Kalubai, also known as Mandhardevi or Kaleshwari, is a local Hindu goddess who is a form of Goddess Parvati. She is very popular in the rural areas of Maharashtra. The Mandhardevi Temple near Wai is the goddess’s most popular place of worship. Millions of people visit the temple yearly. Although the temple was notorious for black magic, the conditions are improving.
Meaning of the Name Kalubai:
The word Kalu means “black”, and Bai means “a woman” in Marathi. So Kalubai literally means “a black woman,” but here it means “the dark goddess”. The meaning of the name is similar to Kali Mata.
Other Names of Goddess Kalubai:
1. Dongarchi Waghin (the tigress of the hill).
2. Kaleshwari.
3. Mandhardevi.
Other Important Information:
Mother: Mainavati.
Father: Himalaya.
Husband: Lord Shiva.
Carrier: Lion.
Place of Residence: Mandhardev village in Satara District.
Favorite Weapons: Sword, trident, mace, spear, Chakra.
Why Did Goddess Parvati Assume the Form of Goddess Kalubai?
The story is not found in Hindu Sanskrit texts, but according to some folklore, Goddess Parvati became Kalubai to kill a demon. This story is similar to the story of Goddess Kali.
At the end of the Dvapara Yuga, there was a demon king named Ratnasura. He had a valiant army chief named Lakhyasura, who had propitiated Lord Shiva through severe penance. He got a boon from Lord Shiva that his clone would emerge from each drop of his blood if spilled on the ground.
(Per another version, Lakhyasura was a king, not an officer.)
Sage Mandavya was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He was performing a yajna to please Lord Shiva. Because of the boon from Lord Shiva, the demons had become arrogant and were disturbing the yajna. Therefore, Mandavya Rishi did penance and propitiated Lord Shiva. He asked him to rid the Earth of Lakhyasura, but Lord Shiva was helpless because he had given the boon to the demon. So, he advised the sage to pray to Goddess Parvati.
Therefore, the sage prayed to Goddess Parvati, and she took the form of Kalubai. When the goddess tried to kill the demon, many demons erupted from his blood drops. The goddess was clueless and did not know what to do. At that time, Goddess Satvai came to her help and told her to kill the demon at night and not let any drop of his blood spill on the ground.
Therefore, at midnight of Pausha Purnima, the goddess killed the demon and licked his blood before it could spill on the ground.
All the devotees hailed her and requested her to stay in the fort. The goddess agreed and stayed on the fort in the form of Kalubai.
Goddess Kalubai Iconography:
Kalubai is generally depicted as having four hands. In her right two hands, she holds a sword and a trident, while in her left two hands, a shield and the head of a demon. Her skin color is dark black, like Goddess Kali.
Mandhardevi Temple in Wai:
Mandhardevi Temple in Wai is the most popular of all the temples of Kalubai. It is located on a hill fort named Mandhagarh, approximately 4650 feet above sea level.
One can go from Satara via Wai and Pune via Bhor to the temple. There is one more road, which is a trail from Shirwal. There is also a small temple of the goddess at Jhagalwadi at the foothills. In the middle, there is a small shrine of Mhasoba. To its left is a cold spring. At a later stage, there is a stone temple of Mandabai, the wife of Sage Mandhavya. There is a small water pond in front of this temple called Gomukhtirtha.
At the last stage, there are two magnificent big doors from which it takes about 125 steps to ascend. In the middle, on the right side, is a 5-foot idol of Lord Hanuman. The main temple is small and has an assembly hall and a sanctum. In the assembly hall of the main temple, there is a statue of a lion that is the carrier of the goddess. In the sanctum, there is a two-foot idol of Goddess Kalubai. The face of the goddess is generally covered with a silver mask. The body of the idol is covered with a saree and a blouse.
There are two lamp towers in front of the main temple. On the right is a temple of Govind Bua, and on the left is a temple of Mangirbaba. Both of them are servants of the goddess. Other than these two temples, there are other temples of Dhavaji Patil, Mari Mata, Lakshmi Aai, Gangajibaba, and Telibaba.
There is no evidence of when the temple was constructed, but the locals believe it was built around 400 years ago during the reign of Shivaji Maharaj.
Stampede in the Mandhardevi Temple in 2012:
On January 25, 2012, thousands of devotees had flocked to the temple for the annual Shakambhari Purnima fair. The temple was accessible through a single, narrow lane bordered by walls. Per some reports, an LPG cylinder explosion followed by a fire caused the stampede. People used to break coconuts on the stairs of the temple. Therefore, the step had become slippery. It increased the intensity of the mishap and resulted in more casualties. Around 300 pilgrims died, and thousands were seriously injured. Most of the victims were women and children.
After this accident, the authorities came into action, and the breaking of coconuts on the steps was banned. The road to the temple was widened, and the sacrifice of animals was also prohibited. Some devotees believe the mishap happened due to the goddess’s wrath because of black magic activities going around the temple.
Black Magic Around the Temple:
The Mandhardevi Temple is one of the most notorious temples for black magic in Maharashtra. There are some trees around the temple where the people used to nail papers with their enemies’ names written. It is believed that this causes serious harm to the person whose names are written on the papers. This thing is prohibited now.
The temple is also famous for relieving people from black magic. Many people promise animal sacrifice to the servants and guards of Goddess Kalubai if the black magic done upon them is removed. Therefore, each year during the annual fair, many animals are offered as a sacrifice.
Goddess Kalubai Yatra:
As the goddess killed the demon on the night of Pausha Purnima, a big annual fair is organized at the temple. Lacs of people visit the temple on this day and offer coconuts and sarees to the goddess. Some people perform animal sacrifices on this day.
At midnight, a procession is organized in which the mask of the goddess is put in a palanquin and is paraded around the temple with some people playing musical instruments.
Other Temples:
There are hundreds of small temples dedicated to the goddess in Maharashtra. Other than the Mandhardevi temple, other famous temples are in Bopgaon and Mandhar.
Mantra of Kalubai:
Om Aim Rim Klim Kalubai Devai Namah.
Conclusion:
Goddess Kalubai seems to be the Maharashtrian version of Goddess Kali because their names and stories are very similar. Also, both are associated with black magic.
Fortunately, the temple authorities of the Mandhardevi Temple are taking appropriate steps to wipe out the taboo of black magic. We hope this temple will soon be like other famous temples in Maharashtra.
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