A story of two devotees who brought River Ganga to Somnath

A story of two devotees who brought River Ganga to Somnath
By Japan K Pathak
Somnath, DeshGujarat, 6 March, 2010





In medieval time, during the regime of Hindu rulers, Gujarat’s Somnath Mahadev enjoyed daily supply of water from river Ganga through ‘Kavad’ system. Daily ‘Kavadiyas’ from north India used to bring holy water of river Ganga for Lord Somnath’s puja. Even flowers were supplied from as far as Kashmir for puja of Shri Somnath dada.

After a gap of long period, today Shri Somnath Mahadev’s Jyotirling is offered river Ganga’s holy water daily again!

How?

There is an interesting story behind this.

Narsibhai Chaudhary and Naranbhai Chaudhary are small time farmers living in North Gujarat’s Chanasma taluka’s Brahmanvada village. They are among crores of devotees of Shri Somnath Mahadev mandir. Nathabhai and Naranbhai also offer drinking water service through tanker and filter every year to devotees who walk towards Ambaji for Bhadarvi Poonam.

But this time they did something different.

Narsibhai and Naranbhai hired a large-sized water tanker and went to Haridwar. They reached the bank of river Ganga after four-day travell. After taking bath in holy river, they started an engine(that they brought from their farm in Gujarat) and connected a pipe. After filling whole water tanker with river Ganga’s holy water, they started their journey back – this time directly to Shri Somnath Mahadev Mandir in Saurashtra.

When Nathabhai and Naranbhai reached Somnath Mandir and told the manager about their offering, the manager and Mandir administrators were surprised. The holy water of Ganga was unloaded in Somnath mandir’s special tank. The stored water is now being used for Abhishek and Puja of Shri Somnath mahadev’s Shivling daily. It is sufficient for one year. And then? Naranbhai and Nathabhai have offered their service again next year.

Jay Somnath.