Sunday, October 08, 2006
TEMPLES AT A GLANCE


GANG SHYAMJI TEMPLE Rao Ganga was married to Padamawati, daughter of Rao Jagmal of Sirohi. The statue of Krishna that Jagmal worshipped, was very much liked by Princess Padmawati. After marriage, while leaving Sirohi, Padamawati asked her father for the statue but Jagmal had refuse because he also loved this statue very much. Then Padmawati asked Gangaji to take the statue from Jagmal in dowry. On doing so, Jagmal sent Pandit Jeevraj along with the statue. Gangaji established the statue in the fort and it came to be known as Ganga Shyamji. After some days it was transferred to Ghan Shyamji Temple in Old Dhan Mandi and later a big temple was made for it in Old Dhan Mandi which is now known as Gang Shyamji Temple.

After the death of Jaswant Singh in 1679, Marwar went under direct control of Aurangzeb and his soldiers started destroying the Hindu Temples. The Pandits of Gang Shyamji temple hid themselves with the statue for 3 days and 3 nights. Aurangzeb's military there. In 1929, king Umed Singh again renovated the temple and got gold work done on the main door. Today besides Gangshyamji, this temple has statues of Jagdamba, Pawan Purta, Suryadeo, Shiv darbar and life-sized stautes of Narsingh Mehta and Meera. The walls have pictures of life stories of Lord Krishna and Rama.

KUNJ BIHARI TEMPLE

Kunj Bihari Temple in Katla Bazar was made by King Vijai Singh's Paswan Gulab Rai in 1779. She was a Vaishnav follower of Gokuliya Gosains. Under her influence only, the king banned animal slaughter and ordered all the mead sellers to leave Marwar. Kunj Bihari seems to be a replica of Ghanshyamji temple. The top of the temple and its entrance are examples of architectural excellence. On left of the entrance are massive elephants. After climbing the stairs and crossing the corridor, there is Pataleshwar Mahadeo temple on the left, located two floors below. It has a statue of Shiva, a shiv linga and Adi Vinayaka. They have been kept in a manner that they can be seen from top only. Walking ahead, one reaches facing it is Lord Krishna in Garbh Griha. The outer wall of the Garbh Griha has pictures related to Lord Krishna's life, while the walls surrounding it have pictures related to Lord Rama's life. Krishna's stories include marriage of Devki Vasudeo, Kans Vadh, Raslila of Krishna and Radha, serving of Amrut of Dhruv, serving of wine to Rakshasas, Gods preaching Arjun, welcome of sudama, Gajraj Udhar etc. This is one of the grand temples of Jodhpur. Puja is performed six times a day. Special functions are arranged on Janmashtmi, Annkut, Diwali, Holi, Radha Asthmi etc.

RAJ RANCHHODJI TEMPLE

Raj Ranchhodji temple was made by Queen Jadechi Rajkanwar after the death of her husband king Jaswant Singh, with an expenditure of one lakh rupees. Rajkanwar was the daughter of king Jamvibha. After the king's death, due to her old age she made Krishna’s temple in Jodhpur only. That time this temple was made outside the city wall on a high dune near Baiji ka Talab. Now this temple is just opposite Jodhpur railway station. Because the queen never came out of the fort, she used to come and stand on the wall of the fort during dusk. The pujaris used to get the holy flame on the rear door of the temple for the queen. She never came to the temple herself. By including the first name of the queen 'Raj' this temple became Raj Ranchhodji Temple. It was completed in in 1905. There were very small rooms made in the ground floor of the temple. Where now many shops have opened. One can reach up climbing the staircase where two Torans (Ornamental Gate) are made, one of red sandstone and other of white stone. There is an open space around the stairs and higher up are the Baradaris. Major part of the temple is made of red sandstone, carved with beautiful filigiri work. The heart of the temple (Garbh Griha) has the statue of Rajchhodji made of black marble. This statue was made after consultation with the pujaris of Dwarika. This grand temple has green, yellow and blue glasses fixed on its main door. 21 festivals are celebrated in this temple every year, including Janmashtami, Annkut, Gowardhan puja etc. In rainy season a festival of swings is also celebrated. The Lord is swung in a 10 feet high silver swing. Near the temple, a sarai was made for Rani's guests and travelers which are known as Jaswant Sarai.

ACHAL NATH SHIVALAYA

Achal Nath Shivalaya was constructed by Nanak Devi, queen of Rao Ganga. The construction was completed on 21st May 1531. A large water reservoir called Bawari was made near the Shivlinga which is known as Ganga Bawari. During Rao Jodh's period this place was full of trees and shrubs. Some Nagas came and started staying here. One day they saw a cow standing on the sand, with milk trickling from her teats. When the hermits dug the place, they found a Shivling there. The Nagas kept worshipping this Shivling and made a small room around it. Many groups of Nagas kept coming and going from here. When the Nagas started appointing Mahantas, they made their permanent residence here. It is said that due to 6th Mahanta's blessing Rao Ganga had a son. As a result Queen Nanak Devi made this temple, with increasing population and the expansion of the city, the temple came in the middle of the city and is presently located in Ada Bazar.

The temple ground has the cenotaphs of Durgapuri, Daulatpuri and chainpuri Naga's, who went into eternal meditation. This place has cenotaphs of seventeen Naga saints. The Shivalaya earlier had Jagnath ling with Achalnath. But after renovation Narbhadeshwar Shivling was established with Achalnath. Statues of Jagdamba, Parvati and Jagnath Shivling were established on the platform near the samadhi. The new temple has statues of Minakshi, Parvati, Gajanand and Shadanan. The Garbh Griha, Mandap and Kirtan Bhawan of the temple are made of carved Chhitar stone. The Garbh Griha is surrounded by artistic white statues of Ram, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman.

SIDDNATH
Siddnath Shiv temple is located between Takhat Sagar hills. On the unprepared road going from the right of filter house Jodhpur. Chopasani road, on crossing the stairs made by cutting rocks, one can reach Siddhnath temple. Many years ago it was an absolutely deserted place. And because of that only, a hermit Veetragi Narain Swami started staying here. He was a highly worshipped and respected saint, known in the nearby areas. Once handicapped saint named Gurishanker who was on a pilgrimage and was visiting all religious places, came to this palace. On Gaurishanker's request Narain Swami became his Guru. It is said that because of his pain Gauri Shankar was very talkative. When Narain Swami told him that a hermit should not speak so much, he attained a long silence and prayed all the time. Later he was known as Nepali Baba. He had only four fingers in each of his hand and foot. After attaining silence, he alone made a big temple by cutting stones, which is now known as Siddnath. He used to tumble six feet long rocks by his feet and holding the chisil in two fingers of his feet with a hammer in his hand, he shaped the rocks. One can imagine the religious power of that saint by the beautiful carvings of gods and goddesses on the stones. Each rock has a statue of Shesh Naag and Lord Shiva carved on it. The stones had names of Lord Rama, Krishna and Shiva carved in six different languages. The stones have been joint by scissoring and no cement or any other mixture used to joint them.


MANDAL NATH Approximately 22 kms from the Jodhpur railway station, is Mandal Nath Mahadev Temple surrounded by Bhaugishali hill ranges, on Dahijar Osiyan road, near Pali village. It is said that Mandalya Rishi prayed in these hills. One day he saw a Shiv ling and started worshipping it. Later it came to be known as Mandal Nath. According to a book "Nainsi Ri Khyat”, Ram, Laxman and sita on their return after the exile, stopped on these hills, along with their Vanar Sena. The Vanar Sena rested here and worshipped the Shivling but when Lord Rama was worshipping the shivling all the monkeys could not see it. It is said that, then due to blessings of Lord Shiva, all the stones of the hills turned into Shivlings. After Shri Ram reached Ayodhya, Gangaji appeared from this place in the form of Nagadari.

SHANISHCHAR JI KA THAN
On the road from Jalori Gate to Siwanchi Gate, before Umaid Hospital is the famous Shanishchar temple which attracts thousands of people om Saturdays. To avoid the anger of Shanishchar, son of Surya, people offer oil, sweets, money and light an oil lamp. In olden times, this temple was located near a cremation ground and it had a well. The main temple garbhgriha has a black statue of Shani Deo which is offered dry fruits, sugar balls and marigold flowers. Two small temples around the garbhgriha have statues of Lord Shiva and Krishna. Just below the statue of Lord Shani is a natural statue, which was the first statue of the temple. Since a long time the temple compound is being used for picnics, parties and marriages.

GANESH TEMPLE AT RATANADA
About 150 years ago a teacher Rodidas in a place called Gorunda saw a statue of Vinayakji in the hills of Ratanada. The statue was eight feet high and five feet wide. Rodidas started worshipping this statue. He used to give it a bath and worship it every day. The area around it was cleaned and used as a place for worship. Later he made a temple and started staying there. Today this temple has a large number of followers in Jodhpur. Before starting any function, like marriage or child birth, first a small statue of Vinayakji is put in a pot at this temple and taken home. It is symbolic of inviting Ganeshji for the work and asking him to make it success. After the function is over Ganeshji is brought back to the temple . On every fourth day of the Hindi month (Dhaturthi) devotional songs are sung and sunderkand is read out in the temple. A large numbers of followers come on Diwali, Rakshabandhan, Janamashtmi and Ganesh Chaturthi.
posted by shubhamsinghal @ 1:56 PM  
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