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Vaishno Devi
One of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage in North India, it is a cave shrine of the Mother Goddess, who is said to be the merger of three mightiest deities of Maha Kali (Goddess of power), Maha Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge), and Maha Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth). The number of pilgrims who come here to pay homage to the Goddess keeps on swelling year after year. It is believed to cleanse the spiritual persona and bless a true devotee with resuscitation for the heart. Nestled amidst the Trikuta Mountains, 61 km north of Jammu, Vaishno Devi is perched at a height of 5,200 feet above the sea level. |
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Katra, a town situated at the foot of the Trikuta hills, serves as the base camp for the Vaishno Devi shrine. It is open all the year round but it is difficult to cover the route during the winters as it is often blocked by snowfall.
As with all the major Hindu pilgrimage centers, a fascinating legend attaches itself to the shrine of Vaishno Devi. More than 700 years ago, Vaishno Devi who was a devout devotee of Lord Vishnu and wanted to marry him. She procured his reassurance that he will take her as a wife through rigorous meditation. However, when he incarnated in the form of Lord Rama, he was married to Goddess Sita and told her that he would fulfill his promise in some other incarnation. Vaishno Devi, then took a vow of celibacy until that day. One day, Bhairon Nath, a demon-God, saw her and gave her a chase. On the way, she felt thirsty at Banganga and shot an arrow into the earth from where water gushed out. Charan Paduka, marked by the imprints of her feet, is the place where she rested. She then meditated in the cave at Ardhkanwari. It took Bhairon Nath nine months to locate her. However, the Mother Goddess escaped from his hands by blasting an opening at the other end of the cave and furious at Bhairon Nath's viles, she assumed the form of Maha Kali and cut off his head, which fell at the place where the Bhairon Temple is now located. The boulder at the mouth of the holy cave, according to the legend, is the terrified torso of Bhairon Nath who was granted divine forgiveness by the benevolent Mata in his dying moments.
It is said that the five Pandavas of Mahabharata built the holy cave shrine of Vaishno Devi. At the mouth of the original tunnel to the holy cave, there are symbols of other gods such as Vakra Tunda Ganesha (the Elephant God), Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chandra Dev (the Moon God). One has to crawl in the tunnel to reach the cave shrine and has to cross over the Dhadh (body) of Bhairon Nath. Launkra Beer (a form of Lord Hanuman) can also be seen here, who is said to have been posted as the guard at the gate while she was meditating in the cave. Twenty-three feet beyond Launkra Beer, one can see the innumerable heads of Shesh Nag, supporting the roof of the cave.
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Amarnath Ji
145 km from Srinagar, the holy shrine of Amarnath is situated at an altitude of 4,175 m above sea level. Covered by snow from September to June, the harsh weather conditions obstruct the path of the visitors and it is only accessible during the monsoons, from July to August. According to the popular legend, Lord Shiva distributed celestial nectar among the gods and made them immortal. The word 'Amarnath', thus means, 'Lord of Immortality'. There is a mention of this ancient shrine in the first historical treatise on India, Rajtarangini by Kalhana. |
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One of the most important Hindu pilgrimage centers of India, the devotees believe that in every lunar month, the icy Shivalinga in the cave of Amarnath begins to take its shape on the first day of the bright half of the month. The Linga reaches its full size on the full moon day and then begins to wane and disappear on the no moon day. The Amarnath cave faces south and inside the cave, there are four to five ice formations resembling figures of various deities. According to the tradition, the largest one is accepted as Amarnath, one on its left as Ganesha and ones on the right as Parvati and Bhairava respectively.
The 145-km trek from Srinagar to Amarnath cave is full of adventures, beautiful landscapes, and pilgrimage sites. Due to the accidents that have taken place in the past, now one can travel to the place only under the vigil of Indian officials. The trek begins on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar calendar from Dashnami Akhada in Srinagar. The first important pilgrimage site of the trek is Martand, known for its ancient temple dedicated to the Sun God. There are famous shrines of Bab-zain-ud-din Wali at Aishmuqam while Pahalgam presents the confluence of the rivers Sheshnag and Liddar and a number of Muslim shrines to the visitors.
Enroute are the famous temples of Anantnag, Deviangan, Bijbehara, Akingam, Lukbhavan, and Nagdandi Ashram along with the shrine of Baba Hyder Rishi situated Anantnag. Chandanwadi, is again the confluence of the rivers Asthan Marg and Sheshnag while it is believed that at Pishu Ghati, the Gods crushed the Demons. The origin of the river of the same name, Sheshnag Lake is situated at a height of about 12,000 feet above sea level. Wavjan lies just before the steep climb to the Mahagunus Pass and is situated at an altitude of 14,000 feet above sea level. It also marks the last climb in the trek to Amarnath, after which there is a downy slope leading to Panchatarni. The Amarnath Yatra, is so planned as to reach the Amarnath cave on the full moon day.
Chari Saheb, the holy scepter, leads a procession starting form Srinagar to Amarnath during the annual festival held here during the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar. It is held to celebrate the formation of ice Shivalinga on the full moon day.
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Thicksey Monastery
Situated at an altitude of 3600 m above sea level, the monastery of Tiksey is situated about 20 km far from the town of Leh and ranks among the most important monasteries in Ladakh. It is the seat of Tiksey Rinpoche, the main leader of the Gelug School in Ladakh and is the main and leading monastery for more than ten other famous Ladakhi monasteries such as Diskit, Spituk, Likir, and Stok. It is believed that in the early 15th century, Tsongkhapa, the founder of the reformed Gelug School, sent six of his disciples to remote regions of Tibet to spread the teachings of the new school. |
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One of these six was known as Sherab Sangpo. He went to Ladakh and was the founder of a small monastery at the end of a valley in the village called Stagmo. Palden Sangpo, Sherab's disciple carried on with the work of his teacher and he was the one who founded the Thiksey monastery a few miles away from Stagmo near the River Indus on a sacred hill above a village of the same name.
Housing one of the largest Buddhist statues, the 15 metre tall Champa, the Buddha of Future and located strategically, today, Thiksey is one of the most frequently visited and most photogenic monasteries in Ladakh. About a hundred monks live here. Ngawang Champa Tenzin, born in 1943, places a great emphasis on preservation of the traditional ways of running the monastery and continues to teach both monks and lay villagers. A former member of Indian Parliament, he has helped greatly towards establishing the village school called Lamsang, which is one of the prestigious Ladakhi Lamdon schools. Thiksey is one of the finest examples of Ladakhi architecture. This Gompa is situated on the top of the hill and forms part of Gelukpa order. The 12-storey monastery complex contains numerous stupas, statues, thankas, wall paintings, swords and a large pillar engraved with the Buddha's teachings apart from the sacred shrines and other precious objects to be seen.
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Sudh Mahadev Temple
Situated in the town of Chanhani in the western part of the Jammu, the Sacred Temple of Sudhmahadev was constructed by Chaudhari Ramdas of Chanhani and his son Chaudhari Parag Mahajan about 80 years ago. Shri Masu Shahane of Sudhmahadev is said to have constructed the entrance door of the temple of Sudhmahadev. The holy spot near Patnitop, it is situated at an altitude of 1225 m above sea level. Pilgrims visit the shrine on the full moon night of the rainy season to worship the famous Trident and a mace, which is said to belong to Lord Shiva. The Devak stream originating at this place disappears magically among the rocks a few kilometers down stream. |
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The temple has a natural black marble 'lingam' and Goddess Parvati mounted on Nandi. The 'Dhooni' (sacred fire) commemorates the spiritual attainments of Baba Roop Nath who is said to have attained Samadhi there. It is said to have been burning constantly ever since Baba Roop Nath is said to be residing in the temple.
According to a popular legend, it is believed that Lord Shiva who was in his Samadhi (deep meditation) shot his big Trishul (trident) to protect his consort Uma startled suddenly by her loud cry. However, it was Shiva's devotee, Sudheet who approached Uma to pay his respectful obeisance and since he was a demon in his previous birth, his demoniac looks frightened her and she made a loud shriek. The trident however killed Sudheet. Shiva realized his mistake and offered to resuscitate him but Sudheet preferred the death given by Lord Shiva Himself. Touched by his devotion, Lord Shiva prefixed his name to the place forever and the broken trident in three pieces, is still installed in the temple.
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Martand Sun Temple
The most memorable and beautiful work of King Lalitaditya is the construction of spacious Martand temple, which the emperor got built in honor of the Sun God or Bhaskar. Lalitaditya was a Kshatriya of Surya (Solar) dynasty. The style of the construction of the temple and the skill exhibited in its construction is rare in the history of the world. Though the cities, towns and the ruins belonging to the era of Lalitaditya are not to be found so easily, the remnants of the big Martand temple, which the emperor had built at the pilgrimage of the same name, is an example of unique building skill of ancient Hindus. They are praised for their design, beauty and art. |
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Martand holds a very high place in the world's great architectural designs and is considered to be not only an example of the Kashmiri architectural skill but also has pride of having been set up at a prettier spot than those of Parthinan, Taj Mahal and St. Peters. A representative of all such great buildings and monuments or a combination and sum total of all the qualities, the ruins of the huge temple stand in a square field with snow-capped mountains as its backdrop. This temple has been built with strong and square limestones and exhibits the pillars of Greek pattern. Martand temple is said to be a mirror of the art and skill of Kashmiri Hindus. This way Lalitaditya should not be considered only a founder of a vast empire but also a founder of art and skill of Kashmiri Hindus for six centuries.
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Jammu Temples
Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, is the place that Raja Jambu Lochan discovered one day along the River Tawi, while he was on a hunting trip. To his surprise, he found that a tiger and a goat stood side-by-side, drinking water from the same place in the Tawi River. He was so struck by this unusual sight that he decided to build a city here where no living creature seemed to bear enmity towards each other. Today, as if in testimony to Raja Jambu Lochan's vision, the city of Jammu has come to be known as the 'City Of Temples'. Innumerable temples and shrines with 'shikhars' soaring into the sky create the ambience of a holy and peaceful city. |
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Amongst the temples in Jammu, the Raghunath Mandir takes pride of place being situated right in the heart of the city. This temple is situated at the city centre and was built in 1857. This temple consists of seven shrines, each with a tower of its own. It is the largest temple complex in northern India. Though 130 years old, the complex is remarkable for sacred scriptures, one of the richest collections of ancient texts and manuscripts in its library. Its arches, surface and niches are undoubtedly influenced by Mughal architecture while the interiors of the temple are plated with gold. The main sanctuary is dedicated to Vishnu's eighth incarnation and Dogras' patron deity, the Rama. It also houses a Sanskrit Library containing rare Sanskrit manuscripts.
The famous temple of Bawey Wali Mata inside the Bahu Fort attracts pilgrims every Tuesday and Sunday who come here to worship the presiding deity of Jammu while opposite the Bahu Fort, overlooking the River Tawi is a temple dedicated to Mahamaya, a local heroine of Dogras, who lost her life fourteen centuries ago fighting foreign invaders. The present temple of Bawey Wali Mata was built shortly after the coronation of Maharaja Gulab Singh, in 1822. It is also known as the temple of Mahakali and the goddess is considered second only to Mata Vaishno Devi in terms of mystical power. Alongside the same river are the Peer Kho Cave temple, the Panchbakhtar temple and the Ranbireshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva with their own legends and specific days of worship. The Ranbireshwar Temple has twelve Shiva 'lingams' of crystal measuring 12" to 18" and galleries with thousands of 'saligrams' fixed on stone slabs.
The Dargah (shrine) of Peer Budhan Ali Shah or Peer Baba is said to protect the people of this city from mishaps and evil spirits. A friend of Guru Gobind Singh, it is said that Peer Baba lived his entire life on milk alone and lived to the age of five hundred and still people from all faiths and religions verate him in equal respect. Peer Mitha was a saint who has a shrine of his own and was a contemporary of Ajaib Dev and Ghareeb Nath, who were famous for their prophecies and miracles. 'Mitha' means 'the sweet one' and the saint was so-called, as the Peer would accept nothing more than a pinch of sugar in offering from his devotees.
Worship of Shakti is prevalent in all parts of Jammu province and the best known of the Shakti shrines is the temple of Vaishno Devi, which holds the same status in Jammu as the Amarnath cave has in Kashmir. 61 km north of Jammu, this cave temple is dedicated to Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati, the three mother goddesses of Hinduism. The cave is one of the region's most important pilgrim sites. There is a 13 km track to the cave temple and the ponies, porters and dandies are available from Katra to cave temple in a fixed rate.
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