Name of both a shrine and its presiding goddess in the Shiwalik Hills (foothills of the Himalayas).
Kalika Devi is one of the Shiwalik deities and is said to be
a manifestation of Kali.
The temple is located in the town of Kalka, which is located
on the route between Chandigarh and Simla.
The figure of Kalika Devi, like that of many other Shiwalik
deities, is a natural stone outcropping.
This is regarded as the Goddess's self-manifested
(svayambhu) form.
Unlike many other Shiwalik goddesses, the Hindi literature
on this shrine does not state that it is part of the Shakti Pithas, a network
of holy locations related mythically as places where a body part of the
dismembered goddess Sati fell to earth.
Instead, the literature praises the temple for its grandeur
and might.
Local priests identify it as the location where Sati's hair
fell to earth, according to the literature.
This demonstrates both the power of pamphlet literature in
directing pilgrim traffic and the importance of connecting one's place to the
Shakti Pithas' network.
Kalika Devi's head is said to be the protrusion of stone
that creates her appearance.
Kali assumed the guise of a lovely lady and came to the
temple to perform celebratory songs during the Navaratri festival, according to
legend.
Her voice and attractiveness had such an impact on the local
king that he asked her to marry him.
Kali was enraged by the king's remark and cursed him to lose
his realm.
She also forced the temple image to begin sinking into the
dirt as a symbol of her anger.
She permitted the image's head to stay exposed at the request of an enthusiastic follower.
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