Chhinnamastika Temple | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Hinduism |
District | Ramgarh district |
Deity | Chhinnamasta |
Festivals | Makar Sankranti, Maha Shivaratri, Vijayadashami |
Location | |
Location | Rajrappa |
State | Jharkhand |
Country | India |
Geographic coordinates | 23°37′56″N85°41′38″E / 23.63222°N 85.69389°E |
Chhinnamastika Temple is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Goddess Chinnamasta is a Hindu pilgrimage centre located in Rajrappa, in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand, India. [1] [2] The place attracts devotees from all parts of Jharkhand, and also from the neighbouring states of West Bengal and Bihar. [3] The Chhinnamasta temple is popular for its Tantric style of architectural design. Apart from the main temple, there are ten temples of various deities such as the Surya, Hanuman and Shiva. [3]
It was this place where the Raja of Ramgarh Raj gave 3 acres of land to the people in the Bhudhan Movement in Jharkhand.
Chhinnamasta (Sanskrit : छिन्नमस्ता, Chinnamastā, "She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta and also called Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika, is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and a ferocious aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. Chhinnamasta can be easily identified by her fearsome iconography. The self-decapitated goddess holds her own severed head in one hand, a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants. Chhinnamasta is usually depicted standing on a copulating couple. [4]
Chhinnamasta temple is located at Rajrappa, 28 km away from Ramgarh Cantonment along NH 20 in the Ramgarh district of the State of Jharkhand, India. It is situated on a hillock at the confluence of the Damodar and Bhera (Bhairavi River) rivers near the Rajrappa falls.
This location has a special significance. It is at the union of Bhairavi nadi (female) coming from top, meeting Damodar nada (male) signifying the vipareeta rati ("opposite copulation") pose as described in Devi Chhinnamasta's dhyana (vipareeta rataturam). Here Bhairavi is active shakti and Damodar is the male passive member of rati action. Damodar is very calm and Bhairavi is the active member.
A natural rock covered with an ashtadhatu (eight-metal alloy) kavacha (cover) is worshipped as the goddess Chhinnamasta. Though well-established as a centre of Chhinnamasta by the 18th century, the site is a popular place of worship among tribals since ancient times. Kheer and animal sacrifice are offered to the goddess. [5] [6]
Many smaller temples have been built around the main temple such as the temples of Ashtamatrika and Dakshina Kali. The temples of Mahavidyas built in a series nearby are Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneswari, Bhairavi, Bagla, Kamla, Matangi, Dhumavati.
The temple is very old and is flocked by devotees from Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal Assam and Nepal for worship of Goddess Chinnamastika. Vedic book Durga Saptashati also mentions the temple. The art and architectural design resembles the design of temples of Tantrik importance. The temple is considered as notable as the tantrik site of Kamakhya Temple of Assam which has a similar architecture. The temple is one of the 10 Mahavidhyas.The ancient temple of Goddess was destroyed and later a new temple was constructed and the original idol of Goddess was placed in it. Animal sacrifice is still practised in the temple. The sacrificial animals are killed on Tuesdays, Saturdays and during Kali puja.
A large number of pilgrims arrive here throughout the year. Large congregation of people takes place here during the full Moon and New Moon nights. Owing to the religious importance of the place, it is also popular among the disciples for marriage and ritual of Mundan or shaving the head. Vehicle owners come here to get blessings for their new vehicles as they believe that the first worship of vehicles here multiplies the life of vehicles and brings luck to the owners. Tantriks look upon this place for Tantric accomplishment.
Rajrappa also is a pilgrim centre for the Santals and other tribals who come for immersion of the ashes of their loved ones in the Damodar. They come mostly during the month of December, in groups known as yatri. As per their mythology it is their final resting place. In their folk songs Rajrappa is referred to as "Thel Kopi Ghat" (Water Ghat) and they use oil after bathing. They come in significant numbers from the southern parts of Jharkhand state such as East and West Singhbhum and Saraikela districts. Maa Chinmastika devi is also known as Manokamna devi due to the belief that it fulfils the wishes of the devotees. Devotees tie a red thread around a rock in the temple for the fulfillment of their wishes.
In the month of January a special fair is held here on the festival of Makar Sankranti and attended by lakhs of people. A fair is also organized during the festival of Vijaydashmi, Vijayadashami and attended by large number of people. Visitors can take a holy bath in the river.
Besides religious importance, the place is also a picnic spot owing to its natural environment.[ citation needed ] The hilly landscape covered with lush forest and rivers are some of its features.[ original research? ] The hot water spring located here increases the popularity of the region.[ citation needed ] The Bhera River joins the Damodar River from a height of 20 feet creating a waterfall. The location has boating facilities and visitors can take boat rides in the locality having various rock formations along the river bank. The place also attracts many foreign tourists due to its natural and religious importance.
The Mahavidya are a group of ten Hindu Tantric goddesses. The 10 Mahavidyas are usually named in the following sequence: Kali, Tara, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshvari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamalatmika. Nevertheless, the formation of this group encompass divergent and varied religious traditions that include yogini worship, Saivism, Vaishnavism, and Vajrayana Buddhism.
Dhumavati is one of the Mahavidyas, a group of ten Hindu Tantric goddesses. Dhumavati represents the fearsome aspect of Mahadevi, the supreme goddess in Hindu traditions such as Shaktism. She is often portrayed as an old, ugly widow, and is associated with things considered inauspicious and unattractive in Hinduism, such as the crow and the chaturmasya period. The goddess is often depicted carrying a winnowing basket on a horseless chariot or riding a crow, usually in a cremation ground.
Rati is the Hindu goddess of love, carnal desire, lust, passion, and sexual pleasure. Usually described as the daughter of Prajapati Daksha, Rati is the female counterpart, the chief consort and the assistant of Kama (Kamadeva), the god of love. A constant companion of Kama, she is often depicted with him in legend and temple sculpture. She also enjoys worship along with Kama.
Matangi is a Hindu goddess. She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and an aspect of the Hindu Divine Mother. She is considered to be the Tantric form of Sarasvati, the goddess of music and learning. Matangi governs speech, music, knowledge and the arts. Her worship is prescribed to acquire supernatural powers, especially gaining control over enemies, attracting people to oneself, acquiring mastery over the arts and gaining supreme knowledge.
Baglamukhi or Bagalā is the female form of a personification of the mahavidyas, a group of ten Tantrik deities in Hinduism. Devi Bagalamukhi smashes the devotee's misconceptions and delusions with her cudgel. The word "Bagala" is derived from the word "Valga" which, became "Vagla" and then "Bagla". She has 108 different names. Bagalamukhi is commonly known as Pitambari in North India, the goddess associated with yellow color or golden color. She sits on a golden throne that has pillars decorated with various jewels, and has three eyes, symbolising the fact that she can impart ultimate knowledge to the devotee.
Chhinnamasta, often spelled Chinnamasta, and also called Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika and Jogani Maa, is a Hindu goddess (Devi). She is one of the Mahavidyas, ten goddesses from the esoteric tradition of Tantra, and a ferocious aspect of Mahadevi, the Hindu Mother goddess. The self-decapitated nude goddess, usually standing or seated on a divine copulating couple, holding her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants.
Bhairavi is a Hindu goddess, described as one of the Mahāvidyas, the ten avatars of the mother goddess. She is the consort of Dakṣiṇāmūrti.
In the Shaivism and Shaktism tradition of Hinduism, the goddess Tara is the second of the ten Mahavidyas. She is considered a form of Adishakti, the tantric manifestation of Parvati. Her three most famous forms are Ekajaṭā, Ugratara, and Nīlasarasvatī. Her most famous centre of worship is the temple and the cremation ground of Tarapith in West Bengal, India.
Rajrappa is a waterfall and a pilgrimage centre in the Chitarpur CD block in the Ramgarh subdivision of the Ramgarh district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.
Kamakhya, a mother goddess, is a Shakta Tantric deity; considered to be the embodiment of Kama (desire), she is regarded as the goddess of desire. Her abode–Kamakhya Temple is located in the Kamarupa region of Assam, India. Originally a Kirata goddess, Residing on Nilachal hills across the banks of the Brahmaputra River, west of Guwahati in the 10th/11th century Temple rebuilt in 1565 CE, she is worshiped in a non-iconic and un-anthropomorphic form of stone shaped like yoni fed by a perennial stream. The temple is primary amongst the 51 Shakti Pithas, and is one of the most important Shakta temples.
Ramgarh Cantonment, usually referred to as Ramgarh Cantt or just Ramgarh is a cantonment town, belonging to the Ramgarh district of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Historically, a subdivision of the larger Hazaribag district, Ramgarh was finally elevated to a district status on 12 September 2007 largely to ease administrative hardships.
Tarapith is a town and Hindu pilgrimage site located in Rampurhat subdivision of Birbhum district of the Indian state of West Bengal. The town is particularly known for its Tantric temple and its adjoining Hindu crematory ground. The Tantric Hindu temple is dedicated to the goddess Tara.
Kali, also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. The origins of Kali can be traced to the pre-Vedic and Vedic era Goddess worship traditions in Ancient India. Kali is the first of the ten Mahavidyas in the Hindu tantric tradition and is the supreme deity in the Kalikula worship tradition.
Ramgarh district is one of the 24 districts in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It was also a military district during the British Regime, referred to then as Ramgarh district. It is the part of State Capital Region (SCR).
Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu calendar month of Ashwayuja or Kartika. The festival is especially popular in the region of West Bengal, and other places like Mithila, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, and Tripura, as well as the town of Titwala in Maharashtra, along with the neighbouring country of Bangladesh.
The Goddess Ugratara is the tutelary deity of Eastern Ganga dynasty kings of erstwhile Kalinga dynasty. Her ancient temple lies at Mulajharigarh village, Bhusandapur 65 kilometers from State capital Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. The icon of Mother Tara is three-eyed and Chaturbhuja, holding potent weapons as sword, dagger, blue lotus and a drinking cup in her hands. She stands over a corpse on burning flames of funeral pyre. Serpent anklets and a serpent on crown are visible which clearly dates back to the time of the 11th-century Tantrik text Sadhanamala Tantra. When later kings of Gajapati dynasty revered goddess Kali or Shyamakaali she had less importance and her worship received less attention. But many people belonging to Vasishtha Gotra revere her as Ishta devi. She is one among ten Mahavidya in Hindu Tantrik theology. She is very popular as Ugratara due to her fierce aspect, but benevolent to the adorers as Ekajata/Neela-Saraswati. Nearby railway station is Bhushandapur in Khordha district which is accessible from Bhubaneswar and Balugaon by local passenger trains. The main festivals here are Chaitra parba, Raja Parba, Sharadiya Durga Puja. She is worshipped in tantrik way and offered all tantrik fivefold paraphrenalias.
Ramgarh Coalfield are located in Ramgarh district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.
Chinnamasta Bhagawati also called Shakhada Bhagawati and Shakhadeswori is a temple and Shakti Peethas in Eastern Nepal. It was established in 13th century by Shaktisimhadeva, the fifth ruler of the Karnata dynasty. The temple is in Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality, Saptari, 10 km from Rajbiraj near the Indian border. It is the oldest and most revered religious site in the Saptari district and draws thousands of devotees from Nepal and India during Bada Dashain and other festivals to worship the Hindu goddess Bhagawati.
Mundamala, also called kapalamala or rundamala, is a garland of severed Asura heads and/or skulls, in Hindu iconography and Tibetan Buddhist iconography. In Hinduism, the mundamala is a characteristic of fearsome aspects of the Hindu Divine Mother and the god Shiva; while in Buddhism, it is worn by wrathful deities of Tibetan Buddhism.
Rajrappa Area is one of the operational areas of the Central Coalfields Limited located in the Ramgarh district in the state of Jharkhand, India.