Dear Editor,
I must appreciate and thank Group Capt. (Retired) M.Panging Pao for giving me an opportunity to throw some light with my limited knowledge on the origin of the term Brahma Kund or Parshuram Kund.
Brhamakund or Parshuramkund in the Mishmi Hills, situated on the bank of Lohit River is a significant Hindu pilgrimage centre. Lohit is a Sanskrit name which means Red River, the analogy of Parshuram washing and cleansing his blood-stained hands post matricide. The significant aspect is that the Ahoms despite after being Hinduised did not adopt the Sanskrit name for the culturally significant river. Ahoms called Lohit as Tilao, which basically is adoption of Tellu/Tallo, the Mishmi name for the said river.
According to some popular traditions, son of the Hindu God, Lord Brahma (creator) descended from the celestial abode on the banks of River Lohit and formed into pond, thence it is called Brahmakund. TT Cooper, the first Englishman to extensively tour the Mishmi Hills in 1869 records the Mishmis levying taxes on the visiting pilgrims. P.O. Sadiya, T.E.Furze (31st Jan, 1928) describes about his visit to Brahmakund in his tour diary and states that ‘Brahmakund is situated on the left bank of River Lohit where river lute flowing down to pool’, from which name Brahmaputra is derived for Lohit River, popularly known as Parshuramkund. Lakshmi Devi (1968) refers that Mishmis act as guides to Hindu pilgrims to the sacred spring Brahmakund.
B. Pandey & Tripathy (1997) states that the place gets mention in Kalika Purana as a sacred pace and Yogini Tantra states bath in the Kund washes away all sins i.e. ‘Lautitya man tattirtham snanam navasti patakam’. Since many centuries the place has been a Hindu pilgrimage centre. But from the earliest recorded times, there is no mention of the Hindu settlement in the region. On the contrary, the place is surrounded by Mishmi villages. The Mishmis called Parshuramkund as Tailung-Shati and often their shamans relate the sacred water Tisul as holy as the water of Parshuramkund during performance of sacrificial rituals. Moreover, the Mishmis have their own myth and belief associated with the place and one of the most sacred places called Nyumkey is located hundreds of metres away from the Kund. Hence Kund or no Kund it doesn’t make much difference for the Mishmis.
People had a tendency of assuming Siang River as Brahmaputra since it is the largest in terms of size among the major rivers of Arunachal Pradesh. Whereas, the pages of history indicates the term Brahmaputra originates from Brahmakund which is situated in the Mishmi Hills in Lohit District.
However, generally understood is that Siang, Dibang and Lohit Rivers are the tributaries of mighty Brahmaputra in Assam. World over Rivers has numerous names at different geographical settings. So is the case of rivers in Arunachal Pradesh. For instance Siang River is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, whereas when it enters into the gorges of Arunachal Pradesh in Gelling it’s known as Siang by the Adis, the same was describe as Dehang River by the Assamese in the plains of Assam, downstream when it meets two other major eastern Rivers Lohit and Debang then it culminates into River Brahmaputra and in Bangladesh identified as Jamuna. Likewise River Lohit is named as Zayu River in China; Tallo/Tello by the Mishmis of Ajaw and Lohit and the people of Assam popularly called it as Lohit in the past. It’s would have been wise for the contributor to exercise thoroughly before pointing fingers to a subject containing historicity and get published in a reputed daily The Arunahal Times.
However, if at all necessary the author of ‘Flights of Fantasy’ may kindly acquire the Brahmakund or Parshuramkund and implant it at his choicest place anywhere in the world where he feels deemed fit, provided he is able to persuade crores of devout Hindus taking holy dip annually at Brahma Kund (Parshuram Kund) on 14th January to observe Makarsankranti.
Yours,
Shivumso Chikro
Wakro