Sati kund located in Kankhal, a fabled place of pilgrimage, remaining uncared for by the State Tourism department for long, things seem to be looking up now as the sacred place endowed with mythological significance is all set to be brought back to its original form in the wake of a State High Court order. It is learnt that the water tank of mythological importance would be helped to regain its original form in tune with the court order. The court order came after hearing of a PIl lodged by a Nainital resident Mithilesh Goriyal was held. The court ordered the state government to remove all encroachments from the Sati Kund area and bring it back to its original form.
Sati Kund is a holy tank named after Sati, lord Shiva’s consort, located in Jagjeetpur area of Kankhal on Haridwar- laksar road some four kms away from the main Haridwar city. Sati Kund is actually the site of the Yagna Kund, the sacrificial place, where Sati immolated herself after her husband lord Shiva was humiliated by her father, King Daksha Prajapati. The legend goes that King Daksha organised a massive yajna but did not invite his son-in-law lord Shiva which left Sati upset and prompted her to self- immolation in the sacrificial fire.
About two decades ago, there was a water pond at Sati Kund area where devotees used to come for holy dip. But now the place has lost its original form with the sewer water getting collected in the area. The High Court ordered the state government to restore the area of Sati kund to its original in two months while hearing the PIl.
Earlier too, attempts were made to revamp the site following the complaints of the locals. But things did not move up as the State Government remained apathetic towards the plight of the mythologically important site. Meanwhile, the land mafia had encroached the land surrounding the sacred Sati kund area. During Ardh Kumbh Mela 2016, boring work had started for replenishing the revered tank, but it had been stopped halfway, leading the tank to remain dry. The place witnesses drains, dotting it, overflowing during monsoon season.
Speaking to The Pioneer, principal of Mahila Vidyalaya Sati Kund, Jagjeetpur, Veena Shastri said, “We can remember that a pond was there around 15 years ago where the devotees took the holy dip and performed puja. Even people from West Bengal used to throng the place. The water was supplied to the pond from a rivulet. later the pond dried up and the kund lost its form. Many attempts were made to beautify the place but in vain.”
A local resident, Harish Kumar said that Sati Kund figures in the scriptures. “But the sacred pond has remained dry for many years,” he said.
A priest at Sati Kund temple Pushpraj Sharma says that the pond had been cleaned by the municipal corporation after repeated complaints.“Now things are such that when it rains the drains overflow and the dirtied water falls right into the sacred pond,” he said.
