The district of Kaimur formed part of the mighty Magadh Empire from 6th century BCE to 5th century CE, under the Mauryan and Gupta rulers of Magadh. Chandra Gupta Maurya raised an army, with the assistance of Chanakya, his teacher and author of Arthashastra and overthrew the Nanda Empire in  322 BCE  laying the foundation for the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India. In the 7th century CE, this district came under the control of Harshawardhan, the ruler of Kannouj.

Narayana or Vishnu

According to the official version of the Temple authorities, the Maa Mundeshwari Temple was built during  3 – 4 BCE with Narayana, or Vishnu, as the presiding deity. During 348 CE, a new deity Viniteswara was set up as a minor deity in the temple, holding a position subsidiary to Narayana, the main deity. The statue of Narayana disappeared due to the ravages of time.

Chatur Mukha Lingam or Four Faced Shivalinga

Around the seventh century CE, Shaivaism (Religion based on Lord Shiva) became the prevalent religion; and Viniteswara, which was a minor deity, emerged as the presiding deity of the temple. The Chatur Mukha Lingam (Lingam with four faces) representing Lord Shiva was accorded the central place in the temple, which it holds even now.

After this period, the Cheros, a powerful aboriginal tribe and the original inhabitants of the Kaimur Hills, ascended to power. The Cheros were worshippers of Shakti, represented by Maa Mundeshwari, also known as Maheshamardini and Durga. They made Maa Mundeshwari the main deity of the temple.  But in this temple, Maa Mundeshwari is depicted riding on a buffalo. This is unique because Durga is generally represented as killing the ‘asura’ (demon) in the form of a buffalo. However, Chatur Mukha Lingam (Lingam with four faces) still occupied the centre stage in the temple.

The image of Maa Mundeshwari or Durga was installed in a niche along one wall of the temple, where it resides to this day. It is worshipped as the main deity while the Chatur Mukha Lingam although in a central position remains the subsidiary deity. 

Who constructed the Temple

It appears that Maharaja Dutthagamani (101-77 BC), a powerful independent king of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), had constructed a great stupa and a large assembly of priests attended its consecration ceremony in the Mundeshwari hills. The exact builder of the Maa Mundeshwari Temple is not known. It is believed to have been built during the Gupta dynasty, between the 4th to the 6th century CE. The temple’s architectural style and sculptures, which are influenced by the Gupta style, suggest that it was built during this period. The Gupta dynasty was known for its patronage of arts, literature, and architecture, and several notable temples and monuments were built during their reign. This unique temple is a remarkable example of ancient Indian architecture, combining elements of different styles to create a unique and harmonious structure. It is a testament to the architectural and cultural achievements of the Gupta dynasty.

Architecture

The Maa Mundeshwari Temple is the earliest specimen of the Nagara style of temple architecture in Bihar. It is a mix of different styles, including the Gupta and the Nagara styles and is an architectural marvel.
The Temple is built of stone on an octagonal plan which is rare. Since 1915, the temple is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. The temple shikhar or tower which had been destroyed has been covered with a roof.  

The temple complex comprises a main shrine and several smaller shrines surrounded by a large courtyard. The main shrine is a square shaped building with a pyramid-like roof, which is a distinctive feature of the Nagara style. The walls of the temple are adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures, depicting various Hindu gods and goddesses.
The main deities in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple are the Maa Mundeshwari and Chaturmukh Mukhalingam (Lingam with four faces).  Even though the Chaturmukh Mukhalingam is installed in the centre of the sanctum, the main presiding deity is Maa Mundeshwari deified inside a niche. She is depicted with ten hands holding symbols and riding a buffalo, attributed to Mahishasura-mardini.

There are four entrances to the temple, of which one has been closed and one is half open.  There are doors or windows on four sides and small niches for the reception of statues in the remaining four walls.  The niches on the four interior walls have bold mouldings which are carved with vase and foliage designs. At the entrance to the temple, the door jambs are seen with carved images of Dwarapalas, Ganga, Yamuna and many other deities.

There are also two stone vessels of unusual design. The temple also has statues of Ganesha, Surya, Vishnu and of other popular Gods. A substantial part of this stone structure has been damaged.
Chaturmukh Mukhalingam (Lingam with four faces) has been constructed with a special stone which changes its color with the position of the sun. There is a large statue of Nandi on the west side of the main entrance.  The Maa Mundeshwari Temple is a remarkable example of ancient Indian architecture, combining elements of different styles to create a unique and harmonious structure.Location
  
Mythology

Maa Mundeshwari Temple is built on  top of Pawanra (original Prawara) Hill, at a height of about  608 feet (185 metres).  The inscription of an information plaque erected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the site indicates the dating of the temple to 635 CE. However, there are other versions for the dating stating the Saka era, prior to Gupta dynasty rule (320 CE) in India, and specifically to 105 CE according to the Administrator of the Bihar Religious Trust Board.

Worship

It is believed that rituals and worship have been performed in this temple continuously without a break. Hence Maa Mundeshwari Temple is considered  the oldest functional Hindu Temple in the world.

The temple is visited by a large number of pilgrims each year, particularly during the Ramnavami and Shivaratri festivals. A big annual fair (mela) is held nearby during the Navaratra visited by thousands. The worship of Shakti in the form of Maa  Mundeshwari in the temple is also indicative of tantric cult of worship, which is practiced in Eastern India.

Unique Goat Sacrifice

An amazing aspect of worship here is the bloodless goat sacrifice performed, something which would please the animal lovers. Worshippers come here and pray for fulfillment of their desires. After fulfillment of their desires, the worshippers bring goats for sacrifice. Amidst chanting of mantras and showering of flowers and sacred rice by the priest, the goats fall unconscious. But they regain consciousness as soon as the priest repeats the process and the sacrifice is completed thereby. According to the local residents, the tradition of sacrificing goat in this temple has been there since the beginning, but here the sacrifice is done in a very unique way in which not even a drop of blood flows. This unique sacrifice adds to the divinity surrounding the deity.
Legend says that the mother killed a demon named Chand. But the demon named Mund came and hid on the hill. Searching for him, the mother came to this hill and killed Mund. That is why this temple is also called ‘Mundeshwari Mata Mandir’. 
Apart from this unique sacrifice of goat in Maa Mundeshwari Devi Temple, a unique sacrifice is made to Goddess Ganga at Pahleja Ghat near Hajipur.  After the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled, they reach the ghat and buy goats from the boatmen. After worshiping them, they offer them to Ganga Maiya. They let the goats swim away. In this way, the sacrificed goats are not killed. Devotees offer this sacrifice after the fulfillment of their wish to have a child or on the fulfillment of any other special vow.  This tradition of sacrifice conveys the message that the gods and goddesses are not pleased by the sacrifice of any living animal. Rather, they are happy by worshiping nature and filling their bags with wishes.

Museum

There is a small museum halfway up the hill on a small peak by itself. This new museum is a small island of learning. It has one big hall and an additional smaller room. The big hall has a collection of statues and rock carvings mostly dating to the 6th and 7th centuries CE. It contains figures of religious significance drawn through the ages. The sculptures are well labeled but need more exhaustive descriptions explaining the significance of the exhibits. The smaller room has a large number of photographs of the rock paintings of the stone age period found in and around Karar village in the Kaimur Hills.

Accomodation

There are plenty of accommodation close by catering to all kinds of tourists.

Reaching there

Maa Mundeshwari temple is located 22 kms from the small town of Bhabhua, 120 kms from Varanasi and 175 kms from Patna in Bihar. It is about 10 km south of Bhabua and about 25 km south of the railway station. If someone wants to visit the temple, he should come to Bhabua Road station first then he may take a direct bus to Mundeshwari Devi temple or may first take bus to Bhabua and then an auto/tempo to the temple.

By Air

The nearest airport is the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi, 102 kms from the temple.

By Train

Mohania is the only major railway junction of the district. This station is commonly known as Bhabua Road is on the Howrah-New Delhi route. The temple is 22 kms. from this station.

By Road

The temple is 220 kms from Patna and 110 kms from Varanasi.

Hitech – online Prasad

The temple authorities have developed an attractive, remarkable website. It contains a lot of information, pictures and videos, bhajans, etc. and you can even order Prasad online which will be delivered to your home.

https://maamundeshwaritrust.org/

10 March 2024

( 1820 Words )                                                                                     Binoy Gupta


Photo of temple courtesy  Iamritwikaryan
More photos are available at the following Govt. site.
https://kaimur.nic.in/gallery/maa-mundeshwari-temple-bhagwanpur/

 

and the legendary Veerendra Heggade              
I have visited a number of educational and medical institutions in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu of South India.

Most of them are beautifully supplementing the work the Government is doing. In 2004, I was invited to inaugurate a wing of the Hospital of the SDM College of Medical Sciences in Dharwad (Karnataka).
The institution had applied for permission to start a medical college which was then pending.It has a beautiful campus.  Neat and clean. Well planned modern infrastructure – and a very good team of doctors.
Almost across the road is a sister institution – the SDM Dental College – older and one of the finest in the country.I received an invitation to visit Dharmasthala and meet Virendra Heggade – the hereditory head of the SDM group.
So I landed in Dharmasthala. A beautiful, historic place, seeped in legend, mythology and religion.In Dharmasthala, I had the rare privilege of personally meeting Virendra Heggade. He even presented me the traditional silk shawl, a garland and a silver coin.

Mythology

About 800 years ago, Dharmasthala was a small village known as Kuduma.
A pious Jain, Birmanna Pergade and his wife, lived in this village in a house called Nelliadi Beedu.
The Pergade family was famous for their generosity and hospitality.One day, disguised as humans, four Devas (Gods) arrived at Pergade’s house in search of a suitable place for propagating Dharma (religion). The Pergade family welcomed the guests.  
The Devas liked the place, explained the purpose of their visit and requested Pergade to vacate Nelliadi Beedu for worship and dedicate his life to the propagation of Dharma.
In return, the Devas promised Pergade protection for his family, abundance of charity and renown for the ‘Kshetra’.Pergade built himself another house and began worshipping the Devas at Nelliadi Beedu.
Later, he brought a Gold Shivalinga from Kadri, a place near Mangalore; and built the Manjunatha temple around the Shivalinga.

History and Administration

The administration of the temple and its assets devolves by heredity. Around the 16th Century, Devaraja Heggade invited Vadiraja Swami of Udupi to visit the temple.
The Swamiji came, but refused to accept food, because the idol of lord Manjunatha had not been consecrated according to Vedic rites.
Devaraja Heggade requested Swamiji to reconsecrate the Shivalinga.
The Swamiji consecrated the idol according to Vedic rites and renamed the place Dharmasthala (place of charity).Manjayya Heggade, the head from 1918 to 1955 – 37 years – was a great scholar and social reformer. He put Dharmasthala on the map of India.

Padma Bhusan Veerendra Heggade

The present head of the institution Veerendra Heggade became the
21st head on 24th October 1968, at the young age of 20.
He is doing a lot of philanthropic work for the public and he has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards in India.
He is fond of collecting old and antique objects.

The position of the Heggade (Chief)

The position of the Heggade (Head) of Dharmasthala is unique.
There is no parallel anywhere in the world.
He is also called Dharmadikari (custodian of religion).

He is a family man.
He is a divine person  –  representative of Lord Manjunath.                                           
He supervises the four traditional Danas (charities) – Anna Dana (food); Aushada Dana (medicine); Vidya Dana (education); and Abhaya Dana (protection).
He also dispenses justice. All visitors to Dharmasthala are provided free accommodation and food.                                                                                                                     
The kitchen and dining rooms are worth seeing.
During the peak periods, the number of diners swells up to 10,000 per day.
All this involves huge logistics. Procurement. Preparation. Cooking. Serving. Washing utensils, etc.
Many of the processes have been mechanised. And every process is extremely hygienic. There are medical colleges and hospitals dispensing medicine.The 25 educational establishments provide a variety of courses, including schooling, management, law, engineering, ayurveda, naturopathy and medicine. Free mass marriages have been organized from 1973.

Hoyilu – the Judicial Function

Hoyilus, or civil complaint, can be submitted at Dharmasthala by any person.  When such a complaint is received, an intimation is sent to the opposite party who is requested to come to the temple if there is any truth in the complaint.
When both parties appear before the Heggade and present their cases, he gives his verdict which is accepted as law.
This is a unique dispute redressal mechanism.

Bahubali Statue
 
Rathnavarma Heggade commissioned the famous sculpturer, Renjala Gopala Shenoy of Karkala, to carve a statute of Bahubali.
Renjala started the statue in 1967 in Karkala and finished in 1970.
Carved out of a single rock, the statue is 39 feet (12 m) high and 175 tons in weight. Transportation of this huge statue from Karkala to Dharmasthala and its installation on a hill top posed tremendous problems.
The statue was installed on its pedestal on a hillock on 25 December 1975. Manjusha – a museum

The museum Manjusha has a unique collection of rare manuscripts, works of art,  metal and stone statues, paintings and other historical objects.

Vintage Car Museum

This museum contains old horse chariots and a large collection of vintage cars.
Every exhibit is in good running condition.


Reaching thereDharmasthala is about 100 kms from Udupi and about 70 kms from Mangalore.

Recommendation

Located amidst the picturesque Western Ghats on the banks of the Nethravathi River, Dharmasthala is one of the finest temple towns in India.
The temple is unique because it is run by a Jain administrator and poojas are performed by Madhva priests.
And the organization is engaged in a lot of educational and other philanthropic work.

Unique Temple of the Formless Shiva

I have visited Chidambaram several times for three reasons.
· To meander through the Mangrove Forests of Pichavaram to the beach beyond.
· To visit, attend or give lectures at the Annamalai University.
· And to visit the Chidambaram Temple.

Meaning of the word Chidambaram

The word Chidambaram is derived from the two words ‘Chit’ meaning ‘consciousness’ and ‘ambaram’ meaning ‘sky’ (akaas) and signifies the sky of consciousness, which is the ultimate state one should attempt to attain.According to another version, the word Chidambaram is derived from Chitrambalam which is derived from two words ‘Chit’ and ‘ambalam’ meaning Stage for performing arts.

The Deity

Chidambaram Temple is unique because the main deity which is worshipped there is the Akash Linga or the formless form of Lord Shiva. Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of ether (one of the five forms of matter) which has no form.As you can see on the left side of the photograph, there is no deity at all.The wall is covered with leaves of gold foil strung on strings. (Of course, there are a lot of other deities).

The Chidambaram Temple is also dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Nataraja – the Cosmic Dancer.The beautiful image of Nataraja is extremely popular amongst artists.

History

We do not know much about the past of Chidambaram.But worship in this temple has continued uninterrupted since time immemorial.The Temple was definitely in existence in the 6th century A.D.Successive generations of the Chola, the Pallava and the Vijayanagar kings patronised the temple.The Chola King Aditya 1 started guilding a portion of the roof of the temple with gold.But the work was completed by his son.Mythology

A group of ‘rishis’ (saints) lived in the Thillai forests. They believed in magic and believed that even God could be controlled by rituals and ‘mantras’ or magical words.

Once, Lord Shiva was strolling through the Thillai forests in the form of ‘Pitchandanar’, a nude mendicant asking for alms.He had extraordinary beauty and radiance.He was followed by his consort. The wives of the rishis were enamoured by the handsome mendicant and his consort.

On seeing this, the rishis became angry and sent scores of serpents by performing magical rituals. Lord Shiva lifted the serpents and donned them as ornaments on his matted locks, neck and waist.

The enraged rishis sent a fierce tiger. Lord Shiva skinned it and tied its skin around his waist like a piece of garment. Still more infuriated, the rishis sent a powerful demon ‘Muyalakan’. Lord Shiva stepped on the demon’s back, immobilized him and performed the Ánanda thaandava (the dance of bliss or happiness).Then he discloses his true form. Only then, the rishis realized that Lord Shiva was beyond magic and rituals and surrendered to him.Govindaraja Shrine

The Chidambaram Temple complex also has a shrine of Govindarajaperumal (form of Lord Vishnu) and his consort Pundareegavalli Thaayar (form of Laxmi). It is rare to have shrines of both Shiva and Vishnu in the same temple.

Temple car

The Chidambaram Temple car is one of the most beautiful of temple cars in Tamil Nadu. This car is used to carry the statue of Lord Nataraja around the town twice a year.

The Gopurams

The temple has 9 gateways.Four of these have towering ‘gopurams’ or pagodas each with 7 levels in the East, South, West and North. The eastern gopuram has sculptures depicting all the 108 postures (karnams) of Bharat Natyam – an Indian form of dance.

Reaching there

Chidambaram is 240 km south of Chennai and about an hour’s drive from Pondicherry.There are plenty of trains from Chennai.The road is also very good.
The coast is about 11 kms from Chidambaram.

Recommendation

The temple complex spreading over 40 acres is full of exquisite statues.There is the Shivganga, the traditional tank.Chidambaram is also worshipped as the temple of Nataraj – the Cosmic Dancer.There is an annual dance festival.The top most Indian dancers deem it a privilege and honour to perform here.

Nataraj, the image of the Lord Shiva in the dancing pose has been copied all over the world.

All the major temples in Tamil Nadu are administered by the Government. Chidambaram is the sole exception.The huge temple complex looks like an undefeatable fort and has been used as such.

You can visit the Annamalai University, which pioneered the concept of distance education in India.
You can also visit the Pichavaram Mangrove Forests.

The western most of Adi Shankaracharya’s Four Dhams

Plato first mentioned ‘Atlantis’ in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias writtenin 360 B.C.
For unknown reasons, Plato never completed Critias.
According to Plato, “Atlantis, lying “beyond the pillars of Heracles”, was a naval power that conquered many parts of Western Europe and Africa 9,000 years before the time of Solon, or approximately 9,500 B.C.
After a failed attempt to invade Athens, Atlantis sank into the ocean “in a single day and night of misfortune”.Scientists and researchers agree that there was no such island as Atlantis.
Atlantis was a piece of sheer imagination.
But the ancient Dwarka has far too many similarities to the imaginary Atlantis.
This cannot be pure coincidence.Dwarka is about 4000 years old.
Plato wrote about Atlantis only around 360 B.C., that is, much later.
I think the only plausible explanation for the striking similarities is that Plato heard about Dwarka and based his imaginary Atlantis on Dwarka.

Dwarka

The present day Dwarka is a city in Gujarat state in Western India.
The name Dwarka has come from the Sanskrit word “Dwar” meaning door.
Once upon a time, if you were coming from the West, Dwarka was the gate way to India.
Today, Hindus regard it as a gateway to Heaven.The legendary city of Dwarka was the dwelling place of Lord Krishna.
It is believed that due to damage and destruction by the sea, Dwarka submerged under the sea six times; and the modern day Dwarka is the seventh city to be built in the area. The Dwarkadhish Temple

The word Dwarkadhish comes from Dwarka and Dhish meaning Lord of Dwarka.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna.
The city is believed to have been built by Vishwakarma, the celestial architect.
And the ancient temple was built by Sambha, the grandson of Lord Krishna.The present temple built around the 16th century has a five storey tower.
It is made of limestone and sand.
The structure of the temple is quite complicated.
A 24 metres (84 ft.) long, multicolored flag, decorated with the symbols of the sun and moon, is hoisted on the temple tower every day.
It majestically flitters in the air welcoming the pilgrims. The temple has two gateways:
· Swarg Dwar (Door to Heaven), through which pilgrims enter, and
· Moksha Dwar (Door to Salvation), through which the pilgrims exit.
From the temple, one can see the sangam (confluence) of Gomati River and the Arabian Sea.

World Famous Ratha Yatra

Jagannath Puri, or simply Puri, is one of Adi Shankaracharya’s Char Dhams (or Four Places of Pilgrimage) located in the four corners of India. The other three are: Badrinath in the North (Himalayas); Dwarka in the West; and Rameshwaram in the South.
Badrinath is located amidst the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The other three are located on the shores of the seas around India.

Jagannath Puri is world famous for its unique Ratha Yatra (Chariot Procession).

Ratha Yatras, on a smaller scale, are simultaneously organised in several parts of India and even abroad.Fairs and melas are organised during the nine day festivities.In Kolkata (Calcutta), the fairs attract shops selling plant and pets.

When I was small, I loved to go to these fairs and purchase a few plants and pets.As a result, I have kept such unconventional pets as lizards, scorpions, snakes, python, deer and peacocks.And all this was possible only because my parents never objected or protested.I don’t remember ever being reprimanded for my pets and plants.They heroically suffered the less than normal whimsical fancies of their little son.

Origin of the Word Jagannath

The word Jagannath comes from two Sanskrit words Jagat (meaning universe) and Nath (meaning master).Jagannath, meaning Master of the Universe, is another name for Lord Krishna.The most famous and oldest Jagannath temple in India is in Puri, Orissa.Because of this temple, Puri is also known as Jagannath Puri.

Mythology

There are two mythological stories relating to the deity.

Lord Krishna appeared to his great devotee, King Indradyumna and ordered him to get his deity carved out of a log he would find washed out on the sea shore.King Indradyumna duly recovered the log and found a mysterious old Brahmin carpenter willing to carve the deity.The carpenter insisted that under no circumstance, he should be disturbed while he was carving the deity.The king anxiously waited outside his room.

When all sound stopped, King Indradyumna could not restrain himself any longer.He opened the door and entered the room.He found the deity half-finished and the carpenter gone.King Indradyumna was very upset because the deity had no arms and legs.

Ultimately, Narada Muni appeared and explained that the carpenter was Vishvakarma, the heavenly sculptor of the Gods; and the form of Lord Krishna, the king saw, was one of the forms of Lord Krishna.

According to the second story, the gopis (maids) were talking about the pranks of Krishna, and about their love for him.The gopis had instructed Subhadra (Krishna’s sister) to keep watch and warn them if Krishna came.But after some time, Subhadra became completely engrossed in the conversation.She did not notice Krishna and his brother Balaram approaching.The two brothers listened to the gopis’ talk.Their hairs stood on end, their arms retracted, their eyes grew larger and larger, and they smiled broadly in joy.That is why Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra look the way they do.

The Temple of Lord Jagannath

There is some disagreement amongst experts about the exact period of construction of the present temple. Construction of the present temple was started in the 12th century A.D. by King Ananta Burman Chodaganga Deva, founder of the Ganga dynasty in Orissa.But he could not complete it during his lifetime.The construction was completed by his successor Ananga Bhima Deva III.

The temple is built in the Kalinga style of architecture.It consists of a tall shikhara (dome) housing the sanctum sanctorum (garba griha) where the deity is placed.A pillar of fossilized wood is used for placing lamps as offering.Singhadwara (lion gate), guarded by two guardian deities, Jaya and Vijayais, is the main gate to the temple.A memorial column, brought here by the Raja of Khurda from the Sun Temple of Konarak, known as Aruna Stambha, faces the main gate.The three deities – Jagannath, Balabhadra (Balaram) and Subhadra are worshipped inside the temple.

Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple.Even Indira Gandhi was not allowed to enter the temple.More recently, a Thai princess was not allowed to enter the temple.
But once a year, during the rainy season, usually in June or July, the deities are brought out in one of the most clourful processions any where in the world.

Ratha Yatra

This festival is known as Ratha Yatra (Chariot Procession).The three deities – Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out on three separate richly decorated chariots, resembling temple structures, through the streets of Puri so that everyone can see them.The largest chariot is that of Jagannath – 45 feet high and 35 feet square.It is supported on 16 wheels with a diameter of 7 feet.New chariots are built every year.The Rathas (Chariots) are pulled by the millions of pilgrims who come to attend the festivities.It is considered a privilege to pull the Ratha.The King of Puri takes part in the procession.He sweeps the path in front of Jagannath’s chariot.

The Ratha Yatra commemorates Lord Krishna’s return to his home in Vrindavan after killing Kansa.Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra (Balaram) and Subhadra are taken to their aunt’s temple (Gundicha Mandir) – a distance of 2 km from the temple.The deity remain on their chariots for the night.In the morning, they are installed in the Gundicha Mandir.They remain there for seven days.On the ninth day, they are placed back on their chariots and return to their temple.By this time, most of the pilgrims would have gone back.Labourers have to be hired to pull the Rathas.

What to see

Puri is an important town of Orissa.It is famous for the Jagannath temple.
Its sprawling wide beaches, fishing farms and the superb resorts make Puri a major holiday destination of Eastern India.

Recommendation

Visit the exotic sea beaches.Swim in the sea.Watch the fishermen catch their fish.

Puri belongs to the Golden Triangle Circuit of Orissa covering Bhubaneswar, Konarak and Gopalpur-on-Sea.You can visit these places as well.
Incidentally, the English word ‘juggernaut’ owes its origin to these huge chariots.

Jyotirlinga Shrine

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.


Kedarnath

Perched at the head of Mandakini river, 3584 metres above sea level, the Kedarnath Temple is the most important Hindu temple in the Himalayas.
It is also one of the most important Shiva temples in India.
I have visited Kedarnath twice.

The second time, it was in the month of June.
We travelled by car from Delhi via Dehradun and Mussourie.
We reached Gaurikund (14 kms from Kedarnath) around 4 P.M.
The road passes through beautiful mountains.
At times, you can see a river snaking far below.
And you pass over frail looking bridges.

From Gaurikund, you can either walk up, be carried in a basket (for youngsters and aged), hire a palanquin, or ride a pony.
I wanted to walk up.
But since it was getting late, I was coerced into hiring ponies.

The scenery was extremely beautiful.
But the pony tracks were far too narrow, at times just sufficient for a single pony.
On one side of the track would be the mountain face.
On the other, a steep vertical fall.
And whenever I looked down, I was reminded…. that if…..……. the pony slipped, I would land thousands of feet down.

I had never seen a snow fall.
I was hoping we would see snow fall.
But the pony owners told us it was too late for that.
Just two kilometres short of Kedarnath, the sky started turning dark.
Visibility fell rapidly.
And we were covered with what we felt were fluffs of soft cotton.

But these were not fluffs of cotton, but beautiful flakes of snow.
In a few minutes, the sky became completely dark.
We could not see anything beyond a few inches.
Visibility was zero.
Our hands started freezing.

We were just one kilometre from Kedarnath.
Our pony owners told us we must stop.
Because one slip in the darkness meant certain death.

There were no hotels on the way. Mere ‘chattis’ – small shops made of roughly hewn stones stacked on top of one another – where one can have tea, coffee and simple vegetarian meals.
They also keep blankets, pillows, etc. for a night stay.
Even today, some pilgrims prefer to walk the 14 kms.
And they spend the nights in these ‘chattis’.

So we entered a ‘chatti’.
The crackling log fire was more welcome than any five star luxury.
We had some hot tea followed by some good simple meals.
The snow on our clothes melted.
We had not carried any extra clothes.
So we had to take off most of our clothing and hang them up to dry.

There were no beds.
The ground was rocky and uneven.
Icy winds blew in through the holes and crinks between the stones.
We squeezed into some blankets huddling to each other like penguins.

A little past midnight, I ventured outside in my undergarments.
I was in fairy land!
The scene was so enchanting, I did not feel the cold.

All around were beautiful ice clad blue mountains I had read about in fairy tales.
There was no moon, yet visibility was good.
It was one scene, I have never seen again.

Mythology

According to mythology, after the Pandavas defeated the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war (Mahabharat), they felt guilty of having killed their own brothers and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva to repent for their sins.
But Lord Shiva did not want to bless them and evaded them repeatedly.
Finally, Lord Shiva took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull.

The Pandavas followed him…… relentlessly.
At Kedarnath, Lord Shiva dived into the ground to hide, leaving only his hump on the surface.

The stone hump is the form in which Lord Shiva is worshipped in Kedarnath temple.
The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared in four other nearby places and are worshipped there as his manifestations.
The arms appeared at Tungnath; the face at Rudranath; the belly at Madhmaheshwar; and his head with locks of hair at Kalpeshwar.

Kedarnath and these four shrines (Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhmaheshwar and Madhmaheshwar), where different parts of Lord Shiva appeared, are known as Panch Kedar.
There are five holy peaks here. Rudra Himalaya, Vishnupuri, Brahmapuri, Udayagiri -Kanha and Swargarohini.
Swargarohini (meaning Road to Heaven) was used by the Pandavas and Droupadi to reach heaven.
Arjuna did severe penance here to please Lord Shiva and get Pasupata, the most potent weapon.

The Temple

According to mythology, the Pandavas built the original temple at Kedarnath.
Adi Shankaracharya visited Kedarnath during the 8th century A.D. and he built the present temple.

Adi Shankaracharya took his Samadhi in Kedarnath at the young age of 32.
His Samadhi lies just behind the temple.
Beyond this sketchy detail, we don’t have any indication about who built the temple and when.

The present temple is built of large grey stone slabs.
The temple has a ‘Garbha Griha’ the sanctum sanctorum, which contains the image of Lord Shiva in the form of a stone hump (a conical rock formation measuring about five feet by four feet);and a Mandap where pilgrims and visitors gather.                                    

In this form, Lord Shiva is known as Lord Maheswar-Kedareswar

The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and mythological scenes.

Just outside the temple door is a huge and beautiful statue of Nandi (the Bull), Lord Shiva’s vahan.

Time to Visit

Kedarnath temple is surrounded by high mountains.
During the winter months, it is impossible to reach Kedarnath.

In November, Lord Shiva, is carried down from Kedarnath to Ukhimath; and is brought back to Kedarnath in the first week of May.

It is believed that Lord Shiva is worshipped by the lesser gods for six months and the rest of the year by the humans.
May to October is the best season to visit Kedarnath.

Places of Interest

· Chorabhari Tal or Gandhi Sarovar (3 kms).
· Gaurikund (14 kms) – hot springs of medicinal values and a temple dedicated to Gauri.
· Vasuki Tal (6 kms) – this beautiful lake is 4135 m above sea level.
· Triyuginarayan (5 kms from Son Prayag) – this is the mythological place where Lord Shiva married Parvati.
· Gupt Kashi (49 kms) – famous for the temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanathji.
· Ukhimath (60 kms) – winter home of Lord Kedarnath, and the seat of the Rawal (Priest) of Kedarnath during the winter months.
· Panch Kedar – the five most important temples of Lord Shiva in the Garhwal Himalayas.
· Chopta (40 kms from Gopeshwar) – one of the most picturesque spots in the entire Garhwal region. It provides a breathtaking view of Himalayan ranges.
· Deoria Tal – in the early morning, the snow-capped peaks are clearly reflected on the waters of this lake on the Chopta – Ukhimath road.
· The Kedar Massif – is an outstanding massif formed by three major mountains.

Reaching there

Rail

The nearest station is Rishikesh (221 kms).

Road

Kedarnath is connected by road with Delhi (450 km), Haridwar (250 km), Rishikesh (226 km), Kotdwara (256 km), Badrinath (242 km).

Accommodation

Plenty of reasonably good accommodation is available in Kedarnath.

My recommendation

Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Kedar or Lord Shiva.
Even if you are not interested in religion and temples, do visit the Char Dhams.
They are really beautiful places to visit.

The Most revered Temple of Lord Vishnu

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.

Badrinath also known as ‘Vishal Badri’ is situated on the banks of Alaknanda river – 3,133 metres above sea-level.
This temple is the largest and most popular of the five Badri or Vishnu temples in the Himalayas.

The first time I visited Badrinath was during the initial phases of my training as a civil servant.
Class I officers are selected on the basis of a written examination followed by an interview.

The selected officers comprise an odd assortment – from different regions, with diverse educational backgrounds, coming from different strata of society, representing different cultures, etc.
They are given an orientation training designed to enable them to mix with each other and adjust into the elite bureaucratic set up.

It seems rather strange that the training never did me any good.
Till my last days in service, I could never feel myself any different from the ordinary man.
I was and remained a commoner.
My office was open to everyone and sundry.
I never left my office without meeting the last visitor.

As a part of their training, new entrants to the civil services are sent to different parts of the country.
To see things – first hand!
We were sent to Badrinath and Kedarnath.
The program included a visit to the Jawans (Indian army) in the Mana pass.
From Joshimath, military vehicles and escorts took us into the heights of the Mana village and then onwards to the military camp.

The commander there had arranged a mock battle for us.
Two groups of soldiers fought against each other as they would in real war.
Machine guns rattled.
Shells burst and dense smoke billowed.
There were mock attacks.
The soldiers shrieked and shouted and even fell down stone dead as if they had been hit by a bullet.
The soldiers did their best to show off their acting talents.
And they succeeded.
The battle looked very realistic.

I started taking photographs of the mock battle.
A soldier came up to me, reminded me that we were in a prohibited forward area and asked me to stop.
The Commander (a lieutenant colonel) who was watching from a distance immediately stepped in, asked what the problem was, and gave the green signal. “Go ahead. Sir”, he said.
We tasted the normal lunch which our jawans usually have in the high altitude border areas.

I have visited Badrinath twice after that.

Mythology

Badrinath is mentioned in the Hindu ancient texts.
There was an ancient temple here during the ancient times.
Although the statue is very old, the present temple was built recently.
The statue of Lord Vishnu in Badrinath temple is made of Shaligram stone.
It is in the padmasana or sitting pose.

One legend explains why Vishnu’s statue is in the padmasana pose, rather than in the usual reclining pose.
A sage saw Lakshmi (Vishnu’s wife) massaging the feet of Vishnu.
He rebuked Vishnu.Vishnu came down to Badrinath to perform austerity and meditated for a long time in padmasana pose.

The area around Badrinath attracts yogis who come here for meditation and seclusion.
Another legend says that Shiva and Parvati were residing in Badrinath.
Vishnu came disguised as a small child, crying loudly and disturbed them.
Parvati asked the child why he was crying.
He replied that he wanted Badrinath for meditation.
Shiva and Parvati recognised Lord Narayan in disguise.
They left Badrinath and moved over to Kedarnath.

Adi Shankarachary visited Badrintah in the 8th century.
He retrieved the statue of Badrinarayan from the Alaknanda River where it had been thrown away centuries ago and installed it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs.

The King of Garhwal established the present temple in the sixteenth century.
The temple was badly damaged by the earthquake of 1803.
It was then rebuilt by the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Some authors claim that the temple was built on a former Buddhist temple site.

The Temple

Badrinath temple is flanked by two mountain ranges known as Nar and Narayan.

The majestic Neelkanth peak provides a befitting backdrop.
This area was once carpeted with wild berries which gave it the name ‘Badri Van’, meaning ‘forest of berries’.
The statue of Lord Vishnu is made of Shaligram and depicts him sitting under a badri tree under a gold canopy.
There are fifteen more statues in the temple including statues of Nara & Narayana, Narasimha (the fourth incarnation of Vishnu), Lakshmi, Narada, Ganesha, Uddhava, Kubera, Garuda (the vehicle of Lord Narayan) and Navadurga.

Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda river is a hot water spring known as ‘Tapt Kund’. It is supposed to have medicinal properties and curative powers.A bath in this spring is very refreshing. There is a separate tank for women.

Time to Visit

Badrinath is too cold and inaccessible during the winter months.
The temple is closed in November and the statue is moved to nearby Jyotirmath .
The best time to visit Badrinath is between May and October.

General Information

Rail

The nearest station is Rishikesh (293 kms).

Road

Badrinath is connected by road to Rishikesh (293 km), Haridwar (313 km), Kotdwara (325 km), Joshimath (42 km) & Valley of flowers (38 km), Kedarnath (242 km) and Delhi(518 km).

Places of interest

· Mana Village (3 kms) – the last Indian village near the Indo-Tibetan border. Even today, the traditional people here maintain their own way of life.
· Bheem Bridge – this is a natural bridge over the river Saraswathi, near Mana Village, made of a huge boulder.
· Vasudhara Falls – this is a high waterfall 5 kms after Bheem Bridge.
· Satopanth Lake – this beautiful lake full of lotus flowers is 18 km from Mana Village.
· Pandukesar (20 kms) – this is a memorial for the Pandavas. There are two ancient temples with intricate carvings.
· Govind Ghat – 2 kms before Pandukesar, this is the gateway to the Hem Kund Lake and the fabulous Valley of the Flowers. The Hem Kund is 20 kms by foot from here. The Valley of the Flowers is a 17 kms walk.
· Hanuman Chatti – 13 kms before Badrinath – this is a temple. Nearby is a nursery of rare birch trees.
· Kheerau Valley – when you cross the bridge on the Alaknanda River on the way from Hanuman Chatti to Benakuli, you see this extremely beautiful valley. 4 kms from here is the Kheerau village.
· Joshimath (42 kms) – Adi Shankaracharya visited this place in the 18th century and founded the Mutt called Jyotir math or Joshimath.

My recommendation

The statue is considered to be one of eight swayam vyakta keshtras, or self-manifested statue of Vishnu.
A peculiar feature of this temple is that in accordance with the practice started by Adi Shankaracharya, the Rawal, or head priest of this temple, is a Nambudiri Brahmin from Kerala (south India).

Visit the place.
The journey is most enjoyable.
You will forget the hustles and bustles of city life and get immersed in a world of peace and tranquility.

The Birth Place of Ganga

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.

I stood on the bank of the river Bhagirathi bubbling and gurgling on its 1,500 miles long journey to the oceans.

All around were snow clad mountains.
I took off my clothes to take a dip in the holy river.
I am used to taking chilled shower after a steam or sauna in my gym.

When I entered the river, I shivered.
The water was far more chilly than I was accustomed to.
I shivered very badly.
But after a few minutes, my body adjusted to the coldness and I felt quite comfortable.

At that time, a strange thought crossed my mind.
Many of my foreign friends find it surprising that Indians worship the Ganga (or Ganges river).
Think from an Indian’s point of view.

The river waters the Gangetic plain – an area of 359,400 sq. km., roughly 10 per cent of India’s total landmass – providing the people water for drinking, cooking, washing and agriculture.
Every year, the rains wash down a lot of minerals from the mountains into the river which increases fertility and prosperity of the land.
During the ancient days, when there were few roads and far more dense forests, road journey was hazardous.

The river provided a safe means of transport – free from wild animals and other perils.

In the evening, I attended the temple prayers and aarti.
I had a strange feeling.
I felt the high mountains were looking down upon me – smiling and blessing me.
May be, all this was my imagination.

But many visitors have a similar feeling.
This is what makes the journey to such places so fascinating.

Gomukh

The Ganges River originates amongst the melting snows of a glacier – called Gomukh or Gangotri glacier – in the Himalayas. It is difficult to identify and pin point any particular spot.
But the river’s origin is taken as Gomukh (meaning cow’s mouth) – 18 kms trek from Gangotri.Here, the river comes out of a cave which does look like an open mouth.
Since the last Ice Age, the glacier has been melting and receding due to global warming.
But the rate of melting has doubled since the1970s.

In 1866, the British traveler Samuel Burn travelled up t o Gangotri.
He wanted to visit Gomukh.
But the local people did not allow him to go.
According to Burn, they believed that Gangotri was the holiest place and human interference in Gomukh was non-religious.
Today’s foreign tourists are lucky.
They can travel right up to Gomukh.

Bhagirathi

The river originates as Bhagirathi.
At Devprayag (prayag means a place where two or more rivers meet), another river, the Alaknanda, meets the Bhagirathi.
The two rivers mingle with each other – the name changes to Ganga (or Ganges) and travel onwards.

Gangotri

Gangotri is a small town nestling amongst the Himalayas at a height of 3,042 metres above sea level.
The Goddess Ganga is believed to have descended to the earth at this spot.
The Ganga temple was built on the bank of the Ganga river by a Gurkha General Amar Singh Thapa in the late 18th or early 19th century.

During the winter months, the place becomes inaccessible.
The temple is closed down on Diwali day (November) every year and reopens in May.
During this time, the idol of Goddess Ganga is shifted to Mukhba village, near Harsil.

Mythology

How Ganga came down to earth

According to legend, after slaying the demons on earth, King Sagar decided to perform the Ashwa Megh Yagya to proclam his supremacy to the world.
A horse would be taken around the earth accompanied by the King’s 60,000 sons from Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas from the second queen Kesani.
Indra, the supreme ruler of the gods, was afraid that if the Yagya was successful, he might lose his throne.

So he wanted to interfere with the Yagya.
He stole the horse and tied it to the ashram of sage Kapil Muni, who was then in deep meditation.
When King Sagar’s sons could not find the horse, they searched everywhere.
Finally, they found it tied near the meditating Kapil Muni.

The sixty thousand and one angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of Kapil Muni disrupting his meditation as Indra had planned.
Kapil Muni was very angry.
He opened his eyes and turned all the sons into ashes.

The only way to bring them back to life was to bring down Goddess Ganga from the Heavens and wash the ashes with the holy water.
Bhagirath, grand son of King Sagar, meditated for a long time to persuade Ganga to come down to the earth.

But the coming down of Ganga would have been too torrential and would have caused colossal damage.
Finally, Lord Shiva agreed to receive Ganga in his large tresses to break her fall.
Ganga descended down to the earth, washed the ashes and all the sons came back to life.

The Bhagirathi ‘Shila’ located near the temple of Ganga marks the spot where Ganga descended on earth from heaven.

Recommendation

Gangotri, the source of the river Ganges and seat of the Goddess Ganga, is one of the four Char Dhams (Four Dhams).
Whether or not you believe in religion or mythology, the Four Dhams are exquisite places.
Visit them for their beauty.
At least for some time, you will forget all your worries and be one with nature.

Gangotri can be reached in a day by road from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun.
The journey is enchanting.
There are several good places where you can stay.

Grateful thanks:
The photo ‘Beautiful Mountains and Rivers’ has been taken by Amir Jacobi.

The First of the Char Dhams

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.

When I was very small, my grandmother went on a pilgrimage to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
The journey was really tedious, involving walking long distances.
The roads, where they existed, were very bad.
There were no proper hotels or eateries on the way.
I don’t remember the exact duration, but it took her almost three months.

The Original Char Dhams (Four Holy Pilgrimages)

Char Dham originally refered to the four holy places, or dhams, established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century.
These places are located in four far-flung corners of India.

Badrinath nestles amidst the Himalayas in the North.
Rameshwaram overlooks the Bay of Bengal in the extreme South.
Jagannath Puri is again located on the Bay of Bengal in the East.
Dwarka floats on the Arabian Sea in the West.

A visit to the Char Dhams used to be a lifelong ambition of every devout Hindu.
It was my mother’s wish, and my readiness to fulfill her wishes, that I visited Adi Shankaracharya’s Char Dhams.

The Chota Char Dhams

Somewhere down the line, Badrinath became the centre of what came to be known as Chota Char Dham – the lesser four dhams.
The original Char Dhams established by Adi Shankaracharya are too far flung.
So the Chota Char Dhams in Uttarakhand in the Himalayas – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath – became increasingly popular.

The 1962 Indo China war forced India to improve the border roads.
More and more tourists and pilgrims started travelling to these places.
Around that time, the word Chota dropped out somewhere, and the Chota Char Dham became Char Dham.
Today Char Dham is used for Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.

Going there

There are two routes to visit the Char Dham – one is via Mussourie and the other via Haridwar and Rishikesh.
The latter route is far more picturesque.

The Ganges river enters the plains at Haridwar.
And Rishikesh is the undisputed gate way to the Abode of Gods.
Haridwar and Rishikesh are favourite pilgrimage and tourist places, on their own right.

Get hold of a map of India or use the one on this blog.
Open your right palm wide and place it on the map (palm down).
Put your right thumb on Rishikesh.
The four fingers will point at Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
You can see their exact locations and the routes in the map.

Yamunotri

The first of the Char Dham is Yamunotri.
Incidentally, it is also highest of the four.
Yamunotri is the source of the river Yamuna which originates from a frozen lake of ice and the Champasar Glacier 1 km above the temple at an altitude of 4,321 metres.

Champasar Glacier is located on the Kalind Mountain at a height of 4421 metres above sea level.
Access to Champasar Glacier is extremely difficult and normal pilgrims cannot reach it.
This is the reason, Yamunotri temple was built at the present location.

Yamunotri is about a day’s journey from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun.
The temple is accessible only by a six kilometres walk from Hanuman Chatti and a four kilometres walk from Janki Chatti.
Of course, you can hire ponies and palanquins.

The trek from Hanuman Chetty to Yamunotri is exceedingly picturesque with beautiful views of the snow covered mountains, deep valleys and a number of water falls.

The Temple

The temple of Goddess Yamuna is perched on top of a flank of the Bandar Poonchh peak (3,165 metres above sea level).
The original temple was built by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur in the 19th century, but it was destroyed by the weather and natural elements.
The present temple on the left bank of the Yamuna was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal.
The deity is made of black marble.

Places to see

The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple of Goddess Yamuna.
Close by the temple are hot water springs (kunds) gushing out from mountain cavities.
The most important spring is Suryakund.
Devotees boil rice and potatoes by tying them in a piece of muslin cloth and dipping them in these hot water springs.
The cooked rice and potatoes are eaten as ‘prasad’.

Near the Suryakund there is a shila (stone) called Divya Shila, which is worshipped before puja is offered to the deity.
There are a number of thermal springs at Jankichatti (7 kms away).

Recommendation

Adi Shankaracharya’s original Char Dhams are all Vaishnava shrines.

The Himalayan Char Dhams are a mix of three sects – Vaishnava at Badrinath; Shaiva at Kedarnath; and Devi at Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Today, the Char Dham are extremely popular religious and tourist places with all modern amenities.

All the four Dhams become inaccessible during the winter.
Therefore, they are closed down from Diwali (sometime in November) to15 April.
The mountain roads become wet and treacherous during the rainy season.
But the mist and dense swirling clouds only add to the mystic charm.
Spend your next vacation in these places.
You will definitely thank me.

The Holy Sagar Island

When I was a young student in Calcutta, I often heard about Gangasagar (also known as Sagar Island, Sagar Deep or simply Sagar).

There is a popular saying that you can visit all the places of pilgrimages again and again, but you can visit Gangasagar only once.

I fancied Gangasagar was a small mysterious place which would come out of the oceans every year on the annual ‘Makar Sankrati’ festivities held there on the 14th January.
(Don’t ask me how an island can come out of the oceans and later disappear – because no one could ever explain this to me).

I first visited Gangasagar in 1986, to watch the Hailey’s Comet zoom past in the pristine early morning sky there.

The visit was organised by the Sky Watchers Association of Calcutta.

They had selected Gangasagar for the sighting because there was no electricity there.

But there were many other small villages without electricity – nearer to Kolkata.

Probably, the mystique surrounding the island was the reason they selected Gangasagar.

There was no electricity.

A generator provided power for three hours every day.

Even today, a generator powers some areas of the island for three hours every day between 6 and 9 PM.

The second time, I visited Gangasagar on ‘Makar Sankrati’ day, the 14th January, to see the festival.

My younger brother, a senior police officer, was in charge of the police arrangements there.

He invited me to visit the island.

I watched in fascination as he and other police officials worked almost continuously for three days and nights with short spasmodic spells of sleep.

A fire broke out in the fair.

Thick black smoke filled the air.

But the fire brigade quickly moved in and quelled the fire.

This is the largest fair in India – after the Kumbh Mela which is held every 12 years in three different centres – Haridwar, Allahabad and Nasik – by rotation.

But in Gangasagar, the logistic problems are multiplied several times by the fact that the pilgrims have to be ferried to the island.

The boatmen try to overload their boats.

After all, they get this unique opportunity only once a year.

Sometimes, boats collide with one another.

Sometimes, they capsize.

In 2008, the auspicious day spilled over to the 15th January.

The number of pilgrims swelled to 5 lakhs (half a million).

The Island
Gangasagar is a little known island located on the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal at the confluence of Hooghly river (a tributary of the Ganges River) with the Bay of Bengal – about 150 km south of Kolkata.
Gangasagar does not sink into the sea.

It is quite a large island with an area of about 300 sq km.

It has 43 villages with a population of over 160,000.

There are schools, post office and even a police station.

There are numerous waterways and small rivers.

There are mangrove swamps.

This is also the home of the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Kolkata Port Trust has a pilot station and a light house here.

The West Bengal government is planning to build a deep water port on the island.
Mythology

According to legend, after slaying the demons on earth, King Sagar decided to perform the Ashwa Megh Yagya to proclam his supremacy to the world.
A horse would be taken around the earth accompanied by the King’s 60,000 sons from Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas from the second queen Kesani.

Indra, the supreme ruler of the gods, was afraid that if the Yagya was successful, he might lose his throne.

So he wanted to interfere with the Yagya.

He stole the horse and tied it to the ashram of sage Kapil Muni, who was then in deep meditation.

When King Sagar’s sons could not find the horse, they searched everywhere.

Finally, they found it tied near the meditating Kapil Muni.

The sixty thousand and one angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of Kapil Muni disrupting his meditation as Indra had planned.

Kapil Muni was very angry.

He opened his eyes and turned all the sons into ashes.

The only way to bring them back to life was to bring down Goddess Ganga from the Heavens and wash the ashes with the holy water.

Bhagirath, grandson of King Sagar, meditated for a long time to persuade Ganga to come down to the earth.

But the coming down of Ganga would have been too torrential and would have caused colossal damage.

Finally, Lord Shiva agreed to receive Ganga in his large tresses to break her fall.Ganga descended down to the earth through Shiva’s tresses.

King Bhagiratha then preceded the holy river in his chariot and ripped open a gorge through which Ganga could flow.

The river followed Bhagirath to Gangasagar where Kapila Muni livedand washed the ashes.

All the sons came back to life.
Reaching there
To reach Gangasagar, you have to cross the Muriganga river/creek by ferry.

You can take the ferry either from Harwood Point (80 kms from Kolkata) or Namkhana (13 kms more from Harwood Point).

After landing at Sagar Island, you will have to cross the whole stretch of the island (32 kms) by local bus or taxi.

It is possible to travel from Kolkata right up to Gangasagar by car or taxi.

At Harwood Point, the car can cross the river on a barge.
Places to see
· Kapil Muni Temple
· Fair Grounds
· Sea Beach
· Sagar Marine Park
· Sagar Lighthouse and Port at Beguakhali
· Ramkrisna Mission Ashram
· Sushama Devichowdhurani Marine Biological Research Institute. (SDMBRI) at Bamankhali
Accommodation
There are sufficient boarding and accommodation facilities at Gangasagar.

· State Youth Hostel
· Bharat Sevashram Sangha and some other ashrams
· Larica Sagar Vihar (the only hotel)
Recommendation

Gangasagar is a remote, secluded, not much visited spot.

If you are looking for novelty and raw nature – this is the place you should head for.

The West Bengal Government is planning to construct a bridge connecting the mainland with Sagar Island.

The 3.3 kms long bridge is likely to cost around Rs 600 crores.

A feasibility study has already been completed.
Visit the place before the bridge is constructed.