Banaskantha: Situated amidst the Aravalli hills, the pilgrimage site Ambaji is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths, as mentioned in ancient texts like Tantra-Chudamani. It is set to host millions of devotees for the Bhadarvi Poonam Mahamela from September 1st. The Ambaji Shaktipeeth is considered highly significant, comparable to a crown jewel, as the sacred heart of Goddess Sati is believed to have fallen here.

The original temple of Ambaji Mata is at Baitha Ghat. The grand mandap and garbhagriha house the divine presence, where the Visha Yantra is worshiped instead of an idol. A gold-plated yantra is decorated with a crown, cloth, and vehicles such as lion, tiger, elephant, Nandi, and Garuda, symbolizing the deity’s form. This ceremonial yantra is considered sacred and contains 51 inscriptions. Devotees are not allowed to view it directly; the worship is performed with eyes closed. The yantra is worshiped on the eighth day of every month and is regarded as a wish-fulfilling tree. Opposite the temple lies the Chachar Chowk, where homas and havans are performed, earning Ambaji Mata the name “Chowkwali Mata.”

Mata is believed to appear in three forms throughout the day: as a child in the morning, a young woman at noon, and an elder in the evening. Her weekly processions vary: Sunday – tiger, Monday – Nandi, Tuesday – lion, Wednesday – elephant with a long trunk, Thursday – Garuda, Friday – swan, and Saturday – elephant with a short trunk (Airavat).

Poshi Poonam is celebrated as the day of Mata’s divine manifestation. On this day, lakhs of devotees from Gujarat and nearby states gather on foot and in vehicles. The fair is organized in Ambaji village, which is beautifully decorated. A Shat-Chandi Yagna is conducted, and Mata is offered 56 different bhogs.

Before independence, the Danta State managed the temple. After joining Gujarat in 1960, the Shri Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust was established to oversee temple management. The District Collector of Banaskantha serves as chairman, while the Deputy Collector is appointed as administrator.

The daily aarti of Jagat Janani Jagdamba at Ambaji is performed by the Bhattji Maharaj. Following morning rituals like abhishek, the Bhattji Maharaj, who is not allowed on the platform, performs the aarti after lamps are offered in the evening. Since the Danta State era, only the Bhattji family from Bhudewo of Siddhpur is authorized to perform the aarti and other rituals. Daily aartis occur in the morning, noon, and evening, and throughout the year, aartis are conducted thrice from Akhatrij to Ashadhi Bij. DeshGujarat