Shri Shringi Rishi Mandir Ayodhya and significance to Ramayan (श्री श्रृंगीऋषि बाबा मंदिर अयोध्या)

Shringi Rishi or Rishyasringa preformed the yajna for King Dashrath at Ram ki Paidi which led to the king being blessed with four sons. Later Shringi Rishi married Shanta, the sister of Dashrath.

Shringi Rishi had an ashram on the banks of Saryu river which was also the place where both he and Shanta have taken samadhi.

Location of Shri Shringi Rishi Mandir Ayodhya

Even though this temple is on the Kosi Parikrama route, this temple is away from the tourist circuit. It can be gauged from the fact that this temple has just 100 reviews on Google Maps. But make no mistake. The story of Shringi rishi is closely intwined with Ayodhya.

Life and times of Rishyasringa

Shringi Rishi performed the “Putrakameshti Yajya” for Dashrath which set in motion the story of Ramayan. It was an elaborate event managed over 12 days. It required lots of planning and organising. Since it directly involved the King of Ayodhya, it had to be of that stature. No stone was left unturned and the King’s sister got closely involved and at the centre of things was this young sage Shringi Rishi who was going to organise the yajna for the first time ever. It was the most elaborate ritual to please the Gods who would then shower their blessings. They only was to reach the Gods was the powerful mantras which were only known to Sage Shringi.

King Dashrath realised his sister in love with the sage and on the final day of yajna offered her as a wife to Shringi Rishi. They married and had many many children which led to an entire sect of Bramhins who call themselves descendents of Shringi Rishi as Sikhwal Bramhins or Shringi Bramhins.

The great Sage Vibhandaka while travelling sees Urvashi who is the most beautiful apsara. Getting aroused he releases his sperm into a river which is consumed by a female deer. The deer becomes pregnant but she is actually a cursed apsara. After giving birth to a baby boy she is released from her curse. But the son is born with horns on his head by which he gets the name Shringi.

Vibhandaka decides to keep his son isolated from the world. He grows up without the knowledge of women and because of his bramhachariya, the gets great powers.

About the temple

This place is rather a temple complex. Lots of temples in the vicinity. But the most prominent are the Shringi Rishi Mandir and Shanta Ma Mandir. This place could have been an ashram where he must have spend time here, away from the main city of Ayodhya.

In front of the temple are a flight of stairs leading to the river. It is one of the most beautiful sight you will see of the river front. Along the river banks you will find cows and buffaloes free grazing on the rich grass. Every year the river banks get flooded with silt rich soil brought in from the Himalayas.

Other locations and references

There is a temple of Shringa Rishi at Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. That is the place where he must have travelled to do his penance and meditation.

https://goo.gl/maps/mJBfydikHLBNevnU7?coh=178573&entry=tt

There is also a cave complex where he would have again meditated and said his prayers. A river flows inside the cave. These caves are located at Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

https://goo.gl/maps/kV3TTkqXbstCKCkR6?coh=178573&entry=tt

There is also a temple in Haryana. That could have been the extent of his travels and influence. It is a historic place with temple tower and a lake.

https://goo.gl/maps/Td3o2QCf9dANYsFr6?coh=178573&entry=tt

Finally this rishi also has a connect to place called Shringverpur near Prayagraj. It is the place which was used as a crossing point by Ram, Laxman and Sita. During recent excavations, a massive ancient city was unearthed which had an elaborate water purification and distribution system. This place was known to be as Nishad Kila after the King who ruled the place, the King of the Boatmen. In those days there weren’t too many crossing points and not too many boats. This was also the place where Prince Ram took the avatar of a sanyasi while crossing the river. During the excavations, a temple of Shringi Rishi was also discovered. That is how this place gets the name.

https://goo.gl/maps/FUSkfiqP7D9Yf5Qp6?coh=178573&entry=tt