Description
Situated on the foothills of the great Himalayas, the Mata Mansa Devi Temple is considered to be one of the most divine and powerful places of the “Shakti” worship Peeths. It is believed that when Lord Shiva carried the corpse of Goddess Shakti, the parts of her body fell at several places; all these places are called as the Shakti Peeths. Thus the Mansa Devi Temple is one of the Shakti Peeths which has immense importance. Thus this temple is an epitome of Shakitism cult in India. Located in the mystic and serene Panchkula in Haryana, this temple of Mansa Devi attracts a huge number of tourists.
History
The current temple is believed to date back to 1815 and was built by the then emperor of Mani, Majra Maharaja Gopal Singh and the shrine is situated on the Shivalik foothills. This temple is a classic example of rich and traditional architecture which testifies the exemplary cultural lineage of that era. Mostly the architectural style of the temple is Mughal excluding the Parikrama which is mostly seen in the Hindu places of worship. The most attractive thing about this temple is that it flaunts an amazing collection of murals depicting the occurrences, Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu mythology. The murals show paintings of Goddess Shakti Durga, Lord Rama, the Navgrahas and Lord Shiva too. Thus one can say that this temple is a museum in itself.
Importance/Significance
The presiding deity of this temple is Goddess Mansa Devi. The main deity is worshipped in the holy chancel in the form of a "pindi" moreover, there is a personified idol made of marble stone. Also in the sanctum, Devi Saraswati and Devi Lakshami are revered. It is believed that previously all the dieties were worshipped in the Pindi form, but in recent times they were given a form of a human i.e the idol form to give it a more attractive look.
Facts/Mythology
Due to the architectural and mythic significance of the temple and due to the faith of the thousands of devotees who visit this temple the Government of Haryana has taken special initiatives to develop the structural, managerial and administrative aspects of the temple. Not only the temple itself but also the nearby land and buildings are taken care of well. The Mansa Devi Temple in Panchkula is a well maintained heritage place due to its historical significance and it being a revered Shakti Peeth.
Festivals/Events/Gatherings
One of the most prominent festival which is celebrated on a large scale is the "Navratri". This festival is celebrated during the months of September-October. During the nine day long festival a huge "Mela" i.e. fair are organized. Lakhs of devotees flock to the temple to visit and seek the holy blessings of the Goddess. A lot of good arrangements are done during this fair by the Government like appointing special officers etc. to take care of hassle free visits of the devotees and avoid chaos.
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