Hudh Mata shrine in Kishtwar

The holy shrine of Shri Hudh Mata located in the lap of famous Brahma Peak, said to be abode of Lord Brahma, at a height of about 13000 ft from the sea level in village Nanth Nalah of Illaqa Dachhan, on the northern side of District HQ Kishtwar and Western side of high altitudinal Zanskar, Ladakh is also an abode of Shiv Parivar i.e. Lord Shiva, Mata Parvati and Lord Ganesha. ( Nara Nag Temples )

Amid the picturesque snow peaked mountains, water falls, pastures, lush green flora and fauna of the surroundings, there is a small cave where three naturally formed Shivlingams exist like that of Shiv Khori Shrine in Reasi district. Milky-lime water is dripping on them from the sealing of the cave through naturally formed nipples of udders. There used to be a very small pond, kund inside the cave and with the help of torch light images of different Devi - Devtas could be seen. Mostly the images of Shiv Parivar were seen, some times jointly and some time separately. The amazing thing was that if one devotee saw the image of Lord Shiva, other could not see the same. He could see the image of Mata Parvati or Lord Ganesh or any other Devi, Devta. Unfortunately that pond was broken by some one and does not exist now. Such images can now be seen in another Pond (water bouli) on the top of the cave where Mata Bhawan is constructed. These images cannot be caught in camera nor can these be videographed, but the pilgrims who pay obeisance in the shrine have these darshans and later on they tell that they have had the Darshan of such and such Devi, Devta which means that they have seen the images of different Devi, Devtas in the pious water of bouli. Besides, one can see pairs of pigeons mostly seen in natural Shiv shrines and a live snake is found near the cave and the devotees feel lucky and delighted after having their glimpses.  ( God and Man )

At a short distance from this holy shrine, there flows Trisandhya Nadi (stream) miraculously thrice a day from the top of a hill, and it also cease to exist naturally. The water is luke warm. It is not a regular flowing stream like other streams and mostly remains dry. The volume of the water is so much that it can run a mill. There is neither any lake nor any pond on the top of the hill where from the water could spill. As per Hindu mythology Trisandhya means three times of worship i.e. early morning, noon and evening prayers. Another astonishing fact is that water starts decreasing from the bottom of the stream towards upperside which should have been otherwise as a normal course. One can see the water coming from the upper side but receding from the bottom. After 1 or 2 hours flow not a single drop of water is seen in the stream. This is really a amazing glimpses, perhaps seen no where else. To have a bath in this miraculous stream is considered lucky and auspicious because some times it does not flow as per its routine and the devotees return disappointed and without having a pious bath.

As per a local myth, it is believed that after yogic self immolation of Mata Parvati in the Yagya of his father, Daksh Prajapati, Lord Shiva, on coming to know about this mis-happening reached the Yagya sathal and destroyed it and beheaded his father-in-law Daksh Prajapati. He took her dead body on his shoulders and wandered in the universe. At last He reached this place with some portion of the dead body which by then had been cut into 52 pieces by Lord Vishnu with his Sudershan Chakra. On reaching this place, He disappeared alongwith the dead body in this holy place.

Due to lack of motorable road connectivity from Patimhalla to Dachhan, the shrine has remained unknown to the rest of the State and the world. And does not find place in the religious tourist map of the State, country.
To pay obeisance to the deity and get the blessings of the Goddess, a yearly yatra namely Shri Hudh Mata (Trisindhya) Yatra is being arranged since early eighties. However due to lack of proper publicity, the Yatra has remained restricted to Kishtwar district only. But now, many pilgrims from outside the district and even State have started visiting the shrine during yatra days.

This year the Yatra shall start from Gouri Shankar Mandir Kishtwar on 14 July. Pious Charri shall be taken from Shri Radha Krishan Mandir village Sounder (Dachhan) on 15 July with haltages at Virat Mata Mandir Dilgoot (Panjdhara) Googath and will reach the Bhawan on 18 July. On the said day pilgrims shall have a bath in the pious water of Trisindhya stream. After performing Havan and offering Puran Ahuti on 18.07.2010 the Yatris shall return their homes at about 12 noon. ( Pandrethan Temple )

Pilgrims have to travel about 50/60 kms on foot to perform the Yatra. If Patimhalla - Dachhan motorable road is constructed, it can reduce the journey by 50 percent and the devotees shall have to travel only 25 - 30 kms on foot.

How to reach the shrine.
If any devotees, wants to perform this yatra, he should reach Gouri Shanker Mandir, Kishtwar on 3rd Thithi of Ashard Shukla Paksh. On 4th Thithi, yatris from Kishtwar and outside the District proceed towards Sounder village, the base camp of the Yatra, where from Chari Mubarak is taken on 5th Thithi. It reaches the holy shrine on 7th Thithi.

Upanayana and Ved Aarambh Yagyopaveet Mekhela sanskar

Upanayan and Vedaarambh - initiation to the vedas- these rituals are so closely inter-knit that it would be better not to separate them. Upanayan signifies that hereafter the boy or the girl will start their pursuit of knowledge of the vedas , this means in modern terminology that the child will begin his education. Upanayan is the entry door to the temple of learning to know ourselves, after entering this door , the pursuit of study of knowledge is Vedaarambh             ( God and Man )

Age for Upanayan -
The primary function of the ritual of 'Upanayan' is wearing the sacred thread-Yajyopavee according to the grihyasutra in the traditional Hindu hierarchy of brahman , kshtriya and vaishya - the rituals are preformed in the 7th, 9th, 12th, 16th years of the child respectively 'Saftam varshe braahmanam upanayet, Navmam kshatriyam, dwaadashe vaishyam and shudsham to shudrha - this is the established method. Those whose Upanayan ceremony is not performed in these years are considered degraded - "ata oordhwam patit-savitrikaa bhavanti"

It is clear that those who want their child to be cultured and virtuous should perform this ceremony as early as possible.

Brahm-varchas-kaamasya kaaryam viprasya panchame. Raajyo balaarthinah shashthe vaishyasya -ihaarthinoashtame.

Who desire that the child should imbibe knowledge, strength and conduct earlier and the child is also suitable in studies; then he should perform the sacrament of yajyopaveet as ; for a brahman son in the 7th year from birth , the son of a kshtriya in the 9th son of vaishya in the 12th, and 16th year for the son of a sudraha.

After Upanayan the child is called 'dwij'- its meaning
'Dwij' means he who is born second time parents provide first birth, but when the child absorbs himself in the environment of culture transforming into a new human; that is the second birth of the child.

Manusmriti says " Janmanaa jaayate shudrah sanskaaraat dwij unchyate" - all are born shudrah sanskaaraat dwij uchyate" - all are born shudras it is sanskars which make him "dwij". Man cannot be a man without sanskars.             ( Anantnag )

The significance of Yajjopaveet
Yajjopaveet has three threads which signify 3 obligations or debts namely; -
(a) rishi-rin- debt to rishis
(b)pirtri-rin- debt to father etc,
(c) dev-rin - debt to God.

The first obligation is to pursue the study of vedas and knowledge remaining in brahmcharya celebate; the seond obligation is to virtuously spend domestic life and procreate and thirdly the obligation is to renounce domestic life and prepare oneself for sercvice of the country. One is free from these obligations when they are fulfilled. These debts signify 3 stages of life namely brahmcharya, grihastha and baanprastha. This is the reason that when one fulfils these 3 obligingness, when he crosses these stages of life, then as ordained he offers these threads to the fire in a yajna and does not wear them as he enters the 4th stage of life- sanyas-renuniciation. What are these 3 obligations which have to be fulfilled by each individual?

(1) Rishi-rin - The rishis -sages in society have acquired to give us all kinds of knowledge and wisdom. Had they not acquired knowledge we would have remained ignorant. Just as they acquired knowledge and passed on to us, similarly we should acquired knowledge and range in promoting this ocean of knowledge further - this is what one thread in the yajjopaveet reminds us. When we are in pursuit of knowledge, we remember that legacy left by the Rishis for us. This job is fulfilled by remaining in brahmcharya ashram thereby serving as a reminder of repaying the debt of rishi-rin.

(2) Pitri-rin- We were born when our parents entered the stage of domestic life from brahmcharya. Had they not entered into domestic bliss how would we come into existence. In the same manner after completing brahmcharya and entering the stage of domestic life we should foster excellent offspring so that this chain from father to son and in turn to his son continues in society. While entering the stage of domestic life agter completing brahmcharya we recollect the memory in the stage of domesticity. This is the 2nd thread of yajjopaveet which reminds of pitri-rin

(3) Dev-rin- The main aim of staying in a an 'ashram' is to move from attachment to detachment. We are so engrossed in the ways of the world that attachment binds us. All attachment is ultimately to go, elders in our country and society have entered life and freed themselves from all attachment; they entered domestic life and abandoned it while entering 'vaanprastha'. In the same manner we should free ourselves from domestic life for the benefit and service to society and enter vaanprastha. We may not just get sunk in domestic life- the 3rd thread of yajjopaveet reminds us the legacy left by those divine people and indicates that obligation they have left for us.

Girls had freedom-right-to undergo the ritual of yajjopaveet
To discuss whether girls are free to wear yajjopaveet in modern times is of no significance today, since there is no obstacle in girls pursuing knowledge and learning. Indian society has accepted that boys and girls have rights as the boys , to accept yajjopaveet and the second is that the ladies in vedic times used to study vedic philosophy. It was not forbidden. Both men and women had similar and equal procedures.

The right of girls on yajjopaveet-  this is clear from the following shloka- "Puraakalpe hi naarinaam mounjee-bandhan-mishyate. Adhyaapanam cha vedaanaam savitri-vaachanam tathaa. i.e., in ancient times there used to be investiture of the sacred thread for women- mounjeebandhan or upanayan -they used to study the vedas and other ideology.               ( Sharda Peeth )

 Girls were free to pursue the study of the vedas- Girls and the boys had equal rights to study the vedas and vedic ideology- this is clear from various quotations in the vedas.

Article Written By Shri Pawan Pandita

For any query about astrology , Yajjopaveet or any religious ritual pooja  please feel free to contact  writer at pawan@kashmiriguruji.com, pawan_pandita2003@yahoo.com, Phone 09811735947 (Delhi).