Kurukshetra Shakti Peeth (Shri Devikoop Bhadrakali)

Shri Devikoop Bhadrakali temple, Thanesar, Kurukshetra, Haryana

51 Shakti Peeths

About

Shri Devikoop Bhadrakali temple stands in Thanesar, the old part of Kurukshetra in Haryana, near the Dvaipayan sarovar. It is held to be Haryana's only Shakti Peeth, where the right ankle of Devi Sati is believed to have fallen. The text names the Shakti Savitri and the Bhairav Sthanu, and the Devi is worshipped as Maa Bhadrakali in a calm, gentle form. The Vaman Purana speaks of four sacred wells (koop) in Kurukshetra, and this is the Devi Koop. The temple also has Dakshinmukhi Hanuman ji, Ganesh ji and Bhairav, along with a Shivling of Sthanu Shiv, and the Sthaneshwar Mahadev temple is close by.

The story

According to the Shakti Peeth tradition, after King Daksha's yagya Shiv ji wandered in grief carrying the body of Devi Sati. Vishnu ji's Sudarshan chakra then divided the body, and wherever a part or an ornament fell, a Shakti Peeth arose. Her right ankle is believed to have fallen here. The best-known story of this place comes from the Mahabharat age. Before the great war, Arjun, on Shri Krishna's advice, prayed here to Maa Bhadrakali for victory and promised to offer horses afterwards. When the war was over, the Pandavs came back and offered horses as promised. In memory of this, devotees who feel their prayer has been heard still offer small horses of clay, wood, silver or gold. Another tradition says the mundan (first haircut) of Shri Krishna and Balram ji took place here. On Raksha Bandhan devotees tie a raksha sutra here, placing their care in the Mother's hands. It is also believed that one should first have darshan of Sthanu Shiv and then of Maa Bhadrakali.

Visiting

October to March is pleasant; Navratri and Saturdays bring large crowds. The temple is about 3 km from Kurukshetra railway station. Nearby are Brahma Sarovar, Sannihit Sarovar, the Sthaneshwar Mahadev temple and Jyotisar, where Shri Krishna is believed to have spoken the Gita to Arjun.

Festivals

Chaitra and Ashwin Navratri
Raksha Bandhan (the custom of tying a raksha sutra)

51 Shakti Peeths

Sources