Visit to the Baglamukhi Sidhpeeth from Nandpur Bhatoli

Baglamukhi Sidhpeeth, Bankhandi from Nandpur Bhatoli – Day 3 Road trip

The day began a bit lazy and started with where to go today. Yesterday’s darshan at Mata Jawaladevi Shaktipeeth was surely a divine blessing and made me think about where to get blessed on day 3.

Leading the food for thought was the freshly prepared Poha for breakfast that Puja Guleria made for everyone.

Soaking in the sun while munching on the Poha by Puja goodness it was decided to visit Mata Bagalamukhi Sidhpeeth Temple in Bankhandi.

Several entries for this temple on Google Maps got both Ankur Guleria and me quite confused about the destination. However, when the goddess summons, you always get to her abode.

So, please follow the Google map titled “Official Maa Baglamukhi Temple Bankhandi Kangra 177114” if you too get confused about the route and you’ll get there safely.

Ankur consulted with his mother in Noida to figure out which temple was the right one for us to visit and she got us to zero down to the same Mata Bagalamukhi Bankhandi as mentioned above.

Thanks to Mrs. Mommy Guleria for all your help & guidance.

We had some time before our intended departure to Mata Bagalamuki Sidhpeeth so we decided to go for a short hike. The hike took us to a level higher than the local senior school.

Village Trail – Nandpur Bhatoli

The school is famous too. Firstly, it is divided into two distinct buildings that are spaced about 600 meters apart. You have to trudge with your bags on an unmanaged village trail to get to your respective classes between the two.

Secondly, the school is the only place in the area to get the daily newspaper in the afternoon. The same community newspaper is shared with anyone in the villages wanting to read it.

After that, the same newspaper may be used for wrapping catfish from the Pong Dam. I am only assuming this since it shows a thorough optimal utilisation of the newspaper.

Baglamukhi or Bagalā is one of the Mahavidyas (great wisdom/ science), a group of ten Tantrik deities in Hinduism.

Mata Bagalamukhi is a revered Hindu goddess, considered to be the eighth Mahavidya (Great Wisdom) in the Dasha Mahavidya tradition.

Bagalamukhi is an aggressive form of the Goddess. She is one of the manifestations of Kali, the fierce form of divine Shakti, who is also known by many other names such as Parvati, Durga and Bhagavathi.

Kali is also known as Adi Parashakthi, the primordial, all-powerful feminine energy and is worshipped in ten forms known as the Dasa Mahavidyas, the ten Goddesses of great wisdom.

Goddess Bagalamukhi is considered the eighth of these ten divine aspects. She is known as the deity of power, protection, and victory over obstacles.

Etymologically, “Bagla” means “bridle”, “rope” or “rein,” while “Mukhi” means “faced” “image or “facing.”

Therefore, Bagalamukhi is the Goddess whose face symbolizes her formidable power (through her subtle radiation) to restrain, control or rule any situation in manifestation like negative forces and enemies.

One of the main aspects manifested by Bagalamukhi is related to speech and that is why she resonates with the great cosmic wisdom Tara and sometimes she is even considered one of her forms.

It is not that difficult to understand this connection if we realize that intense subtle radiation is often related to the manifestation of light; therefore, Tara manifests as Bagalamukhi when the subtle energy of sound manifests as light.

The Devi has 108 different names. Bagalamukhi is commonly known as Pitambari in North India, the goddess associated with yellow colour or golden colour.

Bagalamukhi is strongly associated with the yellow colour. She dresses in yellow clothes and ornaments. Various texts describe her affinity to the colour; yellow is an integral part of her worship rituals.

Bagalamukhi is propitiated with yellow offerings by devotees dressed in yellow, seated on a yellow cloth. Yellow turmeric bead rosary are used in her japa (repetition) of her names or mantra (invocation).

The colour yellow is linked to the Sun, gold, the earth, grain and fire, signifying auspiciousness, bountifulness and purity. Yellow turmeric is associated with marriage. This is why the goddess Bagalamukhi is also known as Pitambhara Devi.

Bagalamukhi is praised as the giver of supernatural powers (siddhis) or magical powers (riddhi).

In ‘Bagalamukhistotratram’, a part of ‘Rudrayamala’ (a famous Tantra work), there are hymns in praise of the powers of Goddess Bagalamukhi.

“वदी मुकाति रङ्कति क्षतिपतिर्वैश्वनारः शीतलाती क्रोधि सम्यति दुर्जनः सुजानाति क्षितिप्रानुगः खंजाति। गरवी खंजाति सर्वविच्च जरति त्वनमंत्रिणामंत्रितः श्रीनित्ये बगलामुखी प्रतिदिनं तुभ्यं नमः”

English Translation – Vadi Mukati Rankati Kshitipatirvaishwanarah Sheetati Krodhi Samyati Durjanah Sujanati Khsipranugah Khanjati. Garvi Khanjati Sarvaviccha Jarati Tvanmantrinaamantritah Srinitye Baglamukhi Pratidinam Tubhyam Namah

Meaning of the Hymn – By the effect of your mantra good conversationalists become speechless; rich become beggars; devastating fire gets cooled. The anger of the angry person is removed; an evil-minded person becomes good. The quick-moving person becomes crippled. The conceit of the conceited person is reduced. A knowledgeable person nearly becomes a fool. Salutations to the compassionate Bagalamukhi!

Mata Bagalamukhi sits on a golden throne having pillars decorated with various jewels and has three eyes, that symbolise that she can impart ultimate knowledge to the devotee.

According to the iconography, as mentioned in the Tantrasara, Bagalamukhi Mata is depicted sitting on a golden throne amidst the ocean on a beautiful altar.

She has a yellowish complexion which looks like gold, draped in a yellow saree and golden ornaments; She is seen adorning a garland of yellow flowers.

Portrayed pulling the tongue of a demon with Her left hand while raising a club to strike the demon with Her right hand, Maa Bagalamukhi is associated with yellow colour, and this colour plays a pivotal role while worshipping Her.

According to another description, Mata Bagalamukhi is portrayed as having a third eye and four arms with a yellow crescent moon on her forehead.

Her iconography commonly depicts Her with a human head, but sometimes Goddess Bagalamukhi is shown having a crane head.

Goddess Bagalamukhi’s story is very interesting, and there are many legends of how she appeared. According to one of the legends, a long time ago in Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga, a raging storm came to earth.

The storm was so powerful that it destroyed everything that came in its way. Mother Earth and all the living species on the planet were endangered.

Observing that the condition was becoming worse, Lord Vishnu got very disturbed because of this.

Lord Vishnu then started performing austerities on Haridra Sarovar (the lake of turmeric) shore to Goddess Tripura Sundari to take charge of the situation and to stop the storm from causing further destruction.

Pleased by the austerities of Lord Vishnu, the Goddess manifested from the lake of turmeric in the form of Goddess Bagalamukhi.

She calmed the gushing storm and thus saved Mother Earth from destruction and restored the order of the universe.

Another tale records that an Asur named Madan acquired Vāk siddhi, by which whatever he said came true. He misused it to trouble humans and murder people. The gods beseeched Bagalamukhi.

The goddess grabbed the demon’s tongue and immobilized his power. Hence, she is also known as Devi of Stambhana (स्तम्भन).

Asur Madan requested the goddess that he be worshipped with her; the goddess granted him this boon, before slaying him.