Basukinath

Basukinath
temple town
File:Baba Basukinath Temple complex at Basukinath, Jharkhand 08.jpg
Coordinates:
Country	India
State	Jharkhand
District	Dumka
Population  (2011)
• Total	17,123
Language
• Official	Hindi
• Regional	Angika
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	JH
Website	dumka.nic.in

Basukinath is a temple town and notified area in the Dumka, Jharkhand, India.

Geography

Area

Basukinath has an area of 19.90 hectares (49.2 acres).

Overview

The map shows a large area, which is a plateau with low hills, except in the eastern portion where the Rajmahal hills intrude into this area and the Ramgarh hills are there. The south-western portion is just a rolling upland. The entire area is overwhelmingly rural with only small pockets of urbanisation.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Census of India, Basukinath had a total population of 17,123, of which 8,861 (52%) were males and 8,262 (48%) were females. Population in the age range 0–6 years was 2,701. The total number of literate persons in Basukinath was 14,422 (68.41% of the population over 6 years).

As of the 2001 Indian census, Basukinath has a population of 14,119 (52% men, 48% women). Basukinath has an average literacy rate of 54%, which is lower than the national average of 59.5%; with 62% of men and 38% of women literate. 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Infrastructure

According to the District Census Handbook 2011, Dumka, Basukinath covered an area of 17.23 km². Among the civic amenities, it had 46 km roads with both open and closed drains, the protected water supply involved hand pump, uncovered well. It had 2,094 domestic electric connections, 300 road lighting points. Among the medical facilities, it had 3 hospitals, 2 dispensaries, 2 health centres, 1 family welfare centre, 1 maternity and child welfare centre, 1 nursing home, 4 charitable hospital/ nursing homes, 1 veterinary hospital, 20 medicine shops. Among the educational facilities it had 15 primary schools, 6 middle schools, 2 secondary schools, 2 senior secondary schools, 1 general degree college. It had 1 non-formal education centre (Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan). Among the social, cultural and recreational facilities it had 4 auditorium/ public halls, 1 public library, 1 reading room. Three important items it produced were sweets, iron goods, chira. It had the branch offices of 3 nationalised banks, 1 cooperative bank, 1 agricultural credit society.

Religion

Basukinath serves as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus. Baba Basukinath Temple is the main attraction and situated along the Jasidih Dumka New Railway Line. It is one of three major Shiva temples in Bihar and Jharkhand together with Ajgaibinath temple and Baidyanath temple.

Shree Baba Basukinath Shivlinga is Swayambhu Shivlinga. It is named after a farmer Basu who was a great devotee of Lord Shiva and long ago when the Area of Basukinath then called Daruk forest was facing drought, Basu with his devotion pleased Shiva to reside in Basukinath area to bring rains. Vardani Nath is also a Swayambhu Shivlinga and located at a distance of 6 km from Basukinath Mandir.

In the temple premises of Basukinath Mandir there are many gods residing including Lord Ganesha, Swami Kartikeya, Maiya Parvati, Maiya Kali, Anand Bhairav, Maa Annapurna, Maa Ambe, Shree Ram Darbar, Maa Tara, Maa Kamala, Maa Chinnamastika, Maa Baglamukhi, Lord Hanumana and Many more.

Shree Baba Basukinath has been blessing his true devotees with all good health and happiness since ancient times and a visit to this place soothes the soul from within. Devotees of Shree Basukinath greet each other by saying " Bam Basuki" when they talk.

File:Baba Basukinath Temple complex at Basukinath, Jharkhand 09.jpg

Baba Basukinath Temple complex at Basukinath

Shravani Mela

Basukinath is famous for the mela of Shraavana (a month of the Hindu calendar), between July and August. Some pilgrims are called "Bol Bam" when they pour holy water on the shivling after 4–5 days of journeying. The pilgrims en route to Basukinath also visit the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Deogarh. Shree Baba Basukinath Mitra Mandal (Howrah) headed by Shree Manoj Kedia has been offering Ganga water by taking Kanwar to the Basukinath Linga from 1992 in Shravan Month. Kanwar Yatra can be started from the ghats of Ganges in Bhagalpur and Sultangunj.

Ram Janki Vivah Utsav

Pandit Nainalal Jha and Pradhan Tirth Purohit Baba Basukinath started the festival of "Ram Janki Vivah Utsav" in Basukinath. A baraat which included elephants and horses participated in the procession as well.

External links

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