Mata no madh (Ta. Lakhpat) is a village in Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat.
108 km from Bhuj, the district headquarters of Kutch. At a distance of is the temple of Ashapura Mata, which is famous all over Gujarat as well as among Gujaratis as Mata Madh. Many communities consider Ashapura Mata as their family goddess. The main ones include the ruling dynasty of Nawanagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Gondal Baria state, Chauhan and Jadeja Rajputs.
The temple is surrounded by small hills and mountains. There is a six feet high and six feet wide Swayambhu idol of Ashapura Mata. The idol of the mother is even taller than the human body but it is only up to the knees and the belief about it is that, about one and a half thousand years ago, the Karad Vaishya (Vanio) of Marwad named Devchand was circulating in Kutch for trade. Meanwhile, in the place where Ashapura Mata’s temple is recently, Vaniya established Mataji as it is Navratri of the coming month and worshiped the mother with great devotion. Seeing his devotion, the mother was happy and gave him a vision in a dream and said, “Vatsa should build my temple at the place where he has installed me, but the doors of the temple do not open for six months.” Vaniya happily did so and left her home to take care of the temple and came to live here. At the end of five months, he once heard the melody of Zanzar and song behind the temple gate. After hearing this melodious sound he did not stay away from it and he opened the door of the temple and went inside. Going inside, he saw a magnificent idol of the goddess. But he remembered that he had opened the gates of the temple just a month before the time given by Mataji, which led to the construction of a half-developed idol of Mataji. He fell at Mataji’s feet and apologized for his act. Mataji was pleased with his devotion and forgave him and asked him to ask for blessings. In blessing he demanded a son gem.
Apart from the main temple at Mata Madh or Goddess Ashapura, there are temples dedicated to Hinglaj Mata, Chachra Bhavani, Khatla Bhavani (on a hill to the north-west of the main temple) and a cave dedicated to Jagora Bhavani. Nearby hills. Then there are temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and other gods and goddesses.
During the year, special rituals are performed at Ashapura Mataji’s temple during ‘Chaitri’ (April / May) and ‘Ashwin’ (September / October) Navratri. The ‘mahant’ or king fasts for nine days and performs the ‘havan’ ceremony at midnight on the seventh (‘seventh’) day. The next day (‘Ashtami’) the main puja is performed by the Maharajas or any other member of the former ruling family of Kutch. Earlier, the buffalo was sacrificed in the temple with a goat near the idol of Bhairav in the early morning. It is possible that in ancient times human sacrifices were also taken there. Alcohol was poured on the goddess during the puja and on the previous day (‘Abhishek’).
