Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar) - Part 115

   Early Medieval   Asian History of Katyuri Imperialism of Kartikeyapur in Kumaon, Garhwal and Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) -26

          (Early Asian Medieval History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar, Doti Nepal (Uttarakhand, India))

                          (Early Asian Medieval History (740-1100 AD)

                                              By: Bhishma Kukreti

         Ritual Practices in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

       

              Katyuri Kings of Kartikeyapur donated lands for various temples. The Kings had cabinet minister for Temple Management in their kingdoms. The land was used for getting income for temples. The temple income was used for perfumes, dhup, lighting, flowers, paste, priest and rituals. There were arrangements for music, music instruments, songs and dances.

          There were arrangements by Katyuri Kings for Lady Dancers (Dev Dasi) in temple as Gopeshwar, Kedarnath, Tungnath, Katarmal,. The land was reserved for lady dancers and their families.

         There was custom of animal sacrificing and gifts of cereals and fruits to deities of temples. The Havan custom was very much there in temple.

           

                 Pilgrim Tourism in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

A-Major Pilgrim Tourist Places in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

          The Badrikashram, Bhrigupanth, and Kedarashram were major pilgrim tourist place and in between from Haridwar (Gangadwar)  Badrikashram, Bhrigupanth, and Kedarashram and from Kashipur or Bhabar of present Kumaon to Badrikashram, Bhrigupanth, and Kedarashram there were tens of pilgrim places in Uttarakhand of Katyuri kings of medieval period.

      B-Major Pilgrim Tour Routes of Uttarakhand of Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

           The following two major pilgrim tour routs were there in Katyuri Kingdom.

1-Haridwar (Gangadwar) –Devprayag- Shrinagar or Shriyantra Nagar Piligrim Tour Rout

2-Bhabar –Jageshwar- Adi Badri- Simli. Joshimath, Tapovan pilgrim tour rout.

Gopeshwar was base for Kedarnath pilgrim rout.

Joshimath was base place or camp for Badrinath pilgrim tour.

Places as Bhrigupanth, Kedar, Gopeshwar were centers for Shaivya believers (Shiva worshippers).

Other pilgrim places were famous for Vaishanavs.

Shakt had Siddhpeeths in Mayavati (Haridwar), Hrisikesh(Rishikesh), and Badrikashram.

 Siddha and Nath sect sages had major centre at Gaurikund.

  Therefore, it is obvious that the believers of Shaivya, Vaishanva, Shakt and Nath sects from all over India including Cambodia, Thailand and Burma had strong attractions for pilgrim places of Uttarakhand of Katyuri period. The inscriptions of Jageshwar suggest that Indians were eager to visit pilgrim places of Uttarakhand in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period.

 Lakhamandal excavation and Veerbhadra excavations also prove that these regions had religious or pilgrimage importance.

 C- Writing Pilgrim names on Walls of Pilgrim temples Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

Period

    

          The temple inscriptions of Dev Prayag, Jageshwar, Gopeshwar witness that the pilgrims used to write their names on walls temples as witness that they visited pilgrim places.

     D- Proxy Pilgrim Visitors in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period

                 The people had strong desire for visiting religious places of Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval period.

  In case, any person (Darshnarthi) was unable for visiting such religious places of Uttarakhand he used to send a proxy-pilgrim in his place. Such proxy-devotee was called ‘Pakspat’. The Darshanarthi used to pay all expenses of ‘Pakshpat’. It was believed that the Darshnarthi used to get all virtuous benefits by pilgrim place visit of his or her ‘Pakshpat’. The deities were also informed by rituals that Darshnarthi is real benefice of visit by ‘Pakshpat’.

‘Pakshpat’ used to write names of Darshnarthi and name of Pakshpat on the walls of temples.   

             E- Religious Story Teller (Kthavachak) in Pilgrim Tour of Uttarakhand

           The pilgrim parties used to take religious story teller with them. The religious story tellers used to tell religious stories and preaching at staying places Chatti. The pilgrim tourists used to take necessary materials with them.

           Jageshwar temple inscription mentions about   a Religious Story Teller –Bateshwar and devotee Jajjat.  

                Women pilgrim tourists were very less due to difficult rout in Uttarakhand.    

              F- Suicide by People in specific Religious Tour Rout

               The Jageshwar inscriptions suggest that there was custom in certain sects especially Shaivya that by dyeing at religious place, the person used get heaven. These high shrines were Bhrigupanth and Nanda Devi hill shrine where sages used to fall down to die.   

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti -bckukreti@gmail.com 4/8/2013

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

                           

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -116

Early Asian Medieval History of Katyuri Dynasty in Kumaon, Garhwal and Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued…27

        (Oriental Early Medieval History (740-1100 AD to be continued…)

Notes on Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Pithoragarh in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Champawat in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Bageshwar in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Nainital  in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Almora in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Udham Singh Nagar in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Pauri Garhwal in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Tehri Garhwal in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Uttarkashi in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Chamoli Garhwal in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Rudraprayag in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Haridwar in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period; Ritual Practices, Pilgrim Tourism of Dehradun in Katyuri Kingdom of Asian Medieval Period;