Griddhraj Parvat
| Griddhraj Parvat | |
|---|---|
  Griddhraj Parvat | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 717.5 m (2,354 ft) |
| Coordinates | 24°18′00″N 81°15′00″E / 24.30000°N 81.25000°ECoordinates: 24°18′00″N 81°15′00″E / 24.30000°N 81.25000°E |
Griddhraj Parvat (Hindi: गृद्घराज पर्वत which means "the hill of vultures") (also called Gridhra-kuta Hill), known locally as Giddhaila Pahar, and known in English as Vulture Peak), is a hill of religious, archeological and ecological importance.
It is situated near Devrajnagar village in the tehsil of Ramnagar, in the district of Satna and the state of Madhya Pradesh, in India. It is located 65 km south of Satna and 8 km from Ramnagar town. Its latitude and longitude are 24°18' North and 81°15' East. The altitude of the hill is 717.5 metres (2,354 ft). The hill is situated between the Kaimur Range to the north and the Maikal Hills to the south.
The place is of archeological importance. There are four caves on the hill in which rock paintings and mural paintings are visible.
An annual fair is organized every year in the month of Magha on the occasion of Vasant Panchami. Thousands of people come and take a dip in the Ganges River.
Habitat of vultures
Griddhraj Parvat is a unique habitat for vultures not only in India but the world. Vultures numbering thousands can be seen in the crevices of the hill rocks. The vulture species seen here are the Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) and the White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis). It is also the habitat of number of other wild animals.
In Hindu mythology
Griddhraj Parvat is of great religious importance in Hindu mythology. It has been mentioned in Skanda Purana as "Griddhanchal Parvat" (page 208). It is believed to be the birthplace of Sampati, the brother of Griddhraj Jatayu mentioned in Ramayana. The poet Kalidas mentions this place as the most sacred in his book "Griddharaj Mahatmya" (Narad Uvach) in the Sanskrit language. He wrote that a dip in the Mānasī Ganga River originating from Griddhraj Parvat, at an altitude of 2354 feet, is a saviour of all kinds of sins. The sons of Brahma and the goddess Parvati first saw this hill. It is mentioned in Shiva Samhita (Chapter 19-Bhoogol varnan).
References
- Jitan Singh Diwan, Kothi State, 1907: Rewa Rajya Darpan
- Kalidas : Griddharaj Mahatmya (Narad Uvach)
- Shiva Samhita (Chapter 19-Bhoogol varnan)
- JAMES LEGGE: A RECORD OF BUDDHISTIC KINGDOMS, Being an Account by the Chinese Monk Fa-Hien of his Travels in India and Ceylon (A.D. 399-414) in Search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline
External links
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