Tara Devi Temple Shimla

                         Tara Devi Temple Shimla

Temple

About Tara Devi Temple

History

History

In Hinduism, The Goddess Tara ; meaning "One who protects", is the second of the Dasa (ten) Mahavidyas or "Great Wisdom [goddesses]", and is a form of Shakti (primeval energy in female form). Tantric manifestations of Durga or mahadevi, or Parvati. The word 'Tara', and also 'Tarini' (another popular name of the goddess) have been derived from the Sanskrit root syllable 'tar', signifying protection. In many other contemporary Indian languages, the word 'Tara' also means star. As the star is seen as a beautiful but perpetually self-com busting thing, energizing all of life, so Tara is perceived at the "mother of all Buddhas" - the unified field of energy from which all form arises.

Origin

Temple Origin

The oral tradition gives an origin to the goddess Tara. The legend begins with the churning of the ocean between the Devas and Asuras. Lord Shiva drank the poison (halaha) that was created from the churning of the ocean (in the process turning his throat blue and earning him the epithet Nilakantha), thus saving the world from destruction, but fell unconscious under its powerful effect. Mahadevi Durga appeared as Maa Tara and took Shiva on her lap. She suckled him, the milk from her breasts counteracting the poison, and he recovered. This story is reminiscent of the one in which Shiva stops the rampaging Kali by becoming an infant. Seeing the child, Kali's maternal instinct comes to the fore and when she was feeding him her breast milk Shiva sucked her rage out while sucking the milk. In both cases, Shiva assumes the position of an infant vis-a-vis the Goddess. Mainly Tara is a form of Durga . As Per Shakti Mahabharata, She is the one who created 1st Seed from which the entire universe took birth in the form of Lord Narayana. Since he was Non manifested divinity so next Mahavira expanded him so that manifested divinity Lord Vishnu took birth from him.

Iconography

Temple Murti

The murti at the Tara Ma mandir in the village of tarapith, a highly important Tantric site for Bengali shaktas (and highly contested as to whether or not it is truly a shakti ; scholarly evidence points towards yes), is mostly covered by Garlands of flowers. There are two Tara images in the sanctum. The stone image of Tara depicted as a mother suckling Shiva – the "primordial image" (seen in the inset of the fierce form of the image of Tara) is camouflaged by a three feet metal image, that the devotee normally sees. It represents Tara in her fiery form with four arms, wearing a garland of skulls and a protruding tongue. Crowned with a silver crown and with flowing hair, the outer image wrapped in a Sari and decked in marigold garlands with a silver umbrella over its head. The forehead of the metal image is adorned with red Sindur (vermilion). Most devotees will not have a chance to see the actual stone image, as there are only 15 or so minutes of Darshan or viewing of the stone at 4:30AM when the temple opens and only the first lucky few will be admitted into the adytum to see the stone.

Tarapeeth Temple

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The murti at the Tara Ma Mandir in the village of Tarapeeth, a highly important Tantric site for Bengali Shaktas (and highly contested as to whether or not it is truly a Shakti ; scholarly evidence points towards yes), is mostly covered by Garlands of flowers. There are two Tara images in the sanctum. The stone image of Tara depicted as a mother suckling Shiva – the "primordial image" (seen in the inset of the fierce form of the image of Tara) is camouflaged by a three feet metal image, that the devotee normally sees. It represents Tara in her fiery form with four arms, wearing a garland of skulls and a protruding tongue. Crowned with a silver crown and with flowing hair, the outer image wrapped in a sari and decked in marigold garlands with a silver umbrella over its head. The forehead of the metal image is adorned with red sindur (vermilion). Most devotees will not have a chance to see the actual stone image, as there are only 15 or so minutes of Darshan or viewing of the stone at 4:30AM when the temple opens and only the first lucky few will be admitted into the adytum to see the stone.

Tara In Buddhism

budha murit

Tara (Sanskrit in Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.