VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, Feb 10: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will inaugurate the three-day state festival Itkhori Mahotsava at the campus of Ma Bhadrakali temple campus in Chatra on February 19.
The place is a confluence of three religions namely Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism making delegates to attend this function from various other countries as well.
Popular singers Shabbir Kumar, Maithili Thakur, Radhika Chopra, Rohan Thakur and Indian idol fame Puja Chatterjee will perform at the event. Preparation started on war foot with deputy commissioner Abu Imran chairing meetings and monitoring each and every arrangement to make the event grand.
Imran said other than famous singers including Shabbir Kumar, Mukund Nayak group will also perform in the mahotsava.
Sources said other than cleaning the campus of this temple, work is on in giving a fresh coat of paint to the structure as well as ensuring proper electricity and water supply by repairing handpumps. Even for parking and helipad, spots have been decided beside entrance and exit points also finalised to control the huge gathering.
Imran, who also visited Itkhori two days ago and attended meetings in this regard, asked officials to work properly and with honesty to make this state festival a grand success.
About Itkhori, the record says that this name was derived from the words Iti Khoi, which means “we lost him here” in Pali, an ancient language of the Indian subcontinent.
The aunt (Mausi) of Gautama Buddha had come to Itkhori in search of him. But when she called Buddha by his name, who was sitting under a tree, he didn’t respond to her. She left the place by saying Iti Khoi which means we lost him here.
The place later became popular as Itkhori and now having state’s one of the most beautiful temples attracting around 5000-10000 devotees daily. Temple is having a precious black stone idol of a goddess. Itkhori is located only 20kms from the district headquarters, 40km away from neighbouring Hazaribag
The district is only 20 km away from GT road in Chouparan of Hazaribagh making it well connected.
The Itkhori temple has a Buddha stupa having 1008 figurines of Buddha seen smiling and not seen anywhere before. The Archaeological Survey of India’s excavations resulted in the recovery of idols, pottery and remains of ancient temples kept in a local museum which confirmed that this area was once a well-developed city.
Archaeologists confirmed that Itkhori was developed by Pal Dynasty in the 9th century. Mounds spread in vast areas here confirmed that a big temple is under the earth and needed a massive excavation to come through some big facts related to this place.
For Jains, Several Jain Idols and ancient copper plates have been found at this site in the last 50 years. This place is also the birthplace of Sri 1008 Sheetalnath ji after his charan padukas were found here. A grand Jain temple is also constructed here making it a place for Jainism as well.
Subdivisional officer of Chatra, Mumtaz Ansari told Lagatar24.com that Itkhori is a place of three religions which got confirmed during the excavation of the Archeological Survey of India from time to time.
It is also the birthplace of Jain Tirthankar Sheetlanath, he added. He said even Buddha’s visit influenced its name which later on become Itkhori.
“We are making grand arrangements for this state festival,” added he.
