Rishi Yadav
An ancient and religious pilgrimage site of Jammu, situated on the banks of the Devika River, this part of Jammu is also called ‘Chota Kashi.” This place is considered extremely sacred, especially for the devotees of Lord Shiva. There are many temples and shrines here. Historically and culturally rich, Paramandala also finds mention in the Puranas and other religious texts. It is believed that this temple existed even before the Mahabharata period. In the Padma Purana, Lord Shri Krishna has said that when the Ganges fills with sinful bathers, they themselves bathe in the Devika to get rid of these sins. This place is popular as Chhota Kashi, where a large number of Hindus perform rituals for the peace of the departed souls.
The popularity of this place is as long ago as its original name Pur, the Govan Mandal adjacent to Pur was added to it, due to which this place is now known as Purmandal, the architectural style of the ancient temples located here confirms that this area was protected and developed by different dynasties. Raja Gupta period, Maurya period, and later Dogra Maharaja Ranbir Singh was so impressed by the glory of Lord Shiva that he wanted to make Purmandal like Kashi, but for some reason he could not fulfill his resolution. The founder of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh, built 108 Shiva temples in the temple complex. A group of Shivalingas is installed in each of these temples.
According to the priest of the temple, the construction of the original structure was done by the king of Kashmir, Veni Dutt, about 1400 years ago. Veni Dutt had a daughter who suffered from a headache from birth. He consulted a sant (astrologer), who told him that his daughter was a vulture in her previous birth and had died after being hit by an arrow in the head. When the king reached Purmandal with the saint, he found the skeleton of a vulture with an arrow in its head. As soon as the arrow was removed from the skull, her daughter’s headache subsided. After this Raja Veni Dutt got the Umapati Shiva temple constructed at that place and installed the idol of Gidhri on a wall, which is present even today. Another proof of the sanctity of Purmandal is that people here immerse the ashes of their loved ones in the Devika River, while according to Hindu tradition, this is usually done in Haridwar or KashiFrom this, it is clear that Purmandal is compared to Kashi; local folklore and religious texts describe
Purmandal as Shivdham. In addition to the attractive idols of Shiva and Parvati in the sanctum sanctorum of the golden-domed Umapati Shiva temple in Purmandal, there is also a Shiva Kund, a small self-made stone idol of Nagdev is seen inside the Kund, in which the water level neither decreases nor increases, Shiva offers hundreds of tons of water mixed with milk, honey, sesame seeds, etc. in the Kund, but miraculously the water level remains the same, which increases the reverence of the people. On the day of Mahashivratri, a huge crowd of devotees gathers here.
Special pujas, homas, and abhishekams are performed to the deity on the day. On this day, devotees observe a fast on this day and worship Lord Shiva. People observe a fast, offer milk and water to Lord Shiva, and chant “Namah Shivaya.”
Mahashivratri is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated in India to mark the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. On this day, devotees observe a fast on this day and offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Purmandal is not only a historical and religious site but also a symbol of spirituality and cultural heritage. During Mahashivratri, the grandeur of this place and the faith of the devotees are worth seeing. This place reminds us of Indian culture, traditions, and religious values. In such a situation, those who are ardent devotees of Lord Shiva or are interested in history and religion must visit Paramandala once.
(The writer is MA in Mass Communication and New Media at Central University of Jammu)