Chamunda Devi Temple, Himachal Pradesh

Mata Temples in India

Vaishno Devi Temple | Kamakhya Temple | Mansa Devi Temple | Karni Mata Temple | Chamunda Devi Temple | Kalkaji Mandir | Durgiana Temple | Amba Mata Temple | Chattarpur Temple | Jwalamukhi Temple | Naina Devi Temple | Dakshineswar Kali Temple | Mangalagauri Temple | The Durga Temple, Varanasi | Devi Kanaka Durga Temple | Shree Durga Parameshwari Temple | Bhadra Kali Temple | Chandi Devi Temple | Bhagavathi Temple | Devi Patan Temple | Bhadrakali Temple | Mookambika Devi Temple | Vidyashankara Temple | Chamundeswari Temple | Annapoorneshwari Temple | Marikamba Temple | Banashankari Temple

Chamunda is a little station on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway track. There’s the Chamunda Devi Temple here, right on the banks of the Baner River. It is also a pretty picnic spot with a good view of the mountains, the Baner Khad (khad means hillside) and the Pathiar and Lahl forests.
The temple is dedicated to goddess Kali (a form of Shakti or power, also goddess of war) in her wrathful avatar (form) of Chamunda.

¤ The Legend Associated To The Temple

As with so many temples in India, this one too has a legend to it.
It has to do with the two demons, Chanda and Munda, trying to harass the goddess Ambika. The duo, followers of the notorious demon king, Shumbh Nishumbh, once set out for the Himalayas with their chaturangini army. Upon reaching here, they saw the devi (goddess) sitting high up on a peak, smiling to herself. Chanda and Munda then flew their arrows at her.

Furious at this, Ambika knitted her brows and lo! From their folds emerged this terrifying form of Kali, decked up in a cheetah skin sari (long piece of cloth cleverly draped by Indian women) and a garland of skulls. Kali fought all the demons singlehandedly and killed Chanda and Munda. Pleased, Ambika declared that Kali would now be worshipped here as Chamunda – a compound of Chanda and Munda. That is how the temple is supposed to have come up.

The Chamunda Devi Temple is said to be more than 700 years old. It is a pretty big complex with even a kund (tank) where devotees take a dip. The idol in the main temple is considered so sacred that even the eyes of devotees are not allowed to touch upon it; it is kept completely concealed beneath a red cloth. At the back of the temple is a cave-like scoop where a stone lingam (phallic symbol of Shiva) under a boulder represents Nandi Keshwar (Shiva). There are several brightly painted figures of gods and goddesses around the place.

¤ Transport
Buses between Palampur and Dharamsala will drop you at the Chamunda Devi Temple

PLACES OF PEACE AND POWER

The Golden Temple

I am often asked what my favorite sacred places are in the world, among the many hundreds I have visited. I could not choose one in particular, but included in the top ten would certainly be the Golden Temple. It is a place of both stupendous beauty and sublime peacefulness. Originally a small lake in the midst of a quiet forest, the site has been a meditation retreat for wandering mendicants and sages since deep antiquity. The Buddha is known to have spent time at this place in contemplation.Two thousand years after Buddha's time, another philosopher-saint came to live and meditate by the peaceful lake. This was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh religion. After the passing away of Guru Nanak, his disciples continued to frequent the site; over the centuries it became the primary sacred shrine of the Sikhs. The lake was enlarged and structurally contained during the leadership of the fourth Sikh Guru (Ram Dass, 1574-1581), and during the leadership of the fifth Guru (Arjan, 1581-1606), the Hari Mandir, or Temple of God was built. From the early 1600s to the mid 1700s the sixth through tenth Sikh Gurus were constantly involved in defending both their religion and their temple against Moslem armies. On numerous occasions the temple was destroyed by the Moslems, and each time was rebuilt more beautifully by the Sikhs. From 1767 onwards, the Sikhs became strong enough militarily to repulse invaders. Peace returned to the Hari Mandir.

The temple's architecture draws on both Hindu and Moslem artistic styles yet represents a unique coevolution of the two. During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Hari Mandir was richly ornamented with marble sculptures, golden gilding, and large quantities of precious stones. Within the sanctuary, on a jewel-studded platform, lies the Adi Grantha, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. This scripture is a collection of devotional poems, prayers, and hymns composed by the ten Sikh gurus and various Moslem and Hindu saints. Beginning early in the morning and lasting until long past sunset, these hymns are chanted to the exquisite accompaniment of flutes, drums, and stringed instruments. Echoing across the serene lake, this enchantingly beautiful music induces a delicate yet powerful state of trance in the pilgrims strolling leisurely around the marble concourse encircling the pool and temple. An underground spring feeds the sacred lake, and throughout the day and night pilgrims immerse themselves in the water, a symbolic cleansing of the soul rather than an actual bathing of the body. Next to the temple complex are enormous pilgrims' dormitories and dining halls where all persons, irrespective of race, religion, or gender, are lodged and fed for free.

Amritsar, the original name of first the ancient lake, then the temple complex, and still later the surrounding city, means "pool of ambrosial nectar." Looking deeply into the origins of this word amrit, we find that it indicates a drink of the gods, a rare and magical substance that catalyzes euphoric states of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. With this word we have a very clear example of the spirit, power, or energetic character of a particular place becoming encoded as an ancient geographical place name. The myth is not just a fairy tale. It reveals itself as a coded metaphor if we have the knowledge to read the code: The waters of Amritsar flowing into the lake of the Hari Mandir were long ago - and remain today - a bringer of peacefulness.

Hari Mandir, Amritsar, India

Sikh pilgrims at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, India