Uttarark Aditya is one of the 12 Aditya temples in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi is the only city to have 12 Aditya temples.
Legend
Uttarark Aditya a form of Lord Surya is established at Ark Kund in the north of Kashi. Presently this Kund is known as ‘Bakaria Kund’. there was a girl named Sulakshna, who lost her parents at an early age. His parents were very religious brahmins, who were blessed with Sulakshna, who was born in Moola Star, 1st Charan (Padam) with Guru in the fourth house, which is considered to be passable.
Although the child grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent girl. But when she entered into her adulthood her father started to worry about her future and marriage. He was anxious about finding a suitable match for her daughter.
After some time, he started to feel sick due to constant worries, which lead him to death. Gradually her mother anguished upon the death of her husband. Later she died leaving her daughter all alone. The girl dutifully performed the rites of her parents.
She started praying to Lord Surya in his form of Uttarark Aditya. While praying she noticed a white goat that used to come daily and constantly stare at her. The goat used to take bath in the Kund in the morning, wait for the whole day, and in the evening, it used to eat dry grass, drink water from the Uttarark Kund and go back.
One day Goddess Parvati observed Sulakshana from above and was highly impressed to see her constant devotion towards lord Surya. Goddess Parvati decided to appear before her and asked her to seek a wish. Sulakshana immediately told her to grant a boon to the white goat instead of her.
Goddess Parvati was deeply moved by her tenderness and stated that Sulakshana will always be with her as her companion. Also according to Sulakshana’s wish, she grants a boon to the goat that it will take rebirth as the daughter of Kashi Raja, impressed by her devotion towards Surya Kund.
According to Kashi Khand, Goddess Parvati stated that the Kund will be remembered for the sincerity of the Goat and that the devotees who would take baths in the above Kund in Paushya Month (December-January) on Sundays and pray to Uttarark Aditya will have immense blessings of Lord Surya. The Kund was named Barkari Kund (reference: Sankshipta Skanda Puran, Gita Press, Page No. 831). The Kund is now known as Bakria Kund in local parlance.
