As many as five lakh pilgrims are expected to visit the Mansa Devi temple during the navratra fair beginning on September 21, says Pooja Thakur

Navratra fanfare at Mansa Devi shrine

AN aura of divine benevolence surrounds the Mansa Devi temple as lakhs of devotees pay obeisance to the Devi during the navratras in the months of April and September. Engulfed in an atmosphere resonating with hymns, and surcharged with the devotees’ immense faith in the goddess, the temple glows with the warmth of religious fervour.

According to mythology, Mother Goddess represents Shakti (power), and each form of the goddess is an embodiment of a specific shakti. Mansa Devi is said to symbolise cerebral power that controls vital functions of life. According to some interpretations of Devi Bhagwat texts, the area enclosed by the temple is one of the 108 places of veneration (siddhapeeth) ascribed to Parvati, the consort of Shiva.

Built on a hillock, the Mansa Devi temple can be reached by a long flight of stairs. The ancient temple was built by Rajha Gopal Singh of Manimajra in 1815. His dedicated masons spent four years to build the shrine which has a square base. The main structure has domes and minarets.

A porch in the front leads to a covered passage which is connected to a small front verandah.

Within the precincts of the temple stands an old tree where people light dhoop and seek mannat from the deity.

Still higher on the hillock, a couple of hundred metres away from the main shrine, stands a shivala-like temple popularly known as Patiala wala mandir. It was built by Raja Ajmer Singh of Patiala around 1840 AD.

Since the management of the Mansa Devi temple complex has been taken over by the Haryana Government, it has donned a cleaner look and adequate arrangements have been made for the pilgrims. The complex is now being managed by a trust. Earlier the shrine, controlled by priests, was in a state of neglect. No efforts were made to maintain it or provide facilities to the visitors. Now the scenario has changed for the better.

The present administration has also restored the paintings on the walls of the ancient temple.

The paintings are reported to have been created by Angad, a painter of Sirmour. The erstwhile state of Manimajra was annexed by Sirmour at one time, and Angad painted several interior and exterior murals in the state.

The paintings on the walls of the Mansa Devi temple are based on the themes derived from Markanda Purana, which is dedicated to Mother Goddess. A dozen or so paintings depict her different forms assumed to slay demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. One dated illustration, purported to be the portrait of the Raja with a self-portrait of the painter, shows them bowing to the goddess with folded hands.

Located at a distance of about 10 km from the Chandigarh bus terminal and 4 km from the Panchkula bus terminal, the Mansa Devi temple can be reached by local buses or autorickshaws. The Chandigarh Transport Undertaking and the Haryana Roadways ply special buses during the navratra fair. Expecting five lakh pilgrims during the coming fair, from September 21 to 30 this year, the organisers are making efforts to ensure the availability of good quality eatables and provisions at reasonable rates. Accommodation is available at the sarai, but only for a limited number of people.

Whether one comes to seek the blessings of the Devi, to perform the mundan ceremony of one’s son, or to seek a mannat, one goes back richly rewarded with happiness and peace of mind.