Kalkaji Mandir

The temple complex is situated on Kalkaji Mandir (Delhi Metro), in between the Nehru Place bus terminus & business center and Okhla railway station & industrial area, and is right beside the famous Bahai Lotus Temple. Close by to the temple, on a hill in the East of Kailash neighborhood and near the ISKCON temple, lays an Edict of Ashoka, dating 3rd century BC.

Millions of years ago, the gods who dwelt in the neighborhood of the present temple were troubled by two giants and were compelled to prefer their complaint to Lord Brahma, 'the god of all'. But Lord Brahma declined to interfere, and referred them to the Goddess Parvati. Out of the mouth of Maa Parvati sprung Kaushki Devi, who attacked the two giants and slaughtered them, but it so happened, that as their blood fell on the dry earth thousands of giants came into life, and the battle was maintained by Kaushki Devi against great odds. Maa Parvati took compassion on her offspring and out of the eyebrows of Kaushki Devi came maa Kali Devi, 'whose lower lip rested on the hills below and the upper lip touched the sky above. She drank the blood of the slaughtered giants as it poured out of their wounds; and the goddess obtained a complete victory over their enemies. Maa Kali Devi then fixed her abode here, and she was worshipped as the chief divinity of the place. It is believed that the Goddess Kalkaji, pleased with the prayers offered and rituals performed by the Gods on the advice of Lord Brahma, appeared on this mount, known as Surya Koota Parvata, and blessed them. Ever since, the Goddess took this holy place as her abode and has been fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. During the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna and the Pandavas are said to have worshipped this Goddess during the reign of Yudhisthir