In some places there are vāvs (or tanks) called Bhīma-vāvs which are said to have been formed by the strokes of Bhīma, when playing gilli-dandā.[30]
There are huge images of Bhīma on Mount Pālitānā.[31] There are many places in different parts of India which possess such images and which are believed to have been visited by the Pāndavas during their exile from Hastinapur. The Pāndavas never attained the status of gods and there is no systematic form of worship for them.[25]
Bhīshma, the uncle of the Kauravas and the Pāndavas, was an incarnation of one of the Ashtāvasus[32] and was the son of king Shantanu by Ganga. The stories about Bhīshma are chiefly derived from the Mahābhārat, and need not be repeated here. He is not regarded as a god and does not receive systematic worship.[33]
A fast is observed on the eighth day of Māgh, the anniversary of the death of Bhīshma. A dorā (a knotted piece of string) tied in the name of Bhīshma is believed to cure fever.[34] The Yantra (a mystical formula or diagram) of Bhīshma is sometimes drawn on a piece of paper, water is poured over it, and the water is offered to women in labour to drink, as likely to expedite delivery. Bhīshma-worship is supposed to facilitate the observance of the Brahmacharya-vrat (the vow of celibacy) and to bestow heroism and learning.[35] Bhīshma is credited with having composed the well-known poem, Bhīshma-stavarāj, which recites the glory of Krishna and shows the way to attain salvation.[36]
There is a large temple of Ganpati near the eastern gates of Dhhank. It is said that this Ganpati informed a goldsmith, by appearing in a dream, that he was buried in a particular spot, and promised that a son would be born to him if he raised a temple in honour of the god. The goldsmith satisfied the wishes of the god and was soon relieved from the repeated taunt of the vānziāpanā (i.e., the barrenness of his wife).[37]
The following tradition is connected with a place, about a mile from Dhhank, called Dhhank-ni Fui. Dhhank was in ancient times a great city and was known as Preh Pātan[38]. Once a bāvā (recluse), named Dhundhalimal, came to reside with his chelā (disciple) in a cave on a neighbouring hill. Every day the chelā went about the city begging alms for himself and his guru; but nobody except a poor kumbhāran (a potter-woman) ever gave him anything. So the chelā was obliged to cut and sell fuel in order to obtain means of subsistence, although he did not mention this fact to his guru. One day the guru noticed the growing baldness of his disciple and on being questioned about it, the latter had to admit his difficulties in earning a livelihood. The next day the bāvā decided to test the charity of the neighbourhood, and went on a begging round in person. He moved about the city from door to door, crying aloud ālek ālek, but nobody except the kumbhār woman offered him so much as a handful of flour. He then addressed the latter thus:—“Girl, this city is sinful and will shortly meet with destruction. Fly, therefore, instantly with your family and never turn your face towards the city in your flight”. Having thus warned the only righteous person in the city, the bāvā returned to his cave where, after reciting an incantation in high exasperation, he pronounced a terrible curse for the destruction of the city ‘Let Pātan be buried and let māyā[39] be reduced to māti (dust).’ A whirlwind at once arose and destroyed the whole city. The kumbhāran had already fled with her children; but she unfortunately happened to look back in her flight, in spite of the warning, and she and her children were all turned into stones. In this form she can be seen even to-day, with two of her children on her shoulders and leading the other two.
To the south of the same village on the banks of a small lake are situated the temples of Hinglaj Mātā and Kāmdev Mahādev. If there is a prospect of a drought in any year, the people of the village make an offering of lāpsi to the former deity in order to bring about a fall of rain. About two miles from Dhhank there is a temple of Vikani, in whose honour vows are observed for the cure of fractured bones of men and animals. Brāhmans are feasted at the temple of Hanumān at Timbo, four miles away from Dhhank. At a distance of about two khetarvās (fields) there is the shrine of Ashabi-pir where Mussalmāns feast fakirs and other co-religionists of theirs.[40]
Besides the above there are the temples of Shankar Tapakeshwar Mahādev and Mungeshwar Mahādev near the hill mentioned in the paragraph above and the temples of Pipaleshwar Mahādev and Rāmchandraji, to the south of Dhhank. There are also temples erected in honour of suttees known as Nomalmātā, Hulmātā, etc.[40]
The river Vinu meets the Bhādar, at a place two miles to the east of Ganod, and the Moja also joins the Bhādar a little further to the east. Hence the spot is called Traveni (a confluence of three rivers) and is regarded as holy. The beautiful temple of Baraneshwar Mahādev is situated here. Vows for feasting a certain number of Brāhmans, are observed in honour of this deity.[41]
The celebrated shrine of Husen-pir is situated in the vicinity of Ganod, and is much revered by the Khoja community, who hold a fair there on every Āso-sud-bij, i.e. the second day of the bright half of Āshvin. The fair lasts for seven or eight days, when Khojas from Bombay and even Zanzibar visit the place. A large building, the Khoja-khana, is set apart to the west of the shrine for the sabhā (or meeting). The largest fair was held in samvat 1940 (1884 A.D.), when H. H. the Agashah paid a visit to the shrine. There is a large gathering of people at the place every bij day.[41]