Sunil Kotwal
Kishtwar one of the beautiful districts in J&K is dotted with numerous beautiful spots and pilgrimage places. Among these pilgrimage places, is the shrine of Sarthal Devi also known as Dash Buja Mata among the devotees and people of Kishtwar.
Sarthal Devi an incarnation of Mata Durga is the chief deity of the Hindus of Kishtwar and its adjacent places. This temple is located at Sarthal which is 30 kms from Kishtwar town connected by a vehicular road which takes off from Hasti from the NH-IB 11 kms ahead from Kishtwar town. The shrine which is located an altitude of 6000 ft is surrounded by snow capped mountains and lush green field. In its vicnity are other villages like Agral Sarthal proper, Lawa Karool etc.
It is believed that one of his devotees residing at Agral village of Sarthal used to propitiate the goddess. The goddess appeared him in a dream in the form of a pretty girl at a place called Kailgarh. and the devotee was told that he could find her in the form an idol. Then he found her in the similar manner at that very place. On finding her, local people too heard about her. This news also reached the king of the area Raja Agar Devi. Raja took the idol to Agar where the idol became too have to be lifted. It indicated that the Goddess wanted to have a shrine here.
A stone temple was got constructed at Agral Sarthal and some devotees along with their families settled there and this settlement was named Agral after the name of Raja Agar Dev. The surrounding patch of dense forest was declared as a property of the temple and a decree was issued that revenue from this forest called ‘Deviyun Van’ (Mata’s Forest) will be spent on the maintenance of the temple. With the passage of time, a new grand temple was constructed about 5oo meters away from original site and the ‘installation’ of the idol amidst vedic rituals was done by Raja Maha Singh on Bhadarpad Amavasya.
As regards the shifting of the temple from the original place to the present one, historians have maintained silence. A small temple devoted to the memory of saint ‘Thuproo’ also stands nearby, where pilgrims pay their obeisance before visiting Mata’s temple. The temple, in its present form, was got constructed by Maharaja Hari Singh in the year 1936-37 from the sale. The devotees of Mata not only from Kishtwar but of whole Doda region are attached to this sacred place. The ‘Mundan Sanskar’ (First hair-cut of male baby child is under taken here amidst great religious fervor and festivities. For performing this ceremony, a yatra along with friends and relatives is taken here.
An annual Yatra with holy mace and other presents has been going on since the time of Raja Agar Dev of Kishtwar. On ‘Har Shudi Saptmi (7th day of the bright fortnight of Haar)’ tha ‘Chhari’ along with thousands of devotees leaves for Sarthal from Gori Shanker Mandir Kishtwar. On the next day, a great Havan and Yagya takes places where in priests chant Vedic mantras for peace and welfare of the human race.Keertan is also organised and a langer held.
The number of pilgrims increases every year.
Though every effort is made to provide facilities to yatris, it is suggested more steps need to be taken for their care.
The road connnecting the shirne to Kishtwar needs to be black topped.
Besides, the management is requested to give more publicity to this shrine through print and electronic media. So that more and more pilgrims have the opportunity of visiting this shrine.
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