India has always been a center of ancient sovereigns and their sagas. Every state has its narratives and is covalently related to stories of gods. The Dantewada district of the Bastar region holds a shaktipeeth(Temple) from the 14th century, which has a similar story for you.
The Danteshwari Temple is significant on its own in the whole Bastar region. It is one of the 52 shakti peethas situated all over the Asian continent. The design of the Temple and sculptures are exquisite, which is influenced by the south Indian creation, as the Chalukya rulers built the Temple.
The Temple has many legends connected to it, which signifies and reveals the mythological chronology of the sat yuga.
According to the fables, Goddess Sati executed self-immolation in the fire pit of Yagya kund due to an insult committed by her father Daksha towards her consort Lord Shiva during the Yagna. Raged by the death of Sati, Shiva destroyed the Yagna of Daksha and started Tandav while holding the body of Goddess Sati'. Lord Vishnu cut the dead body of Goddess Sati with his Sudarshan Chakra to free Lord Shiva from the despair caused by her death.
Then the body parts got scattered into fifty-two different regions, out of which the tooth of Goddess Sati dropped in Dantewada and sanctified the place as a Shakti peeth. A single slab of Blackstone is the only material in the Idol of Goddess Danteshwari. You can witness the temple at the junction of the sacred rivers shankhini and dankini.
The Temple is beautifully designed into four regions, Garbh Griha, Maha Mandap, Mukhya Mandap and Sabha Mandap. The brilliance of the Danteshwari Temple can be noticeable during the time of Dussehra, as the goddess is taken into a chariot ride towards the Bastar palace of Jagdalpur.
With some extraordinary beliefs and faith, the temple carries some rituals to be followed by everyone. The males have to wear dhotis to enter the temple and the females with saree or kurtas to show gratitude toward Goddess Danteshwari.
