As can be appreciated, the rocks at Sultanganj, being the first such encountered within the Ganga on its course towards the sea after descent from the Himalayas into the plains at Haridwar, become the natural location for presuming any events related to the legend. Apart from association with the legend of the river’s rebirth, another reason for fame among Uttarvahini sites, could be it’s location in close proximity to the temple of Lord Ravaneshwar Mahadev i.e. Baba Baidyanath Dham at Deoghar (Jharkhand), which owes its origin to a legend associated with Ravan, the Lankan ruler and is one of the most sacred 12 Jyotirlingams of Lord Shiva. 

The tradition of pilgrimage from Sultanganj to Deoghar is known to have existed since long and can still be witnessed in full exuberance during the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar (generally during July & August) every year, when millions of pilgrims from India and abroad, called as ‘kanwariyas’ and dressed in saffron outfits, congregate for collection of Gangajal (holy water) at the river’s banks and thereafter journey, mostly on foot, about 110 km, perhaps the longest such fair, to shower upon the sacred lingam in Deoghar, where the temple is historical and confirmed to have existed since at least the 15th century A.D., by J. D. Beglar in his report for the Archaeological Survey of India (1871-72), and by R. L. Mitra (1883). With the devotees continuously chanting ‘Bol Bam’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’, this annual assemblage of faith, creates a unique scene, which if probably photographed from above would represent two rivers – one of the marine form flowing from Gangotri into the Bay of Bengal and the other of saffron human form flowing continuously from Sultanganj to Deoghar.

To be continued....