In a hill and forest zone lies the temple dedicated to Ghora Devi. It stands on a rise and its outer structure is relatively recent. On the slight slope climbing to the temple there are some disused underground caves. Certainly this place of worship has a distant origin and, as well as many other temples dedicated to the Devi, keeps a big rock in its Sancta Sanctorum. It is the same as in Vaishno Devi, Vindhyachal, Kamakaya, etc. A nearby site preserves 108 havan kunds, some of them still have the original stones, the other ones have been restored with bricks.

Anil Baba and ancient havan kund

This tale is an excerpt from the book “Aughar Bhagwan Ram” by the pandit Yagya Narayan Chaturvedi who accompanied Baba during his pilgrimage to this temple.

“Once, during spring Navaratri, a radiant Bhairavi (an Aghori practitioner, Aghorin, Avadhutin) from Kalinjar came. This women invited Baba to take part in a Puja that would take place in the Gora Devi temple on the Navaratri night of Mahanisha. This temple was in a wild region covered with jungle where tigers were still roaming. As soon as I was told about their plans, I asked Baba if I could go with them. He answered no but I ignored his advice and I joined them. The Bhairavi asked who I was and Baba answered that I was Yagya Narayan Chaturvedi of Agnihotri family from Kashi. The abbot of Bharat Milap temple too came with us. So we set out for Ghora Devi temple. The Bhairavi had a wheat-like complexion and ruffled hair. She wore a patched long dress, sandals and carried a kamandel. She was around 35-40 years old and walked with confidence through those winding mountain paths. She looked androgynous. The Aghorin asked if I had objected to non vegetarian food or liquors but Baba said that in Varanasi I hadn’t this kind of problems, and that, although I didn’t take them myself, it wasn’t a problem for me and that I could accompany them without hesitation. Our group was composed of Baba Aghoreshwar, the Avadhutin, the abbot of Bharat Milap, a couple of people and me, and all of us carried some material and food for the hawan. It took around four hours to reach that place.

Anil Baba in Ghora Devi

A level patch of ground near the temple was cleaned for the Puja. There was the hermitage of a sadhu nearby who provided us with vessels and tools. Baba asked me to stay with the sadhu at the hermitage, but I begged Him to let me stay with Him. The abbot of Milap temple saw to the necessary preparations. Although he belonged to a Vaishnava family, he was a devotee to Shri Aghoreshwar and secretly an Aghori. Baba sat on a big rock taking puffs at his water pipe (hukka). The atmosphere was  filled with an unusual peace; we hear only birds twittering and Baba’s water pipe grumbling. After taking a bath, the Bhairavi began to decorate the Devi and the sight of the Devi all decorated and of the shining Avadhutin lighted what we could see.

The moon on the horizon was about to go down. Darkness was growing deeper. Suddenly, from a thicket in the forest, an elder but full of light figure appeared on horseback. Welcoming the guest according to custom, all of us paid our respects to him properly. That person was the Aghoracharya Someshwar Ramji. Baba addressed him and said: ‘Maharaj, you took a long time to come here.’ The Aghoracharya said with a mysterious smile: ‘I left my ashram late.’ His horse was tied up to a tree and watered. It was around eleven in the evening.

After some time, I saw them getting ready for the fire ceremony (hawan). A terracotta jar contained fish and another jar had liquor inside. They lighted the fire and all the participants began to make offerings to the fire, by dipping fish into the liquid of the second jar before. With the sound of the Mantras the peace of the night grew more vivid, the atmosphere was intense. Suddenly I noticed a brilliant energy emerging from Ghora Devi which, after touching the heart of all the participants, disappeared inside the fire hole. I thought that only my tired eyes were seeing these things but right then all the people taking part in the hawan let a loud laughter out which permeated the jungle around.

A feeling of fear pervaded me, I could hardly stay there. I picked my baggage up and I set out towards the nearby hermitage. I kept hearing the word  ‘Phat, Phat, Phat’ in the distance. Afterwards the place was filled with the words ‘Shivo ham, Bhairavo ham, Gurupada ham’. The Mantras seemed to resonate in every particle of the forest and their echo kept ringing in my ear. The following morning, when I met the abbot of Bharat Milap temple, who had taken part in the hawan, he told me what had happened after I left that place.

In the middle of the hole where the fire was burning, appeared a ten, twelve meters high flame which rose in the air and then vanished into the sky. After some time, the flame came down again and withdrew into the fire hole.

The flame had just withdrawn, when many Bhairavis immediately appeared. These Aghorins were the ones who had met Baba in Kalimath and on Himalaya, as well. I don’t know how and when they came. Were they in the forest and had been attracted by the long flame of the hawan? They wore a long blue dress, crystal and snake bones necklaces, and had a kamandel in their hand. The abbot told me that these beings can travel through space at will and reach any place this way. Serving one of this beings would be a well done deed, but it is difficult to find them. All the Bhairavis took part in the Chakra Puja and at the end, after bowing to Ghora Devi, they went away with the Avadhutin from Kalinjar. He added that he couldn’t say more about those beings, they are unique as well as their sadhana. Only those who have spiritual inclinations can understand these Aghors and Avadhutins (Bhairavis).”