01The swayambhu Devi
The temple’s tradition says that when the devas were harried by asuras they prayed to Parvati on this hill, and Kaushiki came forth from her, and from Kaushiki’s brow came Kali to slay Raktabija, whose every drop of blood raised a new asura; she drank the blood before it touched the earth. The Devi has stood here since, in a rock form, and the people of Delhi also say the Pandavas worshipped her during the building of Indraprastha. The rock murti is worshipped under a canopy, and the shrine is called a Manokamna Siddha Peeth, where wishes are granted.
02Marathas and a peshkar
The oldest part of the present building, the twelve-sided sanctum of marble and brick, is put at about 1764, when the Marathas held sway over Delhi. In 1816 Raja Kedarnath, peshkar of the Mughal emperor Akbar II, added to it, and in the 20th century the dharamshalas and halls around it were built by devotees. The temple is run by hereditary pujari families. Twice a year, at the Navratris, a great mela fills the lanes, and the ashtami nights are the busiest.
The life of this place
- c. 1764The oldest part of the present temple is built in the Maratha period.
- 1816Raja Kedarnath, peshkar of Akbar II, enlarges the temple.
Next to Kalkaji Mandir Metro station (Violet and Magenta lines), opposite Nehru Place; the Lotus Temple is a short walk away.
