Sri Renukaji (also spelled Renuka Ji) is a Hindu shrine located on the shore of Renuka Lake in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The temple complex and adjacent wetland form a combined cultural, religious and ecological site centred on the veneration of the goddess Renuka, mother of the epic figure Parashurama. The wetland (Renuka Wetland) has been designated a Ramsar site and the surrounding area is protected as the Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary. [1][2]
The temple sits beside Renuka Lake (locally called Renuka Ji), a natural freshwater lake in the Sirmaur hills. The wetland is at approximately 31°36′35″N77°27′10″E / 31.60972°N 77.45278°E / 31.60972; 77.45278 and lies at an average elevation of about 660 metres above sea level. The lake and temple are set within a reserve forest and wildlife sanctuary area that is characterised by mixed deciduous and sal-dominated stands. [3][4]
Religious significance and legend
According to local tradition and puranic accounts, the site commemorates Renuka (Renukaji), the wife of the sage Jamadagni and mother of Parashurama (one of Vishnu's avatāras). Mythic narratives associate the lake with episodes in the Renuka–Jamadagni–Parashurama cycle: Renuka's death (or transformation) into the lake and her later reunion with her son on the occasion of Prabodhini Ekadashi. The lake and temple therefore function as a tirtha (sacred place) with pilgrimage importance for devotees who congregate during the annual Renuka fair and associated observances. [5][6]
Temple complex and local features
The temple complex includes the principal shrine dedicated to Renukaji and smaller shrines in the same precinct. The lakefront setting, lotus growth, and wooded slopes are notable features; historically and in present practice the lake itself is treated as a sacred tank (temple tank) associated with ritual bathing and offerings. The district and state authorities have also developed visitor facilities and a managed zoological/aviary component (Renuka Zoo) within the sanctuary area. [7][8]
Ecology and conservation
Renuka Wetland (the lake and immediate environs) was designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance on 8 November 2005. The Ramsar Information Sheet records an area of c. 20 hectares for the wetland, notes its freshwater springs and subterranean karst features, and lists the wetland's biological values, including diverse fish and bird life. The wider Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary (sometimes described as the Renuka Reserve Forest) covers a larger protected area; management responsibilities are shared between state forest authorities and locally constituted bodies. Conservation concerns reported in official and technical sources include siltation, anthropogenic pressure from tourism and development, and the need for integrated wetland management. [9][10]
Management and events
Local and state-level bodies oversee the sanctuary, temple precincts and events. The Ramsar documentation and state management plans identify the Renuka Vikas Board (also referenced as Renuka Vikas / Renuka Development bodies) and forest department authorities as principal managing agencies for the site and for coordination of the annual fair. The Renuka Ji International Fair (commonly called the Renuka fair) is an annual cultural–religious event, timed with Prabodhini Ekadashi and attended by devotees, traders and cultural performers; the fair is also used for community outreach and exhibitions by state departments. [11][12][13]
Access
Renukaji is accessible by road from Nahan and other regional towns in Sirmaur district; the site is a regional tourist destination promoted in state tourism material and via heritage/travel guides. Visitor services and seasonal transport arrangements are published by Himachal Pradesh tourism authorities. [14]
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