I’m on a 3 day Shakti Pitha Yatra starting today (18 April).
Shakti (or Shakta) Pithas are significant shrines or places of worship in Shaktism. Shaktism is a path in Santhana Dharma (Hindusim) where different aspects, manifestations or personifications are of the feminine energy called Shakti, the Mother Divine.
This is my favourite way of relating to God, as a mother. A loving mother who protects and nurtures her children. A mother who is powerful. A mother who doesn’t hesitate to get to voilence to protect her children.
A mother who will patiently listen to her children. A mother who will love her children no matter how and what her children have done. A mother who will gently nudge or smack her kids when they go the wrong way. A mother who will forgive as soon as they follow the right way.
The first Shakti Pitha we are visiting is in Udaipur. Udaipur of Tripura. Yes there is a Udaipur in Tripura. This Shakti Pitha is of the diety Tripura Sundari. The name of the state comes from this diety. Tripura ( 3 worlds) Sundari ( beauty). She signifies the most beautiful woman across the three realms, with associations to the yoni symbol and the powers of creation, preservation, and destruction.
We started through a morning 925 Indigo flight towards Agartala from Bengaluru. Flight was almost full. Almost half the flight was our group. This tour was orgnaizaed by a Seva trust that I’m associated with.
After alighting from the flight, we checked into a very nice , posh hotel about 10-15 mins away from the airport in Agartala. Name is Hotel Polo Towers. A nice lunch was arranged. After lunch and a brief rest, we started towards Tripura Sundari Temple. This is about 1.5 hrs way (60km distance) from the hotel.
We chanted Lalitha Sahasranama (1000 names of Lalitha, the mother Divine) during our bus journey.
We reached the streets of the temple. Most of us let our footwear be in the travel bus and started barefoot towards the temple. The ground was wet due to rain. There were few steps to climb. The temple is on top of a structure. It seemed like the structure leading up to the temple was recently made or is work in progress. In a few areas fresh concrete work was seen.
As soon as we reached the top of the stairs, the garbha griha of the Tripura Sundari Amma was in sight. A red structure. I think I read somewhere that this temple was built in the 15th century.
I saw most of the participants went to a small area and the main garbha griha was empty. While I wanted to see what others were seeing in that small area (it was in a way Father’s place – Shiva), I decided to not wait any longer and went to see The Mother. I tried to spend sometime looking at the details of the Shringar that was done, the weapons she was holding.
In my mind my desire was to meet her.
Then the crowd started increasing near the Darshan area and our group was asked to sit and chant Lalitha Sahasranama. We did that. And the Kadgamala was chanted. The Mahishasura Mardini stotram was recited. While I chanted the first, for the later ones I tried to sit quietly with eyes closed.
After sometime, something unexpected happened. I saw some of the folks from our group go towards the left side of the temple where tilak was being applied from a small box. Our coordinator asked us to observe the box. It was black in colour with Kumkum on it. Probably stone or wood. I was told this to be the right foot of the mother that fell here.
After applying the kumkum, the feeling in general shifted. Satisfaction and thankful. I think this is something that would normally wouldn’t be done, but was specially done on request or prior arrangement.
The air was filled with devotion and meditation. We took some group photos and proceeded towards our transport.
It took us more than an hour to reach back to Agartala. It was 845. Just before reaching hotel we reached the Jagannath temple. We did the Darshan of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balaram and Subadhra Mai.
Did a good dinner and watched RCB batting lineup collapse.
Tomorrow is an exciting day as we intend to visit Maa Kamakhya Shakti Pitha, considered a very special place. More tomorrow.
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