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The
hill is triangular and the summit commands a superb view of the sacred Anandpur Sahib
Gurdwara in Rupar district (Punjab) on one side and the vast glistening Gobindsagar lake
on the other. The temple is said to have been built by Raja Bir Chand in the eighth
century. This may have been a reconstruction as according to accepted tradition when Lord
Siva was having his Tandava Nritya with the dead body of his spouse gati who sacrificed
her life because of the insults heaped on her husband by her father Daksha, Lord Vishnu
followed Siva with his mace and started cutting pieces of the body to save the world and
the heaven from destruction. The eyes of Sati fell at this place and became a place of
worship as a Pitha-Sthan. The Sanskrit word for eyes is Nayan corrupted into Naina.
According to local legend, however, an Ahir, Naina
in the employ of Raja Bir Chand found that his cows were voluntarily dropping milk on a
stone. On information Bir Chand went and found the image of the Goddess Durga. The image
was installed in a temple that was constructed. The temple was named Naina after the Ahir.
The dome of the Naina Devi temple rises 915 meters about the scared town of Anandpur Sahib
in Rupar district. Guru Gobind Singh had visited Naina Devi temple before he undertook one
of his military' campaigns against the Mughals and a havan were offered. According to
legend Guru Gobind Singh had presented his sword to the Devi and the Devi took form to
touch the sword and disappeared. The Sikhs also visit Naina Devi temple and hold it in
deep veneration.
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