Mahamaya Temple, Ratanpur

01The Kalachuri capital

The Ratanpur inscription of 1114 says that Kalingaraja, a prince of the Kalachuris of Tripuri, conquered Dakshina Kosala and ruled from Tummana, and that his grandson Ratnaraja founded Ratnapura. The town’s tradition says Ratnadeva, while hunting, saw the Devi’s court at night under a tree and built her temple there. Ratanpur stayed the capital until the Bhonsles of Nagpur took the country in the 18th century, and the hills around it are full of tanks and ruined shrines. The temple is built in the Kalachuri style, its walls and mandapa carved, with later additions.

02Jyoti kalash

In both Navratris families from across Chhattisgarh book a jyoti kalash, an oil lamp on a pot, to burn in the temple for the nine days, and the halls fill with thousands of flames. Many in Chhattisgarh count Ratanpur among the Shakti Peethas; the standard lists do not name it, and the town is content to call her the Devi of its kings.

The life of this place