Holy
Pilgrimage – Chattisgarh
State
Sri Mahamaya Devi Mandir
Architecturally superb and culturally rich temple of south-east India: Shri Mahamaya Devi Mandir, Ratanpur. From many decades since, the temple and the town of Ratanpur have attracted the attention of scores of historians and archeologists. Surrounded by lush green hills and housing more than 150 ponds, the town is flocked - twice a year - by hundreds of thousands of devotees every year, who visit here in Navrataras to get darshan of the awe-inspiring dual-statue of their beloved goddess: Mahamaya Devi. Situated at 25 km away from the city of Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) on the Bilaspur-Ambikapur state highway, the Mandir and the relics of scores of ancilliary temples, domes, palaces and forts - now rundown by the time and natural forces - seem to tell a story. Once the capital of the Kalchuri kings, Ratanpur - then, Ratnapur - has almost a millenium of history.
Built on the Nagar school of architecture, the temple is surrounded by a 18 inch thick boundary wall. Supported by sixteen stone columns, the temple is believed to be built around 12th century AD. Many of the statues and motifs used in the temple have been taken from rundown or broken temples of earlier centuries, some of them were Jain temples. The main campus of temple has the smaller statues of Mahakali, Bhadrakali, Surya Dev, Lord Vishnu, Lord Hanuman, Bhairav and Lord Shiva. It is believed that the first puja and abhihek of Devi was performed at this place by Kalinga king Ratna Dev in 1050 AD, when he shifted his capital from tuman to Ratnapur. Because of its strategic geographical status, King Ratna Dev and his heirs made Ratnapur their capital and built up palaces, fort and temples, the remnants of which can be seen still today.
Inside the main temple campus, facing the famous Kanthi Dewal temple and the Temple main pond is the splendid dual statues of Mahamaya: the front one is called the Mahishasur Mardini and the hind statue is believed to be that of Goddess Saraswati. However, by a casual viewer the rear statue can often be overlooked. In the Navratras, devotees come from all corners of the country and the world to get a glimpse of the celebrated Devi and pay their rituals. Surrounding the main temple are many big halls where Jyoti Kalashas are lit by the Trust on behalf of the devotees. The Kalashas are kept "alive" for the whole nine days of Navratras. This is why they are also called Akhand Manookaamna Navratra Jyoti Kalashas. It is believed that Devi fulfills all your wishes if you follow proper fasting, puja and archana of Devi and also contribute to the Akhand Jyoti Kalashas.
Around the main temple, there are many other temples - of equally rich historical and archeological value. The most important of these are Mahamrityunjaya Panchmukhee Shiv Mandir and Kanthi Dewal. Panchmukhee Shiv Mandir is a magnificient architecture made of red stone and is believed to be the origin of the Mahamaya statue. It is also believed that if you make a wish before it, after performing proper puja and hang a shriphal (coconut) wrapped in red cloth on the tree before it, your wish is granted by Him.
The Kanthi Dewal temple is octagonal in shape and believed to be of Hindu and Moghul school of architecture. Made of red stone, all its walls are decorated by sculptures of 9th to 12th century. The important sculptures are : Shaal Bhanjika, a Lady feeding a child, Lingodhbhava Shiva and a Kalchuri king. Inside the Kanthi Dewal temple is a Shiv Lingam, the phallus, which, in Hindu dharma, is believed to be the source of Divine Energy. It is believed that if Lingam is poured with milk and water after proper puja-archana, it is sure to give the devotee the mental and physical strength and energy. A little known fact about this temple is that it was reconstituted recently by the Department of Archeological Survey of India. The reconstitution spanned five years, but the actual shape of the temple was kept intact.
How To Reach
Sidh
Shakti Peeth Shri Mahamaya Devi Mandir is situated along the Bilaspur Ambikapur
state highway, just 25 km away from Bilaspur. The nearest railway station is
Bilaspur (South East Central Railway.) Bilaspur has an aerodrome too. But,
unfortunately, it is not connected with any intra- or international flights.
The nearest airport, then, is at Raipur (Mana Airport
- 130 km from Bilaspur), which is connected to Mumbai, Delhi
and Nagpur.
However, being a zonal headquarter of the Indian Railways, Bilaspur is suitably
connected with all the major cities of India by train.
After
alighting the train at Bilaspur, you can either take a bus or a taxi, that will
take you directly to Ratanpur. The taxi can take you inside the Temple complex, which is
half a kilometre offset from the highway.
Places to Visit around Ratanpur
Out of the many other temples in and around Ratanpur, the important ones are the Bhairav Mandir, Lakhani Devi Mandir, Vrideshwar Nath Mandir (aka Budha Mahadev), the Girijabandh Hanuman Mandir and the Ram Tekri Mandir. Kaal-Bhairav Mandir is a must-see for all devotees, because of the popular belief that he is the door-keeper of Devi, and hence should be visited first. Without the Darshan and Puja of Kaal-Bhairav, one cannot - and should not - perform the puja of Maa Mahamaya. He is one of the 52 Bhairavs. The nine feet high statue is made of stone. This temple is situated about three kms away from Mahamaya Mandir, towards Bilaspur.
Lakhani Devi Mandir is on a hill surrounded by lush green vegetation. A stone stair case has been cut into the hill to assist climbing. This temple is built into th shape of classical Pushpak Vimaan. This temple was built in the 13th century by Pt. Gangadhar Shastri.
Situated on a hill, surrounded by greenery is the old temple of Ram Tekri. Ram Tekri is named after the hill on which is the Ram-Janaki mandir with its magnificient granite statues of Lord Ram, Sita and Lord Hanuman. This temple was built by Maratha king Shivaji Rao Bhonsle. Steep but motorable road leads you to this famous temple, which is just about three kms from Ratanpur. The other statues that you can see in this temple are of Lord Vishnu and Kaal Bhairav. This temple has a great historical as well as archeological value. Besides, you can see the panaromic view of the whole Ratanpur township from a single point of view.
Vridheshwar Nath Mandir and Girijabandh Hanuman Mandir are situated on each side of Ram Tekri and have an equally great number of devotees. Vridheshwar Nath (aka Budha Mahadev) is believed to be the most miraculous and mysterious temple of Ratanpur. The popular belief is that even if thousands of pitchers of water are offered (poured) over the Shiv Ling, the water-level never increases. Nor does it decrease in the extreme drought times, when all the ponds and lakes become dry. Made of bronze-alloy this Shiv Ling is a must-see for all..
Towards the east of Ram Tekri, the Girijabandh Hanumaan Mandir is situated. Built around year 1170, this temple was built by Kalchuri king Raja Prithvi Dev. Archeologically important, the temple dome is made of red stone. Inside, the statue of Shri Hanumaan is in all its grandeur, with Lord Rama on his shoulder. It is believed that a wish made before Lord Hanumaan is always fulfilled by Him.
In addition to these there are many small and meium temples in and around Ratanpur. Some of them are Bhubaneshwar Shiv Mandir (aka Laheshwar Mandir), Bairaag Ban, Jagannath Mandir, Khandoba Baba and Khichri Kedarnath Mandir. One of the prominent picnic spots of Bilaspur, Khoontaghat Dam is just ten kms away from Ratanpur.
Sri Rajiv Lochana Mandir, Rajim (Chattisgarh)
The holy confluence of three rivers Mahanadi (Chitrotpala), Pairi and Sondur, called Triveni Sangam is at Rajim. Rajim is also known as the "Prayag" of the Chhattisgarh.[2]Rajim is famous for its rich cultural heritage and the beautiful ancient temples. Shri Rajiv Lochan Mandir, dedicated to Lord Vishnu is at Rajim.[3] The temple structure is supported by twelve towered columns embroidered with stone carvings, which bear the faces of the various gods of the Hindu mythology. The temple is an important religious construct visited by devotees from all over the globe who arrive to offer their prayers to the Lord Vishnu. Other temples dedicated to the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu like the Vamana and the Narasimha are in close proximity of the Rajiv Lochan Mandir.
Kuleshvara Mahadeva Mandir stands in glory in the city even in its ruinous state. The statue of Lord Buddha in the meditative position under the Bodhi tree carved out of black stone is also popular in the city
The annual Rajim Lochan Mahotsav is held between the 16th of February and the 1st of March. The various music and dance performances conducted in the fair displays the rich culture of Rajim
Location
Rajim is 45 km from Raipur. To reach there, one needs to take National Highway 43 to Abhanpur; from there a left turn leads a narrow but motor-able road to Rajim. Nearest airport is Raipur Airport.River Mahanadi
The Mahanadi (lit.: Great River) is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around 141,600 km2 and has a total course of 858 km.[1] The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa
Source
Like many other seasonal Indian rivers, the Mahanadi too is a combination of many mountain streams and thus its precise source is impossible to pinpoint. However its farthest headwaters lie 6 km from Pharsiya village 442 m above sea level south of Nagri town in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh.[2][3] The hills here are an extension of the Eastern Ghats and are a source of many other streams which then go on to join the Mahanadi.For the first 80 km of its course, the Mahanadi flows in a northerly direction and drains the Raipur district and touches eastern portions of Raipur city. It is a rather narrow river at this stage and the total width of its valley does not exceed 500–600 metres. It then enters the old Bilaspur district where it is joined by its first major tributary, the Seonath.[2]
Middle course
After being joined by the Seonath, the river flows in an easterly direction through the remaining part of its journey. It is joined by the Jonk and Hasdeo rivers here before entering into Orissa after covering about half of its total length. Near the city of Sambalpur, it is dammed by the largest earthen dam in the world, the Hirakud Dam. A composite structure of earth, concrete and masonry, the dam measures 24 km including the Dykes. It spans two hills; the Lamdungri on the left and the Chandili Dunguri on the right. It also forms the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with a reservoir holding 743 km² at full capacity, with a shoreline of over 640 km.[4]Before the construction of the dam in 1953, the Mahanadi was about a mile wide at Sambalpur and carried massive amounts of silt, especially during the monsoon. Today, it is a rather tame river after the construction of the dam and is joined by the Ib, Ong, Tel and other minor streams. It then skirts the boundaries of the Baudh district and forces a tortuous way between ridges and ledges in a series of rapids until it reaches Dholpur, Orissa. The rapids end here and the river rolls towards the Eastern Ghats, forcing its way through them via the 64 km long Satkosia Gorge. The Satakosia Gorge ends at Badamul of Nayagarh. Dense forests cover the hills flanking the river here. The river enters the Orissa plains at Naraj, about 11 km from Cuttack, where it pours down between two hills that are a mile apart. A barrage has been constructed here to regulate the river's flow into Cuttack.
Mouth
The river traverses Cuttack district in an east-west direction. Just before entering Cuttack city, it gives off a large distributary called the Kathjori. The city of Cuttack stands on the spit separating the two channels. The Kathjori then throws off many streams like the Kuakhai, Devi and Surua which fall into the Bay of Bengal after entering Puri district. The Kathjori itself falls into the sea as the Jotdar. Other distributaries of Mahanadi include the Paika, Birupa, Chitroptala river, Genguti and Nun. The Birupa then goes on to join the Brahmani River at Krushnanagar and enters the Bay of Bengal at Dhamra. The Mahanadi proper enters the sea via several channels near Paradeep at False Point, Jagatsinghpur. The combined Delta of the Mahanadi's numerous distributaries and the Brahmani is one of the largest in India.[4]Navigation
Prior to the construction of the Hirakud Dam, the Mahanadi was navigable from its mouth up to Arrang, about a 150 km from its source. However numerous barrages apart from the Hirakud have put an end to that. Today, boats are restricted to the delta region and the Hirakud reservoir.7. Maa Pitambara (Bagalamukhi) Temple
Maa Pitambara (Bagalamukhi) Temple is located in Amleshwar (Durg/Raipur) town of Chhattisgarh, India approx 15 km from Raipur Airport and approx 25 km from Durg. It is accessible by train, with the Mandir approximately 5 km from Raipur Railway Station.
A temple of Baglamukhi, established by Param Pujaya Shri Shri Pitambara Pithadhishwar Yogiraj Youdhishthir Ji Maharaj..
Other names: Maa Pitambara (Bagalamukhi) Temple, Amleshwar
Proper name: Maa Pitambara (Bagalamukhi) Shaktipeeth, Amleshwar
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the great devotees
, wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the
collection )
0 comments:
Post a Comment