It is most known for theDaksheswara Mahadev Temple, Maa Anandamoyi Ashram and numerous other ashrams and old houses with exquisite wall paintings built by Hindu pilgrims in the 19th century.[1]
"Here, O king, before thee is theKanakhala range, the favourite resort of sages. 'And yonder is the mighty river Ganga. Here, in ancient times, the holy sageSanatkumara attained ascetic success. O scion of the Ajamidha race, by performing thy ablutions here in this river, thou wilt be freed from all thy sins.
— The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Tirtha-yatra Parva: Section CXXXV.[6]
"Bathing inGangadwara (Haridwar) andKusavarta...as also inKankhala, one is sure to become cleansed of all one's sins and then ascend to heaven."
Front facade ofNaya Udasin Akhara, Kankhal, with elaborate frescoes.The gateway and facade of the chowk at Kankhal, 1814
Traditionally, Kankhal is considered to be the summer capital andKurukshetra the winter capital ofShiva. God Shiva after ascending to the throne visited plain areas, the presentHaridwar.
In theVanaparva of theMahabharat, where sage Dhaumya tellsYudhishthira about thetirthas of India, Gangadwar, i.e.,Haridwar and Kankhal, have been referred to.[7] Kankhal also finds mention in the poemMeghaduta (Cloud messenger), of the 3rd century AD, classicalSanskrit poet and dramatist,Kalidas.[2]
When the first Sikh Guru,Guru Nanak (1469–1539), visited Haridwar in 1504 AD, on theBaisakhi day, he went on to visit Kankhal, en route toKotdwara inGarhwal.[8] Kankhal also finds mention in the travel accounts ofSister Nivedita (1867–1911), a disciple ofSwami Vivekananda, wherein she mentions that long before Haridwar became popular, Kankhal had been a center for education and pilgrimage[9]
As late as early 19th century it used to be a separate town, from Haridwar and Mayapur in the areas,[10] though due to urban development it now falls within the city limits ofHaridwar.
Work on theUpper Ganges canal commenced in April 1842, betweenHaridwar and Kankhal.[11] Apart from being home various temples and ashrams of various sects, Kankhal also has numerous oldhavelis, mansion, now visitors attraction, especially heritage tours. Mostly built in previous century, they are known for their frescoes and haveli architecture, and were built by princely states, and zamindars for their stay in the pilgrimage town during summer months.
Daksheswara Mahadev Temple, KankhalAn aerial view of the Ramakrishna Mission Sevasrama, KankhalSri Ramakrishna Temple, RKMS, Kankhal, HaridwarShiva carrying the corpse of his consortDakshayani (Sati)Anandamayi Ma Samadhi Mandir, Kankhal,Haridwarकनखल श्मशान घाट
Daksheswara Mahadev Temple - Kankhal is most known for the ancient temple of Daksheswara Mahadev temple,[13] situated in the south Kankhal town. The present temple was built by Queen Dhankaur in 1810 AD[14] and rebuilt in 1962.[2][15][16] Next to the temple is the 'Daksha Ghat' on the Ganges, and close by is theNileshwar Mahadev Temple. Much of the details of the famousAshvamedhaYagna (Horse Sacrifice) ofDaksha are available in theVayu Purana[2]
Sati Kund, another well-known mythological heritage worth visit is situated in the Kankhal region. Legend has it that Sati laid down her life in this kund[5]
Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama[17] - Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama, Kankhal [ RKMS ], situated in the city of Haridwar [ Uttarakhand ], is a 150-bed multi-specialty charitable hospital founded in 1901 at behest ofSwami Vivekananda to cater to the medical needs of this region. In its long odyssey spanning over a century, it has grown in size, widening the spectrum of services to meet the varied dimensions of health hazards and during this time it has treated more than 10 million patients.RKMS has been instrumental in presenting a road map for bridging the impoverished society – modern treatment methodology and has proved to be the lodestar for the healthcare units. Its altruistic approach of treatment, an umbilical and hence a distinguishing feature from its inception, caught the attention of luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, * Sir J C Bose etc. who visited this centre. Being the oldest Ashrama ( after Ramakrishna Home of Service, Varanasi) of the Ramakrishna Order, this Sevashrama bears the hallowed memory of several direct disciples of Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa.Swami Brahmananda,Swami Turiyananda andSwami Niranjanananda spent their time in intense spiritual practice in this Ashrama.
Anandamoyi Ma Ashram - This quaint ashram was the residence of this Hindu saintSri Anandamoyi Ma (1896–1982), and also houses hersamādhi shrine and a museum dedicated to her, in the vicinity.[18]
Abheda Ganga Mayya AsramThe ashram is under a trust called Abheda Ganga Mayya Trust. The founder of the trust was Bhajananda Swamiji, the main disciple of Swami Abhedananda Maharaj. It is currently headed by Swami Krishnanda.
Dera Baba Dargah Singh ji, Gurudwara - Situated nearSati Ghat, this Gurudwara is dedicated to the third Sikh Guru,Guru Amar Das, who visited this place many times during his lifetime,[19][20] is situated near Sati Ghat in Kankhal; it is managed by theNirmala Sikhs, a scholarly sect of the Sikhs, who came here in 1705, after evacuating fromAnandpur, Punjab and made it their headquarters[21]
Gurukul Kangri University - Situated in Kankhal, on the banks of river Ganges, on Haridwar-Jwalapur bypass road, Gurukul Kangri is one of the oldest Universities of India, founded in 1902 by Swami Shraddhananda (1856–1926), according to the tenets ofSwami Dayananda Saraswati, the founder ofArya Samaj. It was visited by British Trade Union leaderCharles Freer Andrews and British Prime Minister,Ramsay MacDonald,[22] to study the uniqueGurukul based education system.Mahatma Gandhi visited its campus three times,[22] and stayed in its sprawling and serene campus for extended periods of time, most notably in 1916, when on 20 March, he spoke at Gurukul Anniversary.[23]
^abcdVishnu Purana Sacrifice of Daksha (From theVayu Purana.) The Vishnu Purana, translated byHorace Hayman Wilson, 1840.p. 62, "In former times, Daksha commenced a holy sacrifice on the side of Himaván, at the sacred spotGangadwara, frequented by theRishis. The gods, desirous of assisting at this solemn rite, came, with Indra at their head, toMahadeva, and intimated their purpose; and having received his permission, departed in their splendid chariots toGangadwára, as tradition eports.”62:2Gangadwára, the place where the Ganges descends to the plains--or Haridwar, as it is more usually termed--is usually specified as the scene of action, TheLinga (Purana) is more precise, calling itKanakhala, which is the village still called Kankhal, near Haridwar.(Megha Dúta, p. 63 p. 59).p. 68 I am calledVirabhadra, the issue of the wrath ofRudra.Bhadrakálí also, who has sprung from the anger ofDevi…
^JanasakhiArchived 24 March 2012 at theWayback MachineJanamsakhis of Miharban and Mani Singh, mention this visit to have taken place on theBaisakhi day in 1504 AD. Janamsakhi Tradition, Dr. Kirpal Singh, 2004, Punjabi University, Patiala.ISBN81-7205-311-8. p. 92. www.globalsikhstudies.net.
^the Horse-sacrifice of the Prajapati DakshaThe Mahabharata translated byKisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 -1896], Book 12: Santi Parva: Mokshadharma Parva: Section CCLXXXIV.p. 317. "I am known by the name ofVirabhadra’’ and I have sprung from the wrath of Rudra. This lady (who is my companion), and who is called Bhadrakali, hath sprung from the wrath of the goddess."
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