India is the most pulchritudinous tourist destination which has fascinated people from all over the world .Every region in India is identified with its handicrafts, fairs , folk, dances, music and its people.
“Heaven is a Myth,
Jammu&Kashmiris Real”
“DUGGAR PRADESH” – the crown of India, J&K, is abeautiful tourist place with uncountable areas of magnificent natural beauty and a varied and rich cultural heritage, and “Mahamaya Temple”situated 5 km from the Jammu city atop a hill and middle of forests is a glistening pearl of this crown. The speciality of Jammu is that -it has got the sobriquet of – “The City of Temples” and one of the sublimesanctums of Jammu is ‘Mahamaya Temple’. The quite and serene envious surroundings makes this highly revered temple very special-a must visit pilgrimage site. The temple is a unique construction with a rich backstory. Unlike, most temples of India , this exquisite creation was built to honour the gallant lady, ‘Mahamaya’,a local freedom fighter of the ‘Dogra Community’, who opposed the foreign attackers and valiantly confronted them and sacrificed her life about 14 centuries ago to save her region from the clutches of attackers.People honour her sacrifice and eulogize her to this day. Her courageous resistance is now a part of glorious history of Jammu.
The Mahamaya Temple is focused on 2nd – 3rd century idols of the goddess Mahamaya. It celebrates women power and sings in praise of many brave women of that century in the form of beautifully erected statues and idols. The temple, therefore,epitomizes the power and strength of Indian womenfolk who are often underestimated. The Mahamaya Temple’s location is splendid. Situated behind the majestic Bahu Fort and overlooking the glorious Tawi River – the white topped beauty(temple) surrounded by lush green forests lie in attractive contrast to the glamorous blue sky and the Trikuta mountain ranges in the background. The sometimes silent, sometimes gushing water of Tawi River along the temple add to the charm of the place. The serene vibe of the location helps visitors receive an authentic experience of the tranquillity that this mountain state has to offer and acclaims in an echoing manner-
“Nature is beyond words”
The spot gives you a divine panoramic view of Jammu. The imposing structure of the Bahu Fort and the magnificence of the Tawi River add to the allure of the sight, making it onto the map of tourists visiting the region. Connoisseurs of art also love to visit this site to get mesmerized by the panels of sculptures depicting various anecdotes from Hindu mythology. The ancient temple narrates stories of yore and offers a great view of the river. Adding to glory of the place, a dream which was visualised three decades back- ‘Jammu Ropeway’ has been constructed from Mahamaya to near Bahu Fort. It provides tourists a high quality tourism experience with transportation facility, sightseeing and entertainment. It gives a bird’s eye view of Jammu city to the tourists. Apart from stunning views, the aerial tramway add another dimension to your holiday. A ride on this ropeway is no less than a trip to heaven as the mesmerising beauty of snow-capped Trikuta mountains, the gleaning water of Tawi River, the magnificenceof Bahu Fortand the stunning views of Amar Mahal blow tourist’s mind and the scenery below makethe joyride exhilarating. Setting eyes on these constructions make tourists feel the presence of Jammu’s great history.
As the temple is located in lush forests, sometimes tourists get a magical chance to have a look at magnificent animals like peacock, tiger, deer and many more which is a delight to behold. People feed monkeys with bread, bananas etc. As India is incomplete without J&K, similarlya temple cannot be completed without its lavishing and blissful-“Prasadam”.
“The Vedic literature reveal that prasadam conveys spiritual realization just as chanting does, but in a less obvious conspicuous way.People make spiritual advancement just by eating it.”-Mukunda Goswami
The prasadam of Mahamaya Temple ‘is prasadam with a difference’. The prasadam offered here is“Dogri Burfi” made with milk, khoya and then often enhanced with cardamom, rose water, or saffron. It is prepared just by the local dogra folk who live at temple only. The special taste of this prasadam is beyond the explanation of words. The prasadam gives a testimony to the fact that “You don’t need a silver fork to eat something good”. A visit here will fill you up with positive spiritual energy, you get motivation to do more, be heroic may be? And make you realize that yes, Nature is absolutely Breath-taking. Tourists visiting here feel overcome with the feeling of community, religion and appreciation for those fabulous roots and hidden charm.
Author: Vipul Sharma
