Jeen Mata Temple : Believed to have been built a thousand years ago, the temple is the venue of a colourful fair held twice in a year during ‘Navaratras.’
Jeen Mata is 30 Km. away from Sikar.There is an ancient Temple dedicated to Jeen Mata ( Goddess of Power) . It is said that this temple was built thousand years ago. Lacs of devotees congregate here every year in the month of CHAITRA & ASHWIN at the time of NAVARATRA fairs. There are a number of Dharamshala's to accommodate large number of visitors.
There is a popular belief which has come down to people through the centuries that in a village Ghoghu of Churu, King Ghangh loved and married an Apsara (nymph) on the condition that he would not visit her palace without prior information. King Ghangh got a son called Harsha and a daughter Jeen. Afterwards she again conceived but as chance would have it king Ghangh went to her palace without prior intimation and thus violated solemn vow he had made to the Apsara. Instantly she left the king and fled away with her son Harsha and daughter Jeen whom she abandoned at the place where presently the temple stands. The two children here practiced extreme asceticism. Later a Chauhan ruler built the temple at that place. Goddess Jeen Mata is Devi herself, the very embodiment of divine cosmic power. The deity is Mahishasura Mardini Durga having eight arms. The miraculous deity fulfills the wishes of her devotees. Whosoever acts unholily in the temple precincts is punished with a divine retribution. Mahishasura was demon in the form of a buffalo. He waged a fierce battle with Shri Durga. He with his forces affronted the goddess with all his demoniac powers. The battle with Durga has been beautifully described in the third chapter of Shri Durga Saptashati. Finally Durga pressed Mahisha with her foot and struck his neck with her lance. The lion too suppressed Mahisha (then in the buffalo form). This lion riding eight-armed form of Durga is Mahishasura Mardini. Here Jeen Mata is worshipped in her eight-armed form. The temple has been constructed in the style of architecture adopted by Pratihar and Chauhan clans of Rajputs. There are twenty four pillars with panels of figures finely carved on them. The main temple has a very high Shikhar (Pinnacle) in the midst . This is a unique temple from every point of view. It is believed that the Pandavas during their exile from Hastinapur came to the thick forests of this place where they spent their period here incognito. The daughter named Jeen of the King Ghangh also practised asceticism here. The place has acquired a great religious importance and is held sacred by all. Nestled amongst the high Arawali hills, the idyllic surroundings lend this sacred a natural grace of serenity and lushgreen vegetation with fauna and flora
