The Mother Goddess is viewed as Naini Mata by residents of Nainital, all though, others from afar also see her as Nanda
Devi, Kali Mata, Durga Devi or Naina Devi and many other forms in
which those who love the Universal Mother Goddess have viewed her. Long before
Nainital came up, the temple of the goddess stood on the shores of Naini Lake.
The present one is a reconstruction after the original one was submerged in
the lake due to a landslide more than hundred years ago. You will find much information on Nainital and the spirituality surrounding it in the various posts of this blog. It is is the jewel of Central Himalayas. You can also learn more
about the Mother Goddess in this little book, perhaps the only one in English language. It is available
widely at most major online retailers around the world including:
S ome of the earliest mentions of divine Nanda and Sunanda are found in ancient Sanskrit texts. It cannot be confirmed if these references have any connection with more recent worship of these goddesses in Kumaon region but they deserve mention for the probable origin of these glorious goddesses. The Bhāgavata Purāna also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, is one of the Puranic texts of Sanskrit literature. It includes many stories well known in Vedic tradition. The text credits Veda Vyasa, the revered ancient sage, with its authorship. Here is a verse from this text, “ Also, Srutadeva, Uddhava and others, Nanda, Sunanda and other leaders of liberated souls who are constant companions of the Lord ” Canto 1 Chapter 14 According to this verse, Nanda and Sunanda are close to the eternal lord with the same position as the highest of Angels of the Lord and amongst the leaders of liberated souls that are constantly engaged in serving God. A story in chapter 12 of the s...
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