Bhadrakali Temple Warangal Timings

Overview of the temple

Badrakali is one of Goddess Parvati’s greatest forms.

The Sanskrit term ‘Bhadra’, which means the one who bestows good fortune and guards against evil, originates from the language of the Hindus.

This Temple in Warangal is dedicated to the goddess Bhadrakali, one of the oldest ancient temples. It is located in Hanamkonda, one of the try cities Warangal Municipality by the side of Bhadrakali lake.

Temple Architecture & History

In 625 AD, during the period of  Chalukya King Pulakesi, built this ancient temple to celebrate the victory over Vengi region of Telangana.

Kakatiya kings adopted Goddess Bhadrakali as their “Kula devata” above all the gods during their rule in “Oragallu empire”.

Kula Devata is derived from “Kula” meaning Clan and “Devata” Meaning Goddess, it refers the ancestral deities that are worshipped by the Family.

Minister of Kakatiya dynasty Ganapathi Deva, built a lake, also laid the road to the temple during his period.

The temple was structured with square pillars rather than commonly used circular pillars in temples by the kakatiya’s.

Bhadrakali Temple Story

According to Hindu literature and mythology, Goddess Bhadrakali is one of the ten Mahavidyas of the Supreme Goddess. She is the guardian of the good, and all the gods are consumed by her character of hate and fury.

The sacred chants, when spoken with the utmost devotion, are claimed to cause the stone deity in Warangal’s Bhadrakali temple to change into its Tripura Sundari incarnation.

Tripura Sundari, the most prominent representation of Adi Shakti in the Shaktism religion, represents the confluence of all feminine power—beauty, nature, and fertility—into one potent person.

Festivals celebrated in the Temple

Many devotees visit the temple during Brahmotsavams celebrated in the month of April and May and during Sravana masam in the month of August – September.

Shakambari Utsavam, Vasanta Navaratri, and Sharan Navaratri are just a few of the well-known holidays observed by the temple.

Ladies and girls visit the Bhadrakali Lake to make prayers during the Bathukamma Festival while wearing intricately patterned floral arrangements.

Kohinoor and The History

The world’s most expensive diamond “Kohinoor” is first gifted to Goddess Bhadrakali, by the Kakatiya dynasty.

The diamond was installed on the left eye of Goddess which was mined from Golconda mines Kollur.

The temple lost its importance after the fall of Kakatiya dynasty over muslim rulers of Delhi.

Alauddin Khilji’s Delhi sultanate then destroyed the Kakatiya Empire, demolished the Bhadrakali Temple. Also looted the valuable Koh-i-Noor, somewhere about 1310 AD.

From the Delhi Sultanates to Babur, the founder of Mughal Dynasty, to Humayun to Sher Shah Suri, the founder of Sur Empire to again Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, and finally to Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Patiala, the magnificent diamond passed from one hand to the next after that.

As he was about to pass away, Maharaja Ranjit Singh made a final wish that the Jagannath Temple deity receive possession of the prized diamond.

The British authorities, however, disregarded the king’s wishes and brought it to England as a present for their queen.

According to the trip the Koh-i-Noor diamond has taken since 1306, it may be concluded that every monarch who owned it died young.

It is said that only God or a woman may wear the stone without suffering consequences; it is a sign of bad luck for male wearers.

Only the British Queen Elizabeth II acquired it after the goddess Bhadrakali without suffering major consequences. Although it should be remembered that the British empire began to wane a few years after the diamond entered its possession.

The queen used to avoid wearing the crown set with a Koh-i-Noor diamond because she was aware of the curse that the stone carries.

Temple Renovation

Later in 1950, a devi upasaka Sri Ganesh Rao along with the businessman of Gujarat Shri Maganlal renovated the temple.

The idol of the deity in the temple is 2.7 meters made out of stone is shown in sitting position with eight hands holding one weapon on each hand and wearing an attractive crown.

The vehicle of the Goddess is lion which is placed opposite to the holy place in the temple.

Few other shrines in the temple are Lord Shiva, Subramanya swamy, Hanuman and Navagrahas with Umamaheshwara image placed on stone are the separate shrines in Maha Mandapam.

The recent shrine of lord Vigneshwara is built outside the temple.

A captivating feature of this temple is the man-made Bhadrakali Lake, which was built during the Kakatiya era to provide water for cultivation and other uses.

This lake is around 2.5 km long and is bordered by hills and different natural rock formations.

Animal sacrifices were halted in the temple after the restorations and the idol of the deity experienced a slight transformation.

According to legend, the deity’s initial ferocious appearance was transformed into a happy smile eventually by  few adjustments.

Holy chants written in the deity’s language were also added throughout the renovations.

The antique pillars close to the Garbha Griha, notwithstanding the Bhadrakali temple’s massive renovations, serve as a reminder of its famous history.

Other Shrines to visit near the temple

There are several such shrines nearby Bhadrakali Temple Warangal that are worthwhile visiting.

The Padmakshi Temple, Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Sri Narasimha Swamy Temple, and Sri Pothuluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy Temple are a few examples.

Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal is one of the most popular and must visit temple.

How to reach the temple

From Warangal railway station, temple is around 5 km away near to Lal Bahadur college. Using private taxi or by rikshaws, tourist can reach the temple easily