Temple History
During Shiva’s tandav after Mata Sati’s death when Lord Vishnu had hurled his Sudarshan Chakra at the burnt corpse, Mata Sati’s lower lip is said to have fallen in Attahas. Literally, ‘Attahas’ is a Sankskrit word which means profound laughter. The lower lip had then taken on the form of a stone and a shrine was erected around it. Shiva had appointed Vishvesh as the Bhairav guarding the temple.
Attahas is famous not only for being a heavenly abode but also the abode of a number of beautiful wild birds. Every year, this place is paid a visit by over two thousand Asian open bill storks, fruit-eating bats and exquisite butterflies. It is for these reasons that Attahas attracts a lot of environmentalists and birwatchers every year, particularly during December-January.
The village of Attahas celebrates their annual Phullora Mela with a great deal of pomp and splendour. Colours abound everywhere and there is fair where the elders of the village tell stories about the miracles associated with the Temple.
There is no particular special ritual performed in the temple, but daily artis at dawn and dusk are mandatory. There are also a number of yagnas that are conducted throughout the year. The festival of Navratri – that coincides with Durga Puja – is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm here. The nine days of Navratri are accompanied by a number of special pujas and yagnas.