Prithvi Nath Temple
Jhali
Dham Temple is an ancient temple and is one of the oldest temples situated in
Uttar- Pradesh State. This Hindu Pilgrimage is supposed to be 6500 years old. The
temple is preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India and is located around
40 KM from Gonda. It is basically nestled at Vishunpur in Belbhariya in a city
of Uttar-Pradesh. This noteworthy Temple
is dedicated to Lord Shiva and has a Black- Stoned Shivlinga installed in the
main sanctum- sanctorum. It is a belief that this Shivlingam is the largest
Shivlinga in India. An Asur has established this largest Shivlinga many
thousand years back.
The speciality of this famous Temple is that at
a place- Jhalidham located near to Gonda has a Kandhenu Gaya. Local residents
say that Kamdhenu Gaya is always here and gives milk throughout the year
without going through the normal cycle of breeding. Every Year at the temple
two key festivals are celebrated which include Maha Shivaratri and Lili
Parikrama. According to the Hindu calendar, the puja at the temple takes place
in the midnight of the Maha Shivaratri in dark half of the month of Magh which
occurs on 14th day and it occurs somewhere in the month of February. With the
start of the Puja the Naga Sadhus, start their march sitting on their elephants
and a palanquin is decorated which carries the statue of Lord Dattatreya.
