The Mata Of Idana Rajastan Who Bathes In Flames And Grants Progeny To The Childless

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We have all heard of water and milk abhishekam offered to Gods and Goddesses in the temples, but here is quite a hair raising phenomenon that happens at the temple of Idani Mata, of Rajastan.

The Idani Mata catches fire on her own and burns for some time. This happens two or three times a month as per the local archaks.

Idani Mata is in Udaipur which is full of mind-boggling facts. Located in the centre of the Aravalli hills, about 60 km away from Udaipur district headquarters, this temple is recognized as a shakti peeth. Idani Mata's temple is by itself not grandly built.

There is no ceiling above the sanctum to protect it. She is just installed under a banyan tree. A few Trishuls placed behind the idol of Mata at the back side are the only protective shields for her.

These are actually presented to her, once the wish of the devotee is fulfilled. Idana mata is the direct form of Rajarajeshwari herself.

Fire bath procedure is a century old affair. The fire breaks out all of a sudden and extinguishes itself without external aid. Surprisingly about 20-meter-high flame breaks out during her bath which extends all around the place.

All the naivedyas and flowers offered are charred to dust. But surprisingly Mata and her Chuniri does not catch fire The idol looks the same even after so many years.The high flames of Mata has damaged the banyan tree under which Mata has been residing for centuries

The speciality of this Shakti peeth is that this temple is open to devotees for 24 hours during the day and night.. The puja procedure consists of Aarti that occurs 5:30 am, Shringar darshan at 7 o'clock, Aarti darshan at 7 o'clock in the evening.

Any wish of the devotee is fulfilled by the Mata. Devotees throng to this temple as it is widely known that this temple cures all the diseases of the devotees. There is a procedure specifically followed for the paralysis patients here.

Any paralysed person returns back healthy once he steps into the temple and undergoes the treatment. Homa is conducted for paralysis and then the patients are allowed to pass through the gate that leads to the basement of the temple.

The patients are asked to sleep at night in a place that faces Mata's statue. Patients are believed to get cured by sleeping under the mata's shadow that cures the paralysed patients. She is also known to grant progeny to the childless. By offering Trishul and Chuneri to Mata, devotees can get their wish fulfilled.

Due to the fire bathing phenomenon, a temple for Devi could not be built and hence she stays under a Banyan tree without a ceiling or a canopy above her. It is widely believed that when Mata is exultant about something, she bathes in fire.

Whoever sees her taking fire bath gets extremely lucky and all his wishes will be fulfilled at that time. This fire bathing tradition is centuries old. Local princely states worship her as their kuldevata. There is no priest for this temple. Only mother goddess and her devotees.

Incense sticks are not offered in prayer as care is taken not to give an impression to the devotees that idana mata's fire is due to some mishap with the dhoop stick. Flame or fire burns inside the glass and not outside it.

When there are too many offerings presented to her, she is happy and burns all that by firebathing. Fire cools down in 2-3 days. Her ornaments are taken off before the fire erupts out of her. When the fire cools, the make up is applied over her.

Surprising thing about this temple is that the prasad is not taken home; it is consumed at the temple itself..
When the childless couple get a baby, they offer Idana Mata a swing. There is a court, Akhand Jyoti, Dhuni, and Ramdev temple in the Idana Mata complex.