Suswani Mata of Rajasthan: Legends and practices of the temple at Morkhana

By Swapna Joshi

Suswani Mata is a goddess worshipped by Jain and Hindu communities in Rajasthan, where her temples are primarily located. She is regarded as the kuladevi (ancestral or family deity) of the Surana, Dugar (Dugal), Sankhla, Sandhaliya, and Kothari families belonging to the Jain Oswal community. One notable temple dedicated to Suswani Mata is situated in the village of Morkhana, in the Deshnok tehsil of Bikaner district. Other temples dedicated to Suswani Mata can be found in places such as Nagaur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Nasik in Maharashtra, along with a few other locations further south. Pilgrims from various regions of the country often travel to Bikaner to seek the blessings of Suswani Mata. The locals believe that Morkhana was earlier known as the city of Morkhiyana, a former capital of the kingdom of King Raja Mordhwaj. Inscriptional evidence suggests that the temple dates back to the 12th and 16th centuries CE. [1] It is probable that the temple was originally constructed in the 12th century and underwent subsequent restoration.

Morkhana is revered as a sacred site due to the blessings bestowed upon it by Shiva and Parvati. According to local belief, even today, the people of Morkhana believe that a brass pot of coins lies hidden in the village’s northern boundary. It is believed to be given by Shiva to a peacock after transforming it into a man, who then went on to create the city. The priest of the Suswani Mata Temple narrates this tale, stating, ‘Bhagwan Shiva ne mor se marad banaya’, which translates to ‘Lord Shiva transformed a peacock into a man’. (Image 1) However, while the temple priest mentions an old historical document detailing Raja Mordhwaj settling in the city of Morkhiyana, no such document has been found.

Legend of Suswani Mata

It is believed that Ma Suswani manifested herself in Morkhana, making this shrine the most important of all temples dedicated to the goddess. People narrate an interesting tale of Suswani’s appearance and eventual settlement in Morkhana, which has endowed the town with sacred significance. The story begins with Parvati, whose first avatara (incarnation) was as Goddess Padma, also known as Ma Padma in Morkhana. In her next avatara, she took the form of Suswani, who was born in Nagaur, Rajasthan, to Seth Satidas and Srimati Sugankanwar. Renowned for her beauty, her parents arranged for her marriage at the age of 10 into a reputed Dugar family belonging to the same region. However, the Badshah of Nagaur, smitten by her beauty, asked Suswani’s father for her hand in marriage. Since the family did not approve of marriage with a groom from the Islamic faith, the marriage proposal was rejected. This rejection did not sit well with the Badshah, who abducted Seth Satidas and declared that he would release him only if Suswani’s marriage proposal to the Badshah was accepted. All the family members were worried for Satidas. Hence, Suswani sat down to perform penance and seek help from the divine. She knew that only Shiva could help her in this precarious situation. Upon her request, an epiphany informed Suswani to tell the Badshah that if he could catch hold of her while keeping a distance of seven feet, she would marry him. This was conveyed to the Badshah, who agreed to it.

In Nagaur, the city gateways have idols of Ganesha. Since Suswani left through one of these gateways, she received the blessings of Ganesha before beginning her journey to safeguard her family from the Badshah. Meanwhile, the Badshah followed Suswani while maintaining the stipulated distance of seven feet. At one point, Suswani began running barefoot and finally reached Morkhana in Bikaner. Unable to run further, she requested Shiva to grant her a boon. The Badshah, mounted on a horse, continued to follow Suswani but could not catch her. Shiva, aware that Suswani was an avatara of Parvati, who could transform into the fearsome Kali if enraged, sought to pacify her to prevent her from destroying everything in anger. He told her to go to the location where a chimta (pair of tongs) would be thrown; that spot would provide her solace from the Badshah.

The tongs were thrown at the location where the present temple exists. They fell on a tree, which split into two, and the earth also split to incorporate Suswani within itself. A full-grown ker tree (Capparis decidua) forked into two distinct branches stands next to the southern wall of the temple. (Image 2) A small piece of her saree was stuck in the split in the ground, over which the Badshah’s army later squabbled and destroyed themselves.

Suswani then appeared as a divine figure in front of the Badshah, who finally accepted her as the mother of the world and gave up his desire to marry her. He also requested Suswani Mata to save his identity and provide him with a name. The Badshah was hence given the place called Sinhu Morkhana, just a few kilometres away from present-day Morkhana village. Later, Suswani Mata appeared in the dreams of her uncle, Maldas, the brother of Satidas, who wanted to build a temple but did not have enough funds for its construction. Suswani Mata informed him that the wealth to build the temple would be found in his cow shed. The present shrine idol of Suswani Mata was also found hidden in the same cowshed and later installed in the temple.

Today, Suswani Mata is also worshipped in the form of Sati Mata in the Dugar family in Fatehpur Sikri. Since Suswani was engaged to a Dugar family but never married, she remained a kumarika (virgin) all her life. In Fatehpur, footprints of Suswani Mata were found, after which a temple dedicated to Sati Mata was constructed.

Practices and Rituals of the Suswani Mata Temple

There are several other versions of this story, but the common element in all of them is the chimta thrown by Shiva to split the tree. This trope resembles the episode in the Ramayana where the earth splits to swallow Sita, saving her from the world around her.

The worship of Suswani Mata as a virgin parallels aspects of female worship in various Indian cults and sects. Every year, during the nine-day Navaratri festival dedicated to Goddess worship, the Suswani Mata Temple at Morkhana attracts numerous pilgrims. Families who regard the goddess as their family deity also visit the temple at least once a year. They conduct elaborate worship rituals before the idol of Suswani Mata, followed by a prasada (offering) ceremony. Women are encouraged to drape a red-coloured saree during the pooja as it is considered auspicious. Devotees also pay homage to the ker tree, where Suswani Mata is believed to have found solace.

Nearby the temple, there are a few hero stones and sculptural fragments, revered as veeron ke pathar. These stones are anointed with oil, grains, and sweet prasada by the worshippers. The original inscriptions on the hero stones have become obscured by layers of offerings. (Image 3) Similar but better-preserved hero stones are also seen near a Shiva Temple in the village. These hero stones, stylistically similar to those within the Suswani Mata Temple Complex, date back to the 16th century CE, suggesting a similar date for the ones inside the Suswami Mata Temple.

The Suswani Mata Temple trust operates a bhogashala (dining hall) and a dharmashala (a place that serves food and accommodation to pilgrims). Pilgrims seeking blessings from Suswani Mata often perform seva (services free of cost) by serving food in the dining areas, volunteering to clean the temple premises, and assisting visitors in need. The temple funds are raised within the community. While modern additions have been made to the old temple, the core of the temple believed to be over eight hundred years old, remains largely unchanged. The strong beliefs and practices of the Oswal community members regarding Suswani Mata have led to the creation of the present pilgrim centre at the site.

Footnote:

[1] Jain, Ancient Cities and Towns of Rajasthan, 423–24; Nahta and Nahta, eds., Bikaner Jain Lekh Sangraha, 363.

Bibliography:

Jain, K.C. Ancient Cities and Towns of Rajasthan: A Study of Culture and Civilization. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1972.

Nahta, Agarchand, and Bhanwarlal Nahta, eds. Bikaner Jain Lekh Sangraha. Shri Abhay Jain Granthamala 15. Calcutta: Nahta Brothers, 1936.