Shaktism in Northwest India

[User14]

Hello all,

What is Shaktism in Northwest India like? Almost all the information out there is about Shaktism in the South and East. There's one book about Shaktism in Northwest India that I know of, but I haven't been able to get a copy yet.

Some questions I have on my mind include...

Who are the main forms of the Goddess worshipped there?

Is worship of the Goddess in Northwest India primarily devotional, yogic, tantric, or some combination?

If bhakti towards the Goddess is common in the Northwest, what is the most common devotional attitude taken?

What are the most commonly revered texts among Shaktas in Northwest India?

Is the Goddess in the Northwest primarily seen as being the consort of Vishnu, Shiva, or neither?

What is the prevailing philosophy among Shaktas in Northwest India (dualist, monist, qualified monist, etc.)?


Any knowledge about this subject that anyone could provide would be much appreciated.

 

[Aupmanyav]

North-West of the sub-continent is now Pakistan, so I would talk about North India. Here Shakti is taken as Mother. There are thousands of Mother Goddess temples with various names in every nook and corner of the region, very popular among people, and the mode is basically dualist devotional. Durga Saptashati is the most popular scripture. The Mother Goddess is mainly considered an independent deity though associated more with Shiva. Associated with Vishnu as Lakshmi. Nine days of Devi worship in North India in Autumn and Spring are considered as the days of austerity rather than fun as in Eastern and Western India. Naming the major temples:

Kashmir: Khir Bhavani (Tulamula)
Jammu: Vaishno Devi (Katra, in the form of a young girl)
Himachal: Naina Devi (Bilaspur), Jwalamukhi, Chamunda, Brajeshwari, (Kangra), Hidimba (Manali), Lakshmi (Chamba), Taradevi (Shimla), Chintpurni (Una), Sheetala (Dharmasala Mahantan),
Uttarkhand: Dhari Devi, Mansa Devi (Haridwar), Naini Mandir (Nainital), Nanda Devi (Nauti), Kali (Kaligaon), Yamunotri and Gangotri on the two rivers also are Devi temples since the rivers are considered deities.
Haryana: Mansa Devi (Panchakula), Jayanti Devi (Jayanti Majri), Kalika Devi (Kalka), Kanvari Devi (Kanwari), Sridevi (Panipat), Sheetala Mata (Gurugram), Sita Mata (Sita Mai),
Punjab: Durgiana tmple (Amritsar), Devi Talab (Jalandhar), Julfa Mata (Nangal), Durga and Jwala (Maisar Khana), Kali Devi (Patiala),

 

[sayak83]

Hello all,

What is Shaktism in Northwest India like? Almost all the information out there is about Shaktism in the South and East. There's one book about Shaktism in Northwest India that I know of, but I haven't been able to get a copy yet.

Some questions I have on my mind include...

Who are the main forms of the Goddess worshipped there?

Is worship of the Goddess in Northwest India primarily devotional, yogic, tantric, or some combination?

If bhakti towards the Goddess is common in the Northwest, what is the most common devotional attitude taken?

What are the most commonly revered texts among Shaktas in Northwest India?

Is the Goddess in the Northwest primarily seen as being the consort of Vishnu, Shiva, or neither?

What is the prevailing philosophy among Shaktas in Northwest India (dualist, monist, qualified monist, etc.)?


Any knowledge about this subject that anyone could provide would be much appreciated.

Here is something you might find interesting,

Hinglaj Mata - Wikipedia

 

[User14]

North-West of the sub-continent is now Pakistan, so I would talk about North India. Here Shakti is taken as Mother. There are thousands of Mother Goddess temples with various names in every nook and corner of the region, very popular among people, and the mode is basically dualist devotional. Durga Saptashati is the most popular scripture. The Mother Goddess is mainly considered an independent deity though associated more with Shiva. Associated with Vishnu as Lakshmi. Nine days of Devi worship in North India in Autumn and Spring are considered as the days of austerity rather than fun as in Eastern and Western India. Naming the major temples:

Kashmir: Khir Bhavani (Tulamula)
Jammu: Vaishno Devi (Katra, in the form of a young girl)
Himachal: Naina Devi (Bilaspur), Jwalamukhi, Chamunda, Brajeshwari, (Kangra), Hidimba (Manali), Lakshmi (Chamba), Taradevi (Shimla), Chintpurni (Una), Sheetala (Dharmasala Mahantan),
Uttarkhand: Dhari Devi, Mansa Devi (Haridwar), Naini Mandir (Nainital), Nanda Devi (Nauti), Kali (Kaligaon), Yamunotri and Gangotri on the two rivers also are Devi temples since the rivers are considered deities.
Haryana: Mansa Devi (Panchakula), Jayanti Devi (Jayanti Majri), Kalika Devi (Kalka), Kanvari Devi (Kanwari), Sridevi (Panipat), Sheetala Mata (Gurugram), Sita Mata (Sita Mai),
Punjab: Durgiana tmple (Amritsar), Devi Talab (Jalandhar), Julfa Mata (Nangal), Durga and Jwala (Maisar Khana), Kali Devi (Patiala),

Here is something you might find interesting,

Hinglaj Mata - Wikipedia

thank you so much for your replies!

I'm also wondering about Shaktism in Nepal. That's another subject that little is written on. Does anyone know anything about the nature of Shaktism in Nepal? All the same questions I had in my original post apply.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What applies to India applies to Nepal also. At one time Nepal was termed as a principality in the country - the chants said "Jambu Dvipe, Bharat Deshe, Nepal Rajye, Kashtamandapa Nagare" (In the continent of Jambu Dvipa (fictitious, mythological), country called India, in a kingdom called Nepal, in the city called Kashtamandapa (Kathmandu)). Same culture, same religion being the majority. The difference is only in local traditions - for example, the institution of a living Shakti, a pre-puberty girl so designated. We too worship pre-puberty girls during the nine-day Shakti/Durga celebrations but do not have the living Devi tradition.

The Kumari tradition, Nepal; Nav Ratra worship, India.

 

[User14]

@Aupmanyav Most of the info out there about Shaktism in Nepal focuses on the Kumari tradition.

Based on what little I know, I would say Nepalese Shaktism is more similar to the Shaktism of the Northeast of India like West Bengal, than to the Shaktism of the North. Nepalese Shaktism seems primarily monist and largely tantric.

 

[Aupmanyav]

True, User14.