THE MYSTERIOUS LORD GANESH TEMPLE

 

THE MYSTERIOUS LORD GANESH TEMPLE

 

Lord Ganesh - Hindu god of beginnings, who is traditionally worshipped before any major enterprise. There are a number of Ganesha temples all over India, but imagine a small, mysterious tope located atop a hill in the middle of a dense forest. Such a temple exists in reality on a mountain called dholkal in Dantewada district, about 350 km from Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It is located at a height of 3000 ft from sea level, and had remained hidden for centuries until it was rediscovered by an archaeologist in 2012! This place was first discovered by an English Gaelist Krukshank in 1934. After that all forgot about this idol but in 2012, two journalists Bapi Rai and Hemant Kashyap rediscovered it during their trek.

According to mythological beliefs associated with this temple, and as per the locals’ belief there was a war between Lord Ganesha and Parashurama on this hill. In this war, one tooth of Ganesha was broken due to Parashuram ji's ax, due to which he was called Ekadanta. This was a aggressive battle in which Parashurama attacked Ganesha with his farsa or axe. That’s how the village located at the base of the hill came to be called Farsapal. As for who won the battle between the two personalities, it is still a mystery.

In memory of the battle between Parashurama and Ganesha, the kings of Chindak Nagvanshi dynasty set a stone idol of Lord Ganesha at the hilltop in the 11th century. . Located 13 km from the district headquarters Dantewada, this beautiful place is a paradise for nature lovers who love trekking among the lush green hills. The 2.5 to 3 ft idol has been carved in the shape of a dholak, a musical instrument commonly used in classical music; hence, the hill has been named dholkal. The idol depicts Ganesha seated in his typical lalitasana or playful and easygoing posture. The local inhabitants worship the idol of Ganesha throughout the year, and a special fair is held at this site in the month of Magha, between January-February.

One must visit this place to see this unique Lord Ganesh idol with an amazing trek to enjoy the paradise of nature.