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Trip to the last frontier

Koteshwar
Last Updated 23 April 2016, 18:29 IST

The joy of discovering a little-known place sure is undescribable. When I set out to the far west of Gujarat through the arid and desolate landscape of the Great Rann of Kutch, I didn’t know what to expect. I was heading towards Koteshwar that borders with the Sindh province of Pakistan.

Situated about 130 km northwest of Bhuj, Koteshwar stands as the last frontier of the Indian territory. It is here that River Indus joins the Arabian Sea, with the mouth of the river forming a network of creeks in the barren desert. With a calmly disposed vastness, the blue tranquil ocean was a soothing contrast for the dusty warm locale.

The only structure to be visited here was the imposing temple of Koteshwar Mahadev, with a well-guarded battlement and a long causeway to the sea. The temple, built in bright sandstone, on a raised platform, can be reached by short flights of stairs. While ascending the steps, I pass by an inscription, which said the temple was built by two Seths — Sunderji and Jeth Shivji in 1820. The steps lead to a platform on which the temple, with three large towers, stands.

The figure of a brass Nandi with Lord Ganesha on the left and Hanuman on the right, marked the inner hall. The 4-feet-high linga was in the centre with the statue of Parvathi behind. Though the linga appears just as any other, there is an interesting story behind its existence.

Myths & more

According to mythology, demon king Ravana, by virtue of his tough penance to Lord Shiva, earned a powerful linga as a boon. But Ravana, in his arrogant haste, accidentally dropped the linga and it fell to earth at Koteshwar. To punish Ravana for his carelessness, the linga turned into a 1,000 identical ones.

Unable to distinguish the original, Ravana grabbed one of the lingas and departed, leaving the original one here, around which Koteshwar Temple was built. The temple is also known as Kotilingeshwar Temple.

As the surroundings were calm and pleasant, I took a walk by the sea where a few boats were anchored. Along the causeway was an enclosure with images from the legendary story. To the south was a lighthouse, with the waves lapping its shores in a set rhythm.

Finding oasis

Just 4 km from here was another lesser-known spot called the Narayan Sarovar. Legend has it that this lake in the middle of the desert was created by Lord Vishnu on the request of sages, and as such it is held in high reverence. In fact, this, along with four other lakes, namely, Mansarovar in Tibet, Bindu Sarovar in Gujarat, Pampa Sarovar in Karnataka and Pushkar Sarovar in Rajasthan, form the 5 holy lakes.

Apart from the lake, where pelicans swim about gracefully, the temple complex of Trikamray, protected by a strong fort wall, has quite a few shrines dedicated to various gods. The complex was built by Vagheli Mahakunvar, the wife of Rao Deshalji I, Rao of Cutch State in the 18th century.

The temple of Trikamray, in style and shape resembling that at Koteshwar, stands on a high platform, and has 3 side porches with a large one in the centre, all capped with domes resting on 12-feet-high pillars.

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(Published 23 April 2016, 14:29 IST)

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