The Curse of Kan and Khal : Why Haridwar Achieved Spiritual Eminence

It details the lineage of Daksha Prajapati and his pursuit to establish a residential kingdom on earth. Upon discovering a pristine Himalayan landscape, Daksha encounters the self-generated demons Kan and Khal, born from Lord Shiva’s third eye. Assisted by sages Kashyapa and Angiras, Daksha defeats the demons, triggering a historic cosmic curse. The text beautifully concludes by tying this folklore to modern-day Kankhal and Haridwar in Uttarakhand, explaining why the region lags in material development but reigns supreme in spiritual progress.

Kan and Khal

Lord Brahma do concertation on his body properties. Then cause and effect generated from his body along with illusion full subjects. All areas created from the body of Lord Brahma.   

After some time, a sound breaks the concentration of Lord Brahma. He opens his eyes and saw in front of him four kids of age around five years were standing. They salute to Lord Brahma and said,” Pranama, salute to our father”

Lord Brahma said with little strange look, “who four are you? You all are looking very innocent kids? Please let me know where you have come?”

One from those four little boys said,” O! Brahma we are generated from your mind and so we are your Manasputra, mind born sons. We are ‘Kumars’ (ku means ‘who’ and mar means ‘kill’, so kumar means who can kill him? means no one. So kumars are death-less). Our names are Sanaka (ancient), Sanandana (blissful), Sanatana (Eternal) and Sanat (Lord Brahma, eternal, accompanied by a protector). Now please tell us why you have created us and what we have to do now?”

Lord Brahma said,” O! my Manasputras, I have created all four of you on the command of Lord Vishnu and he is given us a task to create universe. I want you to help me to create universe.”

After listing name of Lord Vishnu all four Kumars closed their eyes from joy and peace and then they start chanting name of Lord Vishnu. After sometimes one of Kumars Sanaka said to Lord Brahma,” Our father, what a beautiful word you have given to us ‘Vishnu’ the sound of Vishnu makes us joyful. From now on wards we will chant only name of Vishnu and will do nothing”

Lord Brahma said,” my sons yes you can chant that name but before that you have to help me to create different creatures and natural entities”

            Then Sanatana said,” But we don’t know anything except the name of Lord Vishnu. We are yours mind born sons and now our mind is filled with Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is not generator he is only ever presence preserver. Nothing is coming in our mind except name and properties of Lord Vishnu. So, from now onwards we will remain as it is and chant only name of Lord Vishnu till eternity”

Then Sanandana said,” O! father at the time when you were thinking about our image to create us your focus was only on Lord Vishnu. So, we have born with the essence of Lord Vishnu having properties of Lord Vishnu only. If you have to create sons who can help you to create universe you should have to think and concentrate on those properties which are required to create different parts of nature and universe, than output of that meditation will defiantly be sons who know and help you to create universe.

            Lord Brahma start imagine something in his own mind, ‘Lord Vishnu told me that creation is a process of evolution means consciousness evaluated in to intelligence, ego, mana, Chitta, basic storehouse of mind impressions then in to more gross form of five elements which manifested our senses and Tanmatras, rudimentary or subtle element. Hmmm so I have to imagine like that’

Then Lord Brahma again lost in his third eye concentration. after long time he opens his eyes again.

He saw 23 male figures are standing in front of him. Lord Brahma said, who are you, please give your introduction”

One from those 23 figures start speaking,” O!  our creator we all are your sons who was generated from your mind concentration power. I am ‘Angiras’ having dominating quality of Agni, fire and ap, water elements. Also, I am pitta dosha dominating having high rajas guna, property of nature which is main property of Lord Vishnu. So, I’ll basically handle organizing task of universe”

Then second person said,” I am Atri, pure form of Agni, fire element I can work as a transformation agent of one form to other”

Third person said,” I am ‘Pulastya’ the dominating tamas guna son of yours having earth elements dominated”

Then other 20 also given their introduction those are ‘Pulaha’, ‘Kratu’, ‘Kardama’, ‘Vikrita’, ’Sesa (who is manifestation of Lord Vishnu bed. It was created by Lord Brahma because his image was also in the mind of Brahma, from time when he first met to Lord Vishnu), ‘Samsraya’, ‘Sthanu’, ’Pracetas’, ’Daksha’, ’Vivasvana’, ’Aristanemi’, ‘Marich’, ‘Bhirgu’, ‘Vasistha’, ‘Heti’, ‘Praheti’, ‘Adharama’, ‘Dharma’, ‘Svayambhuva Manu’, ‘Kasyapa’.

All these males are also did not known how to generate something. Then Lord Brahma got energy and then he creates half male and half female from his body.  Then he separated them.  He names male part as ‘Swaymanu’ and female part as ‘Shatroopa’ and declare them as husband and wife of each other.

            ‘Shatroopa’ gives birth to two sons name ‘Priyvrath’ and ‘Utatnpaat’ and two daughters name ‘Akarti’ and ‘Prstuti’.

Then ‘Swaymanu’ do marriage of ‘Prstuti’ with ‘Daksha’.

After this marriage Lord Brahma said to Daksha,”Daksha means perfectionist,  and your wife is Prstuti. I have assigned you as the Prjapati to create people on earth. Only you two can generate different creature over earth”.

Then 62 Daughters were born by Daksha and Prstuti.

• ·       10 of those daughters were married to Dharma,
• ·       13 to sage Kashyapa,
• ·       27 to Chandra,
• ·       1 to Kama,
• ·       2 to sage Angiras,
• ·       And reaming 19 are unmarried at that time.

Daksha said to Brahma with folded hands, “As your order my father. Please allocate me a location on earth, where I can do process to create Praja, people”

Lord Brahma said,” Daksha, you go to earth and search best place for your residence and to make your praja or people”

Then Daksha departed from that place and go to earth. 

Daksha search all the places over earth. He searches all seven seas and mountains, desert and snow peaks hills but he didn’t find any place suitable for his residence. Then he reaches north part of Jamudeepa (Old name of area in which India is located).  He saw Himalaya is smiling there. Air is full with sweet aromas of different kind of flowers. Landscape are pleasing there. Morning is light and spiritual and evening is festive there. Daksha was speechless from the beauty of that place. He remembered the Lord Braham and soon Lord Brahma appears in front of Daksha. Then Daksha said, “O my father this place is most beautiful over whole earth. I feel joyful here. I want to make this place as my kingdom”

Lord Brahma said, “As you please but remember there are two Rakshasa live here having name Kan (meaning small particles) & Khal (meaning the evil). The beauty and speechless nature here are because of their Asauri Maya, Black magic. Here nature is untouched and reason behind this is no one is dare to enter here at this place of Kan & Khal. If you want to established your kingdom here you must have to kill both of them.”

Hearing this Daksha got scare little bit then said to Lord Brahma,” will I be able to defeat and kill Kan & Khal”

Lord Brahma said,” Don’t worry sage Kashyapa and Angiras will help you to kill both the demons Kan and Khal”

Then sage Kashyapa and Angiras burn Kan and Khal and Daksha is watching the burning of Kan and Khal.

Then Kan said after watching towards Daksha, “Daksha this place is our life and we both have create this place to live alone and not to interfere in the process of creation of different creature but you opt only this place and you have to pay price of it”

Then Khal said, “we both were self-generated from the rheum of third eye of Mahadev Shiva and he order us to life a place which will be aloof from rest world and don’t interfere on the process of creation in which Lord Brahma is actively involve. Daksha you have select this place to make your kingdom because of beauty of this place and majestic environment of here which is due to our Maya but we are crushing to this place where you have ended our life at place of Kan and Khal. So, this place Kankhal will never be develop as rest of the world. It will remain a behind in development from rest of the places of the world in material realms but beyond from all the places in spiritual progress”

Then life of Rakshasa Kan and Khal end.

Then Daksha established his Kingdom there. This place is what we know as todays Kankhal and Haridwar of Uttrakhand state of India.  (Sources: Different Puranas, Reference of story of Kan & Khal is from local folklore)