Shri Ekviradevi:

From ancient times Shri Ekviradevi temple is situated on the Amba Bridge and it is at the south of Shri Ambadevi temple. It is known as Shaktipith of the whole Vidarbha. This Ekviradevi is called the elder sister of Ambadevi. Mahan Tapasvi Shri Janardan Swami Maharaj established Shri Ekviradevi statuary and she is known as an incarnation of great power.

At the beginning of saptashati we get story of Ekviradevi incarnation. This Devi is from of universe. Such Mahalaxmi, Mahamaya, embraces the entire universe with her Bramharup. When this universe had becomes empty, at that time goddess Mahalaxmi appeared on this earth with her religious merits and she appeared in the form of woman. The color of this woman was black with beautiful theethridge she had big eyes, thick wrist and four hands. In these hands she passesed dhal the sward, the panpatra and the cutted head. She was very sacred and while greating to Mata she asked her “Matas” what is my name? Tell me my work” Then Mata told her, her work and name as fallows.

महामाया, महाकाली, महामारी क्षुधा तृषा

निद्रा, तृष्णा, ’एकवीरा’ कालरात्रीदुरत्यया

[According to karma she got such names as Mahamaya, Mahakali, Shruddha Trusha, Nidra, Trusna Ekvira, Kalratri and Durtyaya]

Reference of the statuary’s secret can be seen in 19^th shlok. Her description is such as Raktdanti with Raktavarna, Shakanbhari with Nilvarna and thirdly Bhimdevi.]

भीमापि नीलवर्णा सा दंष्ट्रादशनभासूरा

विशाल- लोचना नारी वृत्त पीन पयोधरा ॥१८॥

चंद्रहासं च डमरुं शिर: पात्रं च बिभ्रती

’एकवीरा’ कालरात्रि: सैवोक्ता कामदा शुभा ॥१९॥

Besides J.N. Dikuna has given the reference of Shri Ekviradevi in Sahyadrikhand as such:

एकवीरेति विख्याता सर्वकाम-प्रदायिनी

अदितिर्यामदंबा या संभविष्यति भूतले

जनिष्यामि न संदेह: पंचपुत्रान मनोरथान

Besides, there is following story of Ekviradevi, Mahamaya Aaditi did hard ‘Tap’ god Shiv Shankar was pleased on Aaditi and gave her blessing that her incarnation on the earth would been the home of Rshwaky varisha’s Renu Raja and her name would be Renuka. But she would be known as Ekvira on the earth. She was having 5 sons and one of them would be veer. Indeed, she got 5 son’s due to the blessing of Shri Shankar among the five younger was “Parshuram” and was the bravest among the five. So this Renuka got the name ‘Ekvira ‘on the earth.

After the observation of so many religious books we can derive the view that Shri Renuka Devi of Mahur is also Ekviradevi and Mahur is the main Mulpith of the Devi.

Otherwise there are three and half pith of this Devi in which there are three statuaries of this Mahalaxmi.

1. Shri Mahalaxmi Mata of Karvir (Kolhapur),

2. Shri Tuljabhavani Mata of Tuljapur,

3. Adhishakti Shri Renukamata of Mahur and temple of

4. Saptashrungi Mata of Wani is known as Aaradhpith.

Late B.D. Karangkar has given a second legend about Ekviradevi temple in the book “History of Amravati city”. According to this legend Vairagymurti Shri Janardan Swami came in Amravati in 1640. He was the devotee of Shri Ambadevi and he established the statuary of Shri Ekviradevi (Who is known as incarnatyion of Ambadevi) in 1660. This Devi is known as the elder sister of Ambadevi or she is also called as “Big Devi”.

Some devotees call “Big Devi” to Shri Ekviradevi. If we observe the temple minutely, then we can see the stamp of Hemandpathi’s craftsmanship. There is a care in the temple and this cave is till the well of the temple. There are two rooms besides the cave where we see the statuary of Shri.

The big entrance door of Shri Ekviradevi is south word. The devotees of Amravati consider Shri Ambadevi as Small Devi and Shri Ekviradevi as Big Devi. Therefore in order to give respect to younger one, the devotees first take the Darshan of Ambadevi and then of Ekviradevi.

The statuary of Shri Ekviradevi is north word and inner part is wide. At the cast of the temple there is a sacred monument of Shri Janardan Swami. There is a sacred well beside of that monument temple. The construction of the temple is Hemandpanti and outside of the temple and at the corner of the bridge there is a small temple of Ram where we can see the saturation of Shri Dattatraya, Shri Bajrangbali and Shri Ganesh. The cliff of Ekviradevi’s temple is golden and it is extremely beautiful.

Legend History of Shri Ekviradevi:

One Legend of Ekviradevi temple of Amravati is famous. This was an incident of the Rukhmini’s elopement from this Ambadevi temple and so the temple has got the historical importance, In Shri Madbhagwat also we get the reference that Rukhmini’s went to Dwarka with Shri Krishna from the Ambadevi temple of Kundinpur (Kaudanyapur).

Lard Shri Krishna touched the land of this vidarbha and so we are really lucky and blessed. Here lard Shri Krishna stayed for 3 days as he was looking for proper opportunity for elopement, even today Shri Krishna temple of Matakhidki gives the proof of this incident.