Travel
Sites Visit
Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh in South
India, Delhi, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh in North India, Assam, Bengal,
Sikkim in East India |
Overseas
Tourist Offices
Tourist
offices in India Helpline
| |
Religion Back
To Index Page
Devotees
converge at Banderwah in Kashmir for serpent worship
by Tahir Nadim Khan Doda
(Jammu and Kashmir): Thousands of devotees are visiting the Subar Nag (serpentine
divinity) temple at Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, as part of
an annual pilgrimage. Since thousands of years, people here celebrate the Nag
festival with fervour and gaiety. The Nag festival is considered to be very sacred
and auspicious by the locals. Tourists come here from across the country to witness
the festival. "The Yatra (pilgrimage) has been going on for over thousands of
years. People are so devoted that whenever any calamity affects this area, right
from Rajputs, Brahmins, Dalits (socially backward community) and even the Muslims
undertake this pilgrimage since they have immense faith in it," says Bodh Raj,
a devotee. Even though the temple is atop a hill, the enthusiasm of the devotees
is not deterred in any manner. It is widely believed that the desires of the devotees
are fulfilled by the Nag (serpent) Lord. "I have been staying in Gujarat, but
I have specially come here to participate in this Yatra (pilgrimage). It is a
very old temple. The prayers and wishes of the devotees are fulfilled, and many
people have come here from other states as well," said Omesh Sharma, a devotee
from Gujarat. Once their wishes are fulfilled, the devotees come back to pay homage.
-Apr 18, 2009
|
|