History of Maa Hingula

       The Hindus believe that the trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar stand for creation preservation and Destruction. This idea of trinity is quite significant and works at the root of all religious faiths. Though Brahma and Vishnu are actively involved in the worldly affairs, Maheshwar gets immersed in meditation and often forget the work allotted to him. To rouse him from his deep state of meditation, Brahma asked his faithful son Daksha to pray to the Supreme Deity for a daughter worthy of being the spouse of Maheshwar.


     Thus Sati was born with one condition that any slightest neglect on Dakshas part, she will immolate herself in fire. Daksha consented and Sati appeared as his daughter. Subsequently Sati got married to Maheshwar. Maheshwar was quite indifferent to the world and lived with Sati at Kailash in Tibet, now under Chinese dominion.


      According to “Devi Bhagabat” years rolled on and Daksha intended to perform a Yajna, a sacrificial rite to which all the deities were invited except Shiva as he was uncanny and weird. Though Sati was not invited to the Yajna, she somehow wrested his permission to join the ceremony. The deities took up their dignified seats around the Yajna Mandap. The yajna work started smoothly. Daksha forgetful of the promise made to Sati, began speaking ill of Shiva before all the revered deities. Sati could not bear all these ill words hurled against her  husband Shiva. She immo’ated herself in the Yajna and committed suicide.
 

     Lord Shiva was omniscient so the death of his beloved wife Sati disturbed him while he was in deep meditation in Kailash. Infuriated with anger, Shiva arrived at the yajna spot. He destroyed the yajna and took up the dead body of Sati in his shoulder. Then he traveled the entire Length and breadth of India causing destruction.

    Shiva’s above act concerned Lord Brahma the creator and Lord Vishnu the sustainer. In order to bring Lord Shiva to his senses Vishnu took away the dead body of Sati and ordered his wheel of death, Sudarsan Chakra to do its duty. The different parts of the body of Sati were chopped off and began to fell, wherever Shiva went. Brought to his senses after the disappearance of the dead body. Maheshwar returned to the impassable part of Himalayas to be lost in meditation.


     The fifty two portion of body of Sati which were chopped off by Sudarsan Chakra fell at 52 places and all became sacred sports. Out of his Satis Brahma randhra (Source of energy) fell at Hingula.


     It is believed that Devi Hingula was initially in Karachi which was in the undivided India before independence and now under Pakistan. She was being worshipped by king Nala from generation to generation. In course of time King Nala ruled Vidarbha (presently Maharastra). The deity also came with him from Karachi to Vidarbha. The present peeth of Devi Hingula links to purl Jagannath temple.


     Lord jagannath temple was built by King Chodaganga Deva who ruled Orissa for 72 years from 1078-1147 A.D. The great temple of Jagannath was the greatest achievement of Chodaganga Deva. It was gigantic in conception and majestic in construction. It is the best example of Odisha’s architecture. The huge body of the temple is full of sculptural and artistic beauty.


     The kitchen of Lord Jagannath is unique in the world which is called the world’s greatest hotel. Daily 64 pauti’s Bhoga (Mahaprasad) are offered which can feed 10,000 persons comfortably in a day. According to the legend, the queen of Puri thought of offering 64 pauti’s Bhoga to Lord Jagannath. Gundicha, the queen thus sought the permission of lord. Lord Jagannath ordered the king in dream to worship Maa Hingula for managing the unique kitchen.

     The king of puri went to Vidarbha and sought the help of King Nala to bring Devi Hingula to Puri. He agreed to this and the king of Puri started his journey from Vidarbha. The route from Vidarbha to Puri was probably through Raipur, Sambalpur and Talcher. These places were full of forest and were inaccessible. There was sporadic habitation. When the king reached Gopalgarh, it became evening and he took rest near Singhada River near Gopalgarh.