Reliving Mahabharat Era: A Temple Built by Pandavs. Kileshwar Mahadev Temple

Reliving Mahabharat Era: A Temple Built by Pandavs.

Kileshwar Mahadev Temple

The remote Kileshwar Mahadev Temple nestled amidst foothills and forests acts like a tranquil balm on a troubled mind. It is about 91.1 km from Jamnagar city, via Jamnagar-Lalpur road, passing through Naghedi, Motikhavdi, Khambaliya and finally Kileshwar.

Since we started from Motikhavdi we had the advantage of a shortened route because Kileshwar is 50 km away from Motikhavdi. After completing the entire road encompassing the refinery, the outskirts, the labor colony, we came across quite a number of villages in Khambaliya Taluka.  Narrow roads with dense greenery on either side heralded the approaching of a village. Sometimes the road was so narrow that our vehicle had to step aside to allow a lorry to pass. The first village (that we came across) was small, with few houses and a bridge over a rivulet. The village in fact would appear beautiful in the monsoons but perhaps it would be isolated because of the low bridge. Even in winter the water was just below the bridge ; so in the monsoons the water might be flowing over it, thus making it inaccessible.  Towards the shore large rocks lay scattered hither and thither , rearing their peaks through the receding water. On those rocks sat a large group of sarus cranes and black herons, basking in the sun. That pretty village was very clean and that was in 2009, when Shri Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, before his 2014 launch of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) as a Prime Minister.

Then we came to another village with another water-kissed bridge over a stream. During heavy rains in the monsoon months this road might be out of bounds.

We reached the highway and came across one more bridge spanning a dry brook, full of boulders. In the monsoon this would be another precariously, beautiful scene when water would flow over it in torrents. And then we reached Lalpur Town .The houses are in a straight line, starting right from the road, with no plastic packets scattered around or stuck in the vegetation or floating in the water of drains. The road was narrow but the signboards proclaimed that it was a self-sufficient town. A village market (Haat) was going on. We noticed bus stations, ATMs, hotels, restaurants and a couple of guest houses in Lalpur. Shopping complexes, hospitals, petrol pumps, schools were also holding pride of place. Lalpur Jam Railway Station falls under Western Railway Zone; and Saurashtra Express, Howrah-Porbandar Superfast Express, Porbandar-Delhi Sarai Rohilla Express stop here. Lalpur is just about 34 km away from Govardhanpur Airport (Jamnagar airport) and takes approximately 38 minutes by road.

 Then we reached Bhanvad in Jamnagar district which is 18 km away from Kileshwar. Finally, we reached the entrance gate of Kileshwar. There is an admission fee at the gate. Ordinary cars, sedans, luxury cars are a big no, no. Only SUVs or hardy vehicles can travel through the last 10 km of this rocky road. Fuel tank must be full, tires in good condition, spare tire (Stepney) in top order because nothing will be available in this stretch.  The road is rocky by every imaginable standard. The rocks are small in some areas and big in others. The bumpy road is bounded by desert shrubs and medium height bushes. Barda hills, which we had witnessed from afar on our journey, seemed very near now. No public vehicle is available in this stretch. In fact, while we were returning from Kileshwar, a group of youth hitch-hiked in our Sumo.

The Camel and the Rocky Road

Except for a lone camel there was no other living being on that road.  We crossed two bridges spanning mountain brooks. The trees growing on the shore of those rivulets were of a peculiar shape, as if they were about to fall in the water but one of their roots had caught tenaciously to the soil thus preventing their descent. So the trees looked a little above the water and in very healthy condition.

Lotus-Filled Stream and the Descending Tree  

As we are about 2 km away from the temple we came across a village of just a handful of hutments. And then we entered the temple premises through the high regal gates. According to legend, Kileshwar Mahadev Temple was constructed by the Pandavs when they stayed there during their Vanvas (exile). This might have been a good place of seclusion for the Pandavs because even in the 21^st century it is quite isolated, bounded by the green Barda hills, dense forests, brooks and streams. 
The Shiv temple is situated on a raised platform and it is quite small. The architecture is Hindu temple architecture with semi-circular arches at the entrance of the sanctum and a tower-like dome or Shikhara on the topmost part ,just above the inner sanctum, the garbhagriha (where the primary Murti or the deity sits in a simple bare cell) . A Matka Kalash (pitcher-shaped pot)is used to top the  Shikhara. Near this main temple, there are other very small temples situated on a raised level.   There are no pestering pandas (pseudo priests) or beggars. So the pilgrims can offer their prayers to Kileshwar Mahadev peacefully. On one side of the temple is a high wall which is out of bounds because the private chambers of the king are beyond it. The titular king of Jamnagar, Jam Sahib, frequents this place because the temple is under his royal patronage. 
A historical inscription mentions that the temple was built  by the 'Pandayvas' 4000 years ago. Due to the constant change in the ruling dynasties of Kathawar and especially the kings of Ghumli, the place suffered neglect and 'Mahomedan depredations'. But it was restored by 'His Highness Maharaja Dheraj Jam Shri Ranjit Singhji Bahadur' of Jamnagar royalty. Some sources say that His Highness Jam Sahib wanted a darshan of a local saint, Pujya Shri Trikamji Bapu. But Bapu denied him the meeting. So Jam Sahib instructed his soldiers to lock him up in Kileshwar Mahadev Mandir. After five days, Jam Sahib went to have his darshan  , but when he opened the temple doors he found out that Bapu had escaped and there was only a tiger skin asan left behind and a sweet fragrance floating in the air. It is claimed that Jam Sahib  Ranjit Singhji never managed to get Bapu's 'darshan'  (source: www.trikamjibapu.com).   
Photography is not allowed inside the temple premises. 

Kileshwar Mahadev Temple (Courtesy:jamnargar.org)

Shiva Lingam, the Reigning Deity (Courtesy: jamnagar.org)

Around the temple complex there are other structures, so that the entire area runs into several acres. There is an ancient water reservoir called Revati Kund which is a bathing place for sightseers. A huge kitchen is also noticeable. There is a gigantic, ancient banyan tree called Ravan Tree.  The existing Havan Kund was said to be used by the second Pandav, Bhim for performing Yajna (Hindu Vedic ritual) but now it is used as a bird feeder. Exotic birds come to feed on the grains scattered there. There is also an ancient well.

Revati Kund

Havan Kund

Asian Paradise Flycatcher, a frequent visitor at the Bird Feeder (Photo: S.K. Sur)

Subsidiary Structures at the Complex

Peace and Contentment under Age-Old Trees

During the month of Shravan (July-August), about 2,500 to 5000 people from Jamnagar, Porbandar and Rajkot visit this place to worship Lord Shiva, the reigning deity of Kileshwar Mahadev Temple. It is also famous as a picnic spot because the place is idyllic with the calm, pellucid waters, huge trees and the Barda Hills standing as tutelage. Trekking is another option here in the company of silent forests, immobile hills, trills and cheeps of birds, susurration of the clean breeze, rustling streams and absolute solitude.      

Hills, Forests, Brook, Bridge and Perfect Desolation 

Photographs:  Bulbul Sur.


Tags: Kileshwar Mahadev, Pandavs, Jamnagar, Lalpur, Barda Hills, Trikamji Bapu, Jam Sahib

Photographs: Bulbul Sur