CHAND BAORI STEP WELL IN RAJASTHAN, INDIA

 

By Kaushik Tuesday, October 09, 2012  Asia, India, Travel  14 comments

 

Chand Baori in Abhaneri village in eastern Rajasthan, India, is one of the most overlooked landmarks in the country. It is one of the oldest stepwell in Rajasthan, and is considered to be among the biggest in the world. Chand Baori looks like anything but a well. This incredible square structure is 13 stories deep, and lined along the walls on three sides are double flight of steps. 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry descends to the bottom of the well 20 meters deep to a murky green puddle of water. Built during the 8th and 9th century by King Chanda of Nikumbha Dynasty, provided the surrounding areas with a dependable water source for centuries before modern water delivery systems were introduced. As the green water at the base attests, the well is no longer in use, but it makes for an interesting stop-over to an architecturally impressive structure that is over 1000 years old. There’s also a temple adjoining the well for visitors to explore.

Photo credit

Stepwells, also called bawdi or baori, are unique to India. These wells have steps built into the sides that can be descended to reach the water at the bottom. Stepwells are generally larger than common wells and are often of architectural significance, just like Chand Baori.

The well’s sheer endlessly appearing geometric complexity made of stairs and steps ensured that Rajput people had access to water at any time of the year, and from all sides. The reasons behind building such an elaborate step well is not fully clear. Some believe it was used as a water harvesting site. Rajasthan is a dry place, and hence, every ounce of water is precious. The large mouth of the well functioned as a rain catching funnel that contributed to the water seeping in from the porous rock at the bottom. In addition to conserving water, Chand baori also became a community gathering place for the Abhaneri locals. The townsfolk used to sit around the step well and cool off during the summer days. At the bottom the well the air is always about 5-6 degrees cooler than at the top.

The steps surround the well on three sides while the fourth side has a set of pavilions built one atop another. The side that has the pavilions have niches with beautiful sculptures including religious carvings. There is even a royal residence with rooms for the King and the Queen and a stage for the performing arts.

Chand Baori was featured in the movie The Fall and also made a small appearance in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises.

The well is now a treasure managed by the Archeological Survey of India.

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

10 PICTURES AND STORIES OF RUINS FROM ACROSS INDIA

 

 

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2012  NEELIMA VALLANGI  27 COMMENTS

 

When I saw the movie Tomb Raider as a kid, I was fascinated by the Cambodian Ruins they showed. The fascination intensified when I learned they had maintained Ta Prohm in the same way they found, shrouded in roots. Of course it is a different story altogether here in India, the ruins are not maintained, they are just left. Following my quest to take the road less traveled, I guess I have developed an intense fascination for the abandoned and ruined, for no one cares or writes about them. Ruins have been a fascination ever since. Who knows what treasures it held and what treasures it still holds unknown to us. What memories could’ve been and what stories stay untold. Through out my journeys across India, never have I consciously missed an opportunity to pay a visit to the disintegrating monuments. So here’s a list of what I saw and what I heard.

 

 

 

1. Temple en route Vellagavi – Legend has it that the erstwhile local Robinhood of surrounding area of Kodaikanal hid treasures under this tree. Some claim the kings of yore had buried a huge treasure here. Legend also has it that the treasure has to be retrieved only after following some seven stipulated steps else death would befall upon those who tried in the incorrect way. Either way everyone believes there is treasure buried deep here, under the roots, under the tree.

2. Orchha – There isn’t a greater place in ruins that I have seen so far. Every monument here is standing the test of time, on its own, for the government took pains to maintain only very few of the remains. When the king undertaking the construction of these giant cenotaphs died abruptly, the construction was never continued. Today, the grandest of the envisioned cenotaphs lies in neglect and rots inside. Bats take shelter, crooks play inside, even the guards wouldn’t bother anymore, for it lies outside the boundary.

3. Rani Ka Vaas, Bhuj – The devastating earthquake that shook Gujrat in 2001 left a trail of destruction in its wake. It is surprising to see this building still standing after the damage it survived. While Prag Mahal managed to retain its strength and shape, Rani ka Vas was destroyed beyond repair or so I would assume. Today it stands shattered and totally in neglect, as a stark reminder of the forces that be, of the one who destroyed and of the one who can probably revive it.

4. Abandoned Havelis of Churu – This place is from a different time and place altogether. It is a small dead part of a town that is otherwise lively. Giant havelis that hosted the rather large joint families of those days lie abandoned and done for now-a-days. The property is split between a complex branch of family tree that no one cares enough neither to sell nor to maintain. Of course it is difficult to sell, for, a gazillion cousins got a room each of the haveli. Dead pigeons fall in front one door and a dead dog in front of the other. One such magnificent haveli boasts of 1100 windows and doors but no one care, no one bothers. The rich owners, the marvaris have left the place and are thriving elsewhere in the world, not here.

5. Hampi – The glorious erstwhile capital of Vijayanagara Kingdom was a fabulously constructed city it seems. The Dravidian temples and palaces won the admiration of travelers from far away lands it seems, until it fell into the hands of the Deccan Muslim Confederacy. Hampi was pillaged endlessly and ruined until the city was abandoned. Today all that remains is the ruins, in a reasonably well preserved state. Even then, the ceilings are falling and the walls are cracking. Not because of some muslim confederacy attacked but because the ruins are not valued enough by those in power.

6. Chiktan Fort – Deep inside a valley, by the raging Indus, with the mountains in the background, stand the stones of a fort that was. I dare not call it a fort for it is merely stones stacked up one one another now. Historically significant, today the significance is no more than a landmark in the far distance.  Built by Pakistani craftsmen in the 16th century, today the neglect and natural forces have reduced the fort to rubble.

7. Ghost Town of Kuldhara – Legend has it that Paliwal Brahmins, the occupants of a part of Rajasthan were very adept at business and agriculture. They were thriving and were growing to be quite rich and powerful which worried the Dewan(Prime Minister) of losing his authority and so he levied outrageous taxes upon them. Either that or the fact that he developed a liking towards the chief’s daughter, which the paliwals did not traditionally approve of, decided to leave the village overnight. Kuldhara, along with 83 other villages, were abandoned overnight. Today Paliwals are scattered elsewhere and no one has been able to find the 84 villages either. Legend has it these villages are cursed that no one can survive in them, which is probably why Kuldhara still remains a ghost town.Or the myth might shatter if some historian shows some interest.

8. Ghost Town of Dhanushkodi – While the previous ghost town is shrouded in mystery, this ghost town screams of a tragedy.  The high intensity storm of 1964 came on its swift wings and took away an entire train full of passengers and an entire village into oblivion. The estimated casualties were 1800 dead people. Today the area has been declared unfit for human habitat but few fishermen still struggle to live off the sea while these walls stand in the sand, as a memory of what happened earlier.

 

9. Rosary Church, Shettihalli – Of all the ruins that are still standing, this has to be the most fascinating according to me. The church was built in 1860s and when the dam was constructed in 1960s, the village had to be rehabilitated upstream. But the church remained. Not only did it remain, it survived. It survived the wrath of monsoons and of summers. Jaggery and egg mixed in mortar gave the walls its strength is what few claim, the strength to stay submerged during monsoons and emerge in the dry season, year after year.

10. Abandoned houses on Leh – Kargil Highway – I don’t know when. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. I just know they are abandoned houses. War casualties or bunkers maybe, they are just abandoned. No one stays there, except for the walls and bricks and the mountains and the ghosts of the past.

And if you are wondering why this fascination with ruins, your guess is as good as mine. I don’t know! Or maybe it is because it lets my imagination run wild. 

“श्री मद्-भगवत गीता

महान भारत with मुकेश सिंघानिया and 10 others

3 hrs ·

“श्री मद्-भगवत गीता
के बारे में-

किसको किसने सुनाई?
उ.- श्रीकृष्ण ने अर्जुन को सुनाई।

कब सुनाई?
उ.- आज से लगभग 7 हज़ार साल पहले सुनाई।

भगवान ने किस दिन गीता सुनाई?
उ.- रविवार के दिन।

कोनसी तिथि को?
उ.- एकादशी

कहा सुनाई?
उ.- कुरुक्षेत्र की रणभूमि में।

कितनी देर में सुनाई?
उ.- लगभग 45 मिनट में

क्यू सुनाई?
उ.- कर्त्तव्य से भटके हुए अर्जुन को कर्त्तव्य सिखाने के लिए और आने वाली पीढियों को धर्म-ज्ञान सिखाने के लिए।

कितने अध्याय है?
उ.- कुल 18 अध्याय

कितने श्लोक है?
उ.- 700 श्लोक

गीता में क्या-क्या बताया गया है?
उ.- ज्ञान-भक्ति-कर्म योग मार्गो की विस्तृत व्याख्या की गयी है, इन मार्गो पर चलने से व्यक्ति निश्चित ही परमपद का अधिकारी बन जाता है।

गीता को अर्जुन के अलावा
और किन किन लोगो ने सुना?
उ.- धृतराष्ट्र एवं संजय ने

अर्जुन से पहले गीता का पावन ज्ञान किन्हें मिला था?
उ.- भगवान सूर्यदेव को

गीता की गिनती किन धर्म-ग्रंथो में आती है?
उ.- उपनिषदों में

गीता किस महाग्रंथ का भाग है….?
उ.- गीता महाभारत के एक अध्याय शांति-पर्व का एक हिस्सा है।

गीता का दूसरा नाम क्या है?
उ.- गीतोपनिषद

गीता का सार क्या है?
उ.- प्रभु श्रीकृष्ण की शरण लेना

गीता में किसने कितने श्लोक कहे है?
उ.- श्रीकृष्ण ने- 574
अर्जुन ने- 85
धृतराष्ट्र ने- 1
संजय ने- 40.

अपनी युवा-पीढ़ी को गीता जी के बारे में जानकारी पहुचाने हेतु इसे ज्यादा से ज्यादा शेअर करे। धन्यवाद

LikeLike ·

रक्षाबंधन : अटूट विश्वास का बंधन

रक्षाबंधन : अटूट विश्वास का बंधन 

 

 

 

 

हम सभी सामाजिक प्राणी है, जो एक-दूसरे से जुड़े रहने के लिए स्वेच्छा से रिश्तों के बंधन में बंधते है। ये बंधन हमारी स्वतंत्रता का हनन करने वाले बंधन नहीं अपितु प्रेम के बंधन होते हैं, जिसे हम जिंदादिली से जीते और स्वीकारते हैं।

हमारे समाज में हर रिश्ते को कोई न कोई नाम दिया गया है। ठीक उसी तरह आदमी और औरत के भी कई रिश्ते हो सकते हैं, मगर उन रिश्तों में सबसे प्यार रिश्ता ‘भाई-बहन’ का रिश्ता होता है। यह रिश्ता हर रिश्ते से मीठा और प्यारा रिश्ता होता है क्योंकि इस रिश्ते में मिठास भरता है भाई-बहन का एक-दूसरे के प्रति प्रेम व विश्वास।

यह विश्वास प्रतीक रूप में भले ही रेशम की कच्ची डोर से बँधा होता है परंतु दोनों के मन की भावनाएँ प्रेम की एक पक्की डोर से बँधी रहती है, जो रिश्तों की हर डोर से मजबूत डोर होती है। यही प्रेम रक्षाबंधन के दिन भाई को अपनी लाड़ली बहन के पास खीच लाता है।

रक्षाबंधन केवल एक त्योहार नहीं बल्कि हमारी परंपराओं का प्रतीक है, जो आज भी हमें अपने परिवार व संस्कारों से जोड़े रखे हैं। रक्षाबंधन बहन की रक्षा की प्रतिबद्धता का दिन है, जिसमें भाई हर दुख-तकलीफ में अपनी बहन का साथ निभाने का वचन देता है। यही वह वचन है, जो आज के दौर में भी भाई-बहन को विश्वास के बँधन से जोड़े हुए है।

यही वह त्योहार है, जिसे बहन अपने घर अर्थात अपने मायके में मनाती है। तभी तो हर रक्षाबंधन पर बहन जितनी बेसब्री से अपने भाई के आने का इंतजार करती है उतनी ही शिद्दत से भाई भी अपनी बहन से मिलकर उसका हालचाल जानने को उसके पास ‍खिंचा चला आता है और भाई और बहन का मिलन होता है, तब सारे गिले-शिकवे दूर होकर माहौल में बस हँसी-ठिठौली के स्वर ही गुँजायमान होते हैं, जो खुशियों का पर्याय होते हैं।

आप भी इस त्योहार को प्यार के साथ बनाएँ तथा इस दिन अपनी बहन को उसकी खुशियाँ उपहारस्वरूप दें। याद रखें यह रिश्ता, जितना मजबूत और प्यारा रिश्ता है उतना ही कमजोर भी इसलिए रिश्ते की इस डोर को सदैव मजबूती से थामे रखें।

 

Gayatri Sharma

‪#‎गुस्ताखी‬ माफ़ पर मेरठ में हुए बलात्कार

भारतीय नारी

6 August at 18:14 ·

‪#‎गुस्ताखी‬ माफ़ पर मेरठ में हुए बलात्कार
की सही कहानी भी लोगों को बतानी पड़ेगी ,

सही कहानी ये है
कि बलात्कारी की बहन
पीड़िता की प्रिय सहेली थी , उसी ने बलात्कारी से उसकी दोस्ती करवाई ,
मदरसे में नौकरी लगवायी और बाद में बुरखा पहना कर घर से भगाने में मदद
की !!

कहानी में मोड़ तब आया जब इस “सेक्युलर लड़की” के प्रेमी ने अपने असली रंग दिखाए , दोस्तों के साथ
मिलकर मदरसे में सामूहिक बलात्कार किया , जब
पता चला की गर्भवती हो गयी तो पूरा गर्भाशय
ही निकाल बाहर किया , और अरब में अपने संपर्कों से उसे ठिकाने लगाने
की तैयारी कर ली !!

तब जाकर हिन्दू मुस्लिम एकता की मिसाल कायम करने निकली लड़की को होश आया की वो किन दरिंदों के चंगुल में है
और तब जाकर वहां से भाग निकली !!

हमारे आस पास भी हम देखते ही हैं की “गंगा जमुनी सेक्युलर सोच” सबसे
ज्यादा हिन्दू लड़कियों में
ही पायी जाती है !!

दुःख होता है पर अब भुगतो !!

¤हरि: ॐ¤
जय महाकाल..!!!

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan (Hindi: रक्षाबंधन, the bond of protection), or Rakhi (राखी), is a festival primarily observed in North India, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. The festival is observed by Hindus and Sikhs. The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother’s wrist. This symbolizes the sister’s love and prayers for her brother’s well-being, and the brother’s lifelong vow to protect her. The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar.

The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread, by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents sweets to her brother. The brother and sister traditionally feed one another sweets.

Since North Indian and Pakistani kinship practices give cousins a status similar to siblings, girls and women often tie the rakhi to their male cousins as well (referred to as cousin-brothers in regional parlance) in several communities. Unrelated boys and men who are considered to be brothers (munh-bola bhai or adopted brothers) can also be tied rakhis, provided they commit to a lifelong obligation to provide protection to the woman or girl.

Raksha Bandhan is not a festival that is marked by pomp and glory or light and action. There are several historical stories on Rakhi which pertain to this statement. Rakhi is a celebration of pure love, trust, loyalty and deep emotional bond shared between a brother and sister. The thread of Rakhi is like an ornament of Promise and Trust tied around the wrist of brother – For it is an oath to protect their sisters. The protection is not only from the Dark Lords of Evil and against all perils, but an oath to protect their sisters from all physical as well as spiritual menaces. By tying this Rakhi, sisters too take an oath of caring and protecting their beloved brothers from every hazard of nature and the world.

 

Indra and Indrani:
In the Vedic period, on a ‘Shravan Poornima’ day (Full Moon Day of the Hindu month of Shravan), the deities and the demons were fighting a battle against each other. Unfortunately, the demons were in a stronger position then the deities. The king of the deities, Lord Indra, was very much worried about the result of the battle. His wife Indrani (also known as Shashikala) could not see him worried and prayed to the almighty. She prepared a talisman with her religious power and tied it around Indra’s right wrist, to safeguard Indra from the attack made by the demons. The talisman kept her belief and on that particular day, deities won the battle and Lord Indra escaped unhurt.

 

Yama and Yamuna:
Yamuna was the sister of Lord Yama, the God of death. On every “Shravan Purnima”, Yamuna used to tie a sacred thread (Rakhi) to Lord Yama. Since then, it has become a tradition for sisters to tie Rakhi to their brothers on this day. In return, the brothers bestow blessings on their sisters and promise to protect them all the problems and difficulties that they might ever face.

 

King Bali and Goddess Laxmi:
According to the mythology, Raja Bali was such a great devotee of Lord Vishnu that Lord Indra felt insecure. Indra worshipped Vishnu and asked the Lord to help him save his throne. Vishnu accepted Indra’s prayer and overthrew Bali. Later, Vishnu gave Bali the boon of immortality and also promised to take care of his kingdom. To keep his promise, Vishnu left his residence, ‘Vaikunthdham’, and went to safeguard Bali’s kingdom

Soon, Goddess Laxmi, wife of Lord Vishnu, went to Raja Bali, as a poor Brahmin lady, and requested him for shelter. She regarded Bali as her brother and tied a Rakhi on to his wrist, on the ‘Shravan Poornima’ day. When Bali wished to give her some present, she told him her true identity and the reason for her arrival. She also asked Bali to send Lord Vishnu back to Vaikunthdham. Raja Bali immediately requested Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi to return.

King Porus and Alexander’s Wife:
The ancient history of India tells us that when Alexander the great came to India, to make it a part of his kingdom, he was resisted by the brave King Porus. The bravery of Porus led the Alexander’s wife to doubt the safety of her husband. Soon, she sent Porus a rakhi and became his sister. This is the reason why Porus never harmed Alexander.

Maharani Karnawati and Emperor Humayun:
In the Medieval Indian history, the tale of Maharani Karnawati and Mughal Emperor Humayun relates to the tradition of Rakhi. Maharani Karnawati was the queen of the Rajput Kingdom, Chittor, in Rajasthan. When Chittor was threatened by Bahadur Shah of Mewar, the Maharani sent a Rakhi to Humayun, the Mughal Emperor of Delhi, and called him for help. Humayun was aware of the significance of Rakhi in the Hindu community, so he immediately accepted her request to protect her.

Santoshi Ma

The tale of the deity Santoshi Mata, and the narrative of her creation on Raksha Bandhan day, was popularized in the 1975 Bollywood blockbuster Jai Santoshi Maa. Ganesh had two sons, Shubh and Labh. On Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh’s sister visited and tied a rakhi on Ganesh’s wrist. Feeling deprived, the sons immediately began pressing Ganesh and his two wives, Riddhi and Siddhi, for a sister. Finally, Ganesh conceded the demand and Santoshi Ma (literally the Mother Goddess of Satisfaction) was created by divine flames that emerged from Riddhi and Siddhi.

 

 

Krishna and Draupadi

Another incident is from the epic Mahabharat and concerns Krishna and Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. She had once torn a strip of silk off her sari and tied it around Krishna’s wrist to staunch the bleeding from a battlefield wound. Krishna was touched by her action and declared her to be his sister, even though they were unrelated. He promised to repay the debt and then spent the next 25 years doing just that. Draupadi, in spite of being married to 5 great warriors and being a daughter of a powerful monarch, trusted and depended wholly on Krishna. Krishna repaid the debt of love during the “Vastra-Haran” (literally “clothing-theft”) of Draupadi, which occurred in the assembly of King Dhritarashtra when Yudhisthira lost her to the Kauravas in gambling. At that time, Krishna indefinitely extended her saree through divine intervention, so it could not be removed, to save her honor. This is how he honored his rakhi-vow towards Draupadi.^[14]

King Bali and Goddess Laxmi

According to a legend the Demon King Bali was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu had taken up the task to guard his kingdom leaving his own abode in Vaikunth. Goddess Lakshmi wished to be with her lord back in her abode. She went to Bali disguised as a woman to seek refuge till her husband came back.

During the Shravan Purnima celebrations, Lakshmi tied the sacred thread to the King. Upon being asked, she revealed who she was and why she was there. The king was touched by her goodwill for his family and her purpose and requested the Lord to accompany her. He sacrificed all he had for the Lord and his devoted wife.

Thus the festival is also called Baleva that is Bali Raja’s devotion to the Lord. It is said that since then it has been a tradition to invite sisters in Shravan Purnima for the thread tying ceremony or the Raksha Bandhan.^[15]

Yama and the Yamuna

According to another legend, Raksha Bandhan was a ritual followed by Lord Yama (the Lord of Death) and his sister Yamuna, (the river in northern India). Yamuna tied rakhi to Yama and bestowed immortality. Yama was so moved by the serenity of the occasion that he declared that whoever gets a rakhi tied from his sister and promised her protection, will become immortal.

 

 

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun

A popular narrative that is centered around Rakhi is that of Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Mughal Emperor Humayun, which dates to 1535 CE. When Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun. Touched, the Emperor immediately set off with his troops to defend Chittor. Humayun arrived too late, and Bahadur Shah managed to sack the Rani’s fortress. Karnavati, along with a reported 13,000 other women in the fortress, carried out Jauhar on March 8, 1535, killing themselves to avoid dishonor while the men threw the gates open and rode out on a suicidal charge against Bahadur Shah’s troops. When he reached Chittor, Humayun evicted Bahadur Shah from fort and restored the kingdom to Karnavati’s son, Vikramjit Singh.^[18] Although contemporary commentators and memoirs do not mention the Rakhi episode and some historians have expressed skepticism about it, it is mentioned in one mid-seventeenth century Rajasthani account.^[20]

 

 

 

Other festivals on this day

In southern & Central parts of India including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Orissa, this day (i.e. Shravan Poornima day), is when the Brahmin community performs the rituals of Avani Avittam or Upakarma.

Balarama Jayanti

This is also celebrated as Shri Baladeva birth Ceremony. Lord Krishna’s elder Brother Prabhu Balarama was born on this Poornima.

Raksha Bandhan celebrations in India and Nepal

While Raksha Bandhan is celebrated all over the country, different parts of the country mark the day in different ways.

In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on shravan purnima. It is also called Janai Purnima (Janai is sacred thread and purnima means full moon). Janai is changed in this day, in Brahmins and kshetry’s family. A sacred thread is tied on hand by senior family members and relatives. Nepalese people enjoy this festival eating its special food “Kwati”, a soup of sprout of seven different grains.

 

 

Rakhi Purnima

Rakhi is celebrated as Rakhi Purnima in North India. The word “Purnima” means a full moon night.

Gamha Purnima

Rakhi is also celebrated as Gamha Purnima in Orissa. On this date, all the domesticated Cows and Bullocks are decorated and worshipped. Various kinds of country-made cakes called Pitha and sweets mitha are made and distributed within families, relatives and friends. In Orissan Jagannath culture, the lord Krishna & Radha enjoy the beautiful rainy season of Shravana starting from Shukla Pakhya Ekadashi (usually 4 days before Purnima) and ending on Rakhi Purnima with a festival called Jhulan Yatra. Idols of Radha-Krishna are beautifully decorated on a swing called Jhulan, hence the name Jhulan Yatra.

Nariyal Purnima

In western India and parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa this day is celebrated as Nariyal Purnima. On this day, an offering of a coconut (nariyal) is made to the sea, as a mark of respect to Lord Varuna, the God of the Sea. Nariyal Purnima marks the beginning of the fishing season and the fishermen, who depend on the sea for a living, make an offering to Lord Varuna so that they can reap bountiful fish from the sea.

Jandhyam Poornima

Jandhyam is Sanskrit for sacred thread, and Poornima denotes the full moon in Sanskrit.

The people of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, celebrate Raksha Bandhan and Janopunyu(जन्यो पुन्यु) on the Shravani Purnima, it is a day on which people change their janeu जनेयु or जन्यो (sacred thread). On this day, the famous Bagwal fair is held at Devidhura in district Champawat. Punyu in Kumauni means Purnima or full moon it is the purnima in which the sacred thread Janeu or Janyo is ceremonially changed. The Raksha Bandhan celebrations are similar all across North India. The thread changing ceremony is done all over India.

Kajari Purnima

In central parts of India such as Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkand and Bihar this day is celebrated as Kajari Purnima. It is an important day for the farmers and women blessed with a son. On the ninth day after Shravana Amavasya, the preparations of the Kajari festival start. This ninth day is called Kajari Navami and varied rituals are performed by women who have sons until Kajri Purnima or the full moon day.

 

Pavitropana

In parts of Gujarat, this day is celebrated as Pavitropana. On this day, people perform the grand pooja or the worship of Lord Shiva. It is the culmination of the prayers done throughout the year.

Jhulan Purnima, Poonal/Jandhya Poornima/ Janyu

According to Bengali Culture & Celebration, in the state of west Bengal (India), this day is also called Jhulan Purnima there pray & puja of Lord Krishna & Radha. Sister tied rakhi to Brother and bestowed immortality. Political Parties, Offices, Friends, Schools to colleges, Street to Palace celebrate today with a new hope for a good relationship. Brahmins in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Konkan, and Orissa change their sacred threads on the same day (Janayu, called as Poonal in Tamil, Jandhyam in Sanskrit).

 

रक्षा बंधन – ऐतिहासिक प्रसंग

History of Raksha Bandhan

रक्षा-बंधन पर नई सामग्री हमारी नई साइट पर यहाँ पढ़ें।

राजपूत जब लड़ाई पर जाते थे तब महिलाएं उनको माथे पर कुमकुम तिलक लगाने के साथ साथ हाथ में रेशमी धागा भी बांधती थी। इस विश्वास के साथ कि यह धागा उन्हे विजयश्री के साथ वापस ले आएगा।

राखी के साथ एक और ऐतिहासिक प्रसंग जुड़ा हुआ है।  मुगल काल के दौर में जब मुगल बादशाह हुमायूँ चितौड़ पर आक्रमण करने बढ़ा तो राणा सांगा की विधवा कर्मवती ने हुमायूँ को राखी भेजकर रक्षा वचन ले लिया।  हुमायूँ ने इसे स्वीकार करके चितौड़ पर आक्रमण का ख़्याल दिल से निकाल दिया और कालांतर में मुसलमान होते हुए भी राखी की लाज निभाने के लिए चितौड़ की रक्षा हेतु  बहादुरशाह के विरूद्ध मेवाड़ की ओर से लड़ते हुए कर्मावती और मेवाड़ राज्य की रक्षा की।

सुभद्राकुमारी चौहान ने शायद इसी का उल्लेख अपनी कविता, ‘राखी’ में किया है:

मैंने पढ़ा, शत्रुओं को भी
जब-जब राखी भिजवाई
रक्षा करने दौड़ पड़े वे
राखी-बन्द शत्रु-भाई॥

 

सिकंदर और पुरू

सिकंदर की पत्नी ने अपने पति के हिंदू शत्रु पुरूवास को राखी बांध कर अपना मुंहबोला भाई बनाया और युद्ध के समय सिकंदर को न मारने का वचन लिया। पुरूवास ने युद्ध के दौरान हाथ में बंधी राखी का और अपनी बहन को दिये हुए वचन का सम्मान करते हुए सिकंदर को जीवदान दिया।

ऐतिहासिक युग में भी सिंकदर व पोरस ने युद्ध से पूर्व रक्षा-सूत्र की अदला-बदली की थी। युद्ध के दौरान पोरस ने जब सिकंदर पर घातक प्रहार हेतु अपना हाथ उठाया तो रक्षा-सूत्र को देखकर उसके हाथ रूक गए और वह बंदी बना लिया गया। सिकंदर ने भी पोरस के रक्षा-सूत्र की लाज रखते हुए और एक योद्धा की तरह व्यवहार करते हुए उसका राज्य वापस लौटा दिया।

 

चंद्रशेखर आजाद का प्रसंग

बात उन दिनों की है जब क्रांतिकारी चंद्रशेखर आजाद स्वतंत्रता के लिए संघर्षरत थे और फिरंगी उनके पीछे लगे थे।

फिरंगियों से  बचने के लिए शरण लेने हेतु आजाद एक  तूफानी रात को एक घर में जा पहुंचे जहां  एक विधवा अपनी बेटी के साथ रहती थी। हट्टे-कट्टे आजाद को डाकू समझ कर पहले तो वृद्धा ने शरण देने से इनकार कर दिया लेकिन जब आजाद ने अपना परिचय दिया तो उसने उन्हें ससम्मान अपने घर में शरण दे दी। बातचीत से आजाद को आभास हुआ कि गरीबी के कारण विधवा की बेटी की शादी में कठिनाई आ रही है। आजाद महिला को कहा, ‘मेरे सिर पर पांच हजार रुपए का इनाम है, आप फिरंगियों को मेरी सूचना देकर मेरी गिरफ़्तारी पर पांच हजार रुपए का इनाम पा सकती हैं जिससे आप अपनी बेटी का विवाह सम्पन्न करवा सकती हैं।

यह सुन विधवा रो पड़ी व कहा- “भैया! तुम देश की आजादी हेतु अपनी जान हथेली पर रखे घूमते हो और न जाने कितनी बहू-बेटियों की इज्जत तुम्हारे भरोसे है। मैं ऐसा हरगिज नहीं कर सकती।” यह कहते हुए उसने एक रक्षा-सूत्र आजाद के हाथों में बाँध कर देश-सेवा का वचन लिया। सुबह जब विधवा की आँखें खुली तो आजाद जा चुके थे और तकिए के नीचे 5000 रूपये पड़े थे। उसके साथ एक पर्ची पर लिखा था- “अपनी प्यारी बहन हेतु एक छोटी सी भेंट- आजाद।”

Raksha Bandhan in History

Raksha Bandhan in History

 

The traditional Hindu festival ‘Raksha Bandhan’ (knot of protection) was came into origin about 6000 years back when Aryans created first civilization – The Indus Valley Civilization. With many languages and cultures, the traditional method to Rakhi festival celebration differs from place to place across India. Following are some historical evidences of Raksha Bandhan celebration from the Indian history.

Rani Karnawati and Emperor Humayun
The story of Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun is the most significant evidence in the history. During the medieval era, Rajputs were fighting Muslim invasions. Rakhi at that time meant a spiritual binding and protection of sisters was foremost. When Rani Karnawati the widowed queen of the king of Chittor realised that she could in no way defend the invasion of the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a rakhi to Emperor Humayun. The Emperor touched by the gesture started off with his troops without wasting any time.

Alexander The Great and King Puru
The oldest reference to the festival of rakhi goes back to 300 B.C. at the time when Alexander invaded India. It is said that the great conqueror, King Alexander of Macedonia was shaken by the fury of the Indian king Puru in his first attempt. Upset by this, Alexander’s wife, who had heard of the Rakhi festival, approached King Puru. King Puru accepted her as his sister and when the opportunity came during the war, he refrained from Alexander.

Lord Krishna and Draupathi
In order to protect the good people, Lord Krishna killed the evil King Shishupal. Krishna was hurt during the war and left with bleeding finger. Seeing this, Draupathi had torn a strip of cloth from her sari and tied around his wrist to stop the bleeding. Lord Krishna, realizing her affections and concern about him, declared himself bounded by her sisterly love. He promised her to repay this debt whenever she need in future. Many years later, when the pandavas lost Draupathi in the game of dice and Kauravas were removing her saari, Krishna helped her divinely elongating the saari so that they could not remove it.

King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi
The demon king Mahabali was a great devotee of lord Vishnu. Because of his immense devotion, Vishnu has taken the task of protecting bali’s Kingdom leaving his normal place in Vikundam. Goddess lakshmi – the wife of lord Vishnu – has became sad because of this as she wanted lord Vishnu along with her. So she went to Bali and discussed as a Brahmin woman and taken refuge in his palace. On Shravana purnima, she tied Rakhi on King Bali’s wrist. Goddess Lakshmi revealed who she is and why she is there. The king was touched by Her and Lord Vishnu’s good will and affection towards him and his family, Bali requested Lord Vishnu to accompany her to vaikuntam. Due to this festival is also called Baleva as Bali Raja’s devotion to the Lord vishnu. It is said that since that day it has become a tradition to invite sisters on sravan pournima to tie sacred thread of Rakhi or Raksha bandan.

उदार दृष्टि

उदार दृष्टि

पुराने जमाने की बात है। ग्रीस देश के स्पार्टा राज्य में पिडार्टस नाम का एक नौजवान रहता था। वह पढ़-लिखकर बड़ा विद्वान बन गया था।

एक बार उसे पता चला कि राज्य में तीन सौ जगहें खाली हैं। वह नौकरी की तलाश में था ही, इसलिए उसने तुरन्त अर्जी भेज दी।

लेकिन जब नतीजा निकला तो मालूम पड़ा कि पिडार्टस को नौकरी के लिए नहीं चुना गया था।

जब उसके मित्रों को इसका पता लगा तो उन्होंने सोचा कि इससे पिडार्टस बहुत दुखी हो गया होगा, इसलिए वे सब मिलकर उसे आश्वासन देने उसके घर पहुंचे।

पिडार्टस ने मित्रों की बात सुनी और हंसते-हंसते कहने लगा, “मित्रों, इसमें दुखी होने की क्या बात है? मुझे तो यह जानकर आनन्द हुआ है कि अपने राज्य में मुझसे अधिक योग्यता वाले तीन सौ मनुष्य हैं।”

मासूम सज़ा

एक दिन बादशाह अकबर ने दरबार में आते ही दरबारियों से पूछा – किसी ने आज मेरी मूंछें नोचने की जुर्रत की। उसे क्या सज़ा दी जानी चाहिए।

दरबारियों में से किसी ने कहा – उसे सूली पर लटका देना चाहिए, किसी ने कहा उसे फाँसी दे देनी चाहिए, किसी ने कहा उसकी गरदन धड़ से तत्काल उड़ा देनी चाहिए।

बादशाह नाराज हुए। अंत में उन्होंने बीरबल से पूछा – तुमने कोई राय नहीं दी!
बादशाह  धीरे से मुस्कराए,  बोले – क्या मतलब?

जहाँपनाह, ख़ता माफ हो, इस गुनहगार को तो सज़ा के बजाए उपहार देना चाहिए – बीरबल ने जवाब दिया।  जहाँपनाह, जो व्यक्ति आपकी मूँछें नोचने की जुर्रत कर सकता है, वह आपके शहजादे के सिवा कोई और हो ही नहीं सकता जो आपकी गोद में खेलता है। गोद में खेलते-खेलते उसने आज आपकी मूँछें नोच ली होंगी। उस मासूम को उसकी इस जुर्रत के बदले मिठाई खाने की मासूम सज़ा दी जानी चाहिए – बीरबल ने खुलासा किया।

बादशाह ने ठहाका लगाया और अन्य दरबारी बगलें झांकने लगे।