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Manibandh (Gayatri Temple)

Manibandh (Gayatri Temple)

pilgrimage site · Rajasthan

Manibandh (Gayatri Temple) in Pushkar, Rajasthan is one of the Shakti Peethas, the sacred shrines of the Divine Mother in the Shakta tradition of Hinduism.

State
Rajasthan
Type
Pilgrimage Site
Best season
Winter

Manibandh (Gayatri Temple) in Pushkar, Rajasthan is one of the Shakti Peethas, the sacred shrines of the Divine Mother in the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. According to tradition, this is where the **wrists** of Goddess Sati fell when Lord Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra divided her body. Here the Goddess is worshipped as **Gayatri**, and her guardian Bhairava (a form of Shiva) as **Sarvananda**. Shakti Peethas are among the holiest pilgrimage sites for devotees of the Goddess, drawing pilgrims especially during Navratri and Durga Puja. Each is tied to the legend of Sati, whose body parts fell across the Indian subcontinent and beyond, sanctifying the ground where they landed.

When to go

Navratri (around October and April) is the most auspicious time; winter months are comfortable for a quieter visit.

Why visit

Up a hillside above Pushkar, which makes it a climb rather than a stop on the ghat circuit. Go at first light, for the lake below before the town is awake.

Cultural notes

Presiding deity (Shakti): Gayatri. Bhairava (consort/guardian): Sarvananda. Associated relic: the wrists of Goddess Sati. The site forms part of the Shakti Peetha pilgrimage circuit rooted in the Daksha Yagna legend.

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