Chintpurni Temple, Una – The
Temple
The Temple is situated at an
elevation of 940 metres on top of a Hill. The temple is situated on one of the
highest peaks of the Sola Singhi range of hills. The temple is a single
storeyed building made of stones. Its base is square, and a dome provides the
center of its roof. The main entrance to the temple faces north. It is also
customary to cover your head in the temple bhavan with a cap, shawl or
handkerchief.
A stone can be seen on the
right-hand side immediately after the entrance. This is the stone which Pandit
Mai Das had dug out to reveal the water spring as commanded by the Devi. There
is an old banyan tree, with a raised platform at its feet, can be found in
front of the entrance. The idols of lord Ganesh and Hanuman are placed in the
recesses of the façade on other side of the entrance gate.
Big brass bells hang high along
the entrance inwards. Devotees who come to pay homage to the Goddess toll these
bells both way while going to and coming back from the deity. Presiding Deity
is called as Chintpurni Devi / Chinnamastika
Devi / Chinnamasta.
She is housed in the sanctum. The image of Chintpurni Devi is installed in the
sanctum in the form of a Pindi (a round stone).
It stands placed in a palanquin
of white marble in the room inside. The priests who are descendants of Mai
Dass, sit beside the Pindi and do its puja. Sculptures of Bhairava and Hanuman
can be found in the western part of roof of the temple. Verandahs and few additional
rooms can be seen on the southern and western side of the temple. They are
meant for the temple trust officials, priests and devotees during the
celebrations.
There is another banyan tree in
the campus of the temple where Mundan (first hair cutting) ceremony of children
is performed. Idols of Bhairav and Ganesh can be found under the tree. Diwan
Dina Nath, a noble man of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s court, got constructed the
steps and the path leading to the temple. There is a banyan tree adjoining the
south wall of the temple. Pandit Mai Das had the divine darshan of the Devi
under this tree.
Devotees often tie a mauli
(kuccha red string) to the tree and make a wish. Devotees can get an
excellent panoramic view of the Dhauladhar mountain ranges from the temple on
clear sky. There is a deep but terraced water tank, found at about two furlongs
downhill to the north of the Temple. Pandit Mai Das's samadhi is situated on
the eastern side of the water tank.
Hindu genealogy Records:
Hindu genealogy registers at
Chintpurni are the genealogy registers of
pilgrims maintained here by pandas. Hindu pilgrimage and marriage records
were also used to be kept at this holy place. The Genealogical Society (GSU) of
Utah, USA has microfilmed Hindu pilgrimage records for Haridwar and several
other Hindu pilgrimage centers. Priests (pandits) located at each site would
record the name, date, home-town and purpose of visit for each pilgrim. These
records were grouped according to family and ancestral home. The holdings by
GSU include Haridwar, Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Chintpurni, Jawalapur and
Jawalamukhi.
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