In the foothills of Himalayas, situated in the Sutlej valley, Sarahan was the old capital of Rampur Bushair one of the biggest princely states in Shimla hills. Sarahan is located on the Kinnaur-Shimla border in Himachal Pradesh. It offers natural eye soothing beauty and is a comprehensive place of sacredness. It is a heaven enriched with awe-inspiring qualities. The scenic beauty of Sarahan compiles of breath-taking greenery, waving mountains, snow covered regions. Sarahan`s apple orchards make the dusty environment pleasant with its fragrance. Sarahan is filled with flowering pine trees, huge forests, streams and it`s worth remarkable valleys. God would have been very bighearted while creating such a fabulous beauty.
History of Sarahan
There are several tales that are woven around Sarahan. Centuries ago, the Raja of Kullu declared war on neighbouring Kingdom Bushair. Post the huge intense and bloody war, the king of Bushair won victory over the opponent. The separated head of the ruler of Kullu was brought to Sarahan and placed on the stone platform. The family members of raja of kullu and the people of his kingdom pleaded to return his head so that they could perform the last funeral rites. The ruler of Bushair laid three conditions before them before he would return the head - the land that was seized across the Sutlej would be retained, Kullu must promise to never again challenge its neighbour and the captured image of Lord Raghunath (the pattern Devta of Kullu) would not be returned. The defeated kingdom accepted all these terms and in return only asked the ruler of Bushair to celebrate the festival of Dussehra. This request was accepted and Dussehra has now become a major local festival. The image of Lord Raghunath was ceremoniously installed alongside that of Bhimakali.
After this story accompanied by bloodshed comes another one. The ruler of Bushair`s architectural design of palace was a unique one. The doors were covered with magnificent brass material, the hall had a large flagstone and after several years smooth light grey Kota stone were laid. Kanwar Gopal Singh, heir of Bushair`s princely family who administers the temple complex told this story. A tradition that still continues to an extent is that no individual should build a house similar in design or as grand as the temple or the ruler`s palace. In the village, a man named Masoi decided that this code could not be applied to him and built for himself a house inspired by the design of the Sarahan complex. This was taken as a sign of both disrespect and revolt and an army was sent to crush him.
Masoi`s house was demolished and destroyed to the level of ground and this inspired stone from his roof was brought particularly and symbolically placed here. Every person entering the Sarahan complex now walked over the stone and this was particularly done to make everyone know that those who tried to rise above their appointed position would be crushed beneath the feet.
This is a legend which is related to the land Sarahana. Banasura ruled over shonitpur. One night his beautiful daughter, Usha, saw a dream where she saw a handsome and strong man. And when she woke up, Usha desperately urged for that prince and told her friend, Chitralekha, about him. Based on Usha`s vivid description about that man, Chitralekha made his portrait. By that portrait, Usha was solaced but not fully convinced, Usha kept that picture close to her hoping that someday she would meet him. Then Chitralekha vowed she would search allover the world for her friend for that prince and bring him to Usha. In the search of prince of dreams, Chitralekha wandered until one day she saw Aniruddha, Lord Krishna`s grandson. He was the prince of Usha`s dream! As Aniruddha slept, Chitralekha picked up the bed and brought him to Usha. But when Lord Krishna heard of his grandson`s seizure, he marched with his army against Usha`s father. Banasura even did not had a clue about what the battle was all about and was defeated. And then the story of the dream was told. Noble and generous as ever, Lord Krishna married his grandson to Usha and as dowry gave back the defeated Banasura his kingdom of Shonitpur, which is regarded to be the present day Sarahan.
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