Kundeshwar (An Introduction)

Shri Kundeshwar pilgrimage site is located in Bundelkhand, within Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. It is situated just 6 kilometers south of Tikamgarh town on the Tikamgarh-Lalitpur road, on the banks of the Jamdar river.

Kundeshwar Dham is also called Shivpuri. It is believed that in the Shaiva era, this place was a major center for Shiva worship.

The history of Kundeshwar is itself extremely interesting and filled with strange events. The special thing here is the Svayambhu, meaning self-manifested, Shiva Lingam, which grows by the size of one grain of rice every year, meaning approximately 1.5 to 2.0 mm.

The significance of this Shiva Lingam is said to be even greater than the twelve Jyotirlingams of the world. The reason behind this is not only the self-manifestation of this Shiva Lingam but also its continuous growth, challenging the mysteries of nature. Due to this growth, the temple structure here has been rebuilt for the fifth time between 1605 and 1998, by demolishing the old one. Each time, the constructed temple structure becomes small within approximately the next 100-120 years. The local residents who have crossed eighty years of age say that it has grown by about half a foot right before their eyes.

Regarding the origin of this Shiva Lingam, a unique supernatural event that occurred in the Dwapar era is as follows: Nearby was the kingdom of Banpur, belonging to a king named Banasura, whose daughter Usha would leave her palace every evening, enter the Khairai forest adjacent to the temple, and return after some time. Acting on intelligence reports, the king once followed her to find out where his daughter was going. This same daughter Usha of Banasura was married to the great-grandson of Krishna. The king watched secretly and saw that as soon as the princess, who had worship materials in a plate in her hand, passed through the forest and reached near the river, the river current would part, and Usha would enter inside. When Usha returned, she was surprised to see her father, while the father was also stunned by the event of the river giving way for Usha. Upon his daughter asking, Banasura said that upon hearing of her disappearance, he had followed her here, but the river gave you way, and I was left standing here. Then Usha told him that she goes inside the temple of Shiva located in the Kund (pond) inside this river for darshan (viewing). After this, Usha thought that this secret has now been revealed, so at her father's request, she prayed, "O generous giver! Now grant the fortune of viewing and worshipping this form of yours to the entire world."

Immediately upon her prayer, a divine voice from the sky was heard, "O daughter, I am pleased with your devotion. I will very soon manifest in a 'Svayambhu' form on this sacred land."

After this, some poor people lived in huts on hills about 70-75 feet high from the bank of the Kund. Among them, a woman was pounding paddy with a pestle in a mortar at her home. Suddenly, she saw that the paddy she was pounding had turned reddish. Trembling with fear, she covered the mortar with an earthen pot (Kundi) and ran to everyone, telling them about this supernatural and strange incident that blood had suddenly appeared while pounding paddy, and she had covered it with a pot. As soon as everyone went and removed the pot, a Shiva Lingam had manifested there. Because it was covered with a Kunda (pot), one of its names also became "Kunda Dev." Besides this, Usha used to worship inside the Kund earlier, so He was the Lord of the Kund (Kundeshwar) who manifested outside, thus the popular name became Kundeshwar.

When a significant amount of time passes after an astonishing event has occurred, our curiosities increase, and a natural doubt arises regarding the truthfulness of the event. This same doubt arose in the mind of King Veersingh Judeo II. This incident, which is also authentic, happened in 1937. The king's Home Minister, known as Home Sahib, wanted to personally verify the Shiva Lingam's self-manifestation. Upon getting permission from the Maharaja and excavating, after about 5 feet, a stone water channel was found, which had been placed to pour water over the Shiva Lingam hundreds of years ago. Cracks had appeared in this water channel due to the increase in the idol's length and thickness. Similarly, upon excavating about 30 feet, six more water channels were found at intervals of 5 feet each, along with many types of ancient coins that were offered during that era. But the end of the Shiva Lingam was not found! According to eyewitnesses, as soon as the excavation reached about 30 feet, a water source erupted from below, and the laborers excavating felt as if they were sinking inside. Meanwhile, King Veersingh Judeo had a dream to stop the excavation immediately. The excavation work was quickly stopped, and the construction of the temple was initiated.

When the Shiva Lingam, located about 100 meters from the Kund, is bathed during the Abhishek ritual with several quintals of ghee, milk, and curd, the water in the Kund on the other side starts turning milky, which is a direct proof of the story linking this Shiva Lingam to the Kund.

The supernatural and strange truth of the Shiva Lingam growing grain by grain of rice is a living example of the amazing play of that invisible power.

Devotees who have visited all the Jyotirlingams also say that after having darshan of the Svayambhu Shiva Lingam at Kundeshwar, they experience more of the 'living play of Shiva' here than at those established Shiva Lingams.

It is famous about this place that if any of your desires or wishes are not fulfilled anywhere, you should come to Kundeshwar with श्रद्धा (faith) and विश्वास (trust); the compassionate Shiva is directly present here.

Apart from Makar Sankranti and other festivals, the Mahashivratri of Kundeshwar is famous throughout the country, and many poets attempt to capture this night in their poems. The reason for this is that on this night, the auspicious wedding festival of Lord Shiva is celebrated with grandeur according to Vedic rituals. Writing of the Lagun (auspicious time), the baraat (wedding procession) setting out, Shankar Ji becoming the groom - when people who have come from outside see the scene of the wedding like this on this occasion, they become overwhelmed with emotion. Famous writer Shivani spent many days of her life in Kundeshwar. About Kundeshwar, Shivani says that even after traveling around the country and abroad, remembering the unbroken love for Kundeshwar makes one want to repeat these lines of Firaq:

------ Youth has gone, but the ache of the pain of love,

Where it was felt, it is still felt there.