Bansi Narayan Temple Chamoli

Bansi Narayan Temple – Chamoli

Bansi Narayan temple is located in Urgam valley in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. This temple of Bansi Narayan is an 8th century temple dedicated to Lord Krishna.

The Bansi Narayan temple opens only once a year, on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) and devotees visit the temple to tie Raksha sutra to Lord Narayana.

This temple is around 3600 meters above the sea level in the Bugyals. This temple also occupies an inhabited spot for the local language (Shaily Katyuri) mountain in the Urgam valley which is surrounded by the divine Himalayan ranges of Nanda devi, Trishul, and Nanda Ghunti. The ten-foot-high temple houses a quadrangular statue of Lord Vishnu.

History

The Bansi Narayan temple has its roots in Hindu mythology and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu or Krishna. The time when the entire world was ruled by the demon King Bali, lord Vishnu sought to help the plight of other gods, troubled by the great conquest of king Bali.

Lord Vishnu attained the Avtar of a dwarf Vamana. On there encounter the Vamana asked king Bali to measure the land up to three steps. King Bali granted the Vamana’s wish as he was unknown. Shri Hari Vishnu then acquire a gigantic form and covered the entire universe with two strides.

The pride of King Bali was shattered by the lord, he then asked the Vamana to place his third stride on Bali’s head. King Bali was then sent o the underworld with the pressure of Vamana’s foot. The form of Lord Narayana was also known as Trivikrama. Bali requested for the protection of the Lord and so Lord Vishnu accompanied king Bali to the underworld, assuming the role.

Mata Lakshmi consulted to Shri Narada Muni to locate the whereabouts of the lord as she was unable to find the lord. Shri Narada Muni then narrated the whole plot to Mata Lakshmi and suggest her to travel to the underworld on a full moon of the Shravan month and tie a Raksha sutra on king Bali’s wrist.

The Bansi Narayan temple was believed to be the place where Lord Narayana emerged from the underworld.

Raksha Bandhan Celebrations at The Bansi Narayan Temple

It is believed that Deva rishi Narada worships Lord Narayana at the temple of Bansi Narayan for 364 days and humans have the right to visit and worship this temple only for one day, the day that the humans can worship this temple is the day we celebrate Raksha Bandhan. On the day of Raksha Bandhan every household in the village of Kalgoth donates butter to the temple, and festivities are preparing with this butter, which is later given to the devotees and other priests as ‘prashad’.