KD Maini
Swami Buddha Amar Nath Yatra is a centuries old tradition. However it was regularized and flourished during Dogra rule of Raja Moti Singh, Baldev Singh, Sikhdev Singh and Jagat Dev Singh in between 1852 to 1939.
Swami Buddha Amarnath temple is situated in between the main belt of Pir Panchal range at Rajpura Mandi which is 23 kilometers on the north east of Poonch city. This sacred place is located on the confluence of two gushing streams namely Nallah Gagri and Pulsta Nadi. This place is surrounded by snow bound lofty peaks, thick belt of fir forests (in the eastern side), lush green pastures and crystal clear streams and nallahs. The climate of this attractive and charming spot is very pleasant and cool. At present Swami Buddha Amarnath temple is connected with a motorable road and it is 244 kilometers from Jammu.
The original temple has been constructed with one big stone. There are four doors in the temple on the northern, southern, eastern and western sides which indicates that the doors of this shrine are open for all the four varnas. There is a natural Shivlinga of white stone (Chakmak) inside the temple. A number of ancient idols collected from nearby villages are also installed in the premises of the temple where there were four holy springs near the temple in the past. At present, the water of three springs has been diverted to fourth one which is on the southern side of the temple. The water of these springs is considered holy from religious point of view. The pilgrims first take bath in this spring and then enter in the temple for prayers.
This year Swami Buddha Amarnath yatra, shall start from 29th of July 2017. The yatries shall be received at Poonch by Bajrangdal, Sanantan Dharam Poonch Dishnami Akhara Poonch Committee Poonch and Citizens of Poonch in a function in collage stadium Poonch. This yatra shall continue up to 4th August. All arrangements for their stay and meal are made by a committee under the guidance of Yashpal Sharma MLC Poonch. On 5th August, Chari Mubarak Yatra shall start from Dishnami Akhara Poonch towards Swami Buddha Amarnath Mandi under the leadership of Swami Vishve Atama Anand Sarswati Ji Maharaj and reach there on the same day. On 7th August a big mela is expected at Buddha Amarnath Mandi in which the pilgrims from Poonch, Surankote Mendhar, Rajouri Sunderbani, Jammu and abroad shall participate.
The main religious function will be held on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan which is known as Mela Swami Buddha Amarnath Festival. Three days before the Mela, a religious congregation is held at Dashnami Akhara Poonch for havan and Pooja of Chari Mubarak. The procession of Chari Mubarak starts from Akhara in between the chanting of bhajans and religious slogans. A guard of honour from Police contingents is paid to Chari Mubarak at the gate of the Akhara. The Swami Ji is carried in a palki by the devotees, along with the sacred mace. Thousands of devotees and hundreds of Sadhus accompany the procession which leads towards Swami Budha Amarnath on foot. The main halt is at Chandak, where lunch is served to the yartis. While on the way from Poonch to Mandi, a number of stalls remain erected for welcoming the Charri Mubarak and yatries. At Chandak, light drinks are served by a prominent Muslim of Chandak to yatries. The procession reaches Rajpura on the same day in the afternoon where it is received by the local people, sadhus and workers of the Trust after guard of honour by the BSF contingents at the gate of Swami Budha Amarnath.
This holy place has great religious importance. It is said that at this very place Lord Shiva had started narrating the Amar Katha to Parvati Ji which ended at Swami Amarnath located near Pahalgam Kashmir. This temple is considered older than the Swami Amarnath Ji of Kashmir. That is why the shrine is known as Swami Budha Amarnath. It is believed that one must visit this sacred place before performing the yatra of Amarnath Kashmir.
A number of legends are famous in and around Poonch city regarding the eruption of this ancient temple. As per one legend, Mahatma Pulsat (the grandfather of King Ravana of Sri Lanka) meditated at this very place for a pretty long time. He was a devotee of Lord Shiva. There are number of references in Neel Mat Puran about Pulsat Rishi. As per these references, Pulsat was also an artist and sculptor. He carved a number of images of God. One of the reference in Neel Mat Puran is as under:-
‘By seeing the Goddess erected by Pulsat, one is free from all his sins and gets highest knowledge……. The temple erected by him gives one’s merit of the gift of cows and also releases from the diseases’.
The legend goes that Pulsat meditated with such a devotion at Rajpura Mandi that Lord Shiva gave him a Darshan at this very place. In the memory of Darshana of Lord Shiva, Rishi Pulsat constructed the temple of Shiva and erected a lingum there. Since the Pulsat was a great Rishi, a sculptor and very popular among the habitants of this area, therefore, after his death the people converted this small temple into a shrine. Later on this shrine took the name of Swami Buddha Amarnath. Even now a number of idols of ancient time are available in this area. It is possible that these idols may have been installed by Pulsat Rishi.
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