Chittaura Jheel

Chittaura Jheel, also known as Ashtwarka jheel) is a lake in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is situated about 8 km from Bahraich city, on Gonda road, near Jittora or Chittaura village. A small river, Teri Nadi, flows from this lake. Many migratory birds are also found here during August - October (Late Mansoon period).

Chittaura Jheel
Ashtwarka jheel
LocationUttar Pradesh, India
Typelake

Chittaura Jheel is a Hindu pilgrimage site. According to local legends, Ashtwarka Muni, the Guru of Maharaja Janak used to live here in his ashram.

Raja Suhaldev Mandir

According to local folklore, the area beside the lake is the site of an 11th-century battle between the Hindu king Suhaldev and the Muslim invader Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud.

In April 1950, Hindu organizations planned a fair at the dargah of Salar Masud, to commemorate Suhaldev. The local administration banned the fair to prevent Hindu-Muslim violence, which led to protests by Hindus. Ultimately, the administration lifted the prohibitory orders. The local Indian National Congress representative inaugurated the fair at Chittaura. Shri Suhaldev Smarak Samiti ("Suhaldev Monument Committee") was formed in 1954 to construct a temple of Suhaldev. Raja Birendra Bikram Singh, a[princely estate] ruler of Payagpur donated 500 [bigha]s of land (including the Chittora Lake) to the Samiti


. A temple of Suhaldev, with several paintings and sculptures, was constructed on this land.[1] In 2001, Hindu activists formed the Maharaja Suhaldev Sewa Samiti, which has been organizing various programmes to commemorate Suhaldev as a defender of the Hindu faith.[2]

Today, a temple complex known as Raja Suhaldev Darbar is situated at the site. A statue of Raja Suhaldev along with a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga is present within the premises of this complex. The statue shows Raja Suhaldev sitting on a horse holding a bow and arrow. He is wearing the dress of a maharaja with a crown. Every year, fairs are organized here as per Hindu calendar on Kartik Purnima and Basant Panchami.

References
  1. Narayan 2009, pp. 95.
  2. Narayan 2009, p. 82.

Bibliography
  • Narayan, Badri (2009). Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-81-321-0105-5.

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