Falgu River
Encyclopedia
The Falgu River which flows past Gaya, India
in the India
n state
of Bihar
, is a sacred river for Hindu
s.
(also called Niranjana or Nilanjan) and the Mohana
, two large hill streams each of which is over 300 yards wide. The Falgu is also mentioned as Niranjana. The united stream flows on to the north past the town of Gaya, where it attains a breadth of over 900 yards. The Falgu here impinges on a high rocky bank, on the steep sides of which are many paved stairs leading down to the river bed, while high above are the Vishnupad Mandir, with many minor shrines around it. It then runs in a north-easterly direction for about 17 miles (27.4 km), and opposite the Barabar hills
it again takes the name of Mohana, and divides into two branches which eventually flow into a branch of the Punpun
.
The Falgu like the confluent streams, Lilajan and Mohana, is subject to high floods during the monsoon
s but in other seasons of the year it dwindles to an insignificant stream wandering through a wide expanse of sand.
The portion of the course of the Falgu flowing by Gaya is sacred to the Hindus. It is the first holy site visited by the pilgrim and here his first offering must be made for the souls of his ancestors. According to the Gaya Mahatmya, which forms part of the Vayu Purana
, the Falgu is the embodiment of Vishnu
himself. One tradition states that it formerly flowed with milk.
According to Hindu belief, the soul wanders after death until pindadan, or religious service seeking salvation for the dead from the cycle of rebirth, is performed. The fortnight-long pitrapaksh period is considered auspicious to offer pindadan. The 15 days of the waning moon during the Hindu month of Ashvin
are known as pitrapaksh. Pindadan is traditionally offered on the banks of the Falgu at Gaya. It is mandatory for Hindu devotees offering pindadan to shave their heads and take a holy dip and head for the Baitarni pond. The prayers are performed at the Vishnupad Mandir. Priests, known as Gaywal-pandas, conduct the ritual. Thousands of Hindus visit Gaya for the purpose of pindadan.
. Hindu mythology
states that Sita
who was wife of Lord Rama had cursed the Falgu River. There is an interesting story and the mythology
states that on account of this curse, Falgu River lost its water, and the river is simply a vast stretch of sand dunes.
According to tradition, in the absence of Rama
, his wife Sita
offered pinda on its banks to Dasharatha father of Rama.
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, is a sacred river for Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s.
Course
The Falgu is formed by the junction, some two miles below Bodh Gaya, of the LilajanLilajan River
The Lilajan River flows through the Chatra and Gaya districts in the Indian states of Jharkhand and Bihar...
(also called Niranjana or Nilanjan) and the Mohana
Mohana River
The Mohana River flows through the Hazaribagh, Chatra and Gaya districts in the Indian states of Jharkhand and Bihar.-Course:...
, two large hill streams each of which is over 300 yards wide. The Falgu is also mentioned as Niranjana. The united stream flows on to the north past the town of Gaya, where it attains a breadth of over 900 yards. The Falgu here impinges on a high rocky bank, on the steep sides of which are many paved stairs leading down to the river bed, while high above are the Vishnupad Mandir, with many minor shrines around it. It then runs in a north-easterly direction for about 17 miles (27.4 km), and opposite the Barabar hills
Barabar Caves
The Barabar Caves are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, mostly dating from the Mauryan period , and some with Ashokan inscriptions, located in the Jehanabad District of Bihar, India, 24 km north of Gaya....
it again takes the name of Mohana, and divides into two branches which eventually flow into a branch of the Punpun
Punpun River
The Punpun River is a tributary of the Ganges. It originates in Palamu district of Jharkhand and flows through Chatra, Aurangabad, Gaya and Patna districts of the Indian states of Jharkhand and Bihar.-Course:...
.
The Falgu like the confluent streams, Lilajan and Mohana, is subject to high floods during the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
s but in other seasons of the year it dwindles to an insignificant stream wandering through a wide expanse of sand.
Religious significance
Vayu Purana
The Vayu Purana is a Shaiva Purana, a Hindu religious text, dedicated to the god Vayu , containing about 24,000 shlokas.-Date:Banabhatta refers to this work in his Kadambari and Harshacharita...
, the Falgu is the embodiment of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
himself. One tradition states that it formerly flowed with milk.
According to Hindu belief, the soul wanders after death until pindadan, or religious service seeking salvation for the dead from the cycle of rebirth, is performed. The fortnight-long pitrapaksh period is considered auspicious to offer pindadan. The 15 days of the waning moon during the Hindu month of Ashvin
Ashvin
Ashvin , also known as Aswayuja, is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, the Tamil solar calendar where it is known as Aipassi and the solar India's national civil calendar. It is the sixth month of the solar Bengali calendar. It falls in the season of Shôrot, or Autumn...
are known as pitrapaksh. Pindadan is traditionally offered on the banks of the Falgu at Gaya. It is mandatory for Hindu devotees offering pindadan to shave their heads and take a holy dip and head for the Baitarni pond. The prayers are performed at the Vishnupad Mandir. Priests, known as Gaywal-pandas, conduct the ritual. Thousands of Hindus visit Gaya for the purpose of pindadan.
Mythology
There is reference to the city of Gaya and the Falgu River in the Hindu epic of RamayanaRamayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. Hindu mythology
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
states that Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
who was wife of Lord Rama had cursed the Falgu River. There is an interesting story and the mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
states that on account of this curse, Falgu River lost its water, and the river is simply a vast stretch of sand dunes.
According to tradition, in the absence of Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, his wife Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
offered pinda on its banks to Dasharatha father of Rama.