Nirmand
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Nirmand (निर्मांड) is a village and Taluk of district Kullu, in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
Contents
Variants
Location
It is situated near the border of Shimla district in south-east corner of Kullu district. Overlooking the Sutlej valley in the lesser-known Seraj region of Kullu district, and about 150 km from Shimla and 17 km from Rampur, is the large Nirmand village.
Origin
History
This village has been in existence since the early Vedic period, making it one of the oldest rural settlements in India. A number of ancient stone and wooden temples dating back to the 6th and the 7th centuries A.D. speak of Nirmand’s religious and historical importance. For this reason it is often called the "Kashi of the Himalayas."
Temples
One of the ancient shrines in the village is dedicated to Goddess Ambika, a form of the Hindu Goddess Durga. Although the original structure has been altered, several old stone sculptures have been preserved in the temple complex. A unique feature of the temple is its roof, which is made of pure copper sheets. Another temple nearby, called Dakshineshwar Mahadev Temple or Deccani Mahadev Temple, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Its lingam is believed to have been brought from Deccan, and hence the name. The temple is renowned for its intricately carved wooden doors and pillars that are probably the finest examples of woodcarving in the state. Nirmand’s principal shrine, however, is the Parshuram temple complex, which is built in the traditional Pahari style with gabled slate roof and extensive use of wood and stone. The exterior wooden balconies and pillars are elaborately carved in folk style, depicting scenes from the Hindu mythology. The temple complex resembles a hill fortress, which encloses a small courtyard with the only entrance from the western side. The northern section of the temple is a double-storeyed structure, which houses the legendary bhandar (storehouse) that is believed to contain priceless artefacts of which little is known.
Samudrasena of Vanga
Tej Ram Sharma[1] The people of Vanga are stated to have fought in the Kurukshetra war [2] and, in course of his expedition Bhisma is said to have defeated Samudrasena of Vanga. [3] The Kasika mentions Vangaka to explain Panini's sutra (IV.3.100) denoting loyalty of the citizen to the state. [4] Panini mentions Vangi (the lady of Vanga Janapada) along with Avanti, Kuru and Yaudheyi. [5]
निर्मांड
विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[6] ने लेख किया है ...निर्मांड, जिला कुल्लू , हि.प्र., (p.501): इस स्थान से महासामंत महाराज समुद्रसेन का ताम्रपट प्राप्त हुआ था जो संभवत है हर्ष संवत 6 का है. इसमें समुद्रसेन द्वारा निर्मांड अग्रहार के अथर्ववेदपाठी ब्राह्मणों को सूलिस ग्राम के दिए जाने का उल्लेख है
External links
References
- ↑ Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions/Place-Names and their Suffixes,pp.266-267
- ↑ Mahabharata, VII, 159.3.
- ↑ Ethnic Settlements in Ancient India by S. B. Chaudhuri. p. 180
- ↑ India as Known to Panini by V S Agrawala, p. 432.
- ↑ IV, 1. 176-78 : India as Known to Panini by V S Agrawala, p. 91.
- ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.501