Why Do Jaspur and Gweel not Having Devi Temple ?

Bhishma Kukreti 

Jaspur , Malaa Dhangu is the original village of all Kukretis. Kukretis allover Garhwal migrated from Jaspur

Gweel is another village which, was part of Jaspur long back but not now. Till Padahans were responsible for collecting taxes on behalf of government, Padhan of Gweel (last Padhan was late Shri Ambadatt of Kwathbhitar Gweel) used to collect taxes from Gweel, Jaspur, Saud, Badyaun villages as all villages were part of Jaspur. Gweel means to milk the caw and Jaspurwales had Gausalas in Gweel before elder grand pa settled there.

The Kuldevta of Kukretis of Jaspur /Gweel is Gwill and Kuldevi was Devi. There are two Shivalaya temples (One in Gweel and other in Shivala beneath Jaspur near Badyoun) , Nagraja and Gwill temples each are there in Gweel and Jaspur but surprisingly no Devi temple is there either in Jaspur or Gweel. If you look at other villages of Kukreti , you will find Devii temple in each villages viz-Kathud Malla Dhangu, Gatkot Malla Dhangu, Khaman Malla Dhangu (now Dabralsyun) , Barsudi -Langur, Dyusi , Manyarsyun, Gheedi Banelsyun, Khyada, and other villages inUday pur, Masan in Tihri Garhwal , near on the road of Vyasi -Devprayag .

The question is obvious why there is no Devi temple in Jaspur and Gweel built by Kukretis ?

From my childhood I was more curious than my same aged children in asking so called awkward questions to elders. Elders feel irritated by my questions except my Tau ji late Shri Baldev Prasad, another tau ji (my father’s cosine late Shri Murlidhar Prasad Kukreti and badi dadi ji (my fathers aunt)

Badi dadi ji Kunwari Devi told me the tale

Long back , when even Gweel village was not established we Jaspur wale had a Devi temple.

Long back (dadi used to tell besiyon barsat phle ) Due to unknown reason, one brother ( just we will say- Barsud Ji ) had to migrate ten twelve miles away in east of Jaspur in Barsudi (langur Patti ) from Jaspur. After settling in Barsudi village the man felt restlessness, In night he could not sleep well, in day time he could not work properly. He never felt this type of uneasiness in his life.

One night, Barsud ji saw Devi in his dream and sweepingly Devi told Barsud ji that she can not live without devotee as Barsud ji . Devi told Barsud ji that she is always remembering him. Devi appeared on daily basis in the dream of Barsud ji and pleaded to take her from Jaspur to Barsudi.

By seeing dream Devi on daily basis and pleading of Devi inspired Barsud ji to take some actions.

One night, he and his family members decided to take idols and related items from Devi temple of Jaspur and establish Devi temple in Barsudi. On the same night, Barsud ji along with family members came to Jaspur, took away the Devi idol and related items of Devi temple. Next day, Barsud ji and family members built a Devi temple and through necessary ceremonial acts established Devi Idol into the temple.

When, next morning Jaspurwale (usually it is said GweelJaspur wal ) saw that there is a theft of Idol and other related items from Devi (Kuldevi mandir) they became worried. However, after some time, Jaspur wale came to know truth that Devi had been shifted to Barsud.

Here, there many views ----

First is that Jaspur wale became furious (as we become furious with our mother) with Goddess mother Devi that how come she can leave we Jaspurwale devotees! That is why Jaspurwale did not do anything and now there is no sign of Devi temple in Jaspur/Gweel area

Another view is that since Devi wanted to go Barsudi , Jaspurwale thought if Devi is happy there we shall not put another idol and let it be as it is and this way Devi temple ruined .

The practical fact was made me understand by Pundit Rameshwar Kukreti of Dysi that for establishing any Kuldevi temple you have to have some linking items from the original temple of original temple. For example, when the temple of Kathud Malla Dhangu might have established , Kathud wale might have taken one item from Devi temple of Jaspur as linkage of Kuldevi of Kukreti Jat./community. The inhibitant of Khyada might have taken items from jaspur Devi temple to establish Kuldevi temple. Dyusi fellows took one or two items from Barsudi Devi templeto establish Kuldevi temple in Dyusi .

Since, Jaspur was original village of Kukreti and Kuldevi was established here only , now it was not possible to take items from other Devi temples of Kukreti because items should come from originating temple and by Shashtra it is wrong to take items from temple of migrated village Devi temple (matlab devi ko Vapas nahi Laya ja sakta hai )

That is the reason that there is no Devi temple of Kukretis in Jaspur-Gweel. And devi puja is performed either in Shivala Gweel or Shivala of shivala Badyun

A few years back, Pundit Saty Prasad Bahuguna Guruji of Jaspur built a Devi temple in Binjara (territory of Gweel but near to village Jaspur

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti , 2010