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/

Jogeshwari Caves, dating back to 520 to 550 AD, are some of the earliest Hindu cave temple sculptures located off the Western Express Highway in Jogeshwari (East) in northern Mumbai (Bombay).
They are a 45-minute journey from Church Gate Station by train and a further 3 kms. by road from Jogeshwari Station.

The caves are accessed through a long flight of stairs leading to the main hall.
The cave temple has a huge central hall, with many pillars.
At the end of the hall are a Shrine and a Shivalinga.
Idols of Dattatreya, Hanuman, Devi Mata, Jogeshwari and an orange Ganesh line the walls.
There are also relics of two doormen.

Unfortunately, the caves are surrounded by encroachments – huts and all kinds of dwellings.
The caves are classified as endangered.
Sewage and waste enter the premises.
The caves are also infested with bats.
The boundary walls of the cave temple have disintegrated.

Bombay High Court to the rescue

In October 2007, Janhit Manch, a NGO (Non Government Organisation) filed a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) requesting the Bombay High Court to order removal of encroachments around four caves around Mumbai – Jogeshwari, Mahakali, Mandapeshwar and Kanheri caves.

The Bombay High Court appointed Shiraz Rustomji, Advocate as Amicus Curie (friend of the court).
The Bombay High Court sought a report from a court-appointed committee spelling out minimum intervention measures to rid the heritage monuments of illegal infringement.

As directed by the Bombay High Court, the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) carried out survey of the four caves and informed the court that there were 750 illegal encroachments around the caves in Jogeshwari.

Shiraz Rustomji informed the court that the encroachments were not just within the barred 100-metre radius of the caves, but were also on the monument itself.
He further told the court that in the committee report submitted to the court, the ASI had suggested removal of encroachments between 17-40 metres from the site.

The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) told the court that none of these structures had obtained a construction certificate from the corporation, but they have been standing for a long period of time. On 23 July 2008, Justices JN Patel and KK Tated of the Bombay High Court  asked the ASI, State Government and the BMC to present an action plan for removal of encroachments from the area around Jogeshwari caves, a heritage site.

They accepted all the suggestions made in the committee report and sought a check on the state government’s rehabilitation policy for the encroachers.

My recommendation


The encroachments around Jogeshwari Caves will be removed soon.
The ASI will provide security personnel.
Once more, the caves will attract more tourists.

Encroachments are the bane of most of our caves and important historical sites.
A 1992 notification prohibits any construction in the prohibited zone of 100 metres around ancient monuments, while a further 200 metres is designated as ‘regulated zone’, where development is permitted only after the ASI’s approval.

But we have come to such a sorry state of administrative inefficiency that Government bodies need court orders to goad them in to discharging their duty.

The Golden City 

Where would you go if you wanted to see sand, desert and sand dunes in India?The best place is Jaisalmer – in the middle of Thar Desert in Rajasthan.JaisalmerThe small town of Jaisalmer, nicknamed “The Golden City” – because this is what the town looks like – stands on a ridge of yellow sandstone on top of the Trikuta Hill.
It is crowned by a fort, which contains the palace buildings and beautiful Jain temples. Even today, a fourth of the population live within the Fort.
Many of the houses and temples are beautifully sculpted. 

History

According to legend, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that a remote descendent of the Yadav clan would build his kingdom on top of Trikuta Hill.

In keeping with this prophesy, Rawal Jaisal, a descendant of Yadav clan, founded Jaisalmer in 1156. 

Deoraj, a famous prince of the family known as ‘Bhati’ family, is considered to be real founder of the Jaisalmer dynasty. He adopted the title of Rawal. Rawal Jaisal, the sixth in succession from Deoraj, founded the fort and city of Jaisalmer in 1156, and moved over to Jaisalmer from the former capital at Lodhruva (situated about 15 kms to the south-east of Jaisalmer).
Jaisalmer, meaning “the Hill Fort of Jaisal”, was named after him.
 The first siege of Jaisalmer took place in 1294 during the reign of Alauddin Khilji.
Alauddin Khilji was angered by Bhatis’ raid on a caravan filled with treasure.
Alauddin Khilji’s army captured and sacked the fort and the city of Jaisalmer.
For quite some time, Jaisalmer lay deserted.We do not know what happened during the next decades.
Next, we find Rawal Sahal Singh, who acknowledged the supremacy
of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.The major opponents of Jaisalmer rulers were the powerful rulers of Jodhpur and Bikaner.
They used to fight for the possession of forts, waterholes or cattle.Jaisalmer was strategically positioned as a halting point along a traditional trade route used by camel caravans commuting between Indian and Asian markets. The main source of income of Jaisalmer were the levies on the caravans.
However, the importance of Jaisalmer declined when Bombay emerged as a port, and sea trade replaced the traditional land routes.
The partition of India in 1947 led to the closing of all trade routes through the Indo-Pak border.  
But the skirmishes between India and Pakistan gave Jaisalmer a strategic importance and it became an army supply depot.
Later, the Rajasthan Canal revived the surrounding desert areas.
And the Government built roads and railways, knitting the remote Jaisalmer with the rest of Rajasthan.

What to seeJaisalmer Fort 

From its 250 feet high vantage point on the hill, the Fort stands vigil over the surrounding desert.
Its massive walls follow the contours of the hills.
The Fort has five interconnected palaces with intricate ‘jaali’ screens and beautiful ‘jharokhas’.
Steep cobblestone pathways passing through the four gates lead to the royal palace.
The sharp twists and turns make the fort invincible.

Jain Temples

Inside the fort, there are four Jain temples, dedicated to Rishabdevji Sambhavnathji and Parshvanathji. The Parshvanathji Temple is the oldest and the most beautiful of all.
Human and animal figures are carved on the walls of its sanctum.
The dome or ‘shikhar’ is  crowned by an amalak and a water pot containing a lotus flower.

Gyan Bhandar or Library 

The Jain temples have a library containing some of the oldest manuscripts of India. 

Gadsisar Lake

Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, the Gadsisar is a beautiful rainwater lake surrounded by small temples and shrines.This lake has a beautiful arched gateway.
Today, it is an ideal picnic and boating spot. 

Havelis

There are a number of beautiful Havelis in Jaisalmer.

Salim Singh-ki-Haveli – This was once the residence of the Mohta family, ministers of Jaisalmer rulers. 

Patwon-ki-Haveli – This five haveli wonder is the grandest mansion in Jaisalmer.
Its ceilings are supported by exquisitely carved pillars and the balconies are delicately chiselled.

Nathmalji-ki-Haveli –  This was carved by two brothers.
One worked from the right side and the other from the left.
But the entire construction is harmonious.

Places to see around Jaisalmer

Lodurva (16 kms)

The former capital of Jaisalmer rulers is an  important pilgrimage centre  for Jains.
An architectural masterpiece of Lodurava is the ‘Toran’ or ornate arch at the main entrance with its exquisite carvings.
‘Kalpatru’, or the divine tree, is another great attraction.

Sam Sand Dunes (42 kms)

The not to be missed thing to see in Jaisalmer are the sand dunes.
The shifting ripples on the sand dunes, caused by the wind, some as high as 150 feet, constantly create and recreate new designs.
They are the photographer’s delight.Various cultural programs are  organised against the backdrop of these fascinating dunes.
A lot of Hindi films are shot around the sand dunes.
If you are fond of adventure, you can go out on a camel safari – in the desert on camel back. 

Wood Fossil Park (17 kms)

This park, on the Barmer Road, takes  you back to the Jurassic period.
You can see 180 million year old fossilized trees. 

Desert National Park

This 3162 sq. kms. vast Biosphere Reserve lies to the south-west of Jaisalmer. 
This is one of the largest National Parks in India, but very different from the ones we are accustomed to. Here you can see sand dunes.
You can see the Indian Gazelle, Chinkara and a lot of birds.

You can see the rare and endangered Great Indian Bustard in relatively large numbers.
This bird migrates locally in different seasons.
There are a lot of other migratory and resident birds – eagles, harriers, falcons, buzzards, kestrel and vultures. Short-toed Eagles, Tawny Eagles, Spotted Eagles, Laggar Falcons and Kestrels.
You can see the Sand grouse near small ponds or lakes.The best time to visit the wild life is between November and January.However, the three day Desert Festival in February is unique.
You can see and hear folk dancers swing to the enchanting folk music under the full moon.
You can watch the unique turban tying contest and the Mr. Desert contest.

Reaching there

Air

The nearest airport is Jodhpur (285 kms).

Rail

Jaisalmer has a railway station and is connected with Jodhpur by night train.

Road

Jaisalmer is well connected by good roads with all the major cities of India.

Distances

Ahmedabad (626 kms)
Bikaner 325 km Pokaran (112 kms) 
Jaipur (558 kms)
Jodhpur (285 kms Via Pokaran) 
Mumbai (1177 kms)
New Delhi (864 kms)

Recommendation
 
Satyajit Ray, the famous Indian film director, wrote a detective novel based on this fort.
He later made it into the film – Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress).
Jump to: navigation, search Every house in Jaisalmer is exquisitely carved, having filigree work all over.
Most of the houses date back to the 12th to 15th centuries.
And hence, Jaisalmer is also called ‘the Museum city’. Surrounded by desert, sand and sand dunes, Jaisalmer is truly a
different experience.

Enigmatic land of Sand and Snow

 In the first part, I gave an overview of Ladakh and took
the reader east of Leh to Changla Pass and Pangong Lake.
In the second part, I wrote about some wonderful places West of Leh.
In this part, I am writing about Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world to the North of Leh and the unbelievably beautiful Nubra Valley beyond.
I am also writing about the beautiful Tsomoriri Lake, and Dhahanu, the Land of the purest surviving Aryans to the South of LehNubra Valley via Khardung La – The Highest Motorable road in the World (40 Kms from Leh)Nubra Valley, popularly known as Ldumra or the valley of flowers, is situated in the north of Ladakh between 

the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas.
The average altitude of the valley is 10,000 feet above sea level. The Nubra Valley was opened to tourists only in 1994. It is a fascinating place.
The road to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La pass 18,390 feet, or 5602 metres, above sea level. This is the highest motorable road in the world.

We almost reached the pass, but found the road blocked by an errant truck which like the proverbial mule had suddenly decided it was time to stop and block the entire traffic.
So we got out and played around in the ice and snow.

We met two motor cyclists who had driven all the way from Bangalore covering more than 5,000 kms.
Even they had to turn back.If you cross Khardung La pass, you can see all the way south across the Indus valley to the endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range; and north to the giants of the Saser massif.From the pass, you travel down to Diskit, the main village and head quarter of Nubra Valley.
The Diskit Monastery, perched on an overhanging rock next to a stream, was foundedby Lama Sherab Zangpo of Stod around 1420 A.D.It has a rich collection of Thangkas, magnificent statues and old mural paintings.Diskit has a small market consisting of a row of shops.
The Shayok and Saichen Rivers drain the Nubra Valley.
You journey will take you through pretty villages, green farms, myricaria, willow and poplar trees. After leaving Diskit, you come across sand dunes.
These are just like the sand dunes of Rajasthan.
You can even take a ride on a bacterian (double humped) camel from Deskit to Hunder village lasting about two hours.
You can visit the King’s palace and the monastery in Hunder. Thereafter, you can cross the Shayok River and travel along Saichen River to Panamik.
There are a number of hot springs on the right of the road just before you enter the village. 

Dhahanu – land of the pure Aryans (163 Kms from Leh)

Dhahanu is situated to the south west of Leh, and being on a lower altitude, Dhahanu is warmer than Leh.
There are many small villages – but only two villages –  Dha and Hanu are open to tourists. You can see the Brokpa Community considered to be the last race of pure Aryans.
Their culture and religious practices are very similar to ancient pre- Buddhist religion known as Bon. 

Tsomoriri Lake (137 Kms from Leh)

Surrounded by 20,000 feet peaks, which effectively isolate the lake from the world, Tsomoriri Lake (salty lake) and other lakes are situated south east of Ladakh in the middle of the elevated district of Rupso Valley – off the Manali – Leh Road, near the site of old sulphur mines, at altitude ranging about 16,500 feet.
The valley is inhabited by a small scattered population of “Changpas” nomadic shepherds.You can visit the monastery on the top of the village, belonging to the yellow sect.
It has about 35 resident monks.
A kilometre ahead of Tsomoriri lake is the picturesque village of Korzok consisting of about a hundred families.
The area is rich in wildlife including the wild ass, black necked cranes and geese which flock to the lake side for breeding during the summer months.  

You should stay overnight at the lake.

Trekking

Ladakh is the trekkers’ paradise.
You can ask your hotel or the local agents to organise all kinds of treks – from simple two day affairs to the most difficult treks extending over three weeks.

Tibetan Medicine

Tibetan medicine is an ancient system of medicine based on the Indian Buddhist system of medicine developed by Buddha himself some 2500 years ago.
This indigenous health care system plays an important role in the health care
of Ladakhi communities. In Ladakh, the practitioners of this system are known as ‘Amchi’.
The skills are generally passed down from father to son or daughter within the village.
There are many Amchis who are the sixth generation.
This is known as the rGYUTPA lineage.New Amchis have to take their passing out examination orally in front of the whole village.
They are examined by a panel of senior Amchis from surrounding villages.  Amchis provide free health care to the villagers.
Quite often, they are also strong community leaders or Village Heads.
They are usually quite knowledgeable even in Astronomy and Astrology.
In return, the villagers respect the Amchis and help them with their agricultural activities and offerings.   

The Oracle

The oracle (both male and female) is something like a soothsayer.
If you have any disease, they will conduct a healing.
If you have any questions, they will advise you. You can request your hotel or travel agent to arrange a session with an Oracle.
The Oracle at Thikse Monastery, a villager with supernatural powers, a miraculous healer and predictor of the future, is considered to be the most powerful oracle in Ladakh.  

Importance of Leh

Leh was on the middle of the best trade route between Punjab and Central Asia.
During its hey days, caravans carried textiles, spices, silk, carpets, dyestuffs and narcotics.
The goods were transported through relays of pony transporters who took about two months to transport the goods from Amritsar to the Central Asian towns of Yarkand and Khotan, or vice versa
.
Leh was a bustling entrepot, with bazaars thronged with merchants from far countries.

A Legend and Folklore

Chovang Namgyal, one of the richest and powerful kings of Ladakh died in 1600 without a male heir.
His younger brother, Jamya Namgyal, succeeded him and ascended the throne.  
Alimir, the Mir of Skardo, attacked Leh and captured it.
He took Jamya Namgyal as prisoner. But the Mir’s daughter fell in love with the king and became pregnant.
The Mir married his daughter to Jamya Namgyal.
The oracles prophesied that the daughter would give birth to a
very strong and powerful king.
So Jamya Namgyal became king once again.
And his son became a great ruler.

Permits

Both Indians and foreigners  need permits to visit the distant places of Ladakh.
These are easily obtained in one day.
Your hotel will get them for you.

Enigmatic land of Sand and Snow

In the first part, I gave an overview of Leh and Ladakh.
And I took the readers on a journey east of Leh – past Shey, Thiksey, Hemis and Chemrey, over Changla Pass and on to the beautiful Pangong Lake.
In this second part, I will write about some wonderful places West of Leh.We will visit some of the oldest monasteries; the sangam (confluence) of Indus and Zanskar Rivers; the unique Magnetic Hill; and meet our furry friends – the Yak and Pashmina sheep.

Original Religion of Ladakh

I was curious to know what was the religion of Ladhak before Buddhism.
The original religion of Ladakh (and also Tibet) was Bon founded by Tönpa Shenrab or gShen-rab mi-bo (also known as Buddha Shenrab, Guru Shenrab, Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche, Lord Shenrab Miwo and other titles). gShenrab mi-bo is the founder of the Bön religion and occupies a position very similar to that of Śākyamuni in Buddhism.
Like the Buddha Shakyamuni, Tönpa Shenrab was of royal birth.
Tönpa Shenrab left his royal inheritance at the age of 31, to follow the path of enlightenment.
Tönpa Shenrab embraced the life of a renunciate and commenced austerities, spreading the dharma in the land of Zhangzhung near what is believed to be Mount Kailash. But we have no reliable sources to establish his historicity, his dates, his racial origin, his activities, and the authenticity of the enormous number of books attributed either directly to him or believed to be his word.
The latter, the Bonpo say, were written down after his death in much the same way as the Buddhist scriptures were assembled.
No pre-10th century materials are available which could throw light on activities such as his visit to Tibet.

A new wave of Buddhism entered Ladakh when the reformist sect of the Gelugpa created by Tsongkhapa led to the reestablishment of monasteries in the 15th century.
Most of the old shrines of the earlier Bon religion were converted into Buddhist monasteries.

 
Lamayuru Monastery (125 Kms west of Leh)

This is the oldest and most spectacularly set monastery built in the 10th century by Rinchen Zangpo at the request of the King of Ladakh.But Lamayuru has a more historic pre-Buddhist, Bon history, and is one of the oldest religious sites in Ladakh.
Its real name is Yungdrung, signifying swastika.

Also known as Tharpa Ling or “Place of Freedom”, the Lamayuru Monastery is considered a sanctuary, even for criminals; and is guarded by an 11-headed, 1000-eyed image of Chenrezi, the Buddha of Compassion.

The Yak and the Pashmina Sheep
In the village below Lamayuru Monastery, we found some Pashmina sheep who give the finest wool.

We also saw the Yak.
Today, no Yak survive in the wild in Ladakh.
All the existing ones are domesticated ones.
I asked the driver how much milk the Yak gives.
He answered the Yak does not give milk.
The reason is the word Yak is used for the male of the species.

Hills of Different ColoursWhen you drive from Leh towards Lamayuru, you cross barren hills.
The colours of the hills are remarkably different.
Snow White. Blues. Pinks and Mauves.

You pass through Orchards of Apricots.

You also travel along the crystal clear Indus River gurgling on its long journey.
 

Nimu – Confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers (17 Kms from Leh)

The Zanskar river merges into the Indus at this beautiful and scenic spot.

Magnetic Hill (30 kms from Leh)This is a unique place.
It defies the law of gravity.
A vehicle parked in neutral gear on the metallic road here actually slides up the hill.
The locals told me that some scientists wanted to do some testing but permission was refused.

Lekir Monastery (52 Kms from Leh)

Likir was built more than 500 years ago during the reign of Lachen Gyalpo and in those days, it housed more than 600 monks.
The monks of Likir were the caretakers of Alchi.
The head Lama today is the younger brother of H.H. the Dalai Lama, although he is not in residence.Likir used to house images and Thankas that surpassed those at Alchi.
Many of the old treasures and much of the old structure was destroyed in a fire.
Most of the present buildings date from the 18th century.
The Monastery has a small, but interesting, museum.

Alchi Monastery (70 Kms from Leh)

Alchi Monastery is the only monastery in Ladakh built on flat ground.
The Monastery contains three 3-story high statues of the Bodhisatvas.
One of the largest and most famous of all monasteries, Alchi was built by the great translator Ringchem Zangpo in the 11th century which accounts for the Kashmiri-Hindu influence in the wooden carvings on the doors, ceiling designs and murals..

In the next part – Leh III, I will write about some more interesting places.
 

 Ladakh is unique.
It is unlike any other place in the world.
It really belongs to a bye gone era forgotten by time itself. Ladakh is the enigmatic land of sand and snow.
You can see snow covered mountains and sand dunes in the same place – at heights exceeding 11,500 feet (3,520 metres).
You can ride on long haired two humped camels or watch highly endangered birds and animals.
You can amble through ancient monasteries dramatically perched on high mountains and join the monks in their daily prayers or explore the mysterious corridors of old palaces.
You can indulge yourself in white water rafting or trek through the enchanting wilderness for a couple of days or more.  

Location                                                                                       

Ladakh is part of Jammu and Kashmir State in north India.
It consists of two districts – Leh and Kargil.
Leh district, with an area of 45,110 Sq kms, covers more than half the state and is the largest district in India.
Leh district comprises of Leh town, 112 inhabited villages and one un-inhabited village.
The total population of Leh district is a mere 1.17 lacs.
It is the least populated district in India.

Ladakh lies in the rain shadow of the Great Himalayas.
Therefore, it does not receive any rain during the monsoons and is extremely dry.
Even when you are asleep, the lips become parched and the throat begs for water.
But Ladakh receives heavy snowfall throughout the long winter months (November to late May).The region is watered by the Indus and Zanskar rivers.
The Indus originates in a spring called Singikahad near Mansarovar Lake on the northern side of the Himalayan range in Mount Kailash in Tibet and enters India near Leh.The Zanskar originates in the glaciers of the Zanskar range and merges with the Indus seventeen kms from Leh.
The landscape resembles that of neighbouring Tibet; and therefore, the area is also called “Little Tibet”.
The Buddhist people here show the same outward appearance as their Tibetan counterparts.
But the culture of the Ladhaki Buddhists is more similar to that of Bhutan.

Religion

81.18 % of the people are Buddhists. 15.32 % are Muslims.  2.99 % are Hindus.

Leh

Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is located at an altitude of 11,552 ft. (3,521 metres).
The sun is very bright, and it is pleasantly warm in the sun, but the temperature sharply drops at night, even in summer.
Leh is an archaic town, with a mosque and missionary schools.
You can see the Leh Palace from any place in the town.
If you are interested in exploring local life, walk through the narrow lanes behind the Mosque in the main market area.

History

Ladakh was an important Buddhist centre, in the 3rd century BC, much before the saint Padmasambhava converted Tibet to Buddhism.
But we do not know much about the early history of Ladakh.After the demise of the first Tibetan empire in 1020, Tibet was divided amongst the three princes.
One of them moved over to Ladakh and founded the first royal dynasty there.
They had their capital at Shey and built many forts.
In the following centuries, the Ladakhi kings extended their territory.
Lhachen Utpala (1080 to 1110) expanded his kingdom to the boundaries of the related dynasties of Purang and Mustang (in present-day Nepal).Lhachen Bhagan unified Ladakh in 1470 and founded a new dynasty, Namgyal.
In 1533, the Great King Soyang Namgyal united the whole region into one large kingdom and built his capital at Leh.
After him, Kings Sengge Namgyal (1570 to 1620) and Deldan Namgyal (1620-1660) extended their empire.
Even today, the descendents of the Namgyal dynasty are regarded as the rulers of Ladakh by the local people, and the Queen of Stok has been a member of the Indian Parliament.
The great fifth Dalai Lama of Tibet (Nawang Lobsang Gyatso 1617-82) convinced the Mongolians, whom he had converted to Lamaism, to wage war against West Tibet and Ladakh. The Ladhaki King Delegs Namgyal requested Ibrahim Khan, the Mughal governor of Kashmir, for help. The Governor sent troops and the Mongols were defeated.
But in return, Ladakh was forced to pay a regular tribute to the Mughals and had to allow construction of a mosque in Leh. In 1834, the Dogra power was at its peak in Jammu and Kashmir. They sent their General Zorawar Singh to capture Leh.
Thus, Ladakh and the adjoining Baltistan came under Dogra suzerainty.
You can see the remains of the small Zorawar Fort just outside Leh.
The royal family of Ladakh shifted to the palace at Stok, where they continue to live even today.
Jammu and Kashmir was created following the Treaty of Amritsar signed on March 16, 1846 between the British Government and Gulab Singh, the Dogra ruler. It included Ladakh and Baltistan.

But due to the partition of India, Baltistan became part of Pakistan, while Ladakh remained in India as part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Travelling to Leh                                                                                         For the past three years, I had been planning to visit Leh.
But for one reason or another, the trip had to be postponed.
I finally made it in April 2008.We left Mumbai for Delhi by a night flight and reached Delhi airport around midnight.
Since the flight to Leh was scheduled to leave Delhi early next morning, we decided to spend the night in the airport.

The airport was under renovation. All the retiring rooms had been demolished.
Chairs were limited which left passengers clustering on the floors or sitting on their baggage trolleys.
Fortunately, there were several food counters offering a variety of eatables.We left Delhi early next morning.
The flight took us over the plains, then over brown and black hills.
Suddenly, the Himalayan range appeared in the distance.
The tops were covered with white snow. The aeroplane flew above and over the Himalayas at a height of 36,000 feet, far above the highest peaks.
We could see snow-capped peaks down below.
We could see large glaciers ending into trickling tongues of glistening water which joined each other  to form small and then large rivers.Suddenly, the aeroplane entered Leh aerospace.
We could see the small town surrounded by towering snow covered peaks.
Finally, we landed at Leh. There had been heavy snowfall the previous night.
All around was only snow, snow and more snow.
The temperature was around – 5 degree celsius.

Places to see

There are a number of interesting places and monasteries to see in and around Leh.
Some of the important places are:
Shey, Leh and Stok Palaces;
the monasteries of Shey, Hemis, Alchi, Thikse and Lamayuru;
Magnetic hill;
Confluence of Indus and Zanskar rivers;Changla Pass and the Khardungla Pass.

First Day

The altitude of Leh is about 11,500 feet. The oxygen content is quite low.
All tourists are advised to spend the first day in the hotel itself to get acclimatized to the high altitude.
We took breakfast and lunch in the hotel and spent the greater part of the day doing nothing.
In the evening, we leisurely walked around the market and explored the surroundings.
Too much exertion can induce mountain sickness.

Second and Third Day

You can see Leh and the nearby places.

Gompa Soma (Jokhang) (Gompa means Monastery)

The Ladakh Buddhist Association built this small Monastery in 1957 – opposite the State Bank of India, in the main bazaar or market place.
This Monastery contains a statue of Joyo Rinpochey (crowned Buddha).
Leh Palace                                                                   

The historic nine storeyed palace built by King Sengge Namgyal in 1533 is situated on a hill overlooking Leh and commands a grand view of the entire town.
The Leh Palace was built in the grand Tibetan style of architecture.
It inspired the design of the famous Potala of Lhasa, built half a century later.

You can climb up to the Leh Palace, constructed for the Ladakhi royal family before it was exiled to Stok in 1830 by the Dogra armies and explore the interiors.
Leh Palace is maintained by the Archaelogical Survey of India. There is a small entrance fee to enter the palace.
But when we reached there, there were no guards or watchman.
The small Archaelogical Survey office was locked. 
Se we entered the Palace and walked up and down several storeys.

Namgyal Tsemo Gompa

The Namgyal Tsemo Gompa of Ladakh was founded by King Tashi Namgyal Namgyal around the year 1430. It stands on a crag just behind Leh palace, providing a full view of the town of Leh. Namgyal Tsemo Gompa has a rich collection of ancient manuscripts and wall paintings.
It also houses statues of Avaloketesvara and Manjushri, approximately one storey high.
One of the most treasured possessions of the monastery is a three-storey high solid gold statue of Maitriya Buddha (future Buddha, also known as the laughing Buddha).Nearby, on Namgyal Tsemo, the peak overlooking the town, are the ruins of the fort built, by the King Tashi Namgyal.

Sankar Gompa (3 Kms from Leh)

Sankar Gompa is unique because it is one of the rare monasteries built in a valley (almost all monasteries are built on tops of hills).This monastery is a subsidiary of the Spituk Gompa and belongs to the Gelukpa or the Yellow Hat Sect.
The monastery also serves as the official residence of the Ladakh’s head of Gelukpa Sect, known as the Kushok Bakul. To the right of the front yard of the monastery is the Dukhang (assembly hall). Both sides of its entrance are adorned with paintings of the Guardian of the Four Directions. On the left wall of the entrance verandah is a “Wheel of Life”, held by Yama.As you enter the Dukhang, you come across some relatively new paintings of various Buddhas, along with guardian deities. There is also a throne inside the Dukhang, reserved for the head lama of the monastery.
On the right-hand side of the throne is an image of Avalokitesvara (Lord of All He Surveys) with 1000 arms and 11 heads.

Sankar Gompa has a complete set of Kandshur – 108 volumes of Buddha’s teachings.

Shanti Stupa (Japanese Peace Pagoda) (4 Kms from Leh)

Shanti Stupa, located on a hill outside Leh, was built by a Japanese religious organization headed by Head Monk Nakamura with help from the organization and from the local people.
It was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 1985. Architecturally, it has a distinct Japanese touch with small clean rooms on the side for meditation and the main Japanese shrine at the entrance.
You get a bird’s eye view of Leh town and the surrounding mountain peaks.

Hall of Fame (11 Kms from Leh)                     

The Hall of Fame – a glorious museum built by the military to display war memorabilia is worth visiting.
It will give you some idea of the extreme conditions in which our military live to defend the Indian borders.
It will also give you information about the brave soldiers who fought in the various wars in and around Ladakh, the weapons used and seized, and the equipments they use.

Spituk Monastery (18 Kms from Leh)

Spituk monastery is perched high on a hill top near the Indus river overlooking the Leh airport.
It was founded in 11th century.It is a Gelugpa or Yellow Hat monastery with about 125 monks.
The Gelugpas are the sect to which the Dalai Lama belongs.
The head lama is also the head of Shankar Gompa in Leh, and also represents Ladakh in the Indian Parliament.

Stok Palace and Gompa (15 kms to the south of Leh)

The four storeys high Stok Palace was the official residence of the royal family of Ladakh and was constructed in 1814 by Ladakh’s last ruler. The present successors of the king live here. Stok Monastery is a subsidiary of the Spituk Gompa and belongs to the yellow-hat sect of Buddhism.
As you enter the verandah of the monastery, you will come across bright friezes, depicting the Guardians of the Four Directions. The Dukhang of the monastery was repainted, not a long time back, and displays a rich collection of banners and thankas. There are two thrones inside the Dukhang. The central one has been reserved for the Dalai Lama, while the one on its right is for the head lama of Stok Monastery.One of the major attractions of the Stok Monastery is its library which has a complete set of the Kandshur, the 108 volumes of the Buddha’s teachings.

Dalai Lama’s Summer Palace                                

You can visit the lovely, two-story, golden-roofed summer palace of the Dalai Lama at Choklamsar, a village outside Leh.
You can also visit the school, clinic, and gift shop at the Tibetan Refugee Center. Fourth and Fifth DaysYou can visit the beautiful Pangong Lake (140 Kms from Leh) visiting Shey, Thiksey, Hemis, Chemrey  monasteries and Changla Pass on the way.
You should plan to make a night halt at Pangong Lake.

Shey Palace and Monastery (15 Kms from Leh)

Shey is the former palace of the kings of Ladakh.
It was built over 550 years ago by Lhachen Palgyigon, the first king of Ladakh.
The foundation of the monastery dates back to the earliest history of Ladakh, and there is an inscription on the rocks below the palace dating from the time Buddhism first arrived in the Himalayas.The monastery contains a 12 meters high golden Buddha statue with blue hair.
King Dalden Namgyal had the statue constructed in the 17th century.
You may watch the monks during their prayers.

Thiksey Monastery (20 Kms from Leh)

This is one of the most photographed monasteries in Ladakh.Built some 600 years ago, Thiksey monastery consists of 12 levels ascending a hillside, culminating in the lama’s private abode at the top.
About 100 monks of the yellow- hat sect of Buddhism live here.
After entering the main courtyard to the immediate right and up several steps is a new temple containing a large Buddha statue.
The H.H. Dalai Lama constructed this Buddha, 15 meters tall, in 1980 to commemorate a visit to Thiksey.
The statue was made under the guidance, supervision and direction of Kushok Nawang Chamba Stanzin, the present head Lama of Thiksey monastery.The statue is the largest Buddha figure in Ladakh which took four years to construct and is made of clay and covered with gold paint. The monastery houses the sacred Kangyur and Stangyur texts. Located directly above this temple is a small narrow room used as school room for the local boys. Here the Lamas instruct the children and some are later selected to become lamas.Traditionally, Ladakhi families donated one son to become lamas, although this practice is gradually disappearing.In a small room behind the main prayer room is large image of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha) flanked by two smaller Bodhisattava images.
On the left is the eleven-headed Avalokitashwara, a form of the Buddha.
On the rooftop is Lamokhang temple where only men may enter.
On the top is Thiksey library, containing numerous volumes, including Kangyur and Stangyur.

Hemis Monastery (40 Kms south of Leh)

Hemis monastery is one of the most famous and largest of all monasteries in Ladakh,.
It was founded in 17th century by Stagsang Raschegn who was invited to Ladakh by King Singee Namgyal.
The king offered him religious estates and attended him as his principal guru.The monastery has well preserved Thankas and copper gilt statue of the lord Buddha, various stupas made of gold and silver and many auspicious objects.
Hempis also has the largest Thanka in Ladakh – over 12 mtrs. long. It belongs to the Drukpa order

Chemrey Monastery (40 Kms south of Leh)

This monastery situated on a rocky outcrop in the valley resembles a medieval European castle when viewed from the rear.
This monastery was also founded by Stagsang Raschegn, who founded Hemis Monastery.
Even today, Hemis and Chemrey monasteries have the same head lama.  

Changla Pass (17,350 feet)                                    

This is the third highest motorable pass in the world.              
You can expect to find a lot of ice and snow.
Wear woollens and a jacket if you plan to play in the ice.
We even built a Santa Claus and had tea with the military personnel there.

Pangong Lake (150 Kms south of Leh)

This beautiful lake is the most beautiful brackish water lake in the country.
It has become a favourite of Bollywood film makers.The international boundary between China and India passes through the 6 kms long and 130 kms wide Lake.
Nomadic people living in the tiny villages around Pangong Lake are mostly of Chang-Pa tribe of Tibet and southeast Ladakh.
It is possible to visit the Lake and return to Leh the same day, but I strongly recommend a night stay there.

Recommendation                                                           

This is only the first part. Read on……
Leh is a beautiful place. There is so much to see….
The hotel and taxi owners have effective associations which fix the rates they can charge.
No hotel or taxi can charge more than the prescribed amount.
The people are nice and simple.
The two rosy apples their cheeks really are, are enough to make any one happy. The simplest way to travel to Leh is to fly from Delhi to Leh.
There are three flights every day.Many tourists experience mountain sickness at Leh.
Starting from the previous night, take Diamox® (acetazolamide) 125 mg. tablets twice a day.
This will help you breath deeper and faster and help you get more oxygen.

You can see the status of the roads leading into Ladakh and the temperatures at Leh at the following site:
http://leh.nic.in

Gateway to the Gods       

Haridwar (also called Hardwar) is a timeless, beautiful, holy city on the banks of the river Ganga or Ganges River.
The word Haridwar, meaning Gateway to the Gods, is derived from two words – ‘Dwar’ meaning Gateway and ‘Hari’ meaning God.It is here the holy Ganga enters the Indo-Gangetic plains of India after traversing 253 kms (157 miles) down the hills from its source Gaumukh at the tip of the Gangotri Glacier – 3,139 metres (10,300 ft) above sea level.

Mythology

The God and the Demons churned the oceans (Samudra Manthan) to obtain Amrita, the elixir of immortality. Amrita was deceptively taken by the Gods and carried away by Garuda – Lord Vishnu’s Vahan.

Some Amrita accidentally spilled over in four places – Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain.
These four places are considered very holy and religious festivities called the Kumbha Mela are celebrated once every 3 years in each of these 4 places by rotation.It is believed that in Haridwar, the Amrita fell at the place called Brahma Kund at Har-ki-Pauri (meaning “footsteps of the Lord”) which is considered the most sacred ghat (river bank) of Haridwar.It is here that King Bhagirath, the great-grandson of King Sagar, brought down the mighty river Ganga from Heaven for the salvation of his 60,000 ancestors who had been turned to ashes by the Sage Kapil Muni.Lord Vishnu is believed to have left his footprint on the stone set in the upper wall of Har-Ki-Pauri, where the Holy Ganga touches it at all times.

History

Haridwar is a very ancient city.
Archaeological findings prove that terra cotta culture dating between 1700 BC and 1200 BC existed in this region.
Haridwar came under the rule of the Maurya Empire (322 -185 BC), and later under the Kushan Empire (1st – 3rd centuries).Haridwar was visited by the Chinese traveller, Huan Tsang, in 629 AD.
The Turkish invader Timur Lang (1336-1405) invaded the city on January 13, 1399.The first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), bathed at ‘Kushwan Ghat’. Haridwar is also mentioned in the Ain-e-Akbari written by Abul Fazal during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, in the 16th century.
During Akbar’s rule, there was a mint for copper coins at Haridwar.Raja Man Singh of Amber laid the foundation of the present day city of Haridwar and also renovated the ghats at Har-ki-pauri.
After his death, his ashes were immersed at Brahma Kund by Mughal Emperor Akbar himself.Bhimgoda Dam, one of the two major dams on the river Ganga, is situated here.
It was constructed to divert the waters of the Ganga to the ‘Upper Ganges Canal’ to irrigate the surrounding lands.
Work on the Upper Ganges Canal started in April 1842.
The Canal was opened in 8 April 1854.
Its main channel was 348 miles long, its branches 306 miles long and the various tributaries over 3000 miles long. The unique feature of this Canal is a half-kilometre long aqueduct over Solani River at Roorkee, which raises the canal 25 metres above the original river.
Before construction of this dam, ships of the East India Company, sailed right up to Tehri.
After construction of the Canal, much of the water was diverted to the fields and ships could no longer sail up.

Places to see


Hari-Ki-Pauri  – 1.5 km                                                        

This sacred bathing ghat also known as Brahmakund was constructed by King Vikramaditya  during the 1st century BC in memory of his brother Bhrithari.
The Aarti, or evening prayer, offered to Goddess Ganga at dusk every day is a fascinating spectacle.
The pilgrims float hundreds of diyas (lamps on floats) on the river.

Chandi Devi Temple – 6 kms

This temple dedicated to Goddess Chandi sits atop the ‘Neel Parvat’ on the eastern bank of river Ganga.
The main statue was established by the Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century A.D.
The temple is a 3 kms walk from Chandighat, but can also be reached by a ropeway.

Mansa Devi Temple – 0.5 km

Situated at the top of Bilwa Parwat, the temple of Goddess Mansa Devi, (literally meaning Goddess who fulfills desires) is a popular tourist destination.
The cable car offers a picturesque view of the entire city.

Maya Devi Temple – 0.5 km

This is one of most ancient temples dating to the 11th century.

Daksha Mahadeo Temple and the Sati Kund – 4 kms

Lord Shiva’s first wife Sati self-immolated herself here.

Bhimgoda  Tank – 1 kms

This tank is situated at a distance of about 1 km from Har-ki Pauri.
When the Pandavas were going to Himalayas through Haridwar, Bhima drew water from the rocks here by thrusting his knee, or goda, into the ground.

Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar – 3.5 kms

This Bird Sanctuary is situated on the main Ganga River, or Neel Dhara, at the Bhimgoda barrage.
It is a paradise for bird watchers and home to many migratory birds during the winter season.

Jairam  Ashram

Here is a massive white statue depicting the famous Samudra Manthan.
 
Sapt  Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar – 7 kms

A picturesque place. The seven great sages or Saptarishis – Kashyapa, Vashisht, Atri, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja and Gautam meditated here.
At this place, the Ganga split herself into seven streams so that the Rishis were not disturbed.

Parad Shivling – 2 kms

Situated in Harihar Ashram, Kankhal.
There is huge Shivling weighing about 150 kgs and Rudraksha tree.

Pavan Dham

This modern temple is made entirely of glass pieces.

Bharat Mata Mandir

Each floor of this multi-storey temple, dedicated to Bharat Mata (Mother India), depicts an era of the Indian History, from the days of Ramayana to India’s independence.


Reaching there

Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun,
But most tourists come through New Delhi airport.

Railway
Haridwar has a railway station with direct links to all major cities of India.

Road
Haridwar, is well connected by road by the National Highway 58, between Delhi and Mana pass.
It is 200 kms. or about 6 hours drive from Delhi.

Recommendation

Haridwar is one of the seven holiest places of the Hindus.
A dip in the Holy Ganga here is believed to wash away all sins.
A lot of Hindus visit Haridwar.Moreover, this is the usual entry point to Rishikesh, the Char Dhams and the Himalayas beyond.Haridwar is also an important centre of Ayurvedic and herbal medicine and the unique Gurukul school of traditional education. The Pandas of Haridwar keep meticulous genealogical  records of Hindus visitors who come here.
You can find the dates your ancestors or relatives visited the place.

Gateway to the Himalayas  
   
                                              
Rishikesh is a picturesque holy city on the banks of the Ganga or Ganges River at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Rishikesh and its surroundings are ideal for Vedic learning, yoga, spiritual meditation and similar activities. You can climb into the ice and snow covered mountains; stroll through the dense forests harbouring a variety of animals and birds; or engage in a number of adventure sports.Rishikesh is also the starting point for onward travel to the Char Dhams – Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri  (the four holy pilgrimages) – and is therefore known as the gateway to the Himalayas.

Mythology


Lord Rama performed penance here after killing Rāvana, the demon King of Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
Adi Shankaracharya visited the place and established the original Bharat Mandir temple on the banks of the Ganges River in the heart of the old town during the 12th century.
The Inner sanctum of the temple has an idol of Lord Vishnu, carved out of a single Shaligram.
Above the idol is a Shree Tantra installed by Adi Shankaracharya.
There are numerous temples, ancient as well as new, along the banks of the Ganges River in Rishikesh.

Vedantic Studies and Yoga

Rishikesh is known throughout the world as ‘the world-capital of Yoga’.The 120 year old Kailas Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, an institution for the preservation and promotion of traditional Vedantic Studies, is located here.
Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Sivananda studied in this institution.During the mid-1960s, The Beatles visited the now closed Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram.
Several artists, like Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Donovan and Gyp Mills, and the Hollywood star Kate Winslet have visited the place to contemplate and meditate.You can spend a few weeks, or months, in one of the many Ashrams delving into the secrets of yoga and meditation.

Description

The term Rishikesh is loosely applied to five distinct sections encompassing the town and the settlements on both sides of the river Ganges.
These include:
1.  Rishikesh town, the commercial hub;
2.  The suburb Muni-ki-Reti, or the “sands of the sages”;
3.  Sivananda Nagar, north of Rishikesh, home of Sivananda Ashram and head quarters of the Divine Life Society founded by Swami Sivananda;
4. The temple section of Lakshman Jhula, a little further north; and the
5. The Ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the east bank.

What to see

Town  Area

Bharat Mandir
This is a major centre of attraction.
The original temple was destroyed by Tamur lane in 1398 A.D. and later rebuilt.

Triveni Ghat
This is the most popular ghat in the town area where most pilgrims take holy dip in the river.
The daily evening Arti at the Ghat is really fascinating.

Rishikund
Close to Triveni Ghat is the most ancient place, the Rishikund.
Goddess Yamuna purified this pond with her water.

Ram Jhula Area

Geeta Bhawan
One of the oldest temple complex in the area.
The two famous Indian epics Ramayan and Mahabharat are described on the walls of the temple here.

Parmarth Niketan
One of the most famous temple complex and ashram in the area .
It is doing a lot of religious and charitable work in the area.

Transcendental Centre of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Situated on the extreme end of Geeta Bhawan, amidst peaceful forests, is Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Centre.
It is now laying practically abandoned.

Lakshman Jhula Area

Tera Manzil Temple
This is a multistoried temple complex of idols of Gods and Goddesses.
You can have an excellent view of the entire area from the top floors of the temple complex.

Places to Visit around Rishikesh

Vasishtha Goofa
About an hour’s drive from Rishikesh up the river is the Vasishtha Goofa, where sage Vasishtha meditated long ago.
The cave is very peaceful and is a perfect place for meditation.

Kunja Puri Temple
Kunja Puri is  one of the thirteen most important Goddesses of Shivalik range in the lower Himalayas.
You can witness beautiful  sunrise and sun set on the Greater Himalayan Peaks and the vast Indo Gangetic plains .
You can see most of the peaks of Garhwal Himalayas from here.


Wild Life

The Rajaji National Park is close by.
Chilla, the core zone the Park,  is a mere  19 kms drive from Rishikesh.
The Park is located where the Himalayan foothills end and the Indo Gangetic Plains begin.
You can see a great variety of animals and migratory and domestic birds along the Ganges.
You can meander through the forest on elephant back, or on jeeps, or both.

Skiing

Auli – 8-9 hrs drive from Rishikesh – is one of the best Skiing slopes in Asia with many high peaks such as, Nanda Devi, surrounding the slopes.
You have to drive up Rishikesh along the Ganges River to Devprayag, the ancient town at the beginning of the holy Ganga; along the Alakananda to Joshimath;  and on to Auli passing through the unbelievably beautiful towns of  Rudraprayag and Karanprayag perching on the confluence of various rivers. The Skiing season at Auli starts from the end of December or early January and lasts till the end March.


White Water Rafting and Camping

Rishikesh is one of the best places for white water rafting.
You can spend one or more days.
The  activities and trips can include rock climbing, rappelling, small treks, kayaking and camping.

Spas

Rishikesh has the best Spas of India and all kinds of authentic Ayurvedic treatment centres.

Ananda in the Himalayas
Situated inside the Palace of Garhwal Rulers at Narendra Nagar, Ananda is the best Spa. This is a little expensive. 

High Bank Peasants Cottage (HBPC)
HBPC has spa and also provides Ayurvedic treatment including “Kaya Kalpa”.  

Reaching there

Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun only 35kms away from Rishikesh.
But most visitors prefer to come via Delhi.

Rail
The nearest station is Haridwar.
Haridwar is a major railway station in the region.
There are many express trains connecting Haridwar to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Allahabad and other cities.

Road
Rishikesh is very well connected to the major cities of Uttaranchal and India, such as, Agra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi, Haridwar, Lucknow, Mussourie and Nainital.
But the most convenient way is to travel by road from Delhi
Rishikesh is 224 kms (6 hours drive) from Delhi.

Recommendation

The Lakshman Jhula – the hanging bridge across the Ganges River is fascinating.
Rishikesh is a perfect place for a few days rest and recreation.
You can visit the high mountains and the Char Dhams, meander through the Rajaji National Park, or try one of the adventures sports.

 

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.