REMINISCENCE OF RELIGIOUS RITUALS
The residents of the village are laborious, hardworking, co-operative, helpful and of course, religious and shy in nature. Regular bhajan-kirtan, pooja-path,dan-punya, fasting on pious days indicate their deep routed belief in gods. Present day celebration of Maha Shivratri Mela used to be the biggest annual worship ritual of the village.
The Mandir is situated on the bank of Chikly Jabbar amidst lush green cluster of wild bushes, Simble, Amla, Reetha, Saru, Bamboo and different types of fruit bearing trees. This Mandir was constructed in a phased manner by Late Shri Shiva Nand Ji Maharaj, a sadhu baba of sturdy built, who belonged to Udasi Panth of sadhus.
The legend has it that Shiva Nand Ji Maharaj happened to pass through this place while on a journey to an unidentified and indefinite destination. Some say that he was so impressed by the beauty, solitude and environs around, that he decided to break his onward journey for some time. One fine day, to his pleasant surprise, he discovered the presence of several miniature natural shivlingams taking shape in a small cave, covered by the wild foliage.
The Mandir is situated on the bank of Chikly Jabbar amidst lush green cluster of wild bushes, Simble, Amla, Reetha, Saru, Bamboo and different types of fruit bearing trees. This Mandir was constructed in a phased manner by Late Shri Shiva Nand Ji Maharaj, a sadhu baba of sturdy built, who belonged to Udasi Panth of sadhus.
The legend has it that Shiva Nand Ji Maharaj happened to pass through this place while on a journey to an unidentified and indefinite destination. Some say that he was so impressed by the beauty, solitude and environs around, that he decided to break his onward journey for some time. One fine day, to his pleasant surprise, he discovered the presence of several miniature natural shivlingams taking shape in a small cave, covered by the wild foliage.
He was still more impressed and bent down on his knees. This led him to think seriously to stay on and construct a makeshift temple until the present Trilokinath Temple was finally constructed by him with the help of locals, a century ago. Settings of fountains, water channels and the storage tanks, indoor baths, finely laid out floors with colourful and designer ceramic and sang-e-mar mar tiles embedded with silver coins, construction of geometrical domes plastered white with home made chuna mixtures prepared under the direct supervision of Baba, strongly support the version of some of the elders that Baba was an Ex-Civil Engineer by profession and also a renowned homeopath. Colourful images of gods, birds and depiction of salokas and hymns from Holy Gita and Vedas in the interiors of domes and walls of the temple was definitely a work of excellence!
The Baba was so popular and famous among the people of the area, not to talk of elders alone, that he even called many children by their first name. He developed and nurtured the mandir complex so well that people, animals and birds alike were attracted to it for all these years.
A large quantity of pure, rich golden honey used to be harvested in the mandir gardens. Milk was available aplenty as Mandir Gaushala had a number of cows. Rooms were available for overnight stay of visitors and food was served at no cost.
It was used to be breathtaking nazaara when Amaltash, Yellow Rose Gul Mohar, Marigold, Bougainvillea, Yellow Rose and Lotus were used to be in full bloom. Parrots on fruit tree tops, bats hanging upside down on Peepal tree and bunch of ducklings quacking around in the complex, chirping sound of different species of birds gave an impression of a mini bird sanctuary. Peacocks used to roam about freely in the complex without any fear while pairs of squirrels chasing one another on the floors of temple court yard was a source of fun for the tiny-tots.
Students could be seen studying in this peaceful and undisturbed environment. Apart from local Aloo Bukhara, Kela, Desi mangoes, Leechi, Papaya, Orange, Lemon, Anjheer, Shehtoot, Badam, Phakure, Lugat, Peaches, Ber, special Bambai Amb, Langra Amb, Allahabadi Seedless Amrood, Afgani Angoor, and Kandhari Anaar were some of the mouthwatering fruits available seasonally in the mandir orchards.
Prayer bells and sound of conch in the wee hours and evenings where lots of devotees, young and old, used to take part in mass prayers reminded the people constantly of the omnipresence of the Almighty! Jagran on the previous night of the mela was being attended by all including women and children in their best and colorful attire. Devotees, folk singers, dancers and musicians from far and wide were being invited well in advance to perform at the night of Jagran of the year. They sang bhajans and classical songs praising God at their best supported by various kinds of musical instruments like Tabla, Harmonium, Mridang, Ghatak, Dholak, Taashe and Chimta by reputed musicians and dancers who kept the people awake and spellbound until early morning.
Community Langar (Jag) on the following day was used to be a big event involving lots of efforts by one and all for days together. People from all walks of life and hailing from far-flung areas who had deep faith in Baba, took collective responsibility and managed this great feast of Dal-Bhat-Mahni right from dawn to dusk. For preparation of food on such a large scale where countless and unexpected number of people would eat from mid day till late evening, it required systematic planning and meticulous arrangements at each stage by an appointed committee of prominent residents.
At lease three well known and expert Rasoias (Cooks) along with some trained helpers were required to be booked in advance for preparation of Rasoi. As it being customary in those days, Chief Rasoia would draw a line of flour around the area of improvised shed meant for preparation of food so that no one could trespass the area and spoil its sanctity.
Various types of utensils and pots, big and small, including about thirty to forty deghs (Baltohis), Karatas and required number of other necessary utility items needed for cooking rice, Dal, curry, Mahani and Madhra, number of buckets, karchhies, glasses, tumblers and drums for storage of drinking water which were catered to by the Sabhas of the village and also by the individual household.
Rations and condiments were used to be cleaned and sifted manually by volunteer ladies few days earlier and kept ready for use. Provision of large quantities of Pattals and Donas made of green and big sized double flapped leaves of a creeper plant called Taur stocking of dry firewood was to be completed well before a week from the D Day to avoid last minute Afra-Tafri
Being a community affair, number of residents, guests and school children offered themselves for voluntary help for serving food and oversee devotees/visitors coming in and going out of the mandir complex on Jag Day. Inspite of great rush, no body returned hungry and unserved and still large quantities of cooked food was left unconsumed. This was believed to be the Almighty's miracle!
The earlier pomp, show and glitter of this Shiva Temple has, however, been faded away due to land slide of huge magnitude from the over-hanging hillock that washed away a major portion of the temple a few years back. However, joint efforts by the residents of Ladori, particularly by writer's brother, Pushkar Raj Sharma (Raju Bhai), Karam Chand Sharma, Chaman Lal Sharma, Jagdish Chand Sharma, Baldev Singh Pathania, Gulshan Pathania and others, made to reconstruct the damaged portions as well as to make new additions in the temple, in order to protect the village heritage and to restore its past look and grandeur, are appreciable.
Since the cave of natural miniature shivlingams has completely been washed away and destroyed in the avalanche, the original charm and attraction of Trilokinath Temple could not be restored. However, all out efforts are being made to do the needful by having 'Shiv Parivar' installed at a prominent place in the temple complex.
A small additional effort in the betterment of the temple made by writer's brother Rakesh Sharma lately, calls for clapping and be taken as a beginning!
The Baba was so popular and famous among the people of the area, not to talk of elders alone, that he even called many children by their first name. He developed and nurtured the mandir complex so well that people, animals and birds alike were attracted to it for all these years.
A large quantity of pure, rich golden honey used to be harvested in the mandir gardens. Milk was available aplenty as Mandir Gaushala had a number of cows. Rooms were available for overnight stay of visitors and food was served at no cost.
It was used to be breathtaking nazaara when Amaltash, Yellow Rose Gul Mohar, Marigold, Bougainvillea, Yellow Rose and Lotus were used to be in full bloom. Parrots on fruit tree tops, bats hanging upside down on Peepal tree and bunch of ducklings quacking around in the complex, chirping sound of different species of birds gave an impression of a mini bird sanctuary. Peacocks used to roam about freely in the complex without any fear while pairs of squirrels chasing one another on the floors of temple court yard was a source of fun for the tiny-tots.
Students could be seen studying in this peaceful and undisturbed environment. Apart from local Aloo Bukhara, Kela, Desi mangoes, Leechi, Papaya, Orange, Lemon, Anjheer, Shehtoot, Badam, Phakure, Lugat, Peaches, Ber, special Bambai Amb, Langra Amb, Allahabadi Seedless Amrood, Afgani Angoor, and Kandhari Anaar were some of the mouthwatering fruits available seasonally in the mandir orchards.
Prayer bells and sound of conch in the wee hours and evenings where lots of devotees, young and old, used to take part in mass prayers reminded the people constantly of the omnipresence of the Almighty! Jagran on the previous night of the mela was being attended by all including women and children in their best and colorful attire. Devotees, folk singers, dancers and musicians from far and wide were being invited well in advance to perform at the night of Jagran of the year. They sang bhajans and classical songs praising God at their best supported by various kinds of musical instruments like Tabla, Harmonium, Mridang, Ghatak, Dholak, Taashe and Chimta by reputed musicians and dancers who kept the people awake and spellbound until early morning.
Community Langar (Jag) on the following day was used to be a big event involving lots of efforts by one and all for days together. People from all walks of life and hailing from far-flung areas who had deep faith in Baba, took collective responsibility and managed this great feast of Dal-Bhat-Mahni right from dawn to dusk. For preparation of food on such a large scale where countless and unexpected number of people would eat from mid day till late evening, it required systematic planning and meticulous arrangements at each stage by an appointed committee of prominent residents.
At lease three well known and expert Rasoias (Cooks) along with some trained helpers were required to be booked in advance for preparation of Rasoi. As it being customary in those days, Chief Rasoia would draw a line of flour around the area of improvised shed meant for preparation of food so that no one could trespass the area and spoil its sanctity.
Various types of utensils and pots, big and small, including about thirty to forty deghs (Baltohis), Karatas and required number of other necessary utility items needed for cooking rice, Dal, curry, Mahani and Madhra, number of buckets, karchhies, glasses, tumblers and drums for storage of drinking water which were catered to by the Sabhas of the village and also by the individual household.
Rations and condiments were used to be cleaned and sifted manually by volunteer ladies few days earlier and kept ready for use. Provision of large quantities of Pattals and Donas made of green and big sized double flapped leaves of a creeper plant called Taur stocking of dry firewood was to be completed well before a week from the D Day to avoid last minute Afra-Tafri
Being a community affair, number of residents, guests and school children offered themselves for voluntary help for serving food and oversee devotees/visitors coming in and going out of the mandir complex on Jag Day. Inspite of great rush, no body returned hungry and unserved and still large quantities of cooked food was left unconsumed. This was believed to be the Almighty's miracle!
The earlier pomp, show and glitter of this Shiva Temple has, however, been faded away due to land slide of huge magnitude from the over-hanging hillock that washed away a major portion of the temple a few years back. However, joint efforts by the residents of Ladori, particularly by writer's brother, Pushkar Raj Sharma (Raju Bhai), Karam Chand Sharma, Chaman Lal Sharma, Jagdish Chand Sharma, Baldev Singh Pathania, Gulshan Pathania and others, made to reconstruct the damaged portions as well as to make new additions in the temple, in order to protect the village heritage and to restore its past look and grandeur, are appreciable.
Since the cave of natural miniature shivlingams has completely been washed away and destroyed in the avalanche, the original charm and attraction of Trilokinath Temple could not be restored. However, all out efforts are being made to do the needful by having 'Shiv Parivar' installed at a prominent place in the temple complex.
A small additional effort in the betterment of the temple made by writer's brother Rakesh Sharma lately, calls for clapping and be taken as a beginning!
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