MANDIR KALYANRAI
Maharaja Jagat Singh of Nurpur Kingdom was better known, amongst other things, for his religious nature and love for building and patronizing temples in his kingdom. Apart from Brij Raj Temple at Nurpur, one such temple in village Khajjan, Tehsil Nurpur, has an interesting tale to tell.
It is said that an ashatdhatu black image of Kalyanrai (Bansiwale) was being carried in a palanquin from Rajasthan for placement in a newly built up temple at Taragarh in Chamba. When the palanquin bearers reached village Khajjan, they suddenly felt that the palanquin became heavier and that they found themselves unable to hold it any longer. Eventually, they had to shout for an additional support but in vain. The palanquin had to be immediately lowered and put down on the ground which could never be lifted again. Yes, it was without any doubt that Kalyanrai had chosen His home at Khajjan. Khajjan is situated about three kilometers down northeast of Nurpur-Khajjan-Hindora Gharat-Sadwan-Suliali road. On the orders of Maharaja Jagat Singh, who visited the place personally, a makeshift temple was erected nearby and the image of Kalyanrai placed in it.
The land where the palanquin laid stuck belonged to a poor Khajuria brahmin family who were later made the custodian and Pujari of the temple by an order of Raj Darbar. Though the temple was slowly improved in the following years by the Pujari, it could not be constructed pucca for many years as a result of demise of the Maharaja.
One of the ministers of the then Maharaja of Chamba who belonged to Soga family of Nurpur, is said to have fallen in love with one of the princesses. When Maharaja came to know about this, he became furious with anger because the Minister was not a rajput and belonged to bania community. He was ordered to be executed before dawn next morning. The minister felt helpless as none could come to his rescue at the time of distress. As he always used to pay his reverence at Kalyanrai Temple while enroute to and from Nurpur, he remembered Kalyanrai as a last resort and prayed for his life. He said, "If he escaped from the clutches of Maharaja of Chamba, he would construct pucca Kalyanrai Temple at Khajjan". With the help of some of his well wishers inside the palace, he got few guards bribed who in turn, let the minister escape from the Karagaar. The Minister then collected gold coins and jewels and was out of the boundaries of Chamba before dawn.
On reaching home safe,after hiding for quite some time, the minister had the Kalyanrai Temple constructed at its present location and also gave two shops located in Nurpur bazar to the temple in order to have some source of income to the Pujari.
It is said that an ashatdhatu black image of Kalyanrai (Bansiwale) was being carried in a palanquin from Rajasthan for placement in a newly built up temple at Taragarh in Chamba. When the palanquin bearers reached village Khajjan, they suddenly felt that the palanquin became heavier and that they found themselves unable to hold it any longer. Eventually, they had to shout for an additional support but in vain. The palanquin had to be immediately lowered and put down on the ground which could never be lifted again. Yes, it was without any doubt that Kalyanrai had chosen His home at Khajjan. Khajjan is situated about three kilometers down northeast of Nurpur-Khajjan-Hindora Gharat-Sadwan-Suliali road. On the orders of Maharaja Jagat Singh, who visited the place personally, a makeshift temple was erected nearby and the image of Kalyanrai placed in it.
The land where the palanquin laid stuck belonged to a poor Khajuria brahmin family who were later made the custodian and Pujari of the temple by an order of Raj Darbar. Though the temple was slowly improved in the following years by the Pujari, it could not be constructed pucca for many years as a result of demise of the Maharaja.
One of the ministers of the then Maharaja of Chamba who belonged to Soga family of Nurpur, is said to have fallen in love with one of the princesses. When Maharaja came to know about this, he became furious with anger because the Minister was not a rajput and belonged to bania community. He was ordered to be executed before dawn next morning. The minister felt helpless as none could come to his rescue at the time of distress. As he always used to pay his reverence at Kalyanrai Temple while enroute to and from Nurpur, he remembered Kalyanrai as a last resort and prayed for his life. He said, "If he escaped from the clutches of Maharaja of Chamba, he would construct pucca Kalyanrai Temple at Khajjan". With the help of some of his well wishers inside the palace, he got few guards bribed who in turn, let the minister escape from the Karagaar. The Minister then collected gold coins and jewels and was out of the boundaries of Chamba before dawn.
On reaching home safe,after hiding for quite some time, the minister had the Kalyanrai Temple constructed at its present location and also gave two shops located in Nurpur bazar to the temple in order to have some source of income to the Pujari.
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