VYETHA TRUVAH

              VYETHA TRUVAH     (KASHMIR---HINDU SHRINES by C.L.Gadoo)

                The Vedic people venerated rivers, worshipped them as the embodiment of the divine mother Bhavani, and praised them as the source of life and means of its sustenance. For the Hindus of Kashmir, the Vitasta is the embodiment of Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva. Vedic literature refers to Vitasta as a prominent river of north India.        

               Vitasta is the Sanskrit name and Vyath is the Kashmiri name of river Jhelum, which rises from a spring Verinag and flows through Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir before it flows to Pakistan. The Nilmat Purana, Rajatarangini,  Haracarita- Cintamani, and Mahatmayas, acknowledge that, ’Nila Naga,’ ‘Nila Kunda,’’Vitastatra’, now called ‘Vyeth Vothur’ is the source of the river Vitasta. Perhaps over the years Nila Naga or Nila Kunda, also assumed the ancient name of the territorial district, the Pargna of Vera, in which it is located and came to be called Verinag. The ancient village of Vera must have been a place of many ancient stone temples.

           Vitasta flows out of Kashmir at Khadanyar. Vitasta Mahatmaya refers to the place as Khadanhara. Perhaps the place assumed its name from the great temple Khadana Vihar built by one of the queens, Khadana by name, of the King Meghavhana. River Karishi appeared in the north in Karnah area and became known as Krishan Ganga. It joins Vitasta at Jhelum, now in Pakistan. It is because of the confluence of the two rivers at this point, the ongoing river was known as Jhelum. Srivara in his Rajatrangini has used Jhelum instead of Vitasta, for the first time.    

              From the day Shiva struck his trident to make way for the Vitasta to flow out of Vyeth Vothur, its source--- the Neel Nag, in the Veri Pargana, Vitasta has flowed down for centuries over which the Sanskrit civilization of Kashmir flourished. Hindus of Kashmir still observe the day Parvati manifested herself in the form of Vitasta at Vitastatra, now known Vyeth Vothur, on Bhadra Shukla Trayodashi the 13 lunar day of the month of Bhadrapada (September) every year. The festival, now known as Vetha Truvah, is celebrated by making offerings of cakes made of rice floor, while reading Sholkas from Vitasta Mahatmayas. Also on the occasion of Pracdurbhava Divas,  appearance day or birthday of the river, devotees take a dip in the river in the morning and worship at its banks. Pujas are performed and the sacred river is offered flowers, milk and water. In the evening the Hindu women go down to the banks of the Vitasta and illuminate them with flickering earthen-ware lamps.