Sunil Kapoor
Vasuki Nag Temple is situated at Sari (Dudu) amid the lush green glade shaded by Maru trees and traversed by white colored multi shade oval as well as oblong stones shining like tiny stars and symbolizing a piece of heaven on Earth.
It is second abode of Vasuki Naga, popularly known as Naga Raja. According to the Vasuki puran the first abode is at Gatha, Bhadrawah, which is belived to be centuries old, i.e.2064 years back , but the famous abode of Seri (Dudu) is several hundred years old.
As this tract of land, where the temple is situated, is blessed with the benediction of Naga Raja in the form of super natural power, one feels peace of mind and tranquility after reaching here (for darshan). People from far of areas come here to seek the blessing of Naga Raja and full fill their wishes. Every year, during the month of August, thousands of people make pilgrimage taking the holy Mace from Seri to Kaliash Kund (Dhar Seoj).
According to a legend, several hundred years ago, LASSU, who was Mahasha by caste and was a resident of Ghar Katyas, was very poor but very simple and clean hearted fellow. He had a wife and four sons. He had a very meager land and was a tenant. Unable to see his family dying of starvation and also unable to find any livelihood and wherewithal in his area, he set on a long journey to Bhadrwah to earn some livelihood. In those days, on foot journey to Bhadarwah was very dangerous, as whole area up to Dhar Seoj, was covered with dense forest and infested with the wild animals. By the time he reached at Dhar Seoj, the yellow sun was setting behind the western horizon, Lassu was completely tired, he saw a saint squatting on small rock, but his eyes were shut and was in deep trance. Lassu sat near him, just then saint opened his eyes and simply asked Lassu, were he was going? Lassu told saint that he was a very poor man and his family was about to perish without food grains, so he was going to Bhadarwah to earn some money by working as labor in the fields of rich people of Bhadarwah. The saint told him that there was no source of money at Bhadrawh so he should return to his home, but Lassu was reluctant and said that if he returned home empty handed his wife would not allow him. As it was the time of taking meal, saint ordered Lassu to bring a sheep from nearby forest, to which he claimed ownership. Lasu was not ready to do this fearing that how a saint can have sheep and goats. Lassu categorically refused to saint and told the saint that if those sheep belong to someone else, the owner would kill him for stealing the sheep. But saint convinced him and assured that sheep belong to none but him.
On hearing this Lassu brought a sheep. Saint ordered to slaughter the sheep and cook the meat for the both , with a mere glance at a spot nearby, required kitchen and other accessory materialized. They both enjoyed the dinner. After that saint told Lassu to collect the bones of sheep and put them under a basket. Lassu did so. Then, saint gave him some maize grains and told that early in the morning he should return home. The saint further, told him that put those maize grains in the maize container, where he used to store the maize grains. But lassu due to the fear of his wife was reluctant to return back empty handed with few grains. In order to convince Lassu, the saint by showing his transcendental power, ordered to open the basket , he was surprised to see an alive lamb instead of heap of bone. Even then Lassu was not convinced , then saint categorically , told Lassu that he himself is none but Vasuki Nag from Gatha Bhadarwah and want to help him. In order to prove the veracity and for the purposes of authentication, Naga Raja put some ashes in the form of bhabhuti in his hand and told Lassu that he himself will visit his home at Ghar Katyas. Spread this ash in your house and lose all the doors and the next day you will see my foot prints in your home, with these words the saint manifested in the from of a serpent and then dematerialized himself in the vast ocean of time and space.
Reluctantly, but helplessly and with some confidence, Lassu returned back to his home. When his wife saw him returning empty handed, she got furious . But he told her the whole story and then acted as directed by the saint ( Naga raja). He was surprised to see the foot prints in the house . All the maize containers were full of maize. After then Lassu installed tri pronged (Trident) iron rod symbolizing the Naga Raja at Ghar and started worshipping it. By the time fame spread throughout the other villages, people started worshipping Raja Vasuki.
Lassu was a true disciple of Raja Vasuki and was a staunch devotee. From that day on word Lassu used to converse with Raja Vasuki in trance and his blessing helped him for helping the poor, fulfilling their wishes and curing the diseased person. On the direction of Raja Vasuki he constructed Temple (Sia) at SERI (Dudu). During the days of Lassu, people used to make a pilgrimage to seri from katyas.
It is wonderful and fascinating to narrate hear that when Lassu died , people put his dead body on pyre and lit the pyre. But alas! Stray clouds gathered above the pyre and started down pouring heavily and extinguished the fire completely. It was tried trice but all in vain.Then a voice came from the sky, and said “Shri Lassu my discipale and devotee, bring his dead body to seri and instead of consigning him to flame burry his dead body near my temple at Seri. People did so. The grave of Lassu is situated near the holy temple of Raja vasuki at Dudu. With the passage of time many geographical change have taken place in the grave and around it, but one can distinguish it clearly. It seems really a heap of clay with some stone on it. But the stone has been put on the grave or Samadhi later on to distinguish it.
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