हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें
There are numerous waterfalls and dams around Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state, where tourists flock on Sundays and holidays. The rush is more in the winter season. There are lesser-known places too that can be developed as tourist attractions. One of such lesser-known places is the Gandhoniya Temple around which there are many hot water springs.
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| Gandhoniya Temple, Kanki, Hazaribagh Pic: Ravi Kumar |
There is only one hot water Kund in Rajgir, Bihar but there are many hot water Kunds near this temple. All the Kunds are just along one of the banks of a small natural Nala (small hilly stream). These Kunds have been made pucca by the local Panchayat. The depth of water in these Kunds is about two to three feet. The water in some of the Kunds is so hot that it can cook rice.
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| One of the Hot-water Kund (spring) at Kanki, Hazaribagh |
The name of this village is Gandhoniya which is in Kanki, Hazaribagh. There is an old temple known as Gandhoniya temple in this area. It is a Shiva Temple and an old Shivalinga is there in the middle of this one-roomed temple. It has been recently renovated. Just behind this small temple is a hilly river stream that has sparkling clear water. The village folks have all their water needs fulfilled by this stream. Between the temple and the stream, there are these hot water springs at intervals of 50-100 ft. In the Kund just behind the temple oozing hot water points can be easily spotted on the muddy bottom.
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| Larger Hot-water Kund at Kanki, Hazaribagh |
There is a primary school near the temple. We saw an article about this temple in local newspapers and decided to visit it. Just two days before the Makar Sankranti we got a spare time, so with the help of a Google map and a small car, we reached here from Bhurkunda in about half an hour. The road half km before the temple is Kuchcha and difficult to drive. When we reached the temple there were no tourists or outsiders, only villagers, doing their normal work. We were a bit disappointed. Many children flocked around our car. When we are near the temple, let us have a darshan of Shiva at least, we thought. Then asked a kid about the hot water Kunds. An elderly lady came near and told us about the hot water Kunds. She told us that there are ten Kunds along the side of the stream. But we could spot only four that were made pucca. One large well-shaped and other triangular are for general bathing, while a Kund with a small enclosure for ladies. The fourth one was behind the temple with brick walls only and no plaster.
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| Beautiful hilly stream at Kanki, Hazaribagh |
The elderly lady said that people come to the temple with wishes and worship Shiva. They collect hot Kund water and drink it. It makes the body clean and fulfills wishes. On Makar Sankranti the place is crowded with devotees that take a dip in the Kunds and worship Shiva, There is a Mela here on that day. We hesitated to take the Kund water and said that we will come on Makar Sankranti then take it. But she insisted that we take it because on that day the place is so crowded and may not get drinkable water. So I gave her an empty water bottle to bring it. We kept the bottle in the car and had some pics and videos of the place and Kunds.
The taste of Kund water is Sulfur mixed. It is the reason that people with skin diseases get cured with the dip in Kund water.
The place and the approach roads need to be developed so that local people get some earnings and tourists have some amenities.
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