I used to be finding out Lalita Sahasranama and writing my very own notes on it. That’s once I got here throughout Srinagar as the town of Rajarajeshwari Lalit Tripurasundari. I questioned if Srinagar in Kashmir is certainly that metropolis. In my listing of Cities Named After Devi, I bear in mind mentioning Sharika Devi because the presiding deity of Srinagar.
I had the chance to speak about Hari Parbat Parikrama in Srinagar in my podcast. Sharika Devi temple is certainly on high of this Hari Parbat. I then learnt concerning the naturally fashioned Sri Chakra that’s worshipped right here. That is once I had the sturdy want to go and go to the temple. Photographs and movies by no means fulfill me, I have to really feel the vitality of the place.
Devi determined to bestow her grace on me, and I used to be invited by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism for a conclave in Srinagar. I made a decision to go to Sharika Devi as quickly as I landed in Srinagar. It was late within the night and I needed to cross the entire metropolis filled with vacationers and site visitors jams. However I couldn’t resist her pull and headed straight to the hill.
Visiting Sharika Ji in Srinagar
From the automobile park, I noticed a stairway going up someplace. An arch in saffron had a mantra of Devi, with greater than half the letters fallen aside. I began climbing, virtually working and panting. Then I noticed the temple construction on my proper. I naturally bowed down and began climbing once more.
On the temple entrance was a CISF put up and a hand portray on the wall mentioned – Ma Sharikaye Namah. I entered the temple that seemed extra like a house, however quickly I got here out within the open hall. There was temple on my left and the huge vistas of each the Himalayas and the town of Srinagar on the precise. Instantly, I knew that is the place the Devi Bhagwati overlooks her metropolis from, whereas additionally being in sight with each her father Himalaya in addition to her consort Shiva.
Chakreshwari
One other flight of stairs took me to the open temple Angan, the place an enormous Shila is roofed in saffron vermillion. That is the Chakreshwari Sri Sharika Devi. I needed to go near the Shila to see a faint impression of the Sri Chakra. I used to be immediately misplaced within the strains and intersections. There’s a detailed description of the Sri Chakra on the wall on the left, however that’s one thing I understood intellectually. Right here, I used to be within the discipline of a pure Sri Yantra, that has been worshipped for hundreds of years a minimum of.
Temple is only a roof above the Shila. In any other case, it’s just about an open temple. In all probability, that is how most of our temples was once. There are corridors with rooms in typical Kashmiri picket model on both aspect of the temple, however they keep impartial of the temple per se.
I sat right down to chant and had tears in my eyes as I chanted. It was an intense expertise and an expertise that I used to be craving for. It was the expertise for which the entire journey manifested. I went across the Shila for parikrama. Wanting on the Sri Chakra, I knew why the town is called Srinagar.
Studying About Temple
A bit of later I sat with the Pandit ji within the hall who gave prasad. There have been a couple of books of bhajans, some photos of Sharika Bhagwati and a temple calendar or panchang. I requested him a couple of questions and he guided me to the President of the Temple Belief and his mom.
We had a protracted dialog with Ranjeet ji and his mom, over a cup of Kahwa. I heard the story of Sri Sharika Mata, her festivals and the way she is on the core of Kashmir and Srinagar. He took me round and confirmed the Yagna Shala the place the yagna is performed throughout the annual pageant of Devi.
As I sat resting my again on a picket pillar, I may see each the Devi and the valley that she retains a watch on. A saffron flag was fluttering with the wind because the solar was setting on the horizon.
Legends of Sharika Devi
Story goes that when the Kashmir valley was being harassed by the Asura Jalodbhava. Everybody was in misery in his rule. So, the folks of Kashmir prayed to Devi to assist them out of the state of affairs. Devi took the form of a small Maina chook, referred to as Hari in Kashmiri, and dropped a pebble on the Asura.
The pebble grew and the asura was crushed underneath its weight. Individuals have been relieved of his cruelties. The pebble grew into the hill that’s now referred to as Hari Parbat, after the Devi. The Devi stays on this hill within the type of Sri Chakra on the rock.
In iconography, she is proven with 18 arms, holding all types of Ayudhas or weapons, together with her one leg on high of her Vahana – a lion. On this type she appears to be like like Durga.
Hari Naumi or Sharika Jayanti
Sharika Jayanti is well known on Hari Naumi or the 9th Tithi of Ashadh Shukla Paksha. It roughly falls in July. The festivities start on the 7th day itself and final for 3 days.
Throughout this time many Kashmiri households go to and pray on the temple. A yagna is carried out and folks pray for the properly being of their households and the world on the whole.
An providing of sheep liver is made and a prasad of the identical is distributed to the devotees. Sure, this implies Bali is obtainable to her.
Hariparbat Parikrama
Hariparbat Parikrama is a brief circumambulation that goes across the hill of Hariparbat. You possibly can see a map of the parikrama within the temple premises. My guess is it ought to be 3-4 km in size.
I did go to the Ganesh temple which can also be within the type of a pure rock on the foothill. That is the place to begin of the parikrama that goes by means of many temples earlier than it reaches the Sharika Devi Temple. It’s a lovely temple with the rock within the form of Ganapati. Sadly, you won’t be able to find it, except somebody takes you there.
Though the parikrama might be carried out anytime, the annual Parikrama takes place on Kartik Shukla Navami. It falls 9 days after Diwali. Lately, the parikrama has been restarted after a few years as a consequence of disturbances within the valley.
There’s Chandrakala Parikrama additionally carried out that relies on the lunar tithi.
I hope to do that parikrama sometime.
Please do go to this temple, together with different temples of Kashmir, while you go to the valley on your vacation. This retains them alive and training.
Journey Suggestions
Sharika Ji Temple is positioned bang in the course of the town. You could have to courageous the site visitors to achieve the temple.
Temple is open from morning to night, however timings could differ a bit with season.
It is advisable climb a couple of steps to achieve. There is no such thing as a different mode accessible in case you can’t climb the steps.
It’s a small temple and the time you wish to spend there may be as much as you.
You may as well go to different Devi temples like Kheer Bhawani close to Srinagar.