Guru's Krupi, Gurgaon's Mata

  • Shilpy Arora / FG
  • India
  • Mar 21, 2014

 

 

 

 

Gurgaon (nee Gurugram) had always been popular as an abode of Guru Dronacharya, who established his 'Gurukul' here, to educate the Kauravas as well as the Pandavas. The illustrious kings and princes who visited Gurgaon built many temples here. Tucked in ‘old’ Gurgaon, not very far from the National Highway, the Sheetla Mata Mandir is one of them. The Temple is famous for its ‘miracles’. It is believed that some 5,000 years ago, the son of King Puranjet was brought to the Temple in a paralysed state. The Prince was treated with the pond water and mud. With the blessings of Sheetla Devi, the Prince recovered within 15 days. Since then, many people suffering from small pox, chicken pox and skin diseases come here for being healed. 

Vishnu Chaturvedi from Mumbai visits the Temple every year in March. "I am a firm believer in God, but I never used to believe in miracles. In 2006 my son suffered from small-pox. An elderly person suggested that we visit Sheetla Mata Mandir. We witnessed immediate improvement in my son's health condition. Since then I have been visiting the Temple every year during the Chaitra season," he says. A section of the visitors come for the 'mundan' ceremony – the first hair-cutting ceremony of a child. Married couples also come to invoke the blessings of the Goddess, for a happy married life. Rudra and Kamakshi, a newly-married couple, feel, "The hustle and bustle of the traffic outside hardly affects the serenity one experiences as one steps into the Temple. Our families have been followers of Ma Sheetla and we are happy to take this tradition forward." Chaitra month (March and April) is considered to be the most auspicious time for the worship of Sheetla Mata and Sheetla Ashtami is celebrated on the eighth day of this month. In order to keep Sheetla Mata ‘cool’, people don't burn any fire on Sheetla Ashtami and thus no food is cooked on this day. Devotees prepare food on the seventh day - a day before Sheetla Ashtami, and come to worship the Goddess along with the food. This food is then distributed as 'prasad'. 

Berthina, a student from Norway, informs, “While Sheetla Ashtami is celebrated as a festival, it is one of few festivals in the world where no food is prepared. The idea is to give some rest to the women of a family and keep them away from fire, especially in the hot climate during Chaitra. On Sheetla Ashtami, people eat ‘Basoda" - food from the previous night. Bajra, Rabri and yogurt are said to be essential offerings on this occasion, as these food items have a cooling effect and are good for health in this season." Berthina is pursuing a Degree course in Hindu Mythology from Delhi University and has been carrying out research on Hindu Goddesses. Her friend, Aman, who has come from Malaysia to carry out research on Hindu Mythology, interestingly points out, "Sheetla Mata doesn't only find mention in the Hindu religion. In Buddhist culture, Jvarasura and Shitala are depicted as companions of Paranasabari, who is the Buddhist Goddess of diseases. Some tribal communities in Malaysia and Bangladesh worship Goddess Mariamman, who is believed to be a form of Sheetla Mata." Talking about the relevance of the Sheetla Mata Temple, Pandit Daya says, "Sheetla Mata is considered as an incarnation of Goddesses Parvati and Durga. She is known to cure the dreaded small pox and chicken pox. Symbolically, she represents Nature's power of generating virus-causing diseases as well as Nature's power to heal those very diseases." As the idol of Sheetla Devi wears a red-coloured dress and is placed on a donkey, it is said that she rides around the villages in India with the power to heal diseases. She carries a silver broom, a winnowing-fan, a small bowl and a pitcher in her arms. While the fan symbolises 'coolness', the broom emphasises the need for cleanliness and hygiene. The Goddess carries the holy water of the Ganga in the pitcher and the small bowl is believed to contain the remedy for viruses that spread in the Spring & Summer.


The first Temple of Sheetla Devi was built by a rich merchant, Singha, who lived in a Palace in Gurgaon. Singha was spiritually inclined. One day Sheetla Devi appeared in his dream and granted him a boon - that his mere touch would free a person from all pains. Singha left his Palace and started meditating near a pond. He also made a temple-like structure and started worshipping Sheetla Devi on the banks of the pond. This Temple is now located in DLF Phase III, near the Biodiversity Park. Narrating the story behind the establishment of the other Sheetla Mata Temple in ‘old’ Gurgaon, Pandit Daya, who has been serving at this Sheetla Mata Temple for more than 20 years, says, "Some 2,000 years ago a Mughal Ruler of Farukhnagar tried to force a poor local carpenter to part with his daughter. The carpenter took the matter to King Surajmal of Bharatpur - but the King refused to interfere in the matter of another Kingdom. The carpenter then went to meet the Prince, who decided to help him. An altercation led to the Prince deciding to attack Farukhnagar. On the way, while passing through Gurgaon, he pledged at the Sheetla Devi Temple (the first one – now in DLF area) that if he returned victorious he would build a new, big Temple. The Prince cam back victorious."


"Many modern day inventions can be traced to ancient Hindu scriptures. Some studies in Geneva have proven that viruses found in stale food are known to kill the viruses that cause small pox. It is amazing that people in India discovered this centuries ago," says Aman. Moreover, Bajra and curd are consumed on the occasion of Sheetla Ashtami as these food items have a ‘cooling’ effect, and  keep away small pox viruses. Worshipping Sheetla Mata also provides us motivation for cleanliness. Pandit Daya informs that the Temple is becoming popular and is now visited by foreigners too. However, he is concerned with the lack of interest, especially among youngsters, about Hindu Mythology. "Gurgaon, which was once one of the most spiritual places in India, is now better known for its ‘pub culture’. It is most unfortunate. I always interact with the youngsters in the families that visit the Temple, to know about their interest in worship and spirituality. It seems that for them, a visit to the Temple is just an annual ritual. They don't believe that it is important to acquaint themselves with the mythology surrounding the Temple and its significance; it’s sad, as it would make their worship more meaningful," he says.

           

History and Origin

It is believed that Mata Sheetla Devi was the daughter of Rishi Sharadwan. She was born and brought up in Gurugram and was named as Krupi during her childhood. One day, Rishi Sharadwan left his two children, daughter Krupi and son Krupacharya in the forest, as he thought that the children would disturb him in his worship. Bheeshma's father, King Shantanu, met the two children in the jungle. He took the children to his Palace and looked after them thereafter. King Shantanu then arranged Krupi's marriage to Guru Dronacharya. As Guru Dronacharya was training the Kauravas and Pandavas in
Gurugram, Krupi also came along. She became a mother figure for the students of Guru Dronacharya. She spent her life on the banks of a small pond.

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