Bhaderwah

Swaran Bawli (golden spring)

Situated at the bottom of Aashapati peak of Kailash moun-tain range on Western side of Bhaderwah town, a spring bowl made up of gold has religious importance for people of Bhaderwah. On the first Sharadh following Navratras in the month of October/November people take a dip in the icy cold water of the spring, which is covered by a thick layer of snow to purify them from sins. Legend goes that there existed a golden spring whence an old lady of Padha family would fetch water every day for drinking as well as cooking purpose. One day she fell ill and in her place her daughter-in-law went to fetch the water. When the young lady reached the spring she was surprised to see that it was made of huge golden bricks. So that nobody could see this golden spring bowl she covered it by her white dupatta (head sheet) and went to inform her brothers about the precious spring. But by the time they returned, the white head sheet had already turned into a thick layer of ice. They tried to dig the bowl, but in vein and returned home tired and exhausted. It is said that since then the bowl remains buried under snow which does not melt even during hot summer days when there is no trace of snow found in and around Ashapati hill.

An English man had also tried to dig the bowl with the help of a large contingent of labour, but the task could not be accomplished because serpents one after another started coming out from under the snow sheet and before the greedy man could understand as to what was happening a gigantic land slide occurred turning the bowl place into a big heap of debris. Since then nobody ever tried to go for the misadventure and the secret of the golden bowl remains buried for ever.