In early days, this Shakti was witnessed in the form of five basic elements of Prithvi (earth), Aap (water), Tej (light), Vayu (wind), Akash (space).
When Man pondered over his birth and the person responsible for it, he realized that mother is at the root of the genesis, and it is she who embodies the Shakti .
He aspired to give a finite structure to the infinite energy. In the process he first named that finite structure as Matruka (representation of energy in the form of a divine mother).
Then he granted a shape to the Matruka.
The earliest form was of Pashan1 or Tandula2 (stone) and Varula (ant hill).
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The main places where such Mahamatruka (the great divine mother) were established came to be known as Mahamantrukasthan (abode of the great divine mother).
Such sites were discovered all over India. In Maharashtra they were identified in Kolhapur, Tuljapur, Mahur and Vani.
All the four were thus called the Shaktipeeths (seat of the Goddesses that embodies energy).
These places then became popular as pilgrimage sites.
The finite form of the Goddess was further refined by Man.
The birth of the universe and in turn his own birth had intrigued him.
He wished to give a better representation to the Shakti.
Therefore the mere stone representation was improvised to the form of Lajjagauri (female figure with a prominent womb). Lajjagauri was intially a two dimensional figure.
As years passed Shakti that was represented by Paravati3 and Durga4 was also manifested in three different forms namely Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati.
“The framing narrative of Devi Mahatmya Presents a dispossessed king, a merchant betrayed by his family, and a sage whose teachings lead them both beyond existential suffering.
The sage instructs by recounting three different epic battles between the Devi (Goddess) and various demonic adversaries the three tales being governed by, respectively, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati.
Goddess Mahalakshmi is the presiding Goddess of the middle episode.
Here she is depicted as Devi in her universal form as Shakti.
The world was under attack by Mahishasura the most evil demon in the world, who took many different forms, including that of a buffalo.
The male Gods, fearing total annihilation endowed Durga with their powers.
The Goddess is described as eighteen- armed bearing string of beads, battle axe, maze, arrow, thunderbolt, lotus, bow, water-pot, cudgel, lance, sword, shield, conch, bell, wine-cup, trident, noose and the discus sudarsana. She has a complexion of coral and is seated on a lotus. She is known as Ashta Dasa Bhuja Mahalakshmi.
Riding a lion into battle, she slew the buffalo by cutting off its head and then she destroyed the spirit of the demon as it emerged from the buffalo’s severed neck.
It is through this act that order was established in the world”
. Eventually the abovementioned description of Goddess Mahalakshmi was manifested in the form of idols.
The evolution was gradual. The two dimensional concept of Lajjagauri developed in to a three-dimensional form when art of idol making was initiated.
Thus the statues of Goddesses in various avatara of Durga were created.
How to reach Kolhapur.
Kolhapur is in Maharashtra,India,
By Air
Kolhapur has an airport near Ujlaiwadi, situated at a distance of almost 13 km from the heart of the city. The airport is well connected with almost all the major cities in India. Simplifly Deccan offers daily flights between Mumbai and Kohlapur, which take around one hour only.
By Rail
Kolhapur has its own railway station, which is known as Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus. The station is connected with Mumbai, Pune, Tirupati, Bangalore and Ahmedabad through direct as well as daily trains. One can also get a direct train for traveling to Kolhapur from Delhi and other major cities of the country.
By Road
Kolhapur is located at a distance of around 395 km from Mumbai and 225 km from Pune. It is well connected by both of them, along with the other cities of Maharashtra and neighboring states, through roadways. You can easily get private as well as State Transport buses for reaching Kohlapur, from all the key cities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, along with some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Taxis are also easily available.
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