Masani Temple

India is a land of temples, mosques and churches. Moreover, every region of India has its own collection of famous holy places that one must take time out and visit. There are a wide array of places with religious significance in every village, town and city of Gurgaon. You might say that if you visit one such place of worship, everyday of your life, you will still not manage to visit all of them. However, if you are visiting a particular town or city and there is a famous holy shrine in the vicinity then you can definitely take time out and visit it.

Religious Identity of Gurgaon

The history of Gurgaon can be traced since ancient times. Though it is now known for its contemporary development, people had been living in the area around Gurgaon since time immemorial. As such, it has always had a multi-cultural religions identity. People of all faiths have always been made welcome in Gurgaon and there is plethora of temples, mosques, churches, and various other religious places that one can visit.

The Temple

The Masani Temple is dedicated to the Goddess Masani, who is considered the deity of small-pox. It's a highly revered shrine and all devotees who come here to pay respects, believe that a visit to the temple is the best antidote for small-pox. If anything, the concept of the temple and its deity is in itself very interesting and unique. Science has definitely come a long way, but the trust and reverence shown by the devotees towards the deity far supercedes the trust they have on the small pox vaccine. However, it must be said that here that the fact that people come to pay their respects to the deity does not mean that they don't give their children the small pox vaccination. It's just that the devotees carry a deep and abiding love and respect for the Goddess Masani and ask her to bless their children.

The Story Behind the Temple

A very long time ago, there was a temple of Masani Devi in the village of Kesopur. The goddess is said to have expressed here desire to leave Kesopur. This desire was expressed by her to a man called Singha in his dream. She also instructed him to build a temple for her in his village of Gurgaon. The man followed her instruction and built the temple dedicated to the goddess Masani in Gurgaon. The news of the temple spread like wild fire and its fame has increased by leaps and bounds over time.

The Fair

The Masani Temple is also well-known for the annual Masani Fair that is held annually. Thousands of devotees make their way to the Masani Temple to be a part of the Masani Fair. It is a religious fair of exceptional standards. The temple is located in Gurgaon Village and hence the fair is also held near the precincts of the temple.

The Masani Fair is usually held during the month of April or May and the fair includes a host of activities that are tailor made for having fun. The festive atmosphere of the fair is typical of all fairs held in the North of India, which includes various stalls selling a variety of products, dramas, dances, folk music, folk recitals, and numerous cultural functions. Sadhus and Sanyasis are also an important part of the fair and they specially come to attend the fair from all corners of the country. The fair is a symbol of the thriving and colorful rural culture of the State of Haryana.