Shankhini

Shankhini (शङ्खिनी) is a River of Bastar in Chhattisgarh.

Variants

• Sankhini River (संखिनी) (Epigraphia Indica Vol. IX (1907-08), p.161)

History

Dantewara is about 20 miles of Barsur, and in the intervening villages there are sculptured stones lying about, some of being five-hooded- cobras or intercoiled snakes. Dantewara contains the shrine of Danteshvari the tutelary goddess of the present ruling family. The temple is built at the junction of two [p.161]: called Sankhini (संखिनी ) and Dankini (डंकिनी), and is notorious as a place where human sacrifices were formerly annually offered. At least a place was pointed out to me in the innermost; sanctum, close to the goddess, where they said the victims used to be decapitated. The goddess has eight arms and is represented in the act of killing the buffalo demon. She is in reality Mahishasuramardini, locally known as Dantesvari. There are various other images such as those of Vishnu, Kartikeya, Ganesha, etc., some of which were brought away from the ruins of Barsur. There are five inscriptions here, three inside the Dantesvari temple, one just outside it, and another near a mud hut called Bhairamgudi. There are remains of several other temples buried in, ruins. For the support of the Dantesvari Temple, an estate consisting of several villages is attached.

In Mahabharata

Shankhini (शङ्खिनीं) (Tirtha) is mentioned in Mahabharata (3.81.41).

Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 81 mentions mentions names of Tirthas (Pilgrims). Shankhini (शङ्खिनीं) (Tirtha) is listed in Mahabharata (3.81.41).... O son of the Kuru race, a pilgrim by repairing then to the tirtha called Shankhini (शङ्खिनीं) (3.81.41) and bathing in the Devi-tirtha that is there, obtaineth high prowess.

डंकिनी और शंखिनी नदी

ये दोनों इन्द्रावती की सहायक नदियां है । डंकिनी नदी किलेपाल एवं पाकनार की डांगरी-डोंगरी से तथा शंखिनी नदी बैलाडीला की पहाड़ी के 4,000 फीट ऊंचे नंदीराज शिखर से निकलती है । इन दोनों नदियों का संगम दन्तेवाड़ा में होता है ।