Sheetla Mata Mandir, Gurgaon

The ancient Shri Mata Sheetla Devi temple is right in the middle of Gurugram City, in the National Capital Region. During the time of the Mahabharata, the story goes, Guru Kripacharya’s sister Kripi was married to Guru Dronacharya. Gurugram was the location of Guru Dronacharya’s ashram, where the Pandavas and Kauravas learned, so Kripi was their Gurumata. Guru Mata Kripi was known as Sheetla Mata because her blessings helped people, especially children, with their physical and mental pain. There are many other stories in folklore that praise Shri Mata Sheetla Devi’s glory and grace.

About Gurgaon Sheetla Mata Mandir Temple

Sheetala, also called Sitala, is a Hindu goddess who is worshipped in West Bengal, North India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. She is also known as Sitala. In Hindu mythology, this Goddess is also known as the “pox goddess” and the “goddess of pustules, sores, diseases, and ghouls.” Sheetla means “smallpox” in the Sanskrit language, which is the only reason why Hindus worship her as a Goddess with the power to protect against the disease. There are different names for this Goddess, who is worshipped not only by Hindus but also by Buddhists and people from tribal communities. Sheetla is mostly worshipped as a protector, and its name has been written about in both Puranic and tantric texts. During the dry seasons of spring and winter, both Brahmins and pujaris from lower castes can worship Mata Sheetla. Shri Sitala Mata Arti and Chalisa, as well as the Sitala Mata Ashtak, are some of the Goddess’s stutis and prayer services.

Significance of Gurgaon Sheetla Mata Mandir

The Sheetlah Mata Mandir Gurugram is in the state of Haryana and in a village in the area. The temple is close to a pond and is a place of worship for Mata Sheetla. This temple is also called the Shakti Pith, and Hindus believe it is a very holy place. The temple is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in the country. During March and April, which Hindus call the Chaitra period, a lot of people go there to pray. Every day of the week, there are a lot of people at the temple, but on Mondays, the crowds are especially big. July and August, which Hindus call the Shravana period, are the only months when the number of visitors isn’t very high. During the months of March and April, the temple looks like a Kumbha Mela, where thousands of people come for their mundan ceremonies and other important and sacred Hindu ceremonies.

The Legend of Sheetla Mata Mandir

According to a story, Rishi Sharadwan had two children. Rishi Sharadwan leaves his two children alone in a jungle because he thinks they will get in the way of him worshipping. King Shantanu, Bheeshma’s father, meets the two kids in the jungle. They have a bow and a deer skin, so he knows they are Rishi Sharadwan’s kids. The King takes the kids with him and looks after them well. When Rishi Sharadwan finds out about this, he goes to the king and gets his children back. Because King Shantanu was kind to the children, the son was given the name Krupacharya and the daughter was given the name Krupi. Krupi got married to Dronacharya, who taught the Pandavas and the Kauaravas how to fight. Dronacharya made Krupi sit by a pond in Gurgaon, which is now called Gurugram. Krupi’s penance turned her into a mother-like figure, so people started calling her Mata Sheetla Devi.

The temple is also known for the miracles that have happened there on occasion. About 5000 years ago, King Puranjet’s only son was taken to the temple because he was paralysed. The child was wrapped in the mud from the pond and left in the temple for about 14 to 16 days. After that, the child got better.

People think that there were two brothers who lived in Gurugram three hundred years ago. Singha and Padarath were the names of the two boys. The two brothers owned more than a thousand acres of land between them. Singha was a kind, quiet person who spent most of his time singing bhajans and hymns. Mata Sheetla Devi was moved by Singha’s bhajans and hymns, so she gave him a wish. The blessing was that just touching Singha would make a person feel better. After that, Singha gave up his luxurious home and started meditating near a pond. Singha also built a rough building that looked a lot like a temple and started worshipping Mata Sheetla Devi. Singha also found the idol of Devi while he was getting mud from the pond. He put the idol in the temple to honour her. Later, people started calling the statue Maya Sheetla Devi.

A different story says that a carpenter from Farukh Nagar had a daughter who was both very pretty and good for marriage. The Mughal Emperor wanted to marry the carpenter’s daughter because she was so pretty. The carpenter didn’t agree with this because he didn’t want his daughter to get married to someone from a different religion. He went to the King of Bharatpur, whose name was Surajmal, and asked him to change his mind. Since King Surajmal didn’t want to get involved because it wasn’t his job, Prince Bharatpur talked to the carpenter and tried to talk to his father about the problem, but neither worked. Because of this, the king and his son got angry and decided to attack Delhi. On his way to Delhi, the prince passed by the Sheetla Mata Temple and promised that if he won, he would build a proper temple for the Goddess. The prince knew what it was like to win, so he built the temple in Gurugram which is now called the Sheetla Mata Temple.

Temple Architecture

The Sheetla devi complex is a big, tiered building with pyramid-shaped shikharas on top. On the grounds, there is a huge statue of Lord Shiva. The sanctum of the shrine is decorated and gilded. In the sanctum is a beautiful gold statue of the Goddess, who is dressed in red silk and studded with jewels. The idol has a huge nose ring on it. The shrine is surrounded by lawns and gardens with lots of green grass.

Festivals Related to Sheetla Mata Mandir

Most of the time, Brahmins and Pujaris worship Sheetala Devi during the dry seasons of winter and spring. Sheetala Ashtami or Basoda Puja Is a big holiday that is often celebrated in temples eight days after Holi. People come from far and wide to get a Darshan of the deity during the Navratras season, which is also celebrated with a lot of fanfare. Most weekends, there are also a lot of people at the temple who want to see their beloved Devi. During holidays, the whole temple is filled with good energy, and the whole area comes to life as devotees spread joy to everyone. Going to the temple is a spiritually beautiful and enlightening experience.

Temple Timing

5 AM – 12 PM and 4 PM – 9 PM

Local Culture

Gurugram has become a major centre for business and finance, and many of the world’s top companies have set up shop there. The place is right next to Delhi.

How to reach Sheetla Mata Mandir

Sheetla Devi Mandir is in the North Indian state of Haryana. It is a religious and tourist centre that is southwest of the country’s capital, Delhi. It is easy to get to other parts of the country by air, rail, and road.

By road: State and interstate buses go back and forth between Gurugram and all nearby cities often.

By Metro: You can also get to Delhi from Gurugram by metro rail.

By train, the New Delhi Railway Station and the Nizamuddin Railway Station are the closest ones to Gurugram.

By Air: The closest airport to Gurgaon is in New Delhi, which is about 15 km away.

From these places, buses, taxis, and three-wheeled vehicles go to the Sheetla Devi Mandir often.

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