Ambaji

Ambaji Temple at Night

Ambaji[1] is a town within taluka district Banaskantha, North Gujarat, India. It is located at 24.33°N 72.85°E / 24.33; 72.85.[2] It is at an altitude of 480 metres (1,570 ft). It is surrounded by the Araveli Hill range. Ambaji is within the Aravali Range[3]'line of peaks',[4] is a range of mountains in western India running approximately 800 km in a northeastern direction across Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.[5][6] It is also called Mewat hills locally. Ambaji town also in between the borders of North Gujarat and Abu Road of Rajasthan.

As of 2011 India census,[7] Ambaji had a population of 17,753. Males constitute 9,132 of the population and females 8,621. Ambaji has an average literacy rate of 78.39%, higher than the state average of 78.03%, with 85.76% of the males and 70.78% of females literate; 14.12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Summers are typically hot and humid with hot winds and temperatures between 26 and 46 degrees Celsius. In winter the temperature ranges between 6 and 36 degrees Celsius and rainfall is about 15 to 30 inches; in the monsoon season, average rainfall is about the same as in winter. Amabaji is at an altitude of 480 m.

Navratri Garba at the Ambaji temple.

Ambaji Mata Temple is a pilgrimage site visited by millions of devotees during the week of the Bhadarvi Poonam fair.[8] It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. It is situated at a distance of approximately 65 kilometres from Palanpur, 45 kilometres from Mount Abu, and 20 kilometres from Abu Road, and 185 kilometres from Ahmedabad, 50 kilometers from Kadiyadra near the Gujarat and Rajasthan border.

Devotees also visit the temple on Purnima (the full moon).

Shiva carrying the corpse Sati (goddess)

The shrine of Shri Amba is regarded as a revered shrine by the Shakta Shaktism sect of Hinduism. It is believed that the Heart of Sati Devi has fallen here. The origin of the Shakti Peetha status temple is from the mythology of Daksha yaga and Sati's self immolation. Shakti Peethas were believed to have been formed when the body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi fell into different regions when Lord Shiva carried her corpse in sorrow after her death. The shrines are considered as highly revered by Shaivist (Shaivism) sect in Hinduism. The Shakti Peethas are mostly worshiped by tantra practitioners.[9]

There is a bus-station of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) connecting to all major cities of India, and a railway station is at Palanpur of Banaskantha district, North Gujarat, India.

• Sacred mountains of India