Parshuram Kund, Lohit - Legends

Parshuram Kund, Lohit - Legends

Parshuram Kund is based upon the life event of Lord Parshuram. The epic is that Parshuram used to live with his brothers, mother Renuka and father Jamadagni who was also a great rishi, in an ashram. Her mother was known for her chastity and devotion towards her husband. One day, Renuka, mother of Parashuram, went to fetch water. While returning, she felt drawn towards King Chitranatha playing with celestial nymphs.

Consequently, she was late in returning to the ashram. Jamadagni, her husband, worried over her delay as it was getting late for the midday worship. On perceiving through his divine power, the reason for her delay, Jamadagni was so enraged that, on her arrival, he asked his sons to kill her. None of his six sons except Parashuram could oblige. He immediately beheaded his mother. The handle of the axe which he used, however, clung to his hand.

Pleased with his son, Jamadagni desired Parashuram to ask for any boon. Parashuram asked six boons and one was for the immediate recovery of his mother. However, this did not wipe out his sin. He was told that the only way to wash off his sin was by taking a dip in the Brahma Kund. Only then would the axe stuck to his hand drop. Parashuram ultimately came to the Brahma Kund in present Lohit District and made a passage for the Kund to come out by digging the bank of Brahma Kund.

The spot where the axe dropped from his hand came to be known as Parashuram Kund. The Kalika Purana states that a mere bath in the Kund leads to emancipation. The waters of the Kund are considered as sacred as the waters of the River Ganga. In the 18^th century a sadhu re-established the site of Parashuram Kund.

The sadhu who came through Chowkham, as the story goes, was driven out form his village as he was looked upon as a swindler. The villagers thereafter were afflicted with some unknown disease. Meanwhile the sadhu, had hidden himself in a cave around the Kund away from the angry villagers. The villagers came in search of him and offered him fruits and flowers and asked forgiveness.

The site of the Parashuram Kund as established by the sadhu was in existence till 1950 when the old site was completely changed by the earthquake that shook the whole of the North-East and the Kund was completely covered. A very strong current is now flowing over the original site of the Kund, but massive boulders have in a mysterious way embedded themselves in a circular formation in the river bed thus forming another Kund in place of the old.