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Kankhal is a small colony in
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
A study of Kankhal
/ref> in the
Haridwar district Haridwar district () also spelled as ''Hardwar'' is a district in Garhwal which is a part of Uttarakhand, India. It is headquartered at Haridwar which is also its largest city. The district is ringed by the districts Dehradun in the north and ...
of
Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Mentioned in the
Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' ( sa, वायुपुराण, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to pr ...
and the
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
as ''Kanakhala'',Vishnu Purana
Sacrifice of Daksha (From the
Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' ( sa, वायुपुराण, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to pr ...
.) The Vishnu Purana, translated by
Horace Hayman Wilson Horace Hayman Wilson (26 September 1786 – 8 May 1860) was an English orientalist who was elected the first Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University. Life He studied medicine at St Thomas's Hospital, and went out to India in 1808 as as ...
, 1840. p. 62, "In former times, Daksha commenced a holy sacrifice on the side of Himaván, at the sacred spot ''Gangadwara'', frequented by the
Rishi ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
s. The gods, desirous of assisting at this solemn rite, came, with Indra at their head, to
Mahadeva Mahadeva may refer to: Religion *Mahadeva, a title of the Hindu god Shiva ** Parashiva, a form of Shiva ** Parameshwara (god), a form of Shiva *Para Brahman, a Hindu deity *Adi-Buddha, in Buddhism, the "First Buddha" or the "Primordial Buddha" *M ...
, and intimated their purpose; and having received his permission, departed in their splendid chariots to ''Gangadwára'', as tradition eports.” 62:2 ''Gangadwára'', the place where the Ganges descends to the plains--or Haridwar, as it is more usually termed--is usually specified as the scene of action, The Linga (Purana) is more precise, calling it ''Kanakhala'', which is the village still called Kankhal, near Haridwar.(''Megha Dúta'', p. 63 p. 59). p. 68 I am called
Virabhadra Virabhadra (), also rendered Veerabhadra, Veerabathira, and Veerabathiran, is a fierce form of the Hindu god Shiva. He is created by the wrath of Shiva, when the deity hurls a lock of his matted hair upon the ground, upon hearing of the self- ...
, the issue of the wrath of
Rudra Rudra (; sa, रुद्र) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the Rigveda, Rudra is praised as the 'mightiest of the mighty'. Rud ...
. ''Bhadrakálí'' also, who has sprung from the anger of
Devi Devī (; Sanskrit: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for 'goddess'; the masculine form is ''deva''. ''Devi'' and ''deva'' mean 'heavenly, divine, anything of excellence', and are also gender-specific terms for a deity in Hinduism. The conce ...
Kankhal is one of 'Panch Tirth' (Five Pilgrimages) within Haridwar, with other spots being ''Gangadwara ''(
Har ki Pauri Har Ki Pauri is a famous ghat on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. This revered place is the major landmark of the holy city of Haridwar. Literally, "Har" means "God", "Ki" means " 's " and "Pauri" means " ...
), ''Kushwart'' (Ghat in Kankhal), ''Bilwa Teerth'' ( Mansa Devi Temple) and ''Neel Parvat'' ( Chandi Devi Temple). It is most known for the
Daksheswara Mahadev Temple Daksheswar Mahadev ( hi, दक्षेश्‍वर महादेव मन्दिर) or Daksha Mahadev temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the town of Kankhal, about 4 km from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. ...
, Maa Anandamoyi Ashram and numerous other ashrams and old houses with exquisite wall paintings built by Hindu pilgrims in the 19th century.


Kankhal in scriptures

Kankhal is mentioned in Mahabharata as follows,


History

Traditionally, Kankhal is considered to be the summer capital and
Kurukshetra Kurukshetra (, ) is a city and administrative headquarter of Kurukshetra district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is also known as Dharmakshetra ("Realm of duty ") and as the "Land of the Bhagavad Gita". Legends According to the Pura ...
the winter capital of
Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
. God Shiva after ascending to the throne visited plain areas, the present
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
. In the ''Vanaparva'' of the
Mahabharat The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
, where sage Dhaumya tells
Yudhishthira ''Yudhishthira'' (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira'') is the eldest among the five Pandava brothers. He is mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata. He was sired by King Pandu of the Kuru Dynasty and his first w ...
about the tirthas of India, Gangadwar, i.e.,
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
and Kankhal, have been referred to. Kankhal also finds mention in the poem Meghaduta (Cloud messenger), of the 3rd century AD, classical
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
poet and dramatist,
Kalidas Kālidāsa (''fl.'' 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata and ...
. When the first Sikh Guru,
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated wor ...
(1469–1539), visited Haridwar in 1504 AD, on the Baisakhi day, he went on to visit Kankhal, en route to
Kotdwara Kotdwar is a city, municipal corporation in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, India. It's just 101 km from Pauri town , the district headquarter. It is the eighth-largest city in Uttarakhand. Its old name was "Khohdwar", which means the ga ...
in
Garhwal Garhwal may refer to the following topics associated with Uttarakhand, India: Places *Garhwal Himalaya, a sub-range of the Himalayas *Garhwal Kingdom, a former kingdom * Garhwal District (British Garhwal), a former district of British India *Gar ...
.Janasakhi
Janamsakhis The Janamsakhis ( pa, ਜਨਮਸਾਖੀ, IAST: ''Janam-sākhī'', ''lit.'' ''birth stories''), are legendary biographies of Guru Nanak – the founder of Sikhism. Popular in the Sikh history, these texts are considered by scholars as imagina ...
of Miharban and Mani Singh, mention this visit to have taken place on the Baisakhi day in 1504 AD. Janamsakhi Tradition, Dr. Kirpal Singh, 2004, Punjabi University, Patiala. . p. 92. www.globalsikhstudies.net.
Kankhal also finds mention in the travel accounts of
Sister Nivedita Sister Nivedita ( born Margaret Elizabeth Noble; 28 October 1867 – 13 October 1911) was an Irish teacher, author, social activist, school founder and disciple of Swami Vivekananda. She spent her childhood and early youth in Ireland. She was ...
(1867–1911), a disciple of
Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intro ...
, wherein she mentions that long before Haridwar became popular, Kankhal had been a center for education and pilgrimage As late as early 19th century it used to be a separate town, from Haridwar and Mayapur in the areas, though due to urban development it now falls within the city limits of
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
. Work on the Upper Ganges canal commenced in April 1842, between
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
and Kankhal.Upper Ganges Canal
The Imperial Gazetteer of India ''The Imperial Gazetteer of India'' was a gazetteer of the British Indian Empire, and is now a historical reference work. It was first published in 1881. Sir William Wilson Hunter made the original plans of the book, starting in 1869.< ...
1909, v. 12, p. 138.
Apart from being home various temples and ashrams of various sects, Kankhal also has numerous old ''
havelis A ''haveli'' is a traditional townhouse, mansion, manor house, in the Indian subcontinent, usually one with historical and architectural significance, and located in a town or city. The word ''haveli'' is derived from Arabic ''hawali'', meani ...
'', mansion, now visitors attraction, especially heritage tours. Mostly built in previous century, they are known for their frescoes and haveli architecture, and were built by princely states, and zamindars for their stay in the pilgrimage town during summer months.


Geography

Kankhal is located at . It has an average elevation of 260 metres (853 feet).


Important places in Kankhal

*
Daksheswara Mahadev Temple Daksheswar Mahadev ( hi, दक्षेश्‍वर महादेव मन्दिर) or Daksha Mahadev temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the town of Kankhal, about 4 km from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. ...
- Kankhal is most known for the ancient temple of Daksheswara Mahadev temple, situated in the south Kankhal town. The present temple was built by Queen Dhankaur in 1810 AD and rebuilt in 1962.the Horse-sacrifice of the Prajapati Daksha
The Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
translated by
Kisari Mohan Ganguli Kisari Mohan Ganguli (also K. M. Ganguli) was an Indian translator known for being the first to provide a complete translation of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata in English. His translation was published as ''The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vy ...
(1883 -1896], Book 12: Santi Parva: Mokshadharma Parva: Section CCLXXXIV. p. 317. "I am known by the name of
Virabhadra Virabhadra (), also rendered Veerabhadra, Veerabathira, and Veerabathiran, is a fierce form of the Hindu god Shiva. He is created by the wrath of Shiva, when the deity hurls a lock of his matted hair upon the ground, upon hearing of the self- ...
’’ and I have sprung from the wrath of Rudra. This lady (who is my companion), and who is called Bhadrakali, hath sprung from the wrath of the goddess."
Next to the temple is the 'Daksha Ghat' on the Ganges, and close by is the ''Nileshwar Mahadev Temple''. Much of the details of the famous
Ashvamedha The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accomp ...
Yagna Yajna ( sa, यज्ञ, yajña, translit-std=IAST, sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering) refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras.SG Nigal (1986), Axiological Approach to the Vedas, Northern Book ...
(
Horse Sacrifice Horse sacrifice is the ritual killing and offering of a horse, usually as part of a religious or cultural ritual. Horse sacrifices were common throughout Eurasia with the domestication of the horse and continuing up until the spread of Abrahamic ...
) of
Daksha In Hinduism, Daksha (Sanskrit: दक्ष, IAST: , lit. "able, dexterous, or honest one") is one of the '' Prajapati'', the agents of creation, as well as a divine king-rishi. His iconography depicts him as a man with a stocky body and a ha ...
are available in the
Vayu Purana The ''Vayu Purana'' ( sa, वायुपुराण, ) is a Sanskrit text and one of the eighteen major Puranas of Hinduism. ''Vayu Purana'' is mentioned in the manuscripts of the Mahabharata and other Hindu texts, which has led scholars to pr ...
* Sati Kund, another well-known mythological heritage worth visit is situated in the Kankhal region. Legend has it that Sati laid down her life in this kund Kankhal
www.indiainfoweb.com.
* Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama - Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal RKMS situated in the city of Haridwar Uttarakhand is a 150-bed multi-specialty charitable hospital founded in 1901 at behest of
Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intro ...
to cater to the medical needs of this region. In its long odyssey spanning over a century, it has grown in size, widening the spectrum of services to meet the varied dimensions of health hazards and during this time it has treated more than 10 million patients.RKMS has been instrumental in presenting a road map for bridging the impoverished society – modern treatment methodology and has proved to be the lodestar for the healthcare units. Its altruistic approach of treatment, an umbilical and hence a distinguishing feature from its inception, caught the attention of luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, * Sir J C Bose etc. who visited this centre. Being the oldest Ashrama ( after Ramakrishna Home of Service, Varanasi) of the Ramakrishna Order, this Sevashrama bears the hallowed memory of several direct disciples of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa.
Swami Brahmananda Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eith ...
,
Swami Turiyananda Swami Turiyananda or "Hari Maharaj" as he was popularly known as, was a direct monastic disciple of Ramakrishna, the 19th-century Hindu mystic from Bengal. He was one of the earliest missionary to be sent by his leader and brother disciple Swam ...
and Swami Niranjanananda spent their time in intense spiritual practice in this Ashrama. * Anandamoyi Ma Ashram - This quaint ashram was the residence of this Hindu saint
Sri Anandamoyi Ma Anandamayi Ma (''née'' Nirmala Sundari; 30 April 1896 – 27 August 1982) was an Indian saint and yoga guru, described by Sivananda Saraswati (of the Divine Life Society) as he most perfect flower the Indian soil has produced Precognition, ...
(1896–1982), and also houses her
samādhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditation, meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ash ...
shrine and a museum dedicated to her, in the vicinity. * Abheda Ganga Mayya AsramThe ashram is under a trust called Abheda Ganga Mayya Trust. The fFounder of the trust was Bhajananda Swamiji, the main disciple of Swami Abhedananda Maharaj. It is currently headed by Swami Krishnanda. * Dera Baba Dargah Singh ji, Gurudwara - Situated near ''Sati Ghat'', this Gurudwara is dedicated to the third Sikh Guru,
Guru Amar Das Guru Amar Das (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਮਰ ਦਾਸ, pronunciation: ; 5 May 1479 – 1 September 1574), sometimes spelled as Guru Amardas, was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Sikh Guru on 26 March 1552 at age 73. Befor ...
, who visited this place many times during his lifetime, is situated near Sati Ghat in Kankhal; it is managed by the Nirmala Sikhs, a scholarly sect of the Sikhs, who came here in 1705, after evacuating from Anandpur, Punjab and made it their headquarters *
Gurukul Kangri University Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to be University, deemed to be university) ('गुरुकुल कांगड़ी समविश्वविद्यालय') is a government-funded deemed to be university u/s 3 of the UGC act 1956 located ...
- Situated in Kankhal, on the banks of river Ganges, on Haridwar-Jwalapur bypass road, Gurukul Kangri is one of the oldest Universities of India, founded in 1902 by Swami Shraddhananda (1856–1926), according to the tenets of
Swami Dayananda Saraswati Dayanand Saraswati () (born Mool Shankar Tiwari; 2 February 1824 – 30 October 1883) also known as Maharshi Dayanand is an Indian philosopher, social leader and founder of the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement. His Magnum Opus is the book ...
, the founder of
Arya Samaj Arya Samaj ( hi, आर्य समाज, lit=Noble Society, ) is a monotheistic Indian Hindu reform movement that promotes values and practices based on the belief in the infallible authority of the Vedas. The samaj was founded by the sanny ...
. It was visited by British Trade Union leader
Charles Freer Andrews Charles Freer Andrews (12 February 1871 – 5 April 1940) was an Anglican priest and Christian missionary, educator and social reformer, and an activist for Indian independence. He became a close friend of Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gand ...
and British Prime Minister,
Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 ...
, to study the unique
Gurukul Education in India is primarily managed by state-run public education system, which fall under the command of the government at three levels: central, state and local. Under various articles of the Indian Constitution and the Right of Childre ...
based education system.
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
visited its campus three times,Gurukul
Official website of Haridwar.
and stayed in its sprawling and serene campus for extended periods of time, most notably in 1916, when on 20 March, he spoke at Gurukul Anniversary. Chronology of Mahatma Gandhi's life/India 1916 Wiki Source.


Transport

Kankhal is well connected by road to National Highway 58, between
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
and Manapass. Nearest railway stations are at Jwalapur and
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
. The nearest airport is
Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun Airport , also known as Jolly Grant Airport, is a domestic airport serving Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, India, located 25 km south of the city. Commercial operations began on 30 March 2008, after a runway extension to accommo ...
,
Dehradun Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative As ...
, though
Indira Gandhi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport serving Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region (NCR). The airport, spread over an area of , is situated in Palam, Delhi, southwest of the New De ...
in
New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
is preferred. Its neighbouring towns are Jwalapur,
Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the righ ...
, and
Laksar Laksar is a small town, near Haridwar city and Nagar Palika in Haridwar district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, situated along National Highway 334A. It is an important sugar manufacturing destination in the state and also known for the La ...
.


See also

*
Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama Kankhal Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal (RKMS) is in its present form is a 210-bed multi-specialty charitable hospital in Kankhal, Haridwar in Uttarakhand. It is a branch of Ramakrishna Mission, and was established in 1901 by Swami Kalyananan ...


References

{{Authority control Locations in Hindu mythology Hindu pilgrimage sites in India Tourism in Uttarakhand Uttarakhand Haridwar