Mysuru’s afternoon sun burned brightly, but it wasn’t as scorching as we’d anticipated. After a short drive uphill, we arrived at the Chamundeshwari temple. Mahishasura’s statue stood outside the temple complex, welcoming pilgrims. With popping eyes, a machete in one hand and a snake in the other, the asura (demon) was a fierce sight.
Legend has it that the demon Mahishasura often troubled the devas (gods) while performing yajna (holy fire rituals) on Mahabalagiri. Nobody could subdue him, because Mahishasura had a boon—every drop of blood spilled from his body onto the earth would create a thousand demons. So, when the devas prayed earnestly, Goddess Parvati took the avatar of Chamundi to destroy Mahishasura. As Chamundi, she was bestowed with the powers of creation, preservation, and destruction, by the Hindu Trinity (Brahma—the creator; Vishnu—the preserver; Maheshwara—the destroyer). Aided by this potent power, and with help from her sister Jwala Tripura Sundari (who covered the entire earth with her tongue so that the demon’s blood doesn’t spill on the ground), the goddess killed the asura. And Mahabalagiri came to be known as Chamundi Betta.
The legend had us expecting a scary goddess for a presiding deity of the Chamundeshwari temple; someone like Kali, who’d make any demon scurry with fear. But the idol of Goddess Chamundi seemed anything but scary; she looked rather calm for someone who’s hailed as a warrior goddess. If anything, she looked beautiful in all the ornaments she was adorned with. Beneath her right foot, however, we noticed the idol of the dead demon. This peaceful goddess had one foot on her enemy Mahishasura in a victory.
When the going gets tough, we embody the Chamundi within us. When the going gets smooth, we recall the Mahagauri within us.
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