Friday, March 4, 2011

MATA NAINA DEVI



History of Naina Devi Temple:
Near the Shivalik mountain- According to legend, Lord Shiva’s consort Sati once burnt herself alive in Yagna to avenge an insult to Lord Shiva. The distraught Shiva picked her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance. Then Lord Vishnu unleashedHis Chakra and cut the Sati’s body into fifty one pieces to save the earth from Shiva’s wrath. All the fifty one places - where parts of Sati's body fell,became known as Shakti Peeths.It is believed that Sati’s eyes fell at the place where this temple is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina Devi. The word Naina is synonymous with Sati’s eyes.Since then, devotees started visiting this temple.. It's surrounded by Govind Sagar lake and Bharka Dam.Naina Devi TempleNaina Devi Temple is a holy shrine that is dedicated to Shri Naina Devi, one of the forms of Goddess Shakti. Located on the top of a hill in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, Naina Devi Mandir is one amongst the fifty one Shakti Peeths. The Temple of Naina Devi is a famous temple,connected to the National Highway No. 21 for the facility of pilgrims. The hill can be reached through a road by vehicles and to reach the summit, one can opt for concrete steps or cable car.Naina Devi Temple is a sacred place especially for the Hindus. Pilgrims come to visit this temple to pay their homage to the Goddess.According to the legends, the different body parts of Sati fell on the earth during the time of self-sacrificeIt is believed that Sati's eyes fell at this point and subsequently, a temple was built here to commemorate the goddess. The term 'Naina' suggests 'eyes', so the goddess came to be known as Naina Devi.
The distraught Shiva picked her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance. Then Lord Vishnu unleashed His Chakra and cut the Sati’s body into fifty one pieces to save the earth from Shiva’s wrath. All the fifty one places - where parts of Sati's body fell, became known as Shakti Peeths.It is believed that Sati’s eyes fell at the place where this temple is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina Devi. The word Naina is synonymous with Sati’s eyes. Since then, devotees started visiting this temple. It’s surrounded by Govind Sagar lake and Bharka Dam.Naina Devi TempleNaina Devi Temple is a holy shrine that is dedicated to Shri Naina Devi, one of the forms of Goddess Shakti. Located on the top of a hill in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, Naina Devi Mandir is one amongst the fifty one Shakti Peeths. The Temple of Naina Devi is a famous temple   connected to the National Highway No. 21 for the facility of pilgrims. The hill can be reached through a road by vehicles and to reach the summit, one can opt for concrete steps or cable car.Naina Devi Temple is a sacred place especially for the Hindus. Pilgrims come to visit this temple to pay their homage to the Goddess. According to the legends, the different body parts of Sati fell on the earth during the time of self-sacrifice.It is believed that Sati's eyes fell at this point and subsequently, a temple was built here to commemorate the goddess. The term 'Naina' suggests 'eyes', so the goddess came to be known as Naina Devi.In the temple complex, there is huge Peepal tree that is acclaimed to be present from past many centuries.On the right side of the entrance to the main shrine, idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha are placed.After crossing the main gate of the shrine, two striking statues of Lions are visible. The main shrine reveals the images of three deities. Goddess Kali can be traced on the extreme left. In the centre, image of Naina Devi is visible, while Lord Ganesha is on the right side.The Temple is perched over a small yet scenic hill. From the suburbs of the temple, one can spot the picturesque Govind Sagar Lake. Close to the main shrine, there is a small cave, which is known as Shri Naina Devi Cave. In the earlier days, people used to trek the steep path of 1.25 kms to reach the temple at the hill-top. Now, the facility of cable car has been launched to make to journey easy and enjoyable. On Shravan Ashtami, a big fair is held annually at this temple. During the time of Navratras, the temple is visited by large number of people.

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