The Assam government’s advertisement, claiming that the country’s sixth Jyotirlinga is situated on Dakini Hill, on the outskirts of Guwahati, has the Opposition fuming in Maharashtra. The Congress, while dismissing the Assam government’s claim, stated that the sixth Jyotirlinga is actually located at Bhimashankar in Maharashtra's Pune district.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Assam government issued an advertisement, in which it claimed that Guwahati is home to the sixth Jyotirlinga.
WHAT ARE JYOTIRLINGAS?
A Jyotirlinga, or a symbol of light, is a representation of Lord Shiva that signifies his infinite form. According to legend, there are 12 Jyotirlingas of supreme importance in the world. The 12 Jyotirlingas are located in Somnath (Gujarat), Mallikarjuna (Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Omkareshwar (Madhya Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Bhimashankar (now in contention between Maharashtra and Assam), Vishwanath (Varanasi), Trimbakeshwar (Maharashtra), Nageshwar (Gujarat), Baidyanath (Jharkhand), Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu), and Grishneshwar (Maharashtra).
WHY IS MAHARASHTRA OPPOSITION UPSET?
Now, the BJP-led Assam government's advertisement has drawn the ire of the Opposition. The Maharashtra Congress lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Assam government for "snatching away Lord Shiva".
“Leave aside industries (of Maharashtra), the BJP wants to snatch away even Bhagwan Shiva from Maharashtra. Now, the BJP Assam government claims that the sixth Jyotirlinga of Bhimashankar is situated in Assam and not in Maharashtra’s Pune district. We strongly condemn this highly preposterous claim,” Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant tweeted.
The Congress, while condemning the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government’s claim, demanded that the Maharashtra government must clarify its stand and condemn the action of its counterpart. The Congress also said that the act of the Assam government has hurt the emotions and sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also took a dig at the Assam government. NCP's Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule tweeted: “Have the BJP leaders decided not to keep anything in Maharashtra's share? Earlier, Maharashtra's share of industries and jobs were snatched away and now our cultural and spiritual heritage is on the verge of being snatched away...”
“Shrimad Adya Shankaracharya in his Brihad Ratnakar Stotra clearly says that the origin of the Bhima river and the forest of Dakini is the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga. Bhimashankar in Pune district of Maharashtra is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples and none other. Who else needs a witness now," Sule asked.
WHY THE CONFUSION?
The Assam government advertisement claims that the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas across the country, is located on the Dakini Hill near Pamohi in Guwahati. It is believed that Lord Shiva had destroyed a demon called Bhimasura at this place to protect his devotees. The Koti Rudra Samhita, one of the seven samhitas (books) of the Shiv Purana, refers to Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga on Dakini Hill. Now, the exact location of the Dakini Hill has been a topic of debate.
The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in Guwahati is interpreted by the devotees to be one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
The Bhimashankar of Maharashtra’s Pune is also referred to by many as the same Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga that the Shiv Purana refers to.
WHAT AUTHORITIES ARE SAYING?
The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple committee in Guwahati said it wants to stay away from the controversy. "We don't want to be a part of this controversy. Thousands of devotees and seers from all over the country come here. However, we are not aware whether it is the sixth or not,” secretary of the temple committee in Guwahati Henry David Terong told ABP Live.
Pankaj Sarma, a Sanskrit scholar and Secretary of Samskrita Bharati, Assam Prant, told ABP Live, “I have read several Shastras and Puranas but nowhere found that the Linga at Pamohi in Guwahati is among the dwadas (12) Jyotirlinga. Had the Linga in Guwahati been among the 12 Jyotirlinga, lakhs of devotees would have visited such a revered place."
A response from Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is awaited on the issue.