Shri Sheetala Mata Mandir (Masani Temple)also referred as 'Shakti Peeth'
is a well known temple located one and a half kilometers in the suburbs
of Gurgoan near a beautiful pond. The presiding deity of the temple is
Shri Mata Sheetla Devi also known by the names Bhagat Lalita Ma and Masani
Ma is the incarnation of Goddess Durga. The word Sheetala refers to the
disease smallpox and it is believed that the person's suffering from this
disease will be surely recovered by praying to Sheetla Devi . The statue
of the deity, weighing 4kg is made up of mixed metal with gold polish
and is kept in a wooden casket which is in turn placed on a small marble
platform in the temple.
The temple is thronged by a large number of devotees throughout the year,
especially on Mondays during the Hindu month of Chaitra (i.e in March
and April). Devotees visit this temple mainly to conduct the mundan (first
shaving off the heads) ceremony of their children and offer the crop of
hair at the altar of goddess. People suffering from small pox performs
a ritual named 'Jal dema' by spending a whole night in the temple, chanting
hymns and songs in honor of the goddess. Married couple also visit here
to get the blessings of the goddess for a happy married life. The annual
Masani Fair celebrated here is a major draw attended by thousands of devotees
from far and near.
There is a legend about this temple. There was a shrine, sacred to the
goddess Devi, locally known as Masani at the village of Kesopur in the
Delhi district. Some two hundred and fifty years ago according to tradition,
the Goddess appeared in a dream to one Singha, a Jat of some influence
and a resident at the village of Gurgoan. The Devi communicated to Singha
that she wished to leave Kesopur and directed him to construct a shrine
for her in his village. At the same time, she authorised the fortunate
Singha to appropriate all the offerings at her shrine. The orders of the
goddess were promptly carried out. The shrine was built and flourished,
its fame spreading far and wide.
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