Durga Temples in India
India is a land where an infinite number of temples of God and Goddess are situated. One of the most revered Goddesses amongst all Gods is Maa Durga. There are many popular temples of Maa Durga (Goddess Durga) located in various parts of the country along with the famous 51 Shakti Peeths. Each of these temples is flocked by devotees throughout the year. Devotees visit these temples to seek the Mother’s blessings and also to forgive their sins. In the following write-up, we have mentioned some of the most popular Durga temples present in India.
Naina Devi Temple
Located at the northern end of the Naini Lake in the state of Uttarakhand, Naina Devi Temple is a popular ‘Shakti Peeth’. As the name suggests, the temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Naina Devi. Along with the Goddess Naina Devi deity, one can find idols of Lord Ganesha and Kali that are also enshrined in the temple. There is also a giant people tree at the entrance of this temple that is renowned to be holy by devotees.
Kamakhya Temple
It is often said that a visit to the city of Guwahati (in Assam) is incomplete without paying a visit to the famous Kamakhya Temple. As per Hinduism, this temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths and is counted as the most significant pilgrimages. The temple is located at the top of the Nilachal Hills and there, you can find ten individual temples dedicated to ten ‘mahavidyas’. The idols of Matangi, Tripurasundari, and Kamala are kept inside the main temple, while the rest of the seven forms are found in separate temples that are surrounding the main temple. Tantric saints from all around the country visit the temple during ‘Manasha Puja’ and ‘Durga Puja’.
Dakshineswar
The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is the most popular temple of “Goddess Kali” (another form of Maa Durga). This beautiful temple is located on the bank of the Hooghly River in Dakshineswar, close to Kolkata (in West Bengal). The temple is dedicated to ‘Maa Bhavatarini’, one of the other aspects of Goddess Kali. This temple is visited by thousands of devotees daily and by millions of pilgrims during the main ‘Durga Puja festival’.
Karni Mata Temple
Also referred to as the Rat Temple, Karni Mata Temple is a famous temple as well as a tourist attraction of Deshnok. This temple presides the deity of the Karni Mata, who is considered as an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Maa Durga. As per the legends, Rao Bikaji, the maker of Bikaner was blessed by Goddess Karni Mata. Since then, the Goddess is being worshipped as the patron deity. The holy temple was built by King Ganga Singh during the 20th century. This temple is ornamented with beautiful marble carvings and has a large silver gate for the entrance. The temple is famed for its rats, famously known as ‘Kabas’. These Kabas live on the Prasad offered by the devotees to them.
Apart from these temples, Chamunda Devi Temple, Adhar Devi Temple (Mount Abu), and Durga Temple (Varanasi) are some of the other famous Maa Durga temples present in India.
