कांगड़े दा टीला ओ माता, गर्वे सिंघे घेरिया। अकबर कांगड़े चढ़ आया ओ मेरी माँ। सुत्ती ऐ की जाग दी तू, जाग अम्बे रानिये। गर्वे ने पाई लिया घेरा ओ मेरी माँ। A very famous bhajan from Kangra of Mata Bajreshwari Devi, remembered often across north-west India today, talks of the Kangre da Tilla or the Mound of Kangra, referring to the place where Bajreswari Devi is present. She is popularly also know as Kangra Mata, and the legend is that the place was set up by burying the kaan or ear of an asura who was killed by the Pandavas on the orders of the Devi. There are such bhajans for other major temples in the region as well, but as a history enthusiast, this one often draws my attention. The story of Kangra is as much the story of the civilizational wounds that the plains experienced; or perhaps it was worse, given how many times temple desecrations were made a conscious strategy. This song, at some level, seems to pass on the memory of one such gory experience that was witnessed by the peopl...
It has been years since I had written the original piece on the practice of Skanda worship being rather prevalent in and around North-west India. Since then, I also found a few updates that I felt were rather interesting and unique, and added to the depth of the piece. (special thanks to Aditya Sharma for somevital information shared here today). Vayu Purana and its Linkage to Balak Nath? Vigraha of Baba Balak Nath at Deotsidh The Vayu Purana gives us some hints about the origins and links of the worship of Baba Balak Nath. A shloka in the Vayu Purana (chapter 54) clearly goes as follows पप्रच्छ कार्तिकेयं वै मयूरवर्वाहनम् । महिशसुरनारीणां नयनाञ्जनतस्करम् महासेन महात्मानं मेघस्त्नित्निस्वनम् । उमामनःप्रहर्शेण बालकं छद्मरुपिणम् .... The section is essentially a discussion between the Sage Vashishtha and Kartikeya, where Vayu Deva calls Kartikeya one who has the form of a child which delights Uma, who incidentally is also known as Skanda Mata. Balak Nath is known as Bala ...