PURMANDAL TEMPLE DARSHAN.

People in jammu and around are well aware of purmandal and the significance of the temple there by the Devak river......
Purmandal is exactly 22 kms from Kalu chak on jammu - pathankot highway. It's known as Chota  kashi. ....its the milan sthal  of Lord shiva and goddess parvati.The temple has an unique place in the region because of its reputation, purity and provenience. It is considered  equal to kashi in U.P.
The temple is located on the bank of Devak river which starts it's journey from Sudh Maha dev in Chenani (Udhampur ). ..by the time it reaches the purmandal it is considered the holiest river which gives moksh to dead when buried on its bed or burnt on its bank.....The devak river scrolls down to join ar. Utterbehni  , which makes its way to Pakistan  in due course....
MY EXPERIENCE  OF DARSHAN AT PURMANDAL TEMPLE:- 
It was one fine Sunday morning that I and my husband planned to drive down to a small village called purmandal. ...Our official driver , who is a local from jammu  asked me to try to make it there sometimes before we leave this jammu city.....just remember  the drivers words we took it thru. .... The road definitely is in very bad shape....so we drove in slow speed....soon it took height and we got the glimpse of the R. DEVAK Also  called antersheella, means which don't show herself but is flowing across...after 22kms  drive we reached Purmandal. ...after parking our car , we asked the shopkeeper about the temple and they asked us to walk 3/4 mins over the river bed to the temple....
     After we reached the temple site.....The first expression. ....so peaceful place....its a big complex with multiple temples dedicated to ganpati, kashi vishwanath ji ,  ram mandir, shani mandir and the main sanctum  of the shiv parvati  shela standing in one piece..... There stands some 1400+shivling s...The main temple is in gold. ...after our darshan there,  the priest told us the importance of the darshan here.... people come here as couples and pray to shiv - parvati to safeguard the pair and continue to live a happy life together. ... ( This is a secret that's kept gupt or hidden truth)....
Ladies are not allowed to pour water/milk on the shela , only men pours on the shela. ...its believed that the kund in which the shela stands can never be overfulled. ...no one knows where the milk - water goes....there's  a akhanda depak  that's burning for thousands of years......It seems a fox used to safe guard the shela, later was killed by the king of jammu  who  got cursed in the process. .... so without the darshan of the fox  idol the darshan here stands incomplete. .....
We  found it quite interesting. ......one has to perform ones own puja. ....after the parikrama  of the temple we stood by its coridors  and watched bodies being cremated one by own......that's a realisation, one who came into this world has to go one day..."
It seems bodies buried in the soil of devak river vanishes in mins....but what an irony, people driving vehicles over the river bed... 
In total it was an experience for ourselves.
This holy land is also the birthplace of Saint kabir...every amabashya sees lot of devotees  here. In Feb every year a big mela takes place as a celebration of marriage of shiv parvati. ......

*****recommend :- any couple visiting jammu city should try to have a darshan together here for a long happy married life together. ...making a strong bonding.

Driving the Dhar road to Ramnagar onto Udhampur.

It's Sunday. ....A definitely I don't wish to sit back at home with the laptop...Winter has started and weather is too good in jammu and all those bad summer and rainy months.....After breakfast, both me and my husband wanted to  drive out...It wasn't decided where  we intend to go....just a long drive...and off we go ...totally unprepared....took the jammu bypass road ( our favourite drive)...Soon my husband wanted to take the surinsar - mansar cut and off we onto the hills....its the most picturesque stretch of jammu city....after some 20 kms we reached surinsar lake..... its was the 3rd time I had been to this lake site. But I bet , it looks best during rainy season  with hovering clouds...and ferny ways after a short stopover at the lake site we moved onto mansar lake which is around 19 kms or so...I was just discussing about the Dhar road connecting the mansar bypass...check onto Google. ..which showed some 30 kms drive to Ramnagar .....We soon decided instead stopping at mansar lake we will take onto the Dhar road onto manwal  to ramnagar....Udhampur looks to be some 43kms from here....anyways , Dhar road is a fantastic  drive off....earlier  we drove the other half ie Billawar towards Ranjit sagar Dam and lakhanpur.
So it was decided...but the patch of mansar to Dhar road was in a very bad shape....Once hitting the Dhar road it's definitely an amazing drive...The Udhampur rly line often kept following us ...and we continued our journey to Ramnagar... onto Airforce station and then Udhampur city.... The landscape was just awesome as we drove off.....
After  reaching udhampur city , it's time to take on udhampur bypass..... then rehembal and then nagrota bypass onto jammu bypass......
It's was time to zip zap zoom. ....what a magnificent  road to drive thru....just look forward for driving such type of road across the Himalayan stretch  to kashmir valley in future years to come when this 4 lanning  work ends.....
Total it was around 160/170km  drive out....A simple unplanned drive out turned out to be a long long drive.But definitely we both loved it....

Surinsar lake.

Dhar road.

Our barbecue party on the river bed at Reasi.

After our darshan at Baba Dhansar,  we drove a few more kms ahead and chanced to see a pretty river bed of a tributary of river chenab....and definitely  it's the ideal spot  we were looking for...Our friend , drove done his endeavour  car into the river bed and moved ahead  looking for a perfect spot. After parking our vehicle , it was time to search for twigs on across the river bed....Both Mr and Mrs kahlon was out in search for twigs...While my husband was after , to catch a crab ...and myself trying to  catch every moment in frame on my lens.....
After twigs were gathered...The vegs to be roasted are attached to a wire lying in the car...what innovative idea... then firstly went the sweet potatoes into the fire, along the vegs...next come the potatoes and chicken pieces and then the bread toasting on a piece of wood.....Just loving it....as the food was ready....its Happy Lunch time on the river bed on looking the Bhimgarh  Fort of Reasi....what a way to  make good times.....Definitely  will remember these moments we have been enjoying during our tenure at Jammu......just the way one should look onto life.....Cheers!!!!!!

Our visit to Baba Dhansar at Reasi.

It was one fine Sunday morning that I and my husband along with our neighbour  thought to drive off to NH1C. .....Our intension was to go on a short drive and the picnic on the river bed. As we left jammu city , we took along with us some raw vegs and half prepared chicken...and off  we go.
Once we reached katra cross on nh1a,  my neighbour asked me whether I did any research work about any place of tourist interest on NH1C  or not...It soon clicked on my mind about Baba Dhansar  , some 10km+from katra.....and so it was decided to visit baba Dhansar.  Basically it's Lord shiva's  temple.  On reaching the site and seeing the deep gorge,  we were bit upset as it's more than 150 steps to make it to the cave of baba Dhansar.  Anyways, we all intended to walk down. As we walked down it wasn't that tough...Moreover the river bed was really tempting....Once we were down below the cave was baba Dhansar  was just too beautiful. ...its cascading waterfall....lovely serene atmosphere  mesmerised all of us...after darshan at the cave ...We all intended to go farther down to the river bed....what a beautiful  picture perfect site....sat there for a while and clicked some beautiful  sceneries  , before making it back to the top...... just too beautiful a spot to be and so close to katra.... recommended as must visit if coming to katra.

MAHAKALI TEMPLE, TIKRI I(REHEMBAL)

The Maha Kali temple of Tikri or Rehembal ,is located 9kms away from Udhampur City towards katra side of NH1A..... location is very beautiful with the Trikut range of Mata Vaishnodevi at its backdrop..... Everyone pass thru' this way make a stopover to pay their respect to Ma Kali here onto their journey across the Himalayas..Back of the main temple site which is bit down below from the main highway , a small stream with cascading water flows by.....

Mahakali temple, Tikri( Rehembal).

MY VISIT TO THE KIRMACHI GROUP OF TEMPLES, UDHAMPUR.

Kirmachi is located,at a distance of 12kms north of Udhampur-Lander road....the group of temples are locally known as PANDAVA temples. The complex consists of 5 temples & 2 small shrines. All the temples are facing East except 3.The temples ,on plan consists of Garbagriha with curvilinear Shikharas & elongated antarala.Some of the temples have mandapa in front of antarala.
 During execution of conservation works ,a large nos of terracotta figurines, copper coins , earthern pots & beads of semiprecious stones were found. A chance discovery has revealed, that it stands on a  earlier brick structure datable to post Gupta period.

There is presently 1 kms trekking to reach the site from the main road, which is horrible to walk upto..... Just couldn't understand how a place taken up by archeological survey of India, has no proper route to walk up thru'.... it looks like an adventurous trek presently, walking down the slopes holding the roots of tall trees but amazingly saw so many people making it there ....A  new road to this place is being under construction & will surely make it good for future people making it here...

Alluring drive off from Jammu to Udhampur.

It use to be a very tedious drive from Jammu City to Udhampur, but the newly built 4 lane drive across the Himalayas which stands completed upto Udhampur has made a pleasant drive off..... The 61kms stretch looks like a thrilling drive at 120km/hr, though 2 tunnels are yet to get connected with this 4lanes drive, whatsoever ....... the road has been fantastically made, hope we citizen maintain it & enjoy driving across..................... 
    I would rather add pics to let my readers experience the drive themselves....

My Drive off to Shiv Khori temple.

It was one fine sunday morning ,feeling lazy as i woke up from sleep............ temps.have dropped to mere13c,just didnt wish to leave my quilt,when my husband served me a cup of green tea,triggering that its time that i should leave my bed. I asked him his plan for the day but found him very very confused............... then on i decided that we 'll go out somewhere; undecided of any place we quickly had our breakfast and packed our bags and cameras and off we go....
 As my husband started his car, he decided to drive towards Akhnoor side of Jammu .....After crossing the chenab bridge , we continued our drive onto Bhamla.....

Onto BHAMLA.

Driving thru' BHAMLA.

 At Bhamla , we took a break for a hot cup of tea & pakoras, & then decided to drive off to Shiv Khori .................. I searched for the distance & route on google maps  & onto our drive thru' Pouni & Ramsoo ,we reached ShivKhori by almost 1.40pm..... We didnt feel like stopping for lunch as its a long 4kms trek one way to the temple..... Though, pony option was there but we opted to walk as it will give me a better option to film the route....
But the climb was too steep, thank God we didnt have food before started on for the trek.

POUNI VALLEY.

RAMSOO VILLAGE.

THE TREK ROUTE TO SHIV KHORI CAVES.

On our trek to Shiv Khori Caves.

SHIV KHORI CAVES.

Myself, on my first darshan of Shiv Khori.

The steep trek across the high mountains at Shiv Khori.

After almost a tiring trek , it was time for climbing some odd 100 steps to the enterance of the cave. No cameras & mobile phones are allowed inside the cave. Its lit up but the passage is very very narrow & tough to pass thru'... & then the main podium of Lord Shiv'.... We stood , all in his praise.... Nama Shivaay" ...After Darshan , it was time to return back. The natural rock formation inside the cave was worth seeing... Lord Vishnu in nidra position, Shesh naag guarding, the Shankh pouring down water on the Shivling, The Trishul....... Just Wonder!!!! what a creation of Almighty. I bow down in His respect.
It was setting dark & we had to run thru' the down hill...covered 4kms downhill in just 40mins...as we were worried the bad roads at Ramsoo & Pouni would make our journey a difficult one if we dont pass thru' the region before it becomes totally dark.... My husband drove off very fast almost at 80km/hr speed to touch down Akhnoor by 7pm... By the time we reached home , it was almost 8pm.
 Just had an unexpectedly great day.... Its offcourse, Lord asked us to visit him on the day orelse, when we started from home , we never thought to be visiting Shiv Khori Shrine.

Beautiful Bhamla.

  

A Sunday drive off to BILLAWAR.

It was a sunday morning, we woke up from sleep & with a cup of hot tea as the weather in Jammu City has started Chilling,  I &my husband just thought to go off for a long drive....Though, we were not able to decide in which direction we'll go,as RSPura side ,its constant firing from pak side, so better be safe than feel sorry for misadventure, Cann't think of taking NH1A as the traffic is so mismanaged that its getting stalled by Udhampur& ahead traffic....So it was either Akhnoor side to Shiv Khori orelse towards Basoli in Kathua distt................... Its long time ,after the massive floods on 5thsept 2014in J&K, we could hardly go out toplaces across. So much bogged down with overload of work pressure, we both were looking out to escape out even forhalf a day. Within minutes we both decided to drive off towards Basoli side'; Hardly had some 15mins to get ready & hit the road....& off we go...........................
    Took the Jammu- pathankot road,After crossing Vijaypur- Sambha-& nearing Hiranagar, I told my husband that the google map on my mobile is showing a narrow cut soon after hiranagar across mountains towards Dhar road to Billawar-Basoli..... We both got a bit adventurous & took the wrongroute into the high mountains ....It was simply our GPRS on our mobile to guide us thru'.................though, offcourse time had been a factor, incase to had to drive upto Lakhanpur & drive to Basoli, its pretty long time................
    Though , the Challa- Dayalchak road turned out to be real adventures drive. The road at various patches were really very very bad condition.... Now no looking back, we kept driving thru small villages & high mountains , towards Galak & ultimately hit the DHAR-UDHAMPUR Road.

We now started driving towards BILLAWAR town.......... after all those hill climb , we were now driving a height but onto a comfortable drive.... Billawar ,is a beautiful town nestled inbetween the high Dhauladhar range. The Sukrala Devi shrine brings huge crowds here. The town looked cute & serene from top of the high Dhar road...

After few breaks on the way , we kept driving onthe dhar road ....... Soon , we got to know that ,my husband had to rush back to office, so its asured that we can't make it to BANI-BASOLI instead have to get back to Lakhanpur & later rush back towards JAMMU.... Anyways, No regret....thats part of our life......
    Soon we got the first glance of Ranjit Sagar Lake; It looked awesome from such height on Dhar Road....Now , as we kept driving , its the huge lake that kept was awestruck by its beauty....

The onto Dharamkot...- Parnala- Mahanpur-Thein-Basantpur- Lakhanpur..................... It was really a long drive-------------- But I loved it... Couldnot make it to Basoli.Maybe next time.
Now we were in a hurry to drive back to Jammu & at 140km/hr speed on high on Sunday afternoon....it was really Adventurous.