Peer Kho Temple Cave: The cave that takes you back to Ramayana Era
Jammu, May 24: Continuing with our endeavour to highlight the tourist potential of Jammu region particularly linking it with the religious tourism due to huge influx of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine for a complete pilgrimage tourist destination here is another destination that can add grandeur to the pilgrim tourist circuit within the peripheries of Jammu city.
Jammu being known as city of temples is a pilgrim tourists’ delight with its numerous ancient and historic temples each having it own story to tell. In this series Peer Kho is one such destination which is hard to ignore and can add to the tourist circuit due to its history dating back to Ramayana period and other historical facts and myths that mesmerizes anyone visiting the place besides giving religious solace. This temple cave which is already famous and popular needs to be highlighted at national and international level to bring it on the tourist map of India particularly the pilgrim tourist circuit to tap the millions of pilgrim tourists visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and other tourists visiting Jammu and Kashmir.
Peer Kho cave has the potential to bring alive the religious sentiments of the pilgrims taking them back to Ramayana Era and its internal caves linking to Amarnath Cave and other places. It is widely believed that Ramayan character Jamvant (the bear god) meditated in this cave.
Peer Kho Cave Temple also known as the Jamwant Cave, is situated on the hill touching the banks of Tawi River. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, while Swayambhu ‘Shiva Lingam’ is the presiding deity. Considered to be one of the most ancient Shrines of the region, the Peer Kho Cave Temple is situated in the midst of an acacia forest. Locals believe that the temple acts as a gateway to other pilgrimage shrines and caves located outside India. Thousands of devotees visit this cave temple during the occasion of Shivaratri.
Peer Kho Cave Temple is a highlight of Jammu city as history, myth and legend all combine at this place. Based on the epic Ramayana, it is believed that Jamvant (the bear god) adopted the cave as a place where he went into deep meditation. The Shivling inside the temple is revered a lot by the locals and tourists alike. There is an ancient charm to the place that makes a visit here replete with devotional fervour. The shivling is known as the Swayambhu Shivling and the cave as Jamvant cave. According to mythology, this cave is connected to other caves and shrines that lie outside India; it is a literal gateway to these places.
The Shrine of the Peer Kho Temple is one of the old temples of the City of Temples. A large number of devotees throng it on Puranmashi, Amavasya and Ekadashi. The important festivals held here are Shivratri, Purnima amd Shravan Puranmashi or Raksha Bandhan.
According to the unconfirmed historical records the temple was built in 15th century A.D, for the Saint Siddha Ghareeb Nath entitled Peer, during the reign of Raja Ajaib Dev, There are two caves which are twenty to thirty feet below the ground level. The peaceful, calm and serene place is suitable for spiritual attainment.
The temple courtyard has a Tulsi plant pedestal in the premises, which also indicates fine reflection of the Dogra style of architecture found in Ram Nagar palace at Ram Nagar and at Zorawar Singh Residence cum Palace Complex of Vijaypur in Reasi.
The unique feature of the temple is the Ghoraknath eternal Dhunni or continuous smoke-emitting shrine in the centre of the temple.
The cave inside the main sanctum sanctorum of lord Shiva is believed to lead to Amarnath Cave while another cave is believed to be opening across the River Tawi in Bahu Fort. There is another cave which is believed to be opening At Haridwar and other places.
Even though the caves have now been closed for security of the pilgrims but the sanctity of the shrine has been enhancing by the day.
It is the need of the hour to improve the parking facilities at the shrine and transport facilities besides promoting it along with other religious destinations of Jammu to make Jammu a truly multipurpose tourist destination which can have leisure tourist circuits, pilgrim tourist circuits, adventure tourism circuits and historical and scientific tourist circuits if at all the government wants an equitable treatment to all the three regions of the state. (Compiled from various sources)