Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Abode of all Penance: Naimisharanya

Moksha is the ultimate desire and destination. I wasn't looking for Moksha though . I was overcome by a simple desire of escaping the rut and see a place I haven't been before. It was back in summers of 2010.

 A few pics of that 'escape' caught my attention as I was browsing for something in my picture folder today.  I realized it is a unique place worth sharing. This again like my earlier post is a sacred place . Now I am not religious but mythology has always been very interesting.

Naimisharanya  is an ancient forest mentioned in the Mahabharata and the Shiv Purana. It is said that after the battle of Mahabharata sages and the wise men were very concerned  by the fact that Kal yug would arrive someday so they gathered and went to Brahma to leave a place sacred enough where Moksha could be attained even in the dark Kal Yug. Brahma spins a sacred wheel and says wherever the centre (Nami) of this wheel stops on earth it would be that sacred place. Sages follow the wheel and it stops in a forest which was named Namisharnya ( the forest where the centre fell). Thus it became the abode of penance.

This place harbors the exact spot where Ved Vyas sat and wrote and divided vedas into four main parts and created the puranas. It is named as Vyas Gaddi .








It was a bit unbelievable to witness the exact place where the source of all sacred knowledge in Hindu religion began. 

The second site was Chakrateerth i.e, the exact place where the Centre of Brahma's Chakra fell. It turned into a pond where one can wash away all his/her sins. It was circular pool of very contaminated ( as all sacred places capable of washing away sins have ) water . However it was a sight to see with people taking the holy dip oblivious and unmindful of anything else. I, of course, enjoyed it from a distance and moved away with a few pics and my sins intact :P. 




I also visited Hanumaan Gaddi and Pandav Kila and the temple with all the Avataars of lord Vishnu. I fail to find the pics and recollect any bit of information. 

There are a few pics of a giant Hawan kund we visited at Naimisharanya and performed a few rituals . The star shaped deep well for the Hawan agni (fire) and the high thatched canopy like  roof top with a hole to let out the Hawan smoke was captivating.









 The smoke rose from a perpetual Hawan Kund where the fire never dies and rose through the aperture to negotiate with the heavens.



(P.S .Well for those interested in religious and sacred places Naimisharnya aka Neemsaar is located on the banks of river Gomti in District Sitapur. To know more click on the link)

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