The temple, mandir, stone temple, indian temple, hindu temple, pilgrim, religious plac: INDIAN HINDU TEMPLE

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CHOTILA is a worship place of HINDU religion in SURENDRANAGAR district located near RAJKOT. According to a legend, JAGASIO PARMAR of nearby town MULI was murdered by the KATHIS of KACHAR KUMAN and VALA clans. These KATHIS took possession of town and divided it into four parts which is called “CHAR TILAS” in GUJARATI. And this way the town came to be known as CHOTILA.

There is a temple of HINDU god CHAMUNDA on the mountain hill in CHOTILA. Word CHAMUNDA means CHAMUNDA MATA or RANN-CHANDI (WARRIOR). MAA CHAMUNDA is another form of DURGA. She is also known as CHANDI-CHAMUNDA. Her vehicle is LOIN. She had killed the demons named CHANDA and MUNDA, and this way the other form of MATA DURGA named by CHAMUNDA (Merging the name of two demons) by lord BRAHMMA.

History :

The area is called PANCHAL historically. MATA CHAMUNDA is one of the 64th avatars of SHAKTI. She is the KULDEVI of many HINDUS. Earlier CHOTILA was princely state of KACHAR dynasty. It was having area of 18 sq. km. CHOTILA is also the birthplace of famous GUJARATI poet ZAVERCHAND MEGHANI.

How To Reach Chotila - Places In Gujarat

CHOTILA is a small town having population of around 20, 000 people. It is a NAGARPALIKA town. CHOTILA is at the top of hill which has around 366 steps. CHOTILA is located on the RAJKOT-AHEMEDABAD national highway no. 8A. It is around 170 km. from AHEMEDABAD and 60 km from RAJKOT. Compare to the sea level height CHOTILA is the tallest point in SAURASHTRA region. The height of the hill is 1,173 ft.

Chotila Chamunda Temple Legend :

The story behind a temple is when Demons CHANDA and MUNDA came to conquer Devi MAHAKALI and in the fight that ensues, she presented the dead heads of demons among DEVI AMBIKA who replied that you would be worshiped as CHAMUNDA DEVI. There are some stoned steps on the top of the hill. These were not covered by the shade before. However, all the steps are shaded well in the comfort of tourists. There is high amount of tourist rush into the temple in the time of festival NAVARATRI. There is a big market for tourists on the downside around mountain where tourists can look for PRASHAD and audio and video CDs, toys, Bengals etc. There some thousands of shops held on when NAVARATRI festival is celebrated in CHOTILA. At NAVARATRI, there is a big HAVAN takes place in the top of CHOTILA. As per local says, everybody after the evening AARTI comes down from hill and nobody stays there what CHAMUNDA MATAJI said. People also says that there is a lion on the hill of CHOTILA.