Kaman is located in Bharatpur district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a town and block headquarters (sub division) and municipality situated at 27.65°N latitude and 77.27°E longitude. It has an average elevation of 189 metres above the sea level.
History of Kaman
According to history Kaman is regarded as an ancient and sacred town of Hindus. It is a part of the Brij area, a place where Lord Krishna had stayed in his childhood days. The area is also known as Kamawan. Kaman was earlier known as Brahmapur but later it was named as Kaman by Raja Kamsen, the maternal grand father of Krishna. He kept the name after his own name. The name was originally Kadambawana because of the presence of Kadamba trees in the region. It is also an important pilgrimage centre and is visited by devotees from different corners during the month of Bhadon.
Geography of Kaman
Kaman is surrounded by two states, Haryana on the western side and Uttar Pradesh on the northern side. The borders of Haryana and U.P. unite at the village of Nonera and form a triangular pattern. The town comprises several villages, such as, Bilond, Bolkhera, Bhandara, Akata, Bilang, Jurehra, Birar, Somka, Satwas, Garh Ajan, Nonera, Bmni, Tayra, Anchwara, Lewda, Dhamari, Moosepur, Amrooka, Pai, Luhesar, Unchera, Sehsan, Sablana, Indrauli, Ladlaka, Gundgaon, Angarawali, Gurira, Gamdi, Sonokhar, Khedli Gumani and others. Nagar, Deeg and Pahari thesil of Bharatpur district touches the Kaman thesil boundary.
Pilgrimage Centres in Kaman
Kaman is an important pilgrimage centre and is visited by devotees from different corners especially during the month of Bhadon. Vimala Kunda, Chaurasi Khamba, Govindaji Temple, Kameswara Mahadeva Shiva Temple of Kaman and others are some of the prominent temples located in the town. Among these temples Chaurasi Khamba located on the western side of the town is the most renowned one. The architectural beauty of the temple attracts the attention of the tourists. It has been embellished with eighty four ancient carved pillars that have given it the name Chaurasi Khamba. It bears resemblance with a monument at Gokul. The temple helps in unfurling the creative imaginations of the ancient craftsmen. The place also has a mythological significance. It was believed that the Pandavas had visited the place during their 14 years of exile. The famous conversation that took place between Yudhisthir and Yaksha at a pond known as Dharam Kund is located in the vicinity of the shrine. The place is also known for Nanda Maharaja. Apart from this the Chandrma Ji and Madan Mohan Ji which belongs to the Pancham Peeth and Saptam Peeth are remarkable temples worth visiting.
The town also has a masjid known as Chourasi Khamaba. The masjid has eighty four beautifully decorated pillars. All of the pillars are connected with each other. The entire masjid was constructed without the use of clay and cement. The monument has red coloured wall stones which are carved with many national languages. Moreover verses of the Holy Quran are inscribed on the top of the arch of primary entrance. There is a middle arch known as Mehrab in the centre of the front wall where the worship leader known as Imam addresses the devotees during the ritualistic Friday prayers known as Juma.
Kaman earlier had around eighty four ponds or kunds but most of them do not exist at present. Although Kaman was ruled by the king of Jaipur, it was later seized and annexed by Maharaja Jawahar Singh. Maharaja Jai Singh initially moved the idols of Gokul Chandramanji and Madan Mohanji to Jaipur but eventually the idols were returned to Kaman.
During the monsoon season, the fair of Parikrama Mela or Parkamma is conducted at higher ground of Cheel Mahal. The palace was named as such because of its elevation.
Kaman is well connected by different modes of transport to various cities such as Gurgaon, Alwar, Bharatpur, Faridabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Panipat, Ambala, Chandigarh and other cities located on the north western side of India. Tourists can also avail the buses that ply from these cities for Kaman. The nearest railway station from the town is Kosi Kalan at a distance of 25 kms. Other major places in the vicinity of Kaman are Bharatpur and Mathura.
