H.C. Katoch
Daleshwar is like Mansar or Sruinsar in Jammu District that have their own legends. Daleshwar is now popularly known as Dalsar and the village, thus inherits name after the name of this SAR. It is four Kms away from Ramnagar town of District Udhampur. This is a big Sar (Jheel) that is surrounded by small hillocks with good vegetative cover.
At present, it has been properly demarcated and circular path has been laid a around it. This has made an access to the Jheel easy and lot of big fish are seen in it. It is under the the care of the Tourism department and many infrastructural works are going on.
It is said that when Uma (Goddess Parvati) while on tour a with Lord Shiva on earth planet reached this village which was a dense forest at that time, Ma Parvati felt thirsty and requested Lord Shiva to arrange water to quench her thirst. Lord Shiva said that there is no water here, i.e. the present place of Sar. Mata Parvati insisted not to move from that place unless her thirst is quenched. Lord Shiva surrendered to her wishes, but proclaimed that it will be a sad event.
At this spot a couple of partridges was found in conjugal relationship. It is said that this couple of male and female, while seeing Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati appearing at that site of their union, went deep in the soil and immediately a water stream rose up from that place.The people here State that water in this SAR comes from below the soil. It was named as Daleshwar which is presently known as Dalsar. Even now the water is just two and half feet below the surface of the earth in this area. It could be seen even now when the plinth is dug for raising construction from the ground. (Although it is a hilly place and in higher elevation on hilly terrain, yet the water level is very high). The Goddess Parvati, it is said, has told Shiva that water of this SAR will benefit the coming generations, and cure their diseases. She further enquired as to what will be its name? Lord Shiva named it Daleshwar. After leaving this site, both of them marched ahead to stay and found a small pond and nearby a Peepal tree. Here Lord Shiva lighted Dhooni (a small pit in which fire is lighted). While leaving this site, a Shiv Lingam appeared as a symbol of Lord Shiva. Presently, a Shiva temple exists here where this App Shambhu Lingam is positioned. It is stated that this land of Dalsar has beneath it a water ocean. It is said that a Geological team during their visit to this place stated that the existing Shiv Lingam has its root miles down and its end is not visible. The legend further goes and mentions that a cow used to come and drop her milk on this Lingam daily. When it was observed that a cow is showering her milk on this Lingam, the people started worshipping this Lingam and started visiting and praying for fulfilment of their desires.
Another story relates to the Pipal Tree at this place that exists from the time Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati stayed here. This tree regenerates and its size remains almost the same from the past many centuries. It is also a place of reverence and worship.
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