Vindyavasini Temple Mirzapur: History, Puja Rituals, Timings & Travel Guide
Vindyavasini Temple is also known as Maa Vindhyavasini Temple and Vindhyachal Dham. It is located in the Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, just by the bank of the holy river Ganga. The temple is dedicated to the mother goddess Vindhyavasini.
Temple History:
The Vindyavasini Temple is one of the Shakti Pitha temples. It is believed that Goddess Durga chose Vindhyachal city as her abode after slaying the demon Mahishasura. The name Vindhyawasini Devi literally means ‘Devi lives in Vindhya’s’. Mention of the Vindhyachal region is found in the Puranas where it had been mentioned that this particular area is of great ascetic significance. Flowing with religious energy, this place is the perfect spot for devotees. The legend associated with Vindhavasini Mata is something that every child had been taught from a very young age.
When Lord Vishnu took birth in the mortal realm as the eighth child of Devaki-Vasudev, a girl was also born to Nand-Yashoda. The children were exchanged by Vasudeva and when Kans tried to kill the baby girl, the Goddess appeared in her true form and issued a warning to the evil king. After that, she chose to reside in Vindhyachal Mountain. The temple has become one of the most revered Shakti Peeths for devotees, even though its name does not appear on the 51 Shakti Peethas in India. Vindhyavasini Devi is also popularly known as Kajala Devi, which is just another form of Goddess Kali.
Information:
Everyone is welcome to visit the temple and provide offerings to the Mother Goddess. It is open from 05:30 am to 12:00 am (midnight). The best time to visit is from August to March and especially during the Navaratri and Durga Puja. The temple becomes a sight to behold! Vindyavasini Temple is easy to access as it is a hub of devotees, coming from all over the country to offer their prayers. The nearest airport is the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport which is located approximately 72 Kilometres from the temple. If you are going to travel by rail then the nearest railway station is Vindhyachal which is one Kilometre from Vindhyachal Dham. Not all trains tend to stop at this station. If you would like to keep an alternative option then you can go for the Mirzapur Station which is nine Kilometre from the Temple.
Many people also prefer to travel by road. The National Highway 2 (NH 2), popularly known as Delhi- Kolkata Road is the easiest route to the temple. Uttar Pradesh State Transport Buses are also available from Allahabad and Varanasi.
Rituals and Pujas:
The Vindyavasini Temple, Mirzapur opens its doors to the devotees at 5:30 AM which is preceded by the Morning Aarti. It is mandatory to keep the temple closed for the pilgrims during all 4 Aartis that are conducted in a day. The Bhog Aarti is conducted at noon, followed by Chotti Aarti in the evening (around 7 PM), and lastly the Badi Aarti at 9:30 PM. All the Hindu festivals are celebrated at Vindyavasini Temple.
Durga Puja and Navaratri are two of the special pujas that are celebrated in this temple with great pomp and festivity. The entire temple is decorated with beautiful lights and colorful flowers. Devotees are drawn to the festivities from all over the country. During Navaratri, the trinity of Ma Laxmi, Ma Kali, and Ma Saraswati is worshipped here. Several people practice fasting during these times to dedicate their devotion to the Goddesses. The entire atmosphere surrounding the temple becomes spiritual and alive with chants and prayers.