Roopnath Dham and Katav Ghat , MP
…… . I was retired on 31st July 2011, from ICSSR, New Delhi and planned to do ADHYATM and to do some PARMARTH by teaching children of deprived class of remote tribal village of MP. The name of that village is KATAV GHAT district Jabalpur, Tahseel MAJHOLI. The wonderful monuments are available in the surrounding area of the village.viz. one of the very historical temple of Ancient period about 250BC. This place is called Roop Nath Dham,Katni Road, the temple of Lord Shiva.
In the year 1994 some renovation work was done.
This place has an inscription in Pali language of ASHOKA period.
However it was a neglected place, no Sarkari Karmchari was available to broom even the campus. On my request D.G.Dept. of ASI had forwarded my observation to a senior officer ,Dept.ASI,Bhopal to look into it. The oficer has forwarded the matter to an officer at Jabalpur and asked him to be in touch with me .He taken an appointmet to visit me at my residence at jabalpur. He came to me in in the second week of October 2011 and discussed with me for two hours. Latter the senior officer of Bhopal and the officer of jabalpur both of them did survay of the sight of Roop Nath Dham in the last week of January ,2012 and the did contact me on ph. And discussed with me about the development ought to be done at the sight as I could not reach the Dham as my motor cycle became out of order at Amargarh, before 7Km. from the Dham.We promised that we would meet in due course.
Now the development is going on and as per suggestion the Department of MP State Tourism under the supervision of ASI, have given a shape of swimming pool to the KHALAR where the outlet of water from the KUNDS are flowing and built ghats for gents on one side and for ladies on the other side.
The out let before development
There are three Kunds at certain heights and the source of water falls
of each Kunds is a huge water body at a height of 100 meters. Unfortunately, hardly any tourist is coming. Only local pilgrims are coming or the youth of the surrounding area coming to enjoy the ponds.
The beauty of this place cannot be described in words, two rivers KUSMI and KAR are meeting at a point where an old temple of LORD GANESHA & SHIVA is still in good shape, surrounded by green hill range.
Yours Dr. Vijay Nath Sondhi
Professor's colony, Suhagi,Jabalpur
Recent encroachment done by a Sadhu-Mahatma named Lodha Pahad wale Baba (about age of 30-35 years) at Katav Ghat and the people have so much blind faith in Sadhu/mahatma's Yagya in MP that even educated people are followers.Other migrated pandit so called Vedant ji has similar story. The other people are also doing encroachment and the forest Department is not taking care. All these are happening with the mutual understanding of influential peoples of the society. The wild life ended completely. Deforestation have cleaned these hills and cattle are grazing the new plants grown in the rainy season along with the locals.
…… . I was retired on 31st July 2011, from ICSSR, New Delhi and planned to do ADHYATM and to do some PARMARTH by teaching children of deprived class of remote tribal village of MP. The name of that village is KATAV GHAT district Jabalpur, Tahseel MAJHOLI. The wonderful monuments are available in the surrounding area of the village.viz. one of the very historical temple of Ancient period about 250BC. This place is called Roop Nath Dham,Katni Road, the temple of Lord Shiva.
However it was a neglected place, no Sarkari Karmchari was available to broom even the campus. On my request D.G.Dept. of ASI had forwarded my observation to a senior officer ,Dept.ASI,Bhopal to look into it. The oficer has forwarded the matter to an officer at Jabalpur and asked him to be in touch with me .He taken an appointmet to visit me at my residence at jabalpur. He came to me in in the second week of October 2011 and discussed with me for two hours. Latter the senior officer of Bhopal and the officer of jabalpur both of them did survay of the sight of Roop Nath Dham in the last week of January ,2012 and the did contact me on ph. And discussed with me about the development ought to be done at the sight as I could not reach the Dham as my motor cycle became out of order at Amargarh, before 7Km. from the Dham.We promised that we would meet in due course.
Now the development is going on and as per suggestion the Department of MP State Tourism under the supervision of ASI, have given a shape of swimming pool to the KHALAR where the outlet of water from the KUNDS are flowing and built ghats for gents on one side and for ladies on the other side.
The out let before development
The outlet of the water of the KUNDs developed into a pool
There are three Kunds at certain heights and the source of water falls
of each Kunds is a huge water body at a height of 100 meters. Unfortunately, hardly any tourist is coming. Only local pilgrims are coming or the youth of the surrounding area coming to enjoy the ponds.
Above the Kunds, on the top of
the hill, there is a huge water body (lake)of about 14 Acres. The Department of
Tourism can give boats on lease to the
youths of the surrounding area. They will get employment as well as the State
may earn revenue. Just on the other side of the lake is the hill of Sindursi
where the sculpture on the rocks of about
1st century AD are
still in good condition.
(sculpture on the rocks at Sindursi,Bahuriban)
Roopnath is a historical place .
King Ashoka the great came over here and stayed in KAKRAITA.
For a detailed history the book of Dr.R.K.Sharma
may be consulted.
Most of the surroundings of this place has been encroached by the
villagers and the caretaker of ASI for this place who is also looking after Roopnath
is a puppet and good for nothing. It is due to the influential people of the
village and incharge of the Jabalpur region of ASI has no power to control
them. It may be a game of politics.
The second sight is KATAV GHAT this place is a holy place and a British administrator had constructed the road by cutting a hill to reach this place in the year 1900 AD.
The beauty of this place cannot be described in words, two rivers KUSMI and KAR are meeting at a point where an old temple of LORD GANESHA & SHIVA is still in good shape, surrounded by green hill range.
This place has been the
worship place of RISHEEs. The holy place of Rishee Mragannath is at the top of
a hill at Katav Ghat. The MP State department of tourism is developing this
place as a tourist spot. However such spots need maintenance regularly and so a
permanent arrangement should be sorted out. One time development is wastage of
money. Hope it will be nice picnic spot in future.
The third neglected
temple is at MAJHOLI Tahseel. This temple is of Varah Avatar of Lord
Vishnu. The local people tell number of stories of about this Statue;
however it is a duplicate copy of Varah statue of Khajuraho. The passage to
this temple needs consideration. I do not know whether ASI has noticed other sites
surrounding of this area or not. I have doubt even the Ministry of tourism has
knowledge of these sites viz a huge pond of white lotus ( locals are destroying
the beauty of this pond) and other monuments ( unnoticed) adjacent to this
village viz. in Khabra village etc.
Yours Dr. Vijay Nath Sondhi
Professor's colony, Suhagi,Jabalpur
Recent encroachment done by a Sadhu-Mahatma named Lodha Pahad wale Baba (about age of 30-35 years) at Katav Ghat and the people have so much blind faith in Sadhu/mahatma's Yagya in MP that even educated people are followers.Other migrated pandit so called Vedant ji has similar story. The other people are also doing encroachment and the forest Department is not taking care. All these are happening with the mutual understanding of influential peoples of the society. The wild life ended completely. Deforestation have cleaned these hills and cattle are grazing the new plants grown in the rainy season along with the locals.
