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A
winding road goes up to the temple dedicated to 'Bhagwati Chinmastika' or
Goddess 'Chintpurni' who grants all wishes. A popular place of pilgrimage,
Chantpurni is about 75-km from the town Una and
100-km from Jalandhar.
THE LEGEND OF CHINTPURNI TEMPLE
Along with hundreds of mythical legends about the origin of a temple in
different parts of India, the very popular temple of Chintpurni temple is
of the same type. The legend is that one 'Bhagat Mai Dass' was a great
devotee of Durga deity and worshipped her with great devotion and never
bothered over mundane affairs. He was a married man and his family along
with others had shifted from Patiala side to village 'Rapoh' in Una
district of Himachal Pradesh
.
The legend is that one-day Bhagat Mai Dass was going to his
father-in-law's place and felt tired while by a jungle and slept under a
tree. He had a dream: a young girl appeared before him and wanted him to
stay there and worship her. He woke up in bewilderment.
He came back to the particular spot from his father-in-law's place and
went on praying to Durga. The girl appeared this time in human form and
told him the whereabouts where he would find her in the form of a 'pindi'
(a round stone-ball). He should install the Pindi in a temple. The Devi
blessed him that he would have no fright, as it was a 'Devasthan' (site of
Gods) though so deserted. She disappeared and Mai Das discovered the Pindi
and installed it in a temple.
It is believed that the place is where the toes of 'Gati' goddess had
fallen being cut off by the 'Chakra' of Vishnu Lord, when he was cutting
away the pieces of Sati's dead body carried by Lord Shiva in his 'Tandava
Nritya'. The Pindi represents Sati's feet and is a manifestation of her.
Chintpurni Devi is believed to fulfill the desires of a person who comes
there and devotedly worships her.
The temple is very popular and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.
The jungle has almost disappeared. The Mantram repeated in the 'Puja' is
said to have been revealed by the Devi herself when she appeared in human
form.
The main fair is held during the 10 days of "Shukalpaksh" in
August, in addition to many other religious festivals. In recent years the
temple has been renovated with the help of major donations from devotees
all over the country.