SHREE CHANDRALA PARAMESHWARI TEMPLE
As per Skanda Purana, the story of Devi Shri Chandralaparmeshwari narrated around three Devatas who were born on Earth as Amsha (Part of God); King Sethu Raja, Naryana Muni and Princess Chandravadane. These three Devatas are Amsha (part of God) of God Indra, God Vishnu, and Goddess Laxmi, respectively. God Indra (King of Gods) and God Vishnu were cursed to be born on earth and Goddess Laxmi to full fill her promise born on earth.
After the death of Demon King: Hiranyakashipu, his son, Prahlad is crowned king in the Satya Yug. Prahlad, blinded by his power, decides to wage war against the Devas. God Indra is able to defeat Prahald and all the other Asuras make a cowardly retreat and seek shelter under Shukracharya (Daitya Guru/ Demon Guru). Since Shukracharya is immensely powerful, the other Devas also retreat, and the war reaches a temporary stalemate. After this, Shukracharya decides to go on a tapasya (penance) to gain even more power to help the Asuras to receive Mritasanjeevani Mantra from God Shiva. When the Devas realise that Shukracharya is away, they take this opportunity to attack the Asuras. The Asuras, fearing for their lives, then seek shelter with Shukracharya’s mother: Kavya Mata. Kavya Mata aids the Asuras by putting all the Devas under a sleep spell. Since God Vishnu is more powerful than the other Devas, he is immune to the spell, and he manages to wake God Indra as well. This in turn furious and she tries to kill all the Devas using her yoga vidya. God Indra then pleads to God Vishnu to save the other Devas. God Vishnu beheads Kavya Mata using the Sudarshana Chakra. Due to Stri Hatya (Killing of a female) Bhrugu Muni (Husband of Kavya Mata), cursed God Vishnu and God Indra to be born on earth where God Indra will abduct God Vishnu’s wife. Then, in order to save his wife, God Vishnu will have to pray to a goddess who will help him to defeat God Indra.
God Indra was roaming around on earth when he falls in love with Indulila, daughter of Takshka (Serpent King). They get married and have a child named Sethu. Sethu is the Amsha (part of god) of God Indra. As a token of love for his family, God Indra requests Vishwakarma (divine architect and craftsman) to build a beautiful city named Sannati. Sethu is then crowned as the king of this kingdom.
Lord Brahma created Dakhshaka (Prajapati Daksha) from his right thumb and Dharma from his heart. Dharma marries the ten daughters of Daksha. Dharma’s third son is Naryana. Narayana is God Vishnu’s Amsha. Naryana does tapsya and becomes a Muni (holy man).
Titibha Pakshi (spur-winged waterhen) resided on the shores of Ksheerasagar and would lay eggs on the trees along the shore. During one full moon day, the sea level rose tremendously and swept the eggs away. The Titibha Pakshi, angered and saddened by this, decide to dry the ocean out. Hearing about the blatant injustice, Garuda (king of birds) helps them out by flapping his wings and displacing the water out of the ocean. In hopes to resolve the conflict, Laxmi (daughter of Ksheerasagar) prays to Garuda and promises to return all the eggs to Titibha Pakshi. She also promises to reincarnate as Garuda’s daughter. Goddess Laxmi’s Amsha Chandravadeny is then born to Rajasena/Rajyavardhana, a reincarnation of Garuda.
Despite becoming a Muni, Narayana becomes impure due to his ego and loses all the power gained through tapasya. In order to regain his powers, he decides to go to Sannati for Tapsya. On his journey to Sannati, he meets Rajasena at Padampura Nagara. Due to his charming nature and good looks, the king invites him to the Swayamvara (competition for marriage) of Chandravadeny. In order to win the hand of Chandravadeny, the potential suitors have to successfully damage seven pillars using a single arrow. Naryana, being the only one to succeed in this challenge marries Chandravadeny and both of them move to Sannati and reside in a Parna Kuteera along the banks of the Bhimarati (Bhima) River.
Power-hungry Sethu Raja desires immortality and decides to engage in tough tapasya to God Shiva. Impressed by his dedication, God Shiva blesses Sethu Raja with his presence and grants him a boon. Sethu Raja, blessed with a boon, that he should not die in the hands of Yaksha (benevolent spirits), Devata (Gods), Gandharva (divine musicians), Kinnara (half-bird/horse), Sadhu (ascetic), Humans, Danava (demons), Rakshasa (evil spirit), Serpents, any four-legged or two-legged animals and anybody from the Trilokas (esoteric planes). Additionally, none of their weapons should harm him. Spurred by his immortality, Sethu Raja wages war on all three Lokas and expands his kingdom. He tortures and appoints Devas as his servant. The Devas, unable to defeat Sethu Raja, pray and beg God Brahma to save them. Hearing their pleas, God Brahma hatches a plan to allow Narayana, Sethu and Chandravadeny to meet and end their curse. God Brahma creates mystical deers that immediately pique the interest of Sethu Raja. Sethu Raja orders his soldiers to catch these deer and bring them to him. However, none of his soldiers is successful and therefore, he decides to catch them himself. He travels far and wide trying to hunt these deers and stumbles upon Naryana Muni’s Ashram. As he is exhausted from the journey, he takes shelter in the Ashram under Chandravadeny’s hospitality. While he is at the Ashram, he becomes enamored by Chandravadeny’s beauty and demands that she marry him. Chandravadeny calmly refuses his proposal and explains that she is married. However, Sethu Raja cannot accept rejection and abducts her. Back in his kingdom, he keeps Chandravadeny in captivity. She firmly refuses to give in to his demands and swears to kill herself should he force her to marry. Meanwhile, Narayana Muni realises that his wife is abducted when he returns from his daily prayers and requests Sethu Raja and calmly asks for his wife to be returned. Sethu Raja refuses and banishes him from the palace. Chandravadeny hears about the whole ordeal and with the help of a Brahmana, sends a message to her husband telling him to pray to her Kulladevati Hingula Devi (ancestral goddess) at Hingula Mahapeeth (which is now located in Balochistan, Pakistan). Naryana Muni travels to Srisailam and prays to Lord Malika Arjuna and visits Bramaramba after which he travels to Hingula Peet and begins his Tapsya.
Impressed by his tapasya, Hingula Devi blesses him with her presence and grants him a boon. He asks for her aid in slaying Sethu Raja and rescuing his wife. Hingula Devi conjures her power and creates three Brahmaras (beetles) from her right foot named; Vaishnava, Shankara and Shakth, and two Brahmaras from her left foot named; Baindava and Nadaka. She places these Brahmaras in a Manikya Patra (ruby vessel) and gifts it to Naryana Muni. She instructs him to carry the Manikya Patra on his head and release it near Sethu Raja. These Brahmaras are the perfect loophole to Sethu Raja’s immortality boon and will multiply into millions and decimate him. However, Narayana Muni beseeches Hingula Devi to come along as Sethu Raja is overpowering. Hingula Devi agrees to follow behind him on the condition that under any circumstance, he shall not turn around to look at her. Additionally, in order to assure Narayan Muni that she is following behind, she asks him to listen for Beri/Mrudanga(drums) sounds. Should he turn around, she will no longer follow him and remain in the same spot. With this, Naryana Muni proceeds towards Sethu Raja’s kingdom with Hingula Devi following behind on her lion and band of Devatas.
On the way, Naryana Muni reaches a place where the Bhimarati River and Kakini River meet. The loud sounds of the river flowing drown out the noise of the drums and Narayana Muni turn back to check on the Hingula Devi. True to her words, Hingula Devi halts and becomes a statue; this place is now known as Honagunta Kshetra. Naryana Muni repents and prays for her to follow him, to no avail. However, Hingula Devi reassures Naryana Muni that these Brahamaras are strong enough to defeat Sethu Raja. Dismayed but motivated to save his wife, Narayana Muni reaches Sethu Raja’s palace and releases the Brahamaras. They then start to multiply in millions and kill his servants and soldiers. Sethu Raja is now alarmed and decides to fight the Brahmaras by releasing different Astras (weapons); Brahma, Savitra, Yamya, Vayu, Kubera and Vaishnava Chakra. However, he is unable to kill the Brahmaras. The Brahmaras then start attacking his body and as a last attempt to save himself, he uses the Pashupatastra which causes the Brahmaras to die slowly. The Brahmaras then retreat and merge back into Hingula Devi’s feet. The Pashupatastra follows them all the way to Hingulapeet. In order to protect the world from the wrath of the Pashupatastra, Hingula Devi absorbs it into herself.
The Brahmaras return in full swing and gravely injure Sethu Raja. Due to the immense pain, Sethu Raja hides underwater in the depths of the Bhimarati River. Angered that Sethu Raja went missing, the Brahmaras started attacking all the 3 Lokas. The Devatas in fear request Narayana Muni to call the Brahmaras back once they confirm that Sethu Raja was killed. With Chandravadeny rescued, both of them return to Honagunta where Hingula Devi had stopped and prayed for the Brahamaras to return. Due to the sincere prayers, the Brahmaras rejoin into five and return to the paduka of Hingula Devi.
Naryana Muni then requests Devi’s paduka and brings them back to Sannati where his Ashram is. He then establishes a temple for paduka, where the Devi promises to reside as Goddess Chandrala. Her name is derived by combining Chandravadeny and Laxmi.