Raghu Nath Thakur
Shri Hudh Mata Shrine located at a height of about 8500 feet from sea level on the Northern side of district headquarter Kishtwar and western side of high altitudinal Zanskar in Jammu and Kashmir State near famous Brahma peak, known as the abode of Lord Brahma, is one of the famous and revered Hindu shrines of district Kishtwar. The newly created district Kishtwar is perhaps the lone fortunate districts where four shrines of Devi i.e Ashtadashbhuja Devi in Sarthal, Chandi Mata in Machail Padder, Singhasan Mata in Padder and Shri Hudh Mata in Dachhan exist besides other Dev Sathans. The deities of these shrines are Kuldevis of the areas who take care of the subjects just like a mother takes care of her children. Therefore these shrines are solace to the helpless and suffering people of the area.
Every Dev/Devi Sathan has a historical background, legend and myth connected with its existance and continuity. If we go by the legend and myth of Hudh Mata Shrine, it can also be said and considered a Shakit Peeth as this is the place where Lord Shiva performed the last rites of his consort, Mata Sati, by consigning to flames some portion of her dead body which was cut by Lord Vishnu with his Sudershan Chakra at the behest of other Devi/Devtas to console and cool down the anguished Lord Shiva who was wandering in the universe with the dead body of Mata Sati when she sacrificed her life by yogic power after jumping in the Hawan Kund as she could not tolerate the insult and humiliation meted out to her by not inviting Lord Shiva and her on the auspicious occasion of performing Hawan by her father Daksh Prajapaati, when all other Devi/Devtas stood invited. After performing her last rites here Lord Shiva disappeared, so this sacred place is called Hudh Kund. Hudh is the distorted form of Hindi word Hutt which means to offer in the shape of Ahuti offerings, to offer completely, essential material for Hawan, to sacrifice oneself for good cause. Since Mata Sati sacrificed herself for good cause i.e for the honour, dignity and respect of Lord Shiva, her husband, and for herself by jumping in the Hawan Kund so she is called Hudh Mata, Ahuti Mata or Sati Mata and this shrine is also interlinked and connected with Shiv Shakti. The presence of pigeons, as seen in the shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji, naturally formed Shivlings in a small cave in the Bhawan with milky water dripping on them from the ceiling of the cave like that of Shiv Khori in Reasi, symbol of an elephant carved on an adjoining rock, Garbjoon and a live snake always seen during Yatra days do symbolize the existence of Shrine of Shiv Shakti, and is thus a Shakti Peeth. At present there is no habitation near the shrine but some times back there was As per another legend the present Shrine was located at the top of the mountain and a Pujari used to’ go there for daily puja. When he became aged and found himself unable to reach the shrine at the top of the mountain, he prayed to the Goddess to come down so that he could perform puja in his aged days also. Next morning when he reached the present location of the shrine, just at the foot of the mountain, he was amazed and astonished to see that the shrine alongwith whole surroundings had come down in the same condition as it existed at the top. Mata in the guise of a Kanya (girl) gave him Darshan and asked him to perform puja there. There became a deep hollow on the top of the mountain wherefrom the shrine had slipped down which is still called Hudh Kund.
2-3 Kms away from this shrine is seen another miracle where Mata Ganga in the form of Trisandhaya nadi flows thrice a day i.e early morning, noon and evening from file top of a mountain very near to the famous Brahma peak which after flowing 1-2 hours starts receding from the downlevel leaving behind not a single drop of water in the nallah as compared to other nallahs. There is no lake or even a pond on the top of the hill where from the water could spill out. The water comes out and stops naturally from the mountain. Besides this, there are other worth seeing scenic spots i.e. Doodh Ganga where water comes out from the earth as if it is boiling and in that process it looks white like milk and is therefore called Dood (milky) Ganga and Braham Sarover in the foot of Brahama peak where pilgrims have a pious bath in its cold icy water. The reflection of natural flowers in the surroundings make the lake very beautiful and attractive besides having its sanctity.
The Shrines and other scenic spots and the natural beauty of Dachhan has remained hidden and unexplored due to non availability of motorable, road connectivity to the area even after 66 years of independence. No doubt the construction of Patimhalla -Dachhan road started in 1976-77 but it has just reached Ikhalla, hardly a distance of about 6/7 Kms. The Government should accelerate the speed of construction of this road which will bring these virgin shrines on the religious tourist map of the State/country besides exploring the tourism potential of the area for which the State and the Central Governments are striving hard. If these miraculous shrines come to limelight there will be great rush of tourists including pilgrim tourists to this area, the fate of the poor people will certainly change and decrease the unemployment problem of the area.
To pay obeisance to the Goddess, seek her blessings and for fulfillment of wishes Yatras are conducted individually and family wise since the existence of the Shrine but collectively the yatra was started by a religious person of Dachhan namely Mahatma Dina Nath Tirathwasi about three decades back and at present 2/3 thousand Yatris perform the yatra. The Yatra is managed by Shri Hudh Mata Trisandhaya Yatra Managing Committee Dachhan Regd. which arranges free langer and other facilities to the yatris from Kishtwar.
Programme of Yatra;
Trishul Yatras taken by devotees from different places reach Kishtwar on 3r day of Ashar Shukla Paksh and on 4th day proceed from Gouri Shanker Mandir, Kishtwar towards sounder the base camp of the yatra with night halt at Ikhalla, a journey of about 40 Kms by bus. On 5th day, after covering a distance of about 18 Kms on foot Yatris reach village sounder where from the holy mace of Shri Hudh Mata is taken out with religious enthusiasm and fervour and reaches Virat Mata, Mandir, Dilgooth. On 6th day the holy mace reaches Gookooth and on 7th it reach Kaikooth. On the same day the yatris have a pious bath in Trisandhaya Nadi and Braham Sarovar. On Ashtami the Yatra along with holy mace reaches Bhawan. After paying obeisance, getting blessings and offering Puran Ahuti, Yatris return to their homes. This is a distance of about 40 Kms which the yatrsi have to travel on foot. It takes two days to reach back Kishtwar. Any devotee from outside Kishtwar intending to perform this yatra has to reach Kishtwar on 3rd Ashar Shukla Paksh (Bring half).
This year Trishul Yatra starts from Gouri Shanker Mandir, Kishtwar on 12th July towards village sounder the base camp of the yatra. Some yatris from Kathua and Jammu would reach Kishtwar on 11 July on 13 July the holy mace shall be taken from villge sounder which shall reach Bhawan on 16th July as per the above programme. On the same day yatris shall return back.
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