Ghoshark Tirth: The Old Pilgrimage Site of Bhagavan Surya in Ayodhya - Surya Kund, Ayodhya: Faith, History and the Teaching of Light
Surya Kund and the Surya Temple are in Darshan Nagar, about
four kilometres from Ayodhya, on the 14-Kosi Parikrama Marg. Millions of
devotees consider this place very important. The kund (sacred pond) is believed
to be built first by the Suryavanshi rulers of Ayodhya, and the temple beside
it is dedicated to Bhagavan Surya. Bhagavan Rama was born in the Suryavansh,
the dynasty of the Sun, so the connection of Ayodhya with Surya worship is very
natural and very old.
The Story of King Ghosh and Ghoshark Tirth
Before the renovation, this place was known as Ghoshark
Tirth. The name is found in historical accounts and also in the Skanda Purana,
which says that a holy bath here and the rituals done with faith remove the
sins of a devotee.
According to belief, King Ghosh, a ruler of the Suryavanshi
dynasty, was suffering from leprosy. One day he passed through this region and
saw many sages bathing in the kund. He followed them and took a dip. After the
bath his body became radiant and he was cured. The sages then explained to him
the sacred history of the place, and the king was deeply moved. He started to
worship Bhagavan Surya here, and the Sun God appeared before him. In gratitude
the king built a temple. Since then the place is called Ghoshark Tirth, and
with time people started calling it Surya Kund and Surya Temple.
Raja Darshan Singh and the Renovation
In the 19th century, Raja Darshan Singh, a Shakdwipi Brahmin
ruler of Ayodhya, renovated the kund and the temple. The town Darshan Nagar got
its name from him. He was from the Mishra Brahmin community, but during British
rule it became a custom among royal families to use the title Singh, and he
also used it. The Shakdwipi Brahmins consider Bhagavan Surya as their main
deity, so his devotion was the reason for this work. He passed away in 1844.
His descendants, Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra and Shailendra Mohan Pratap
Mishra, live at Ayodhya Raj Niwas and are recognised as the titular Raja of
Ayodhya.
Deities in the Temple
Besides the main idol of Bhagavan Surya, the temple has many
other deities. On both sides of the feet of Surya there are Ashtadhatu
(eight-metal alloy) idols of his son Shani Dev and his daughter Goddess Yamuna.
One more idol of Surya, found during the excavation of the kund, is also
installed inside the premises. In the sanctum there are Rama and Goddess Sita,
Shiva and Goddess Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, Hanuman, and a Shaligram
Shila, which is a sacred form of Bhagavan Vishnu.
What Hinduism Teaches About Surya
In Hindu teaching, the Sun is not only a source of light. It
is the source of life. The Rig Veda (Mandala 1, Sukta 115, Mantra 1) says:
“Surya atma jagatas tasthushas cha”, which means Surya is the soul of all that
moves and all that does not move. This is the reason Hindus offer water to the
rising Sun, do Surya Namaskar, and recite the Gayatri Mantra, which is a prayer
to the divine light that guides our thinking.
Bhagavan Krishna also speaks about this in the Bhagavad Gita
(Chapter 15, Verse 12), where he says that the brightness of the Sun which
lights the whole world comes from him. So the Sun is seen as a visible sign of
the divine power that supports everything.
The word tirtha itself means a crossing place, a place where
a person can cross over from the worldly life to a spiritual one. A holy bath
in a kund is therefore not only for the body. It is a way to purify the mind,
to be humble and to remember the divine source.
Annual Fair and Management
Every year a fair is organised at the site. The arrangements
are looked after by the descendants of Raja Darshan Singh, who still keep the
family connection with this pilgrimage. The maintenance of the Surya Temple is
done by the management of Hanuman Garhi in Ayodhya.
Why Devotees Visit
Devotees believe that a bath in Surya Kund and prayers in
the Surya Temple fulfil wishes and bring blessings. For many families it is
also a way to remember their old tradition. Sunday is considered a special day
for Surya worship, and many people prefer to come on that day.