Goddess Durga

In Hindu mythology, Durga is a fierce form of Devi, the Mother Goddess, the
all-powerful almighty goddess. According to a legend the gods could not defeat
the buffalo demon Mahish, who was threatening the existence of the universe.
They begged Shiva for his assistance, and Shiva advised all the gods to release
their shaktis.

The shaktis of the gods emerged in female form. These goddesses fused together
in blinding light from which arose a magnificent goddess with many arms. She was
as beautiful as she was deadly. Durga was born fully-grown and is depicted as
extremely beautiful and full of rage.

The gods called this goddess Durga, the invincible one, and they armed her with
all their weapons. Thus armed, Durga rode to the top of a mountain on a lion. In
a bloody battle, she defeated Mahish and his army of demons and thus saved the
Universe from this demon’s menace.


Forms of Durga

She comes every year to Calcutta in autumn bringing with her, mellow days and
festivity. The Mother goddess returns to earth and, during this season, rising
food prices, sit-down strikes, overflowing gutters are pushed into the
background as, for one brief and glorious moment Calcutta becomes Camelot.

When a goddess is as splendour as Durga, it becomes increasingly difficult to
unveil the thousand mysteries that surrounded her. Who can catch the roaring
wind and imprison it in mere words? Who can give shape and form to the thrashing
of ocean waves or fetter the gurgle of mountain streams? Try and pluck a humble
star and the firmament will tremble. Set adrift an unknown planet and the
universe will never be the same again. Durga is indeed unfathomable and the
myths that surround her have changed like the fabled moon from shield to sickle
through aeons of light and darkness.

For five fevered days, every autumn, she is worshipped in Bengal. The frenzy is
maddening even as the images of the mother-goddess get installed on the day of
shashti and after the reverence and fervour of shaptami, ashtami and navami,
they are set adrift on the bosom of the Ganga when the sun streaks the sky in
gold and evening comes a-tumbling on Vijayadashami. The craftsmen in Kumartuli
set to work when the monsoon clouds thin in August and the first rusk of kash
blossoms wave their feathery white heads in fecund fields that roll into distant
horizons.

Durga idols are crafted with much love and care. And the day the artisans
breathe life into her, that particular dawn when they actually paint in her
large, beautiful eyes, the almanac must be consulted to decide the precise
auspicious moment when the goddess will finally look upon the world of mortals.
She is shakti, the destroyer of evil. Armed with lethal weapons in her ten
mighty hands she rides a ferocious lion and is the triumphant slayer of
Mahishasur, the demon king. She is Uma, beloved daughter of King Daksha and
Queen Menoka who, for the sake of love, forsaked a kingdom and earned her
father’s wrath. She is Kali, black as the night and omnipotent, terrible in rage
and fury, with just a string of skulls as her garland and her only garb. She is
Parvati, serene, pretty consort of the mad, half-naked Lord Shiva cooling her
heels on the snow-bound peaks of Kailash. She is Bhawani, symbol of life. She is
Sati, the object of death. She is Basanti, the heralder of springtime. She
is Mahishasurmardini, the vanquisher of evil in autumn. She is the epitome of
salvation and sacrifice. She is the mother of bounty and wealth, as also of
beauty and knowledge, for her daughters are Lakshmi and Saraswati.





MYTHS OF DEVI DURGA
Durga Puja, the festival of Bengalis is the worship of 'Shakti' or the divine
power. Most of the religious celebrations in the world have legends surrounding
them. The fables are generally the fight between the evil and the good, the dark
forces eventually succumbing to the divine. Worship of Goddess Durga is based on
myths where Durga symbolizes the divine power. ACCORDING TO THE INDIAN
MYTHOLOGY Mahishasura, the king of Asuras, through years of austerities, was
once granted a boon by Lord Bramha, that no man or deity would be able to kill
him. The immense power filled in him the urge to rule over the world. He started
to terrorize heaven and the inhabitants. He pervaded the world with his
battalion of Asuras and plundered and ruthlessly killed the people. Chaos and
anarchy reigned. Gods were driven from heaven and Mahishasura usurped the
throne.
The Gods scared and unable to combat him, requested Lord Shiva, Lord Bramha,
Lord Vishnu to stop Mahishasura's tyranny. In answer, the three Gods combined
their divine energy and summoned up a feminine form so brilliantly glaring that
it illuminated the heavens. From the glow emerged Devi Durga, a beautiful yellow
woman with ten arms riding a lion. Despite her grace she bore a menacing
expression, for Durga was born to kill. Fully grown and beautiful Durga was
immediately armed by the gods and sent forth against Mahishasura bearing in each
of her ten hands, symbols of their divine power.
Vishnu's discus; Shiva's trident; Varuna's conchshell; Agni's flaming dart;
Vayu's bow; Surya's quiver and arrow; Yama's iron rod; Indra's thunderbolt;
Kubera's club and a garland of snakes from Shesha and a lion as a charger from
Himalayas. A fierce battle took place. Finally when Mahishasura in the guise of
a buffalo charged against Durga, the Devi beheaded the buffalo and from it
emerge Mahishasura in his original form. Durga pierced his chest with the
trident and relieved the world from the evil power. That is why she is
'Durgatinashini Durga', our mother goddess who destroys the evil, protects her
devotees and establishes peace and prosperity on earth.


We worship Durga as the mother goddess, the epitome of 'Shakti' (divine power),
to deliver us from the evil and bring peace and prosperity in our lives. But the
most interesting part of Durga Puja is that, instead of placing Durga on a high
alter and worshipping her from a distance the Bengalis embrace her in their
hearts and make her an inseparable member of the family. We welcome Durga to the
earth as our daughter who comes at her parents' home for her annual visits.
Durga stays for four days-Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami and Nabami along with her
children, Ganesha, Laxmi, Kartik and Saraswati and sets for her husband's abode
on Vijaya Dashami.
Durga's mode of journey to the earth is detailed in scriptures. The modes, an
elephant, a horse, palanquin, boat all signify luck or omen which influence the
life on earth. The elephant signifies prosperity and good harvest while journey
on a horse back indicates drought, a palanquin spells wide spread epidemic and
the boat suggests flood and misery.
The worship of Devi Durga however owes its origin to Sree Rama. He hastily
worships Durga, the goddess of 'Shakti', just before he sets for Lanka to rescue
Sita from Ravana. According to Puranas, King Suratha, used to worship the
goddess Durga in spring. Thus Durga Puja was also known as Basanti Puja. But
Rama prepones the Puja and worships the Devi in autumn and that is why it is
known as 'Akal Bodhon' or untimely worship. Over the years, this Akal Bodhon has
become the tradition among Bengalis (Bengalis) and in Bengal.





Durga & Mahish


According to Hindu mythology, a demon named Mahish had threatened gods out of
heaven and established his evil dominion there and this devil was a constant
threat to the existence of the universe.

Origin of Goddess Durga
Threatened by mahish, a buffalo demon all gods approached Shiva for his
assistance. Shiva advised them to release their energies(spiritual powers)
locked within their bodies.When these powers were united, Goddess Durga was
born. Gods praised her and gave to her their divine gifts. The 'Devatas also
contributed their share of energy to form the various limbs of the goddess and
armed her with the best jewellery and deadly weapons - thus Durga represented an
awesome combination of supreme beauty and deadly power Now equipped with the
fearsome weaponry of the gods and dressed in golden armour and jewels she set
off, seated gracefully upon that lion. All the demons were destroyed in a great
battle as with her divine sword she cut them to bits.

The Death of Mahish, the buffalo demon
Mahish, the demon king was completely enraged by the events of the battlefield,
where his army of demons was slaughtered by Durga. He reverted to his own form,
a buffalo, and charged about on the battlefield. He ran wildly at Durga's divine
soldiers goring many, biting others and all the while beating them with his
long, whip-like tail. Durga's lion, angered by the presence of the
demon-buffalo, attacked him. Durga jumped on Mahishasura pushing him to the
ground with her left leg. She grasped his head in one hand, pierced him with her
sharp spear held in another, and with yet another of her ten hands she wielded
her bright sword, beheading him. At last he fell dead, and the gods returned to
heaven, and along with the sages of the earth, they sang praises of the Goddess
Durga. After that day Durga is worshipped by all the gods in heaven and by all
the human beings on earth, she is considered as an eternal mother who resolves
all hardships of her devotees. Mahishasura is there too,
impaled by Durga's spear and prostrate beneath her left foot.



The Festival
What makes Durga Puja intoxicating is the tension between calm spirituality and
ecstatic sensuality, the twin poles of Hindu religious worship. The festival of
Durga Puja is celebrated all over India with different festivities and rituals.
Durga Puja is celebrated in the autumn, in the month of September/October. It is
the time when the weather remains at its best giving the atmosphere a festive
mood. The advent of autumn is impossible to overlook in any corner of the land.
It arouses one from bed at dawn, with the sound of high-pitched, ululations, the
frantic blowing of conch shells and bell metal cymbals. This simple ceremony
marks the arrival of the Mother Goddess Durga, for the festival of Durga Puja.
Common rituals and Some Important FactsDurga Puja is basically a festival with a
long series of rituals followed on every day of the Puja. Starting from the day
of the Mahalaya, the days of Sashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami or
Bijoya Dashami every day has its own unique
rituals to follow. But it is not only the festival that has rituals associated
with it, but also the making of Durga idols is governed by a series of rituals.
These rituals are closely related with the holy river Ganga. The elemental
ritual, which is most commonly followed, is that the ingredients that are used
to make the idol of goddess Durga come from the holy river. The activity of
immersing the idol in the Ganga at the end of the festival this way points to a
theme of cyclical regeneration too. Generally, the idol of Durga is flanked by
the idols of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh, all of whom are believed to
be her children. The goddess sits atop a lion, which is her vahan. The favourite
tableau is of her stabbing Asura, the demon. It is symbolic of the victory that
she had achieved for the gods over the demons Some Important Facts Time of the
year: October 2001
Places to visit: West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Orissa,Bihar and Mysore
Duration: Nine to five days
Best Idols Made in: Kumartuli
Day of drawing eyes on the idol: Mahalaya







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Temples of Andhra Pradesh

Home Page of

Kanakadurga Temple at Vijayawada


Deities: Kanakadurga

This famous temple in Vijayawada has an imposing image of Kanakadurga

Access and Accomodation: Vijayawada

Vijayawada
Temples of Andhra Pradesh
Abodes of Shiva


The city of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh is home to three distinctive temples -
the Kanakadurga temple, the Malleswara temple and the Vijayeswara temple. Near
Vijayawada is the hill temple complex of Mangalagiri dedicated to Narasimha.

Historically the Malleswara temple goes back to the period of the Tribhuvana
Malla, a Chalukyan ruler of the 10th century CE.

The Malleswara temple enshrines a Shivalingam believed to have been held in
worship by the sage Agastya. Legend also has it that this temple was established
by the Pandava prince Yuddhishtra. It is believed that the Lakshmi Narasimha
temple at the foothills of Mangalagiri nearby was also built by Yuddhishtra the
Pandava prince, and that the Vijayeswara temple was founded by Arjuna.

It is believed that Agastya worshipped Shiva at this temple as Jayasena, while
Arjuna worshipped him as Malleswara.

The Indrakila hill in Vijayawada is said to be associated with the legend of
Arjuna (Vijaya) obtaining the Pasupataastram from Shiva. The Vijayeswara temple
has this and many other such legends illustrated in stone sculpture.

The Kanakadurga temple is a well visited temple in Vijayawada enshrining the
Chandi or the Durga aspect of Shakti. The spiritual leader Aadi Sankara is
believed to have visited this shrine and installed a Sree Chakra.




Lord Bramaramba MalleswaraTemple Of Kanakadurga

Legend has it that Arjuna, of the epic Mahabharata, prayed on top of
Indrakiladri hill and won the blessings from Lord Shiva. The name of
'Vijayawada' is derived from this 'Vijaya' - victory. Kanaka Durga, goddess of
power, riches and benevolence is considered the presiding deity of Vijayawada.
The temple is set on Indrakiladri hill. A temple of Lord Maheswara is also
within the city area. It is said that Adi Sankara visited this temple and
installed Sri Chakra here. Special celebrations are held during Dussehra
festival. At the Kanakadurga temple, the enchanting four-foot high icon of the
deity gleams into sight even before one enters the garbha griha. The goddess
with eight hands and equipped with eight powerful weapons is seen in a standing
posture over the demon Mahishashura and piercing him with her trident. The
Goddess bedecked in glittering ornaments and floral decorations is the epitome
of beauty. Devotees worship goddess Kanakadurga to bestow them with health,
wealth and
prosperity. The temple authorities at the Kanakadurgeswari shrine have made
elaborate arrangements for devotees to have darshan from different points. The
first is the special darshan from within the sanctum sanctorum in close
proximity of the deity and the second special darshan is from just outside the
sanctum sanctorum. The third type of darshan is from a distance. Chanting of
mantras and devotional music euphonises the air in the mornings creating a
serene atmosphere.



Kanakadurga Pilgrimage Attractions
Mataaka Durga temple located at Indrakila hill.


Lord Bramaramba Malleswara Poojas
Lakshakumkum archanais performed everyday, except on Friday and Sunday




History
This temple was constructed for Goddess Durga by Arjuna.

Festivals celebrated
Sivarathri, Dasara & Vasantotsavam

How to Reach
Public and private transport is available from Vijayawada bus stand to
Kanakadurga temple.





KanakaDurga Temple
Shakthi


Idols : DurgaDescription :Kanaga Durga temple is on Indrakila hill. It is
dedicated to the Goddess Kanaga Durga, the protector of the city. The goddess
receives continual gratitude from her followers and the devotees credit her for
the growth of Vijayawada.The temple is very famous and is a number of devotees
from many parts of the state come here to get the blessings of the goddess. The
presiding deity is a Swayambu (self manifested) image.
Legends & Myths :Tradition is that, goddess Durga created a powerful form of
Shakthi called as Kaushika, who vanquished the evil demons who were notorious
for their inhuman activities for the people of Vijayawada. The people rejoiced
the death of the demons and offered prayers in her praise. Pleased with their
devotion, the goddess showered a rain of gold called as Kanaka Varsha. The
region glittered by the gold rain,and came to be called as Kanakawada and the
goddess as Kanaka Durga.Location :Vijayawada,AndhraPradeshTransportation :The
temple is in Vijayawada Town of Krishna District. The nearest Airport is
Gannavaram. The temple is about 8 kms from Vijayawada Railway Station and number
of state transport buses are available to this place.









Durga Aarti
JAI AMBE GAURII MAIYAA JAI SHYAAMAA GAURII NISHADINA TUMAKO DHYAAVATA HARI
BRAHMA SHIVAJII MAANGA SINDUURA VIRAAJATA TIKO MRIGA MADAKO UJJVALASE DAUU
NAINAA CHANDRAVANA NIIKO KANAKA SAMAANA KALEVARA, RAKTAAMBARA RAAJE RAKTAPUSHPA
GALAMAALAA, KANTHAHAARA SAAJE KEHARI VAAHANA RAAJATA, KHADAGA KHAPPARA DHAARI
SURA NARA MUNIJANA SEVATA, TINAKE DUKHA HAARI KAANANA KUNADALA SHOBHITA,
NAASAAGRE MOTII KOTIKA CHANDRA DIVAAKARA, SAM RAAJATA JYOTII SHUMBHA NISHUMBHA
BIDAARE, MAHISHAASURA GHAATII DHUUMRA VILOCHANA NAINAA, NISHADINA MADAMAATII
BRAHMAANII RUDRAANII, TUMA KAMALAA RAANII AAGAMA-NIGAMA BAKHAANII, TUMA SHIVA
PATARAANII , CHAUSATHA YOGINII GAAVATA, NRITYA KARATA BHAIRON BAAJATA TAALA
MRIDANGA, AURA BAAJATA DAMARUU TUMA HO JAGA KII MAATAA, TUMA HII HO BHARTAA
BHAKTANA KII DUKHA HARTAA, SUKHA SAMPATI KARTAA BHUJAA CHAARA ATI SHOBHITA, VARA
MUDRAA DHAARII MANAVAANCHITA PHALA PAAVATA, SEVATA NARA NAARII KANCHANA THAALA
VIRAAJATA, AGARU KAPUURA BAATII BHAALAKETU MEIN RAAJATA,
KOTIRATANA JYOTII

Translation
Glory to you, O divine Mother Gauri, glory to you, O Parvati, who are so rich in
maiden grace , the object of daily meditation by brahma,vishnu and shiva.
O Ambe! On your forehead is a mark of vermilion along with a mark of musk . Your
twin eyes are bright and your face beautiful as the moon.
Your body with a tinge of gold is beautifully dressed in red attire; on your
throat there is a wreath of red blossoms like a beautiful necklace.
Your vehicle, the lion, is, O Mother in keeping with your majestic form; you
hold a sword and a skull in your hands, and on you attend the gods, hermits, men
and your devotees, whose grief you drive away.
You are adorned with rings on your ears and with pearl on the tip of your nose,
your radiance looks as beautiful as that of myriad of moons and suns.
O slayer of the demon Mahish, you tore apart the bodies of Shumbha, Nishumbha
and Dhuumravilochana. Your eyes reflected a frenzy of wrath everyday and night.
You are the beloved companion of Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu. The Vedas and the
Shastras describe you as the queen companion of Shiva
Sixty-four Yoginis chorus your glory and glorify you, while Shiva dances in tune
to the accompaniment of the sound of tambour and drum .
You are mother of the universe, the almighty, its sustainer, reliever of your
devotees' hardships and bestower of prosperity and happiness
The four arms you have adorned your person, while the hand raised in benediction
reveals your compassionate aspect. Those among men and women who wait on you and
worship you have all their wishes fulfilled.
In a golden platter are beautifully laid aloe and camphor, both of which have
lighted; and the radiance of your forehead is reflecting the splendour of gems.









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