Mahabharat, the epic, the great battle, the wisdom, and the great warriors are discussed inquisitively even today. During their exile, the mighty warrior brothers Pandavas Yudhishthir, Bheem, Arjuna, Nakul, and Sahdev, and their wife Draupadi travelled to numerous locations across the Aryavart. It is well known that prince Arjuna was among the greatest archers and warriors of the Mahabharata era, approximately 6000 years. Here is the story of a village called Rajnaun near Nadaun town in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, where the Pandavas carved a Chakravyuh—a battle formation in the pattern of a wheel—to better understand it, as prince Arjuna explained.
It is said that only three people could penetrate a Chakravyuh— Guru Dronacharya, Lord Krishna, and Arjuna. It is also said that while discussing the various battle formations that may be used when the great war takes place, Arjuna, who among the Pandavas was the only one to understand the right way of entering and coming out safely from the Chakravyuh told his brothers about the same.
The Chakravyuh carved by Pandavas during the exile (Agyatvas) is seen even today at the Vandkhandeshar Mahadev Temple under the Solahsinghi Dhar. Among the many temples the Pandavas built across Aryavart, one is situated in Rajnaun.
According to historians, one Chakravyuh is in Kurukshetra and the other is in the Hamirpur district’s Rajnaun. Many visitors arrive in Rajnaun to witness this ancient heritage. A member of the temple committee named Balvindra Singh Guleria claims that Rajnaun’s history is connected to the Pandava era and that the evidence of the same is present even today.
According to Guleria, when Arjuna learned about Chakravyuh here, he inscribed a Chakravyuh on a stone that is still in place now. The water from a step-well used to pass through this Chakravyuh. But at the present, the Jal Shakti Department uses this canal to supply drinking water to six nearby villages due to this the water does not reach the Chakravyuh.
Locals have alleged that despite its historical significance, the site has been ignored by the governments and administration over the years.
Temple constructed by Pandavas in Rajnaun
The Pandavas also built a partially completed temple in Rajnaun when they were exiled. There was no roof above the temple, and the walls were roughly six feet high. Nonetheless, the Lakshmi Narayan temple’s construction has now been finished with the assistance of the local people and the temple committee. Other than this a Shivling was installed there and a Peepal tree was also planted nearby.
Pancha Pandava Temples built by Pandavas
In Kerala, there are five temples that are said to be built by Pandavas. These temples are dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Krishna). Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple was built by the eldest Pandava Yudhishthir, Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple by Bheem, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple was built by Arjuna, Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple by Nakul, and Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple by Sahdev.
The Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple is situated in the Chengannur region of Kerala and was constructed by Yudhisthira, the eldest Pandava. Due to its historic structure, it is one of the most popular temples in the area and draws many history buffs.
Bheema, the second Pandava, constructed the Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple, which is situated near Puliyoor in Alleppey’s Chengannur area. Before the Alvar saints from the Tamil region made mention of the temple in their writings. Today, the temple is one of the most remarkable pilgrimage sites in Kerala and is frequented by tourists and Hindu devotees every year. In the vicinity of the temple, Gada (mace), the powerful weapon of Bheema, is also placed on a raised platform.
The most well-known of them all is the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, which Arjuna built and is dedicated to the Vishwaroop of Lord Vishnu. Ancient writings and local lore claim that Arjuna erected the temple in honor of Lord Krishna after the latter shielded him from Gangaputra Bheeshma’s fury during the Mahabharata’s epic battle. The two most important holidays observed here are Thiruvonam and the annual Utsavam.
Prince Nakul built the Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple in Kerala’s Alappuzha district and is constructed in the Kerala architectural style. Moreover, the temple is mentioned in the renowned Tamil scripture Divya Prabandham.
The only one of these five Divya Desams—Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple was built by Prince Sahadeva and is situated in the Kottayam district of Kerala; the others are all found in the Alleppey district. This temple has Kerala-style architecture.
It has a two-tiered Gopuram made of wood and stone, with a Kottupura, or music hall, where music is played during festive occasions.
