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The Khatushyam Temple is a Hindu temple in the village of Khatushyamji, Rajasthan, (Sikar district) India, that is very popular with pilgrims. Devotees believe it houses the miraculously rediscovered head of Barbarika or Khatushyam, a character from the Mahabharata.
Before the beginning of the Mahābhārata battle, Barbarika's last wish was to see the war "Mahabharat" so Lord krishna himself placed his head on the top of a mountain for Barbarika to see the war. Many years after Kali Yuga started, the head was found buried in the village of Khatu (District- Sikar) in present-day Rajasthan. The location was obscured until well after the Kali Yuga period began. Then, on one occasion, milk started flowing spontaneously out of a cow's udder when she neared the burial spot. Amazed at this incident, the local villagers dug the place up and the buried head was revealed. The head was handed over to a Brahmin who worshipped it for many days, awaiting divine revelations as to what was to be done next. Roopsingh Chauhan, king of Khatu, then had a dream where he was inspired to build a temple and install the head therein. Subsequently, a temple was built and the idol was installed on the 11th day of the Shukla Paksha (bright half) of the month of Phalgun.
There is another, only slightly different version of this legend. Roopsingh Chauhan was the ruler of Khatu. His wife, Narmada Kanwar, once had a dream in which the deity instructed her to take his image out of the earth. The indicated place (now known as Shyam Kund) when then dug up. Sure enough, it yielded the idol, which was duly enshrined in the temple.
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The temple is architecturally rich. Lime mortar, marble and tiles have been used in constructing the structure. The shutters of the sanctum sanctorum are beautifully covered with gold sheet. Outside is the prayer hall, named Jagmohan. The hall is large in size (measuring 12.3 m x 4.7 m) and its walls are elaborately painted, depicting mythological scenes. The entrance gate and exit gate are made of marble; their brackets are also of marble and feature ornamental floral designs.
The Shyam Bagicha is a garden near the temple from where flowers are picked to be offered to the deity. The Samadhi of Aloo Singh, a great devotee, is located within the garden.
The "Shyam Kund" is a holy pond near the temple from where the 'Sheesh' of baba shyam came out. In this kund devotees take bath and do worship of khatu naresh.
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