Places, Religions, Uncategorized

Kunjapuri Devi Shakti Peeth | Uttarakhand

The Kunjapuri Mata Mandir, nestled high up in the Shivalik mountains in Uttarakhand, is a temple dedicated to the mother goddess and is one of the Shakti Peethas in the Indian subcontinent. What is a Shakti Peeth?

Image attributions

1. Kali as the supreme deity worshiped by Indra, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indian_-_Kali_as_the_Supreme_Deity_-_Walters_W897.jpg

2. Aranya Devi Temple, Arrah

JaggaDaaku, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aranya_Devi_Temple,_Arrah.jpg

3. Shakambhari Shakta pithas Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh

don’t know, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80.jpg

4. Goddess Shakti Tempera on cloth from Nepal, c.1800

From the Walter Art Museum

https://art.thewalters.org/object/F.141/

5.Lord Shiva meditating statue at Rishikesh

Unknown authorUnknown authorIqbal Mohammed, CC BY-SA 2.0

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shiva_meditating_Rishikesh.jpg

6. Daksha criticising Rudra for insulting him in the Satya Yuga

See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daksha_criticizing_Rudra_for_insulting_him_in_the_Satrayaga.jpg

7. Sati confronts Daksha, Daksha yagna

See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daksha_yagna.jpg

8. Kalighat Shiva mourns Sati

See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kalighat_Shiva_mourns_Sati.jpg

9. 19th century lithograph of Shiva carrying Sati’s corpse

19th century painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:19th_century_lithograph_of_Shiva_carrying_Sati%27s_corpse.jpg

10. Shiva wandering around holding Sati’s corpse

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dakshayani.jpg

11. Lord Vishnu sitting on a lotus, from Gita Govinda

The Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh, see page for license, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vishnu_from_Gita_Govinda.jpg

12. Wall painting of Shiva carrying away Sati, Srikhanda Bhoothnath temple, West Bengal

Sripat Srikhanda, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sati_shiva_bishnu.jpg

13. Kamakshi Amman Temple in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu

Roshan Varier, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kamakshi_Amman_Temple_in_Kancheepuram,_Tamil_Nadu.jpg

14. Jogulamba temple, Alampur town

NaveenM12, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jogulamba_temple_.jpg

15. Mahalaxmi Mandir kolhapur

Lovelitjadhav, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mahalaxmi_Temple,_Kolhapur.jpg

16. Goddess Shrinkhala temple, Pandua

RajveerSingha1950, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goddess_Shrinkhala_temple,_Pandua.jpg

17. Mahakaleshwar Mandir in Ujjain

Sandeepkr04, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mahakaleshwar_Mandir_in_Ujjain.jpg

18. Snow covered peaks of Dehradun

RishabhSanta, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dehradun_Snow_covered_peaks.jpg

Tags: Durga, Himalayas, Kunjapuri, Sati, ShaktiPeeth, Shivalik, Siva

Mariamman: The Village Goddess Who Travelled

The worship of village gods in rural India is older than the Vedic tradition. Did you know that the most powerful of these deities is actually a goddess of rain, who is said to cure diseases? Read on for an interesting peek into the evolution of religious traditions in the villages of south India.

Culture, Places

Dancing with Deities: Five Unique Folk Traditions of India

India is a land where folk traditions thrive in abundance and are practised with zeal and devotion. Spirit possession rituals are often an integral part of these colourful traditions and are celebrated in grand festivals. Read on to know more about 5 spectacular spirit possession rituals from across India.

Culture, History

The temple of treasures | Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram

In 2011, the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala made headlines when vast treasures were discovered in the secret vaults under the temple. Gold, silver, gems and jewels on a scale that boggles the mind were stored in them. How did the treasure get there? How much wealth is there? And who does it all belong to? This is the story of the richest temple in the world

People, Places, Religions

Kanwar Yatra | Har Ki Pauri

Kanwar Yatra is one of India's largest pilgrimages. It sees over 30 million devotees walk barefoot for miles, carrying Ganga water to Siva temples across North India. What’s the story of this pilgrimage?

Culture, History, Places

The Oldest Lighthouse – Olakannesvara temple

Which is the oldest lighthouse in India? The Olakannesvara temple, an 8th century Siva temple in Mamallapuram, is one contender for the title. According to local legend, this structure served as a beacon guiding sailors over 1200 years ago.

Culture, History, Religions

Following the Lotus Around the World

Why is the lotus held sacred in Hinduism and other religions and cultures around the world? This story explores the significance of the lotus as a sacred and mystical symbol across geographies.

History, Places

Banking with the Gods

India is home to some of the richest temples in the world. Have you ever wondered how these temples came into such wealth? Here's where powerful Indian kings and their financial management skills played a significant role.

Culture, Religions

Mariamman: The Village Goddess Who Travelled

Culture, Places

Dancing with Deities: Five Unique Folk Traditions of India

Culture, History

The temple of treasures | Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram

People, Places, Religions

Kanwar Yatra | Har Ki Pauri

Culture, History, Places

The Oldest Lighthouse – Olakannesvara temple

Culture, History, Religions

Following the Lotus Around the World

Why is the lotus held sacred in Hinduism and other religions and cultures around the world? This story explores the significance of the lotus as a sacred and mystical symbol across geographies.

Kunjapuri Devi Shakti Peeth | Uttarakhand

Share:

You might also be interested in

Mariamman: The Village Goddess Who Travelled

Dancing with Deities: Five Unique Folk Traditions of India

The temple of treasures | Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Kanwar Yatra | Har Ki Pauri

The Oldest Lighthouse – Olakannesvara temple

Following the Lotus Around the World

Banking with the Gods

Mariamman: The Village Goddess Who Travelled

Dancing with Deities: Five Unique Folk Traditions of India

The temple of treasures | Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Kanwar Yatra | Har Ki Pauri

The Oldest Lighthouse – Olakannesvara temple

Following the Lotus Around the World