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About
Ambaji |
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Ambaji is a town in Banaskantha district in the state of
Gujarat, India. It is famous for its historical and legendary
links with places of cultural tradition.
About the Temple
Ambaji is a very prominent temple town with a very large
number of devotees visiting Ambaji shrine during the whole
year. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.
The Shrine of Ambaji Mata is a main Shakti Peeth of India. It
is located at a distance of about 64 kms from Palampur, 44 kms
from Mount Abu and 21 kms from Abu Road and 185 kms from
Ahmedabad, 51 kms from Kadiyadra near the Gujarat and
Rajasthan border.
In
the religious shrine of "Arasuri Ambaji", there is no image or
sculpture of goddess, the sacred "Shree Visa Yantra" is
worshiped as the main idol in the temple.
No one can see the Yantra with naked
eye. It is not allowed to do photography of the Yantra.
Ambaji mata is seated on gabbar hilltop of the town which is
the original seat of Ambaji mata.
Every year at the time of Purnima a
large number of devotees from all over come to visit the
shrine. At the time of
Bhadarvi poornima (full moon day), a mela is also takes place
in the temple.
People from all over come here at this place every year to
worship Maa Ambe specially in the month of September. At this
time the town of Ambaji is decorated with colourful lights,
same all over the nation at the time of Diwali. |
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Ambaji Mata Temple as a Shakti Peeth |
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The
temple of Amba is considered as a venerable temple by the Shakta
Shaktism sect of Hinduism. It is considered that the Heart of
Sati Devi has fallen here. The
origin of Shakti Peetha status temple is from the legends of
Sati's self immolation and Daksha yaga. Shakti Peethas were
considered to have been formed when the body parts of the corpse
of Sati Devi fell into different areas when Lord Shiva carried
her corpse in grief after her death.
The temples are believed as very
respected by Shaivist (Shaivism) sect in Hinduism. The Shakti
Peethas are generally worshiped by tantra practitioners. Each
Shakti Peetha has a Kalabhairava temple related with it the
Kalabhairava of The Amba Matha Shrine is Batuk Bhairav. |
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Mythological History |
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Ambaji is one of the fifty one ancient Shakti Peetha Tirth in
India. There are 12 main Shakti Pith Tirth, important sites of
pilgrimage for the worship of Shakti, namely, Ma Kamakshi at
Kanchipuram, Mataji Ambaji at Anar Gujarat, Shri Kumarika at
Kanyakumari, Ma Bhagwati Mahakali Maha Shakti at Ujjain, Devi
Lalita at Prayag, Guhyeshwari Shrine in Nepal, Mata Bramaramba
at Srisailam, Mata Mahalaxmidevi at Kolhapur, Vindhya Vasini at
Vindhya, Sundari at Bangal, Vishalakshi at Varanasi and
Mangalavati at Gaya.
There is no statue or image in the shrine but a small cave like
Gokh in the inside wall, in which a Gold Plated sacred Shakti
Visa Shree Yantra which is in convex form and
51 Bij letters therein, related with
that of the original Yantras of Ujjain and Nepal Shakti Piths,
is also ritually installed in such a
manner that it can be observable for adoration, but not to be
photographed, photography is strictly prohibited. The adoration
of Visa Shree Yantra cane be done only after tying a bandage on
the eyes. |
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Places to Visit Around Ambaji |
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Kamakshi
Devi Temple
Kamakshi Temple is situated about 1 kms far away from
Ambaji nearby the shrine of Kumbharia Jain on Khedbrahma
Highway. All 51 Shakti Pith, the centre of cosmic power,
are renovated and set up in a single complex to provide
complete information
to the devotees and visitors of
Shakti Sampraday about the various embodiments of Adhya
Shakti mata.
Kumbhariya
Village
Kumbhariya
Village is situated about 2 kms far away from the temple
town of Ambaji. It has historic Jain Shrine of Shri
Neminatha Bhagwan which dates back to 13th century.
Presently, Kumbhariya Jain Shrine of Shri Neminatha
Bhagwan is a heritage center in Gujarat.
Gabbar Hill
Gabbar Hill is located at an altitude of 480 meters above
sea level. It spreads over an area of 8.33 km2.
As per the myth depicted in the "Tantra Chudamani", it is
the site where the heart of the dead Devi Sati fell at the
top of hill of Gabbar. At the top of Gabbar Hill there is
a small shrine fortified from the western side, which can
be reached by taking 999 stairs which takes at the top of
the mountain. A sacred Lamp is constantly burning on this
hill shrine facing exactly in front of Visa Shree Yantra
of Nij Mandir of Mata Shri Arasuri Ambica.
Other prominent place to visit on Gabbar Hill are Cave and
Swings of Mataji and a Sunset Point. According to recent
study the shrine of Ambaji was built in 4th Century A.D by
the Suriyavans Emperor Arun Sen, the ruler of Vallabhi.
Mansarovar
Man Sarovar is situated behind the main shrine. It is built by Shri Tapishanker, a
Nager Devotee of Ambaji from Ahmedabad in the years
between1584-94. There are
2 shrines on the 2 sides of this sacred tank, one is of
Mahadev and other is Ajay Devi, who is considered to be
the sister of Mata Ambaji.
Devotees come to take sacred bath in this Mansarovar. It is also an important part of
history of Ambaji that there is an ancient Monument of Old
Carvings and Scripts Writings on Rock Stone
"Shilalekh" of Raja Maldev, which
dates back to the time of Hindu Calendar Samvat year 1415,
in Ajay Devi Mandir.
Koteshwar
Koteshwar is situated about 10 kms far away from Ambaji. There is an ancient shrine
of Shri Koteshwar Mahadev, adjacent to the origin of the
Vedic Vargin River Saraswati, joined with a Holy Kund and
the flows of Saraswati River from the Mouth of Cow
Gaumukh, incurved in a rock.
According to a myth there was an Ashram of Rushi Valmiki,
the writer of Ramayana, near the shrine of Valmiki Mahadev
and the King of Mevad, Maharana Pratap had modernized this
religious shrine.
It is said that during the revolt
of Independence in 1857, Nana Saheb Peshwa had taken his
dwelling in the cave of this shrine. This site is serene &
beautiful in forest.
Kailash Hill Sunset
Kailash Hill Sunset is a picnic and pilgrimage site,
situated about 2 kms far away from Ambaji on Khedbrahma
Highway,
there is a beautiful Shivalaya on
the top of Kailash tekari, one can reach the Shivalaya
only by climbing the steps and walking on the hilly region
of Kailash Tekari.
Recently a big artistic stone gate is built at the Shrine
of Mahadev on Kailash Tekari. |
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Climate of Ambaji |
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Ambaji enjoys all types of climate.
Summer Season
In Summer, it's warm and humid. Minimum temperature during
summer is 26 °C and maximum temperature is 46°C with warm
winds.
Winter Season
Winters are very cold in Ambaji with chilly winds. Minimum
temperature during winters is 10 °C and maximum temperature
is 36 °C
Monsoon Season
Monsoon Season, the average rainfall ranges from 15 to 30
inches per season sometimes the town also receives heavy
rainfall.
Therefore, weather remains quite pleasant during the whole
year. |
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How to Reach Ambaji |
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By
Rail
From Ambaji the nearest Railway station is at Abu Road which is
at a distance of about 20 kms far away from Ambaji. From Ambaji
the nearest Railway station of Gujarat is Palanpur Junction
which is at a distance of 59 kms far away.
It has direct rail connections with the
cities of Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Jodhpur, Mumbai, Mysore,
Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi, Bareilly,
Jammu, Muzaffarpur, Jaipur and Dehradun.
It
is linked with most of the places of Gujarat such as Vadodara,
Rajkot, Porbandar, Surat, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad and Bhuj.
By
Road
Ambaji can be reachable by taking Himatnagar road which is
linked with National Highway No.8 (Mumbai to Delhi).
Another road which Passes through
Palanpur and Danta and connects with State Highway SH 56 to
reach Ambaji. The nearest Bus Stand is only 2 kms far away from
Ambaji.
By
Air
From Ambaji the nearest Airport is the Deesa Airport, Initially
Deesa Airport is constructed for Palanpur. It is about 80 kms from Palanpur
city.
Nearest International Airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
International Airport, Ahmedabad which is about 180 kms far from
Ambaji Temple Town. |
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