Bhagavati

Bhagavatī (Devanagari: भगवती, IAST: Bhagavatī), is an Indian epithet of Sanskrit origin, used as an honorific title for goddesses in Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, it is primarily used to address the goddesses Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parvati. In Buddhism, it is used to refer to several Mahayana Buddhist female deities, like Cundā.^[1]

The male equivalent of Bhagavatī is Bhagavān.^[2]^[3] The term is an equivalent of Devi and Ishvari.

Bhagavati Temples in Indian subcontinent

Maharashtra

Bhagavati temples can also be found all over Mumbai, for example,

Bhagavati Devi Sansthan Deosari, Umarkhed, Yavatmal District, Maharashtra.
Bhagavati temple at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra

Uttar Pradesh

Bhagawati Temple at Reotipur, Uttar Pradesh.
Bhagawati Temple at Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh.

Karnataka

Bagavathi temple Sasihitlu Mangalore. Famous temple in Karnataka on the bank of Arabian sea. Guliga is the main Daiva here.

Bhagavathi temple in Ullal, Mangalore

Kerala

Shrines of these goddesses are referred to as Bhagavati Kshetram in Kerala. Some popular Bhagavati temples in Kerala are,

Attukal Temple
Kalluvettu Kuzhikkal Bhagavati Kshetram at Karaparamba, Calicut
Punnasseri Bhagavati Kshetram at Athanikkal, Kozhikode.
Areekulangara Devi Kshetram at Kattangal-Mavoor Rd., Kozhikode.
Chakkulathukavu Temple
Chottanikkara Temple
Chettikulangara Devi Temple
Madayi Kavu
Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple
Paramekkavu Bhagavathi Temple, Thrissur
Sankarankulangara Bhagavathi Temple, Thrissur
Olarikkara Bhagavathi Temple, Thrissur
Sree Kattukulangara Bagavathy Temple, Mampad, Palakkad
Meenkulathi Bagavathy Temple, Pallasena, Palakkad
Peroor Kavu Bhagavathi
Kadampuzha Devi Temple
Pisharikavu
Kavaserry Bhagavathi Temple
Mangottu Bhagavathi Temple
Mondaicaud Bhagavathi Temple in Kolachal, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu
Lokanarkavu (Lokamalayar kavu) temple in Vatakara, Kozhikode District
Kalayamvelli temple, Kozhikode District
Uthralikkavu Bhagavati Temple, Thrissur District
Shree Sasihithulu Bhagavathee Temple, Haleyangadi, Karnataka
Kuttiyankavu Bhagavati Temple, Minalur, Athani, Thrissur District
Thechikkotukavu temple, Peramangalam, Thrissur District
Thachanaathukaavu temple, Parlikad, Wadakanchery, Trichur District
Tiruvaanikkaavu bhagawati temple, Machaad, Wadakanchery, Trichur District
Tirumandaamkunnu temple, Angaadipuram, Perinthalmana, Malappuram
Kottuvally Kavu Bhagavathy temple, Koonammavu, Ernakulam
Sree Emur Bhagavathy Hemambika temple (http://www.sreeemoorbhagavathy.org/about.php), Kallekulangara, Palakkad
Kechery Parappukkavu Bhagavathi Temple, Thrissur

Goa

Many Bhagavati temples are found in Goa, where the deity is mainly worshipped in the form of Mahishasuramardini by the Goud Saraswat Brahmin, Daivadnya Brahmin, Bhandari communities. Bhagavati is also worshipped as one of the Panchayatana deity in most of the Goan temples. Shrines specially dedicated to Bhagavati are:

Bhagavati (Pernem)
Bhagavati Haldonknarin (Khandola, Goa)
Bhagavati Chimulakarin (Marcela, Goa)
Bhagavati (Parse, Goa)
Bhagavati (Mulgao, Goa)
Dhavali, Bhagavati temple

Nepal

Shobha Bhagawati(शोभा भगवती मन्दिर), Kathmandu
Naxal Bhagawati Temple, Kathmandu
Chinnamasta Bhagawati Temple, Saptari District, Nepal
Palanchok Bhagawati Temple, Kavrepalanchok District
Kalinchowk Bhagwati Temple, Kalinchowk Rural Municipality
Bhagwati Bahal Temple (भगवती बाहल मन्दिर), Thamel, Kathmandu
Bindhyabasini Temple, Pokhara
Argha Bhagwati temple, Arghakhanchi District
Taleju, Hanumand Dhokha, Kathmandu
Taleju, Patan
Taleju, Bhaktapur
Bhadrakali
Rana Ujeshwori Bhagwati Temple, Tansen, Palpa

References

^ Gimello, Robert (2004). ″Icon and Incantation: The Goddess Zhunti and the Role of Images in the Occult Buddhism of China." In Images in Asian Religions: Texts and Contexts ed. Phyllis Granoff and Koichi Shinohara: pp. 71-85.
^ Friedhelm Hardy (1990), The World's Religions: The Religions of Asia, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415058155, page 84
^ Sarah Caldwell (1998), Bhagavati, in Devi: Goddesses of India (Editors: John Stratton Hawley, Donna Marie Wulff), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814912, pages 195-198

External links

[1] Gimello, Robert (2004). ″Icon and Incantation: The Goddess Zhunti and the Role of Images in the Occult Buddhism of China." In Images in Asian Religions: Texts and Contexts ed. Phyllis Granoff and Koichi Shinohara: pp. 71-85.

[2] Friedhelm Hardy (1990), The World's Religions: The Religions of Asia, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415058155, page 84

[3] Sarah Caldwell (1998), Bhagavati, in Devi: Goddesses of India (Editors: John Stratton Hawley, Donna Marie Wulff), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120814912, pages 195-198

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