Visiting Dunagiri & Dwarhat
Panoramic view of the Dwarhat township |
Farming by the Gagas River |
The
next day was earmarked for visiting Dwarhat and Dunagiri temples and
accordingly, we started off at around 10.30 A.M. from Chilyanaula in a local
TATA Sumo hired from its owner and driver, Sh. Manohar Kumar (Mobile
No.08006664473), whom I found to be a quiet and decent person. Dwarahat is situated in Almora district of
Uttarakhand, 37 kms from Ranikhet and 41 Kms. from Chilyanaula, however, the
road conditions are very bad at certain stretches. Dwarhat is popular for its group of 55
ancient temples. It is quite a small township
placed at the centre of the road from Ranikhet and Garsian, at the intersection
of Ranikhet - Kausani road and Almora – Badrinath road. The township rests of the banks of the Gagas
River that emanates from the holy Dunagiri Mountain. As the name suggests, Dwarahat means way of
Heaven where Dwara means ‘way’ and Hat
means ‘Heaven’. The Katyuri and Chand
dynasties glorified the region by constructing some fine temples - now renowned
throughout the country. Though largely a Shaivite region, the presiding deity, Nanda
Devi, is amongst the most exalted in Kumaon.
Temple ruins in Dwarhat |
At first sight, Dwarahat
appears to be like any other nondescript little sleepy mountain township one
has seen. The gradually rolling slopes are covered with Cedar and Pine trees
and the township is almost on flat grounds at certain spots. All is quiet in
the cold, crisp air, but for the occasional screeching of truck brakes in the
distance, as you approach the township. Just before you enter the main township area
you are greeted by the enormous spread of pink colored buildings, belonging to
the Government Engineering College, Dwarhat.
In the centre of the town, roller-coaster roads snake up and down around
a crowded market, at the centre of which, is a small town centre, wherefrom the
roads lead towards the local Post Office and Police Station et al. Explore
a little distance away from the bustle, up a concrete trail, past the backyards
of houses, and one will see something quite different. Hidden amongst the village houses, both old
and new, clusters of ancient temples with exquisite carved friezes dating back
to between the 8th and 11th centuries, takes one’s breathe away. Some of them have
collapsed, whereas in the others, the giant carved stone blocks threaten to roll
to the ground. Others have towering temple tops/shikhars frequented
solely by animals of flying kind. Although these temples have been declared as protected
monuments by the ASI, they are all but abandoned and appreciated solely by an
occasional crazy traveler like me. There
are 55 ancient temples that can be divided into eight distinct groups like the
Ratandeo group, Mritunjay group, Badrinath group etc. These ancient temples
were constructed mainly by the Katyuri Kings and its architecture resembles the
Gurjari School of Art. Dwarahat also has
several temples devoted to the Shakti cult also. Near
the bus stand are the ruins of the ancient Syaldeh Pokhar (Syaldeh
pond). An ancient temple of Shitala Devi is located
here which dates to 1257 CE. A very famous folk-fair of Kumaon called “Syaldeh
Bikhoti” fair is held annually near Syaldeh Pokhar at the beginning
of new solar year (Vaisakhi or Baisakhi). There are also
temples of “Kotkangra Devi” and Kalika Devi in the near vicinity. It is said that these temples were destroyed
by the Rohillas (Ruhelas), who had attacked this part of the Kumaon and since
these temples were abandoned and have fallen to ruins.
Maa Dunagiri temple located at a distance of 14 kms from Dwarahat. A
temple dedicated to Vaishno Devi is adorned by the locales in Dunagiri. Many
myths bear testimony to this fact, according to which when Hanuman was carrying
the Sanjivani buti (literal meaning – life providing herb), a piece fell
here and since then a lot of beneficial & medicinal herbs are found here,
this place is known as Dunagiri since times immemorial. Dunagiri commands an imposing view of the Himalayan
Ranges on one side and the Dwarhat township, on banks of Gagas River on the
other side. Dunagiri is flooded by tourists and devotees during Chait (April)
and Ashwin (September/October) months of Navratras. There is a huge mela (fair) and
congregation of thousands of devotees, thronging the temple precincts during
the Navratris. During the
festivities, each night of the Navratri is dedicated to the nine
different forms of Goddess Durga. They are Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmachaarin,
Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmaanda, Skand Maa, Maa Kaatyayini, Maa Kaalratri,
Maa Chaamunda, and Mata Sidhidaarti. To
reach the Durga temple or Paban Maharaj Ashram from the highway, one has to
climb 400 steps on the top of a hill.
Dunagiri
mountain is said to have been the group of mountains brought by Pavandavas of
Mahabharata fame during their Agayat vas (days of banishment from their
Kingdom). Most temples and holy places in
India, accrue higher respect & divinity as per the age of the shrine, the
older they are, the more reverend are they. For instance the 3000 year old temple of
Kanyakumari may be deemed more potent than a 300 year old temple. At Dunagiri, it is not in years, centuries nor
even millennia that the antiquity of this place is calculated in, but rather in
terms of Yugas! A place where mysticism abounds, fascinating legends and numerous
mystic stories are intimately connected to Dunagiri. From the ancient times, places such Drongiri
(Dunagiri), Badrinath, Kedarnath have been known as Soul of Gods (Devatma)
Himalaya, since these places are also the meditation spots (asanpeeth
and sadhna-sthali) of many realized souls. Dunagiri or Drongiri is counted amongst one of
the seven Kulparvats of the Purans.
As this destination is replete with association of Ascetics and Saints over
eons, just by visiting such a reverend destination, one imbues some of the blessings
and spiritual vibrations of the “realized souls”.
Dunagiri
hill is the shrine or seat of Sri Sri Vaishnavi Mata Bhagvati Jagdamba.
Sri Sri Vaishnavi Mata is the presiding
form of Divine Mother among the other forms worshiped in the Valley. Dunagiri finds mention in the holy scripture
of Manaskhand of Skandpuran. Mother Goddess at Dunagiri
is described as Mahamaya Harpriya. The
distinctive qualities of Durga at Dunagiri as shul-hasta,
mahishasur-ghatini, sinh-vahini are described in the Manaskhand. Dunagiri Devi is also referred to as Vahyamati
which identifies it with its Vedic roots. In Vedic times Durga was known to be
a form of Agni. Till
today, there are only two Vaishnavi Shaktipeeths (energy centers) in India. One is in Jammu, the famed Vaishno Devi
Shrine near Katra and the other is the Vaishnavi Devi temple at Dunagiri. Among all the Shakti
temples of Kumaon, Dunagiri is counted amid the most ancient ‘Sidh
Shaktipeeth’. It is counted
amongst the primary ‘ugra’ (intense) ‘peeths’,
i.e., amongst the primary intense centers of energy, although it is
not associated with the 51 Shakti Peethas of the Shiva tandava
scriptures and thus, is also known as the Gupt (Hidden) Shakti Peeth.
Photographing the actual deity is strictly forbidden and hence no photographs
of the same.
Of the eighteen Upanishads that the
holy scriptures of Hindu religion, the Shwetashwet
upanishad is believed to have been inspired
& composed solely at Dunagiri. Fourth chapter of Shwetashwet upanishad
ponders over divinity in context of duality of Purush and Prakriti, taking
inspiration from Dunagiri’s twin natural peaks (one can see these twin rock
pieces inside Dunagiri temple). Hence Manaskhand of Skandpuran bestows Dunagiri
with the title of Brahm-parvat (Divine
Mountain).
As
the place is in existence since times immemorial, it has had several
incarnations of Goddesses over the Yugas, starting from the Satya Yuga
wherein Bhairavi, the consort of Bhairav or Lord Shiva himself, turns into
Vaishnavi Mata. Bhairavi, the Divine Mother of Tantra at the last stage, turns
into Vaishnavi Mata while awarding liberation to her devotees, because only in
the form of Vaishnavi does she award liberation. During the Treta Yuga, Dunagiri finds mention in the story of
Ramayana as being the hill where Sanjeevani booti was
obtained by Lord Hanuman to revive an unconscious Lakshman in battle of Lanka.
Hanuman is often depicted flying through the sky carrying part of a hill. This
hill is Dunagiri. Lord Ram’s younger brother, Bharat, also meditated at a hill
overlooking Dunagiri. This hilll, still named after him, is now known as
Bhatkot (originally Bharat-kot). During
the Dwapara Yuga, Sages are said to have come
to the hills of Dunagiri to meditate in solitude. These sages are mentioned in
the epic Mahābhārata. Sage Bharatmuni
renounced worldly life and came to Dunagiri to meditate. Dronacharya,
the royal guru to Pandavas and Kauravas meditated at Dunagiri (Dunagiri or
Drongiri is named after Dronacharya). Dronacharya’s
brother, Garg muni, one of the greatest sages of
the Puranic times, also meditated at Dunagiri. The River Gagas that originates at
Dunagiri is named after Garga muni. Dronacharya and Garga were sons of Rishi
Bharadwaja, one of the Saptarishis (Seven Great Sages) of this epoch. Sage Sukhdev
muni (son of sage Ved Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata) meditated at Dunagiri. Shakuntala and Dushyant’s son, king Bharat after whom
India is named as “Bharatvarsh” was born at Dunagiri. Pandava’s too spent
time here during their period of anonymous exile and their abode, now known as
“Pandukholi”, which is further 5 Kms. ahead on road to Almora, but was not
visited by me.
In more recent times, Dunagiri was
the spot chosen by Mahavatar Babaji (who
is conjured as manifestation in form of Haidakhan wale Babaji – as referred to
in my previous blog) to give Kriya Yoga initiation to
Lahiri Mahashaya, hence Dunagiri in known as the birthplace of Kriya Yoga. A golden palace was materialized here, as
mentioned in the book Autobiography of a Yogi
by Yogananda Paramhansa. It is also at
Dunagiri that Mahavatar Babaji is said to have given initiation to Haidakhan
baba in Manas Yog, to Neem Karoli baba in Mantra yoga, and to Sombari baba in
Pashupat yoga. Other saints who meditated at Dunagiri are: Harnarayan Swami,
Ram Baba, Mahatama Laxminarayan Das, Nantin Baba, Mahant Balwant Giri, MK
Bhattacharya, Swami Satyaeshwarnananda Giri.
Although
I have not been able to visit the reverend shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in
Jammu, this chance pilgrimage to such a holy place has in all probability
absolved me of my earthly sins. We were
in time to partake the langar (community lunch) at the temple precincts, the
scenic & religious images of this famed temple shall remain ever etched in
my memory. Thus, I dedicate this
travel-blog to many an unread like me, who had no idea about the spiritual
relevance of this destination and may this humble contribution from me
enlighten many a unread souls like me, Jai Maa Vaishno Devi.
Here is a video of the destination