India From Top to Bottom 2005:  From Kannyikumari to Kashmir

Kashmir - Page 3

     

Is this the tomb of Jesus Christ (Khanyar Rosabal)?

Many Kashmiris, as well as some Biblical and Asian scholars, believe that Jesus Christ ("Yuz Asaph" or "Issa" to Kashmiris) survived the crucifixion and fled to India, and eventually to look for the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel in Kashmir, where he was laid to rest.

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A Kashmiri woman passes a window.  Many Kashmiris pause here to pay their respects to Yuz Asaph.

According to author Holger Kersten and other Western and Kashmiri scholars, it has been a practice of worshippers to place candles around the tombstones. When the centuries-old layers of wax were removed some time ago, an incredible discovery was made -- a pair of footprints had been carved into the stone. This is a common tradition in Asia at the shrines of saints, but still, no one had known that these carved footprints were under the centuries of melted wax!

By tradition, footprints were carved to indicate the identity of the deceased, like a fingerprint.  These footprints showed the scars of the crucifixion wounds, even indicating by the position of the wounds that the left foot had been nailed over the right, the same as shown on the Turin Shroud! Crucifixion was unknown as a form of death penalty in India. Also found were a crucifix and, rosary.  Along with the scars of the crucifixion wounds on the footprints, these were a startling, discovery!

Foreigners are no longer allowed inside here.

 Around 2002, the locals say that a Western woman showed up here, saying she was a journalist.  She later returned with a cadre of scientists, saying that she wanted to exhume the body and take DNA samples!!!

Needless to say, this did not go over well.  She was told not to desecrate the grave and to leave immediately.  From this point on, foreigners were not allowed inside.

However, after Fayaz explained that I was not a journalist and was very respectful, the locals said I could go inside, pray, and even take pictures.  

And that is how you are currently viewing the sarcophagus of Saint Yuz Asaph, or Issa.  Or...?

There are more photos of Khanyar Rozabal here.

     

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Kashmir:

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