Showing posts with label Temples around Ranchi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Temples around Ranchi. Show all posts

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Khutta Baba Mandir and The Tenughat Dam

Khutta Baba Mandir, Peterbar, Bokaro
          I was discussing with my friend the places of interest around Ramgarh which we had not visited. He recalled visiting Tenughat Dam some 10 years back and it was an awesome visit. He also remembered that there is a temple about 9 km before the dam. This temple is Khutta Baba Mandir and it is famous for fulfilling wishes of the devotees. We decided to visit the Tenughat dam. When his parents knew it they asked him to sacrifice a rooster (Murga) in the Khutta Baba temple for a wish being fulfilled. We started around 11:30 AM from Ramgarh. Near Peterbar we took a left turn at Tenu Chowk and reached Khutta Baba Mandir traveling 48 km. The temple is on the roadside. 
         
Garbh Grih, Khutta Baba Temple,
Peterbar, Bokaro.
We were a little late. The front verandah was being cleaned and there were only a few persons in the temple but all around the temple was crowded and full of activities. All the Jhuggi hotels were busy cooking mutton and chicken. Everybody was enjoying drinks. My friend had brought a rooster in a bag (Jhola) for sacrifice. This place is a tribal worship place and only their priest called "Pahan" can perform the worship and sacrifice. He asked a Pahan for sacrifice. Though it was a bit late he agreed but when he saw the rooster the Pahan refused. He said that the rooster to be sacrificed after the wish-fulfillment should be fully white and this one was not so. Also, a bottle of Daru is required. So he could not sacrifice it. As per the Sankalp, the devotees also sacrifice a white goat (Patha).
The surroundings of the Temple

          When asked about putting a wish before the god (Manauti) he informed that it has also a process. You either bring a red rooster or a black hen and a bottle of Daru. Also, come before 1:00 PM. No ladies are allowed here nor they like to come here. Since the mutton, chicken, and Daru are Prasad here which should be consumed near the temple itself, the surrounding here is like a feast for all. You may say in Hindi as "Khane Peene ka Mela". 
The awesome scene at Tenughat Dam, Bokaro
over the river Damodar
          Since our purpose was not fulfilled we offered our Pranam to God (Khutta Baba) in the temple and went ahead towards the Tenughat dam. After a 9 km drive, we were on the dam. It was a bright day. On one side of the dam was a vast reservoir of water while on the other side the water gushing down from one of the ten gates was creating a mesmerizing scene with a lot of noise. It was creating a mist and due to the sun on our back, we could see a stable rainbow there. The dam structure and the pieces of machinery were things to be seen. This Tenughat dam is on the river Damodar.
Downstream view from the dam
at Tenughat, Bokaro

            We wanted to see the splashing water at a close distance. Down there we saw some people near it. So we went back to the main road and taking a round road reached near the foot of the dam. It must have been a good park here that is not maintained now. From the long step near it, we reached near the water and saw the awesome scene of the waterfall. Few people were there. We took some pictures and videos on our mobile. We stayed there for some half an hour and then returned. 
On the Tenughat Dam

            Jharkhand has got nature's beauty spread across it and out of them the Tenughat dam is one of the lovely places to visit.
              For the videos visit my Instagram link.
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Friday, May 10, 2019

Maya Tungri Mandir - The Mahamaya Temple, Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Location
Goddess Mahamaya at Maya Tungri Mandir
at Ramgarh, Jharkhand
         When you go to Ramgarh from Ranchi via Ormanjhi, you go through the Ramgarh Ghati. The four-lane road is good to travel. This Ghati is between Toll plaza, Ormanjhi and Ramgarh with about 6.5 km length. Just before entering Ramgarh you get a look of Maya Tungri hillock which is just beside the road. The temple at the top is visible from a distance.

Introduction of Goddess

Shivalinga in a cave at Maya-Tungri Temple
at Ramgarh, Jharkhand
          This is a very old temple. According to Pujari Ji, it is about 300 years old. Till ten years ago the temple was simple as a hut and there was no idol or statue, instead, there was a "Shira" (A small round lump like structure). Such "Shira"s are still prevalent in many small village Devi temples. The Devi here is Mahamaya Goddess. This goddess is so powerful that She can even take God Vishnu under her influence. As it is said in the first Chapter (Adhyay) of Sridurga Saptshati that when God Vishnu was sleeping on the Ksheer Sagar under the influence of Goddess Mahamaya, earwax from the ears of Vishnu fell down and they turned into two fearful Demons named Madhu and Kaitabh. These demons saw Brahma sitting on a lotus flower which was put on the naval of sleeping Vishnu. They ran to kill Brahma. Brahma expected Vishnu to save him but He was sleeping under the influence of Mahamaya. So Brahma prayed to Goddess Mahamaya to let Vishnu wake up to save him. The Brahma's prayers are known as "Ratrisukta". The Goddess pleased with Brahma's prayers allowed Vishnu to wake up. Vishnu then killed both demons and saved Brahma. This Goddess Mahamaya is known as Maya Devi among local people. The small hillock (Pahadi) is said Tungri in the local language, hence this place is locally known as "Maya Tungri" located at Kankebar area at Ramgarh.

Distance from Ranchi

Image Source: Google Maps
          It is about 38 km from Ranchi and about an hour's journey by a car. The road is fine and you can see the forest on both sides of the road when out of the town. There is a Toll-gate at Ormanjhi which takes Rs 100 for one way journey and Rs 150 for both ways within 24 hours. The car will go up to the one-third height of the hillock. The parking space is good and pucca but the approach road from the main road is still kuchcha and under construction. Rest to-third height has pucca steps up to the temple. Solar lights are provided for evening visitors. Water is pumped through pipes from the boring at the base to the temple.

The temple at present             

       Now the main temple is a pucca structure with three idols in it. In the middle is the Goddess Mahamaya. The idol is a Goddess' head. Another idol is of Durga riding a lion. The third idol is of Sri Hanuman. There is a small Kali temple in front of this main temple with a black Kali idol facing South.
        Since there must be a Shiva temple near the Devi temple, there is a Shivalinga here which is inside a natural Cave like structure. It is on the right side of the temple at a down level. The way is Kuchcha and rocky. Locals call it Naag-Baba because of a Nag snake which is seen occasionally here. Darshan of Nag (seeing the snake) is said to be fruitful. You can buy Prasadam here to offer to the Goddess.
Steps to go uphill
           The uphill going is tiresome for older people but once you reach the top it is very peaceful and beautiful around. One side you can see the highway in the Ghati and on the other is villages, fields and some chimneys which look smaller in size.
          People have much faith in the Mahamaya Goddess and believe that She will fulfill their desires. Have time and visit this temple. Jai Maa Mahamaya _/\_.
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Sunday, December 30, 2018

Tonti Jharna, Tuti Jharna Temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

Toti Jharna temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand
Introduction
           Tuti Jharna is a very old Shiva temple in the district of Ramgarh in Jharkhand, India. Though it is not as famous as Chhinnamastika Temple it will get popularity very soon. The development of the temple is being taken up by the government. A unique feature of this temple is that a stream of water continuously flows down over a Shivalinga throughout the year. The temple is situated on a slope in the Bharech Nagar area of the Ramgarh town.
Shivalinga and the natural stream of water
at Tuti Jharna temple, Ramgarh
The small temple is very old and built in Bengal architecture. The floor of the temple is about two and a half feet down from the entrance level. Unlike other Shiva temples where the Linga is in the middle of the Garbh Grih (Sanctum Sanctorum), here the Shivalinga is in a corner. The level of the platform of the Shivalinga is about one foot deeper than the floor level. Over the water stream, the Vishnu statue is made on the wall and the stream water comes out from the Nabhi (Naval) of the Vishnu through a pipe and falls over the Shivalinga. In the local language, the small pipe is called a "Tonti", hence it got the name of "Tonti Jharna Mandir". Jharna means a stream of water. During this period, the "Tonti Jharna Mandir" was popularly called "Tuti Jharna Mandir". This stream here is called "Patal Ganga" which means a sacred river coming out of "Patal" (A mythological world situated below the ground).
A panoramic view of the Tuti Jharna Temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

 Area around
          After flowing over the Shivalinga the water gets out through the outlet in the adjacent wall. This water accumulates in a hilly Nala beside the temple which has a check dam. Thus it serves as a pond which is desirable near a temple. People either take a bath in it or take water (Jalam) to offer to Shiva.

 Our Trip
Small Kali temple at Tuti Jharna campus
 at Ramgarh, Jharkhand
           When we reached here on the day of Christmas after a drive of one hour, it was about 11:00 AM and the temple was empty. Only two families of devotees were there. In the front, there was a small shop of Puja flowers and Prasada. On the right was a small Kali temple and its grill gate was locked. To reach the temple area we had to descend about 15 feet through the steps. In front of the temple are many Idols of Nandi kept in a steel cage-like temple. On both sides of the entrance gate, there are idols of Ganesha and Hanuman on the wall. But these were also kept in safety under steel grills. Inside the temple, the continuous water was falling over Shivalinga on the down platform. Above the outlet, there was an idol of Ma Parvati on the wall. We performed Puja there.
Shivalinga enclosed with heavy iron
grills at Toti Jharna Temple,
Ramgarh, Jharkhand
         The disappointing thing was that the down platform on which the Shivalinga is placed is enclosed in heavy iron grills and we could not touch it. It could be seen only from the top. We had brought Gangajal and we offered it and the flowers from the top. Even the Vishnu idol from which the stream was coming out was covered in iron grills. When we asked the Punditji there he said that the enclosure iron grill was for the safety of devotees. A Nag snake resides in a hole around the down platform and it occasionally comes out near the Shivalinga. Hence the enclosure. In Hindu mythology, Shiva is fond of snakes and He always keeps the king of snakes Basuki around his neck. So he is also called Baba Basukinath. There is a famous Baba Basukinath temple at Jarmundi, Dumka, Jharkhand.
The pond near the Tuti Jharna temple
at Ramgarh, Jharkhand
           The area around the temple is peaceful. There is an old and big Peepal tree on the campus. A big Champa flower tree is also near the temple which is on the upper level.
Nandi idols at Tuti Jharna Temple at Ramgarh, Jharkhand

 Location and Direction
Google Maps - Ranchi airport to Tuti Jharna Temple
The location of the temple is in Bharech Nagar which is the northern part of the Ramgarh town. When coming from Ranchi or from Hazaribagh, it is better to enter the town from the Hazaribagh end. If coming from Ranchi cover the whole Ramgarh bypass road and take a U-turn to enter the city. From this point, the welcome gate is about two km. From the welcome gate, the temple is about one and a half kilometers distance. The distance from Ranchi airport to the temple is about 62 km.

 The Stream - from the science point of view
A natural underground stream from the science point of view
Such streams are seen in the areas where the underground water-bearing layer is in a saucer shape. Above this layer, the clayey soil does not permit the water below it to permeate through it. So pressure builds in the water at the lower level just like a water-filled pipe in a U-shape. If at a point this water seeks a weak path above it, the water comes out as a stream. The Punditji also said that there are some hand pumps nearby in which the water continuously comes out without any effort. In school physics, such type of tube well is called Archimedes well.
           Thus a visit to this temple is not only important from a religious angle but it is also beneficial for school students to understand the functioning of such natural phenomenon and have a live demo.
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