A Hindu temple restored by an English army man.
The British governed India for centuries, during which they constructed numerous churches and cathedrals. However, in the 1880s, an unusual event took place in Agar Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, where Lt Col Martin, an English officer, undertook the reconstruction of a Shiva temple, marking it as perhaps the only temple ever built by an Englishman in India.
Col Martin was involved in the Afghan wars and would often correspond with his wife back in India to keep her updated on his situation. As the war stretched on, his letters ceased, leading Mrs. Martin, who was stationed at the Agar Malwa cantonment, to be consumed by worry and despair. To find solace, Mrs. Martin took to long horse rides.
On one such ride, she passed by the Baijnath Mahadev Temple, which was then in a state of disrepair. The temple was alive with the sound of conches and mantras during an arti, which prompted her to stop and enter. Observing her evident distress, the temple priests inquired about her troubles. She shared her story, and the priests suggested she chant the mantra “Om Namah Shivaya” for 11 days, assuring her of Lord Shiva's benevolence in responding to heartfelt prayers.
The Englishwoman prayed to Lord Shiva for the colonel’s safe return, promising she would rebuild the temple if he came home safe from the war. On the 10th day, a messenger arrived from Afghanistan with a letter from her husband. It read, “I was regularly sending you letters from the battlefield but then suddenly the Pathans surrounded us. I thought there was no way of escape. Suddenly I saw an Indian yogi with long hair, wearing a tiger skin carrying a trident. He had an awe-inspiring personality and he started wielding his weapon against the Afghans who ran away from the field in fright. With his grace what was certain death our bad times turned into victory. Then the great yogi told me that I should not worry and that he had come to rescue me because he was very pleased with my wife’s prayers.”
Upon Col Martin's return, they shared this miraculous story, and both became ardent devotees of Lord Shiva. In 1883, they funded the renovation of the Baijnath Mahadev Temple with Rs 15,000, an act commemorated on a stone slab within the temple.
The Martins sailed for England with the firm resolution that they would make a Shiva temple at their home and pray to him till the end of life. And they did.
Follow @ReclaimTemples
#ReclaimTemples
