A Symbol of Duggar's Legacy of Nath Sampradaye
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“Marriage has not affected my career”......Page 4 SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine A mirror of Duggar Pradesh..........Page 3 A Symbol of Duggar’s legacy of Nath Sampradaye Lalit Gupta The annual fair held on 28th June, 2015, on the shrine of Siddha Goriya at village Swankha, is one of the important congregation of devotees who come together here to pay homage to a prominent Nath Yogi of medieval times and cel- ebrate the centuries old legacy of the Nath Cult in Duggar. The spiritual legacy of Nath Panth can be traced back to Guru Gorakhnath, the renowned yogi who during 11th-12th century spread the Nath tradition far and wide. According to scholars, the Sect of Nathas was a medieval period edition of age old principles of Yoga. The cult by incorporating the essential elements and Sadhana practices of Vajrayana Bud- dhist saints and Jain Munis, Shaiva cults, Shaktas, Vama- margis, Kapalikas, Lakulisha, Pashupatas, Vaishnavas and Ajivikas, presented before the masses a new revolutionary ascetic tradition which while holding the supremacy of Ish- waravad, initiated a movement against age-old conserva- tive practices. The Nath order was systematized by the Guru Gorakhnath, one of the most illustrious yogis of Navnath Sampradaye, who is widely credited with the formulation of Hatha Yoga. Adi Nath is the ‘first from all Nathas’, from whom Natha Sampradaye has arisen. There exist many different names associated with the sect, amongst them Nathas, Gorakshnathi, Yogis, Siddha Sampradaye, Kanphata Yogis’ are most popular. Although Natha yogis venerate Gorakh The sacred shrine of Siddha Goriya at Swankha. Excelsior/Gautam Nath as the actual founder of their order, the names of Mat- syendra Nath along with Jalandhar Nath precede him in the heart. Each of those couplets contained some elements of in air, turning mountain into gold, creating alive people by his gate the message of his guru. He visited several places and lineage of succession. Matsyendra Nath is also known as knowledge on particular topic, and was passed only from yogic powers and doing many more supernatural miracles finally reached Swankha where he settled down. The super- the grand-father guru of all Nathas. Guru to disciple. The other part of teaching addressed to which contradict all laws of the modern science. human deeds of Sidha Goriya such as sprouting of dead The name Siddha Sampradaye reveals that Nathas are wider public was included in Aarti- the songs of praise and According to some legends about him, he was not bound Pipal tree near the house of Mata Mathro and Barhmin Dat- descendants of the tradition of Mahasiddhas, which had prayer to the deity, to be sung daily as part of the morning to one physical body, and was able to easily leave own body to and making them rich by one pinchful of bhabooti, are reached its peak around 7th-9th centuries. The Siddha move- and in the evening worship. and enter into other bodies, or to create one or few of them recounted in the ballads sung by folk singers. ment was started as the rebellion against the formalism and The Natha yogis are also known as Siddha yogis as they by his will and as such, he is an immortal. The Nathas believe As per the ballad Sidha Goriya took jalasmadhi at the pres- hypocrisy existing in the contemporary religious traditions. It are expected to attain siddhi or self fulfillment while living in that he is still alive and appears at different places, at the time ent spot of the devasthan at Swankha village which is marked rejected all double standards and superstitions, and empha- this gross body. Darsahani yogi is another name given to when it is most relevant to protect Dharma. Guru Gorakh by samadhi situated in a pond. It is believed that the water sized the direct practice of Yoga as the only way to salvation. them as they are expected to acquire Darshan or true vision Nath’s powerful personality and the achievements in yoga of the holy pond has special curative powers. In due course Amongst one of the reforms carried on by Mahasiddhas, or perfect insight into the ultimate character of reality. created huge fellowship, and many of kings contemporary to of time, the Yogi’s samadhi developed into a shrine as the was the use of simple regional languages instead of tradi- They must not aim at or be content with any lower form him become his disciples. Yogi was raised to the rank of a deity. tional Sanskrit for worship as well as teaching of their doc- of Siddhi or occult power or vision which are petty things to In course of time, many folk deities and characters in Dug- Today, Bava Siddha Goria is the presiding deity of many trines. Siddhas, were renowned as powerful, semi-divine a true practitioner of Yoga. A Yogi who attains highest state gar came to be associated with the Natha Sampradaye. In clans and communities. During the seven-day long fair devo- beings (often dwelling atop sacred mountains) capable of of self realization is called as Avadhuta, for whom the dual- Dogri folk songs some of the prominent personalities such tees from different parts of Duggar, Himachal Pradesh, Pun- interceding in human affairs. They appear in Hindu, Jain & ity of right and wrong, purity and impurity have no meaning. as Sidha Goriya, Bawa Bipranath, Raja Mandlik, Raja Hori jab and Haryana come in large numbers to pay obeisance Buddhist religious and literary sources; in oral tales, court He rises above the forces and laws of nature, and is beyond appear as disciples of Gorakh Nath. Puran Bhakt, whose folk at the devasthan of Sidha Goriya. The devotees also take a plays, and epics. From the 7th century onwards, the Siddhas all distinctions. Sometimes his demeanor may resemble that ballad is very popular in Punjab, Duggar and parts of Uttar customary dip in this pond with the belief that those suffer- of a child or a mad man and only an intelligent eye can dis- Pradesh, is also called as Sahaj Nath. were identified, within both Buddhist & Shaivite traditions, ing from body ailments or possessed by evil spirits are cured tinguish him from the rest. A Kanphata Yogi, is the one who Along with Dogri folk songs and tales sung by the bards as yogis endowed with magical power; intermediaries who of their malady. is in third or final stage of initiation by the Guru and the cen- about Nath yogis and their miraculous deeds, resolute sad- transmitted divine teachings. The fair of Sidha Goriya, the second largest fair of Duggar In appearance, the Nath yogis closely resemble Kapa- tral hollow of his ears are pierced by in a ceremony and two hana and self control, the continuing legacy of Nath Sampra- long ear-rings are placed in them. The rings so worn by the daye is seen in form of many shrines and gaddis of Nath after Baba Jitto’s fair held at Chiri, presents the true colours likas and were half-naked, besmeared with ash and keep- of a rural mela. Among the attractions of the fair include the ing long mated hair. The new sect was well organized, disci- Yogi are called as Mundras, Darshans, Kundals or Pabitris. yogis in Jammu and surrounding areas. Some of the promi- The other members of this order who have not yet gotten nent ones are the temples of Sahaj Nath at Jandi near Hirana- makeshift market, of temporary stalls and kiosks, selling vari- plined and was having the simple and systematical teach- ety of items of daily use, toys, and variety of eatables, giant ing, which could be easily understood by people. their ears pierced but live the life of austerities and renounced gar and at Jammu, Gaddis of Nath yogis at Suddha Mahadev worldly pleasures are called as Aughars. A distinctive fea- temples, Panjvakhtar temple and Pir Kho at Jammu. wheels, merry-go-rounds, swings and slides. Many free lan- “The system introduced by the Guru Gorakh Nath, was gars for devotees are also set up by locals. Wrestling match- based on the correct knowledge of the subtle structures exist- ture of Aughars and Darshani Yogis is that they wear a sacred The fair held on the Ekadashi of Shukla Paksha, in the thread or Janeo made up of woolen material and a ring called month of Aashad/June every year, at shrine of Nath Yogi Sid- es marked with participation of wrestlers from far and wide, ing in human body and the Cosmic Laws of the Universe. It are one of the added attractions of the fair. emphasized the practice of Hatha Yoga and the power of Pabitri attached to it. A whistle called Nada and Rudraksha dha Goria at Swankha village, eight kilometers west of from or rosary bead also hangs from Pabitri. The nada symbolizes Vijaypur, Samba, celebrates the memory of one such Nath In addition state government departments of Agriculture, austerity (tapa), and was almost totally denying the learning Horticulture Animal/Sheep Husbandry, Handlooms, Handi- of scriptures as means of liberation. Gorakh Nath put the the Anhata nada or unbroken sound of Omkar. The Rudrak- yogi who is said to belong to a royal family and was called crafts, Tourism, Health, Drug and Food Control, Sericulture, end to the practice by Kapalikas custom to carry female con- sha is the symbol of super conscious vision. The worship of ‘Khooni Raja’. sort with them and condemned it as ridiculous and hypocrit- fireplace (dhoona) plays important role in the daily lives of One day this raja ordered a tailor to make his dress with- Employment, Social Welfare and other institutions put up ical”.