Puja) is organized at least once a year on the foundation day of the temple.

Puranic Significance

SATI STORY: It is believed that the wrist or two bracelets of Mother Sati fell at this place.

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.

Festivals

PushkarMela, Shivratri , Navratri, GayatriJayanti

Century/Period/Age

1000 years old

Nearest Bus Station

Ajmer

Nearest Railway Station

Ajmer

Nearest Airport

Jaipur

lightuptemple