Good morning.
Vajreshwari Temple ia located at Bhiwandi city on the banks of river Thansa in Thane district which is around 75kms from Mumbai.
The town, earlier known as Vadvali, was renamed Vajreshwari in honour of the presiding deity of the temple.
The region of Vadvali is mentioned in the Puranas (Hindu scriptures) as visited by Avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu (Hindu god of preservation): Rama and Parshurama. The legend has it Parshurama had performed a yajna at Vadvali and the hills of volcanic ash in the area are its residue.
Vajreshwari also known as Vajrábái and Vajrayogini, is considered as an incarnation of goddess Parvati or Aadi-Maya on earth. Her name literally means "the lady of the Vajra (thunderbolt)".
There are two legends about the goddess' origins, both associated with the Vajra.
1000 of years ago, a Rakshasa (demon) named Kalikala or Kalikut troubled the rishis (sages) and humans in the region of Vadvali and waged a war against the devas (gods). Distressed, the gods and sages headed by Vashishta, performed the Trichandi yagna, a fire offering to the Goddess, to please her. An aahuti (offering of ghee in yajna) was not granted to Indra (king of devas). Enraged, Indra hurled his Vajra - one of most powerful weapons in Hindu mythology- at the yajna. The terrified gods and sages prayed to the Goddess to save them. The Goddess appeared in all her glory at the site and not only swallowed the Vajra and humbled Indra but also killed the demons. Rama requested the Goddess that she should stay in the region of Vadvali and be known as Vajreshwari. Thus, the Vajreshwari temple was established in this region.
Another legend says that Indra and other devas went to goddess Parvati and requested her to help slay demon Kalikala. Goddess Parvati assured that, she will come to their aid at the right time and ordered them to fight with the demon. In the battle, Kalikala swallowed or broke all weapons thrown at him. Finally, Indra threw the Vajra at the demon, which Kalikala broke into pieces and from the Vajra, emerged the Goddess, who destroyed the demon. The devas extolled her as Vajreshwari and built her temple.
In 1739, the younger brother and military commander of Peshwa Baji Rao I,Chimaji Appa , had set a camp in the Vadvali region on his way to capture the Portuguese held Bassein Fort of Vasai. But the fort was unconquerable, and so Chimaji Appa prayed to the Goddess Vajreshwari that if he could conquer the fort and defeat the Portuguese, he would build a temple to the goddess. That night, Goddess Vajreshwari appeared in the dreams of the Chimaji Appa and told him that he could conquer the fort. Based on the words of the Goddess, the fort fell and defeat of Portuguese in Vasai was complete. To celebrate his victory and to fulfill the vow taken in front of Goddess Shri Vajreshwari, Chimnaji appa ordered the new Subhedar (governor) Shankar Keshav Phadke to build the Vajreshwari temple.
The saffron idol of the Goddess Vajreshwari, appears with the sword in her right hand and a mace in the left hand. The idols of the goddess Renuka (Parshurama's mother) with a sword and a lotus in her hands, goddess Saptashrungi Mahalakshmi of Vani and a tiger, goddess Vajreshwari's vahana or mount, are seen to the left of goddess Vajreshwari. On her right are the murtis of goddess Kalika (the village goddess) with a lotus and a kamandalam (water pot) and Parshurama armed with a parshu (axe). The goddesses are adorned with silver jewellery, crowns and stand on silver lotuses and are sheltered by silver umbrellas.
Vajreshwari Temple ia located at Bhiwandi city on the banks of river Thansa in Thane district which is around 75kms from Mumbai.
The town, earlier known as Vadvali, was renamed Vajreshwari in honour of the presiding deity of the temple.
The region of Vadvali is mentioned in the Puranas (Hindu scriptures) as visited by Avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu (Hindu god of preservation): Rama and Parshurama. The legend has it Parshurama had performed a yajna at Vadvali and the hills of volcanic ash in the area are its residue.
Vajreshwari also known as Vajrábái and Vajrayogini, is considered as an incarnation of goddess Parvati or Aadi-Maya on earth. Her name literally means "the lady of the Vajra (thunderbolt)".
There are two legends about the goddess' origins, both associated with the Vajra.
1000 of years ago, a Rakshasa (demon) named Kalikala or Kalikut troubled the rishis (sages) and humans in the region of Vadvali and waged a war against the devas (gods). Distressed, the gods and sages headed by Vashishta, performed the Trichandi yagna, a fire offering to the Goddess, to please her. An aahuti (offering of ghee in yajna) was not granted to Indra (king of devas). Enraged, Indra hurled his Vajra - one of most powerful weapons in Hindu mythology- at the yajna. The terrified gods and sages prayed to the Goddess to save them. The Goddess appeared in all her glory at the site and not only swallowed the Vajra and humbled Indra but also killed the demons. Rama requested the Goddess that she should stay in the region of Vadvali and be known as Vajreshwari. Thus, the Vajreshwari temple was established in this region.
Another legend says that Indra and other devas went to goddess Parvati and requested her to help slay demon Kalikala. Goddess Parvati assured that, she will come to their aid at the right time and ordered them to fight with the demon. In the battle, Kalikala swallowed or broke all weapons thrown at him. Finally, Indra threw the Vajra at the demon, which Kalikala broke into pieces and from the Vajra, emerged the Goddess, who destroyed the demon. The devas extolled her as Vajreshwari and built her temple.
In 1739, the younger brother and military commander of Peshwa Baji Rao I,Chimaji Appa , had set a camp in the Vadvali region on his way to capture the Portuguese held Bassein Fort of Vasai. But the fort was unconquerable, and so Chimaji Appa prayed to the Goddess Vajreshwari that if he could conquer the fort and defeat the Portuguese, he would build a temple to the goddess. That night, Goddess Vajreshwari appeared in the dreams of the Chimaji Appa and told him that he could conquer the fort. Based on the words of the Goddess, the fort fell and defeat of Portuguese in Vasai was complete. To celebrate his victory and to fulfill the vow taken in front of Goddess Shri Vajreshwari, Chimnaji appa ordered the new Subhedar (governor) Shankar Keshav Phadke to build the Vajreshwari temple.
The saffron idol of the Goddess Vajreshwari, appears with the sword in her right hand and a mace in the left hand. The idols of the goddess Renuka (Parshurama's mother) with a sword and a lotus in her hands, goddess Saptashrungi Mahalakshmi of Vani and a tiger, goddess Vajreshwari's vahana or mount, are seen to the left of goddess Vajreshwari. On her right are the murtis of goddess Kalika (the village goddess) with a lotus and a kamandalam (water pot) and Parshurama armed with a parshu (axe). The goddesses are adorned with silver jewellery, crowns and stand on silver lotuses and are sheltered by silver umbrellas.
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