Suklatirtha
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Suklatirtha
Shukla Tirth
Village in the Broach taluka of Broach District, Bombay, situated in 21° 45' N. and 73° 7' E., on the northern bank of the Narbada, 10 miles from Broach city. Population (1901), 2,348. The most important fair in the District is held here every year, about November, on the occasion of the full moon of the month Kartik. It lasts for five days, and on an average 25,000 people attend. Within a short distance of each other are three sacred ghats, or tirthas — the Kavitirtha, the Hunkareshwartirtha, and the Sukla- tirtha. There is a temple at Hunkareshwartlrtha. The name of Hunkareshwar is said to have been given to the god because with a cry of ' hun ' the image came up from the water of the Narbada.
The following is the legendary account of the discovery of Sukla- tirtha. In former times men were aware that somewhere on earth was a spot holy enough to purify from all sin ; but none, even the wisest, knew where it lay. A certain king of Ujjain, Chanakya, growing old and thinking over the evil of his life, longed to find out this Suklatirtha, or purifying spot. He therefore told the crows, whose feathers were at that time white, and who alone of birds had leave to enter the realms of the gods, to fly to Yama, the ruler of the infernal regions, and to tell him that king Chanakya was dead. The crows were to listen to the plans of the god Yama for the treatment of the king's soul, and were to discover from his words the locality of Suklatirtha. They were able, on their return, to tell the king to start down the stream of the Narbada, in a black-sailed boat, and when the blackness left his sail and it became white, he might know that he had reached his goal. The king obeyed ; and after passing down-stream for several days, looking in vain for a change in the colour of his sail, he suddenly saw it flash white and knew that his journey was over. Leaving his boat he went on shore, bathed, and was purified. Yama, however, hearing of the deception practised upon him, was angry, and forbidding the crows to appear again in the realms of the gods, tarnished their plumage with stains, from which till this day they have failed to free themselves. There is more than one instance in legend or ancient history of men in high position coming to Suklatirtha for purification. Perhaps the best known is that of Chandragupta and his minister Chanakya, coming to be cleansed from the guilt of the murder of Chandragupta's eight brothers. So, also, iu the beginning of the eleventh century, Chaniund, king of Anhilvada, heart-broken at the loss of his eldest son, came as a patient to Suklatirtha and remained there till he died. The ceremony of launching a boat with black sails in the hope of absolution from sin was, as noticed by Mr. Forbes, once practised at Suklatirtha. But the pilgrims of these days use instead of a boat a common earthen jar containing a lighted lamp, which, as it drifts down the stream, carries away with it their guilt.
