Chintpurni Temple
Chintpurni Temple at Chintpurni near Jwalamukhi in Himachal Pradesh: A revered Shakti shrine where the Goddess is worshipped in the form of a stone lingam. The Chintpurni Temple, located at a distance of 35 km from Jawalamukhi, is a famous temple devoted to Goddess Parvati. It is said that Parvati's feet fell at Chintpurni. A lot of devotees come here to pray for boons. The temple is built around the Devi's pind. The image depicts her without a head, for it is said that her head was cut to assuage the blood thirst of her companions. Hence the name, Chinmastika Devi, 'The Goddess without a head'.
The Legend:
Long 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.
Main Attraction :
The main fair at the temple is held during Navratras (April and October) and 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.