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Showing posts from October 18, 2015


Bathukamma Festival Story – Legend of Bathukamma Panduga

Bathukamma Panduga is an important ritual dedicated to Goddess Gauri observed during Navratri (September – October) in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. Bathukamma Festival Story is associated with the famous legend of Goddess Sati self-immolating herself after listening to her father, Daksha, insulting Lord Shiva. Bathukamma 2015 begins on October 13 . Daksha Prajapati was against her daughter Sati marrying Lord Shiva. He considered Shiva as a beggar who roams graveyards. But Sati who had understood that everything is Shiva – the Supreme Auspicious – wanted to marry him. Finally, Daksha agreed to Sati marrying Shiva. But Daksha never accepted the importance of Lord Shiva and waited for an opportunity to insult him. For this, Daksha decided to conduct a Yajna (ritual sacrifice) and invited all the people except Lord Shiva. Sati wanted to know why her husband was not invited and went to the Yajna despite the warnings given by Shiva that the whole proces

Patala Bhairavi – Hindu Goddess Patal Bhairavi

Patala Bhairavi is an incarnation of Goddess Shakti and is a popular deity in Hindu rural folklore and among Tantric Practitioners. Patal Bhairavi is believed to reside in the netherworld or underground (Patal). This is one of the most ferocious forms of Goddess Shakti and is equated with the Kal Bhairav Form of Shiva. She is propitiated by Tantrics to obtain material wealth. There is a popular belief that there is a Patal Bhairavi underneath the famous Ujjain Temple . Images of Patal Bhairavi is also found cave temple of Patal Bhubaneshwar. Goddess Varahi is worshipped as Patala Bhairavi in some parts of North India, especially in Varanasi . It must be noted that Goddess Varahi is associated with the Varha incarnation of Vishnu. Images of Patala Bhairavi are a favorite theme in Durga Puja Pandals.

Gadkalika Temple – Ujjain – Gadkalika Devi Temple at Ujjain

Gadkalika Temple in Ujjain is dedicated to Goddess Kalika, a manifestation of Mother Goddess Shakti. The temple is located around 5 km from Ujjain Railway Station. The murti of Maa Kalika is huge only the head portion is visible - red head wearing a silver crown. Gadkalika Devi Temple sits on a column in the center of a courtyard with rooms all around. It is a single-celled temple. A golden lion, vehicle of Mother Goddess, looks into the sanctum sanctorum. The deepastambh of the temple is built using bricks. It is widely believed that Legendary Poet Kalidas attained name and fame after worshipped Goddess Kalika in the shrine.

Story of 58 Sidh Peeth of Goddess Mahamaya

We all are aware of the existence of the 51 Shakti Peethas – temples and sacred spot where the body parts of Goddess Sati fell. There is another group of temples and sacred places known as Sidh Peeth or Siddha Peeth. It is believed that there are 58 of them. Sidh Peethas are associated with Goddess Mahamaya who was replaced in the prison by Vasudeva for Sri Krishna. The girl child an incarnation of Goddess Mahamaya was given by Vasudeva and Devaki to Kamsa as their eighth child. When Kamsa tried to destroy the girl child, she disappeared in the skies predicting that the baby that would kill Kansa was already born. There is a twist to this tale in many regions. Local legends state that the baby was killed by Kansa and her body parts were strewn at many places. There are 58 such places and they are known as Siddha Peeth. One of the most popular Sidh Peeth is the Hariyali Devi Temple at Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand. People here believe that the hand of the girl child