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Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila Hill Gujarat India

Here is Some Information about Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila Hill Gujarat India.

Location: On Chotila Mountain in Chotila Village near Rajkot  
Built in: Around 600 years
Pincode: 363520
Dedicated to: Goddesh Chamunda Ma
Entry: Free
Phone Number: 02751-290354, +91 8530007000
Photography: In Temple not allow
Main Attraction: Goddess Chamunda temple
Also Known As: Chotila Temple
Architecture: Hindu Temple Style
Celebrated festivals : Nine night Durga Navaratri
Significance: One of the most hill temple
Nearest Railway Station: Rajkot
Nearest Air Port: Rajkot ,Ahmedabad

About  Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila 

A temple dedicated to Goddess Chamunda is built on a hill called chotila at a height of 1,173 feet. The temple is crowded with tourists and pilgrims all round the year specially during the Navratri Festival. The Chotila village is sited at the foot of the Chotila hill.At the end of the navaratri festival a big havan is taken place on top of the chotila hill. Chotila has more than 700 steps.

At the bottom when you come down from chotila hill there are many shops were you can by many religious items such as matajis chundari,kunko(religious powder), cassetts and lots more.thestory is when Demons Chand and Mund came to conquer Devi Mahakali and in the fight that ensues, the Devi cut their heads and presented these to Maa Ambika, who in turn told Mahakali that you will be worshipped as Chamunda Devi.
About Goddesh Chamunda(Mata)

Chamunda Mata is the goddess of power and another form of Durga.Her illusion is twinlike as she is also called Chandi-Chamunda. The fierce mother goddess has big eyes dressed in red and green adorned with garlands of flowers and in front of her is vehicle the Lion.Her temple is very famous in Gujrat on the moutain named Chotila.

Two Demons named 'Chanda' and 'Munda' did great penance for many years to please Lord Brahma. When Brahma was pleased he apeared in front of them and the demons asked for being very strong warriors and that they would rule the world and take over heaven. Lord Brahma was merciful so he granted the wish.

There was big chaos in the world and the demons became very greedy and attempted to take over heaven aswell as the three abodes of Vishnu (Vaikunth), Shiva (Kailas) and Brahma (Brahmalok ).The three gods went to the mother goddess Parvati who took the form of Chandi and Chamunda who slayed Chand and mund.

History of Chamunda Mata Temple

The history of Chamunda Maa is very old  why people say indian legends and stories are classed as myths is very wrong as substantial proof, history and artefacts have been found.
Maa in chotila are swayambhu, which means she has self manifested and has not been man made.
The story is that a holy man had a dream in which he was told by Maa that she was under the earth on Chotilo hill.
He was instructed to dig in a certain spot and Maa would appear there, he did what he was told to do and they found the beautiful Chamunda Maa. At that spot the temple was consecrated and to this day the temple is still there.
In the last decade the temple has been renovated and the darshan hall has been extended the new steps and corrugated sheets above the steps have been provided by the Ambani brothers.
Many people say Chamunda Maa is twinlike or two sisters that is not true, the story is that Kario Bhil was a devotee of Chamunda Maa and was his kuldevi and he had promised Maa that if he begot a child he would make another image of Maa in chotila if his prayer was fulfilled.
Maa chamunda is very dayali and listened to his prayer, over time he forgot about his promise and Maa gave him a test, he was caught stealing by the British raj and sentenced to jail. Why you wonder why a Bhakt of Maa was caught stealing.
Chamunda Maa had given him a shawl that when laid on the ground and sit on it would transport him into the air, the reason he was given this was to pillage the ships of the british raj that was carrying gold, jewels and coins which they had taken away from indian rajas. He started to carry out Maa's wish and with this treasure he would sell it and feed the poor. One day he was caught due to Maa's lila and taken into jail. Maa appeared to him in a dream and reminded him of his promise.He woke up and apologised to Maa and said he would fulfill the promise, due to difficulty as he was now old Maa completed his promise and she self manifested a secong image of herself in Chotila.
Once the arati has been done in the evening no one is allowed to stay in the temple, even the pujaris have to leave the temple.
people have actually seen a very big cobra appear to people who do not follow this command.
Once a man decided he would sleep outside the temple for the night, not realising the command when he woke up the next morning he was at the bottom of the hill.
Maa's lions also stays on the hill that is the reason why there is a large statue of a lion outside the temple as it is also Maa's vahan (vehicle).
In ancient times each shaktipith in gujarat has a lake or talav where you bathe before you visit the temple, the name of the lake for Chamunda Maa is called Bhadarv Nadi.
No one hardly goes there now as ancient customs are slowly being forgotten.
At the entrance to Chotilo Hill there is a Mandir where you can have darshan of Maa (a replica of Maa is here), where you can go if you are not able to climb the steps.
If you are able to go to the Mandir at the top of the hill , then you also have to visit the temple at the bottom, otherwise your darshan is not complete. This mandir is at the entrance where you start to see all the shops on either side before you reach the Hill. A third mandir has been built at the bottom of the hill which also has a replica of Maa.
The aarti of Maa is very different no words are spoken the aarti is done with the beating of drums.
The aarti starts of with dhoop being offered to Maa and then aarti is done with lamps (diyas).

Temple,Aarti timing,Best time to visit and all Information about Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila

Temple Timing: 7:00 Am to 8:00 Pm
Visiting Timing: 2 hours( 700 steps on hill)
Best time to Visit: July to September.
Aarti Timing: Monday to Saturday 6.00 AM,
Sunday 5.30 AM. On every Purnima 4.00 AM,
In Evening 6.00 PM
Temple Dharmashala: Available
Lunch and dinner: Available free of cost by temple committee
Parking: Available Free
How to Reach  Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila 

By Air: The Nearest Airport is Rajkot (49KM) and Ahmedabad.

By Rail: The Nearest Railway Station is Rajkot(49 Kms).

By Road: As it is situated on Ahmedabad-Rajkot Main Highway,This place is easily reachable through roadways.Local transport is available from Rajkot.
Picture Gallery of  Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila

 

Google Map of  Chamunda Mata Temple in Chotila 

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