SRI HARESWOR SHIVALAYA MANDIR
Vedic religious Institution and learning of Pre Independence Era
The ethnic communities have distinct language,
culture, customs and architecture, largest ethnic community provide
vibrant cultural presence and warm cordiality of the rural people never fails
the mesmerize one. Early Lingsey was place of Purohits and Priest but
the only place of worships was the Mulkharka Lake ( Manokamana Pokhari).
Saligram (Stone) and Shivalinga were placed inside the Lake with the faith by
the priest and Purohits enchanting the Veds Mantra. All the Villager use to go
there in any occasion for the worship of God.
History of Hareswar Shivalaya
Mandir began with the Quote of Saint Hari Prashad Subedi “Yatra Shivalaya Nasti tatra samasanmewa”( where
there is no Shiva Temple, the place is like Graveyard). Gandhiyan Ideologist, the then Vedic saint
Hariranga, from Luing Sikkim (Kingship) advice to build a Shiva temple to
spread spiritual learning and conservation of Vedic literature and Hindu
culture. On the mean time Pandit Shiva Shankar Niroula come here from his higher
learning on Vedic culture and Hindu Rituals, took the soul responsibility to
build the temple in Lingsey in the year 1944.
On this context Meeting was conducted on 4th
December 1944 the all the representative from Lingsey
Lingseykha, Kagey, Pabak, Pedong,
Khamdong Aritar, Rhenock where present. Meeting conclude that Hariranga Mahayagya
had to be held in the Funeral
Yard ( Ghat) of the of the surrounded
area called Ravang Dovan to destroy the evil spirit of the human being. Outstanding amount from the Hariranga
Mahayagya, amounting Rs. 11 and 5 Ana to be being invest in the Construction of
Shivalaya Temple at Lingsey. The construction began with this amount.
In 15 January 1934 devastating
earthquake destroys the man and material in the region and villager felt that
the construction of the Shiva temple is only safeguard of the village from
natural calamity. So, a Yagya (religious
Ceremony) was organized to overcome but now it is a story only no evidence
found. The evidence tells us that the faith on religion was the main concept to
build the religious institution. Construction had begun with the donation of
cash and kind from the entire region in 1944.
Narvadeshwar Shivalinga was brought
from Narvada River (Now in Maharastra) is still worshiping by faith. Some of
people donated land for the temple and some gold also donated for the Gajur (pinnacle) of the temple.
Along with the Inauguration of
Hareswar Shivalaya Temple, the Hareswar Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya also started in
same year on 14 August 1946. Shiva Aaradhana (Prayer) could not complete by any
means so the establishment of the Sanskrit School and reading and performing
the Vedic rituals and Shiva Stotras (Rudri Path) is bid more for the completion
of Shiva Aaradhana. So the Institution begun with the Headmastership of Devicharan
Sapkota and then Vedic Teaching came in the existence in Lingsey. He was the
First Pujari (priest) of Hareswar Shivalaya Temple as well as First Sanskrit
Teacher of Hareswar Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya in the Year 1946. Several Sanskrit intellectual
in the different post of Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and entire North Bengal were the
Product of this Institution. The Institution has affiliation with Rastriya
Sanskrit Sansthan (Deemed University) New Delhi and grants aid to run the
Sanskrit college.
List of principal of Hareswar
Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya Lingsey (1946-Till Date)
1. Devi Prasad
Sapkota (1946)
2. Bishnu
Bhakta Gautam
3. Devi Prasad
Pokhrel
4. Bhanu
Bhakta Dhakal
5. H.P
Bhandari
6. U.C
basistha
7. Krishna
Prasad Dahal
8. Thakur
Prasad Adhikari
9. Gayatri
Prasad Niroula
10.
Smt.Bindhya Niroula
11.
Khilanath Adhikari
12.
R.P. Upadhaya
13.
Trilochan Subedi
14.
Giridhari Poudyal
The architectural framework of the
Entire Building is based simple wooden and Cement, based on Hindu art and
Sculpture. Statue of different animals and birds character of different Purans
are the main attraction the Temple. Ghesela (Mangolian) was
the main sculptor of the entire sculpture and statue. Depiction of the Ashok
Chakra (National Emblem) in the wall of Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya was the perfect
example of Nationalist Sentiment of the then people of Lingsey before
Independence.
Sarada Vedic Sanskrit Library
Along With the Establishment of the
Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva and the Vedic Learning Center, Sanskrit Library also
came to an existence in the same year 1946. Library has full books of 18 Purans,
108 Upanishads, 4 Vedas, different books of Hindu Rituals and Sanskrit Literature
and Grammar.
Books were donated by the different
institution from the whole country as well as some personal donated books can
be found the library. Evidence show us District collector of Darjeeling
sanction the grant of Amount Rs. 1000/- for the purpose of Book in the year of
1962.
The establishment of Library was
inevitable because the Sanskrit learning was impossible without the handful of
books. So the then intellectual felt the necessary of the Library which can
fulfill the reader’s and learner’s wants.
Now it is the center of Sanskrit
learning of Hindu Rituals and Sarada Vedic Library Fulfill the Demand of the
Entire Region of Sikkim and North Bengal. Providing Books from Library only for
the Vedic Hindu rituals, Purans and other Yagya since its establishment.
Enrollment of Pupil of the Sanskrit
Mahavidyalaya increasing in every session because of the study material provided
by the Institution and the library. Hostel Facility is one the cause of
drifting students towards the Lingsey for higher Sanskrit Learning from the
abroad i.e. country like Nepal and Bhutan. Hostel was run with the donation since the
establishment and it is still continues. In the special occasion the Students
perform stage Play bases the Ram Leela and Krisna Janma Utsav.
Lingsey, a place of diverse
community and their different religious faith but no discrimination in the
religious ground and other. Evidence shows, the ideological co-operation in
among different community and religions prevails now also. Donation for the
establishment of temple and the Mahavidyalaya donated by everyone in the name
of god. It is found in the evidence that the Hindu supports Buddhist and
vice-versa.
Road way connectivity to the
village was rough foot path. Construction of the temple completed through the
footpath by head loads. No vehicle were use to carry construction material.
1962 Chogyal (Kings of Sikkim) Donated the sum of Amount Rs. 5000 (Five
Thousand Receipt present in the Library) for the construction of the road now
it is Rhenock to Lingsey Road. Several villagers have volunteer for the
construction of the road. Eye witness said that more then 30 vehicles reach Lingsey
along with Kings Chogyal in the Inauguration of the Road in 1962.
In 1995 Yogi Narahari Nath (Raj
Guru of Nepal Kingdom)come Lingsey on the occasion of 11 days long Mahavharata
Mahapuran. Sankaracharya also visited
Lingsey in the same occasion.
Committee of the Hareswar Shivalaya Temple
conducts different Maha Yagya annually or alternatively. Throughout the year
several Hindu festivals are held in the temple complex. The most important
among them are the Sawan Bool Bum, Shivaratri, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati
Puja, and Bala Chaturdasi. Hareswar Shiva Linga is the main attraction of pilgrimage
at the time of Sawan as Bol Bom.
List of Hindu Mahayagya, Puran and Anusthan
perform in the Hareswar Shivalaya Temple Since 1946.
1. Hariranga Mahayagya 1944
2. Shiva Pran Pratishan. 1946
3. Bishwa Shanti Mahayagya and Sri Puran
1981
4. Shiva Puran 1984
5. Sri Skanda Mahapuran 1986
6. Mahabharat Puran- 1994
7. Brahma Baivarta puran-1997
8. Balmiki Ramayana-2010
9. Shiva Maha Puran- 2011
10.
Ati Rudra Mahayagya-2011.
11.
Srimad
Bhagawat Mahayagya- 2013 ( Tribeni, Teesta)
12.
Tulsikrit
Ramayan-2014
Now it is heritage of the Entire region for
the religious worship and Learning. Management of the entire institution is in
the hand of Hareswar Shivalaya Temple and its different wing like Hareswar
Sanskrit Pathshala Committee, Nari Samaj. But the Entire supervision in the
hand of main committee.
