Shravan Devi Temple, Hardoi

Shravan Devi Temple is located at the headquarters of Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh. This temple is considered to be one of the Shaktipeeths of the Goddess. It is believed that the ear part of Mata Sati had fallen at this place, hence the temple was named ‘Shravan Devi Temple’.

folklore

There is a folk tale that, unable to bear the insult of Lord Shiva in the yagya of Daksh Prajapati, Mother Sati sacrificed her life by burning herself in the fire of the yagya. Taking the mortal remains of Sati on his shoulders, Lord Shiva set out and started roaming around the world crying pitifully. At this time the fear of destruction of the entire creation started troubling the gods. The gods took refuge in Brahma and Vishnu. Then Lord Vishnu broke Sati’s body into many pieces with the blow of his Chakra. Wherever pieces of Sati’s body parts, clothes or jewelery etc. fell, Shaktipeeths came into existence. This is called a very sacred pilgrimage place. These pilgrimage spots are spread across the Indian subcontinent.

At that time, the ear part of Mata Sati had fallen here, due to which this place was named ‘Shravan Damini Devi’. Mother Sati’s ‘Karnmani’ [1] had fallen at Meerghat near Vishveshwar in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Here is ‘Vishalakshi Shaktipeeth’.

There is mention of 108 Shaktipeeths in Devi Bhagwat. ‘Shravan Devi Temple’ is also one of these. According to the folklore here, there was an ancient Peepal tree, in whose cave an ancient idol of Shravan Devi was found. It is said that that Peepal tree itself used to shape and deform shapes. In 1880 AD, former treasurer Seth Samaliya Prasad got it developed after he had a vision of his mother in his dream. A fair is held at this place every year in the months of Kwar and Chaitra (Navratri) and on the full moon day of Ashadh month.