On Shri Krishna Janmashtami, Kanha is worshipped all over the country, but in the tiger kingdom of Bandhavgarh, Lord Shri Ram is worshipped in the form of Kanha and Mother Sita in the form of Radha Rani. Inside the fort on top of the mountain in the dense forest of Bandhavgarh, there is a thousand-year-old temple of Shri Ram Janaki.
The temple opens once a year
The temple is opened only once a year on the day of Shri Krishna Janmashtami. During this time, members of the Rewa royal family come here to worship and devotees walk 14 kilometers to reach the temple. After getting a glimpse of Lord Ram Janaki in the temple, all the tiredness of the people who have come on foot is gone and they come back down with the same speed.
If the forest is handed over to the government, a condition was laid
When the Bandhavgarh forest, which was once the hunting ground of the Baghel rulers, was handed over for making a tiger reserve, Maharaja Martand Singh had put a condition before the government. The condition was that the tradition of the fair held in the fort will not be stopped and devotees will not be stopped from coming here on Shri Krishna Janmashtami. This is the reason why the Wildlife Act is also relaxed here for one day every year.
Fort on the hill, temple in the fort
There is a temple of Lord Ram-Janaki in a fort named Bandhavgarh built on a hill about 15 km away from Tala village. Lord Ram, Lakshman and Mother Sita are seated in the temple. The temple was established during the time of Rewa princely state. At that time, Bandhavgarh used to be another capital of Rewa princely state.
When Bandhavgarh became a Tiger Reserve in the 1970s, entry of people was prohibited here, but only one day in the year, on Krishna Janmashtami, this temple was opened for the general public to visit.
Gift of Lord Shri Ram
The historic fort of Bandhavgarh is situated on a hill in the middle of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, which is famous for its dense population of tigers. There is a mythological story behind the name of this fort. It is said that Lord Rama gifted this fort to his brother Lakshman after returning from exile, hence it is named Bandhavgarh i.e. brother’s fort.
Mention in Skanda Purana
Experts say that this fort is also mentioned in mythological texts, description of this fort is found in Skandh Purana and Shiva Samhita. Janmashtami of Bandhavgarh is centuries old, earlier it was the capital of Rewa princely state, since then the festival of Janmashtami has been celebrated here with great pomp. Even today the people of the area are following that tradition.
