Kapal Mochan Sarovar & GURUDWARA SHRI KAPAL MOCHAN SAHIB & Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir

Pleasure-cum-Pilgrimage tour of Senior Citizens Cheer Society

The Senior Citizens Cheer Society, Chandigarh, a society meant for providing gala space to the Senior Citizens, organized had a routine Pleasure-cum-Pilgrimage program to  ‘Kapalmochan Sarovar (Lakes) Temples and Gurudwaras in Bilaspur (Yamunanagar district) of Haryana state’ and onward to ‘Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir, Bilaspur, Yamuna Nagar district, Haryana on 14 Dec 2019 (Saturday).

On the days preceding the scheduled date of 14^th December, i.e. on 12^th & 13^th December, it was biting cold followed heavy rains with thunder storm in Chandigarh and as per the weather forecast that on 14^th December, it would be Sunny day, we stuck to our program. Some members not relying on the Weather Forecast dropped their participation. However the weather forecast was in our favour and it was excellent Sunny day. The temperature of 25⁰C and full sun, could allow some members to take holy dip in the Sarovar, which is believed to purge the sins and un-burdening the guilt of a man.

The Transport arrangements were made through our regular travel agency, Tinka Travels, having their office near Bassi Theatre, Mohali. The group of some 16 members in one vehicle, started from Chandigarh at 9.30 am on 14.12.2019 and took first halt for breakfast at Naraingarh i.e. one hour drive from Chandigarh. On the Dehradun Rd, Naraingarh ‘Gau Ganga GauriVaishnoDhaba’ was booked for Punjabi Style breakfast, Tandoori-Paranthas, Butter, Curd, Pickles and Tea. After spending an hour for the delicious breakfast, we departed from Naraingarh to Kapalmochan, where we reached at 12.30 hrs.

The Kapalmochan Sarovar Temple & GURUDWARA SHRI KAPAL MOCHAN SAHIB

The Kapalmochan Sarovar temple in Bilaspur (Yamunanagar district) of Haryana State is famous all over the world for its religious importance. At Kapalmochan Sarovar, every year a big fair/ mela is held in the month of November where lakhs of devotees come and take a dip in the holy lake.

Bilaspur town named after the writer of the 'Mahabharata' - Maharishi Ved Vyas is a historical place. It is presumed that there was an ashram of Ved Vyas on the bank of a pond situated here. The statue of Uma Mahadev made in 9th-10th century, statue of Ganesha made in 11th-12th century and remains of Gupta period prove the antecedence of Kapalmochan. People from all parts of the country feel spiritually elevated by taking bath here in ponds (kunds) known as Rinmochan, Kapalmochan and Surya kund. A Hindu temple and a Gurudawara of the tenth Sikh guru are also located here.

There is a belief associated with Kapalamochan Sarovar that bathing in this lake on the night of Kartik Purnima gives freedom from sins.  In Indian history of thousands of years back In the Satyuga, Lord Shri Ram, His brother Lakshman and wife Sita came here in the Pushpak Vimana and got relief from sins (sin of hundreds of murders in the war with Ravana) by bathing in Kapalamochan lake.  In Dwaparyug, Shri Krishna and Pandavas also took bath in this lake and got rid of ancestral debt. Kapalamochan Sarovar is also called Gopal Mochan and Somrsar Mochan.

There is GURUDWARA SHRI KAPAL MOCHAN SAHIB is also situated in Kapal Mochan .SHRI GURU NANAK DEV JI reached this place from Haridwar via Saharanpur in the year 1584 Bikrami on Katakk's full moon while blessing the people.

In the year 1746, SHRI GURU GOBIND SINGH JI, after winning the battle of Bhangani, came to this place & took rest for 52 days. After meeting the Guru, the people who used to show disrespect to the Sarovar Temple and Guru Sahib, got their turbans taken off, tore them & offered robe of honor (Siropas) to the Singhs. At this place, SHRI GURU GOBIND SINGH JI gave a Hukamnama to the Pandits. The Hukamnama written in his own hand is placed with the Pandits till date.

As mentioned in Vedas, this pilgrimage was setup by the trimurti deities- Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev, in order to ward off sins accumulated by Brāhmanahatya- killing of a Brahmin.

Brāhmanahatya (killing of the innocent and intellectual) in Hinduism is considered as a major sin, to which only the Trimurti deities can offer rescue. Anyone who baths in the holy water of the KapalMochan, his/her sins of Brāhmanahatya are washed off. It is said even Lord Shiva had come to ward off his sins of Brāhmanahatya, after chopping of one of the heads of Lord Brahma. Over the time, the place was visited by Lord Rama (after killing Ravana- Mahabrahmin), Pandavas (after Kurukshetra war), Guru Nanak Devji, Guru Gobind Singh ji, Mughal emperor Akbar (after killing Hindu soldiers during war with Rajputana.)

Kapal Mochan is considered as one of the holy ’68 teerthasthals’ in the world. Also, when Lord Ganesha’s head was cut off, it was later replaced by the elephant head, which was slaughtered near Kapal Mochan.

Annually, at Kapal Mochan, a mela is organized which sees millions of devotees arriving in for the holy dip. People of all religions, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and even Isaai come here for the holy bath.

After the visit of Kapal Mochan Sarovers, Holy Dip, after offering prayers in the Temples, the goup had a light chat session in the Nangli Shab Ashram where we had tea with rusks/ snacks. We spent about an hour there and then moved to Gurdwaras to pay obeisance and after having Langar at the Gurudwara, the Group moved to the ‘‘Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir”, Bilaspur about 11 Km from the Kapal Mochan.

The ‘‘Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir” is about 150 years old, which is spread over about five acres of land. There used to be a forest of Dhaka here, Dhaka is a type of tree. While wandering here came a fakir named Jankidas, who later came to be called Mahant. He saw Panchmukhi Hanuman ji while doing penance here. He installed the statue of Panchmukhi Hanuman here. After the formation of Pakistan, after the upheaval, the idols of Shiva idol, mother Vaishno, Ram parivar, Radhakrishnaji were installed in the temple with the help of villagers and a Gaushala was constructed here. In the temple complex there is park, Bhandara planet & beautiful Janki Sarovar constructed under the supervision of the Management Committee.

The five faces of Hanuman are Garuda - facing the west, Varaha - facing the north, Hayagriva - facing the sky, Narasimha - facing the south and the fifth the original hanuman, facing the east. The Panchamukhi Hanuman has 10 arms holding ten different deadly weapons, including his own renowned weapon, the gada.

Many rooms are now being built in the temple to facilitate the stay of the passengers. People take holy bath in the Janaki Sarovar in the temple complex. Special Bhandare is organized on every Tuesday, the day of Hanuman ji. 

On way back to Chandigarh, the group had ordered in advance for mixed Pakoras and Tea at around 7 Pm at the Hassan Restaurant on the way. We reached home on the same day at 8.30 pm after having all that fun.