Jhandewalan Temple

The Jhandewalan Temple is a Hindu temple near Karol Bagh in Delhi, India dedicated to the goddess Aadi Shakti.[1] It is among the oldest temple in Delhi and located on Jhandewala road.[2]

Shri Jhandewalan Mandir
झंडेवालान मंदिर, दिल्ली भारत
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictNorth
DeityVaishno Devi- वैष्णो देवी, Shakti - आदि शक्ति
FestivalsNavratri नवरात्रि महोत्सव
Location
LocationJhandewalan metro station North Delhi
StateDelhi
CountryIndia
Architecture
TypeHindu temple architecture
Website
http://www.jhandewalimata.com

History

Etymology

This rocky area was named as Jhandewala during the 18th century due to the presence of a large Prayer flags.[2]

Chuahan era Smadhi

The Samadhi (Hindu tomb) of Bela, who was a daughter of the Chahamana ruler Prithviraj Chauhan according to the Alha epic legends,[3][4] is said to have been located in the Jhandewalan area. It is now untraceable.[5]

Discovery of idol

During the 18th century, a famous cloth merchant named Badri Das often walked to the Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range, which was covered with flora and fauna. While digging near a waterfall, the idol of Jhandewali Mata and a stone lingam with carvings of nāga were found by him. Das built the temple on the spot. Since the hands of the idol were damaged during excavation, hands of silver were made and the original statue was consecrated in the cavern basement which came to be called "Maa Gufa Wali" (The Mother Goddess of Cave). A new replica of the idol was installed on the ground floor which came to be called "Maa Jhande Wali" (The Mother Goddess of Flag). Since a large prayer flag was installed by Badri Das, who came to be known as "Bhagat Badri", the place came to be known as "Jhandewala" ("the place of the flag"). Within the temple compound there are subsidiary temples of Shiva as well as Kali.[2] The temple is run by the nonprofit organization trust "Badri Bhagat Jhandewalan Mandir Society".[6]

Hindu Jat and Muslim riots of 1924

During the British Raj, Muslims had built a slaughterhouse close to the temple. In May 1924, on the day of Bakri Eid, the Muslims of Pahari Dhiraj slaughtered a cow - which is revered by the Hindus as sacred - in the slaughterhouse close to the Jhandewala temple. This angered the Hindu Jats of Sadar Bazaar, which led to riots among the Jats and Muslims between 11 July and 18 July, resulting in loss of life and property. Muhammad Ali Jinnah repeatedly requested Mahatma Gandhi and Indian National Congress (INC) to stop the Jats, but Gandhi and INC were unable to control the situation. Riots were eventually stopped by the police.[7]

Religious celebrations

The lower level of the temple is where people perform Puja. The upper level of the temple has the idol of Mata Jhandewali with the idol of Saraswati and Kali. There are also idols of other deities on the upper level.

The festival of Navaratri is held twice a year at the temple. Jhandewalimata's aarti is done 4 times in a day.

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See also

References
  1. "Jhandewalan Temple". The Divine India. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  2. Jhandewalan temple.
  3. Cynthia Talbot (2016). The Last Hindu Emperor: Prithviraj Cauhan and the Indian Past, 1200–2000. Cambridge University Press. pp. 203–204. ISBN 978-1-107-11856-0.
  4. Kathryn Hansen (1991). Grounds for Play: The Nautanki Theatre of North India. University of California Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-520-91088-1.
  5. , The Statesman, 26 April 2018.
  6. 2002, Organiser, vol 53, Page 158.
  7. BIRESH CHAUDHUR, NATIONALIST MOVEMENT IN DELHI 1911-1932, Page 78.
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