Deoghar

Deoghar, (the House of the God), situated in the Santhal Parganas of Jharkhand, is a popular health resort and an important center of Hindu pilgrimage, having the ancient temple of Baba Baidyanath - one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. For centuries, devotees of Lord Shiva, in the month of Shravan. undertake a rigorous 100-km pilgrimage on foot from Ajgaibinath (Sultanganj) to offer Holy Water to Baba Baidyanath. The pilgrimage is deemed complete with the homage paid at Basukinath, 43 km from Deoghar.

For the devotees and disciples of Swami Satyananda Ji it is the small little village of Rikhia which hold the interest than any other thing here, however Deoghar is most famous for being the abode of Lord Shiva and the temple of Baba Biadyanath.

The Ravana Legend

The Puranas speak of the Baidyanath Jyotirlingam. According to the Shiva Purana, it was in the Treta Yuga that the demon Ravana, king of Lanka, felt that his capital would not be perfect and free from enemies unless Lord Shiva stays there forever, he paid continuous meditation to Lord Shiva.

Finally, Shiva was pleased and permitted him to carry his lingam with him to Lanka. Lord Shiva advised him not to place or transfer this lingam to anyone. There should not be a break in his journey to Lanka. If he deposits the lingam anywhere on the earth, in the course of his journey, it would remain fixed at that place forever. Ravana was happy as he was taking his return journey to Lanka.

His fate willed otherwise. The gods took it ill. They never liked to see Lord Shiva as his protector. They devised a plan for outwitting Ravana. They requested Varuna (the god of water) to enter into the belly of Ravana. So, on his way Ravana felt a severe urge to release water. He began looking for a man to whom he could temporarily entrust the lingam.

Lord Vishnu appeared before Ravana in the guise of a cowherd boy. Unaware of the mystery, Ravana handed over the lingam to the boy. Unfortunately, Ravana could not ease himself soon.

Meanwhile, the boy placed the lingam at this place which was and which is now Baidyanathdham.

Ravana tried hard to remove the lingam from the spot where it had been placed. He could not turn out the lingam even an inch. This made him frustrated. He used violence but he only succeeded in pushing the lingam by thumb. Later on he felt guilty of his doings and begged for forgiveness.

He returned to Lanka but visited daily to worship the lingam. This continued forever. The place where Ravana descended on the earth is identified with the present Harilajori about four miles north of Baidyanathdham. The place where the lingam was kept is now Deoghar and the lingam itself is known to all as Baidyanath Jyotirlingam.