Nagrota Kol Kandoli Temple

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Vaishno Devi Yatra stands as one of India's most revered pilgrimages, drawing thousands of devotees year-round. Nestled near Jammu city, the Kol Kandoli Temple serves as the sacred threshold to this spiritual journey. Let us embark on a journey of discovery into this divine abode.

Introduction:

Located approximately 13 kilometers from Jammu city, Nagrota is a quaint locality that cradles the revered Vaishno Devi shrine within its folds. Known as the Kol Kandoli temple, it is hailed as the gateway to the Vaishno Devi Yatra. For many pilgrims, their spiritual odyssey commences with reverence at this hallowed site.

Legend:

According to ancient lore, the Pandavas of the Mahabharata epic were bestowed with the blessings of Vaishno Devi during their exile. It is believed that they were the architects of this sacred temple.

Another captivating legend revolves around the temple's namesake, Kol Kandoli. In this tale, a destitute Brahmin named Sridhar was tasked by Vaishno Devi to feed the villagers. Expressing his inability, the Goddess, appearing as a twelve-year-old girl with a divine bowl, blessed the village with abundant food. Hence, the site was christened "Kol Kandoli," where 'Kol' signifies bowl and 'kandoli' denotes gathering.

An alternate version recounts a playful encounter of young Vaishno Devi, where water miraculously sprung from her divine bowl to quench the thirst of her playmates.

During the temple's construction by the Pandavas, it is said that Bheema, one of the valiant brothers, was parched. Vaishno Devi quenched his thirst with water from her silver bowl. Upon its movement, a revered Shiva Linga emerged, known today as Ghandeshwari Mahadev, still venerated within the temple complex.

Temple Layout:

Main Temple

The sanctum sanctorum houses the sacred 'salt pindi' form of Maa Vaishno Devi. A crimson-hued holy stone now occupies this revered spot, believed to date back 200-300 years.

Adjacent to this shrine lies another, enshrining the eight-armed form of Vaishno Devi.

The sacred tree is found near these two shrines where the red colored relief image of Hanuman and a small marble image of eight armed Vaishno Devi are found.

Ghanteshwari Mahadev Temple

Nearby, the Ghanteshwari Mahadev Shiva Linga resides in a separate sanctum, accompanied by shrines dedicated to Shaneeswara, Bhairava, Kali, Puri Jagannatha, and Navagraha.

Sacred Tree

A sacred peepul tree, witness to many divine acts, stands tall in the temple's heart. Legends speak of Maa appearing here as a young girl, nurturing the villagers under its benevolent shade. 

The sacred well which is believed to have medicinal value is also located in the temple complex. 

New Temple

Dedicated to a myriad of deities, this section hosts a splendid array of marble images:

The list of deities that are found in this section of the temple:
  • Shiva Linga and Nandi facing towards Linga
  • Ram, Sita and Lakshmana
  • Hanuman
  • Tirupati Balaji
  • Nava Kanyas
  • Navagraha
  • Ram Panchayat - Rama, Sita and Lakshmana and a big icon of Hanuman
  • Ranganatha
  • Eight armed Vaishno Devi
  • Durga
  • Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali
  • Puri Jagannath along with Baladev and Subhadra
  • Sai Baba
  • Radha and Krishna
  • Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya
Happy travelling.

Location: Jammu

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