Pavagadh
Encyclopedia
Pavagadh is a Hill Station
, and a Municipality in Panchmahal district
about 46 kilometres (29 mi) away from Vadodara
in Gujarat state in western India
. It is known for a famous Mahakali
temple which draws thousands of pilgrims everyday.
Area of this locality Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
has been inscripted by UNESCO
as World Heritage in 2004.
king Vanraj Chavda
established Champaner
at the foot of Pavagadh in fond memory of his wise minister Champa. Later, the Patai Raval family ruled it and took care of the boundary. The folk tales say that Mahakali assumed the form of a woman and danced in a Garba
during Navaratri. The last Patai, Jaisinh watched her with dirty looks. The deity became angry at Jaisinh and cursed him. As a result, the Muslim
emperor of Gujarat, Mahmud Begada
assaulted Pavagadh and won the hill on the boundary.
Patai was defeated and killed. Mahmud Begada
shifted his capital from Ahmedabad
to Champaner for some time for reasons of diplomacy. He developed the town by constructing buildings such as the fort of Champaner, Uohra mosque, Mandavi, Kirtistambh, the temple of Shalkh, Jama Masjid, Nagina Mosque and Kevda Mosque. The remains of the Palace of Begada are still found near Vad Talav (Banyan Pond) two kilometers (1.25 miles) away from Champaner.
s. The government has granted many concessions and offered subsidies to the new industries coming up in this area. As a result of it, Halol
and Kalol
towns near Pavagadh have turned into virtual industrial estates. The locations of hilly areas around Halol
provide good scenery. A film studio at Halol
has this added advantage. On the eastern side, the Rangpur Ashram
run by Mr. Hari Parikh works towards the upliftment of the local tribals.
's contemporary rival, Baiju Bawra
belonged to Champaner
.
Legends have it that, the right toe of Goddess Sati, fell here. The holy complex is divided into two parts, on the ground floor the idol of Goddess Kali is seen and the top part houses a Mazar of a Peer, sacred to Muslims.
Kali, or Mahakali, the Dark Mother, is a deity with whom devotees have a very loving and intimate bond, in spite of her fearful appearance. She is a fearful and ferocious form of the mother goddess Durga. She is believed to have born from the brow of Goddess Durga during one of her battles with the evil forces.
In the Goddess Kalika temples, Kali has four arms, and carries a sword in one hand and the head of a demon in another. Her other two hands are raised in blessing, as if to say, 'fear not'. In the place of earrings, she has two dead heads. She also has a string of skulls as necklace, and a girdle made of human hands as her clothing. Her tongue protrudes from her mouth, eyes are red, and face and breasts are drenched in blood. She stands with one foot on the thigh, and another on the chest of Shiva, her husband.
This pre-historic goddess is widely worshiped in India, especially inWest Bengal. Navratri, or Dussehra, in West Bengal is related to Kali-worship. Saints like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and Swami Vivekananda were renowned Kali devotees.
Champaner,where this temple is located, has a rich, rare and little known history. It goes back to early Stone Age on the basis of pre-historic stone tools recovered from the area. The rocks have the appearance of light yellow with tinge of red like Champaka flower or flame of the fire. Thus the name Champaner has been given to the town and Pavagadh to the hill fort. This town was set up in the 8th century A.D. by the Chauda dynasty, remained the political capital of Gujarat till 1536. The area is dotted with structures of archeological importance.Champaner/Pavagadh can boast of being the only world heritage site in Gujarat. The entire area is declared as protected area by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Maa Mahakalika Udankhatola
Maa Mahakalika temple, Pavagadh is one of the biggest tourist and pilgrimage centers in the dynamic state of Gujarat, which attracts millions of tourists and pilgrims every year and tops the list of educational institutions' excursion programs.
From the city of Vadodara, at a distance of 55 Kms. the old town of Pavagadh is located. The entire area is mainly forest land and very picturesque.
Goddess Mahakalika has been fulfilling wishes of millions of devotees for thousands of years. Maa Mahakalika Udan Khotala ( A Passenger Ropeway ) is operating since 1986 and takes you quickly and comfortably from Manchi to the hill top near the Maha Kalika Temple in about 6 minutes, whereas, the steep climb on foot takes over one hour.
Five people were killed during a mishap on January 19, 2003.
Hill station
A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa , for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler...
, and a Municipality in Panchmahal district
Panchmahal district
Panchmahal, also Panch Mahals, is a district in the western India, in the eastern portion of Gujarat State. Panch-mahal means "five tehsils/talukas" , and refers to the five sub-divisions namely - Godhra, Dahod, Halol, Kalol and Jhalod that were transferred by the Maharaja Sindia of Gwalior to the...
about 46 kilometres (29 mi) away from Vadodara
Vadodara
Vadodara formerly known as Baroda is the third most populated city in the Indian State of Gujarat . It is one of the four cities with the population of over 1 million...
in Gujarat state in western India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is known for a famous Mahakali
Mahakali
Mahakali , literally translated as Great Kali, is a Hindu Goddess, considered to be the consort of Shiva the God of consciousness, and as the basis of Reality and existence...
temple which draws thousands of pilgrims everyday.
Area of this locality Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is located in Panchmahal district in Gujarat, India. It was inscribed in 2004...
has been inscripted by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as World Heritage in 2004.
History
It is said that the RajputRajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
king Vanraj Chavda
Vanraj Chavda
Vanraj Chavda was the most prominent king of the Chavda Kingdom or "Gurjar Chapa dynasty" , a Hindu Kshatriya dynasty which ruled Gujarat from 746 AD to 942 AD.- History :...
established Champaner
Champaner
Champaner चंमपानेर شمبنر is a historical city in the state of Gujarat, in western India. It is located in Panchmahal district, 47 kilometres from the city of Vadodara. The city was briefly the capital of Gujarat....
at the foot of Pavagadh in fond memory of his wise minister Champa. Later, the Patai Raval family ruled it and took care of the boundary. The folk tales say that Mahakali assumed the form of a woman and danced in a Garba
Garba
Garba can mean;* Garba , a form of dance originating in Gujarat, India. The term "garba" holds the semantic field 'womb' and is part of the Sanskrit compounds: Hiranyagarbha, Tathagatagarbha, Garbhagriha and Garbhadhatu.-Places:*Garba, Central African Republic*Garba, Sichuan* Garba, the Hungarian...
during Navaratri. The last Patai, Jaisinh watched her with dirty looks. The deity became angry at Jaisinh and cursed him. As a result, the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
emperor of Gujarat, Mahmud Begada
Mahmud Begada
Sultan Abu'l Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I, popularly known as Mahmud Begada was the most prominent sultan of Gujarat. He was the great-grandson of Ahmad Shah I, the founder of the Muzaffarid dynasty, and of the city of Ahmedabad in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. He was known to be...
assaulted Pavagadh and won the hill on the boundary.
Patai was defeated and killed. Mahmud Begada
Mahmud Begada
Sultan Abu'l Fath Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah I, popularly known as Mahmud Begada was the most prominent sultan of Gujarat. He was the great-grandson of Ahmad Shah I, the founder of the Muzaffarid dynasty, and of the city of Ahmedabad in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. He was known to be...
shifted his capital from Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
to Champaner for some time for reasons of diplomacy. He developed the town by constructing buildings such as the fort of Champaner, Uohra mosque, Mandavi, Kirtistambh, the temple of Shalkh, Jama Masjid, Nagina Mosque and Kevda Mosque. The remains of the Palace of Begada are still found near Vad Talav (Banyan Pond) two kilometers (1.25 miles) away from Champaner.
Background
Pavagadh is the gateway to Panchmahal. It is a tribal area populated predominantly by the BhilBhil
Bhils are primarily an Adivasi people of Central India. Bhils are also settled in the Tharparkar District of Sindh, Pakistan. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages....
s. The government has granted many concessions and offered subsidies to the new industries coming up in this area. As a result of it, Halol
Halol
Halol is a city and a municipality in Panchmahal district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located in Western india, it has an average elevation of 499 metres .- Industry :...
and Kalol
Kalol
Kalol is a city and a municipality in Panchmahal district in the Indian state of Gujarat.- Geography :Kalol is located at . It has an average elevation of 100 metres .It is famous for its oil field.- Industry :...
towns near Pavagadh have turned into virtual industrial estates. The locations of hilly areas around Halol
Halol
Halol is a city and a municipality in Panchmahal district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located in Western india, it has an average elevation of 499 metres .- Industry :...
provide good scenery. A film studio at Halol
Halol
Halol is a city and a municipality in Panchmahal district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located in Western india, it has an average elevation of 499 metres .- Industry :...
has this added advantage. On the eastern side, the Rangpur Ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
run by Mr. Hari Parikh works towards the upliftment of the local tribals.
Baiju Bawra
The great music maestro of 16th century, and TansenTansen
Mia Tansen is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab .He was among the Navaratnas at the court of the...
's contemporary rival, Baiju Bawra
Baiju Bawra
Baiju Bawra is an award-winning 1952 Hindi movie directed by Vijay Bhatt. It stars Bharat Bhushan and Meena Kumari.The movie is based on the legend of Baiju Bawra from the days of Mughal Emperor Akbar in India. Baiju is the son of a musician who also grows up to be a musician...
belonged to Champaner
Champaner
Champaner चंमपानेर شمبنر is a historical city in the state of Gujarat, in western India. It is located in Panchmahal district, 47 kilometres from the city of Vadodara. The city was briefly the capital of Gujarat....
.
Places of interest
- Pavagadh has total height of 822 meters and you can find many scenic trails to climb including waterfalls during monsoon time.
- The plateau at an altitude of 490 meters is known as Machi HaveliHaveliHaveli is the term used for a private mansion in India and Pakistan. The word haveli is derived from the Persian word hawli, meaning "an enclosed place"...
. The remains of the Raval Palace still exist at Machi. There are rest houses, holiday homes and small hotels at Machi. The bus service has been extended up to Machi. - Then comes Teliya Talav and Dudhia Talav.
- The temple of KaliKali' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
is at the height of 550 metres (1,523 feet). A rope-way facility has been made available(commissioned in 1986 ) to the tourists to reach the temple. About 250 steps have to be climbed from there. - A little above the Kali Temple there is Sadanshah PirPir-Finance:Pir may refer to:* Pier 1 Imports Stock symbol NYSE:PIR, a Texas-based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor-Economics:PIR may refer to:* poverty index ratio, a measure of income relative to U.S...
DargahDargahA Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
. There are numerous tales, songs and dramas knitting the story of Patai Raval.
Ropeway at Pavagadh
Maa Mahakalika Temple, a famous Hindu and Muslim pilgrim centre, is located at Pavagadh in Panchmahals District. Situated amid dense forest cover on a cliff, the temple is believed to be one of the 51 Shakti Peeths.Legends have it that, the right toe of Goddess Sati, fell here. The holy complex is divided into two parts, on the ground floor the idol of Goddess Kali is seen and the top part houses a Mazar of a Peer, sacred to Muslims.
Kali, or Mahakali, the Dark Mother, is a deity with whom devotees have a very loving and intimate bond, in spite of her fearful appearance. She is a fearful and ferocious form of the mother goddess Durga. She is believed to have born from the brow of Goddess Durga during one of her battles with the evil forces.
In the Goddess Kalika temples, Kali has four arms, and carries a sword in one hand and the head of a demon in another. Her other two hands are raised in blessing, as if to say, 'fear not'. In the place of earrings, she has two dead heads. She also has a string of skulls as necklace, and a girdle made of human hands as her clothing. Her tongue protrudes from her mouth, eyes are red, and face and breasts are drenched in blood. She stands with one foot on the thigh, and another on the chest of Shiva, her husband.
This pre-historic goddess is widely worshiped in India, especially inWest Bengal. Navratri, or Dussehra, in West Bengal is related to Kali-worship. Saints like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and Swami Vivekananda were renowned Kali devotees.
Champaner,where this temple is located, has a rich, rare and little known history. It goes back to early Stone Age on the basis of pre-historic stone tools recovered from the area. The rocks have the appearance of light yellow with tinge of red like Champaka flower or flame of the fire. Thus the name Champaner has been given to the town and Pavagadh to the hill fort. This town was set up in the 8th century A.D. by the Chauda dynasty, remained the political capital of Gujarat till 1536. The area is dotted with structures of archeological importance.Champaner/Pavagadh can boast of being the only world heritage site in Gujarat. The entire area is declared as protected area by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Maa Mahakalika Udankhatola
Maa Mahakalika temple, Pavagadh is one of the biggest tourist and pilgrimage centers in the dynamic state of Gujarat, which attracts millions of tourists and pilgrims every year and tops the list of educational institutions' excursion programs.
From the city of Vadodara, at a distance of 55 Kms. the old town of Pavagadh is located. The entire area is mainly forest land and very picturesque.
Goddess Mahakalika has been fulfilling wishes of millions of devotees for thousands of years. Maa Mahakalika Udan Khotala ( A Passenger Ropeway ) is operating since 1986 and takes you quickly and comfortably from Manchi to the hill top near the Maha Kalika Temple in about 6 minutes, whereas, the steep climb on foot takes over one hour.
Five people were killed during a mishap on January 19, 2003.
External links
- Pavagadh City of Gujarat State
- Pavagadh Temple
- Pavagadh - Shakti Peeth in Gujarat
- Pavagadh Fort and Early Temples
- Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Photos
- Images
- ttp://www.ushabreco.com/maa-kalidevi.html