A RARE TEMPLE FOR THE GOD WHO KEEPS TRACK OF OUR DEEDS - CHITRAGUPTA

KANCHIPURAM : -

Chitra Guptar temple is an unique and rare temple located in Kanchipuram city of South Inda. This small temple, which was built during Chola period in 9th century AD, is located in Nellukara street near Kanchipuram bus stand.

Chitragupta (Sanskrit: चित्रगुप्त, 'rich in secrets' or 'hidden picture') also referred to as "Dharmahari or Dharmalala ( here lala means lord ex:- krishnalala, Ramlala or Hanumanlala ) and mostly Dharmaraj, is a Hindu Chief Justice, god assigned with the task of keeping complete records of actions of human beings on the earth. Upon their death, Chitragupta has the task of deciding heaven or the hell for the humans, depending on their actions on the earth. Dharmaraj Chitragupta Maharaj (Chitragupta the King) is the patron deity and father of all Kayasthas, a Hindu forward caste of India, often kayasthas are known as Dharmaraj-putra, Chitravanshi chitransha or simply Lala Sahebs/Lalaji, (not to be confused with baniyalala or Vaishya community). Due to Lord Chitragupta the king , Kayasthas come under Dwij-Kshatriya varna, akin to brahmins.

He is the son of Lord Brahma, the ultimate lord of the Universe, and holds a fairly special place in the Hindu pantheon because of the order of his birth. He married with daughters of the lord Sun. Hence his offsprings are also a part of suryavansham.Chitra Gupta is also the younger brother of Yama

Lord Brahma had many various sons and daughters in various myth structures, including many seers born of his mind, such as Vashishta, Narada, and Atri, and many sons born of his body, such as Dharma, Delusion, Lust, Death, and Bharata. The story of the birth of Chitragupta is related in different ways, but he is nearly always delineated differently from the other children of Lord Brahma, and a common thread is that he is born directly of Lord Brahma’s body.

In one popular version of the creation myth of Chitragupta, it is said that Lord Brahma gave the land of the dead over to the god Yama, also known as Yamraaj. Yama would become confused sometimes when dead souls would come to him, and would occasionally send the wrong souls to either heaven or hell. Lord Brahma commanded him to keep better track of everyone, and Yama declared that he could not reasonably be expected to keep track of the many people born of the eighty-four different life forms in the three worlds.

Lord Brahma, determined to solve this problem for Yama, sat in meditation for many thousands of years. Finally he opened his eyes, and a man stood before him with a pen/ink and a sword griddled in his waist. As Chitragupta was born of Lord Brahma’s body, or kaya in Sanskrit, Brahma declared that his children would forever be known as Kayasthas. As he was first conceived in Brahma’s mind, or chitra, and then made whole in secrecy, or gupta, away from the other gods, he was named Chitragupta.

Chitragupta is sometimes also referred to as the first man to use letters, and is hailed that way in the Garud Puran. He is known as being incredibly meticulous, and with his pen and ink he tracks every action of every sentient life form, building up a record of them over the course of their life so that when they die the fate of their soul can be easily determined. These perfect and complete documents are referred to in mystical traditions as the Akashic records, and as they contain the actions of each person from birth to death, they can be said to contain every action taken in the universe.

Items associated with Chitragupta in his puja include the paper and pen, ink, honey, betel nut, matches, mustard, sugar, sandalwood, and frankincense. Some Rajanaya Kayasthas also use sword in puja, maintaining there Kshatriya status. A puja is often performed to Chitragupta in reverence of the four virtues he is seen to embody: justice, peace, literacy, and knowledge. Part of the Chitragupta puja also includes writing down how much charity work they did and how much sins they did in past one year or to mention 10 work in which charity should be high and lesser the sins. Some people also write about their money they make in their household, and how much you need to make to survive in the following year, while making offerings of turmeric, flowers, and vermilion.

As Chitra Gupta is the God of Ketu, one of the Navagrahas, you can find a lot of devotees visiting this small temple.

The temple has Lord Chitra Guptar as the main idol with Utsava idols of Chitra Guptar with his wife Karni Ambal. There is a separate shrine for Ayyappa, Vishnu Durga, Navagraha, and Ramalingar in this temple.

2. HYDERABAD : -

The 200 years old Chitragupta Swamy Temple in Hyderabad is dedicated to Lord Chitragupta, the ‘kula devatha' of Kayasths. Those who do not know, Chitragupta is the chief accountant and aide of Yama, the God of Death according to Hindu religion. The original idols in the temple are still intact; however, some of the procession idols made out of panchloha (iron of five kinds) were stolen some time back. People in large numbers visit the temple hoping to clear their doshas (rough translation: wrongdoings). Also known as Chitragupta Mahadeva Devalayam locally, Chitragupta temple in Hyderabad is surely worth a visit because of its uniqueness and the amazing history.

Bihar : -

1. Chitragupta ji Maharaj temple on the bank of Gandak river on Chitragupta ghat in Hajipur, Bihar

2. Chitragupta Ji Maharaj with his 12 sons are established in Sewak Sanjaynath Tantrik Kali Mandir, Raxaul, Bihar

Madhya Pradesh : -

1. Ram Janardan temple and another Shri Chitragptaji temple at the bank of Shipra River at Ram Ghat, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

2. Foota Tal - Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh,

Rajasthan : -

1. Bhatnagar Sabha - Udaipur a group of Kayastha devotees has built a grand temple of Chitragupt in Udaipur, Rajasthan

A more than 300-year-old famous temple of Shri Chitra Gupta is located in the centre of city in Alwar, where an annual fair is held for darshan and worship of Chitragupta, between Dhantriyodashi to Yam Dwitia in the Hindu month of Kartic (October–November). It is situated between Munshibazar and Delhi Gate, in Alwar, Rajasthan

2. Kayastha sabha Pratap nagar (Society), [Jaipur] a group of Kayastha devotees has built a temple of Shri Chitragupt Mander, sec-8, Pratap Nagar Jaipur in, Rajasthan

Uttar Pradesh : -

1. Dharma-hari-chitra gupta temple (even worshiped by lord Ram, according to legendary belief), Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

2. Chitragupta Mandir: This temple is situated at about 5 km from railway station, in the heart of the city in front of Jubilee Inter College, Baxipur, Gorakhpur. The foundation of the temple was laid by Justice Vindhyavasini Prasad in the year 1965. The temple has a beautiful architecture and opens for public from 8am-5pm on all days.