Pathwari Temple of Faridabad

by C.D. Verma, Old Faridabad, Faridabad Plus

Where Goddess shows the way
In Faridabad people walk by faith. For the goddess, the presiding deity of an ancient, centuries-old, temple here, shows the way. Yes! this is true of Pathwari Temple, situated in the heart of the main bazaar of Old Faridabad. As is implied in its name Pathwari, which literally means path showing, the denizens of Faridabad, from the hoary past, have been following the tradition of paying their obeisance to the Pathwari Mata, the presiding deity of the temple, before embarking on any journey, be it for social, religious, domestic or business errands. And on return to their home town, they punctiliously revered her too. In the 21st century when the idiosyncrasies of the modern man and his ways of life have undergone a complete metamorphosis, the symbols of waxing faith in Faridabad still remain unforgettable guiding principles, and integral parts of the socio-cultural ethos.

Old Faridabad is old enough with an ancient history of about 400 years. Faridabad, named after Sheikh Farid, treasurer of King Jehangir (1605-1627), who is believed to have founded it in 1607, has a unique feature of naming and niching various streets and Mohallas after different castes and professions, such as Khatriwara, Brahminwara, Sheikhwara, Sayyedwara, Ahirwara, Dhobiwara, Naiwara, Kumbharwara, etc. And all lived happily in harmonious togetherness, peacefully and affectionately, interacting within as well as without their castes and callings during the last 400 years. Interestingly, there has been no communal riots in this town during all these four centuries.

The recorded history has it that once Sheikh Farid accompanied the King’s treasure from Agra to Delhi. Agra was then the capital of the Mughal empire. Sheikh Farid rested for the night near the present Old Faridabad. The geographic and topographic features of the area so attracted him that he decided to raise a town here to protect the highway - (now called Delhi-Mathura Road, which then passed through this area, and which now forms the part of the main Bazaar of Old Faridabad ) - from robbers and highwaymen.

Sheikh Farid, a Moghal nobleman, manifested his secular credentials, by building Shahi Jama Masjid Jehangiri, in the main bazaar of Old Faridabad, a temple again in the main bazaar, close to the mosque, and the Brahi Talab. Pathwari Temple is a much visited, very famous temple. Jagdish Goel, a senior citizen and an original inhabitant of Old Faridabad, informed that he did not know as to how old the temple was. But it has been in existence in the main bazaar of Faridabad much before the days of his grandfather and great grandfather. From the days of yore, the residents have worshipped the Pathwari Mata. She is the goddess who is believed to show path and put on right course the voyager and wayfarers.

In order to substantiate his point, he said that during the marriage season, the bridegrooms, accompanied by Baratis, visited this temple before going to the bride’s house for the nuptial ceremony. And after wedding, the newly-weds, before going home, paid their obeisance to the goddess, and prayed for the conjugal bliss. As aforementioned, the residents of Faridabad sought the blessings of the Pathwari Mata before they proceed on any journey, and after they returned from the voyage. Kunji Lal, again an original inhabitant of Faridabad, who runs a sweet-meat shop at the gate of Pathwari Temple, said that anyone who scavenged, washed and cleaned away the Mandir precincts for 21 days, would get his wishes fulfilled. The kind-hearted goddess showered her devotees will all kinds of boons and benedictions, he confidently claimed. On Tuesdays the Mandir is crowded with devotees and worshippers who make offerings in cash and kind in plenty.

On the idol of the goddess in the sanctum sanctorum hangs the canopy of a Pankha made of silver. Interestingly, on the day of Raksha Bandhan, a three-day festival is held to propitiate the goddess. The silver-Pankha is taken out in a procession, followed by varied tableaus, in which participate thousands of denizens of Faridabad. On the second day is held sang (theatrical presentation of rural Haryana) in front of the Mandir, and on the day next are held wresting matches, where winners are adequately rewarded. The Pankha procession/ Mela has been symptomatic of communal harmony and inter-connected of society, as it is attended by people belonging to all castes, callings and religions-Hindus, Brahmins, Muslims, Khatris, traders, workers, etc.

In the west of Old Faridabad existed the famous Brahi Talab. It was at this place that Sheikh Farid had rested for the night. Brahi Talab derives its name from goddess Brahi. In the Indian mythology, Brahi Mata is one of the 64-yoginis. Every year the tank was filled with the overflowing rain waters of the Badkhal Lake. The waters of the Brahi Talab, till recently, were considered to possess the medicinal properties effective for the magical cure of the skin diseases. The elders of the town talk of a myth that when the Brahi tank was filled with rain waters, a hand came out of it and blessed the devotees on the full moon night of the Chaitra month