The Bhagavata Purana declares: On the day of Shravana-dvadashi [the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada], when the moon came into the lunar mansion Shravaṇa (Aquila) at the auspicious moment of Abhijit muhurta (around mid-day), the Lord appeared in this universe. Considering the Lord’s appearance very auspicious, all the stars and planets, etc. were munificently charitable.
Today is the traditional date of Vamana incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The Sunrise happens to be in dwadashi (twelfth lunar phase) today which lasted only until 6:53 AM. This year the conjunction of dwadashi to Shravana nakshatra and Abhijita muhurta took place one day before; as the Sunrise coincided with Ekadashi (eleventh lunar date). Vaishnavas attach greater importance to such a combination of two dates Ekadasi and dwadashi; they call it a विष्णुश्रृंखल योग. Hence, they observed fasting on 17 September this year; whereas the celebration of Vamana Jayanti spread over two days, the 17th and 18th of September.
The mythology in Ramayana assigns Siddhashrama as the place where Vamana incarnation took place. Siddhashrama means ‘the Hermitage of the Perfect.’ It is said that Lord Vishnu himself had practiced austerities here before he descended as the son of Sage Kashyapa and Aditi. The place has been identified as a temple called ‘the Vamanaeshwara Dhama’ located within the premises of the Central jail at Buxar, a historical town associated with the 1764 battle gained by Major Monro over the combined forces of the Bengal, Oudh, and the Mughal army which made the English masters of India.
The Central Jail of Buxar was visited by Francis Buchanan on 6 November 1812 who has mentioned in his Journal of Shahabad that “The Jail is a very poor building. There are 2 or 3 small mosques and temples in good repair but in no0 manner remarkable.” In the ‘Account of the District Shahabad’, in context of the places of Hindu worship, Buchanan has referred to seeing the temple of Vamana, albeit in a dilapidated condition, on the banks of the Ganges. He was left much confused with the legend of descent of Vamana when he attempted reconstruction of chronological succession of Rama and Vamana. He did not realize that myths in the Sanatana Vedic Dharma are eternal!
The local tradition goes on to believe that the Vamaneshvara Dhama is the old site of Siddhashrama in the Charitavana locality of Buxar town. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva as well as to Lord Vamana, and hence, it is so named. It is situated at the confluence of rivulet Thora and river Ganga within the outer parameter of the Central Jail.
The temple has been repaired a number of times since India gained independence. In 2018, the ‘Temple Service Committee’ comprising of of local people and the administrators of the Central Jail took up its renovation in a big way.
A fair is held outside the jail on the occasion of Vamana Dwadashi. This year the fair was held for two days. The rains of Bhadrapada often spoil the make-shift market but that does not dampen the spirit of visitors who purchase offerings as and when the rain stops and carry on their way to the temple.
The pilgrims first take a dip in the confluence of rivers Thora and Ganga…
18 September, 2021
before they enter the Temple from the gate made in the outer parameter wall of the Jail.
Inside Siddhashrama, pilgrims first offer Gangajala abhishekam ( ablutions with the water of Holy Ganga) to Lord shiva:
and then worship Lord Vamana by panchopachara (the five offerings of water, flower, incense, light and sweets). The idol of Lord Vamana is made in white marble stone and depicts him as a celibate student (brahmacArin), holding an umbrella in his right hand and sporting a sacred thread (yaJjopavita) and a loin cloth (kaupIna). He is standing on both his feet. As his foot has not been lifted, that shows him in the form that descended at the Siddhashrama, prior to his approaching the sacrificial ground of king Bali where he took his giant stride. The local tradition holds the neighbouring town of Baliya in Uttar Pradesh as the place where Bali was performing the yagna.
and finally offer libations in the sacrificial fire in the Homa-sthana:
From the Vamaneshvara Dhama, Buxar, Ved-Madhuri wishe a Happy Vamana Jayanti to the pilgrims and our readers:
