Danteshwari Temple - Dantewada History ,How to Reach , Images , Temple Information

  Danteshwari Temple is temple dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari, and is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, shrines of Shakti, the divine feminine, spread across India. The temple built in the 14th century by the Chalukyas of the South, is situated in Dantewada, a town situated 80 km from Jagdalpur Tehsil, Chhattisgarh. Dantewada is named after the Goddess Danteshwari, the presiding deity of the earlier Kakatiya rulers. Traditionally she is the Kuldevi (family goddess) of Bastar state,

The temple is as according legends, the spot where the Daanth or Tooth of Sati fell, during the episode when all the Shakti shrines were created in the Satya Yuga.
Every year during Dusshera thousands of tribals from surrounding villages and jungles gather here to pay homage to the goddess, when her idol was taken out of that ancient Danteshwari temple and then taken around the city in an elaborate procession, now a popular tourist attraction part of the 'Bastar Dussehra' festival. There also a is tradition of lighting Jyoti Kalashas during Navaratris here.

Nature is said be where God resides. Well, tourist destinations bearing religious links as well as huge bounties of nature are numerous in the religiously variant and united country of India. Every corner of the nation, including the Southern coastal India, the northern plains and mountains, the eastern boundaries and the western edges provide plenteous options for any traveler to satisfy his/her thirst for natural beauties. Once you are in the state of Chhattisgarh, you will be rapt by the Danteshwari Temple, Dantewada, one of the most important Holy Places in Dantewada.

On your Tour to Dantewada, there are several Tourist Attractions to fascinate you. The Danteshwari Temple, Dantewada, however, carries a lot of historical importance to it. Most important of the holy sites in the town, is believed to have been erected as early as the fourteenth century by the Chalukya rulers, who reigned Dantewada from 1324 to 1777. With Barsur as their capital they established their ancestral deity, Warangal as Danteshwari.
According to legend, Danteshwari was previously called Goddess Manikeshwari by the Nagas who ruled from 760 to 1324 A.D. One of the Shakti Piths of the Hindus, and located in the Gole Bazar area, the Temple was re-created before 1947. Divided into four sections - the Garbh Griha, Maha Mandap, Mukhya Mandap and Sabha Mandap, it houses idols brought from Bursar.

It is said that the Chalukya kings, whenever paid holy visits to the Danteshwari Temple, presented a village to the Goddess as an offering. Popularly known as Maiji, Danteshwari Devi is worshipped by tribals and non tribals alike and has become and has acquired faith from one and all.

The History of Danteshwari Temple

 In ancient days when Bastar area was famous by the name of Chakrakot, present Dantewada region was known as Tarlapal. The kings of Chalukya Dynasty made Barsur their capital and ruled this region; in course of time they transferred their thrown to Dantewada. Along with Chalukya Kings their ancestral deity of Warangal also came and got established in a temple as Danteshwari near the confluence of Dankini and Shankini rivers and thus this place is called Dantewada.

It is believed that Danteshwari of Chalukya kings is the changed name of Manikeshwari of the kings of Naga Dynasty, who ruled this region earlier to Chalukyas. Chalukya Kings had the temple constructed during fourteenth century.

According to a prevalent myth in connection with Danteshwari, due to an insult committed by her father Prajapati Daksha towards her consort Lord Shiva during a Yaggya, Goddess Sati got frustrated and committed self-immolation in the fire pit of yaggya. Lord Vishnu cut the dead body of Goddess Sati into pieces with his Sudarshan to make Lord Shiva free from the grief caused by the death of Sati. Parts of the dead body of Goddess Sati were scattered to fifty-two different places, which were consecrated as Shakti Pithas by different names. It is believed that a tooth of Sati had fallen here and Danteshwari Shaktipith was established.

Resurrection of the present construction of temple was done before Independence of India. The temple is divided into four parts such as Garbh Griha, Maha Mandap, Mukhya Mandap and Sabha Mandap. Garbha Griha and Maha Mandap were constructed with stone pieces. It is said that several statues were brought from Barsur and were established here. A Garud Pillar has been erected in front of entrance of the temple, which was brought from the temple of Barsur.

Chalukya rulers were the dedicated devotees of Danteshwari. Whenever they came from Bastar to obtain a glimpse of goddess, a village was offered to the name of goddess. The number of these villages, thus became as much as one hundred and forty four by 1909, it has become a Mukasha or Maphi Jagir (estate, received from a ruler as a gift or reward). Temple’s management was done by the Zia family and followers of this family have been performing the worship  hereditarily till today.

Affectionately known as Maiji among her millions of devotees  both tribal and non-tribal, Danteshwari has become a living Shakti Pith in the form of deity, faith and belief.