The Jhandewalan Temple is a Hindu temple near Karol Bagh in Delhi, India. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Aadi Shakti Durga. It is among the oldest temples in Delhi.
The temple of Mata Jhandewali is a famous shrine for the devout Hindus. People from all walks from life are open to enter the premises and offer their worship and adorations to the enshrined deities. The devotees sing glories of the goddess and chant holy mantras to promote prosperity, well-being, and peace.
During both the Navratri, a grand celebration is held in the shrine to honour and worship the goddess. The temple is decorated with lights, and the deities are adorned with the attractive garb and ornaments. The shrine exudes divine peace, power, and love on such auspicious days. The temple priests perform the Aarti of Jhandewali Mata about four times every single day. Offerings of different kinds likechana, mishri, dry fruits,rice, pulses, wheat-bread, coconut, and milk are offered to the goddess at different hours throughout the day. Chowkis and Jagrans are held in on the eighth day of the waxing phase of the moon every month and daily during the Navratri.
History of the temple
During the 18th century, a famous cloth merchant named Shri Badri Das often walked to the Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range, which was covered with flora and fauna. The place was covered with dense forests and beautiful spectacles flowing. It was a roost of many animals and birds. In that quiet and delightful place, the nearby residents used to come for the promenade. Among those who visited there wasthe famous cloth businessman from ChandniChowk, Shri Badri Das. Shri Badri Das was a religious person and was a devotee of Vaishno Devi. He regularly came to visit this hill spot and get absorbed in meditation. Once in meditation, ShriBadri Das felt that he was buried in an ancient temple in a cave near a prism. Again one day in the dream, he saw a temple in the same area and he felt that an invisible power was motivating him to find the temple. After this unique sensation, ShriBadri Das took note of finding the place. He looked for the place and found itnear a waterfall. When the site was excavated as per divine command, the sanctum of the goddess descendedwith the idol of Jhandewali Mata and a stone lingam with carvings of nga on it. Das built the temple to house these idols and Shivalaingaon the spot. Since the hands of the idol were damaged during excavation, hands of silver were made and attached to the idol. The original statue was consecrated in the cavern basement which came to be called "Maa GufaWali" (The Mother Goddess of Cave). Later a new replica of the idol was installed on the ground floor which came to be called "Maa JhandeWali" (The Mother Goddess of Flag) because a large prayer flag was installed by Badri Das, who came to be known as "BhagatBadri". Later, when people came there for prayers, they too brought flags of Maa Durga with them and the temple came to be known as "Jhandewala Mandir" ("the temple with the flags"). Within the temple compound, there are subsidiary temples of Shiva as well as Kali. The temple is run by the non-profit organization trust "Badri Bhagat Jhandewalan Mandir Society".
The original image of the Goddess is still situated at the sanctum sanctorum beneath the ground level. It is here that the main worship is offered to the deity. The upper level of the shrine, however, houses the idols of Mata Jhandewali along with her manifestations Saraswati and Kali. There are beautiful shrines of Shiva and other deities in the temple premises. People light earthen lamps (diyas) on the premises to please the deity.
It is believed anyone, who comes with a wish to this temple, is always blessed by the deity with the fulfillment of the wish. Maa Jhandewali never disappoints any of her devotees.
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