Turn Five

There are many tours of temples available when one travels throughout Udaipur, India. Hotel staff are helpful and often make suggestions on which temples one should not miss before leaving the city. One such temple is located in the village ofJagat, not far from the downtown area of Udaipur. This is one of the smaller, but more elaborately decorated temples dedicated to the Goddess Ambika. She is also known throughout various regions as Kali, Parvati, and Durga . Her name when translated from Sanskrit refers to one who is difficult to understand, and is worshipped for this somewhat terrifying aspect of her personality, as well as her graciousness. She is a dynamic female symbol, one filled with the power of the infinite universe. She is at once, both beautiful and without form. In some religious sects she is known as the wife of Lord Shiva, and their sons are Lord Ganesh and Lord Karttikeya. Their daughter is the Goddess Jyoti. In Bengal she is worshipped for her ability to destroy devils, and an annual Durga Puja festival is held in her honor.

Descriptions of her vary throughout the Agamas and the Puranas, however she is usually depicted with ten arms, holding ten different items, a rosary, a bell, a sword, a conch shell, a discus, a shield, a bow, an arrow, a spear and a wine glass. In the temple inJagat , she is represented in sculpture sitting on a lion, which is how she is often depicted. Signifying her role as the Mother of the Universe, along side the king of beasts. She is often dressed elaborately andcolorfully, drenched in jewelery and ornaments. Throughout India, Durga is worshipped for her kind nature as well as her fierce capabilities. She is known as the subtle energy of spirituality that inhabits each person and is said to create balance when balance is lacking, in the universe, or in ones physical body. There are many myths that surround the religions of India, each one beautiful in their own way, and the temples located throughout the country beautifully honor the devotion of the people in this region.

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