Bhadrakali Temple is one of the oldest temples for Goddess Bhadrakali, situated on a hilltop between the twin cities of Hanamkonda and Warangal, Telangana, India.
The temple was built in 625 A.D by the King Pulakeshin II of Chalukya dynasty to commemorate his victory over Vengi region of Andhra Desham, as per the writings on the temple wall. Kakatiya kings (CE 1083-1323) later have adopted the temple and considered Goddess Bhadrakali as their kuladevata. A lake was also built by Ganapati-deva ( a minister in Kakatiya dynasty) adjacent to the temple. The temple was originally built in the Nagara style of architecture, with a square sanctum, a pyramidal tower, and a pillared hall. The temple reached its peak of glory during the Kakatiya dynasty. The Kakatiyas made several additions and renovations to the temple. They enlarged the sanctum, added a circumambulatory path, built a massive stone image of the goddess, erected a huge lion statue at the entrance, and carved exquisite sculptures of other deities on the walls. They also beautified the surroundings of the temple, by creating a large artificial lake, growing gardens and trees, and installing fountains and lights.
Architecture
The main deity is Goddess Bhadrakali in sitting position, a colossal sculpture measuring 2.7 meters in height and 2.3 meters in width. It is carved out of a single piece of black granite, and it depicts the goddess in a fearsome and majestic form. She has eight arms, holding various weapons and symbols, such as a sword, a trident, a lotus, a conch, and a discus. She wears a crown, earrings, and a necklace, and she has a third eye on her forehead. She is seated on a lotus pedestal, with her right leg bent and resting on the back of a lion, and her left leg extended and touching the ground.
The lion statue: The statue of a lion made of stone, standing at the entrance of the temple is a huge one (3.6 meters of height and 6 meters of length) facing the lake. It has a muscular and majestic body, with a mane, a tail, and claws. It has a roaring and menacing expression on its face, as if guarding the temple and the goddess from any evil or harm. The lion statue is a symbol of the courage and strength of the Kakatiyas, who were known as the lion kings of Telangana.
In Maha Mandapam, separate shrines for Bhagwan Shiva, Hanuman, Kartikeya and Navagrahas along with images of Uma Maheshwara on stone are placed. These are said to be among the oldest vigrahas of the deities, which have been carved out of stone. Shrine of Bhagwan Ganesh, which is built outside the main temple, is comparatively recent one.
A captivating feature of this temple is the Bhadrakali Lake, which is a man-made lake built during Kakatiya reign to serve as source of water for irrigation and other necessities. This lake, spread around 2.5 kms, is surrounded by hills and natural rock formations. It presents a peaceful setting that adds to the spiritual aura of the Bhadrakali temple. The temple is spread over an area of 1.5 acres.
The natural rock formations
The temple is situated in a rocky terrain, which adds to its beauty and charm. The rocks are of various shapes and sizes, and they form interesting patterns and formations. Some of the notable rock formations are:
The elephant rock: This is a large rock, located on the right side of the temple, near the lake. It resembles the shape of an elephant, with a trunk, ears, and legs. It is a natural formation, and it is considered to be auspicious and lucky.
The tortoise rock: This is a small rock, located on the left side of the temple, near the lake. It resembles the shape of a tortoise, with a shell, head, and limbs. It is a natural formation, and it is believed to be a manifestation of Bhagwan Vishnu, who took the form of a tortoise to support the churning of the ocean.
The temple suffered a lot of damage and neglect during the Muslim invasions and the subsequent colonial rule. In 1950, the temple was renovated by Sri Ganesh Rao Sastri a devi upasaka along with Gujrati businessman Shri Maganlal Sameja and many others. After the renovations, animal sacrifices were stopped in this Bhadrakali Temple. The deity was also slightly modified. The deity had a fierce form originally as Bhadrakali which was later softened by a few changes to depict the goddess devoid of ferociousness, as Tripurasundari (supreme feminine power and the most beautiful woman across three worlds).
Festivals
Lot of devotees visit during Brahmotsavams, which are organized every year during the month of April or May. During Shravana Masa, which is the month of August- September, temple celebrates many prominent festivals such as Vasanta Navaratri, Shakambari Utsavam and Sharan Navaratri. Bathukamma Festival (very famous in Telangana) is also celebrated with great fervor here when women and girls with beautifully arranged flowers, visit the Bhadrakali Lake to offer prayers.
Kohinoor diamond
The legend goes that Kakatiyas kept a beautiful diamond embedded in the left eye of the vigraha Bhadrakali when they adopted her as their “Kula Devatha”. This beautiful diamond was said to be originally mined from world famous diamond mine “Kollur mine (Coulour or Gani)” in the Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was looted by the Khilji dynasty of Delhi Sultanate in 1323 CE, when they invaded and destroyed the Kakatiya kingdom. (According to the diary of Alauddin Khalji of the Khalji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, he acquired a large diamond when he invaded the kingdoms of southern India at the beginning of the 14th century and looted it from the Kakatiyas). It was then owned by the Tughlaq Dynasty and Lodī Dynasty, and finally came into the possession of Bābur in 1526. In 1739 Nadir Shah of Iran invaded India and along with peacock throne, he also carried off this diamond to Persia. It was Nadir Shah who named this diamond as “Koh-i-noor” meaning mountain of light in Persian language. (Nader Shah’s biographer, Muhammad Kazim Marvi, first recorded seeing the Koh-i-Noor in the 1740s on the head of one of the peacocks on the throne, along with other prominent gems such as the great Timur Ruby and the Daria-i-Noor).
After the assassination of Nādir Shāh in 1747, the stone came into the hands of his general, Ahmad Shāh Durrānī of Afghanistan. In 1830, Shujāh Shāh Durrānī, the deposed ruler of Afghanistan, managed to flee with the diamond. He went to Lahore where Ranjīt Singh forced him to surrender it. Ranjīt Singh was crowned ruler of the Punjab region. On his death bed, Ranjith Singh wished to donate the diamond and other jewels to a sect of Hindu priests but could not do it. After Ranjit Singh’s death in 1839, the Punjabi throne passed between four different rulers over four years. Finally, the only people left in line for the throne were a young boy, Duleep Singh, and his mother, Rani Jindan. And in 1849, after imprisoning Jindan, the British forced Duleep to sign a legal document amending the Treaty of Lahore, that required Duleep to give away the Koh-i-Noor and all claim to sovereignty. The boy was only 10 years old. Thus, the diamond that was adoring the left eye of Bhadrakali deity in Warangal, Telangana mined from Kollur, in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh finally landed with Queen Victoria in England, becoming the central stone in the crown of Queen Elizabeth at her coronation in 1937.
Along with historical importance and religious significance of Bhadrakali temple, Warangal, natural rock formations around the Bhadrakali temple and the beautiful lake also make this temple a must visit.
How to reach Bhadrakali temple, Warangal?
The temple is located at 5 kms from Warangal railway station. Warangal is around 150 kms from Hyderabad and 210 kms from Vijayawada and well connected by road and rail.
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Thank you very much Sir.
Regards,
Dr. B.N.V. Parthasarathi.
The article is written with commendable approach focusing on history of the temple that includes Kohinoor Diamond. Quite interesting. The references given in the article are very useful for the readers to plan their tours. Kudos to Dr Parthasarathi for such a lovely article.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️