The Vindhya range extends up to Gujarat in the west, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the north and Chhattisgarh in the east. As we neared Mirzapur we crossed what is said to be the ‘Oldest Bridge over the Ganga’ but quickly got back in our vehicle as it shuddered and shook with the passing of each vehicle, scaring us a little
Our relatives from Amritsar have come visiting and being ardent devotees of Goddess Durga, also fond of travel, they have the knack of converting their sojourn into that of religious tourism. Brimming with what they termed as ‘post Covid enthusiasm’ their itinerary included Varanasi of course but via Vindhyachal in Mirzapur.
As we set out early one morning from Lucknow, the sun beat down mercilessly making us feel lucky being in a comfortable vehicle but as we reached Rae Bareli, the weather gods decided to bring in some clouds to make the green expanse on both sides look more attractive and verdant. Deciding to drive non-stop, home-made parathha rolls and fruits kept us going till the Vindhyas came into focus after we had crossed Allahabad. The range extends up to Gujarat in the west, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the north and Chhattisgarh in the east. As we neared Mirzapur we crossed what is said to be the ‘Oldest Bridge over the Ganga’ but quickly got back in our vehicle as it shuddered and shook with the passing of each vehicle, scaring us a little. As we moved forward after tossing coins in the holy Ganga as per tradition, the road we found now had undulations and after a long stretch rose up as we took a hairpin turn to move towards the route that would take us towards the Vindhyavasini temple area. We had timed our visit well as the Navratras would see a multitude of humanity descending upon this temple town, with long queues along both sides of the road comprising those on foot coming from adjoining and even far of villages.
The worth over ₹300 crore project will sure give a grander look to the shrine and attract more and more tourists to enjoy the hilly, green environs, with the river adding to the beauty of the area in so many ways
A small township, Mirzapur is full of adivasis, its economy heavily dependant on the congregations during Navratras in Chaitra (April) and Ashwin (October) months, while Kajali competitions are held here in the month of Jyestha (June). A sizeable chunk of its population of approx. 2.30 lakh, is also simultaneously engaged in cultivations of easame bajra, sorghum, maize, urd, mung, mustard, gram and masoor. Ramshackle dwellings, mud huts and shanties were all over the place, with patches of crowded shopping areas and dotted some independent houses too, some of which had open dairies. The overall look was multi-coloured and bright as people here seem to prefer vibrant colours.
Just 8 kms from Mirzapur, the shrine finds prominent mention in the scripture, Durga Saptashati and the temple is a Shaktipeetha where it is said wishes are fulfilled. We checked into a hotel and next morning before sunrise, set out to reach the temple around 4 am. After a blissful experience amid blowing of conch shells, chanting of mantras interspersed with loud devotional cries and the clanging of large bells, the customary aarti was indeed special before the mesmerizing sight of the flower bedecked deity. Driving back from there and seeing people alighting from buses, while a huge multitude was moving towards the temple on foot, we felt lucky at having gone there for the early morning darshan, with the least crowds.
Next we visited the Ashtabhuja and Kali Khoh temples to complete the Trikon or triangle with the Ganga skirting the entire route. But then the dug up roads and the difficult terrain due to construction work, readying for the Navratras, made us head back towards Lucknow. It was good to know development was finally on the anvil for Vindhyachal, as the foundation stone for the Vindhyachal Corridor, had been laid by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The worth over ₹300 crore project will sure give a grander look to the shrine and attract more and more tourists to enjoy the hilly, green environs, with the river adding to the beauty of the area in so many ways.
************************************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com