Bijasan temple of the Hindu Goddess Durga, Indore

Good morning.

Bijasan is one of the temples of the Hindu Goddess Durga, situated in Indore District of Madhya Pradesh, India. Here a hillock (tekri) has a small temple of Bijasen Mata, built in 1920. Mela is held here during the Navaratri. This hill offers panoramic views of the sunset and of the city at night. Perched on top of the hill was a guest house of the Holkars, now converted into a Border Security Force Arms Museum. The surrounding area is being developed into gardens with a small lake. Ma Bijasan is Kuldevi of Hindu Gadariya(Kukroliya parivar).

Mela is held every year during Navratri. The Goddess is deemed to be very powerful and shows instant miracles. It is believed that the blind can regain their lost sight with the grace of the mother. Various people with various kinds of wishes come to the Goddess – have their wishes fulfilled because of the strong faith in the powers of the Goddess.

This temple built on height commands a beautiful site on the landscape around.
This ancient temple was built as the popular opinion goes, 2000 years ago in Vikram Samvat 103 by Kamal Nath who was a great devotee of Goddess Durga. His unflinching devotion to the Goddess propitiated the Goddess and she appeared before him. This idol of Beejasan Mata (Mother Goddess Durga) seated on the demon Rakta Beeja. In Markendeya Puran, the great exploits of Goddess Durga are narrated which are now known as Shri Durga Shaptasati. In the eighth chapter of Shri Durga Shaptasati, we read the Chivalrous shape of Durga when she waged her fierce battle against the demon Rakta Beeja. This demon had been blessed with an extraordinary kind of boon. Every drop of his blood falling from his body on earth would turn into a Rakta Beeja of the equal power and equal prowess.

The result was that there were millions of Rakta Beeja demons. Finally, the Goddess decided not to let the blood of these demons fall on earth. She, therefore, with burning torches either burnt the wounds or collected the falling blood in a bowl and drank it up. The goddess also took as many forms as the demon Rakta Beeja had. Thus, the Goddess quelled and killed the demon Rakta Beeja and hence this name Beejasan was given to her.

Shyam Kaka Temple ,Rajgarh M.P.

Good morning.

 Today's temple is Shyam Kaka Temple

is dedicated to the Hindu God Krishna (Also known as Shyam). It dates back to 1845 A.D. and is located in Shaka Jagir village in Rajgarh district, Madhya Pradesh. It is near Narsinghgarh, about 100 km from Bhopal. Though it is a temple of God Krishna, there is a panel in the temple depicting six Muslim men dressed in long robes and traditional headgear, offering namaz. According to author Shalini Rai Narayan, it is the one of the exceptional places, where religious beliefs and antagonistic holy men stood in solidarity.

People go there to solve their domestic Issues, fulfill Wishes and for prosperity. Krishna Jayanti is celebrated every year. The temple has been declared a protected site by the Archaeological Survey of India

The legend has it that a local ruler Shyam Dev Khinchi’s wife Bhagali Devi left the palace after falling out with him and took shelter with Amara Singh Gurjar, a local chieftain. When Shyam dev was later killed in a battle, the queen ordered to make the temple of lord Krishna in memory of her husband and Amara Singh Gurjar was appointed the head priest of Shyam kaka temple.Since then, the Gurjars claim to have been priests of the temple.

According to author Shalini, once six men from Arabia were said to visit the place during the construction of the temple. The legend further goes that the Arab visitors argued with the then temple priest, Amara Singh Gurjar, on the superiority of their faith. They opined that Mecca and Medina were the holiest places on the earth. It is said that Amara Singh Gurjar offered them to take to the two holy cities within the temple premises. The Arab visitors challenged the priest for the same.