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Jageshwar

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Jageshwar
जागेश्वर
village
CountryIndia
StateUttarakhand
DistrictAlmora
Founded bymade by pandavas
Elevation
1,870 m (6,140 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
14,000
Languages
 • OfficialHindi
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Telephone code05962
Vehicle registrationUK

Jageshwar is a Hindu pilgrimage town in Almora district, Uttarakhand, believed to carry the Nagesh Jyotirlinga dedicated to Shiva, located 36 km northeast of Almora, in Kumaun region. The temple city comprises a cluster of 124 large and small stone temples, dating 9th to 13th century AD, with many preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which include Dandeshwar Temple, Chandi-ka-Temple, Jageshwar Temple, Kuber Temple, Mritunjaya Temple, Nanda Devi or Nau Durga, Nava-grah temple, a Pyramidal shrine, and Surya Temple, amongst which the oldest shrine is the Mrityunjaya Temple and the biggest shrine is the Dandeshwar Temple. Once the centre of Lakulish Shaivism, Jageshwar is located at an altitude of 1870 mts, in the Jataganga river valley near a Deodar forest (Cedrus deodara) starting from Artola village on Almora–Pithoragarh highway, where two streams Nandini and Surabhi flow down the hills in the narrow valley and meet near the sacred spot.

The Jageshwar Monsoon Festival, held between 15 July to 15 August takes place at Jageshwar during the Hindu calendar month of Shravan and the annual Maha Shivratri Mela (Shivratri festival), which takes place during spring has an important place in the calendar of the entire Kumaon region.

Nagesh Jyotirlinga

The temples at Jageshwar, believed to include the Nagesh Jyotirlinga.

Most Hindus believe that Jageshwar is the place of Nagesh, 8th among the Dwadasa Jyotirlingas (the twelve resplendent lingas of Shiva established by Vishnu), which is stated to exist in the forest of Deodar or daruka (Sanskrit: दारूक वन, transliteration: daruka van) -

सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् ।
उज्जयिन्यां महाकालमोकांरममलेश्वरम् ।
परल्यां वैद्यनाथं च डाकिन्यां भीमशंकरम् ।
सेतुबंधे तु रामेशं नागेशं दारूकावने ।
वाराणस्यां तु विश्वेशं त्रयंम्बकं गौतमीतटे ।
हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ।
ऐतानि ज्योतिर्लिंगानि सायं प्रातः पठेन्नरः ।
सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं स्मरणेन विनश्यति ।

— Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra by Adi Shankaracharya

The twelve Jyotirlingas are:

  • Somnath at Prabhas Patan, Saurashtra, Gujarat.
  • Sri Mallikarjun in Srisailam, near Kurnool,Andhra Pradesh, on the banks of river Krishna.Adi Sankaracharya composed his Sivanandalahiri here.
  • Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain(Avanti), Madhya Pradesh.
  • Omkareshwar in Omkareshwar, Madhya Pradesh, this jyotirlinga is situated on an island in the course of the river Narmada.
  • Vaidyanath temple at Deoghar,Santal Parganas area of Jharkhand.
  • Bhimashankar in Dakini and located in the Sahyadri hills,near Pune, Maharashtra.
  • Ramalingeswar in Setubandanam, Tamil Nadu.This is situated on vast temple island of Rameswaram.It is the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of India.
  • Nagesh in Jageshwar.
  • Vishwanath in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Tryambakeswar Jyotirlinga shrine is intimately linked with the origin of the river Godavari near Nasik, Maharashtra.
  • Kedareswar in Kedarnath in Himalayas,Uttarakhand.
  • Ghrishneshwar in Devasrovar,near Ellora,Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

History

The ancient treatise Prasadmandanam describe this place as an abode of Shiva:

हिमाद्रेरूत्तरे पार्श्वे देवदारूवनं परम्
पावनं शंकरस्थानं तत्र् सर्वे शिवार्चिताः।

Jageshwar was once the center of Lakulish Shaivism (Lakulish is 28th Avatar of Shiva). Origin and history of Lakulish (Shiva with a wooden Stick) traverse back to Gujarat region of current India. The resemblance between Kumaoni language and Gujarati language probably hints at the fact that followers of Lakulish settled at Jageshwar. Local folklore still talks about a man who will walk this place with a wooden stick in his hand.

There is no definite dating of the construction of Jageshwar group of temples but according to the ASI, they belong to the post-Gupta and pre-medieval eras and are estimated to be about 450 yrs old. These temples range in the period from the 8th century (early Katyuri Dynasty) to the 18th century (Chand Dynasty). The temples were renovated during the reign of Katyuri King Shalivahandev. There is an inscription of Malla Kings on the main temple premises indicating their devotion to Jageshwar. The Katyuri Kings also donated villages to the temple priests for its maintenance. The Chand Kings of Kumaun were also patrons of the Jageshwar temple.

Numerous Jageshwar temples were constructed or restored during the Gurjara Pratihara era.

It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya visited Jageshwar and renovated and re-established many temples before leaving for Kedarnath. The Samsan ghat of Jageshwar is also the cremation ground of the erstwhile Chand Kings. It is possible that sati, the act of self-immolation, may have been performed here. The temples architecture belong to the Nagara [this link is not to an appropriate entry] style, characterized by a tall curved spire surmounted by an amalaka (capstone) and a kalasha crown. Most of the temples enshrine a stone lingam, surrounded by stone sculptures of various deities. The pilgrimage to Jageshwar was considered as sacred as the famous chardham yatra.

Before the construction of roads, pilgrims passed through Jageshwar en route to Kailash and Mansarovar. Due to the restrictions on pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in the past, pilgrims were diverted towards Kedarnath; however, this center has re-attained its past glory. 

  There are around 124 temples that are located in the town,these include small and large stone temple complexes as well.

Inscriptions

Over 25 inscriptions of different periods are inscribed on the walls and pillars of the Jageshwar temples. Most of these belong to the period between the 7th century AD to 10th century AD. The dialect of inscriptions is Sanskrit and Brahmi. These are studied by D.C. Sarkar in Epigraphica indica.temple contains 124 different small and large temple and in this there is 108 shivlinga.

Legend

The folklore in the regions around Jageshwar tells us a gripping story about building the Main temple Near Kot Linga Temple Complex. Shiva selected this place to be his abode. During the Tapasya by Shiva, Demons obstruct His penance. Then God "Sam" come into being as Trinetra and send His Ganas to kill the demons. It is believed that Sam will come to Kot Linga temple premises to save humanity and Jageshwar in Kalyuga. Adi Shankacharya tried to build the maim temple at Kotlinga but to no avail as Sam wanted Kotlinga to be specifically reserved for the meditation of Shiva. Old ruins of a temple structure can be found near Kotlinga. Local people still believe that Sam or Lakulisha, the Lord with a stick shall come and built the real Jageshwar temple near Kotlinga and thus save the mankind from adversities of Kalyuga.

The statue of Lakulisha; meaning, the Lord with a staff or mace or club or stick; is back at Jageshwar after almost 50 years. Lakulisha has been stated to have born in Gujarat and propagated Saivism. The resemblance in kumaoni language and Gujarati are actually an indication of Lakulisha and his disciples visiting and influencing people and culture of not only Jageshwar but entire Kumaon region.


Temples

Jageshwar Mahadev

Tarun Jageshwar is one of the principal temples situated in the temple premises. The temple has two dwarapalas (door guardians) in the form of the armed Nandi and Skandi. This is a west facing temple of Shiva. Here, Shiva is worshipped in the form of Nagesh/Jageshwar. In the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, the Shivlinga is divided into two parts. The larger one depicts Shiva and smaller one his consort Parvati. An Akhand Jyoti, (an immortal flame) burns in the temple. There are two Asthadhatu statues of Chand Kings Deepchand and Tripalchand in the standing posture behind the Shivlinga.

Sri Mahamritunjaya Mahadev

The Mahamrityunjay temple is the largest and oldest temple in the Jageshwar temple complex. This temple of Shiva is eastern facing and the Linga is worshipped as the saviour from death - महामृत्युंजय. The unique linga has an eye shaped opening. Pilgrims believe that reciting the Mahamritunjaya Mantra (महामृत्युंजय मंत्र) is a fruitful, auspicious and powerful method of self-realisation, removal of evil effects, and freedom from all kinds of fears, illness and negativity. The Mahamritunjaya Mantra is attested in the Sukla Yajurveda Samhita III/60 -

ॐ हौ जूँ सः
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः
ॐ त्रयंबकं यजामहे सुगन्धिम् पुष्टिवधर्नम्
उर्वारूकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्यॊर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्
ॐ स्वः भुवः भूः ॐ
सः जूँ हौ ॐ

We pray Lord Shiva, the All-Seeing One, three eyed, who bears grace of all-pervading divine fragrance and enricher of all kinds of powers and viguour by His enormous prosperous bestowals. May He release me from the grip of premature untimely death, but not from immortality like pumpkin or watermelon separates after ripening from its vine.[This quote needs a citation]

Jhanker Sam Mahadev

This temple is situated south of Jageshwar. Legend has it that during the Tapasya by Shiva, Demons obstruct His penance. Then God Jhanker "Sam" come into being as Trinetra and send His Ganas to kill the demons. It is believed that Sam will come to Kot Linga temple premises to save humanity and Jageshwar in Kalyuga.

Kot Ling Mahadev

Kot Ling is Situated at the "Sangam" of Jata Ganga and Sam Ganga Rivers.As per the local folk lore, Kot Ling was originally selected as a place by Shiva for meditation. This place is around 2 km walk from the main temple complex of Jageshwar. A small mountainous trek leads to this place. Currently this place has ruins of an Old Shiva Temple

Dandeshwar Shiv temple complex

Situated slightly upstream from the Jageshwar temple complex, the Dandeshwar temple complex is in a dilapidated condition. The stone lingam is a natural rock, and, unlike the lingams of the Jageshwar complex, is not carved.

Vinayak Kshetra

This place is 200 mts from Artola village from where temples of Jageshwar starts. From this place Vinayak Kshetra or sacred area begins. This place lies between Jhanker Saim temple,Vrudhh jageshwar and Koteshwar temples.

Sri Briddha or Bud Jageshwar

This temple is situated three km north to Jageshwar.This temple is situated at the top of the hill and comes after an uphill trek. It is contemporary to Jageshwar group of temples.

Pushti Devi or Pushti Bhagawati Maa

It is the temple of Goddess Devi. The temple enshrines the full murti of Goddesses. This temple is situated in the Jageshwar main premises.

Other places of interest

  • The river that flows through the town, Jata Ganga
  • The River "Sam Ganga" that originates from Jhankar Sam temple and merges with River Jata Ganga Near Kot Linga Temple Ruins.
  • A cave, Airavat Gufa
  • Brahma Kund
  • Other temples such as Sri Kuber Temple and the Batuk Bhairav Temple.
  • The temple of Golu Devata at Chitai.
  • Patal Bhuvaneshwar Caves[1]

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum run by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), houses idols and statuettes removed from Jageshwar shrine dating 9th to 13th century AD.[2]

Transport

The nearest rail head is Kathgodam 125 km. Jageshwar has direct road links with Almora (35 km), Haldwani (131 km.), Pithoragarh (88 km) and Kathgodam. State transport, and private jeeps and taxis ply from these place for Jageshwar regularly.

Stay at Almora and drive down to Jageshwar. (This is the best thing you can do to enjoy the beauty of mother nature).

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Patal Bhuvaneshwar Caves
  2. ^ Archaeological Museum, Jageshwar Archaeological Survey of India .

References

  • Agrawal, C. M. (2000). Jageshwar, Abode of Lord Shiva. Kaveri Books. ISBN 81-7479-033-0.
  • Pandey, B. D. History of Kumaun.
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