Jawalamukhi

Jawalamukhi is located at 31.87561°N 76.32435°E / 31.87561; 76.32435.[1] It has an average elevation of 610 metres (2,001 feet).

At the 2001 India census,[2] Jawalamukhi had a population of 4931. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%.

As of 2001 India census,[2]

• Number of Households - 1,012
• Average Household Size (per Household) - 5.0
• Population-Total - 4,931
• Population-Urban - 4,931
• Proportion of Urban Population (%) - 100
• Population-Rural - 0
• Sex Ratio - 906
• Population (0-6 Years) - 608
• Sex Ratio (0-6 Year) - 961
• SC Population - 812
• Sex Ratio (SC) - 961
• Proportion of SC (%) - 16.0
• ST Population - 0
• Sex Ratio (ST) - 0
• Proportion of ST (%) - 0
• Literates - 3,777
• Illiterates - 1,154
• Literacy Rate (%)

Jwalamukhi is a famous temple to the goddess Jwalamukhi, the deity of flaming face. Raja Bhumi Chand Katoch of Kangra, a great devotee of goddess Durga, dreamt of the sacred place and the Raja set people to find out the whereabouts of the site. The site was traced and the Raja built a temple at that location.[3] The building is modern with a gilt dome and pinnacles, and possesses a beautiful folding door of silver plates. Under the gaze of the Dhauladhar mountain range and set amidst the undulating hills that character sub-Himalayan Himachal Sati's tongue is believed to have fallen at Jwalamukhi and the goddess is manifest as tiny flames that burn a flawless blue through fissures in the age old rock.

The temple is located on a small spur on the Dharamsala-Shimla road at a distance of about 20 km from the Jwalamukhi Road Railway Station attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year. No idol is located in the temple and the deity is worshipped in the form of flames which come out from the crevices of the rock. There is a small platform in front of the temple and a (check usage) big mandap where a huge brass bell presented by the King of Nepal is hung. Usually milk and water are offered and the ahutis or oblations are offered to the sacred flames in the pit, situated in the centre of the temple in between the floor pillars supporting the roof.

Jawalamukhi Devi Temple in Jawalamukhi, Himachal Pradesh

The deity is offered Bhog of Rabri or thickened milk, Misri or candy, seasonal fruits, milk. There is a mystic Yantra or diagram of the goddess, which is covered with, shawls, ornaments and mantras are recited. The puja has different 'phases' and goes on practically the whole day. Aarti is performed five times in the day, havan is performed once daily and portions of Durga Saptasati are recited. For Aarti, the temple remains open from 11.00 A.M. to 12.00 P.M. and from 06.00 P.M. to 07.00 P.M. The Mughal Emperor Akbar once tried to extinguish the flames by covering them with an iron disk and even channelizing water to them. But the flames blasted all these efforts. Akbar then presented a golden parasol (chattar) at the shrine. However, his cynicism at the power of devi caused the gold to debase into another metal which is still unknown to the world. His belief in the deity was all the more strengthened after this incident. Thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine round the year to satisfy their spiritual urge.[4]

Maharaja Ranjit Singh paid a visit to the temple in 1815 and the dome of the temple was gold-plated by him. Just a few feet above the Jwalamukhi temple there is a six-feet deep pit with a circumference of about three-feet. At the bottom of this pit there is another small pit about one and a half feet deep with hot water bubbling all the time.

The temple is identified as one among the 51 Shakti Peethas. It is also one of the most renowned temples of Goddess Durga.[5]

The shrine is regarded as a Maha Shakti Peetham. It is believed that Sati Devi's tongue fell here. Shakti Peethas are shrines of Devi, the primordial Mother Goddess. Each Shakti Peetha has a shrine for the Shakti and Bhairava. Siddhida (Ambika)is the Shakti and Unmatta Bhairava is the Kalabhairava. The Daksha yaga and Sati's self immolation had immense significance in shaping the ancient Sanskrit literature and even had impact on the culture of India. It led to the development of the concept of Shakti Peethas and there by strengthening Shaktism. Enormous stories in puranas took the Daksha yaga as the reason for its origin. It is an important incident in Shaivism resulting in the emergence of Shree Parvati in the place of Sati Devi and making Shiva a grihastashrami (house holder).[9]

Emperor Akbar's Parasol cum Chattar to Maa JwalaMukhi

Golden Parasol presented By Emperor Akbar to Maa JwalaMukhi

Shiva carrying the corpse of Sati Devi