Annapurna

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See album/figurines/pic 9

 

While Durga is a fierce Goddess of the battlefield, Annapurna

represents a contrary view of the personality of Devi. Her name

literally means "She who is full of Food" and not

surprisingly, she

is considered the goddess of plenty, especially where grains and the

preparation of food are concerned.

 

Her personality is pacific, fertile and bountiful. Her symbols are

the overflowing of pot of rice, and the brimming vessel of milk. She

is worshipped in both iconic and aniconic form. As the latter she is

represented as a full bellied pot, in Central India she is depicted

as seated and with a ladle across her lap. The small domestic bronze

shrines of Maharashtra, shaped like diminutive thrones, usually

contain her image carrying her ladle, along with the others of the

family of Shiva, or ritual items associated with his Cult. These

include Ganesha, lingas, Nandi, offering cakes ( pandas ) and nagas.

All are crowded on to the small flat top surface of the alter. These

small shrines are invariable Shaiva in affiliation. Unlike most other

goddess, Annapurna carries no weapons.

 

Her most famous and popular shrine is in Benaras, the city sacred to

Shiva. Here, as one would expect, the connection with Shiva is

especially emphasized, and in the coloured lithographs depicting her

story which are sold in the streets of the city, the homely qualities

of the preparer and dispenser of food are contrasted with the wild

and unkep characteristics of her yogi consort, Shiva. She provides

food even for him, just as she does for her devotees. In Bengal

during the month of Chaitra ( March/April ) there is a tradition of

producing clay images of the goddess lading out food to Shiva, who is

shown as a begging mendicant. This perhaps recalls the story of his

expiation of the sin of killing a Brahmin, when he came to Benaras as

a penniless and hungry wanderer. At the harvest festival of Annakuta,

the "Mountain of Food", which takes place in the autumn,

Annapurna's

Benares temple becomes the focus of elaborate activity. This festival

is usll associated with Kriahna, but in Benaras it is Annapurna whose

temple is filled by her devotees with quantities of rice and other

food which are then given away to the needy as prasad, food

sanctified through contact or association with the deity.

 

 

OM ParaShaktiye Namaha

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There is also a famous and a very nice temple at Horanadu.

 

History

In the midst of the Western Ghats, surrounded by greenery Goddess

Annapoorneshwari makes Horanadu her home. The name of the goddess means

"Feeding one & all" , like the ever giving & loving mother. The specialty of

this temple is that everybody who visit this shrine are provided with food &

place to sleep or rest.

http://www.udupipages.com/temple/hornadu.html

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