Mahabharata and Ramayana, the great Indian epics have had a profound influence on us, as it has on most Indians. So, it was with great excitement that we discovered a Mahabharata trail in the Panchmahal District of Gujarat, India.

We were exploring the Panchmahal District and our exploration took a serendipitous turn when we discovered many places that had a mythological connection with events described in the Mahabharata and even the Ramayana. If you love the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and for that matter any of the Puranas, this is something you must read.

On The Mahabharata Trail In Panchmahal District

The Mahabharata and its larger-than-life characters have always been a source of great fascination. It would not be wrong to say that we were brought up on generous doses of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. We had also heard of various places in the forests of Gujarat associated with the Mahabharata.

The most fascinating of these was that of Ashwatthama who is believed to be a Chiranjeevi (Immortal), roaming in the forests of Shoolpaneshwar located in what is now the Narmada District of Gujarat. The Panchmahal District and especially the tehsil of Jambughoda with its teak forests has a similar topography to Shoolpaneshwar which is about 100 kilometres.

So it was with a sense of great awe that we stumbled upon the Mahabharata trail in the forests of Jambughoda. Read on to know about the places that we discovered on our Mahabharata trail in Panchmahal District.

Village Of Jhand – Mahabharata trail in Panchmahal District

We drove deep into the forests of Jambughoda for our rendezvous with echoes from the Dwapara Yuga, the period in which the Mahabharata is believed to have taken place. The village of Jhand is a small non-descript village with a few shops lining both sides of a lane that led to the temple which was the epicentre of the settlement. It is apparent that the temple has given rise to the village that has developed around it.

Bhima And The Jhand Hanuman Temple – Mahabharata Circuit in Panchmahal District Gujarat

The temple is known as the Jhand Hanuman Temple, and it is the legend associated with this temple that connects the place with the Mahabharata. Are you wondering how Hanuman who appears in the Ramayana which took place in the Treta Yuga is connected with the Mahabharata that took place in the Dwapara Yuga? Then let us remind you that Hanuman too is one of the Chiranjeevis, an immortal being.

Read on to know about the legend of Hanuman and Bhima and their connection with the Jhand village.

According to local legend, the Pandavas had been in these parts during their exile, and it was here that Bhima prayed to Hanuman for a special mantra that would enable him to overcome Duryodhana in a duel. Duryodhana had been given special powers by his mother Gandhari, which made him invincible. Lord Krishna advised Bhima to worship Hanuman and procure special powers to defeat Duryodhana.

The Hanuman idol at the Jhand Hanuman Temple is believed to be the same one that Bhima worshipped. The priest at the temple informed us that the Hanuman image was self-emanated. The idol towers to a height of 21 feet and is partially embedded in a rock, we could also see the figure of Shanidev beneath his feet.

Arjuna’s Well – Mahabharata trail in Panchmahal District

Thinking about the enormous power of Bhima and that of his brother Hanuman (both are sons of Vayu, the Wind God), we walked a little further.

We soon came upon a large well, enclosed by an iron mesh on all sides. There was a small gate that gave access to the well. A board in Gujarati near the well spelt out the significance of the well.

According to legend, when roaming in the forest, Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, was exhausted and felt thirsty and yearned for some water. But alas! there was no water in sight. Arjuna could bear the sight of Draupadi’s plight and immediately took an arrow from his quiver and shot it into the ground. A stream of refreshing and cool water gushed out from the place where his arrow pierced the ground. Draupadi thankfully quenched her thirst.

That source of subterranean water that Arjuna opened for Draupadi still yields water and exists today as a well. We were in front of this well, referred to as Arjuna’s well. We peered down into the well which was full of what seemed to be clear and clean water. A group of huge frogs swam merrily in the well, oblivious to our curious glances.

Bhim Ni Ghanti (Bhima’s Grinding Stone) – Mahabharata Trail in Panchmahal District

Another short walk took us to a rock clearing that was surrounded by tall trees. The place had a strange and other-worldly look to it. The wind seemed to whisper stories from the Mahabharata in our years, as we stood before a huge grinding stone, a traditional stone chakki which was used for grinding corn.

The grinding stone was enclosed by a circular iron enclosure. We were told that this grinding stone was the one used by Bhima. It may be apt to note here that Bhima who is known to be a great lover of food, a foodie to the core, was also a great cook, who took care of cooking while the Pandavas were in exile.

Looking at Bhima’s grinding stone, we wondered what different dishes would Bhima, Master Chef that he was would have cooked for the Pandavas, Draupadi, and mother Kunti.

Bhim Na Pagla | Bhima’s Footprints – Mahabharata trail in Panchmahal District

We left the village of Jhand for a place with a strange-sounding name, Tuva-Timba. The place is near the administrative headquarters of the Panchmahal District, Godhra. Tuva-Timba is about 85 kilometres from the Jhand Hanuman Temple and about 20 kilometres from the city of Godhra.

Tuva Tumba is known for its hot and cold water springs, which are linked to the Ramayana. According to legend these springs, which are known as Ram Kund, were created by Shri Ram to cure the skin disease of a sage named Sarbhanga.

Near the Tuva-Timba springs is an old temple of Lord Shiva, known as Somnath Mahadev Mandir, and inside this temple are found the echoes of the Mahabharata. A pair of huge footprints are believed to be those of Bhima. A lady sat in front of the footsteps of Bhim and smeared vermillion on the foreheads of visitors to the temple.

Bhim Ni Chori | Bhima’s Wedding Pavilion – Mahabharata trail in Panchmahal District

We heard many fascinating legends while exploring places in Panchmahal District associated with the Pandavas and the Mahabharata. Bhima’s footsteps are housed inside an open pavilion supported by 4 pillars in the corners. This, in the local language, is known as Chori. It is a place where Hindu marriages are conducted with the bride and groom going around the fire in the centre.

The pavilion or Bhim Ni Chori acquainted us with another legend from the Mahabharata, the legend of Hidimbi. According to local belief, the marriage of Bhima and Hidimbi took place in the very pavilion inside the premises of the Somnath Mahadev temple, and that is the reason that you have the footprints of Bhima here.

Hidimbi was a demoness who falls in love with Bhima while the Pandavas are roaming in the forest. Subsequently, Bhima married Hidimbi after killing her brother Hidimba. They had a son known as Ghatotkacha, who fought alongside the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war.

These are some of the places that we covered on our Mahabharata trail in the Panchmahal district. Hope you liked reading this post. Do let us know if you are aware of any other place in the Panchmahal district that is associated with the Mahabharata. Do subscribe to our blog and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Our visit to Panchmahal District in Gujarat was part of a familiarization trip organized by India Tourism Mumbai – Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Panchmahal District Administration. The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are our own.

 

Click Here to read 10 Lesser Known facts about the Mahabharata.

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