Holy Pilgrimage – Himachal Pradesh State –( Manikaran temples, Mata Kaun Rani temple and Mandi ) -4 at 3:27 AM

Holy Pilgrimage – Temples in Himachal Pradesh State

Manikaran Temples, Himachal Pradesh

Manikaran (Punjabi: ਮਨੀਕਰਨ) is located in the Parvati Valley between the rivers Beas and Parvati, northeast of Bhuntar in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh. It is at an altitude of 1760 m and is located about 45 km from Kullu.
This small town attracts tourists visiting Manali and Kullu to its hot springs and piligrim centres. An experimental geothermal energy plant has also been set up here

Religious centre

Manikaran is a pilgrimage centre for Hindus and Sikhs. The Hindus believe that Manu recreated human life in Manikaran after the flood, making it a sacred area. It has many temples and a gurudwara.^[1] There are temples of the Hindu deities Rama, Krishna, and Vishnu.^[2] The area is well known for its hot springs^[3] and its beautiful landscape.
According to legend, when the Hindu God Shiva and his consort Parvati were walking in the valley, Parvati dropped one of her earrings. The jewel was seized by Shesha, the serpent deity, who then disappeared into the earth with it. Shesha only surrendered the jewel when Shiva performed the cosmic dance, the Tandava and shot the jewel up through the water. Apparently, jewels continued to be thrown up in the waters at Manikaran until the earthquake of 1905.

Hindu belief

The legend of Manikaran states that while roaming around, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, once chanced upon a place that was surrounded by mountains and was lush green. Enamoured by the beauty of the place, they decided to spend some time there. It is believed that they actually spent eleven hundred years here.
During their stay here, Goddess Parvati lost her mani in the waters of a stream. Upset over the loss, she asked Shiva to retrieve it. Lord Shiva commanded his attendant to find out the mani for Parvati, however, when they failed, he was extremely angry. He opened his third eye, a tremendously inauspicious event which led to disturbances in the universe. An appeal was made before the serpent god, Sheshnag, to pacify Lord Shiva. Sheshnag hissed thereby giving rise to a flow of boiling water. The water spread over the entire area resulting in the emergence of precious stones of the type Goddess Parvati had lost. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were happy at the outcome.
The name Manikaran is derived from this legend. The water is still hot and is considered extremely auspicious. A pilgrimage to this place is thought of as complete. It is also believed that there is no need to pay a visit to Kashi after visiting this place. The water of the spring is also supposed to have curative powers. The water is so hot that rice can be cooked in it.

The Hindu Temples at Manikaran

Lord Ramchandra Temple

The temple was constructed by Raja Jagat Singh in the 17th century. Though there is no historical evidence backing, still the idol of Shri Ram installed here is believed to have been brought straight from.

Temple of Lord Shiva

This temple is hugely revered as it belongs to Lord Shiva. However, an earthquake in 1905 caused damage to the temple and it was slightly tilted. The importance of Manikaran is also judged from the fact that devtas of Kullu valley pay regular visit to this place on specified dates.

Sikh belief

According to the Sikhs, during third Udasi, his founder Guru Nanak came to this place in 15 Asu 1574 Bikrami with his disciple Bhai Mardana. Mardana felt hungry and they had no food. Nanak sent Mardana to collect food for the langar (the Community Kitchen). Many people donated atta (flour) to make Roti(bread). The one problem was that there was no fire to cook the food. Nanak asked Mardana to lift a stone and he complied and a hot spring appeared. As directed by Nanak, Mardana put the rolled chappatis in the spring to his despair the chappatis sank. Nanak then told him to pray to God saying that if his chappatis float back then he would donate one chappati in His name. When he prayed all the chappatis started floating duly baked. Nanak said that anyone who donates in the name of God, his drowned items float back.

 

Mata Kuan Rani Temple, Himachal Pradesh

The Mata Kuan Rani Temple, or 'Princess of the Well Temple', is situated near the bank of the Beas River in the town of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Description and History

The slate-roofed temple over a deep well is dedicated to the 'Princess of the Well' and celebrates the time when, according to legend, Princess Mandarava (man da ra ba me tog), the Princess of Zahor (or Sahor), which is usually identified with Mandi, though some scholars place it in eastern India), became a consort of Padmasambhava (Tibetan: Guru Rinpoche).
Mandarava, the daughter of King Arshadhara and Queen Mohauki,  is said to have been born a prodigy and an 'Awareness Dakini' (yes-shes mkha'-'gro) and was very beautiful. She refused all offers of marriage and fed her father the flesh of a Brahmin (a terrible offence), left the palace, and took on the robes of a beggar. She was ordained by the famous Buddhist scholar Śāntarakṣita, who is also said to have been a native of Zahor, and came to terms with her father who provided a palace for her meditation. When Padmasambhava came to Zahor from Orgyen, she fell for him and became his disciple.
The king became incensed and condemned them both to death in a fire which raged for seven days. After the smoke cleared there was a lake with a lotus in it, Rewalsar (Tibetan: Tso Pema or 'Lotus Lake'), which is situated about 24 km from Mandi. This convinced the king of the wisdom and power of Padmasambhava and he requested teachings from him and gave his daughter permission to pursue her religious destiny.
The temple is sacred to both Tibetan Buddhists and Hindus, and was commonly visited by Tibetan pilgrims and traders before the invasion of Tibet by the Chinese when the borders were closed with India.
Mandi has more than 300 old and new temples. Because of the large number of temples and its location along River Beas, Mandi is also known as 'Chhoti (Small) Kashi'. Most of the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and the Goddess Kali. There are many classical temples which the Archaeological Survey of India has declared 'protected monuments' due to their historical significance, the primary ones being: the 'Panchvaktra Temple', situated at the confluence of River Bea and Suketi Khad, 'Ardhnareshwar Temple', which is one of very few temples of its kind in India. 'Triloknath Temple' is located on the right bank of the Beas River. The Mata Kuan Rani Temple, consisting of a slate-roofed temple over a deep well which is dedicated to the 'Princess of the Well' and celebrates the time when, according to legend, Mandarava, the Princess of Sahor (Mandi), became a consort of Padmasambhava. The king became angry and condemned them both to death in a fire which raged for seven days. After the smoke cleared there was a lake with a lotus in it, 'Rewalsar' or Tso Pema (Tibetan: 'Lotus Lake'

Transport to Mandi

Local transport in Mandi is generally by auto-rikshaw, bus or private vehicles. Tourist taxis are also an option. The taxi station is located right in front of Seri Stage. Auto-rikshaws are the main means of transport in Mandi and are available almost 24 hours.

The nearest airport to Mandi is the Bhuntar Airport, at a distance of about 75 km from Mandi city. Mandi is connected to Pathankot through National Highway 20 which is almost 220 km (140 mi) long and to Manali and Chandigarh through National Highway 21 which is 323 km (201 mi) long.
Munish Resorts, Visco Resorts and Regent Palms Hotel are the most famous resorts in Mandi. Some other hotels are Raj Mahal, Amar Atithi, Ashoka Holiday Inn, Hotel Evening Plaza, Mandav Hotel(HPTDC), Surbhi Hotel, Hotel Yamini. Most people come to Mandi through Delhi or Chandigarh.^[61]
From Delhi The distance between Delhi and Mandi is about 475 km. This distance can be covered in approximately 12 hrs by bus.
The alternative to reach Mandi from Delhi is to travel by train up to Kiratpur Sahib by Delhi-Una Himachal express (4553). From Kiratpur, there is a bus. All the buses going from Delhi and Chandigarh to Mandi have to pass through Kiratpur.^[62]
From Chandigarh From Chandigarh there are buses to Mandi and Manali. The buses from Delhi pass through Chandigarh and some buses start from Chandigarh itself. The distance between Chandigarh and Mandi is 200 km. This distance can be covered in approximately 6 hrs by bus. By taxi, it may take around 5 hrs.^[63]
By Air The nearest airport to Mandi is the Kullu Airport at Bhuntar, at a distance of about 75 km from Mandi city. This is a small domestic airport—only small aircraft fly to Kullu. Flights to Kullu are restricted only from Delhi, and Shimla. From Delhi, flights to Kullu take about 90 minutes by Indian Airlines or Kingfisher Airlines.^[64]
By Rail There is currently no railway, but one is proposed. See Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh Railway for the proposed railway passing this area. The nearest Railway Station currently is the Jogindernagar Railway Station almost 50 km away from the city

 

 

Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

Mandi; Hindi: मण्डी [mŋɖɪ]), Mandi, /Mandi/, formerly known as Mandav Nagar,^[2][3] also known as Sahor (Tibetan: Zahor), is a major city and a municipal council in Mandi District in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated 153 kilometres (95 mi) north of state capital, Shimla.  Located in the north-west Himalayas at an average altitude of 1,044 metres (3,425 ft),  the city of Mandi, experiences pleasant summers and cold winters. Mandi is connected to the Pathankot through National Highway 20 which is almost 220 km(140 mi) long and to Manali and Chandigarh through National Highway 21 which is 323 km(201 mi) long. Mandi is approximately 184.6 km (114.7 mi) from Chandigarh,  the nearest major city, and 440.9 km (273.9 mi) from New Delhi, the national capital. According to the 2001 Indian census, Mandi city has a population of 60,387. It is one of the largest city of Himachal Pradesh with a total area of 23 km².  City is currently the 2nd largest economy in the state next to Kangra. Mandi is the second-largest by population in state, next to Shimla. Mandi, in the state is having second highest sex ratio of 1013 females per thousand males.
It serves as the headquarters of Mandi District and Zonal Headquarters of central zone including Districts namely Kullu, Bilaspur, and Hamirpur  As a tourist place, Mandi is often referred to as "Varanasi of Hills"   or "Choti Kashi  or "Kashi of Himachal". People of Mandi proudly boast that while Benaras (Kashi) has 80 temples, Mandi has 81.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is a premier institute located in the city.  This one time capital of the princely state of Mandi is a fast developing city that still retains much of its original charm and character. The city was established in 1527 by Ajbar Sen, ^] as the seat of the Mandi State, a princely state till 1948. Foundation of the city was laid on the establishment of Himachal Pradesh in early 1948. Today, it is widely known for the International Mandi Shivaratri Fair. The city also has the remains of old palaces and notable examples of ‘colonial’ architecture. The city had one of the oldest buildings of Himachal Pradesh.

Origin of name

The name "mandi" (and the former name "Mandav Nagar")  has its roots from Great Sage Rishi 'Mandav'  who prayed in this area, and the rocks turned black due to the severity of his penance. Alternatively, the name may have been derived from the common word mandi which means "market “ in Hindi. It may possibly be connected with the Sanskrit root mandaptika,  meaning "an open hall or shed,". 
While the city's name has always been pronounced " " in the local language, the anglicized version "Mandav Nagar" was the official name until it was changed to "Mandi".  This change is now the most widely used name for the city.   Mandi is renowned for its 81 ancient old stone Shaivite temples  and their enormous range of fine carving. Because of this, it is also often called the "Varanasi of the Hills"

History

The present District of Mandi was formed with the merger of two princely states, Mandi State and Suket, on 15 April 1948, when the State of Himachal Pradesh was established.Until the mid 20th century, Mandi was on the trade route between Yarkant County and Ladakh to Hoshiarpur and the Indian plains, served as commercial hub and trade centre.

Climate

Mandi features a subtropical highland climate under the Köppen climate classification. The climate of Mandi is composite having hot summers and cold winters. Mandi generally experiences rainfalls during end of summer season. Mandi city falls in the lower most climatic zone of the Himalayas. These regions enjoys a Wet-sub temperate climate of the foot hills (450-900m) as against the Dry-cold alpine climate with snow fall at higher altitudes (2400- 4800mts). Temperatures typically range from 6.7 °C (44.06 °F) to 39.6 °C (103.28 °F) over the course of a year. The average temperature during summer is between 18.9 °C (66.02 °F) and 39.6 °C (103.28 °F), and between 6.7 °C (44.06 °F) and 26.2 °C (79.16 °F) in winter. Monthly precipitation varies between 25.4 millimetres (1 in) in November to 228.6 millimetres (9 in) in August. It is typically around 58.3 millimetres (2.29 in) per month during winter and spring and around 101.6 millimetres (4 in) in June as the monsoon approaches. The average total annual precipitation is 1,092.2 millimetres (43 in), which is much less than most other hill stations but still greatly heavier than on the plains. Snowfall in the region, which historically has taken place few years ago is now very rare these years due to increasing temperature and global warming.

Culture

The people of Mandi are informally called Mandyalis. Mandeali language is generally used at local level for communication. Sepu Wadi  is the official and main cuisine of Mandi. Dham(Lunch)  is generally organised in local marriages, functions and parties. Himachal Darshan Photo Gallery   is situated at about 4 km from Mandi near Sauli Khad on the Chandigarh-Manali National highway. This art gallery contains a beautiful collection of photographs of exotic locations of the entire state and reflects the social & cultural heritage of the people of Himachal Pradesh.The Himachal Darshan Photo Gallery established on 24 April 1997 is a symbol of undaunted and unparalleled entrepreneurship shown by Birbal Sharma   a professional Photographer cum journalist. District Library is located in Emerson House(District Court). Clothing in Mandi was Kurta-Pyjama for Boys and Sari-Suits for girls but with the Western Culture arriving to India, Mandi's youth have started wearing Western styles. However, there are still large numbers of people who wear the traditional clothing of Himachal Pradesh. Banthra is the main folk dance performed in theatrical shows in Mandi and is the official folk dance of the District.^{[77][78][79][80]}
Mandi is also famous for the Mandi Shivaratri Fair, a fair held for seven days in the month of March every year. The celebration of Shivratri of Mandi is said to have started in the year 1526 to commemorate the foundation of present-day Mandi. Before this, the capital of Mandi was on the right bank of the river Beas, which is now known as Old Mandi(Purani Mandi). Mandi hosts a half marathon every year.
Once when the tenth guru of the Sikhs was on a visit to Mandi, the king of Mandi invited him to stay at the royal palace. The guru accepted the invitation to stay in Mandi but not with the king. He put up outside the town in a secluded place, which had once been the hermitage of a rishi (Indian sage). The guru was touched by the king’s devotion and prophesized that Mandi would ever remain safe and if any enemy tries to harm it, bolts from heaven would crush the invader. He considered Mandi the safest place on the planet

Places of worship

Temples

Mandi has more than 300 old and new temples. Because of the large number of temples and its location along River Beas, Mandi is also known as 'Chhoti (Small) Kashi'. Most of the temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and the Goddess Kali. There are many classical temples which the Archaeological Survey of India has declared 'protected monuments' due to their historical significance, the primary ones being: the 'Panchvaktra Temple', situated at the confluence of River Bea and Suketi Khad, 'Ardhnareshwar Temple', which is one of very few temples of its kind in India. 'Triloknath Temple' is located on the right bank of the Beas River. The Mata Kuan Rani Temple, consisting of a slate-roofed temple over a deep well which is dedicated to the 'Princess of the Well' and celebrates the time when, according to legend, Mandarava, the Princess of Sahor (Mandi), became a consort of Padmasambhava. The king became angry and condemned them both to death in a fire which raged for seven days. After the smoke cleared there was a lake with a lotus in it, 'Rewalsar' or Tso Pema (Tibetan: 'Lotus Lake').

Places of interest

Tarna Temple, also called Shyama Kali temple

Bhima Kali Temple

Panchvaktra Temple

Kamlah-Fort

Vishvakarma temple

Vishvakarman

Viśwákarman, ("all-accomplishing, maker of all"/"all doer"), Tamil: Vicuvakaruman, Thai: Witsawakam) is the personified Omnipotance and the abstract form of creator God according to Rig veda, It/he is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects.^[1]  It/He is believed to be the "Principal Architect of the Universe ",and the root concept of the later upanishadic Brahman .

Rewalsar Lake It is famous for its floating islands of reed. It is believed that all seven of them can be moved by prayer or breeze. There are three shrines here, a Buddhist Monastery, where elaborate rituals are performed, a Sikh Gurudwara and a Hindu Temple. It was from this place that the sage Padma Sambhava, a zealous teacher of Buddhism, left as a missionary to preach the doctrine of "the enlightened" in Tibet. Lying in a mountain hollow, the lake is held sacred to all three communities, boating facilities are available. Sundernagar Famous for its temples, at a height of 1,174 metres on the raised edge of a fertile valley, the town of Sundernagar is known for its shady walks amidst towering trees. On top of a hill, is the Sukhdev Vatika and temple of Mahamaya. The biggest hydro-electric project in all Asia, the Beas-Sutlej project, irrigating nearly one-fourth of the northern plains of India, has brought unprecedented prosperity to Sudernagar. The Beas-Sutlej link colony is the biggest colony in Himachal Pradesh. Bhootnath Temple Practically synonymous with Mandi and located in its very heart, this is as old as the city itself, and dates back to the 1520s. In March, the festival of Shivratri is a major event and the Bhootnath temple is its focus. For and entire week the city celebrates the arrival of hundreds of local deities on elaborately decorated palanquins. Syamakall Temple Also called the temple of Tarna Devi situated 2–3 km from centre of city, this is high on Tarna Hill which rises above the city. In the 17th century this was built by Raja Syama Sen, after a particularly trying time, when the goddess gave him success. Other Temples in Mandi Within the city is a veritable roll-call of shrines. Apart from the emotions they evoke, they also have a wealth of classical architecture and ornate sculpture. Many of these are devoted to Lord Shiva, at the Triloknath temple he is depicted as the lord of the three worlds, at the Panchvaktra he has five faces, expressing his five aspects. At the Ardhanarisvara temple, Lord Shiva appears in a composite form with the right half as male and the left half as female - symbolising the male and female principles of cosmic evolution. There are several exquisite temples along the College Road, and the banks of the Beas are lined with many more. At the Gyarah Rudra temple, the day the famous 'Amarnath darshan' takes place, the temple is decorated to resemble the Amarnath cave. Aut Tunnel
Aut Tunnel is located in Mandi District on National Highway 21 (India). It is the longest road tunnel in India with length of about 3 km.
Victoria Suspension Bridge

IIT Mandi Logo showing Victoria Suspension Bridge

It was built in 1877 A.D. which separates Jawahar Nagar (Khaliar), Old Mandi (Purani Mandi) from Main City.
Janjehli At a distance of 80 km from Mandi City, Janjehli is a paradise for hikers, offering treks up to a height of 3,300 metres. After covering 32 km by a motorable road up to Gohar and rest of the journey is on foot. In the midst of thick forest, forests (15 km from Gohar) is Bajahi. There is a beautiful and well furnished rest house to stay overnight, from here Janjehli is a scant 20 km away through bridle path. Chindi and Karsog are also nice places for meditation. Janlehli is also popular for adventure activities like-trekking, night safari, mountneering, skiing etc. At the distance of 10 km from janjehli the Shikari Mata temple is situated. The temple is all about Goddess "Shikari Devi" and people visits here in masses to accolades for their well being. Its a beautiful and scenariatic place with mountains seems to avoiding each other but the clouds more often use to get them in touch.
Prashar Lake Prashar Lake lies 49 km north of Mandi, with a three storied pagoda-like temple dedicated to the sage Prashar. The Lake is located at a height of 2730 m above sea level. With deep blue waters, the lake is held sacred to the sage Prashar and he is regarded to have meditated there. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and looking down on the fast flowing river Beas, the lake can be approached via Drang.

Naina Devi Temple, Himachal Pradesh

Naina Devi is a town and a municipal council in Bilaspur district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

Temple

The Temple of Shri Naina Devi Ji is situated on a hilltop in the Bilaspur Distt. of Himachal Pradesh in India.It was built by a Gurjar Shepherd. The temple is connected with National Highway No. 21. The temple at the top of the hill can be reached via road (that curves round the hill up to a certain point) and then by concrete steps (that finally reach the top). There is also a cable car facility that moves pilgrims from the base of the hill all the way to the top.
The hills of Naina Devi overlook the Gobind Sagar lake. The lake was created by the Bhakra-Nangal Dam.

According to legend, Lord Shiva's consort Sati once burnt herself alive in Yagna to avenge an insult to Lord Shiva. The distraught Shiva picked her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance.

Then Lord Vishnu unleashed his Chakra and cut the Sati's body into fifty one pieces to save theearth from Shiva's wrath.All the fifty one places -where parts of Sati's body fell, became known as Shakti PeethsIt is believed that Sati's eyes fell at the place where this temple is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina Devi.The word Naina is synonymous with Sati's eyes.Since then, devotees started visiting this temple.

Festivals

 These festivals are celebrated …

Navratras, Makar Sankranti, Vasant Panchami, Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Sri Rama Navami, Raksa Bandhan, Sri Krishna Jayanthi, Ganesh Chaturthi,

Dussehra, Karva Chauth Vrat and Diwali.

 

How to reach

Temple of Shri Naina Devi Ji is situated on hill top in Bilaspur Distt. of Himachal Pradesh.  
Nearest Airport is Chandigarh which is connected with New Delhi by Jet Airways and Indian Airlines Flights.
The distance of the shrine from Chandigarh is approx. 100 kms.

 

The nearest airport is in Chandigarh and the distance from there is near about 100 km.

The nearest railway station is in Anandpur Sahib and the distance from there is near about 30 km.

This famous temple is connected with National Highway No. 21

Temple is about 350 km from Delhi and 100 km from Chandigarh. Frequent State Transport bus services are available from all important cities of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

You can hire taxies from Anandpur Sahib and from Chandigarh to reach the temple. Temple is well constructed and come under Shrine Board. Distance from Kiratpur Sahib to shrine is 30 Kms of which 18 Kms is drive in the Hills. From Anandpur Sahib the distance is 20 Kms of which 8 Kms is drive in the hills.

Once you reach the bus stand of Naina Devi you will take Palkis to reach the destination. Most of the people will prefer pedestrians. In the past people used to trek from Kaulan Wala Toba near Anandpur Sahib to the shrine.

Mandir Darshan
Once you reach the hill top - take prasad from any of the various shops. You can also bring your own offerings from home.
After crossing the Main Gate, you will find a big Peepal tree on the left side.
On the right side of the Temple there are idols of Lord Hanuman Ji and Lord Ganesh Ji
After reaching the main entrance to Temple, you will find two statues of Lions.
Inside the temple, you will have darshan of Three deities. On the extreme left is Mata Kali Devi, the centre representing two Netras or eyes is Maa Naina Devi and to right side is idol of Lord Ganesh

Bhakra Dam

Bhakra Dam is a concrete gravity dam across the Sutlej River, and is near the border between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in northern India.
The dam, located at a gorge near the (now submerged) upstream Bhakra village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, is India's second tallest at 225.55 m (740 ft) high next to the 261m Tehri Dam.^[  The length of the dam (measured from the road above it) is 518.25 m; it is 9.1 m broad. Its reservoir, known as the "Gobind Sagar", stores up to 9.34 billion cubic meters of water, enough to drain the whole of Chandigarh, parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. The 90 km long reservoir created by the Bhakra Dam is spread over an area of 168.35 km². In terms of storage of water, it withholds the second largest reservoir in India, the first being Indira Sagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh with capacity of 12.22 billion cu m.
Described as 'New Temple of Resurgent India' by Jawaharlal Nehru,  the first prime minister of India, the dam attracts tourists from all over India.
Nangal dam is another dam downstream of Bhakra dam. Sometimes both the dams together are called Bhakra-Nangal dam though they are two separate dams.

History

The Bhakra-Nangal multipurpose dams were among the earliest river valley development schemes undertaken by India after independence though the project had been conceived long before India became a free nation. Preliminary works commenced in 1946. Construction of the dam started in 1948, Jawahar Lal Nehru poured the first bucket of concrete into the foundations of Bhakra on 18 November 1955 ^[3]  and the dam was completed by the end of 1963. Successive stages were completed by the early 1970s.
Initially, the construction of the dam was started by Sir Louis Dane, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. But the project got delayed and was restarted soon after Independence. In October 1963 at the ceremony to mark the dedication of the Bhakra–Nangal Project to the Nation, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said, "This dam has been built with the unrelenting toil of man for the benefit of mankind and therefore is worthy of worship. May you call it a Temple or a Gurdwara or a Mosque, it inspires our admiration and reverence".

Features

The dam, at 741 ft (226 m), is one of the highest gravity dams in the world (compared to USA's largest Hoover Dam at 743 ft). The 166 km² Gobindsagar Reservoir, named after Guru Gobind Singh, is created by this dam which is the third largest reservoir in India the first being Indira Sagar Dam and second Nagarjunasagar Dam.^[4] The river Satluj used to flow through a narrow gorge between two hills, Naina Devi ki dhar and Ramgarh ki dhar, and the site was chosen to dam the river. The map nh-43-03.jpg shows the location of the original Bhakra village that was submerged in the lake formed behind the dam.
It is 15 km from Nangal City and 20 km from Naina Devi. The city Nangal is also called Bhakra Nangal Dam due to the presence of Nangal Dam. You must be clear that Bhakra Dam and Nangal Dam are two separate dams. The water flooded from Bhakra Dam is actually controlled and maintained by Nangal Dam. If you are planning to visit Bhakra Dam then you should also visit Nangal Dam to understand its whole mechanism.

Usage

The dam was part of the larger multipurpose Bhakra Nangal Project whose aims were to prevent floods in the Sutluj-Beas river valley, to provide irrigation to adjoining states and to provide hydro-electricity. It also became a tourist spot for the tourists during later years because of it huge size and uniqueness.

Om Tat Sat

                                                        

(Continued...)                                                                                                                              

(My humble  salutations to the great devotees ,  wikisources  and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the collection )