User:SHANI DHAM JOURIAN

SHANI DHAM Shani Dham Jourian

India is universally known as the land of spiritual awakening and is home to some of the most architecturally brilliant temples and idols. The geographic land of India has several marks of faith spread all across its length and breadth. Shree Shani Dham in Jourian deserves a special mention here in context of world’s tallest Shani Statue. Tehsil Jourian is a notified area committee in Jammu district. Jourian is about 55 km northwest of Jammu with a population of around 5,000 people. Town was set up by Sh Mustafa Khan in 1903, Jagirdhar of RakhDhok which is around 5 to 6 km north of Jourian.ShaniDhamtemple is a major attraction in Jourian.

The Dham/Temple is located in the heart of the town on ShahidCommandantShamsher Singh MargnearCommunity Health Centre and Post Office. It is known for its world’s biggest idol of LordShani. Lord Shani is the chief deity of this temple besides ShriHanumanPratimaand Mahakaaleshvar Shiv Lingam. It is pertinent to mention here that the lingam is natural in origin, called as Narmadeshwar Shiva Lingam and is found only in one place on the entire planet, the Narmada River. The Lingam is composed of cryptocrystalline quartz and is said to have the highest frequency or vibration than any other stone on the planet. Narmadeshwar Shiva lingam is the holy symbol of union of Lord Shiva and Shakti.

The Dham consists of no priest or a sage or a pandit.All the devotees perform various Poojas by themselves. Each devotee is his own priest and the true feelings of him are the true mantras to invoke the blessings of Lord Shani.The major attraction of the Dham, of course, remains the massive statue of Lord Shaniwhich is the world’s tallest Shani Statue, 39 ft (11.88 mt) tall, including its 6 ft (1.82mt) base. It weighs around 2,100kg. It has the distinction of the tallest statue of Lord Shani existing anywhere in the world.

The idol of ShaniDev is recorded as a tallest idol of Lord Shani in India Book of Records on December 23, 2017 and published the same in India Book of Records 2018. It is also recorded as a tallest idol of Lord Shani in the Limca Book of Records in December, 2018 and published the same in Limca Book of Records 2019. ShaniDevSewaSamiti is putting its best efforts to record the idol inGuinness World Records.

The construction of idol of Lord Shani was started in June 2016 and completed in June 2017. Special architects from West Bengal constructed the idol by working day and night. The idol of ShnaiDev was formally unveiled by the ShaniDevSewaSamiti on June 11, 2017.Since then, it has become an attraction for the devotees of Lord Shani. It is believed that with the holy chanting of the names of the Lord Shanithe Dham as well as the surrounding places has become sacred. Hence, by visiting the Dham and by offering prayers at the feet of the Lord devotees get rid of the problems.

Lord Shani is known as the greatest teacher. Shanidev is said to be very harmful to those who follow the path of betrayal, backstabbing and unjust revenge. He is known in Hindu scriptures as the greatest trouble giver as well as the greatest well-wisher. He is depicted dark in colour, clothed in black; holding a sword, arrows and two daggers and variously mounted on a black vulture or a raven. ShaniDhamJourian has become so alive that people take refuge in Lord Shani to reduce their sufferings by offering prayers to the Lord.

ShaniDevSewaSamiti is the governing and controlling body of the Dham. No donation is demanded by the Samiti from the devotees to offer prayers in the Dham. Devotees offer money in the Dham as per their own shraddha. Themoney collected is used for the development of the Dham and in various charitable/social works.

The ShaniDevSewaSamiti which is a non-profit, non-governmental socio-religious trust was established in the year 2012. The Trust is engaged in social welfare activities in different parts of the area. Some of their social works are as follows:

Helping people in providing medical aid. Making efforts for establishing Goshala in Jourian especially for stray cows. Providing medical aid to stray animals. Awarding commendation to the officials of the Tehsil and social workers for their extraordinary services. Financial assistance in the marriage of poor girls. Providing technical support to the illetratelabourers regarding labour cards. Oranisingawareness campaigns about PradhanMantri Jan ArogyaYojana-Ayushman Bharat. Arranging food, clothes, and blankets to the needy. Organising free medical camps. Working tirelessly for the pensions of elderly and disable persons. Instrumental in providing three wheeler scooters to divyangjans. Significance of the Shanidham

An unexpected honey bee shower (Madhusnan)by honey bees while laying the foundation stone of ShaniShilawas a wonderful event and considered as direct blessings of Lord Shani in itself. When the idol of God Shani was unveiled, the learned Pandits from Haridwar and Katra had performed chanting of Shani Mantras for seven days. Since then, it is believed that most of the problems of the devotees of Lord Shani are automatically solved when pray at this Dham. It is believed that the devotees’ problems would be solved when the ShaniShilais worshiped by offering oil (Tel abhishek) by them. The presence of the Peepal tree in the Dham makes it even more venerated. The Peepal tree is generally worshipped to please lord Shani.Putting a little oil in the root of the tree and lighting a lamp near it on Saturday helps get rid of a variety of problems. To reduce the malefic effect of the Shani Sade Sati, it is customary to offer prayers and circumambulate the Peepal tree. The shadow of Shani resides in the tree. It is also a source of energy and eradicates negative vibes. All lords has place in its branches and leaves. Lord Brahma lives in roots, lord Vishnu in middle and lord Shiva on leaves. It is the tree that sheltered Sita. Upon it Lord Hanuman sat and saw all the miseries of Sita. Hence, this tree has a special place in the heart of Lord Hanumana. There are no priests or sages in this temple. All the devotees, both men and women, perform their own poojas to the Lord Shani. Every Saturday ShaniAarti was performed with full devotion and tradition. Every Saturday a Langar/ Bhandara in the form of Urad dal khichdi (Black grams with rice khichdi) is served in the Dham. Urad is considred as a favorite food of Shani Dev. Devotees from different parts of the country perform Yagayamon Saturady to invoke the blessings of Lord Shani. Poojas and Rituals Performed at Shanidham

Shanidham Temple is mainly dedicated to the worship of LordShani. Lord Shani loves all things black like black urad, mustard oil, gur, black sesame, black flowers, black fruits, black sweetmeats, black chana etc.

Offering oil (Telabhishek) to God Shani while chanting the mantras ‘Om Sham ShanishcharayaNameh’, ‘Om Pram Preem Prom Se ShanishcharayaNameh’, ‘Om Sham ShanishcharayaNameh’ while circumambulating the ‘ShaniShila is the basic ritual at the temple. Offering KaaleTil, Mustrad oil, KaaleUrdh, Naariyal wrapped in black cloth is a traditional ritual while offering prayer to Lord Shani. On every Saturday and on ShaniAmavasya religious poojas related to the deity are performed in the temple. Festivals Celebrated at Shanidham

Various religious festivals are celebrated in the Dham with full traditional fervour and devotion like:

ShanidhamSathapanaDiwas- Every year on 11 June ShanidhamSathapanaDiwas is celebrated. Special HavanYagay under the guidance of learned pandits is performed wherein married couples participate in the yagay. KanyaPoojan is also performed on the occasion. The PanchGavyaSnan is offered to ShaniShila on the said day. The day is celebrated as a Mahotsav wherein devotees organise various food stalls as matter of Shraddha. The Dham is decorated with fresh flowers and artificial lightening. Special Pooja on ShaniAmavasya – Special pooja on ShaniAmavasya is performed by the devotees in the Dham. Rituals such as ‘Pitra DoshNivaran’, ‘KaalSarpaYogPooja’ShaniDhaiyaPooja ,Mangal DoshNivaran, Sade Sati Nivaranare performed at ShaniDham to please Lord Shani and reduce the malefic effects ShaniGraha. On this occasion, special worship and ‘Telabhishek’ (bathing the idol of LordShani with mustard oil) are performed. ShaniJayanti – Shanijayanti is a day that is observed with great reverence to mark the birthday of Lord Shanievery year in the Dham with full devotion and tradition.The day is celebrated on the New Moon (Amavasya) day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Vaishakhof the Hindu calendar every year in the Dhamto keep or ward off all bad omen and evils from one’s life by appeasing Lord Shani. Hanuman Jayanti- The birth of Lord Hanumana is celebrated on full moon day of Chaitra Month of the Hindu calendar every year in the Dham.The idol of Lord Hanuman is offered Janau (the pious thread), orange sindoor, mixed with the oil made from til seeds on this day. The devotees chant the verses of Ramayana and RamcharitraManasor recite Hanuman Chalisaon the day to offer prayers to Lord Hanuman. Maha Shiv Ratri- The festival is celebrated on the new moon day in the month of Maagha according to the Hindu calendar. The day is celebrated to venerate Lord Shiva. Devotees offer woodapple leaves, cold water and milk to the Mahakaaleshvar Shiva Lingam in the Dham. The Dham is usually rather quiet on weekdays but comes to life every Saturday – Saturday being the day of Lord Shani – with people thronging the Dhamfrom different areas. Devotees perform aartis and offer prayers all through the day to please the lord. The whole atmosphere and the environment of the Dhamgets purified through the vibration of recitation of mantras and through the rays of spiritual accomplishments.The doors of ShaniDham are open to everybody. Each and every devotee of Lord Shani is welcomed here without any favouritism or discrimination.