Ahead of the Chaitra Navratri period, devotees have started thronging to the Siddha Peeth of Poornagiri in this region of Kumaon. located amidst a mountainous terrain not far from the meandering Sharada river, the Poornagiri temple is situated in wooded hills at an altitude of about 3,000 metres above the mean sea level in the Champawat district of Kumaon.
Countless number of devotees visit this shrine throughout the year to beseech the goddess to fulfill their wishes but the pooja held during the Navratri period is considered all the more special which draws in a greater number of devotees during the period.
Situated at a distance of about 19 kilometres from the gateway to Kumaon—Tanakpur, the Poornagiri shrine is considered to one of the important 108 Siddha Peetha of the goddess. Surrounded by forests on three sides along the seven streams of the Sharada river, Tanakpur town is the first main stop for those visiting Poornagiri. In the old times, a fair used to be held at Poornagiri only during the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calander for congregation of the devotees. However, in recent years, considering the increasing number of devotees, this site remains crowded throughout the year.
According to the scriptures, it is believed that when lord Shiva was doing the Tandav holding the dead body of goddess Sati, lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra and cut the body into pieces which fell on the earth- each location now marked by a Shakti Peeth. It is believed the the navel of the goddess fell on the Annapurna peak which is now famous as Poornagiri. There are many beliefs and tales associated with this shrine. It is said that in the distant past there was a wealthy person who saw a dream of the goddess telling him that he would be blessed with a son on having her darshan. He did so and vowed that if the blessing comes true, he would make a golden structure for the goddess. After the blessing came to fruition, the wealthy man felt a pang of greed and made a structure of copper and covered it with gold polish. However when he went to offer the shrine to the goddess, he was unable to carry it any further than a place called Tunyas where the copper structure is still referred to as the liar’s temple. Another belief is that once a Sadhu adamant in his attempt to climb atop the hill irked the goddess so that she threw him across the Sharada river.
However, in her mercy, the goddess blessed the mendicant stating that after paying obeisance to her the devotees would also greet him in order to get their wishes fulfilled. The locals of Kumaon, to this day make food offerings to this mendicant called Siddha Baba.
