Tilla Jogian
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Tilla Jogian (; , meaning "hill of jogis "), also known as Balnath Tilla or Gorakh Tilla, is an abandoned Hindu temple and monastic complex located on the summit of the ''Tilla Jogian'' mountain in the
Salt Range The Salt Range ( and Namkistan نمکستان) is a mountain range in the north of Punjab province of Pakistan, deriving its name from its extensive deposits of rock salt. The range extends along the south of the Potohar Plateau and the north ...
in the
Jhelum district Jhelum District () is a district, located partially on the Pothohar Plateau and in Indus Plain, in Punjab, Pakistan. Jhelum is one of the oldest districts of Punjab. It was established on 23 March 1849. Jhelum is known for providing many sold ...
of
Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
province, Pakistan. Several temple structures exist at the site, albeit in a dilapidated and deteriorating condition. The summit of the mountain is heavily forested. The complex was the most important centre for Hindu '' jogis'' in
Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...
prior to 1947, and had housed hundreds of
ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...
s. In the pre-partition period, many '' pundits'' and '' yatris'' (pilgrims) visited the site, with the local environment being described as being lively. Post-partition, the site fell into disuse and decayed. The site is also important in
Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...
for its association with the founder of the Sikh faith,
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
. The site also features in the Waris Shah's version of the Punjabi folktale ''
Heer Ranjha '' Ranjha'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy with many historic poetic narrations; with the first one penned by Damodar Gulati in 1600s, on the preexisting oral legend; and the most famous one, ''Heer'', written by Waris Shah in 17 ...
'', being the location where Ranjha became a jogi and pierced his ears.


Location

The Tilla Jogian complex is located on Pakistan's Potohar plateau, approximately 25 km west of the cities of
Jhelum Jhelum (; , ) is a city, located along the western bank of the Jhelum River, in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the 21st largest city in Punjab and 31st largest in Pakistan, by population. Located in northern Punjab, it serves as the capital of the ...
and Dina. The complex is located near the
Jhelum River The Jhelum River is a major river in South Asia, flowing through India and Pakistan, and is the westernmost of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It originates at Verinag and flows through the Indian-administered territory of Jammu ...
and the
Grand Trunk Road Grand Trunk Road (formerly known as Uttarapath, Sadak-e-Azam, Shah Rah-e-Azam, Badshahi Sadak, and Long Walk) is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For at least 2,500 years it has linked Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. It r ...
– the ancient route which connected
Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...
to India. Tilla Jogian is also near the Rohtas Fort, and the
Katas Raj Temples The Katas Raj Temples (Punjabi language, Punjabi: شری کٹاس راج مندر, Urdu: شری کٹاس راج مندر), also known as Qila Katas (Punjabi language, Punjabi: قلعہ کٹاس, Urdu: قلعہ کٹاس), is a complex of several H ...
– another important Hindu pilgrimage site with a sacred pond that is said to have been created from the teardrops of the Hindu god ''
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
.'' Tilla Jogian complex is located in Pakistan's
Salt Range The Salt Range ( and Namkistan نمکستان) is a mountain range in the north of Punjab province of Pakistan, deriving its name from its extensive deposits of rock salt. The range extends along the south of the Potohar Plateau and the north ...
, on a mountaintop of the same name. The Tilla Jogian Mountain is the highest peak in the eastern Salt Range. The temples are located at an altitude of 975 meters (3200 ft) near the summit of the mountain, resulting in a cooler and wetter climate compared to that of the Punjab plains. The complex is located in an area that is forested with olive trees, pines, and '' Acacia modesta''.


History

The ''Kanphata jogi'', an
ascetic Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their pra ...
order noted for its members' ear piercings, was founded by Guru Gorakhnath, and was centred at Tilla Jogian.Gorakhnāth and the Kānphaṭa Yogīs
George Weston Briggs, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1938, , ''... The Kanphatas possess many monasteries ... but that at Tilla, in the Panjab, is generally considered to be the chief seat of the Gorkhnathis ...''
After Gorakhnath's death, the mantle of leadership passed onto Lakshmannath at Tilla Jogian. After, the movement splint into two groups which both originated at Tilla Jogian: the Natesri and Darya. The Natesri remained at Tilla Jogian whilst the Darya shifted to the Punjab Plains. There exists a tale regarding a certain Nath saint known as Ratannath, who at Tilla Jogian was questioned for his lack of ear-rings he opened up his chest in-response to reveal his heart. Another tale relates that one time Ratannath had his rings taken from him as punishment but he revealed them in his mouth. In the ''Gorakhnāth and the Kānphaṭa Yogīs'' (1938) by George Weston Briggs, it was reported that no Aghoris resided at the complex. Tilla Jogian's importance as a Hindu pilgrimage centre attracted the founder of
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
faith,
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
who meditated here for forty days in the early 1500s, since he wanted to understand the ideology of the jogis, and also debate with them regarding their core beliefs. The reference of Guru Nanak visiting the site is traced to the ''Gosti Bal Nath Nal'' recorded in the Miharban Janamsakhi. The tradition further claims that Guru Nanak had met Balnath at the site, with a structure later being raised to commemorate the meeting between Nanak and Balnath. The
Mughal Emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...
Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...
visited the "Shrine of Balnath," an influential and widely venerated ''
yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297–299, 331 ...
''. The shrine was noted by his chronicler Abul Fazal to be "so old" that its origins had become obscure, and that Akbar expressed marvel at the site's old age. Abul Fazal also recorded that the site was important for followers of Balnath, attracting jogis from distant areas. The 17th century emperor,
Jahangir Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim (31 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was List of emperors of the Mughal Empire, Emperor of Hindustan from 1605 until his death in 1627, and the fourth Mughal emperors, Mughal ...
, also visited the temple complex. Following the collapse of Mughal rule, the complex was sacked and looted by the
Pashtun Pashtuns (, , ; ;), also known as Pakhtuns, or Pathans, are an Iranic ethnic group primarily residing in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. They were historically also referred to as Afghans until 1964 after the ...
king Ahmad Shah Abdali,Tilla Jogian Hindu heritage
/ref> during one of his several raids into Punjab. The complex was quickly rebuilt following Abdali's defeat. Maharaja
Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, in the northwest Indian subcontinent, ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. Born to Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia M ...
in the early 19th century commemorated the visit of Guru Nanak with the construction of a stone-lined pond, and construction of a small monument to mark the exact spot at which Guru Nanak is said to have usually meditated. During the
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
, the local deputy commissioner built a bungalow at the site, having been attracted to the site for its cooler weather. The site was considered the most important pilgrimage site for '' jogis'' in Punjab prior to the
partition of British India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Pakistan is the Islam ...
in 1947. The mahant of Tilla Jogian was considered the head of all the ''Kanphatas'' of the Nath Sampardya. In December 1924, the mahant of Tilla Jogian assisted George Weston Briggs with documenting the lineage of the Nath lineages and sub-sects. The path to the complex in the pre-partition period was well-maintained and safe, with women making the trek through the use of mules and horses. Immediately prior to Partition, an annual festival took place on the first day of the Hindu month of ''
Chaitra Chaitra () is a month of the Hindu calendar. In the standard Hindu calendar and India's national civil calendar, Chaitra is the first month of the year. It is the last month in the Bengali calendar, where it is called Choitro. Chaitra or Cha ...
'', during which communal meals were served to all attendees.


Abandonment

Following Partition, most of the area's Hindu population migrated to the newly independent
Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area; the most populous country since 2023; and, since its independence in 1947, the world's most populous democracy. Bounded by ...
, abandoning the temples which remain neglected until present day. The last priest of the complex was Samandnath Jogi. When riots erupted after Partition, Samandnath Jogi reportedly appointed a local village official as caretaker of the site, and instructed him to approach the deputy commissioner to auction off the temple's belongings if the Jogi did not return from India within 6 months. The local official then arranged a police escort for the Jogi to safely reach the local train station, in order to proceed onwards to Kangra, India. The Jogi did not return within the 6-month time frame, and so the temple's meagre belongings were auctioned. The stone-pathway leading to the site has since started disintegrating and the structures at the site are at-risk for further decay and degradation due to a lack of conservation efforts.


Significance

The site was considered the most important pilgrimage site for '' jogis'' in Punjab and was home to hundreds of ''jogis'' prior to Partition. Tilla Jogian once also was home to a Brahminical seminary surrounded by extensive residential areas.


''Heer Ranjha''

Tilla Jogian is mentioned in the Punjabi poem ''
Heer Ranjha '' Ranjha'' () is a classical Punjabi folk tragedy with many historic poetic narrations; with the first one penned by Damodar Gulati in 1600s, on the preexisting oral legend; and the most famous one, ''Heer'', written by Waris Shah in 17 ...
'', written by
Waris Shah Pir Waris Shah ( ; 1722 1798) was an 18th-century Punjabi Muslims, Punjabi Muslim Sufi poet of the Chishti order, known popularly for his contribution to Punjabi literature. He is primarily known as the author of the ''Heer Ranjha'' love ...
in 1766. Deedho Ranjha, the story's protagonist, who when spending his time on the rebound from heartbreak, sublimating his love and passion in the spiritual world, came here for consolation to his former love. He had his ears pierced here, following the tradition of Guru Goraknath's followers.The social space of language: vernacular culture in British colonial Punjab
Farina Mir, University of California Press, 2010, , ''... A fourth locale, Tilla Jogian, is the location of Gorakhnath's dera (monastery) and the site of Ranjha's transformation into a yogi ...''


Site layout

Tilla Jogian comprises a complex of
Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...
s housing at least three baths and a network of waterworks with at least two minor dams. The complex has a temple-tank (sarovar) that was constructed during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Furthermore, there are two cupolas which are provided with descending stairs and various temples.


Access

There are no developed pathways which lead to the complex – visitors must hike and bikers can ride on dirtbikes or trails to the top of the mountain in order to reach the site. Near the top is an old stone pathway named the ''Poorhiwaala Rah'' which leads to the temples, after passing the ''Ratti Banni'' ravine. There are number of walking trails to reach at the top: one from Rohtas Fort side and the other from ''Sanghoi'', on the
Jhelum River The Jhelum River is a major river in South Asia, flowing through India and Pakistan, and is the westernmost of the five major rivers of the Punjab region. It originates at Verinag and flows through the Indian-administered territory of Jammu ...
side. The trail to the complex begins at the village of Bhet situated on the northern side of the hill and is around 3 kilometers in-length, leading to the ascension of nearly 500 meters.


Conservation

The Tilla Jogian complex is not officially protected by local government bodies and is privately owned. Local villagers have scoured the site in order to find coins and souvenirs to sell to visitors. Vandals have also damaged the site, including the monument built by Ranjit Singh to mark the spot where
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
meditated. As of 2012, the site has become overgrown by olive trees, resulting in a gradual destruction of the site.


List of religious heads

* Gorakhnath – founder of the complex * Lakshmannath – successor of the founder * Pir Kalla Nath (circa December 1924) - mahant * Samandnath Jogi (? – 1947) - last mahant of the complex


See also

* Mashhood Test Firing Range – Nearby military testing area and firing range *
Katas Raj Temples The Katas Raj Temples (Punjabi language, Punjabi: شری کٹاس راج مندر, Urdu: شری کٹاس راج مندر), also known as Qila Katas (Punjabi language, Punjabi: قلعہ کٹاس, Urdu: قلعہ کٹاس), is a complex of several H ...
– nearby former Hindu pilgrimage site. Said to be home of a pond created by the teardrops of ''
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
'' * Rohtas Fort – nearby 16th century Fort that is inscribed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
*
Hinduism in Pakistan Hinduism is the second largest religion in Pakistan after Islam. Though Hinduism was the dominant faith in the region a few centuries back, its adherents accounted for just 2.17% of Pakistan's population (approximately 5.2 million people) acc ...
*
Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple The Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir is a historic Hindu mandir in Karachi, Pakistan. The mandir was declared as a national heritage under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act 1994 and is believed to be at least 1,500 years old. History The ...


Notes


References


External links


Trekking on the Tilla Jogian by Shaikh Muhammad Ali



Tilla Jogian destruction of 1st century BC heritage of Pakistan
{{authority control Shiva temples Ruins in Pakistan Hindu temples in Punjab, Pakistan Jhelum 1st-century BC Hindu temples