Durga Devi temple, Guhagar

Durga Devi Temple
Durga Devi Temple
Location in Maharashtra
Geography
Coordinates 17°29′41″N 73°11′17″E / 17.494813°N 73.188067°E / 17.494813; 73.188067Coordinates: 17°29′41″N 73°11′17″E / 17.494813°N 73.188067°E / 17.494813; 73.188067
Culture
Primary deity Durga
History and governance
Website www.durgashree.com

Shri Durga Devi temple, Guhagar (देवनागरी: श्री दुर्गादेवी, गुहागर) is an ancient temple[1] located at Guhagar, a taluka place in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra state in India. It is considered to be the Kuladevata or clan goddess of many Chitpavan families from Konkan region.

It is located in Warla Pat (Upper Side ) of Guhagar Gaon. The Temple is old with full of greenery along with Bhakta Niwas in nearby location. It is considered to be oldest temple and has been renewed in recent past. During Navratri festival the Temple is full of Devotes who come to offer their Offering to Shree Durga Devi from across India location.[2]

This is one of the pleasant sea-side temples, to visit during Summer and Winter season. One can find all required amenities in nearby location. Puja's can be performed on request.

Story[3]

According to Hindu myth, goddess defeated the ill energies in one night and saved Guhagar from the possible destruction. During her war with enemy, a pearl from one of the ornaments was broken. Goddess ordered one of her devotees to collect the broken pearl from a tree near seashore. Even today the said pearl is in the ornamental collection of the goddess and occasionally it is kept in the main hall for display purpose.

Another story tells us that once upon a time a person with rash on his body due to some allergy, came to the temple. He was suffering from unbearable pains. He sat in the temple premises for three consecutive days without food and water and was just chanting the name of goddess. On third day the goddess came in the form of an old lady. She gave him some oil for application on the rash and in further three days period, the rash along with pains got vanished.

The goddess also killed a devil named 'Mahishasoor'[4] and hence got the name 'Mahishasoor Mardini'[5][6]

Surroundings

Around temple, there is a lake with central wooden pillar.[7] There are four temples of the subordinate shrines at four corners of the main temple, thus converting it into 'Panchayatan' style temple. A Panchayatana temple has four subordinate shrines on four corners and the main shrine in the center of the podium, which comprises their base.[8] Here, the main shrine at the center is of Shri Durga (Goddess Shakti) and the other deities at the surrounding are: The Sun, Shri Ganesh, Shri Shiva and Shri Vishnu along with goddess Lakshmi.

Pillar Near Temple (Devicha Khamb)

It is believed that the old temple was near the main road and it is shifted to current location in middle age. A pillar is erected that time to remember the original location of old temple. In local Marathi language the piller is called Devicha Khamb. The said pillar can be seen in the adjacent photograph.

Devicha khamb

[9]

Holy Aarti

Aarti is a holy prayer in the name of a specific god. Aarti for Shri Navdurga Devi of Guhagar is shown in one photo from the gallery. One more photo shows combined view of the goddess as well as her official Aarti.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ http://www.guhagar.ind.in/guhagar-temples.html
  2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/ShreeDurgadeviGuhagar
  3. ↑ https://archive.org/details/shri_durga_book
  4. ↑ Mahishasura
  5. ↑ http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1993.7
  6. ↑ http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/38583
  7. ↑ http://www.flickr.com/photos/amitmore/1229600855/
  8. ↑ http://www.the-world-heritage-sites.com/khajuraho.htm
  9. ↑ http://www.tripadvisor.in/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g2136865-i73070103-Velneshwar_Maharashtra.html

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 2/18/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.