Brij Raj Swami Temple, Nurpur (Himachal Pradesh)

The Brij Raj Swami Temple is situated at the extreme western corner inside the Nurpur

Fort. Passing through a small gate, one enters the temple courtyard, where a centuries-old massive banyan tree appears to warmly welcome the devotees. On the right side, there is a small park surrounded by low boundary walls. Directly ahead is the yajna shala (sacrificial hall), and on the left is a small langar hall. Walking along the park on the right for about 50 feet and then turning right, one reaches the main temple.

A deep sense of peace is felt upon entering this sacred temple. Inside the temple, after bowing before the idols of the deities placed in front, stairs on the left lead to the upper main section of the temple.

Situated at an altitude of 2,125 feet in the city of Nurpur, this Brij Raj Swami Temple was not originally located here in ancient times. As discussed in the previous part, earlier this temple was located in the Darbar-e-Khas section of the fort.

Although the fort was constructed in the 10th–11th century, the Darbar-e-Khas was not a temple at that time. The story of how it was transformed into a temple is quite fascinating.

It is said that this incident dates back to the period between 1619 and 1623, when Raja Jagat Singh ruled the fort. During that time, he had gone to Chittorgarh (Rajasthan) at the invitation of the ruler there. Just as we visit friends, kings too had kings as their friends. Royal alliances and relationships were always formed among royal families, much like modern politicians arrange marriages of their children within influential political families. While the public may see them fighting in the name of religion, these politicians often place political power above religion when forming such alliances.

Raja Jagat Singh of Nurpur belonged to the Pathania Rajput clan, whereas the ruling dynasty of Chittorgarh was the Sisodia Rajput clan. Since both rulers were Rajputs, their closeness was quite natural.

To continue, it is said that the palace where Raja Jagat Singh stayed in Chittorgarh had a temple nearby. At night, he could hear devotional songs (bhajans) coming from the temple. His family priest had also accompanied him on this journey.

Mirabai had been married into the royal family of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. Her birth is believed to have taken place around the year 1500. She was a devoted follower of Lord Krishna.

When Raja Jagat Singh heard the sound of bhajans and anklets during the night, he discussed it with his priest. On the priest’s advice, Raja Jagat Singh requested idols of Lord Krishna and Mirabai from the ruler of Chittorgarh while returning. He brought these idols to Nurpur and installed them in the most prominent section of the fort, the Darbar-e-Khas, thereby establishing the Brij Raj Swami Temple. However, during the earthquake of 1905, this site suffered severe damage, after which the temple was rebuilt at its present location.

Climbing the stairs to the upper level, one is fortunate to have darshan of Lord Krishna’s idol made of black marble, crafted under the influence of Rajasthani art, along with an idol of Mirabai. After receiving prasad from the priest, one returns downstairs.

Nearby stands a Maulsari   plant, which is said to have been brought by Raja Jagat Singh from Chittorgarh as a gift along with the idols.

In front of the temple, there is another park from where panoramic views of the surrounding

hills can be enjoyed, along with a sight of a tributary of the Chakki River flowing below. Further down, another temple has been constructed, and the surrounding grounds are beautifully covered with lush green grass and well-maintained landscaping. A group of young boys and girls can also be seen visiting the area.

My journey to the Nurpur Fort ends here, but before returning, I set out to visit one more eco park in the area.

To be continued…

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