Khir Bhawani Spring
KASHMIR in the olden times was known as
Reshi Bhumi or the land of saints. Cut off as it was from the outside world
by its mountain ramparts, its means of communication were difficult. The
people had developed their own script called 'sharda' and their own
literature and philosophy. They cultivated various branches of knowledge,
and worked for humanity preferring action to theory.
Surrounded as the country is by the snow-clad high mountains, water absorbed
in the soil gives birth to numerous springs scattered all over the country.
Those springs are known as Nags (serpents). They are dedicated to different
gods or goddesses, hence some of the towns are named after them, such as
Anant Nag, Vetsar Nag, Tsandi Gam (after Tsandi Nag in the Lolab Valley) and
Ver Nag in Anantnag district. Special days are set apart in the calendar to
commemorate the story of those springs and fairs are held and public worship
takes place on such occasions.
One of these mysterious springs is situated near village of Tulamulla. The
whole place round Tulamulla is swampy and for miles around there are rice
fields. By the side of acqueducts grow a large variety of wild flowers, the
most common being Mentha sylvestris (Vena) which is used in worship and the
sale of which brings money to the peasant population.
It appears that Tulamulla is a sort of floating garden, as the natives say
that if they dig a whole in the ground, they find fish coming from the
tributary of the Sindh which drains the place. The village is girt round by
the tributaries of the Sindh which carry water from the Amar Nath and
Gangabal glaciers. There is also a stream of pyre water which rises from the
springs round the eastern side of the village and passing under a bridge
enters into the Sindh canal (also called Gangkhai).
The numerous islets are covered with willows and poplars while the main
island on which the spring stands is shaded with chinars, mulberry and elm
trees. Lately, the place paved with dressed sandstones, but there is much
scope for the improvement and tidiness of the spot. Water and vegetation
being very abundant, mosquitoes are ubiquitous in July and August. In
summer, the birds nestling on trees produce melodious music at dawn. The
golden oriole, the thrush, the ringdove, the paradise flycatcher, the bulbul
are conspicuous by their song and plumage. In winter the wild fowl, the
shoveller, the mallard, the gadwall, the widgeon, the teal, the paddy bird,
the coot and such other birds are found in the Anchar Lake and round about
the swamps.
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The Anchar Lake
The Anchar (Atsar - means good conduct) Lake must have once touched the
skirts of the Lar and Ganderbal mountain ranges and the alluvial soil
wrested from the lake is the outcome of the silt which the Sindh and rain
have deposited here for hundreds of years. This process is still going on
and extensive tongues of land in the form of deltas between several
distributaries are being formed continually. About seventy years ago the
Sindh changed its course, flowed over Gadura village and thence entered the
lake. A tributary from here joins the Vetasta (Jhelum) at Shadipor. Two
canals drain the water of the Dal Lake into the Anchar Lake. The Nala Bal
flows past the north of Hari Parbat via Amda Kadal, and the other canal used
to flow through Bohri Kadal during summer months. The later canal has been
filled up under the master plan and does not exist now. The best lotus
blossom is found towards the southern side of the lake called Khushal Sar
during the months of July and August. It is fascinating to watch the
pheasant-tailed Jacana in gorgeous plumage and the paddy bird in sombre
colour. The lake yields large quantities of lotus seeds and lotus roots
which are eaten as a vegetable. Fishing is also carried on in it. It
supplies fodder for animals to the city.
There are two important springs on the eastern side of the lake. Amrishwar
spring in Amburher which was a great place of pilgrimage in olden times and
a spring in Biyhama which is highly prized for digestive water.
The lake is about 3.5 miles long and 2.25 miles broad and covers an area of
about 7.5 sq. miles. There are better floating gardens here than in Dal
Lake.
Before wheeled traffic came into being the pilgrims to the spring went on
foot or by boat. The religious-minded preferred the journey on foot. From
Srinagar they either went to Sowura Ghat or to the Gron Kadal where they
engaged boat and crossing the Anchar Lake landed at Gadur. From here they
walked through rice fields in about 4 or 5 hours arrived at Tulamulla.
Others engaging a doonga or a house-boat in Srinagar in the Vetasta (Jhelum)
reach Shadipor,where the confluence of the Sind and Vetasta takes place.
This place is also called Prayag and is sacred to the Hindus. From here boat
is towed up the canal along the delightful turfed banks and finally anchored
at the island. The journey covers about 8 or 9 hours.
Now lorries and cars run to the place and cover a distance of 14 miles in
about 40 minutes. The pilgrim, no doubt saves much of his time in this way
but he actually wraps his vacation in a wet blanket and has, to his credit
merely the satisfaction that he has visited the place.
Vetsar Nag
On the way to Ganderbal there is a spring called Vetsar Nag which is 8 kms.
from Srinagar. It is said , that in the olden days the new calendar used to
be discussed here before it came into circulation. Vetsar means discussion.
The pilgrimage to this place takes place on the Amavasa (last day of dark
fortnight) of Chet. This spring is also, called Ailapator after the
high-altitude lake of Gulmarg. The spring was once cleansed. In the centre
of the spring there is a stone cylinder about 3 ft. high on which rests a
stone Shivlingam. The water gushes out from the north-eastern and
north-western corners and fills the spring.
Ganderbal
Ganderbal is the terminus of the boat journey. Its lovely turfed banks,
shady chinars, the graceful flow of the Sindh, the delightful mountain
slopes in the distance and the refreshing breeze which blows from the
pine-clad mountain slopes of the upper Sindh Valley are very soothing to the
wearied body and mind. It lies at the base of the Sindh Valley and was
originally called Doderhom. It is the official headquarters of the Sindh
Valley and has a regular bazaar, a post office, a veterinary hospital and a
hospital for men and a Government Higher Secondary Schools for Boys and
Girls. Some visitors engage houseboats and spend some time under shady
chinars. There are some interesting spots round about the place which can be
easily visited from here. A morning walk of about 3 miles will take a person
to the Khir Bhawani spring. About 6 miles from here lies the famous Manasbal
lake. From Vayil bridge about 2.5 miles from here a glorious view of the
Sindh Valley flanked by verdant mountain slopes can be had.
At Ganderbal there is an electric power-house which supplies light to
Srinagar city and adds to the present electric supply of the valley.
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Historical Reference
Mention of this place is made in the last chapter of the Ragyna Pradurbhava
which is a section of the Bringish Samhita. It is stated there that during
the early period of the Epic Age, King Ravana ruled Lanka, an island to the
south of India. It was then a flourishing country having sixteen hundred
towns. This island is beautifully described in the Ramayana.
King Ravana in order to gain temporal power and glory worshipped goddess
Parvati (Shama) who manifested herself to him in all her nine aspects. For
sometime he remained sober-minded and worshipped the goddess with all all
devotion.
When Shri Rama King of Ajoydiya invaded Lanka and the generals of his army
Sugrev and Hunuman killed King Rhvana's brother Kumbakaruna and his son
Megnad, his wife Mandudhari entreated him to make peace with Shri Rama. He
was kindled with rage and tried to invoke the blessing of the goddess by
offering her various kinds of sacrifices. Thereupon the goddess, wrathful at
Ravana's misdeeds, cursed in and ordered Hunumhn to take her to Sati Sar
(Kashmir) on her vehicle along with 360 Nags. Hunuman selected a spot in the
northern side of the valley within the space surrounded by the villages of
Borus (Bhawanish), Ahatung (Tungish), Ladwun (Labdawan), Wokur (Bhageh).
Here he installed the goddess with all her satellites. She was called
Khirbhawani or Raji Ragyni, exclusively preferring milk, sugar, rice and all
vegetarian forms of offerings. To quote from Stein's translation of
Kalhana's Rajatarangini: " When he (Jayapida) was appropriating (the land
of) Tulamulya, he heard, while on the bank of the Candrabhaga, that a
hundred Brahmans less one had sought death in the water of that (stream)."
.........
Tulamulya is undoubtedly the present village, of Tulamul, situated 74 deg
48' long. 34 deg 13' lat. among the marshes through which the Sind River
passes before joining the Vitasta. The large spring of Tulmul is sacred as
the habitation of Maharajni, a form of Durga extensively worshipped among
the Brahman population of Kashmir, and is accordingly to this day the object
of frequent and popular pilgrimages. The name is written as Tulamulaka in
Fourth Chron. 527, 531 and in Rajnipradurbhavamah.
In the midst of the wide water-logged tract of the Sind Delta we find the
ancient Tirtha of Tu-lamu-lya at the village now know as Tulmul, situated 74
deg 48' long- 34 deg 13' lat. The Purohita corporation of Tulamulya is
represented as a well-to-do and influential body already under King Jaydpida.
(A.D. 85 and 88) The large spring of Tulamulya is sacred to Maharajni, a
form of Durga, and is still held in great veneration the Brahman population
of Srinagar. It is supposed to exhibit from time to time miraculous changes
in the colour of its water, which are ascribed to the manifestation of the
goddess. Owing to its convenient position the Tirtha attracts large numbers
of pilgrims from the capital. Abu-I-Fazal notices the place and its marshy
surroundings. About two and a half miles to the east of Tulamul lies the
village of Dudrhom on the main branch of the Sind which have become first
navigable. It is repeatedly referred to by Srivara under its old name of
Dugdhasrama.
"The worship of the 'Mothers', which is identical with that of the Saktis,
plays a great part in the Tantra ritual flourishing in Kashmir from ancient
times.
It is said that Ravana's father Pulasti Reshi lived in Kashmir.
The land was all swampy, made as it were of floating gardens, it was light
and bumpy, hence it was called Toola Mulla, from two Sanskrit words. 'Tool'
meaning 'cotton' and 'Mulla' eaning 'value ', 'worth'.
A person aged about 90 (in 1948) told me that he knew the time when reeds
were placed alon be swampy foot-path from Hur Mengin Wor to enable the
pilgrims to walk to the island.
(Hur Mengan was a Spirit who sometimes possessed the bodies of the persons
travelling during the night and he was a dread to the inhabitants of the
neighbourhood.)
After some time a road was constructed by Mahant Dharm Dass. Shah Radha
Krishen, a merchant, paved the edge of the spring with Baramulla stones and
Dewan Narsingh Dayal built the big dharmshala on the north of the spring
during the reign of Maharaja Ranbir Singh. Later on, during recent times the
road was metalled (macadamised) and made fit for wheeled traffic. The old
dharmshala has been dismantled, new ones erected and the place made more
beautiful.
There is a legend that a long time ago the goddess appeared to Pandit Govind
Joo Gadru who arranged to go in a boat from Sowura Ghat to the swampy side
of the Anchar Lake. He took with him a number of earthen vessels full of
milk and when he found the spring, he poured milk into it.
The following is another version of the process which is said to have
brought the spring to light.
A pious Brahman Krishna Pandit saw a vision in which he was informed by a
Deva (an angel) that the spring of Khir Bhawani lay among the swamps of
Tulamulla.
'How shall I be able to find out the spring?' He asked.
'Engage a boat as far as Shadipor, and from there a serpent will guide you.
When you will reach near the spring, the serpent will jump into it. That is
the spring ', was the reply.
He did as he was told, engaged a boat and came as far as Shadipor.
Khirbhawani
A snake was seen swimming over the water of the swamps. The boat followed
the snake, which halted at a particular place where Shri Krishna Pandit
fixed a long stick to indicate the position of the holy spot. After the
snake moved in an oddly rectangular direction, the space thus covered by it
was demarcated with the fixation of sticks over the marshy area. Thus was
the divine spring discovered.
The swampy area around the spring was led up with dry earth carried in boats
for this purpose. Shri Krishna Pandit along with other persons and devotees
from Srinagar the worship of the goddess. At the conclusion of the puja, it
is said that a piece of birch bark was seen floating over the water of the
spring. Shri Krishna Pandit took it up and found the sloka written on it.
The verse described the divine form of the goddess Ragni.
<verses>
Translation
I make obeisance to that one goddess who, having taken the position of the
Supreme God is the Queen in reality, whose form is made of light and is
adorned by (the lustre of) twelve suns, who cannot be observed through
senses, who is seated on a throne and is wrapped with serpents.
He composed a poem of as many stanzas as there were letters in the sloka and
this poem is still extant. He would pay a visit to the spring on every 8th
day of the bright fortnight as long as he lived.
Gradually, this place became known all over Kashmir and people began to
gather there to worship, while the people round the place sold milk, flowers
and fuel to the pilgrims which gives them a good business.
Before we enter on the main island, we see two important places, one is the
Ziarat of Mir Baba Haider, a Muslim saint and the other is the Samad of Lobu
Shah who had miraculous powers and lived some 150 years ago.
Mention has been made in the Rajatarangani of Raja Jiyapida (A.D. 850-88)
confiscating the lands of the Brahmans of Tulamulla. The Brahmins troubled
by the misdeeds of the Raja went in a body to see him. They were detained by
the courtiers. Thereupon, they raised a hue and cry and were called by the
Raja. They attacked him vehemently and one of them cursed him with the
result that there and then a golden rod from the royal canopy fell on the
Raja, causing him a wound which proved incurable and brought about his
death.
Spring
The spring is situated in the centre of the island round which the Gangkhai
a canal from Sind makes a circuit. It is said that this spring is surrounded
by 360 springs. Most of hese have fallen into oblivion and are covered ith
rushes and silted up.
Before the main spring came to be known the goddess was worshipped at Solur
where under a chinar tree a spring still exists. This spot is called Devot
Wol boin. One mile north-east of this island near Lodwan village is Ganesh
Bal or Vodjen where Ganesh is worshipped. The other springs which are still
known are: Ashta Rudhar to the south, Tsandar Nag to the south-east. Machi
Nag, Naga Rad, Gokhin Nag are to the east.
The main spring dedicated to Goddess Khir Bhawani or Ragyni has an irregular
septagonal shape with apex called PAD (feet) to the east. The northern and
southern sides are longer than western side which is called SHER (head).
In the centre is an islet on which a temple have existed once. There also
grew a mulberry tree here. Now there is a small marble temple which was
built by His late Highness the Maharaja Partap Singh. The small flags and
miniature silver umbrellas presented to the goddess by the votaries are
placed in the temple.
Here is reproduced an extract from "Talks with Swami Vivekananda" about the
Holy Spring.
"Then Swamiji said, on the way back, he returned to Srinagar by the common
route by which the pilgrims return. A few days after returning to Srinagar
he went to visit Kshir Bhavani Devi and staying there for seven day
worshipped the Devi and made Homa to Her with offerings of Kshir (condensed
milk). Every day he used to worship the Devi with a maund of Khir as
offering. One day, while worshipping the thought arose in Swamiji's mind: "
Mother Bhavani has been manifesting Her Presence here for untold years. The
Mohammedans came and destroyed Her temple, yet the people of the place did
nothing to protect Her. Alas, if were then living, I could never have borne
it silently. " When, thinking in this strain, his mind was much oppressed
with sorrow an anguish, he distinctly heard the voice of the Mother saying:
" It was according to desire that the Mohammedans destroyed the temple. It
is My desire that I should live in dilapidated temple, otherwise, can I not
immediately erect a seven-storied temple of gold here if I like ? What can
you do? Shall I protect you or shall you protect me! " Swamiji said: "Since
hearing that Divine Voice, I cherish no more plans. The idea of building
Maths etc. I have given up; as Mother wills, so it will be." disciple
speechless with wonder began to think " Did he not one day tell me that
whatever saw and heard was but the echo of the Atma within me, that there
was nothing outside? " and fearlessly spoke it out also -" Sir, you used to
say that Divine Voices are the echo of our inward thoughts and feelings ".
Swamiji gravely said: " Whether it be internal or external, if you actually
hear with your ears such a disembodied voice, as I have done, can you deny
it and call it false? Divine Voices are actually heard, just as you and I
are talking."
The disciple without controverting accepted Swamiji's words, for his words
always carried conviction.
Natural Phenomenon
Such a mysterious spring is found nowhere in India. The water of the spring
changes its colour from time to time. I have observed and found it rosy red,
faint rosy, light green, lemon yellow, milky white and grey white on various
occasions. There is no special time or definite period for this change of
colour. Any shade of black colour is supposed to be inauspicious.
I have seen bubbles rising out of the water of the spring and, forming three
lines round the islet not regularly complete, but a part here and a part
there though in perfect order. These lines are said to be the Dwara of the
Chakra.
Chakra or Yantra of Rajni Devi (Tulamulla)
What is a Chakra? It is a mystic symbol. Every goddess has her own Chakra.
The Chakra of Kshir Bhavani consists of seven parts enclosed one within the
other. The Chakra popularly known as Yantra embodies Mother Goddess with Her
Shakties.
The people well-versed in various forms Tantric cult take this mystic symbol
to represent the inward psychic centres of the body and concentrating on it
under proper guidance a supposed to acquire various superphysical powers.
Tantrikism is the content of the Vedas a Agams and differs from one place to
another challenging many syntheses. This is found amply in Agams in
different system as invocations female deities identical with Shakties. A
speci Power of goddess representing it is the time-honoured-form of worship.
The worship offers a mystic blend of Brahmanical and Buddhi practices.
The Tantrikism has much influenced countries, all ages, all places and all
systems philosophic thoughts and all ritualistic practic Innumerable are the
systems of Tantric worsh called by different names, forms and systems. It
has its own mine of literature with its celebrated authors. A few of them
are enumerated below:
Agama Tantrikism
Yamala Tantrikism
Samyachara Tantrikism
Vajrayana Tantrikism
Kapalika Tantrikism
Saiva Tantrikism
Siddha Tantrikism
Like all other metaphysical reorientations Tantrikism is a way of worship.
Tantrik symbolism and rituals elevate a man to a state of bliss leading to
salvation. The Tantrik psycho-physical discipline formulates the diagram
known Chakra, Yantra and Yoga.
Rajni Devi (Kshir Bhavani Devi) has Her prescribed diagram for worship in
Tantra Shastra which is reproduced here. It embodies the system as
right-handed Tantrikism. The following is the system of Rajni Devi's diagram
(Chakra) with her Shaktis as borne by the descriptions in the relative
manuscripts and available literature on the subject.
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