'Kanwariyas', Lord Shiva devotees gather to collect holy water from the Ganga river for 'Kanwar Yatra' pilgrimage during the holy month of Shravan, at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, Monday, July 29, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
Jaipur: Police wielded lathis to disperse Kanwariyas who were allegedly heading towards a women's ghat in Lohargal Dham in Jhunjhunu district, an official said on Monday.
A huge crowd of Kanwariyas had gathered at Lohargal Dham, which is about 70 km from Jhunjhunu, situated halfway between Udaipurwati and Sikar in the Shekhawati region. Pilgrims visit this place because of the significance of many temples here, especially the Surya Kund, Shiva temple, Hanuman temple and Pandava cave and the many legends associated with the sacred kund.
Today being the second Monday of the auspicious Shravan month, several devotees had gathered to take a dip in the holy kund, which is said to wash away all the sins and even melt iron, from which it takes its name Lohargal. As the number of male devotees were more than the female devotees, many of them, especially the youths, jumped to the section meant exclusively for women.
The kund meant for women is only 20 metres away from the main kund. This led to a chaotic situation and the police had to resort to lathicharge to stop the male devotees from jumping on to the women section of the kund. There are reports that there was not enough police force to control the crowd, which aggravated the situation.
Following the lathicharge, angry Kanwariyas vandalised the shops and even damaged the vehicles around in Goliyana Circle near the dham. They even beat up some of the volunteers. Several videos of the scuffle between police and Kanwariyas are viral now. However, police denied the lathicharge and said they used mild force while trying to make peace with Kanwariyas.
Jhunjhunu SP Rajarshi Raj Verma visited the spot in the afternoon and said the situation is under control with increased force in the area. He said the police would hold a talk with the temple authorities to increase barricading to stop any such incidents in the future. A case has been lodged.
The Surya kund is considered holy and that is why hundreds of Kanwariyas descend on it during Shravan month. They first take a dip and then fill their pots.
Lohargal Dham’s Surya temple has a substantial following amongst locals in the surrounding areas. It finds mention in the Puranic literature. One of them relates to Mahabharata. When the Pandavas were said to be unhappy and sad with the outcome of the war as it killed their step-brothers Kauravas, Lord Krishna advised them to visit a place where their weapons would vanish on their own. Pandavas searched many places and found Lohargal kund. It was here in Surya kund that Pandavas took a dip and their weapons just melted away and vanished.
Lohargal is also supposed to be the birthplace of the Maheswari community, a business community, which is recognised for its trading acumen. Prince of Khandela Sujansen, who visited Lohargal believed to have ill treated the saints there. Angry saints turned the prince and his soldiers into stones. Soliders’ wives pleaded with the saints and Lord Maheswar, who then asked them to take a dip in the Surya kund. The soldiers’ weapons melted and Lord Maheswar asked them to shun war and hence they started worshipping Lord Maheshwar and came to be known as Maheswaris.
Another incident of scuffle between the police and Kanwariyas has come to light in Sambhar, near Jaipur. Police tried to stop Kanwariyas who were playing loud DJ music when they were going towards Sambhar kund. After the police seized the DJ systems, Kanwariyas then gathered near the police station. It is said that a police constable slapped one of the Kanwariyas assembled there and this made Kanwariyas angry, leading to ruckus.