- A Scintillating Experience
It was November of 2014. I along with a team of visitors consisting of Sardar Harbhajan Singh Setia, (82), Sardar Balwant Singh both of Delhi and Sardar Tejwant Singh Amritsar of Aaj Tak Channel had come to visit Assam and Arunchal Pradesh. After our visit to Central Arunachal specially paying our visit to Menchukha we came back and stayed at Dibrugarh at night. We had planned to visit Nagalnd on 14 November and pay our obeisance at Golaghat and Dimapur in Dhanasari valley partly in Nagaland and partly in Assam and see for our self the area where Guru Nanak redeemed the Cannibal Kauda. However, due to sudden sickness of Sardar Setia Ji's wife, we had to cancel the plan and wait for the next day to go Brahm Kund in Arunachal Pradesh.
Guru Nanak's visit to this place has been found mentioned in various sources. Dr Arjan Singh Mann mentions: 'He (Guru Nanak) practically visited all the towns of lower and upper Assam and reached Sadiya from where Sri Krishanji married Rukmani. Then he went to Brahmkund, where saint Parasram after taking bath regained his sainthood after fulfilling the vow to kill all Kshatriyas of the land with his axe". [1] Dr Surinder Singh Kohli also agrees that Guru Nanak visited Brahma Kund in the area. [2] During an interview with the Chief Pujari of Brahmkund temple, the entire team was astonished to know from him: "We all know that Guru Nanak visited Braham Kund along with Srimanta Sankar Dev on the fair of Makar Sankranti."
We started on 15th November 2014, at 9 AM from Dibrugarh. Moving on national highway along railway line Dibrugarh-Tinsukhia we reached Tinsukhia at around 10 AM. The road was very smooth. I had lost my mobile during my visit to Menchuka for which I contacted Tinsukhia Airtel for starting my new connection but it did not materialize. Our hour's time was wasted for getting the new connection. From Tinsukhia we started moving to Dumdumna along another railway line. The green tea gardens full of beauty spread all along. Women in coloured dresses were busy plucking trees. We could not restrain ourselves from stopping and taking photographs and making video.
After crossing Dumduma we entered Arunachal Pradesh. Here we were required to show our passes for entry to Arunachal Pradesh. We had forgotten to bring the same since we earlier did not realize that Brahm Kund is in Arunachal Pradesh. However I gave my identity of retired Army Officer and they agreed to permit us the entry. By lunch time we reached Namsai, the headquarters of the district in which Brahmkund is situated. Our aim was to have arrangements for our night stay since we could not do this before. We found an Army Camp and moved to find out some way out. We met the Major commanding the Army Company who was very decent. He first offered us meals which could not resist; thereafter he gave us the number of Col Brar, a retired Army Officer who was looking after the administration at a hydel project in the area. After namsai the road became single passing though small hill tracts.
We reached at about 4.30 PM and it was getting dark. We could not go to Brahm kund hence decided to visit it next day. Now priority was to make arrangements for nights stay. As we visited the office of the hydel project we found Col Brar to be very kind to make arrangement for our stay. Place was quite cold but the guest houses were quite cosy and we had nice stay. We got up early, had bath and early breakfast thanked the administration and moved to the temple on 16 Nov 2014. First of all we met the head priest of Brahm Kund Pandit Hari Saran Das ji who spoke to us taking time out of his morning prayers from 6 AM to 7.30 AM
Interviewer: Dr Dalvinder Singh Grewal (DSG) Interviewed Pandit Hari Saran Dass (PHSD)
DSG: Ram Ram Pandit Ji. You appear to be getting up very early in the morning.
PHSD: God and nature is there to wake me up. I generally do not need sleep.
DSG: How old are you?
PHSD: I am now 86 years old.
DSG: You look very active and healthy for your age?
PHSD: I came here in 1961; 53 years ago when I was young. I have never fallen sick ever since. The climate here is so clean and pure that it keeps one away from all diseases. You get pure air, pure water, pure milk from the cows of the Gau Shala and pure food from local fields. There is no pollution. Our thought are also pure here and we are always tuned to God and are in His service. What better do you want to live?
DSG: Where did you come from?
PHSD: Benaras Chaubepur, Basti Draim
DSG: What brought you here?
PHSD: I came here to have Darsan of Parsu Ram Kund. Seeing the natural beauty here I could not go back thereafter and has been in service of the temple ever since now performing the duties of head priest and the organiser of the temple complex and the Gau Shala. I have never missed any Puja ever since I came here.
DSG: Why is this place so important?
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| Temple at Parsu Ram Kund |
PHSD: This place is God's place. Brahm Kund also known as Parsu Ram Kund is the originator of Lohit River which is the key tributary of Brahmputra in India. You can feel God in every matter and in the air where ever you go here. A fair is held every Makr Sankranti (13 January) to celebrate Parsu Ram's redemption from his curse. Many great saints have been coming here ever since. Even Guru Nanak and Srimant Sankar Dev came here.
DSG. Did Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Srimant Sankar Dev Ji come here?
PHSD: They came here together on the fair of Makar Sankranti came here together from Saidya side and went towards Tinsukhia.
DSG: Do you have record of his visit?
PHSD: No! We do not keep record like Benaras and Kamkhya but this is very well known here and the story of their visit is passed from generations to generations. I was also told of the same by my senior Pandits. We have a Pandit even elder to me here who can vouch for the same.
DSG: What is the legend behind Parsu Ram Kund?
PHSD: Legend has it that when Parashuram killed his mother Renuka with an axe at the behest of his father Saint Jamadagni, the axe got stuck to his hands. Parashurama roamed all over India visiting holy places to atone for his sins but the axe remained stuck to his hands. Ultimately Parashuram came here to Brahma Kund on the advice of some sages. Parashurama took a dip in the holy water of the Kund and the axe immediately became unstuck and fell from Parashuramas hands. With a big sigh of relief and venting anger on the axe, Parashurama picked it up and threw it as far as he could into the mountains.
The axe split the mountains, and the spot where it fell became the source of Lohit River. It was thus that this Kund came to be known as Prashuram Kund and now it is one of the many revered holy spots in the country. This place (Parashurama Kund) holds a fair popularly known as Parashuram Mela which draws about 1 lakh devotees from different corners of India during Makar Sankranti in January every year to celebrate the event. This holy place of Parashuram Kund leaves an everlasting impression in the mind of the devotees as well as other visitors.
DSG: What was the impact of Guru Nanak and Srimant Sankar Dev to this place?
PHSD: They both gave sermons to the people gathered in the fair and were well accepted. This is why the teachings of both are now being followed in this entire region.
Brahm Kund also known as Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage centre situated on the Brahmputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River and 21 km north of Tezu in Lohit District of Arunachal Pradesh. The kund is 165 kilometres form Tinsukia, the nearest railway station and 97 kms via Tezu. Dedicated to sage Parshuram, the popular site attracts pilgrims from Nepal, from across India, and from nearby states of Manipur and Assam. Over 70,000 devotees and sadhus take holy dip its water each year on the occasion of maker Sankranti, in the month of January. [3][4] According to the Arunachal Pradesh government, the Hindu texts Kalika Puran andMahabharta mention the region as the Prabhu Mountains of the Puranas, and where sage Parshuram washed away sins, the sage Vyasa meditated, King Bhishmak founded his kingdom, and Lord Krishana married his consort Rukmani.
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| Braham Kund |
The site of the Parashuram Kund as established by the sadhus was in existence till 1950 when the old site was completely changed by the earthquake that shook the whole of the North-East and the kund was completely covered. A very strong current is now flowing over the original site of the kund but massive boulders have in a mysterious way embedded themselves in a circular formation in the river bed thus forming another kund in place of the old. [5]
Annual fair is held during Makara Sankranti, to which wild cows, rare fur-rugs and other curios are brought down by the mountain tribes. There are also facilities for trekking from Tezu to glow lake which takes one day, hiking and river rafting and angling on the river Lohit. The nearest railway station is Tinsukia (120 km) from where buses are available via Namsai. There are also buses available from Sadia. The nearest airports are Tezu and Dibrugarh (Assam). A fleet of the State Transport Department of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh make elaborate arrangements for plying buses from Tinsukia to Namsai, Wakro and Tezu. There is no railway available to Parshuram Kund as of now. A survey of 122 km Rupai-Parshuram Kund broad gauge railway line was complete at the initiative of Arunachal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, while preliminary engineering-traffic survey for the Passighat-Tezu-Parsuram Kund was conducted by northeast frontier railways at the request of the state government.
While visiting the temples, the kund and Lohit river we had photographs and video as record. A strong wind was blowing and trees on the hills were enjoying the breeze. it appeared to be a miracle of God; a land appearing like heaven.
Tejwant reminded that we have to go to Dibrugarh University and contact professors for finding the material relating to Guru Nanak's visit to the area, his discussions with Srimanta Sankardev and the King Suhangmang. Our return journey to Dibrugarh was completed in 5 hours since the driver took special interest in our visit and managed the time well.
With the development of number of sites of Sikh Gurdwaras in Assam and Arunachal, Brahm Kund may be developed into a Sikh pilgrimage centre and a Gurdwara commemorating Guru Nanak's visit to the place may come up sooner or later.
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References
[1] Arjan Singh Mann dr, 1959, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Assam Pradesh, Sikh Publishing House, New Delhi, 1st Edition, p.170.
[2] Surinder Singh Kohli, 1997, Travels of Guru Nanak, Punjab University, Chandigarh, 3rd Edition, p. 51
[3]. Indian Express. Jan 18, 2013. "70,000 devotees took holy dip in Parsuram Kund", Retrieved 2014-06-29.
[4] Daily News & Analysis, "Arunachal Pradesh planning to promote tourism at Parsuram Kund." Retrieved 2014-06-29.
[5] Parsuram Kund. Indiaprofile.com. ANI." Solace to suffering humanity would surface from Arunachal, believes Shankarcharya." Retrieved 16 Jan 2014.
