Famous Manasa Devi Temples In India:
India is a place of diverse culture and traditions, and has many famous temples that devotees must visit in their life. Manasa Devi, who is a goddess of fertility, prosperity, and protection against snake bites. Manasa devi is also known as Hindu Serpent Goddess. She is believed to have power to protect worshippers from venomous creatures. She is the daughter of Lord Shiva and represents strength, compassion, and resilience. In today's blog, we will explore the famous temples of Manasa Devi.
1. Manasa Devi Temple, Haridwar:
The Manasa Devi Temple in Haridwar is a temple of the Goddess Manasa Devi in the holy state of Uttarakhand. The temple is on top of the Bilwa PArvat on the Sivalik Hills (situated on the southernmost mountain part of the Himalayas). The temple known as Bilwa Tirth is one of the Paanch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) within the city of Haridwar. The temple is known as the holy abode of Manasa Devi. Manasa Devi is a form of Shakti and it is said that she emerged from the minds of Lord Shiva. Manasa Devi is also regarded as the sister of Naga Vasuki. Apart from this, she is believed to be the daughter of Lord Shiva (in human incarnate). The term “Manasa” generally means wish and it is believed that the Manasa Devi Goddess fulfills all the wishes of a sincere devotee. Also, there is a folk tale behind the Manasa Devi’s story. Manasa was once a common girl who was unaware of the complete truth about her parents and decided to meet Lord Shiva to ask him for the complete truth. To meet Lord Shiva, Manasa sat for doing Sadhana and after years of spiritual practice, she got the fortune of meeting Lord Shiva and clarified the whole truth from him. After learning her truth, she got the powers of the Goddess to perform the welfare of the world. The devotees who pray to Manasa Devi for the fulfillment of their wishes tie threads to the branches of a tree located in the temple. Once the wishes of the people are fulfilled, people return to the temple to untie the threads from the tree. Goddess Manasa offered fruits, garlands, coconuts, and incense sticks for prayer.
2. Manasa Devi Temple Panchkula, Haryana:
The Shri Mata Manasa Devi Temple in Panchkula Haryana was built between 1811 and 1815 by Maharaja Gopal Singh of Manimajra. The temple is situated in the Bilaspur village of the Shivalik foothills. After Maharaja Gopal Singh came to power, the temple was built after a few years. The temple infrastructure is complex and it includes a Patiala temple built in the year 1840 by Maharaja Karam Singh of Patiala. After the merger of the princely states namely PEPSU, the temple’s development started getting neglected. The Haryana Government took over the temple and established the Shri Mata Manasa Devi Shrine Board (SMMDSB). The temple is a prominent Shakti temple in North India and it is dedicated to the Goddess Manasa Devi who is a form of Shakti. The temple is believed to fulfill the wishes of the devotees.
3. Manasa Devi Temple Kandra, Himachal Pradesh:
This is an ancient temple of the Goddess Manasa located in the village of Lahdhoo in the Jawali tehsil. The temple is located on the hilltop and it is surrounded by natural beauty. The history of the temple is instilled in many legends. The temple is one of the known temples in Indian history. The temple is said to be around 1000 years old. The temple is built in Nagara and Shikhar style architecture. It also follows the design of Indo-Aryan stone temples. There is a tower-like conical stone formation and it is decorated with carvings. It features almost all the essential elements that a Hindu temple has. Fine carvings of Hindu deities are unique in their way. The outer walls of the temple display small inscriptions while its entrance gate has a drum house called Nagarkhana. The temple looks like a fort because it is surrounded by a stone wall. The story behind this temple is that it was built by Pandavas at the time of Mahabharata. It is believed that Pandavas saw Goddess Durga in their dream in which she told them that she was in Nagarkot village and that if they wanted protection and grace then they needed to build a temple, and then the temple was built overnight.
4. Manasa Devi Temple Bhagalpur, Bihar:
The Manasa Devi Temple based in Bhagalpur is dedicated to Goddess Manasa Devi, who is a form of Goddess Durga. The temple is located on the banks of the river Ganga and it is a popular pilgrimage for locals. As per the legends, the temple was built by a devotee of Manasa Devi who had a great vision for constructing the temple. The temple is known for its serene view and beautiful architecture. The devotees visit the temple to seek blessings from Manasa Devi and offer prayers for good health, happiness, and prosperity.
5. Manasa Devi Temple Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh:
The temple is dedicated to Manasa Devi who is considered as a form of Goddess Durga. She is believed to be the Goddess of Snakes and she is worshipped to mitigate problems related to Kala Sarpa Dosha. The temple has been built in a South Indian style of architecture with a mix of Dravidian and Vijayanagara influences. The devotees perform special rituals such as home and puja services to get the blessings of Goddess Manasa Devi. The temple performs daily worship to Goddess Manasa Devi including archana (worshipping with flowers) and abhishekam (ritual bathing).
