Jwala Devi Maa - The Miracle - The Goddess in the form of flames

Jay Mata Di. Jay Jwala Maa. 

The sacred flame is the idol in Jwala Devi Temple

       To the astonishment of all, here we are presenting a miracle about our   Goddess Jwala Maa. Maa means mother. The miracle is nine eternal flames without any fuel, exist and receive worship from devotees in Jwala Devi temple in India. This shrine is located in the lower Himalayas in Jwalamukhi town of the KangraHimachal Pradesh (state) of India, about 55 kilometers from the larger town of Dharamsala. These set of flames burning off natural gas is the physical manifestation of Jwala Ji or JwalaMaa. The temple is one of the  51 'Shakti Pithas' of Hindu Mythology. In the early times, people tried to explore the fact behind these burning flames, but nothing substantial was made out. These flames are burning due to some natural jets of combustible gas.In this temple, there is no idol because the Goddess is considered to be residing in the form of flames. The nine ceaseless flames are named as Mahakali, Annapurna, Chandi, Hinglaj, Vindhya Vasini, Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, Ambika and Anji Devi respectively.

The story behind it's being Shaktipith

(Shakti Pith - a recognised place where Power exists)

       After destroying the 'Yagna' of Dakshya , Lord Shiva placed the burnt dead body of Sati (His wife) on his shoulders and started wandering about in a state of madness in the space ('antarikshya' in Hindi and Sanskrit).To save the world from the destructive wrath of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu started cutting the limbs of the dead Goddess one by one. The places where they fell became sacred centers for the worship of Shakti or Power.The tongue of Sati fell at the place where the temple of Jwalamukhi is situated. The flames that come out of the openings in the earth's surface are regarded as the manifestations of the fallen tongue of  Mata Sati and are worshipped as "Jwalamukhi Devi" (Goddess, who emits flames from her mouth).

Legend of Dhyanu Bhagat and Mughal Emperor Akbar

Royal entrance of Jwala Devi Temple

       Dhyanu Bhagat was a supreme devotee of JwalaMaa during the reign of Akbar, the Mughal Emperor in  the then India. Knowing  about   Devotion of Dhyanu, Akbar called for him and asked  to qualify in a hard test to prove the supreme power of Dhyanu'sJwalaMaa. He cut the head of a horse and wanted Dhyanu to join it and make alive again the animal with the power of the Goddess. To the surprise of all, the same horse was found alive after some days. Impressed by this incident, he wanted to know more about the Goddess and came to know about the eternal flames. In a fit of anger, he tried to douse the flames with a stream of water which is very much present today also in the name of "Akbar kaa nahar" or the spring of Akbar. However,the great power of the Goddess, still kept the flames burning. Now realizing the power of Jwala Devi, Akbar came with his army to this temple. He brought a Gold umbrella (Chatra) for the Goddess, but on offering, the umbrella turned into an unknown metal suggesting that the Goddess didn't accept his offering.  The said umbrella has  also been  kept in the temple library to be watched by the visitors. God,

Writer's view

Writer Himanshu Guru and his wife

     I have personally visited this place. One may not believe the mythology depicted above, but definitely it is a miracle of nature and it says about the practical presence of God either in the form of God or Nature. Hence realising the existence of this supreme power the best creation of the creator, that is human being should walk in the right path for establishment of peace and brotherhood throughout the world.

Manikaran, the hot spring in Himachal Pradesh, India - by Himanshu

Manikaran,Himachal Pradesh, India

      Manikaran is famous mainly for its hot springs, Gurdwara and the temples. It is located in the Parvati Valley between the rivers Beas and Parvati, northeast of Bhuntar in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India, 45 kms away from Kullu. Devotees believe the sulphur hot spring as a miracle of God and people call  it astonishment of science. This hot water is believed to cure skin deseases  or even ease the swelling caused by gout. Many visitors specially the Hindus and sikhs, visit here for offering prayer at Gurdwara  Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji and the famous Ram Temple and Shiva temple among others.

Rice is boiled in hot water from the hot spring

ONE CAN SEE OVER HERE

One can see here an amusing experience of cooking rice or dal in the boiling hot waters. The local residents also use this hot water through pipes at their places without the cost of heating the water or using any fuel for that. Here in the market one can get religious idols, offerings, etc. and of course a wide range of medicinal plants in the nearby mountains.Here due to the climate, local vegetables and pulses like rajmah and urad are of rare quality and taste different from those available in other regions.

Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati

THE MYTHOLOGICAL STORY BEHIND ITS EVOLUTION

Once Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati were roaming in the space and enchanted by a beautiful green place which was surrounded by the mountains, decided to spend some time there. The span of that time was believed to be 11 hundred years according to human calculation. During their stay here, Mata Parvati lost her Mani( the most precious jewellery/gem stone) in the waters of a stream. Upset over the loss, she asked Lord Shiva to retrieve it. Lord Shiva commanded his attendants to find out the mani for  Mata Parvati, however, when they failed, he was extremely angry. He opened his third eye, a tremendously inauspicious event which led to disturbances in the universe. An appeal was made before the serpent God, Sheshnag, to pacify Lord Shiva. Sheshnag hissed thereby giving rise to a flow of boiling water. The water spread over the entire area resulting in the emergence of precious stones of the type Goddess Parvati had lost. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were happy at the outcome. The name Manikaran is derived from this legend. The water is still hot and is considered extremely auspicious.

Writer Himanshu and  his wife

 WRITER'S VIEW

I have practically visited this place. You can get complete peace and satisfaction in this religious  and naturally gifted atmosphere if you believe. One can also have the funny experience of a new type of cooking in Manikaran. Moreover it is an amazing place to visit.

Gayatri Mantra by G.Himanshu

Jay Mata Di Bhajan Video - Tere dar pe aaya Bhawani (hindi) for Navratri 2011

Jay Mata Di - Chaitra Navratri 2011

Sarva mangala mangalye shive sarvartha sadhike

Sharanye trayambake gauri, Narayani namostute ll

Meaning : 

O Mother ! You are the personification of all that is auspicious, You are the benevolent form of Lord Shiva, You bestow Divine energy and help people achieve Righteousness, wealth, fulfill desires and Liberation, You are worthy of being surrendered to.O Narayani Devi, I pay obeisance to You !

What is Navratri :

Navratri, Navaratri, or Navarathri  is a festival of worship of Shakti and festivities.The word Navaratri literally means 

nine nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights.During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi Maa are worshiped.

God manifests Himself in numerous shapes and forms. One of them is that of the Mother. The manifestation of Supreme Brahman 

in the form of power, compassion, forgiveness, and benevolence has been termed as Maa (Mother) and Navratri is the time to adore and worship the Mother in her various forms.

In the ‘Srimad Devi Bhagawata’, it is written that one desirous of knowledge, wealth and begetting a son should meticulously 

observe the Navratri Vrata, which has the power of returning the kingdom to a dethroned king. Sri Rama worshipped Durga at the

time of the fight with Ravana, to invoke Her aid in the war. He fought and won through Her Grace.

Significance of Navratri:-

The beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn are two very important junctions of climatic and solar influence.

These two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother.

Navaratri represents celebration of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of Deity in form of Shakti [Energy or Power].

Dasahara, meaning ‘ten days’, becomes dussehra in popular parlance. The Navaratri festival or ‘Nine Nights festival’

becomes ‘ten days festival’ with the addition of the last day, Vijayadashami which is its culmination. On all these ten days,

the various forms of Mother Mahisasura-mardini (Durga) are worshipped with fervour and devotion.

Navaratri is celebrated four times a year. They are Vasanta Navaratri, Ashadha Navaratri, the Sharada Navaratri, 

and the Poushya/Magha Navaratri. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri(which comes in normally in October) and the Vasanta Navaratri

(which normally comes in the month of April) are more important.

How to perform Navratri-

There are no strict rules for any fasting in Hindu religion and usually, the devotees decide how they want to do the fasting 

during the period.

The festival of Navratri should be celebrated with great fanfare through the rendition of devotional songs, music and dancing.

One should sleep on the ground. One should offer food to as many young girls as one can afford to feed. But girls less than

one year of age cannot be considered. Only girls from the age of 2 to 10 years can be served food on this occasion.

One unable to observe fast on all Navratri days should fast on the 7th, 8th and 9th lunar days  and worship 

Goddess Durga. This affords religious merits of observing a fast on each of the Navratri days.

Night vigil during Navratri is beneficial when there are discussions according to the guidelines of the scriptures, the mind 

is cheerful, a pious lamp is lit throughout the night before Goddess Durga’s idol, and there is devotional chanting of the

Divine Mother’s pious name with music. Sattvik dance should be performed, not disco or some other western dance.

The worship of Devi, the universal Mother, leads to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. Hinduism is the only religion 

in the world which has emphasized to such an extent the motherhood of God. One's relationship with one's mother is the dearest

and the sweetest of all human relations. Hence, it is proper to look upon God as mother.

SALUTATIONS to the Divine Mother, Durga, who exists in all beings in the form of intelligence, mercy, beauty, who is the consort 

of Lord Shiva, who creates, sustains and destroys the universe

Jai Mata Di.

Maa Samaleshwari of Balangir in Mata Shailaputri Vesha -Himanshu

  Jai Maa Samaleshwari
  Jai Mata Di
  "Prathamam Shailaputri......"(from Shree Saptasloki Geeta).In the photo Himanshu is paying worship to  Maa Samaleshwari of Bolangir,Orissa,India.Maa takes incarnation as 9 Gods in nine days of Navratri.This image is in the get up of Maa Shailaputri in the 1st day i.e.Prathami of Navratri,the widely celebrated pious occassion of the hindus.

Jaykara Sherawali Da -Bol Sache Darwar Ki Jay...