Bhairava (Sanskrit: , ("Terrible" or "Frightful",

[1]
), sometimes known as Kala Bhairava, is
the fierce manifestation of Shiva associated with annihilation.
[2]
He is one of the most important
deities in Nepal, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, who originated in Hindu
mythology and is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains alike.
Contents
1 Legends
2 Worship
3 Observances
4 Iconography
5 Temples
o 5.1 In the Kathmandu valley
o 5.2 Bhairava temple in Brazil
6 Images of Bhairava
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Legends


Head of Bhairava, dated 11th-century CE


Bhairava with his consort, Bhairavi
The origin of Bhairava can be traced to the conversation between Brahma and Vishnu recounted
in the Shiv Mahapuran where Vishnu asked Brahma who is the supreme creator of the Universe.
Arrogantly, Brahma told Vishnu to worship him, he being the supreme creator. One day Brahma
thought, "I also have five heads, Shiva also has five heads. I can do everything whatever Shiva
does and therefore I am Shiva" Brahma had become a little egoistic. Not only hd he became
egoistic, he started to forge the work of Shiva. Brahma started interfering in what Shiva was
supposed to do. Then Mahadeva (Shiva) threw a small nail from His finger, which assumed the
form of Kala Bhairava, and casually went to cut the head of Brahma. The skull of Brahma is held
in the hands of Kala Bhairava; Brahma Kapala in the hands of Kala Bhairava and Brahmas ego
was destroyed and he became enlightened. Then onwards he became useful to himself and to the
world and deeply grateful to Shiva. In the form of the Kaala Bhairava, Shiva is said to be
guarding each of these Shaktipeeths. Each Shaktipeeth temple is accompanied by a temple
dedicated to Bhairava.
Worship
See also: Bhairava Ashtami


Shri Swarna Kala Bhairava consecrated at Kaga Ashram, Thiruvannamalai, India
His temples or shrines are present within or near most Jyotirlinga temples, the sacred twelve
shrines dedicated to Shiva across India, including Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi and the
Mahakaleshwar Temple at Ujjain, where at the Kal Bhairav Temple, he is worshipped by the
Kapalika and Aghori sects of Shaivism, here one can also find the Patal Bhairav and Vikrant
Bhairav shrines.
[3][4]

Kaal Bhairava temples can also be found around Shakti Peethas, as it is said Shiva allocated the
job of guarding each of 52 Shakti Peethas to one Bhairava. As such it is said there are 52 forms
of Bhairava, which are in fact considered as manifestation of Shiva himself.
Traditionally Kal Bhairav is the Grama devata in the rural villages of Karnataka, Maharashtra
and Tamil Nadu, where he is referred to as "Bhaivara/Annadhani" Vairavar. In Karnataka, Lord
Bhairava is the supreme God for the community commonly referred as "Gowdas", especially for
the Gangadikara Gowda caste he is considered as the care taker and punisher.
Also another set of people in Kashmir that have their origin from Gorat, or the minister of Mata
Sharika worship Bhairava during Shivratri
[5]

The Hindu reformer Adi Sankara has written a hymn on Kala Bhairava of Kashi which is called
as Kala Bhairav Ashtakam.
[6]

Observances
Bhairava Ashtami commemorating the day Kal Bhairav appeared on earth, is celebrated on
Krishna paksha Ashtami of the Margashirsha month of Hindu calendar with a day special prayers
and rituals.
[7]

Iconography


Bhairava with vahana, shvana (dog) at Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
He is depicted ornamented with a range of twisted serpents, which serve as earrings, bracelets,
anklets, and sacred thread (yajnopavita). He wears a tiger skin and a ritual apron composed of
human bones.
[8]
Bhairava has a dog (Shvan) as his divine vahana (vehicle). Bhairavi is a fierce
and terrifying aspect of the Devi who is virtually indistinguishable from Kali, with the exception
of her particular identification as the consort of Bhairava.
Bhairava himself has eight manifestations i.e. Ashta Bhairava:
Asithaanga Bhairava
Ruru Bhairava
Chanda Bhairava
Krodha Bhairava
Unmattha Bhairava
Kapaala Bhairava
Bheeshana Bhairava
Samhaara Bhairava
Kala Bhairava is conceptualized as the Guru of the planetary deity Shani (Saturn). Bhairava is
known as Bhairavar or Vairavar in Tamil where he is often presented as a Grama devata or
village guardian who safeguards the devotee on all eight directions (ettu tikku). Known in
Sinhalese as Bahirawa, he protects treasures. Lord Bhairava is the main deity worshipped by the
Aghora sect.
Temples


Kala Bhairava Kuladevata of Vaidya manetana Soratoor


Kalabhairava Temple, Ujjain


Old age Bhairon Baba temple at Langur patti, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India.
Uttar Pradesh
Kala Bhairava Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Pracheen Bada Lal Bhairav, Vidhyanchal, Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh
Kal Bhairav Temple, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
Kal Bhairav Temple,shrinagar distt, mahoba, Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Bhairavnath Temple, Kedarnath, Uttarakhand
Bhairava Temple, Near Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
Bhairav Temple, Bhairon Ghati, before Gangotri, Uttarakhand
Bhairon Garhi, Gumkhal, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
Eight Bhairava Temples, Almora, Uttarakhand
Bhairav Temple, Bageshwar, Uttarakhand
Kaal Bhairav Temple, Devprayag
Jammu and Kashmir
Bhairav Temple, Vaishnodevi complex, Jammu and Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Mahakal Vajra Bhairava Temple, Lahul Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh
Batuk Bhairav Temple, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
Delhi and NCR
Kala Bhairava Temple, near Purana Qila, New Delhi, Delhi. Said to be established by the
Pandava brothers during the building of their capital Indraprastha. Purana Qila is
sometimes said to be their castle and the temple is situated in its backyard
'Pracheen' Bhairava Temple, Nehru Place, New Delhi, Delhi
Assam
Maha Bhairav Temple, Tezpur, Assam
West Bengal
Bhairavsthan, submerged temples of Telkupi, Near Dhanbad, West Bengal
Orissa
Ajaikapada Bhairava Temple, Nuagaon, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha
Jharkhand
Bhomia ji Temple at Jain Swetambar Kothi, Madhuban, Jharkhand
Rajasthan
Chomukha Bhairavji Temple, Kharkhara, Khetri, Rajasthan
Shri Kala Bhairava Temple, Amer Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Bhairuji Mandir, Village-Tehsil - Ladnun, Nagaur, Rajasthan
Kala-Gora Bhairav Mandir, Mandore, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Bhairav Mandir, Barli, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Kala Bhairav Temple at Toliasar, Sri Dungargarh, Rajasthan
Kodamdesar Ramdevra Temple, Jaisalmer Highway, Rajasthan
Sri Nakoda Bhairav Jain Temple, Barmer District, Rajasthan
kodamdesar bhairav mandir, dist. Bikaner [rajasthan]
Shri raktya bhairav mandir, mundali anta baran
Shri Bavdi Vale Batuk Bhairava Temple, Kartarpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
Kala Bhairav Temple at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Shri Kala Bhairav Naath Temple Adegaon Madhya Pradesh
Gujarat
Bhairavnath Temple, Maninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Shree Kala Bhairavnath Mahadev, NH-8, Bhairav Gaun, Kamrej, Surat, Gujarat
Batuk Bhairav Temple, Bidada, Kutch district, Gujarat
Kaal Bhairav Temple, Idar outskirts, Aravalli range, Gujarat
Ashta Bhairav Temple, Sidhpur, Gujarat
Bhairavnath Temple, Palitana, Bhavnagar district, Gujarat
Bhairava Japa, sacred 'jumping rock', Girnar Mountain, Junagadh
Maharashtra
Kaal Bhairavnath Temple, Sonari-, Bhoom, Osmanabad
The Kaal Bhairav Nath Mandir, panchwati, godavari river, nashik
Bhairavnath Temple, Sinnar, Nashik, Maharashtra
The Kaal Bhairav Nath Mandir Varne, Satara, Maharashtra
Shri KalBhairavnath Jogeshwari Temple, A/P-Bavdhan, Tal-Wai, Dist- Satara famous for
BAGAD RATH.
Shri KalBhairavnath Mandir, Kasba Peth, Pune Maharashtra also known as Nava kal
Bhairavnath Mandir .
Goa
Kalabhairav Temple at Dhargal, Goa
Andhra Pradesh


Kalabhairava Statue in Adavivaram, Visakhapatnam district
Sri Kalabhairava Swamy Temple at Kamareddy, Nizamabad district, Andhra Pradesh
Naga Bhirava Kona, P.K.Padu,Somasila, SPSR Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh
Bhairava sela or Bayyanna sela in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
Kaal Bhairva Temple at Ratanpur, considered to be guardian deity of Mahamaya Temple
Bhairava Kona, Near Pamur, Prakasam Dist, Andhra Pradesh
Kala Bhairava in Mruthyujaya Swamy Temple, Yogimallavaram Village, Near Tirupati,
Andhra Pradesh
Kala Bhairava Temple in Kajipalli Medak Mandal Andhra Pradesh
Sri Santhana Prapthi Kaala Bhairava at Ramagiri, Andhra Pradesh
Kala Bhairava in Valeeshwara swamy Temple in Ramagiri Village between Pitchatur and
Nagalapuram [Pitchatur mandal] 2nd to Varanasi
Karnataka
Shree Kala Bhairava Temple, Jadigenahally, Hoskote, Bangalore, KarnatakaThis
temple was built during Chola Dynasty.
Kaala Bhairava Temple, Yana, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka
Kalabhairaveshvara Temple at Adichunchanagiri, Karnataka
Kaala Bhairava Temple, Dubalgundi, Near Homnabad, Bidar, Karnataka
Kalabhairaveshvara Temple at Jogi Mutt, Kadri, Mangalore, Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Kalabhairavar, Kayantha sthanam, Nanjundapuram, Coimbatore - 641036 (near
crematorium)
Kalabhairav Temple at Adhiyaman Kottai, Dharampuri district, Tamil Nadu
Kala Bhairava temple, Gadag, Karnataka
Sri Kala Bhairava Temple pogular village, Gudiyattam, Tamil Nadu
Sri Swarna Kala Bhairavar Peedam, Kaga Ashram, Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Kala Bhairava Temple, Courtallam, Tamil Nadu
Ashta Bhairavar at Sri Kamanada Eswar temple, Aragalur, Tamil Nadu
Bhairavar Temple, Vairavan Patti, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
Bhairaveswarar Temple, Cholapuram, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
Bhairava Moorthi (Bhairava Natha Moorthi) Temple, Morepalayam, Tiruchengodu
Thaluk, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu
Sri Vairavamoorthy, Illupaikudi Temple, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
Konguvadukanatha Swami, Kundadam, Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu
Kala Bhairavar Temple, Pogular village, Gudiyattam Town, Tamil Nadu (3,000 years
old, surrounded by mountains )
Swarna Akarshana Bhairavar at Thadikombu Perumal Temple, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu -
This is the only vishnu temple to have a Bhairava.
Kaalabairavar Temple, Thiruneermalai, Chennai
Maha Bhairava Rudhra Aalayam, Bhairavar Nagar, Thiruvadisoolam Road,
Echankaranai, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu- A holy place surrounded by hills
Bairavar koil,Thirupattur,Sivaganga district .Tamil Nadu
In the Kathmandu valley


Aakash bhairav during Indra Jatra festival
Bhairava is an important deity of the Newars. All the traditional settlements of Newars have at
least a temple of Bhairava. Most of the temples of Bhairava in Nepal are maintained by Newar
priests. There are several Bhairava temples in the Kathmandu valley.
[9]
Some of them are:
The Kala Bhairava temple in Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu Durbar Square) has a 12-foot
(3.7 m) high stone image of Kala Bhairava sculpted in the 5th or 6th century and later
rediscovered in paddy field in the 17th century CE by King Pratap Malla. It was believed
that people die if they speak false in front of this sculpture. So, this temple served as the
supreme court of Nepal for a long time.
[citation needed]

Akash Bhairava (Sava Bhakku Deva or Wanga Dya)
Swet Bhairava
Shanta Bhairava (Majipa Lakhey Dya)
Kirtimukha Bhairava (inside the Pashupatinath Temple
Unmatthta Bhairava (inside the Pashupatinath Temple)
Bagh Bhairava temple of Kirtipur
Batuk Bhairava temple, Lagankhel
"Kaal Bhairicha Navane Changbhale"
pachali bhairav(teku)
tika bhairav
mahangkal bhairav(tudikhel)
pachali bhairav(koligram)