ANOTHER SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL ENERGY, FOUND IN HIMALAYA'S LAP....
Hidden in the thousands of valleys, surrounded by tall, serene and mysterious Himalayan peaks, one always find some secluded spot, where all the nature focuses its energy of creations to manifest the power of supreme consciousness, in physical things, which the mankind can feel if not see... And one such place, I came to be in last November, is Tadkeshwar Temple. There is a local story here that after killing Tadkeshwar Demon, Lord Shiva came here to rest and Goddess Parvati turned into 7 tall deodar trees to give Him shade. The valley is now surrounded by the same 7 trees, which is probably one of the rare places at 2000 Mts height at which this temple is located. The presiding deity of Garhwal Rifles of Indian Army, whose men always come to pay their respects to Lord Shiva after serving their posts on the front, is one of the most powerful temples for the 84 districts around (one of them is Lansdowne - 36 KMs away). For me, it was a place to spend some time, in meditation as well as sadhana, as its a Siddha Pitha (A Place where one can attain Siddhi, which for me means a connection with supreme consciousness... ) So walk with me and experience what I felt, through the images that I have captured during my stay in and around the temple...
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| The lamp within the temple, focuses all your sense to Shiva... |
Along with my friend Parvendar Chauhan and Ashu, we started from the Dak Banglow, where I was staying in Dhampur for the 60 KMs trip to Tarkeshwar Temple....
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| At the Dak Bangla in Dhampur with Ashu... before we started... |
The trip with friends, who are local is always the best way to know a place as it will give you insights that a traveler will not be able to know... So on the way, I was lucky to visit almost all the temples, specially the one of Lord Hanuman "Siddha Bali Baba" who my friend Chauhan revers....
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| A SHIVA TEMPLE HIDDEN AWAY IN THE PLAIN SIGHT |
After Kotdwar, when we were nearing Duggadda, I was asked by my friend to remove footwear as one of the most powerful temples of Shakti is coming ... He has been staying in the place and says that the stream that is flowing nearby, a local picnic attraction, has been his favorite haunt since childhood and have always made him feel the flow of happiness within...
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Some life remains
Empty of being
Just floating in sensual stream
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As usual the Durga Devi Temple, my isht Devi, has always welcomed me with peace, strength and happiness and this temple, hidden in one of the caves, just off the road to Tadkeshwar Temple, got me into those sense of being one with Universal Consciousness... remembered reverently our own ancient Durga Temple and Kali Ma in our village...
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| Durga Ji at Dugadda is a swaymbhu i.e. natural idol, which is deep in the cave behind me... |
And after visiting almost all the place of worship, we were finally on our way to higher ranges of mountains... and the weather changed dramatically. The road became a pathway to natural heaven,frequented more by mist and clouds....
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| Tapestry of life A cosmic design; Living Unraveling End |
And finally we reached Tadkeshwar Temple... The temple where its believed that Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva, worshiped to be married to Shiva.... The entrance has one of the powerful shloka in Sanskrit, praying to the virtue of this powerful temple...
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| Entrance to the Dev Bhoomi... God's Land Of Tadkeshwar |
The walkway of around half a KM down into the bowl shape valley has interesting way of revealing the beauty of the place in slow motion... you find yourself slowly engulf in the beauty of the place, hidden far away from everything that you have been coming from.. just like one enters ones own self in introspection, the path leads you to the Shiva's heavenly adobe as if you are traveling deep within your heart....
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| The bathing Pool... |
Well, finally it was time for our friend, Chauhan to pose...
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| At the entrance of the temple ... |
Its said that the original Shiva Linga, that came into the dreams of one of the Landlord around the place, to uncover from earth and establish a temple in Shiva's name, was sinking because of the water that is offered in daily rituals at the Lingam.. Hence the authorities decided to establish another Idol of Shiva, to be offered daily ritual....
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| Tadkeshwar Shiva Idol - Om Namah Shivaya. |
In respect of Goddess Parvati, who is around here in the form of Tall Deodar Trees... a temple for Shakti was established ....
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| Shakti Ma... Jai Durga Ji |
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| Ashu and Pravendar |
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| The surrounding trees... |
Its said here that there is one bird that visits every night and prays to Lord Shiva... and if you focus listening to it, you will find that she is repeating Shiva Mantra... Om Namah Shivaya... Well we were not so lucky to hear her... but I did get to take a picture.. though I am not sure she's the one... as she was busy working on her nest...
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| A beautiful wood pecker, too busy to pose for me... |
Somehow, after my mediation and rituals in the temple, I felt a deep sense of need to ask for something from Lord Shiva there... So I asked and promised to be back next year... and I am sure that I will be visiting this place again and again....
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| Temple's silence echoes Within the deep forest Bells keep chanting |
The early morning if you wake and take the trip to the top of the mountain peak above the Dharmashala, that is there to provide shelter wishing to stay in the night there...; and if you are lucky, you will be able to see the top three Mountain tops of Himalaya... The view from the peak here is around 300 KM....
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| The panoramic view of Himalayas.. covered in the mist... |
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Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
