5/5 Varinder K. 1 year ago on Google
Chatpatt
Bani,
Village
Kataru
Chak,
District
Pathankot:
A
sacred
grove
—
‘Charpat
Bani’,
30
acres
of
biodiversity
rich
dense
forest
from
where
no
one
even
takes
a
twig
home,
is
believed
to
be
the
seat
of
a
local
deity
called
Charpat
Yogi.
On
the
edge
of
the
grove
is
a
temple
dedicated
to
Yogi.
As
per
belief
of
locals,
the
forest
appeared
overnight
so
its
name
is
name
‘Chatpat’
comes
from
‘Jhatpat’
(quickly).
The
old
tale
is
that
the
trees
would
walk
down
the
mountains
at
night
when
people
would
be
asleep
but
one
day
a
woman
saw
them
before
dawn
and
they
all
stopped
there.
The
word
‘Bani’
comes
from
‘Vani’
(forest).
The
site
has
abundance
population
of
Putranjiva
roxburghii
(Puttar
Datta),
Ficus
racemose
(Gular)
trees,
murraya
species
and
many
other
native
herbs
&
shrubs.
The
grove
also
acts
as
a
colony
of
giant
bats,
cobras
and
many
other
micro-organisms.
Another
popular
story
is
that
Charpat
Yogi
was
meditating
in
the
fields
when
farmers
came
to
plough
the
land.
When
Yogi
did
not
move,
they
went
ahead
with
their
work.
Yogi
was
covered
with
dust
and
as
he
fell
down,
his
elbow
dug
into
the
ground
and
a
spring
erupted.
Farmers
saw
it
as
a
miracle
and
stopped
ploughing
and
bowed
to
the
sacred
land.
The
sacred
natural
water
springs
still
exists
and
pass
through
the
site.
The
Sacred
Grove
at
Tibba
&
Taparia,
District
Roopnagar:
The
site
is
known
by
locals
as
‘Dargah
Peer
Baba
Majnu
Shah
Ji’,
is
situated
on
the
bank
of
river
Sutlej
at
Village
Tibba
&
Taparia,
District
Roopnagar.
As
informed
by
the
locals,
the
site
is
around
300
years
old
and
is
believed
that
Peer
Baba
Majnu
Shah
Ji
having
spiritual
powers
worshiped
at
the
site
for
200
years.
He
used
to
eat
only
fruit
of
Ficus
racemosa
(Gular).
The
site
is
un-disturbed
and
being
preserved
by
the
locals
as
sacred
grove
and
a
Dargah
of
Peer
Baba
Majnu
Shah
Ji
has
been
constructed
by
the
Panchayat
of
Village
Tibba
&
Taparia.
A
200
years
old
stone
associated
with
the
Peer
Baba
Majnu
Shah
Ji
is
also
kept
in
the
Dargah.
One
room
and
a
verandha
have
also
been
constructed
for
the
caretaker
of
the
Shrine.
An
Annual
Fair
is
being
organized
at
the
site
on
1st
Thursday
of
Jeth
month
(May)
to
worship
the
divine
powers
of
Peer
Baba
Majnu
Shah
Ji.
The
site
is
spread
in
pristine
and
calm
area
of
7
acres
approximate
of
Panchayat
Land
consisting
naturally
occurring
cluster
of
lush
green
trees
and
shrubs.
The
local
belief
is
that
any
harm
to
any
tree
of
the
area
could
lead
to
misfortune
to
the
individual.
Therefore,
nobody
dares
to
use
any
part
of
the
trees.
Local
people
neither
use
fallen
dead
wood/dried
leaves
nor
graze
cattle
within
the
area
due
to
associated
religious
beliefs.
The
local
fishing
contractor
has
also
voluntarily
stopped
fishing
in
the
adjoining
stretch
of
the
river
Sutlej.
The
common
flora
of
the
site
comprises
of
Dalbergia
sisso,
Acacia
nilotica,
Cordia
dictoma,
Ficus
benghalensis,
Phoenix
sylvestlis,
Prosopis
cineraria
(single
tree),
Aegle
marmelos,
Acacia
modesta,
Morus
alba,
Terminalia
bellirica,
Azadirachta
indica,
Acacia
catechu,
Ficus
racemosa,
Lawsonia
inermis,
Syzygium
cumini,
Mangifera
indica,
Carica
papaya,
Terminalia
chebula,
Ziziphus
jujube,
Psidium
guajava,
Capparis
decidua
(Della).
The
common
fauna
of
the
site
comprises
Monkey,
Wild
Boar,
Phython,
Cobra,
Hare,
Owl,
Peafowl,
Nilgai,
Mongoose,
Indian
Squirrel,
Indian
Pangolin,
Rats,
Garden
lizard,
Red
Jungle
Fowl,
House
Sparrow,
Barking
Deer,
Fruit
Bats,
Red
Munia,
etc.
and
many
insects,
arthropods,
millipedes
and
nematodes.
There
is
vigorous
growth
of
Arundo
donax
(Narha)
and
Phragmites
Karka
(Nari)
on
the
stretch
of
the
site
adjoining
river
Sutlej.
Source:
ENVIS
PUNJAB
