Mythological Trail of Manav Sangrahalaya
Gugga was born after twelve years to the King Jewar and Queen Bachhal. The myth says that the guru Gorakhnath had rolled the eldest son of the snake Anantnag into incense and Queen Bachhal got conceived by smelling it. When Gugga reached adulthood, he decided to leave for Bengal to marry princess Siliar. He forgot everything and stayed there for twelve years, while his sister looked after the kingdom in the absence of his prince brother. When the realm was hit with a crisis situation, Gugga along with his wife decided to come back. On their way, his cousins attacked the envoy. Trying to defend themselves, Gugga killed his cousins. When Queen Bachal heard the news, she cursed Gugga, following which he entered the earth at the spot where lay his cousins. Princess Siliar came to know that he is alive and sitting on his cousin’s grave. She smeared her room with cow dung, lit a lamp and called for him. At her call the grave shook and Gugga immediately came to her. Since then every night he came and stayed till cow dung smeared floor dried. When Queen Bachal came to know about this, she asked Siliar to mix oil in cow dung so that the floor doesn’t dry. Gugga felt insulted by this act of deception and refused to come every night. Thereafter he visits only once for a period of seven days between Rakhi and Gugganavmi. His shrine has eleven idols and an umbrella made from Tor leaves. People suffering from snakebites and other illnesses visit the shrine of Gugga Pir.
