Kalkaji Mandir is a highly renowned and revered shrine in Delhi, the capital city of India. It is located in Kalkaji, a place that got its name from the temple. It is near the famous Lotus Temple and ISKCON Temple. The presiding deity is Kalka Devi Temple, an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
The temple is also called ‘Jayanti Peetha’ or ‘Manokamna Siddha Peetha’. Literally, it means the place where all wishes are fulfilled by the goddess. The image of the Goddess Kalka is believed to be a self-manifested one. The shrine is said to date back to Satya Yuga when Goddess Kalika incarnated to kill the demon Raktabija as well as other demons. The temple is on the Suryakoota Parvata of the Aravalli Mountain ranges. Hence, Maa Kalka Devi (Goddess Kalika) is also called ‘Suryakoota Niwasini’, that is, one who dwells at Suryakoota.
Temple Architecture
A structure with 12 sides, Kalkaji Mandir has been built using marble and black pumice stones. The black color denotes Kali Puja , who is black in hue. The temple complex has been built with brick masonry finished with plaster (now with marbles) and a pyramidal tower surrounds it. The Central Chamber has a doorway on each side that is paved with marble, and is encircled on all sides by a verandah that containins 36 arched openings (exterior doorways in the Parikrama). Two tigers made of red sandstone can be seen by the eastern doorway in the middle of the arcade, sitting on a marble pedestal which has inscriptions in Urdu. An image of the goddess is seen between the two tigers. Her name is inscribed in Hindi, and before it is a stone trident.
People visit the Kalkaji temple throughout the year. During Navaratri (Mar-Apr / Sep-Oct), thousands to get ‘darshan’ of the goddess. For 9 days, a large fair is held near the temple. Everyday, in the morning and evening, the idol of Kalka Devi is bathed two times with milk before Aarti. This is followed by chanting of hymns.
Temple Legends
The more than 3,000 year old temple has many origin legends. The oldest part of the shrine was built in 1764 A.D, says folklore. The temple is said to have been built by the Maratha Rulers in the late 18th century. Kalkaji Mandir has supposedly survived from the times of Mahabharata.
It is said that the Pandavas and Kauravas had worshipped Kalka Devi during Yudhisthira’s reign. In 1816 A.D. , Raja Kedarnath (the Peshkar of Emperor Akbar II) made some changes to the original structure. In the last 5 decades, many dharamshalas have been erected. It is also said that the Goddess who was pleased with the prayers of the Gods and the rituals they performed on Brahma’s advice, appeared on Surya Koota Parvata and gave them her blessings. Since then, the Goddess has been residing here.
How to reach
By Road
A network of highways and roads connect Delhi to all the major cities of India.
By Air
Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi connects to all the important cities of the world. Palam Domestic Airport connects Delhi to all the major cities in India.
By Train
There are trains to Delhi from all important cities in India. Delhi Metro connects entire Delhi. The nearest railway station is Nizamuddin Railway Station, and Kalkaji Metro Station is the nearest metro station.
