Mysterious drop in pond water level ahead of Makar Sankranti: unveiling the secrets of Mandar's Madhusudan temple

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Mount Mandara is mentioned repeatedly in Hinduism. It is believed to have been the resting place of Lord Vishnu and the site of the churning of the ocean. But do you know where this mountain is located and what happened to Mount Mandara after the churning of the ocean? The Mount Mandara, used during the churning of the ocean, still exists in Banka, Bihar. That churning produced poison along with nectar.

Located 50 kilometers from the city of Bhagalpur, Mount Mandar, an 800-foot-high granite hill, offers a captivating view and is associated with the mythological tale of the churning of the ocean of nectar. According to legend, the gods used this hill to churn the ocean to obtain nectar. The mysteries and evidence of the events described in the mythological tales during the churning of the ocean by the gods remain.

There are marks of thick lines more than 10 meters long on the mountain, which are considered to be the mark of Vasuki snake. During the churning, Vasuki snake was wrapped around Mandara mountain and its marks are still present today. On this hill, there is also a very old temple named Madhusudan dedicated to Lord Krishna. A small idol of Krishna made of black stone is installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. It is believed that after killing the demon named Madhu, Lord Krishna stopped to rest on Mandara mountain, after which this temple was established.

On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, a grand fair is organized in the temple, where lakhs of devotees reach. The administration itself makes arrangements for the grand fair and gets the work done from security to painting. On the day of Makar Sankranti, devotees also take a bath in the Papaharani Kund located outside the temple. The special thing about this Kund is that a night before Makar Sankranti, the water level in it decreases very low and the conch present in the Kund becomes visible, but the water level increases the very next day. This sight is seen only once a year on Makar Sankranti.

The Madhusudan Temple hosts the annual Rath Yatra, a chariot procession for Lord Krishna. Devotees from North India to South India flock to the Mandar Mountains to pull the chariot.