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Gujarat Shree Dakshin Mukhi Mahakali
A hill station in Gujarat that is named as Pavagadh is majorly famous for the Mahakali temple that is located in the vicinity of this city. Every year numerous devotees come to visit this temple. The area of Pavagadh has a major community of people who belong to Bhils.
Mahakali is also known as Great Kali that is a famous Hindu Goddess and is the considered as the better half of Lord Shiva who is also known as Lord of cognizance. The name Mahakali has been derived from the Sanskrit word that resembles Mahakala also termed as Great Time and depicts the death. The goddess Mahakali is the form of Goddess Durga in her fury and rage form. The goddess also resembles the Goddess beyond time. The skin color of Goddess kali is light blue that depicts the Adiparashakti form of this goddess. The Hindus consider the Goddess Kai as the Divine mother.
The temple is located at a distance of 50 km away from Vadodara that is Gujarat state.
The goddess idol has four arms where each hand has different icons like one hand has a sword, another atrishul while the other two hands respectively have a head and a bowl to collect the blood. The color of the eyes is dark red that shows the anger. The tousled hair gives a ferocious look of the goddess. The tongue of the goddess hangs and is red in color as of the blood. The idol of the goddess also has a garland made out of heads of 108 demons.
History
The ancient pilgrim for both the Hindus and the Muslims is the famous Maa Mahakali Temple that is grouped under the 51 Shakti peeths of Indian mythology. The famous temple is located on the top of Pavagadh hill. The temple built on the hilltop can be reached on climbing the 250 stairs that lead to the temple.
As per the old beliefs the Goddess Sati’s right toe fell at this place. The temple has a beautiful idol of Mata Kalika that was built up by an astute called Vishwamitra. The hills of Pavagadh have a river named Vishwamitra flowing through it.
Architecture
The construction of the temple is such that it has strengthening ramparts and there is also an intersection on the front of the temple along with the slabs that are designed to carry the procession of sacrifices. The interior section of the temple has the head of Maa Kalika that is red in color. Along with this the temple also has sacred statues of Mahakali and Bahucharayantras.
The temple has been alienated into two sections where the ground floor is committed to Goddess Kali while the upper part of the temple is associated with the Muslim community as a tomb similar to that in any mosque is constructed there. To reach this place a ropeway was designed in the year 1986 to reach this place that makes the devotees reach the temple in mere six minutes while the devotees can also travel their path through the stairs and that takes almost one hour to reach the temple.
How to Reach
By Rail
The Vadodara railway station is the nearest rail line to reach Pavagadh. Vadodara railway station is well connected to all the major cities and states of the country.
By Air
The closest airport to reach Pavagadh is in Vadodara that is at a distance of 335 kms and a cab can be hired from the airport to reach Pavagadh. Local buses also ply from airport to Pavagadh.
By Road
Buses are easily available from all the major cities in Gujarat. Both the state owned buses and luxury air conditioned coach buses ply to Pavagadh. Buses also ply to different cities like Udaipur, Jodhpur, Nasik, Jaipur and Pune from Pavagadh.
Weather and Time to Visit
The best time to visit Pavagadh to visit the famous Mata Mahakali temple is in the months from October to March. The temperature in the summers varies from 32 degree Celsius to 40 degree Celsius while the temperature in the winters varies from 12 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius.
Accomodation
There are many budgeted hotels available on the railway road street and along the airport for the comfortable and easy stay of the devotees who come to visit Mata Mahakali temple.
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