Shree Kshetra Asalpha

Decades back about 300 years ago Devidas Maharishi used to worship Durgambika mata on the hills of Asalpha village. With time Devidas Maharishi got absorbed in the feet of God. In the year 1964 few people from Mangalore stayed at Asalpha Village, Subhash Nagar, Ghatkopar (w), after coming back from work these people used to utilise their spare time by performing bhajans. In the beginning, they used to worship Lord Shree Dattatreya. After several days, they decided to appoint an Archaka to perform pooja on a daily basis. One fine Saturday one of the members brought Shree Durga Mata's image, then they all started worshiping Shree Durga Mata as well. Days went on some more people joined them in performing bhajan and pooja. They then formed a Bhajana Mandali in the name of "Shree Dattatreya Mitra Bhajana Mandali"

One day while the archaka was performing mangalarti to Lord Shree Dattatreya and Goddess Shree Durgambika Mata, suddenly Durga Mata entered his body and said that "she appreciated their Bhajan and Pooja and that's why she has come to bless us all". All the members present there were scared and astonished. The next Saturday again the same incident happened while they were performing the mangalarti, but this time they questioned her Who are you & what do you need? for this she replied "that she has appreciated their Bhajan and Pooja and that's why she has come in 'SHILA ROOPA' she is situated in the hill in front of their chawl since time immemorial under sun and rain she requested them take her a place where she will help and protect people as she was becoming unholy in this hill now". Accepting this they informed her about their inability of not having sufficient funds and suitable place to make her shila sthapana.

They requested her to guide them on what should be done to meet her requirements. Shree Durga Mata replied that she has appreciated and accepted their Bhajana and come by herself, she would be satisfied in any condition they kept her. She asked them to meet the landlord of the place right in front of their chawl. She also said that, there is a Mango tree there they can place her 'Shaktishila'. Mandali members did exactly what Shree Durga Mata said. They met the landlord, Mr M.S.Khanna and narrated the whole incident to him, but he did not give them any reply. The next Saturday during devi darshana, mandali told Durga Mata that they had met the landlord, but he did not respond to their request, so Shree Durga Mata asked them, to request him once again. The mandali members approached him again, at this time he readily said ”I will not be able to provide the place situated near the mango tree but as donation from my behalf I shall give some other land” (the land where Devasthana is situated at present). They went back to Shree Durga Mata and said that he was not willing to give the land near the mango tree but was ready to provide some land instead. Shree Durga Mata agrees to this and blesses Mr. M.S.Khanna for this noble contribution and instructs the mandali to build the Devasthana in this donated place and then get her Shaktishila from the hills. She told them there are five shilas out of which the middle shila is her 'Shaktishila, and instructed then to perform her shilasthapna.

On 19 February 1965 the Devasthana was built and named "Shree Dattatreya Durgambika Devasthana". All the mandali members gathered and brought Durga Mata’s Shakti Shila from the hill with a grand procession and performed the Shakti Shila Prathishthapna. Since then regular and hi systematic pooja and devi darshana have been conducted every Saturday. Later, three other shakti peeta's were recognised to have their presence around the Devasthana which were Anjanaya, Naga Shesha and Daiva Chamundi. Now the Devasthana has five shakti peetas along with Dattatreya and Durgambika. The divine power of the deity has spread for the betterment of the people and huge number of devotees, irrespective of caste, creed, and religion, gather here to offer their prayers.