About 14 kilometres from Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna river, lies a small village that carries a legend going back thousands of years. Today it is called Runakta, though it was once known as Renuka Dham, and it is believed to be the very spot where Lord Parshuram, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born in the Treta Yuga.
The penance ground of Maharishi Jamadagni
Historians say Renuka Dham is remembered as the tapobhoomi, or place of penance, of Maharishi Jamadagni, a descendant of Maharishi Bhrigu. According to accounts in the Shrimad Bhagavatam and other Hindu scriptures, Jamadagni lived here in an ashram on the banks of the Yamuna along with his wife, Mata Renuka. It was here, on Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya, also known as Akshaya Tritiya, that Renuka gave birth to Parshuram. Agra based historian Shailendra Singh says that when Parshuram was born, all the sages present in the area celebrated the occasion, and it was from that moment that the land came to be regarded as sacred and miraculous.
The beheading of Renuka on her husband's orders
The most talked about legend linked to Renuka Dham involves Parshuram and his mother. As the story goes, Renuka was once delayed in fetching water for a yagna. Angered by the delay, Jamadagni ordered his son Parshuram to sever his mother's head from her body. Parshuram, obeying his father's command, carried out the act. Jamadagni, pleased later, granted Parshuram a boon, using which Renuka was brought back to life. This episode is said to have deepened people's faith in the place and cemented its reputation as a site of miracles.
How Renuka Dham became Runakta
Over the years, the name Renuka Dham gradually changed in everyday speech. Locals began calling it Runakta, a word said to derive from Rin Krit Tirtha. That is why most people today know the village only as Runakta, even though several elders and devotees in the area still prefer to call it by its older name, Renuka Dham. Sitting on the banks of the Yamuna, this stretch of land is said to hold history, faith and miracle all at once.
A grand temple built in the 18th century
A temple dedicated to Lord Parshuram stands at the site today, and it is described as both ancient and grand. It is said to have been built by Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior in the 18th century. Devotees travel from far and wide to visit this temple, and the crowds swell especially on Parshuram Jayanti, when large numbers of people take a dip in the Yamuna before offering prayers. Agra has long been known as a historic city, and Renuka Dham adds another layer to that identity. According to historian Shailendra Singh, the area is not just historically significant but is also considered deeply sacred and miraculous, with roots that trace all the way back to the Treta Yuga.
