Mata Tekri Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport is about 53 km away and is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Dewas Junction, station code DWX, is the main railway junction of the city.

• By road

  NH-47 and NH-52 connect Dewas to Indore and other cities of Madhya Pradesh.

Why devotees come here

Mata Tekri is a hilltop temple in the middle of Dewas city, Madhya Pradesh. Two shrines stand on the hill, one for Devi Chamunda Mata and one for Devi Tulja Bhavani Mata. Legend says the hill is a Shakta pitha, where drops of Mata Sati's blood fell.

Legend says Tekri is a Rakt Peeth, a Shakta pitha where a few drops of Mata Sati's blood fell. The hill holds two shrines, the Devi Chamunda Mata Temple and the Devi Tulja Bhavani Mata Temple. The two goddesses are believed to be sisters, with Tulja Bhavani the elder. Legend says the sisters turned away from each other. That is why Tulja Bhavani faces south and Chamunda faces north.

Tulja Bhavani is called Badi Mata, the elder mother, and Chamunda is called Chhoti Mata, the younger mother. A broad flight of stone steps leads up the hill to both shrines. The image of Devi is cut into a cave wall. The cave is known as Devi Vashini, or the residence of Devi.

Some sources date the temple to the 9th century, while others say it is 1100 to 1200 years old. Pilgrims walk the parikrama, starting at Tulja Bhavani and ending with darshan of Chamunda. Legend also says a tunnel was built from Mata Tekri to Ujjain.

Festivals

• Chaitra/Vasantik and Ashvin/Shardiya NavaratriNavaratri

  The main festival at Tekri. Lakhs of pilgrims visit during both Navaratris, and people come from across the country.

Tips for your visit

• Numerous other temples spread over the Tekri can be explored on foot.
• The temples on the hilltop can be reached by stairs, a sliding path, or a ropeway.

Questions people ask