Goddess Shakambari Devi is an incarnation of Mother Goddess Shakti. It is in this form she nourishes all living beings. Shakambari Mata means ‘She Who Is Clothed In Leaves And Twigs.’
In the Devi Mahatmya it is mentioned that Goddess Shakti appeared as Shakambari Mata after a period of hundred years of drought. All the plants had died and there was nothing to eat. Shakambari Mata brought forth from her body fruits, flowers, vegetables and herbs to suffice the hunger of the people.
The form of Shakambari Devi is described in detail in Durga Saptashati. Maa Shakambari is blue in color. Her eyes are like lotus flower. She is depicted with numerous arms – one arm is shown as carrying a lotus with bees circling it. The other hands carry bow, arrows, flowers, roots, and vegetables.
The stories of Goddess Shakambari is closely related to Goddess Banashankari and many scholars are of the view that both are the same goddess worshipped in different names.
The most popular festival dedicated to Goddess Shakambari is held from Paush Shukla Paksha Ashtami to Paush Purnima. Goddess Shakambari is worshipped during the period in Karnataka, Maharashtra , Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
She is also known as Shatakshi - the thousand eyed one. It is said that when she saw her children suffering due to drought, tears flowed from her thousand eyes and this nourished the parched earth. Soon plants reappeared on earth.
She is also known as Shatakshi - the thousand eyed one. It is said that when she saw her children suffering due to drought, tears flowed from her thousand eyes and this nourished the parched earth. Soon plants reappeared on earth.