Ruru Kshetra Shiv Peeth, Gulmi


Location

Province: Lumbini Province 

Ruru Kshetra is the meeting point of Palpa, Syangja and Gulmi districts. Ridi is located in the eastern side of Kaligandaki River, in Gulmi district. Near the Ridi Bazaar likes the Rishikesh Temple in Palpa, Bhrigutbageshwor Cave in Syangja and Galfule Cave and Devdutta Park in Gulmi. There is a junction made by Kaligandaki River from the northern side and Ridi River form the western side. The Kaligandaki has divided Syangja and Gulmi, while the Ridi River has separated Palpa and Gulmi.

How to Reach

Ruru Kshetra is some 340 kilometers away from Kathmandu. The distance between Butwal and Palpa is 70 km, while Ruru is located some 14 km away from Tansen, thus there is no obstacle in transportation facility. From Kathmandu, one can travel to Ridi or in Tansen, where jeeps and buses are available.

Significance of Shrine & Local Beliefs

There is a belief that Kaligandaki is named as it is the spot of meditation by sage Gandak Rishi while it is in black Barna (complexion). According to Baraah Puran, in the ancient age, a Brahmin named Devdutta from Bhrigu dynasty started a harsh meditation in the bank of Gandaki. 

It is said that the meditation disturbed the space of King of Heaven Indra, thus he sent an angel Pramlocha to create obstruction to the sages meditation. However, a baby girl was born from the same sage and the angel. The sage returned to his own meditation pace and achieved the divine Shiva power. The angel left the baby girl and returned back to the heaven. 

As legend goes, the baby girl was fed milk and raised by a deer named Ruru, thus the girl was named as Ruru. It is believed that the girl started meditating when Lord Vishnu appeared and sought to bless her wish. Her wish was for Lord Vishnu to stay at the location. It is believed that Lord Vishnu stayed there during Ruru’s lifespan. While after her death, he is believed to have transformed himself into a stone and stayed inside Kaligandaki. 

Later, it is believed that Mani Mukunda Sen saw a dream and discovered the idol from the womb of earth and established it as a god. There is a tradition of worshipping Rishikesh by talking a holy bath in the junction of Ridi and Kaligandaki. 

Rishikesh is the main temple in Ruru Kshetra. The temple is constructed in Gumbaj style. The current temple structure was built by Ranadutta Pande in 1819 BS (1762 AD). Inside the temple, there is a 3 feet 9 inch tall idol of Vishnu and Garudh where the idol of Rishikesh, formed in a natural stone comprising sankha, chakra, gada and padhma, is located. 

Surrounding the main idol are other idols of Ganga, Jamuna, Saraswati, Laxmi and Gayatri. Besides Rishikesh temple, there is Bhriguteswor cave, Galful cave where Devdutta sage had meditated, temple of Ruru Kanya, Gayatri temple, Ramnam Stupa,  Mahadev temple and Radha Krishna temple. 

Major Festivals

The special fairs are organized during Harishayani Ekadashi (July), Shree Krishna Janmasthami (Aug), Ram Navami (April), Maghe Sankranti (Dec) festival among others. A special celebration of Rishikesh is organized during Kartik-Sukla Ekdashi (Oct/Nov). A grand fair is organized during Haribodhini (Nov), Harishayani (July), Baisakh-Sankranti (April), Kartik Ekadashi to Purnima (Oct/Nov) and during Maghe Sankranti (Dec). On Kartik-Sukla Dwadashi (Oct/Nov), the Palpali King Mani Mukunda Sen had established the idol of Rishikesh in the temple. Thus, on that particular day, a special chariot is taken out in the memory of Rishikesh and is taken around Ridi Bazaar. Similarly, on the next day of Haribodhini Ekadashi, there is a Khat procession. Among the four holy dhams of Nepal, Pashupatinath in Kathmandu, Barah Kshetra in Sunsari, Mukti Kshetra in Mustang and Ruru Kshetra in Ridi is the one. 

Itinerary

Locations on Shiv Shakti Circuit

Shiv Shakti Circuit , Nepal

Shiv Shakti Circuit , India