The temples in Haryana are mostly of the ancient era. These primitive temples are not just places of worship. Most of these are architectural masterpieces and are treasuries of erudition and ethnicity.
The temples in Haryana envelop the atmosphere of the place with a divine air. There are plenty of famous temples in the state of Haryana. The Bhawani Amba Temple, the Kali Mata Mandir in Ambala, the Shiv Temple in Gurgaon, the Bishnoi Mandir and the Sheetala Devi Temple are to name just a few of the temples.
The Sheetla Devi Temple in Haryana is a prime pilgrimage point. The place is also known as Shakti Peeth because Sheetla Devi or the Goddess of Shakti is the presiding deity here.
The Bhawani Amba Temple, which is situated in the city of Ambala, is an ancient temple and it has been the witness to the city's history since Ambala's birth.
All the temples are unique in their own ways and each of the temples has different history and leg-ends associated to them. The stories behind the temples are very interesting and are informative at the same time.
Bhawani Amba Temple
Among the numerous legendary temples in the state of Haryana, the Bhawani Amba Temple is a prominent one. It is situated in the city of Ambala. The temple of Bhawani Amba is considered a very sacred temple. It is a temple of the ancient era and has been there since a very long time.
The Bhawani Amba Temple in Ambala has derived its name from the presiding Goddess of the temple. The deity is known as Amba Devi or Bhawani Devi. There is a popular belief that the city of Ambala has been named after Devi Amba.
In and around the city of Ambala, there are many holy places and shrines. Some of these places of worship need a mention. Apart from the Bhawani Amba Temple, the other places of interest are the Kali Mata Mandir, the Sangat Sahib Gurdwara, the Badshahi Bag Gurdwara, Sis Ganj Gurd-wara and the Manji Sahib Gurdwara.
Sheetala Devi Temple
The state of Haryana has numerous temples scattered all over it. One very famous temple, which overshadows all the rest in terms of popularity, is the Sheetala Devi Temple. It is situated on a side of a beautiful pond at a village named Gurgaon in the state of Haryana. It is considered a lead-ing pilgrimage spot for the Hindus. It is also recognized as a Shakti Peeth and the worshipers al-most all round the year crowd the temple.
Innumerable pilgrims throng the temple during Chaitra, the Hindu month. With thousands of wor-shipers offering prayers, the temple premise reminds one of the Kumbh Mela. Mondays are con-sidered very auspicious in Chaitra month and the crowd is maximum on these days.
Brick Temples
The marvelous architectural beauty of Brick Temples is found in the Kaithal district of Haryana. The origin of the Temples indicates their association with one of the ancient rulers of the bygone era. Believed to have been built by the King Shalivahana in the seventh century AD, the Temples are a major tourist attraction today.
The folk history of the Brick Temples of Haryana tells a rather interesting story which led to the formation of these holy shrines centuries back. Once the ruler of Kaithal, Shalivahana, was cursed to death. Terrified by the imminent danger, the King, at the tragic moment, somehow managed to touch the soil of the spot where he was standing. Just after this event he was relieved to find himself hail and hearty. Overwhelmed by the magical spell of the earth, the King decided to erect five Brick Temples on the very spot.
Jayanti Devi Temple
Adorned by the quaint beauty of the Shivalik Hills, the Jayanti Devi Temple of Haryana is just a 13 km driveway from Chandigarh. The origin of the Temple is quite interesting. It is believed that the actual Temple of Jayanti Devi was in Himachal Pradesh whereas the Pindi of Devi was found in Chandigarh.
The streaming beauty of the Jayanti River on the bank of which the Temple is situated, adds a serene aura of magnificence to the entire ambience. In the past ages, the Jayanti Devi Temple of Himachal Pradesh was counted as one of the most sacred pilgrimage places.
Inspired by the bliss of Goddess Jayanti, the devotees living in Punjab decided to establish a similar shrine in their vicinity. Some of the enthusiastic followers went to Himachal Pradesh and brought back the holy Pindi of the Devi to Chandigarh. Later on, the famous Jayanti Devi Temple was built near Chandigarh to worship the sacred Pindi.
Jawala Maleshvara tirath
The Jawala Maleshwara Tirath of Haryana is found in the Jind district. Depicting the sacred bliss of Lord Jawala Maleshwara, the Tirath is considered one of the oldest shrines of north India. Attracting large number of tourists round the year, the place has become a subject of prime interest.
Last Updated on : 1st April 2013
