Jalandari

Introduction

Shakthi peethas are places where the limb or an ornament of Sati had fallen. These places are the famous centers of Shakti worship. In fact Shakthi peethas are the places where the adoration of the goddess as Shakti of Siva is carried out.

Jalandhari Shakthi Peetha is located on a small hill which is on the bank of Bias River in Punjab.

Legend of the Temple

There was a demon namely Jalandara who was troubling people so much, hence Shiva killed him by throwing big stones on him. During his death lots of flames came out of his mouth. So the place came to be known as Jalandara. At the time of his death Jalandara took a boon from Shiva that a person who will die at this place should be free from all the sins in this world. Hence this center is believed to be a holy place and people visit it for the removal of their sins.

Another legend narrated by the priests of the temple is as follows-in 12^th CE a Brahmin from South India had a dream that in Punjab there was a place namely Jalandara and he was instructed in the dream to install a goddess at the place and worship her. Hence he came searching and having found the place installed a goddess namely Jwaladevi.

As per the legend of Jalandara a person who visits this place gets free of all his sins.

Scriptural references

Jalandara Peetha is mentioned in the scriptures like Mahabharata, Shiva Purana, Devibhagvata, Tantra Grantha, etc. A verse from Matsya Purana gives the record of Jwaladevi as,

पिण्डजिव्हा चलज्ज्वाला शिवा ज्वालामुखी तथा ।

एताश्चान्याश्च देवेश सोऽसृजन्मातरस्तदा ॥

Pindajivha chalajivha shiva jwalamukhi tatha |

Etashcanyashca devesha so srujanmatarastada ||

Pindajivha Chalajivha Shiva and Jwalamukhi these four and other mother goddesses are created by Lord Shiva.

History of the Temple

Scholars believe that an ancient civilization existed here.  Around the area of the temple, remains of some ancient cities were found.

Temple Architecture

The temple structure is very simple and is akin to a Muslim structure. The specialty of the temple is that the entire temple has golden coating from inside along with roof. Sardar Kharaka Singh gifted silver doors to the temple.

Idol of the deity

There is no idol in the temple. Flames coming out from the earth are only considered as the image of goddess. In the sanctum there is one Kunda which is 3 sq feet. From here a gas in the form of flame comes out. Seen from west a person can observe four flames. Sometimes the number of flames goes upto thirteen. These flames vanish after an interval and appear again after a time. In front of the flames a small image of Kali is kept which is not the original image of the temple. It’s a belief of the people that the first three flames represent Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati and the rest are the Nine forms of Durga.