Shringi Rishi of Ramayana era – Singrauli – Mada rock cut caves

माँड़ा गुफा, सिंगरौली

Singrauli is a lesser known district of Madhya Pradesh.

Very few people are aware that Singrauli is the Energy (ऊर्जा) Capital of India having one of the highest concentrations of super thermal power projects and Mega Coal Mines in India. Scenic beauty, forests, waterfalls, rivers amidst valleys and hills of Vindhyachal, Son (Sone, सोन) River and Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam)

 

The District name of Singrauli comes from Srigavali after Sringi Rishi who did Yajya For Maharaja Dasharath after which Lord Raam was born, as beautifully described by Goswami Tulsidas:

 

श्री राम चरित मानस गोस्वामी तुलसी दास

बाल काण्ड

shrI rAmacharita mAnasa

bAlakANDa..189-190

एक बार भूपति मन माहीं। भै गलानि मोरें सुत नाहीं॥
गुर गृह गयउ तुरत महिपाला। चरन लागि करि बिनय बिसाला॥1॥

 

eka bAra bhUpati mana mAhI.n. bhai galAni more.n suta nAhI.n ..

gura gR^iha gaya_u turata mahipAlA. charana lAgi kari binaya bisAlA ..

 

निज दुख सुख सब गुरहि सुनायउ। कहि बसिष्ठ बहुबिधि समुझायउ॥
धरहु धीर होइहहिं सुत चारी। त्रिभुवन बिदित भगत भय हारी॥2॥

 

nija dukha sukha saba gurahi sunAya_u. kahi basiShTha bahubidhi samujhAya_u ..

dharahu dhIra ho_ihahi.n suta chArI. tribhuvana bidita bhagata bhaya hArI ..

 

सृंगी रिषिहि बसिष्ठ बोलावा। पुत्रकाम सुभ जग्य करावा॥
भगति सहित मुनि आहुति दीन्हें। प्रगटे अगिनि चरू कर लीन्हें॥3॥

 

sR^i.ngI riShahi basiShTha bolAvA. putrakAma subha jagya karAvA ..

bhagati sahita muni Ahuti dInhe.n. pragaTe agini charU kara lInhe.n ..

 

जो बसिष्ठ कछु हृदयँ बिचारा। सकल काजु भा सिद्ध तुम्हारा॥
यह हबि बाँटि देहु नृप जाई। जथा जोग जेहि भाग बनाई॥4॥

 

jo basiShTha kachhu hR^idaya.N bichArA. sakala kAju bhA siddha tumhArA ..

yaha habi bA.NTi dehu nR^ipa jA_I. jathA joga jehi bhAga banA_I ..

 

तब अदृस्य भए पावक सकल सभहि समुझाइ।
परमानंद मगन नृप हरष न हृदयँ समाइ॥189॥

 

dohA\.

taba adR^isya bha_e pAvaka sakala sabhahi samujhA_i ..

paramAna.nda magana nR^ipa haraSha na hR^idaya.N samA_i .. 189 ..

 

तबहिं रायँ प्रिय नारि बोलाईं। कौसल्यादि तहाँ चलि आईं॥
अर्ध भाग कौसल्यहि दीन्हा। उभय भाग आधे कर कीन्हा॥1॥

 

tabahi.n rAya.N priya nAri bolA_I.n. kausalyAdi tahA.N chali A_I ..

ardha bhAga kausalyAhi dInhA. ubhaya bhAga Adhe kara kInhA ..

 

कैकेई कहँ नृप सो दयऊ। रह्यो सो उभय भाग पुनि भयऊ॥
कौसल्या कैकेई हाथ धरि। दीन्ह सुमित्रहि मन प्रसन्न करि॥2॥

 

kaike_I kaha.N nR^ipa so daya_U. rahyo so ubhaya bhAga puni bhaya_U ..

kausalyA kaike_I hAtha dhari. dInha sumitrahi mana prasanna kari ..

 

एहि बिधि गर्भसहित सब नारी। भईं हृदयँ हरषित सुख भारी॥
जा दिन तें हरि गर्भहिं आए। सकल लोक सुख संपति छाए॥3॥

 

ehi bidhi garbhasahita saba nArI. bha_I.n hR^idaya.N haraShita sukha bhArI ..

jA dina te.n hari garbhahi.n A_e. sakala loka sukha sa.npati chhA_e ..

 

Mada (माँड़ा) rock cut caves of Singrauli

At some distance on southwest of Singrauli there are a series of 7th and 8th century caves. Some of which have beautiful rock cut caves, houses many statues, one of them is of Natraja . As saying goes, PANDAVAS also stayed there for some time during their AgyatVas. Area has gripping scenic beauty, but the upkeep of caves was not up to the mark when I took these photographs in 2010 0r 2011. There are some shoddy repair works. What authorities could do is even to put some ticket for entrance and upgrade the upkeep.