Rubon Saproo
The most revered shrines of Haramukh are located at foothills of Haramukh Mountains, whose lofty peaks nearly 17,000 feet in height dominate the view towards the north of Kashmir valley.The Haramukh mountain range is in the Ganderbal district .The range remains covered with snow throughout the year except few months of summer .The mount Haramukh is considered to be very sacred since it is believed to be the favourite abode of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. The sacred sites of Gangabal, Nund Kol, Naran Nag, Nandiksetra, Bhutesvara and Jyesthesvara besides dozens of lakes and lakelets on names of Hindu deities are found on this great mountain-mass. However, it seems that this holy tirtha remained much unknown pilgrimage place in valley and the annual Haramukutaganga pilgrimage which takes annually in the month of Bhadrapada (a month corresponding to August or early September as per the Hindu calendar) every year has been completely abandoned.Haramukh Peaks
The ancient name of the peaks is Haramukuta, which means Hara is the name of Hindu God ‘Hari’ and Mukuta represents ‘Face’, so the name of this mountain means ‘the Lord’s Face’. The mountain has three major peaks surrounded by considerable size of glaciers. Their height is supposed to be liked by Lord Shiva. There is a firm belief that human feet cannot touch the peaks because of its holiness. Further, it is said that these peaks are everywhere guarded by Naga deities. There are several lakes on Haramukh which includes Vishen Sar, Kishan Sar, Yem Sar, Gada Sar, Sat Sar, Gangabal and Nund Kol.At the elevation of about 13,000 feet and to the north of Gangabal, there is a group of lakes which includes Lool Gool, Sarbal and Anand Sar.
Gangabal Lake
The Gangabal Lake lies at the foot of the north -eastern glacier of Haramukh. It is about two and a half kilometre in length and one kilometre in width. The lake is also known by many other names like Haramuktaganga and Uttarganga. The lake is considered to be the true source of Kashmir Ganga or Sind River, which drains the mountain ranges to the north of valley from Drass to the Haramukh and is the greatest tributary of the Vitasta in the valley. The Gangabal Lake has been the most sacred pilgrimage of Hindus since ancient times. It attains the status similar to Haridwar. The Kashmiri Hindus immersed bones and ashes of the dead in sacred waters of the lake on the occasion of Ganga Ashtami Day in the month of Bhadrapada . The place is highly pious because it is believed that Lord Shiva’s top -knotted hair (Jatta) had touched the waters of lake at this spot.
Nund Kol Lake
A short distance below and to the east of the Gangabal is another lake called Nund Kol. It is also called Kalodaka and Nandisar.The Kala is another name of ‘Lord Shiva’ where Nandi is his ‘faithful bull’.According to a legend, Nandi born as son of Silada, performed in the Kalodaka a great penance, whereupon Shiva took up his permanent abode thereby the side of his faithful attendent.The inner portion of the lake, showing a deep colour, is supposed to mark the residence of Shiva; the outer portion, of light green colour, that of Nandi. Shiva is worshipped there under the name of Nandisa.The Nund Kol is surrounded by nearby lakes of Kola Sar and Brahm Sar.
Buthsher Mountain
The tirtha of Bhutesvara or Buthsher is in the Kankanai valley beneath Nund Kol. The Bhuth means ‘face’ and Sher means ‘Lion’, so the Bhuthsher means ‘Lion’s face’. It is actually a very steep mountain and closely resembles that of the Lion’s face. The Lord Shiva also known as Shiva Bhutesa, the lord of the beings, was worshipped once under this name near the sacred sites of Haramukh.The Bhutesvara is an important pilgrimage centre in Haramukh as the site is an abode of Lord Shiva. The references of Shiva’s residence on this mountain spur is mention in many books of Kashmiri Pandit like Haramukutaganga Mahatmyas and Nilamata.There we read how Shiva in the form of Bhutesa came to take up his residence at Bhuthsher mountain.
Krunkhol Valley
There is another spot called Krunkhol which lies between Nund Kol and Bhuthsher.At Krunkhol, one can get a panoramic view of mount Haramukh. However, the scene of viewing Haramukh at sunrise from the same spot is quite different where it seems that Lord Shiva has loosened his hair (Jatta) on sloppy and snowy peaks of Haramukh and his cascaded curly hair shines like gold.
Sodra Tirtha
The Tirtha of Sodra, also Known as Naran Nag is located at the feet of Bhuthsher Mountain. There are the ruins of temple complex which Kashmiri kings had raised from time to time in honour of Lord Shiva. There were possibly three structures comprising of seventeen temples in proximity of one another among which two groups of temple-ruins are still standing and of the third only the plinth remains. The ruined group of temples included Jyesthesvara and Bhutesvara temples built by King Lalitaditya and Jalauka, son of emperor Ashoka respectively. There is a big stone temple on hillock where in its backdrop is located whole of the ruined group of temples. Just beyond the second group of temples is a spring known by the name of Naran Nag. This spring was once important part of the Sodra tirtha.
Karanka Nadi
Kanakvahini or the present day Karanka Nadi (the skelton-stream) flows just below to the south of the temple complex of Naran Nag. It carries waters from tributaries flowing out from Gangabal and Nund Kol lakes. The Karanka Nadi joins Sind River near Prang (or Kanga) .But a small stream branched off from the Karanka Nadi just below Pranj near Baravul meets the Sind above Manigam. This confluence or ‘Sangam’ is Known as Karankatirtha or the ancient tirtha of Ciramocana.
Nandiksetra
The sacred territory from Naran Nag to Harmamukh peaks is called Nandiksetra. It is actually an area belonged to Lord Shiva. The god was once worshipped under different names like Nindisa, Bhutesa, Jyesthesa, Jyestharudra etc. at different pilgrimage centres of Mount Haramukh. The sanctity of the territory can also be well judged from the names of lakes on Hindu deities like Vishen Sar-named after Lord Vishnu, Kishen Sar-named after Lord Krishna, Yem Sar-named after Lord Yama, Gad Sar-Lake of fishes and Sat Sar- Lake made up of a cascade of seven lakes. The entire region of Haramukh is also known by another name Ramaradhan because a great saint Parshu Ram is believed to have meditated near lakes on this sacred mountain.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
