Karabhanjar Dungar, the lost hub of Nava Narayana
The great Rann of Kachh has a deep history of an ancient sect of NavaYogi which has completely disappeared from Bharat today. Rann of Kachh referred to in Ramayana as Vrann of Kukshi Desh, is believed to be created when Sreeram directed his arrow intended to punish Varuna up in this direction.
The ruins of Dholavira, the biggest port town of ancient Saraswati cvilization referred to by archaeologists as Harappan culture, may this region a subject of special curiosity for people interested to dig in the Bronze age past of the country.
In Pauranik traditions which attributes far deep past to an era called SatyaYuga, one can't help skip the reference to a great master called Adiguru Dattatreya. Known to be the teacher of Asura like Prahlada, controversial king like Kartaveerya and Rishi like Harita, he is noted for the most non-partisan attitude in the political affairs of humans. In the Semitic Sufi world, he is called as Idris.
Though his worship is quite popular in Maharashtra, one may be surprised to find how in the remotest area of Rann, his presence is actively felt in two hills popularly called as Kala Dungar and Bhanjan Dungar. Separated by merely 25 km of aerial distance but may require a journey of 450 km if one wants to use the comforts of a car.
When one would visit Kala Dungar, a black granite hill close to the site of now popular Rannotsava site, one would find a temple dedicated to Guru Dattatreya, where priests believe that his footprints mysteriously keep appearing on the soil.
It is beleived that when he was doing his Tapas here, he would feed his own flesh to wolves here. But his Sattvik energy turned wolves into herbivore, and now the temple priests leave some Prasad of rice pudding in a remote corner of the hill every evening for the vegetraian wolves.
Kala Dungar is believed to be misnomer of Kara Dungar, and along with its twin partner Bhanjan Dungar located near Dholvira, it was believed to be the site of KaraBhanjana Narayana, one of the Navayogi asectic. The reference to the cult of Nine Yogi connects many mysterious traditions of past. In Kerala, they established the temple of Tirunavaya, in Andhra that of NavaNandi, in Sumer that of Nineveh, in Malacca that of Nabi Wali Sangh and in Bahleek (Balochistan) that of NavaVihara now called Naushera. A serious student of religious history shall not ignore this mysterious set of ascetics.
As per Bhagavad Puraba, around the Sandhikaal of Satyayuga, a major transition happened under the watch of Rishabhnatha, who was the first Avadhoot (naked) Yogi of Vratya Parampara. As per Jain traditions, he had helped the denizens of Ajanabh Varsha who used to live in the uncertainties of forests, to start settling down in settled lifestyle by growing crops. 72 types of lifestyle arts or Kala are attributed to him. His son Bharat consolidated his teachings and organized his people to form this civilization of Bharat Varsh.
But there were 99 other sons of Rishabhantha, of whom 81 became the Brahmins with Karmakand Paddhati (ritualistic practices), 9 became Adhipati(kings) of 9 Dweepa of Bharatvarsh, and 9 became Sanyasi. Their names were Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayan, Avirhotra, Drumila, Chamas, and Karabhajan. These nine Yogi were enlightened Yogi who used to roam around in the world of Deva, Siddha, Gandharva, Yaksha, Manushya, Kinnar, Naga, Muni, Charan, Bhoota, Vidhyadhara, and Brahmins, all of them being classification of human beings in Satyayuga as per their Pravritti. Wherever they went, people flocked around them to receive the discourse of their deep knowledge.
Kavi is known for his teaching to see Naryana in every act of Tana, Mana, and Aatma, and to dedicate every action one does to him. Hari advised men with Vanar like ChapalBuddhi to absorb wisdom from every Gyaanijan to awaken the sun of enlightenment within. Antariksha could sense Aakash and Avakash Tattva beyond the physical body, and explain the process of Vilaya of the 24 Tattva which composes ourselves, via Bhutasiddhi. 
Prabuddha told how Guru’s grace and Adhyatmik Sangha help bring up the Sattvikta which is necessary to kill al negativity and gain control over one’s Mana. Pippalayan emphasized on using Bhakti to direct our pursuits of sensual pleasures towards the goal of reaching Narayana. Aavirhotra told us the essence of Karmakand rituals to be used as a symbol of sacrificing our Aasakti in the temporary pleasure-giving Vishaya to our Ishtadeva. Drumila emphasized on how hearing different Leelakatha of Narayana helps one to be in constant ecstasy of union with him. Chamas had mastered the process of Sompaan and told the essence of the Tantrik rituals of Panchamakar to regulate the Tamasik Vritti in self.
Karabhajan told the different ways in which Aaradhana of Narayana can be done at different times. He appraised how Kaliyuga has a much higher advantage compared to other Yuga, as just by simple Keertan of Naryana, one shall be able to reach the status which would require severe penance in other Yuga. While the memory of these nine forms of Narayana is completely lost from Bharat as well as India, practitioners of Natha sects believe that all nine of them reincarnated in form of Nava Natha. For example, Karabhanjana Narayana is believed to have reincarnated in form of GahiniNatha and established a Matha in Maharashtra.
One can imagine that 4000 years back, this region was the site of one of the biggest metropolis of India, and was frequented by traders from Sumer, Persia, Egypt, and Arabia. All the traders from different 'pagan' cultures of that old world, would be coming here and paying a visit to the shrine of the master of the masters of all spiritual traditions.
Now located in the remotest corner of India, heavily overshadowed by the more 'cool' trips of Rann Utsava and Dholavira Archaeological tracts, the ancient sacred hills dedicated to Guru Dattatreya, have lost the popularity completely. However, those who have sincere faith in Guru Shishya Parampara which has been the backbone of our civilization continuity will find their way here.
