Mansa Devi Temple (Panchkula, Haryana )

The location of the temple is Bilaspur Village, Mani Majra in Panchkula in Haryana state which is at North West India. And the Year of Construction temple is 1811-1815 A.D and it is Constructed By Maharaja Gopal Singh of Manimajra. The main temple is Dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi and Other Deities are Devi Saraswati and Devi Lakshmi a Hinduism Religion. The Importance of the temple is that Some hill people cut off the stream, which supplied water to the pilgrims visiting the temple, causing distress to the pilgrims. Thereupon, the goddess appeared in dream of Gurbaksh Singh, ruler of Mani Majra and asked him to construct a temple for her at this place.

image credit : Dena v.d.Wal

Mansa Devi Temple is lying in Bilaspur village, about three kilometers east of Mani Majra in Chandigarh, has two temples dedicated to the goddess. It is believed that the older temple was built by the ruler of Mani Majra. Mata Mansa Devi Temple at Panchkula is a symbol of Himalayan culture and faith. The shrine located on the foot hills of Shivalik is an epitome of age old tradition of ?Shakti? worship in northern India. Himalaya being the abode of Shiva and his consort?shakti? became centre of shakti worship. In the vicinity of Panchkula there are numerous Shakti worshipping centers known by their names such as Chandi, Kalika, Mansa, Bhima etc. Hence, mythological speaking, Chandigarh-Panchkula region undoubtedly continued to be living legends of shaktism where its practices are in vogue. However, the present temple which stands a witness to the exciting past of the Shivalik region is about two hundred years old.

image credit : Nithya Priyan in India

Two temples are located in the complex of Mansa Devi. The main temple is dedicated to Mansa who is worshipped in the sanctum sanctorum both in the form of ?pindi? as well as in her anthropomorphic form executed on a marble. In the sanctum sanctorum she is worshipped with Devi Saraswati and Lakshmi in the form of Pindi (Stone pebbles). Originally the pindis were only worshipped by the devotees. However, in modern times a marble bust of the deity was got sculpted for giving an attractive human look (form) to the deity. She is beautifully decorated with crown and other ornaments. Interestingly the architecture of the main temple (Mansa Devi) is not in consonance with the Shivalik region where usually a typical ? Nagara? or curvilinear spira temples were erected. This is in sharp contrast to the environment of the region as the main temple manifests a typical moghul architecture represented by domes and minarets. Architecturally speaking the temple has been built in Panchayatana pattern in which at four cardinal corners stand four shrines with the main shrine (fifth shrine) being located the centre.

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Maharaja Gopal Singh of Manimajra constructed the present main temple of Shri Mansa Devi, which is situated on the Shivalik foothills in village Bilaspur, Tehsil and District Panchkula, during the period 1811-1815. At a distance of 200 meters from the main temple is the Patiala temple which was got constructed by Sh. Karam Singh, the then Maharaja Patiala in the year 1840. This temple had the patronage of Manimajra State. After the merger of princely states into Pepsu the Patronage of State Govt. ended and the temples remained neglected. The raja of Manimajra then appointed pujari as ? khidmatuzar? of this temple whose duty was to worship the deity of the temple. After the merger of princely State into Pepsu these pujaris became independent on the matter of controlling and managing the affairs of the temple and the land attached to the temple. They could neither maintain this temple nor provide necessary facilities to the visiting devotees and thus the condition of the temple deteriorated day by day. So much so that there were no proper arrangements for pilgrims visiting the temple during Navaratra melas. The complex was in awfully neglected condition till the establishment of the Board.

image credit : amenhsaka

According to a popular legend, the shrine was originally in the territory of erstwhile princely state of Nahan. Some hill people cut off the stream, which supplied water to the pilgrims visiting the temple, causing distress to the pilgrims. Thereupon, the goddess appeared in dream of Gurbaksh Singh, ruler of Mani Majra and asked him to construct a temple for her at this place. This temple contains thirty-eight panels of wall paintings besides floral designs painted all over the ceiling and the arches leading into the temple. The drawings of the temple are not of high standard but a great variety of themes is illustrated. The other temple is said to have been constructed by Maharaja Karam Singh of erstwhile Patiala State to commemorate his success in the battle

Mahalakshami Temple ( Kolhapur, Maharashtra )

image credit : Ankur P

The four Shakti Peethas of Maharashtra are Tuljapur  enshrining Bhavani, Kolhapur enshrining Mahalakshmi, The Famous Temple In India, Mahur enshrining Mahamaya Renukaand Saptshringi  enshrining Jagadamba. Other Shakti temples in the state are those at Ambe Jogai and Aundh. Kolhapur is located in Kolhapur district and is well connected with Pune, 240 km north. It is on the national highway between Bangalore and Pune. It is situated on the banks of the Panchganga  river and is full of ancient temples and shrines.

The Karavira Mahatmya states that Vishnu resides in the form of Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur. Legend has it that Kolhasura, a demon that tormented the Gods and other beings, was destroyed by Mahalakshmi here at Karavira, and that the spot of his death became a thirtha and that she took abode here in a shrine which constitutes the temple today. (Legend also has it that Parvati – Kolhambika destroyed the demon Kolhasura at Tryambakeshwar).

image credit : Palak-M

Although several parts of the temple are of the second half of the second millennium CE, epigraphic references place the deity in the 7th century CE, and the temple in the 10th century CE.  For a period in the interim, this temple had fallen out of worship and the image of the Goddess was housed elsewhere. Worship was restored in the year 1715 after the Marathas rose to power.

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The main entrance Mahadwara of the temple is the western entrance. Upon entering the Mahadwara one is confronted with several deepamaalas on either side, and enters the Garuda mandap with square pillars and foliated arches of wood, characteristic of Maratha temples. This mandap dates back to the 18th century. An image of garuda faces the sanctum. Another stone mandap, on a raised platform enshrining Ganesh, also faces the sanctum. Following this is the mandap with three shrines facing west. The central one is that of Mahalakshmi and the two on either side are those of Mahakali and Mahasaraswathi.

The image of Mahalakshmi carved in black stone is 3 feet in height. The Shri yantra is carved on one of the walls in the temple. The sanctum is designed such that once a year, the setting rays of the sun fall on the face of the image of Mahalakshmi for a period of 3 days in the months of Pisces and Leo. Above the Mahalakshmi sanctum is a shrine with a Shivalingam and a nandi. The devakoshtas house Venkatesha, Katyayani and Gowri Shankar – facing the north, east and the south. There are a number of subsidiary shrines in the courtyard to the Navagrahas, Surya, Mahishasuramardini, Vitthal-Rakhmai, Shiva, Vishnu, Tulja Bhavani and others. Some of these images date back to the 11th century, while some are of recent origin.  Also located in the courtyard is the temple tank Manikarnika Kund, on whose bank is a shrine to Visweshwar Mahadev.

Mukteswara Temple ( Bhubaneshwar, Orissa )

Built in the year of AD 950, Mukteswara temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is carved with figures of ascetics in several poses of meditation. The highlight of the temple, is the magnificent torana – the decorative gateway, an arched masterpiece, reminiscent of Buddhist influence in Orissa.

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This temple is considered to be the gem of Orissan architecture. The sculptured gateway, the Jagamohana with diamond shaped latticed windows and decorated interiors and the plethora of sculptural work all deserve mention in this temple dedicated to Shiva Although it is only a small monument rising to a height of 35 feet. Literally every inch of its surface is carved. This temple has also been described as a dream realized in sandstone and it is a monument where it is said sculpture and architecture are in complete harmony with one another. This temple dates back to the 10th century.

image credit : Patrice and Greg

The structure of temple represents the transition point between the initial and later phases of the Kalinga School of Temple Architecture. At this juncture of time, the construction was done by combining many elements of the old style with new designs and notions. Many improvements were made to the old patterns and then, these changes became the essential features of the later temples. Due to this fact, Mukteswara came to be known as “harbinger of the new culture”.

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The sculptural decoration of the Mukteswara is exquisitely executed. The beautiful sculptures eloquently speak of the sense of proportion and perspective of the sculptor and their unique ability in the exact depiction of the minutest objects. The builders of Mukteswara Temple introduced new architectural designs, new art motifs and new conceptions about the icnography of the cult images. There are a number of depictions of skeletal ascetics among the sculptural images, most of them shown in teaching or meditation poses, which seems appropriate as the name Mukteswara means “Lord who gives freedom through Yoga”.