Names & Legend
Haryana has been a land of culture and faith since ancient times, and the Kurukshetra Shakti Peeth is one of its greatest treasures. Here the Goddess is worshipped as Savitri, and in the temple she is known as Bhadrakali.
When Lord Vishnu divided Sati’s body with his Sudarshan Chakra as Lord Shiva carried it in grief, Sati’s right ankle is believed to have fallen into a well at this spot. The well is still worshipped, and the temple is called Shri Devikoop Bhadrakali Temple (koop means well).
Location
The temple is in Thanesar, the old city of Kurukshetra in Haryana, about 160 km north of Delhi. Kurukshetra is the land where the great war of the Mahabharata was fought between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and where Lord Krishna gave the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. Its name means “the field of the Kurus”, the royal family that once owned this vast land.
The Goddess & Bhairava
In the lists of the Shakti Peeths, the Goddess is named Savitri and her Bhairava is Sthanu, the name of Lord Shiva at nearby Thanesar (Sthaneshwar); some texts call him Ashwanath. Devotees see a striking face of the Goddess in the temple, and in the sanctum a beautiful lotus-shaped image of the ankle marks the sacred spot.
The Offering of Horses
A unique tradition of this temple is the offering of horses. According to legend, before the Mahabharata war, Lord Krishna and the Pandavas prayed to the Goddess here for victory and promised to offer their best horses if they won. After the victory they kept their word. Today, devotees whose wishes are fulfilled offer small terracotta, silver or gold horses at the temple. Another tradition says that the first hair-cutting ceremony (mundan) of Lord Krishna and Balarama was performed here.
Sacred Sites of Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra is full of holy places: the vast Brahma Sarovar and Sannihit Sarovar, where lakhs bathe during solar eclipses; Jyotisar, where the Gita was spoken under a banyan tree; the Sthaneshwar Mahadev temple; and the Krishna Museum and Panorama. Every year the city celebrates Gita Jayanti (International Gita Mahotsav) in November–December.
Visiting Tips
The temple is in the heart of Thanesar and is easily combined with Sthaneshwar Mahadev and Brahma Sarovar. Dress modestly, remove footwear before entering the shrine, and follow the instructions of the priests. Simple offerings such as flowers, fruit, vermilion, a red chunri and incense are traditional, and it is good practice to buy them from the stalls near the temple, which also supports local families.
Festivals, Travel & When to Visit
Navaratri is the main festival of the Goddess. Kurukshetra Junction railway station is on the Delhi–Ambala line, and the city is close to the Delhi–Chandigarh highway (NH-44). The nearest airports are Chandigarh and Delhi. The best time to visit is from October to March, especially during Gita Jayanti.