Have you heard of a temple where Lord Ganesh is worshiped without head? Yes, you heard it right! There is a temple where a headless Lord Ganesh is being worshipped by his followers.
The temple is Mundkatiya temple, located in the lap of enchanting Kedar Valley. It is the only temple in the world where Lord Ganesh is worshipped without head. The temple is at a distance of approximately three kilometers from Sonprayag in the state of Uttarakhand. The place is also known as Devbhoomi.
Going by the Shiva Purana, this is the exact location where Lord Shiva severed his son Ganesha’s head because the former prevented his father from entering Parvati Devi’s private quarters as he was not aware of the fact that Lord Shiva is his father.
And yet this is the same location where, a head of an elephant was fixed on the torso of Lord Ganesh. How does the temple get its name? The name Mundkatiya is a combination of two words-Munda (head) and Katiya (severed).
Devotees trekking to Kedarnath on old route would stop here to offer their prayer. But since the new route becoming familiar, hardly anyone visits this temple, located in the lap of verdant forest of Kedar Valley. Serpentine Manadakini river flows below the temple, offering a picturesque scene.
As per the Shiva Purana, Parvati Devi went to take a bath. At that time she created a human form out of the turmeric paste she had taken with her and breathed life into the body. Parvati accepted him as her son and asked him not to allow anyone into her private quarters.
It was when Lord Ganesha was guarding at the door, Lord Shiva arrived and asked Ganesh to let him go inside. When he refused to budge, infuriated Lord Shiva severed Ganesh’s head. Later, upon Devi Parvati’s supplication for Ganesh’s life, an elephant’s head was fixed and then Lord Shiva himself infused life into his body.
PNN
