According to religious beliefs, Lord Parashuram, the son of Sage Jamadagni, was the one who began the Kanwar Yatra. It is said that he brought holy Ganga water from the Garhmukteshwar Dham and offered it at Pura Mahadev located in Bagpath dictrict in Uttar Pradesh. Even today, this ancient tradition is faithfully followed with devotion.
Another legend states that Shravan Kumar carried his parents on a kanwar (a shoulder-borne yoke) for a pilgrimage, and later brought back Ganga water, linking his act to the origins of the Kanwar Yatra.
According to the Hindi calendar, the month of Sawan is about to begin, a time eagerly awaited by devotees of Lord Shiva throughout the year.
During this holy month, Shiv temples are filled with devotees, and chants of “Bam Bam Bhole” echo in the air. This is also the time when Kanwar Yatras are undertaken. In these pilgrimages, devotees bath in the sacred Ganga River, collect Gangajal (holy Ganga water) in a kanwar (a bamboo yoke), and carry it to Shiva temples to perform Abhishek (ritual offering) to Lord Mahadev.
Kanwar Yatra takes place every year during the month of Sawan across the country. This year, the Kanwar Yatra will begin on July 11 2025, and conclude on july 23, 2025 on sawan shivratri, but sawan month will continue till August 09 2025.
Performing Jalabhishek
Every year during the month of Sawan, lakhs of Kanwariyas perform Jalabhishek at the Pura Mahadev Temple. This temple is located in the Baghpat district and is an important religious site for devotees of Lord Shiv from Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Every year, thousands of Kanwariyas bring holy water (Gangajal) from Haridwar and offer it to Lord Shiva here. The temple sees massive crowds especially on Mahashivratri and the Mondays of Sawan. It is believed that Lord Shiv is pleased by this devotion and fulfills the wishes of his devotees.
History of Puramahadev
The place where the Parshurameshwar Puramahadev Temple stands today was once a dense forest called Kajri Van. In this forest, Sage Jamdagni lived with his wife Renuka in an ashram. Every day, Renuka used to make an earthen pot, fetch water from the Hindon River, and offer it to Lord Shiv. The Hindon River, also known in the Puranas as Panchatirthi and also referred to as Harnandi, flows nearby. The temple is located 36 km from Meerut and 30 km from Baghpat.
According to legend, once King Sahasrabahu arrived at the ashram while hunting. In the sage’s absence, Renuka warmly welcomed the king with the help of the divine Kamadhenu cow. The king, amazed by the miraculous cow, tried to take it by force, but failed. Enraged, he forcibly took Renuka to his palace in Hastinapur and locked her in a room. Later, with the help of her younger sister, Renuka escaped and returned to the ashram. When she narrated the entire incident to Sage Jamdagni, he—distrusting her for having spent the night in another man’s palace—ordered her to leave the ashram.
Renuka pleaded with her husband, asserting her purity and insisting she would not leave the ashram. She even said that if he doubted her, he could kill her with his own hands so that she could attain salvation. The sage, however, stood firm on his command.
Sage Jamdagni then asked each of his sons to behead their mother. The first three sons refused, but the youngest, Parshuram, obeyed the father’s command and severed his mother’s head, considering it his duty. Later, remorseful and grief-stricken, Parshuram began intense penance a short distance away, installed a Shivling, and worshipped it. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiv appeared before him and granted him a boon. Parshuram asked for his mother to be brought back to life. Lord Shiva not only revived Renuka but also gifted Parshuram a divine axe (Parshu) and said that he would always be victorious in battle whenever he used it.
Temple and Legacy
Parshuram then built a small hut nearby and began living in the forest. Later, he killed King Sahasrabahu and his entire army using the axe. Deeply disturbed by the atrocities committed by the Kshatriya (warrior) class, he vowed to rid the earth of them and carried out a campaign of Kshatriya annihilation 21 times.
The place where he established the Shivling later turned into a temple. Over time, the temple fell into ruins. One day, the queen of Landhaura was passing through the area when her elephant suddenly stopped and refused to move. Despite the mahout’s efforts, the elephant remained still. The queen then ordered the soldiers to dig the ground, and during excavation, a Shivling was discovered. She had a temple built at that very place, which today is known as the Parshurameshwar Temple.
Spiritual Importance
The temple is a major center of devotion for Shiva devotees and is also considered an ancient Siddhpeeth (a spiritually significant site). It holds religious significance not only for the local region but for the entire western Uttar Pradesh.
This sacred site was also visited by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Krishnabodh Ashram Ji Maharaj, who performed penance here. Under his guidance, the Puramahadev Mahadev Committee was formed, which now oversees the management and maintenance of the temple. At present the in the temple complex, there are idols of Nandi (the sacred bull of Shiva), adding to the spiritual ambiance and historical richness of the place.
(This article is written by Adheesh Vats)
