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Rani Sati Mandir

Rani Sati Mandir is one of the marvelous and wealthiest religious monuments of India. It is situated at Shekhawati in the north-east region of Rajasthan. The shrine is located at just 26 KM from the city of Jhunjhunu and comes under the limits of the city. The holy place is dedicated to Rani Sati who is known as the avatar of Hindu goddess Durga. The heavenly place is largely worshipped by Marwari community and is the second largest religious place in the country in terms of revenue after the world famous Tirupati Balaji Temple. Marwari people worship the goddess in their houses as well.

The shrine is known to be one of the oldest pilgrimage centers in India and is said to be a rich acknowledgment of feminine spirit and bravery. Rare and beautiful paintings here add to the magnificence. The captivating shrine is well-known for its stunningly remarkable feature that it does not house any image or idol of either a male or female god. The devotees here worship a trishula (trident) instead. It is said that the trident portrays force and power.

The complex of Rani Sati Mandir at Shekhawati is beautifully planned and is one of the best architectural wonders till date. Apart from the main shrine, it also shelters temples of other Hindu gods and goddesses like Sita, Ganesh, Hanuman, and Lord Shiva. There is a regular aarti (prayer to god) in the main shrine after which Prasad is distributed. Devotees can also enjoy the delicious meals served over here during day time. The meals are served on chargeable basis.

Shree Rani Sathiji Mandir Society is the core administrative committee of the shrine and is registered in the state of West Bengal. The temple has been in controversy for a number of times as many think that stating it as a religious center indirectly justifies the ferocious act of Sati. Sati was once a widely practiced act in India which was later banned by the constructive efforts of Indian social reformers of the 20th century. Several organizations attempted to put a ban on conducting puja in the shrine. But not much could be done in this regard as the temple is a major revenue generator.

A grand Utsav (fair) is held every year at Rani Sathi Mandir in the month of August. It is usually held on Bhado Amavasya (no-moon day) in the Bhadav month of Hindu calendar. Lakhs of worshippers throughout the country visit during Bhado Amavasya to pay their tribute to Sati Devi.

History

The enchanting shrine of Rani Sathiji has a glorious history of more than 400 years. Marwari community of Rajasthan has a firm faith that the goddess is Maa Durga’s avatar.

The story dates back to the times of Mahabharata and it is said that the goddess was originally Utera, the wife of Arjun’s son Abhimanyu. After Abhimanyu got killed in battlefield, Utera decided to set herself ablaze besides his funeral. But Lord Krishna stopped her from doing so by blessing her wish to be Abhimanyu’s wife once again in her next birth. He also agreed to her demand of being sati in her next birth.

In her next birth, she was born as the child of Gurusamal in Thukaye, Rajasthan and was named as Narayani. Abhimanyu was reborn as Thandan in the area of Hissar. Thandan owned a fine-looking horse. The horse was for a long-time eyed by the son of the Emperor of Hissar. When asked, Thandan refused to hand-over his horse to the King’s son. Annoyed by the rejection, the king’s son challenged Thandan for a battle and got killed in the combat. As a revenge, the king killed Thandan in front of Narayani in a combat. Narayani took revenge by killing the king and ordered Ranaji, the one who looked after the horse, to set her ablaze besides Thandan’s cremation.

From then, Narayani came to be known as Sati Devi, the symbol of power and bravery.

Architecture

The ceiling of the assembly hall of Rani Sathiji Mandir at Shekhawati is beautifully decorated with a charming portrait of the goddess. The main specialty of the portrait is it is engraved in glass. Opposite to the assembly hall is the pradhan mandap. The walls of the shrine display an intelligent paint work of the times and give it an enthralling look. The entire temple is carved with white marbles. The alluring golden pot placed at the peak of the shrine brilliantly proves the amaze and beauty of the monument.