| Kamaksha temple | |
| Image Upright: | yes |
| Country: | India |
| Map Type: | India Himachal Pradesh |
| Coordinates: | 31.5006°N 76.9566°W |
| Year Completed: | 12th–21st centuries |
| Temple Quantity: | 2 |
| Monument Quantity: | 4 |
| Website: | https://www.jaidevi.in/ |
There are 51 Shaktipeeth of Goddess Sati all over the country, one of the main Shaktipeeth is Goddess Kamakhya, where the vaginal part of the Goddess was fallen, apart from this, there are various temples of maa Kamakhya all over the country, one of which is located in the famous village Jai Devi of Sunder Nagar in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, which is famous far and wide due to its beliefs and miracles." Kamaksha " word means the goddess who fulfills all kinds of desires.[1]
In India, the goddess is called by many names, out of which three place are prominent. The main temple of the goddess is located in Guwahati, Assam, which people know as Goddess Kamakhya and the goddess is known as Kamakshi in South India and Goddess Kamaksha in north india. Devi Kamaksha is considered the embodiment of Mahishasuramardini (hindu Goddess), dedicated to Goddess Kali.[2]
If we talk about the temple of the goddess, it was constructed by the king of Suket. Over time, the temple underwent renovations at various intervals.[3]
In the past years, the construction of the temple was carried out with the help of the 'temple committee' and the local people. In ancient times, the temple was built in the stone style. With the assistance of the local people, the temple has now been given a new form, incorporating modern techniques. The construction involved the use of wood, stone, Clay, and various art forms.[4] The abode of the goddess is nestled in the lap of the beautiful hills of Jai Devi, which is a magnificent example of the beauty of nature's treasure. In the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, there is a majestic idol of the goddess. Apart from the goddess, there are other revered idols in the temple, which were established by the kings of Suket. These include the main idols of Hanuman, Bhairav, and the Sixty-four Yoginis. The splendid architecture and beautiful building of the temple epitomizes the charm in the beauty of nature. In addition to this, Sarai building has been constructed along with the temple to facilitate weddings and festivals.[5]
In the official documents of Suket State, it is mentioned that The family goddess or hut devi of the Rajas of Suket is at Jaidevi which is about 8 miles from Sundarnagar. All religious ceremonies in the royal family, e.g., Jarolan (hair-cutting ceremony), zanarbandi (the ceremony of investment with the sacred thread), etc., are performed at Jaidevi in the temple of the goddess. The Raja goes in a procession to the temple and offers bhel to the goddess on the occasion of these ceremonies.[6] [7]
It is said that the history of the goddess is associated with the era of kings. Talking about history, during his reign, the king of Suket installed the idol of the goddess in JayDevi and also constructed a magnificent temple. It is said that Centuries ago, when Sen Royal family was changing his ancient capital Pāngāna(old capital of suket state) to his new capitals Lohārā(capital of suket), Karatārpur(capital of suket) and Baṇeḍ(Last capital of suket) at that time the kings had to take the goddess to their palace. However, due to some reason, the king had to establish the idol of Mother Kamakhya on the way itself, which place is now known as Jaidevi.[8]
The happiness of local people knew no bounds after seeing this, and they started chanting the slogans of Jai Devi - Jai Devi, and after that, the place was named Jai Devi. It is said that along with the kings, the original place of the goddess is also considered to be Bengal. A famous Shaktipeeth of the Goddess is established in Eastern India, which you also know by the name of Kamakhya. When the kings traveled towards the northern direction with the intention of victory, they established a beautiful kingdom known as Suket. So when the king came from Bengal to Suket, he brought his family goddess with him, whom you know as maa Kamaksha.
If we talk about festivals, various types of festivals are organized in the courtyard of the temple every year.
Suket Fair is considered the main grand festival of the goddess. When we talk about Suket Fair, its foundation was laid by Raja Maharaja Lakshman Sen of Suket. The beginning of Suket Mela is said to be in the 19th century, and its main deities are Shri Mool Mahunag Ji Bakhari(a worrior god of mahabharta knows as lord karna), Devi Kamaksha Ji Jay Devi, Devi Mahamaya pangana(hindu goddess) and Sumitra mahamaya Sunderban (hindu goddess). It is said that when Raja of Suket was imprisoned in Delhi by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Mool Mahunag Bakhari Ji(a worrior god of mahabharta knows as lord karna) gave him a vision in Mahu and freed him from captivity.[10] [11]
As a result, the king arranged a procession of the deities in his palace, and after that(16 Century in Kartarpur), the Suket Fair began. It is said that Suket Fair is dedicated to Jaidevi mata, and Shri Mool Mahunag Bakhari Ji. Not only that, as Suket's royal family's ancestral deity, Jaidevi bhagwati is given the first place in the Suket Fair in that time .[12]
In the temple, Navaratri is celebrated with great pomp and show every year., thousands of devotees(Himanchali devi devta) from different parts of the country come to the temple courtyard to have a glimpse of the goddess. In every temple, during Navaratri, night vigils (jagratas) are organized, and along with that, a daily feast (bhandara) is also arranged. It is one of the main festivals celebrated in all the Shakti Peeths.
In the courtyard of the goddess, Durga Puja is organized multiple times every year, which includes night vigils (jagratas) during the night and arrangements for morning meals (bhojan) as well. Apart from this, Yathashakti recitation done with devotion by thousands of Pandits, which is done every year, which also includes Satchandi and Shastrachandi recitation.
In the entire Himachal Pradesh, there are three temples dedicated to the goddess. The first one is Shri Kamakhya Shaktipeeth, the second one is Kamakshi Temple, and the last one is Kamaksha Temple, which is located in the northern part of India. The goddess is considered as a form of Shri Kamakhya Shaktipeeth. However, in Kamakhya Shaktipeeth, the goddess is in a unique form, while in Kamaksha Temple, she is present in the form of a grand idol.
The temple of the goddess is adorned with beautiful sculptures. The temple houses various idols of deities, among which the main idol is that of Shri Bhairav, located on the left side of the goddess' inner sanctum. Above the goddess and to the right side is the idol of Shri Hanuman. In addition to these, there is also a grand idol of Lord Shiva placed on the right side of the goddess' inner sanctum, along with the idol of Lord Ganesha, which is also revered. Outside the temple, there is a magnificent statue of a lion, the mount of the goddess. Along with the goddess, there are also idols of sixty-four yoginis(groups of 64 hindu goddess) present. The temple of the goddess has been renovated several times, enhancing the beauty of nature.[13]
According to popular belief, when the king of Suket was taking his family Goddess (Kuldevi) to his new capital(lohara), the goddess placed a condition before the king. In which it was said that she should be taken to the royal palace without any stops, If the king were to rest anywhere along the way, the idol of the goddess would have to be installed at that very spot. Says that violating the conditions will have to be sacrificed at every step.[14]
The scriptures describe that the king could not fulfill this condition, and as a result, he had to install the idol of his family goddess (Kuldevi) at that very place. As the chants of "Jai Devi, Jai Devi" echoed from all directions, the entire earth shimmered with joy. From that moment on, the place came to be known as Jai Devi, and it is believed that this event marked the beginning of Jai Devi's significance.