Bhadrakali as per Bhavanisahasarnama (The Thousand Name of Bhavani) is the power that wields time of bringing forth the facility of impressions and dissolving the resplendence thereof.
Bhadrakali as per Bhavanisahasarnama (The Thousand Name of Bhavani) is the power that wields time of bringing forth the facility of impressions and dissolving the resplendence thereof.
Devi Sati was the youngest daughter of Daksha, the king of all men. When she grew up she set her heart on Shiva, worshipping him. Daksha invited all the gods in the swayamvara of Sati except Shiva. Sati cast her garland into air, calling upon Shiva to receive the garland; and behold, he stood in midst of the court with the garland around his neck. Daksha had no choice but to get Sati married with Shiva. As the legend goes on, on day Daksha made arrangements for a great sacrifice, and invited all the gods except Shiva. Sati’s urge to go to her home due to the affection towards her parents overpowered the social etiquette for not going to an uninvited ceremony. Daksha insulted her in front of others. Unable to bear further trauma she ran into the sacrificial fire. Shiva came to know about the incident and with deep sorrow and anger, plucked a lock of hair and thrashed the same on the ground. Vir Bhadreshwar and Devi Bhadrakali were born. Vir Bhadreshwar was dark as the clouds, three burning eyes, and fiery hair; he wore a garland of skulls and carried terrible weapons. To provide him power arrived Bhadrakali, a wrathful incarnation of Devi. Another legend describes that the Goddess Bhadrakali came from Bengal; in the pursuit of demons, whom the Goddess destroyed at the place where the present temple is constructed.
Bhadrakali is one of the fierce forms of the Great Goddess mentioned in the Devi Mahatmyam. She is represented with three eyes, and four, twelve or eighteen hands. She carries a number of weapons, with flames flowing from her head, and a small tusk protruding from her mouth. Her worship is also associated with the Tantric tradition of the Matrikas as well as the tradition of the ten Mahavidyas and falls under the broader umbrella of Shaktism.
Bhadrakali Temple is significant Devi temple located at the extreme end of village Wadipora some 8 km from Handwara town in Kupwara District of Kashmir. The temple is situated on a small hillock and is covered with thick forest. One has to climb about 350 stairs to reach the temple complex. At the bottom on the hillock there is a small Shiv temple, a pujari niwas, a havan kund and a small pond surrounded with wooden planks. A yatri niwas has also been constructed at the bottom of this hillock by Rashtriya Rifles who is presently maintaining the temple. This Temple is held in high esteem by devotees of Goddess Bhadrakali popularly called the ‘Grant Mother Goddess’. Goddess Bhadrakali is Isht Devi of Pandits of village Wadipora, in particular and some Pandits of Kashmir in general. Remarkable feature of the temple is the black stone image of the Goddess placed near the truck of a Deodar tree and a Deodar tree forming main sanctum sanatorium. This Deodar tree protrudes out of the root of the temple. It is said that this Deodar tree is about 1000 years old. In the image goddess is seen in a sitting posture with fierce looking eyes and face. The Goddess can also be seen wearing a crown and having eight hands holding various weapons. At present some branches of the said Deodar tree have dried up and it said that the tree dried up in the year 1990 when militancy erupted in Kashmir Valley.
There is an artificial pond on the left side of the temple and thick forest in the surroundings which adds to the spiritual charm of the temple. Number of Deodar trees en-route this temple from the base of the hillock are said to carry immense spiritual powers and people apply Sindoor to these Deodar trees as a mark of devotion. Housing about two to three small temple surrounding the main temple exude a sacred aura when large number of devotees gather to offer prayers on the day of Ram Navmi and Maha Navmi which was a routine till the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from this area.
Places of Worship in Kashmir by Chander M. Bhat | If you have any issues with this article please raise it immediately with admin@thekashmirtemples.com mentioning details of the same.