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Shrine Under A Lake

Shrine Under A Lake

Author: Rohit Parihar
Publication: India Today
Date: August 21, 2006

Introduction: Built around a tragic tale and founded on belief, this 'invisible' temple has no dearth of worshippers

Faith, they say, can move mountains. In Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district, it has found its moorings in a temple believed to be submerged under a lake. On every religious and social occasion, be it Akha Teej or a wedding, worshippers from the village of Pangarh, bordering Madhya Pradesh, head for the Joonji Bauji temple and wade into the water to perform a puja.

Interestingly, nobody can say for certain that a temple actually exists under the murky waters of what's popularly called the Lotus lake at the foothills of the Vindyachal range. An erect bamboo shaft protruding from under the water is all there is by way of evidence. "This pole, perhaps perched on a dome, symbolises the temple," says Dhanjay Singh, scion of the neighbouring Bijaipur Castle.

Reaching the temple entails a half-kilometre trek through a picturesque but arduous rocky slope followed by a boat ride. The boats are just big enough to seat one passenger besides the boatman. Long and sturdy bamboo poles are used to navigate the rather precarious vessels through a dense growth of lotus and water chestnut plants which make oars or paddles redundant. Sometimes even hands suffice for oars.

Once close to the shaft that's covered with flags right down to as far below as the eye can see, the boatman stretches his bamboo pole into the water to touch what's presumably a stone surface indicating the presence of the temple.

Armed with a flag, a worshipper then enters the water to tie it to the shaft. Coconuts, together with lotus, are also offered in obeisance.

The temple-which some say is not visible even when the lake turns dry during drought-may have been altogether swamped by the swirling waters and destroyed, but it has a tragic story behind it.

Basi Dada, a village elder, narrates the tale of how a Kshatriya chieftain of Pangarh had apparently sacrificed his son, daughter-in-law and grandson to end a prolonged period of drought. A pandit had advised the chief to make his son pray on the dry bed of the lake for six months before sacrificing him. The prince, Joonji Bauji, was joined by his wife and son in death.

Since then, goes the legend, the lake has never turned absolutely dry.


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