Religious travel to Ancient Hindu Temples

Ancient Temple MATA JWALAMUKHI DEVI

is located at 37 kms from Kangra town in Himachal Pradesh.

Accoding to religious belief of Hindus ,the ancient Hindu temple of Jwalamukhi Built at the place ,is where the tongue of Goddess sati is supposed to have fallen. Consequently the flames emanating from the fissures in the hillside are worshiped as manifestations of the goddess’s fiery mouth.

The History and origin of this Shaktipeeth jwalaji temple is attributed to the discovery, many centuries ago, to a cowherd , to the divine flames ,while grazing his flock. He went and informed the king, Bhumi Chand, who had the first Hindu temple known as jwalaji temple built here. The great Mughal monarch Akbar walked bare foot to pay obeisance at this Shaktipeeth temple in mid 16^th century and Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab in mid 19^th century had the temple dome gilded in gold.

How to reach   JWALAMUKHI

Jwalamukhi is a famous pilgrimage town, whose gold domed temple does not house any idol.  Instead the eternal goddess here is manifest in a natural blue flame emanating from a holy rock sanctum that has been burning so for centuries together.    The evening prayer ‘aarti’ after which the Goddess goes to rest is worth watching. 

Getting there

By Road: Jawalmukhi is 123 km from Pathankot through Kangra town, 212kmfrom Shimla, 473 from Delhi. From Dharamsala it is 53 km, from Kangra 37km, from Hamirpur 38km and from Hoshiarpur, in the bordering state of Punjab, it is 74km.

By Rail: Nearest broad gauge train stations for Jwalamukhi are at Hoshiarpur 78km and Pathankot 123km away.  The closest narrow gauge train station at Ranital is 22km away.

By Air: Nearest airport at Gaggal near Kangra is 46 km.

Travel Combinations: One can reach Jwalamukhi by road from the train stations of Pathankot, Hoshiarpur or the narrow gauge station of Ranital on the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail track.  One could also fly to Kangra airport and cover rest of the distance in an hour’s journey by road.  Road transport can be provided by Himachal Tourism.  Jwalamukhi along with Chintpurni, Chamundaji, Brajeshwari Devi (Kangra), and Deothsidh (Shahtalai) are a popular pilgrim circuit.

Climate: Summers are warm and cotton clothing is recommended but winter get cold and woolens are required.

Height: 500m

Time to visit: Throughout the year but pilgrims consider the Navratras days in March-April and September-October very auspicious.

ATTRACTIONS

Navratra fairs in March-April and September-October are an auspicious occasion for a pilgrimage to JwalamukhiTemple.  Evening prayers (Aarti) when Jawalamata symbolically retires for the day has a soothing effect on visiting devotees.

Musical Fountain with its dancing light and water show is a pleasure to watch during the evenings.

Temples of Ashtabhuja, Raghunathji, Nagni Mata, Chaumukha, Panj Teerthi, Mahakaleshwar (Kalesar) and Baglamata within vicinity of Jwalamukhi   can form a part of a pilgrimage to the place.

HOTEL JWALAJI

Deluxe Hotel

·        Hotel Jwalaji is ideally located close to Jwalammukhi temple for easy access to visiting pilgrims

proximity to the bus park facilitates entry and departure from this pilgrim town.

The temple  in many medieval accounts, one of which dates to the time of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. There are many stories ,Local legends say , when Mughal King Akbar visited the Hindu temple . He tried  to douse the flames with the water from water channel constructed specially Constructed. But no body could douse  the fire .The Emperor, with utmost humility, became a devotee of the goddess and presented her a chhattra (umbrella) of gold. The same channel today drips water into a tank in the temple premises, and the chhattra is preserved in the temple complex.

When Jahangir invaded the Kangra valley he wrote in his memoirs, ‘Near the temple and on the slope of the hill there is sulphur mine and its heat causes flames to continually burst forth. They call is Jwalamukhi (fiery mouth), and regard it as one of the idol’s miracles’. Thomas Coryat, an English traveler in this province there is a place called Jallamakee where out of cold springs that issue out from amongst hard rocks are to be seen continued eruptions of fire before which the … people fall down and worship.’

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ABOVE IS GIVEN IN THE COLORFUL BOOK THE TEMPLES OF HIMACHAL. by GOODEARTH PUBLICATIONS. Price Rs 325/- plus Rs50 Courier in India

Contact

bookgharinfo@gmail.com

Temple can be seen in one corner of the marble courtyard, while in the centre is a modern building called the Shayankaksh, or sleeping bed and room of the goddess. The ancient  temple that enshrines the divine flames is a simple marble structure with a gilded dome . The dome is shaped like a lotus topped by three kalashas one above another (See first picture above). The mandapa in front of the main shrine is also topped by a dome. Next to this temple is a single-storeyed building which has a beautiful, bejeweled idol of the Devi astride a lion.

Inside the sanctum sanctorum is a square pit with a pathway all around, at the centre of which burns the everlasting blue flame believed to be the manifestation of the Devi, for it is at this exact spot where her tongue is said to have fallen. On the walls of the temple are nine niches in which burn smaller flames. These are worshipped as nine goddesses-Mahakali, Annapurna, Chanki, Hinglaj, Bindhyabasni, Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, Ambika and Anjidevi. These flames often get extinguished and are relit by the priests who guide the pilgrims throught the temple.