Kailash. K Chander
Bhaderwah is a town and Tehsil in the Doda District, in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The town is governed by a Notified Area Council (city council). The Bhadarwah Valley is located in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, 80 km from Batote. The town is nicknamed, mini Kashmir. Besides forests, the town has a number of small streams flowing through it.
Bhadarwah is also known as Nagon ki Bhoomi, which means “land of snakes.”[1] Bhaderwah Town (Nagar Bhaderwah) was known as “Hettary Nagar” and prior to that, there were two other towns namely “Donga Nagar” and “Udho Nagar.” Both the Nagar were situated around villages Mondha which is about 3 km to the east of present Bhadarwah town. At one point both the Nagars were flooded due to torrential floods from Himalayas, and the presence of the big boulders today reveal the story of disaster that occurred then. Later on, the people of Bhadarwah selected a place for their rehabilitation in Seeri (from word “seer” meaning a vast piece of land), now known as Seeri Bazaar, a vast field belonging to a Zamindar (farmer) and reconstructed their dwellings around it. Bhadarwah constituency contains various places and villages like Halaran, of Tehsil Thathri of Doda district and all other villages of Tehsil Bhaderwah.
KAILASH YATRA
Garud and Lord Vasuki were step brothers. Their mother’s name was “Kadru and Suneeta”. They are living at SATISAR in Kashmir. At that time the king was NEEL NAG. Due to some internal affairs, both the brothers become the enemies to each other and Garud tried to catch Vasuki Nag and kill him. Lord Vasuki fled from Kashmir and reached Bhadarwah by passing through Kishtwar. Garud was also following him. In Holly Geeta, there is a quotation, “Sarpa Nam Ahham Vasuki”. In the throat of lord Shiva. Lord Vasuki is present.
1. GATHA MANDIR: At Gatha, a poor and old women of DINDAN family was living in a hut. She had a cow which was giving 4-5 kg of milk and instead it started to give only ½ kg of milk. This pattern continued for atleast 10 days. This stroke the brain of the old lady. She become very tense. After thinking a lot in her mind, she planned to go along with the cow in the forest. She sat hidden behind a tree and let the cow to eat grass. Suddenly, she saw that a person come from one side and changed into a big snake and started to suck milk from the teats of the cow. After some time, the snake disappeared. This all shocked the woman. She returned back to her home unconsciously.
After going to bed at night, she saw a dream at midnight. The man who has turned into a big snake previous day came into her dream. First, on seeing him she got frightened. But this man started to talk with her in a very sympathetic manner and said, “do not be afraid. I will not do any harm to you. I am VASUKI NAG, I have come from outside. The place of GATHA has fascinated me. Please do one work for me. Make a temple for me at this place. I will shower you with my blessing.” On saying this, the man disappeared. Suddenly the woman work up. In the morning, she went outside and told all this to villagers. The villagers gathered in the ground and decided to build a temple of VASUKI NAG there. This temple is present at GATHA Bhadarwah. The members of DIDAN family are Pujaris there.
2 KALINAG: Sungli is a village which is situated 5 km from Bhaderwah just below the KAILASH KUND. This is also a village of about 100 families. Once a shepherd who was living at village Sungli took his goats and went upwards to KAILASH mountain in order to pasture them. When he was walking along with his goats at KAILASH Parbat which was full of Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, Meadows, Green Grass, etc. he suddenly became thirsty. He went to a pond which was present there at a short distance from Kailash Kund. He saw that the pond was full of snakes. He become very sad in his mind. This pond is also known as KALA DAL.
As the man was very thirsty, he saw no other way to quench his thirst and prayed to the snakes to leave the pond so that he can take some water from the pond to satisfy his thirst. Suddenly KALI NAG appeared before him and said, “Throw your golden ring which you have worn in your figure into the pond, you will get water to drink”. On saying it, the Kali Nag disappeared, the shepherd did the same. He at once threw his golden ring in to the pond all the serpents disappeared. He took plenty of water in his hands and quenched his thirst. He returned back to his home very happily. One reaching at home, his wife noticed that the golden ring is missing from his hand. She througt in her mind that perhaps, her husband is a loose character person. Surely he has given this ring to some mistress. She quarreled with him a lot on this vain. Her husband tried a lot to explain her all the matter but all in vain. Next day, when she went on a water tank in order to take water in her bucket, suddenly the ring came down into her utensil along with the flow of water. She felt very guilty in her mind at home, she begged her apologies from her husband.
3 HAINYA: This a third step of Kailash journey. Once a Hawk (GARUD) started to following Vasuki Nag to kill him and eat it up. There is a very much rivalerly between the snakes and the Hawk. Hawk always kills the snakes and eats them. During fight, it is said that lord Vasuki Nag stayed at Hainya in order to take some rest there. During journey of Kailash Kund, people stay for one full night there at Hainya. Next day, the journey is continued towards the Kailash Kund.
4: GOWPEDA: When Hawk was running very fast following Vasuki Nag, it seemed Vasuki Nag very difficult to save itself from Hawk. It is said that Vasuki Nag immediately changed itself into a cow and started to run fast. In Bhadarwah language, cow is renamed as Gow MATA. At present, there are signs of cow’s foot holes on the stones. It is said that this cow had golden feet which entered deep.
n Kailash. K Chander
5 GANTHAK: When besides of hard efforts to save itself from quarrel (Hawk) it seemed to Vasuki Nag very difficult to save itself from Gard. It is said that Bhagwan Vasuki Nag turned itself into Bee. In Bhaderwah language bee is called Gun. The sings of bee are still present there.
6. SHAGERAN: This is a where a few females are collecting grass egetables. (SHAG in Bhaderwahi language) When Bhagwan Vasuki Nag reached there while running he saws few women collecting grass there. He requested these women that if garud asks them about him. Don’t give any clue of it that they have seen Vasuki Nag. After saying this, Vasuki Nag again continued his flight. The women agreed and answered that they will not give any hint to Garud. After saying this, they again started to do their work. After half an hour, Garud reached there and asked the females whether they have seen Vasuki Nag going through this way or not. These women forgot that they have promised to Vasuki Nag not to give any clue about him. They said yes, Vasuki had gone through this way Garud again started to follow up Vasuki Nag. When Vasuki Nag realised that those women have cheated him, he at once gave them a curse and converted them into stones. Those women in the form of big stones are still present there. The devotees stay there for some time and see the miracle of lord Vasuki Nag.
7.BHOLAREI. GHODI: When Bhagwan Vasuki Nag become very sad after hard efforts to save himself from the crunches of GARUD. He sat on a stone and after some time went into a deep and sound sleep. After a few minutes. Garud also reached there. He saw Vasuki Nag sleeping a sound sleep at Stone. He also slept by its side. Before sleeping he tied up the hair of Vasuki Nag with his feather. After just a few minutes, Vasuki Nag woke up. Suddnely, he saw Garud also sleeping by his side. He immediately cut down his hair and ran away from there.
8. SHANK PADDER: When Vasuki Nag cut down his hair and save his life from Garud, because when Vasuki Nag was in a deep sleep, Garud did not harm Vasuki Ji. Vasuki thought that he has cheated Garud. It was the custom at that time, not to kill the enemy without challenging him. Then he sounded the Shank and Garud woke up. Vasuki Ji continued his journey towards Kailash Kund. The Shunkh in the shape of stone is still present there.
9. KAILASH KUND: It is said this was residence of lord SHIVA. After coming of VASUKI NAG Lord Shiva presented this place (Kailash Kund to Vasuki Nag and went to Main Mahesh in Himachal Pardesh. When Vasuki Nag reached there at Kailash Kund while running. He took a deep dip into the pond Kund. Garud also saw Vasuki Nag taking a dip into the pond (Kailash Kund). It started to drink the water of the Kund. Upward to Kalish Kund there were two ponds of Vasuki Nag’s sisters. One is of Bhadarkali who was real sister of Vasuki Nag. Second one was of Durga Mata who was his step sister. Both these sisters were watching. Garud asked Bhaderkali about the quantity of water left in the Kund. Bhaderkali was Vasuki’s real sister. She said that only little water is left there. Again it asked Durga Mata about the quantity of water left she told that a large quantity of water is still present there in the pond. She deliberately said this. She also knew that Garud had drunked a lot of water only a small proportion was left there. If the Garud continued to drink water in the same way, it is sure that Garud will catch Vasuki Nag and kill him. She told a lie in order to save Vasuki Nag and started to pour water from her pond into Kailash Kund. On hearing this that too much water is still present, there is the pond, Garud drew up his idea and went back. In this way, the life of Vasuki Nag was saved. Garud take the shelter in Shesh Nag Dull which is located near the kailash Kund.
This Year the Kailash Yatra is commencing from 18th of August, 2017. Kailash Yatra is an example of communal harmony, as majority of Muslim community also participated in the said Yatra.