Shivratri 2022 is a festival which is celebrated with zeal and devotion in India. This year Shivratri falls on March 1. On this occasion, EBNW Story brings a special story from Mahabharat era which connects why the town was named as Nagda which still has an old temple of Lord Shiva, which it is believed, was constructed during Mahabharat era.
Nagda in Madhya Pradesh was earlier known as Nagdah and has an interesting Mahabharat connect.
Presently, it is a major Industrial town situated on the Malwa Plateau near the banks of River Chambal and is famous for awe inspiring Birla Temple and the Grasim industry which manufactures Viscose Fibre. It is biggest manufacturing industry ever established by Grasim and also is world’s largest producer of spun dyed specialty Fibre.
Years ago, Nagda was known as Nagdah which means Nag ka Dahan (burning of snakes). There is an interesting yet mysterious story behind the name which will definitely leave you with goosebumps.
On the banks of River Chambal there is an ancient temple known as Mukteshwar Mahadev Mandir which has a deity of Shivjii. At at the end of the Dwapar era and the beginning of the Kal Yuga, this temple was built 6000 years ago.
Legend says that thousands of snakes used to reside here. During that era, Janmejaya used to be the king of Nagda. According to Mahabharata, Raja Janmejaya was son of King Parikshit and Queen Madravati. He was the great grandson of valiant warrior of Mahabharata, Arjuna.
Raja Janmejaya performed a Yagya in JUNA NAGDA (old Nagda) to burn the snakes. His Father Raja Parikshit died because of snakebite which aggrieved Janmejaya and he decided to perform a Yagna on the banks of River Chambal . The purpose behind yagna was to eliminate snakes. When the yagna was performed, thousands of species of snakes were burnt.
And that’s how the town got name Nagdah and later on it is named as Nagda. Legend says that during the yagna, two snakes escaped out of the yagna but facts are yet to be established.
7 day fair on Shivratri
In Mukteshwar Mahadev Mandir , 7-day fair is organised every year by municipality of Nagda during Shivratri. Thousands of devotees come to visit the temple during that time. The temple was not perfectly built before but now it is under construction