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| BHADRA
PURNIMA |
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| Location :
Throughout Goa |
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| Venue :
Ambaji Shrine |
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| Religion :
Hindu |
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| In the month
of :
August - September |
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The Shrine Of Ambaji
The shrine of the Goddess Ambaji located in the village bearing her name, lies
at the foothills of the Aravalli mountain range. It is the principal shrine of
the Goddess in Gujarat and its origins to this location as far back as AD
746.The deity is represented by a triangular VISHWA Yantra, inscribed with
figures and the syllable 'Shree' in the centre. There is no idol. This is a
fact testifying to the temple's antiquity since worship of images of deities
became popular much later. |
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An Original Shakti Pitha
The temple of Ambaji is recognised as one of the original "Shakti
Pithas" where, according to the ancient scriptures written about the goddess
the heart of the Goddess Ambaji feel to earth when her body was dismembered. It
is said that the tonsorial ceremony of Shri Krishna was performed at Ambaji!
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Bhadra Purnima Fair
On full moon days there is a virtual festival at Ambaji, but the full moon of
Bhadrapad is one of the four most important festival days of the year, when
agriculturists go to the temple in their thousands, along with members of the
general public. There is a large fair on this occasion, while in the evening
performances of Bhavai are held, and Garba programmes are organised. The devout
attend readings of the Saptashati, the seven hundred verses in praise of the
goddess, and visit the temple for an auspicious View, Darshan, of her. |
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EXCURSIONS
There are other holy places around Ambaji, which pilgrims usually visit on such
occasions. One such place is Gabbargadh, a small hill two miles west of Ambaji.
There is a Pipal tree at the top, which pilgrims circumambulate. |
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| Kumbhariya, although a small village, is
famous because it holds five Jain temples dedicated to different Jain
Tirthankaras. Koteshwar, three miles away is famous because the hill near the
temple of Koteshwar Mahadev is the source of the Saraswati River. Pilgrims
usually bathe in the Kund into which water from the Saraswati flows |
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