Annapiorneswari Temple

Today visited Puthucode (Palakad, Kerala) Annapoorneswari temple being second day of Navaratri. Excellent temple and the idol is similiar to  Devi of Horanadu, Mangalore. 

Puthucode is said to have the single largest Tamil Brahmin congregation (agraharam) in Kerala. There are four tamil brahmin agraharams in Puthcode (East, South, West and North). .The goddess is also known as Annapoorneswari, meaning goddess of food. There is another temple to the end of the north Agraharam, which hosts Lord Shiva.

Puthucode Annapoorneswari Temple is managed Malabar Devaswom Board. This temple has a golden flag pole. This is the first golden flag mast in any temple in Palakkad district. It was installed on 2004 June 28. The dilapidated temple was renovated and the Kumbhabhishekam was performed in 1986.

The deity's radiant smile itself is enticing which casts spell on worshippers. It needs thousand eyes to behold the beauty and splendour of the goddess in full decoration in the evenings.

The temple occupies extensive ground. It is difficult to find a temple in Kerala with such large and wide four-squared construction called “Chuttambalam”. It has been built on the principles of Agamasastra. The daily rituals are held according to traditional Kerala customs. Cherumukku Mana Nampoothiris hold the right as its head priest. But the daily poojas are done by immigrant Brahmins. The temple opens for worship everyday at 5.30 a.m. and closes at 10 a.m. Again it reopens for evening worship at 4.30 p.m. Closing at 9 p.m.

If you get an opportunity, please visit this temple. From Alathur, it is less than 10 kms of distance.

Tulja Bhavani temple, Ranu

Tulja Bhavani temple is most popular temple which is situated in small village Ranu near Vadodra Gujarat.The temple is about 700 years old.The statue/ idol was found by one saint. The present mahant offered us food and it was blessing of mother. She is the family goddess worshipped by the Maharaja Gaikwad of Vadodara.During Navratri days, the idol of Tulja Mataji are decorated with precious diamonds & rare jewelry given by Maharaja Malharrao Gaekwad, 150 years ago. After the festival is over, the diamonds & jewelry are kept in locker in Padra.Tulja Mataji are kuldevi of the royal Gaekwad family. The family members still come here to seek the blessings on 8th day of Chaitra Navratri & Aaso Navratri.

Mahant Kavindragiri, the care taker of temple says that 700 years ago Brahmshree Vishwambhar Giriji Maharaj came to Ranu village for worshipping Mataji & to serve the people. From blessings of mataji, they lit an diya near a small temple there. At back side of temple, they dug a small place called Mansarovar, where they found statue of Mataji, which is the idol of Shri Tulja Mataji, now installed in the Temple. One can also see 700 year old diya till lit up inside the temple.

People from Gujarat, Maharashtra,Orissa, Kerala & from abroad come here to seek blessings from Mataji. During 8th day of Aaso Navratri & Chaitra Navratri, Havan is done for peace & prosperity of people & earth

Stambheshwar Mahadev Temple, the Shiva temple that disappears twice a day!

 

The Stambheshwar Mahadev Temple, is   located in the town of Kavi Kamboi, (90 kms from Baroda)in the state of Gujarat.This ancient Shiva temple is located on the betwixt of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Cambay. This is very simple temple with nothing extraordinary in the architecture for the on lookers, but it is still a very unusual must visit religious sites of India. What is so unique about the temple is, that the temple gets totally submerged into the Sea during the high tide hours and as the tide starts to get low it again starts emerging out of the sea inch by inch, unveiling the 4 feet high Shiva lingam.

Legends add that despite being a demon, Tarakasaur was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He had undergone intense penance to please him which, of course, managed to please Lord Shiva. It’s said that the demon took advantage of the opportunity and asked for a boon, which can shield him from death. But as death is inevitable, Lord Shiva asked him to ask for another boon. Tarakasur then wished for a blessing, which stated that none other than the six-day-old son of Lord Shiva can kill him. Lord Shiva then granted his wish, after which Tarakasur created havoc in the three worlds and caused massive destruction. To put an end to this, Lord Shiva created Lord Kartikeya from the flame of his third eye, which put an end to the story.

Also, there is another version that states Lord Kartikeya, who punished Tarakasur, was also in awe because of his devotion for Lord Shiva. As a gesture of appreciation, he installed a shivalinga at the site, where Tarakasur was executed.

A visit to Mahabalaleshwar, Maharasthra

Mahabalaleshwar is the highest hill resort in the Western Ghats. It has many sites offering breathtaking views. Prominent among them are Veena Lake, Lingmala Waterfalls, Kates Point, Connought Peak, Old Mahableshwar, Marjorie Point, Arthur Seat, Hunter Point, Dhobi Waterfalls, Lodwick Point, Elephant’s Head, Bombay Point, Chainman Waterfalls, Babbington Point, Helens Point and Wilson Point.

On the 16^th November, 2019 I had decided to visit Mahableshwar which I have not visited for several years. If not mistaken my first visit was in th.e year 1979, for my honeymoon, to be specific on the 6^th May 1997. Immediately I called up Hotel Mayfair and booked a room for self from 19^th to 21^st (2 nights) with a plan of cheking out on 21^st morning.  Accordingly I had booked my bus ticket on 19^th going and 21^st return.My main objective was to visit the famous Siva temple and see the hotel where I stayed during my honeymoon. 

Day 1: (19th November) The pickup point for my bus was at Malad East, Alka Travels. As usual the bus was late by 30 mts. Finally it picked me up around 6 am.  Neeta  bus company has hotel everywhere and this was at Lonavala. Around 9 am we reached Neeta Hotel at Lonaval.  After breakfast around 9.30 am we left. Finally the bus arrived at Mahbleshwar bus erminus (again the drop  point was Neeta  Hotel) around 2 p.m. Since the hotel was away from the drop point I chehecked up with few taxis drivers to drop me at the hotel. All of them refused as they were looking for a long distance drop.  When I came out I saw one gentleman standing next a two wheeler.  When he saw me coming from the terminus, he straight asked me  “which hotel”. I said Mayfair. He said “I will drop you for Rs.60/- instead of Rs.100 for a taxi”. I was happy and got in the two wheeler and he dropped me in 10 minutes time.

Though situated only a few minutes’ walk from the main market of the hill town, Hotel Mayfair is a quiet place. You may laze about within the confines of its tastefully done – up rooms or stroll under the cool shade of its trees. You may set out with ease to see any of the scenic spots of this pretty hill station or simply go on long refreshing walks.

Contact details: Hotel Mayfair, Dr. L.C. D'souza Road, Aram Center, Mahabalaleshwar.

Phone No.02168 260366.

Mr. Singh, the Manager was waiting for me.  I checked in around 2.30 pm and he allotted a key of Room No. 501. After dropping my bag, I straight went for lunch.  Lunch was pretty good and no complaints. They served hot chapattis, samosa, dal, curries, rice, pappads and salad which was  part of the deal.  Deal in the hotel was Rs. 3500/ per night inclusive of all taxes, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  After lunch I went back to my room and slept till 4.30 pm.  

 Around 5 pm got out of the hotel and walked towards the main market which is less than one km. From the hotel. Before leaving the hotel I had decided to visit few places on the market road.. (1) Sangam Hotel where I stayed during my honeymoon (2) Aram restaurant (3) Imperial Hotel and (4) the famous Elisies Dairy & Baikery where we used to go and sit in the evenings.

During the year 1979 Sangam Hotel was very small with a shop in the ground floor, where the family of the owner stayed.    It was a small hotel with five rooms on the first floor.  Then we used to eah at Aram Restuarant (a veg joint). Thail used to be very good. Evenings were spent at Imperial and the bakery.

After visiting all these places I walked the other end (bus stand) of the road. Lot of changes had happened to the market road mainly it was very crowded and more new shops etc.

Around 7pm  returned to the hotel and clicking few photos and around 8 pm they served the dinner. After watching the TV, I hit the bed around 9.30 pm.

Day 2;   (20th November) As usual got up at 5 am, thought to go for a walk. Due to sever cold, I dropped the idea.  Did pranayama and meditation for one hour.  Around 7 am I went to the restaurant and picked up a cup of tea. Since the breakfast was getting late, I walked down to market road (aram restaurant) and had hot poha and a cup of tea and returned to my room around 8.30 am.  Immediately I booked a taxi to take me to Pancha Ganga, Mahableshwar Siva and Ganesha temples which are very old temples in Mahabuleshwar.

When I was returning after breakfast from Market Road, I saw the road which is leading to my hotel is getting suddenly crowded. On enquiry I was told that they set up a market in the road on every Tuesdays. Hence the hotel people said please leave the place before 9.30 am otherwise no vehicles can come through this road.  Hence I called for a taxi around 9 am to visit Pancha Ganga, Mahabuleshwar Siva and Ganesha temples which are very old in Mahabuleshwar.

Pancha Ganga temple

Constructed at the confluence of five rivers, Krishna, Venna, Savitri, Koyna and Gayatri, this temple is a site of major religious importance and is thronged by devotees all through the year. The temple has a beautifully carved gaumukhi, out of which the waters of the five rivers flow. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and has a lovely idol of him. The legend behind the temple is closely linked to Savitri's curse on the Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who flow here as Koyna, Krishna and Venna rivers.

It was constructed by Raja Singha Deo, the ruler of the Yadavs of Devgiri, in the 13th Century. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, Raja Chanda Rao More of Jaoli and the Maratha ruler Shivaji improved upon its structure on a large scale, to whom the temple owes much of its present grandeur.

Photography inside is not allowed but one can carry camera inside the temple.

Mode of transport : Local taxis. 

Mahabuleshwar  Siva temple

Located at a distance of 6 km from the city of Mahabaleshwar; Mahabaleshwar temple is an ancient shrine and an ideal example of the Maratha heritage. Popularly known as the Mahabali, the temple is flocked by tourists and devotees throughout the year to bask in the serenity and tranquillity offered here. The temple is extremely popular among the Hindus, as Lord Shiva is the presiding deity here. Set up amidst the hilly terrain, this picturesque temple glorifies the Maratha Empire and its rule during the 16th century.

This temple is  one of the ancient temples of Maharashtra. It was built by Chanda Rao More dynasty in the 16th century. The magnificent temple is guarded by a five feet wall and has two sections- the inner area and the outer area. The inner part, known as the sanctum sanctorum, has Shiva as the presiding deity. There are many belongings of Lord Shiva in the premises of this temple, like his bed, damru, Trishul, carvings of his sacred bull and Kalbhairav (his bodyguard); that aptly defines his presence here.

The main and central attraction of this temple is the 6 feet long Shiva lingam of which only the tip is visible, depicting the stone incarnation of Lord Shiva. The Mahabaleshwar Temple has a very serene and spiritual environment. Devotees visit the temple around the year to witness the calm and peaceful aura of Lord Shiva. The site has two more temples nearby, namely the Atibaleshwar temple and the Panchganga temple. Mahabaleshwar Temple is quintessential of the authentic Hemadant architectural style of South India.

Lingamala Waterfall

Went to see Linhgamala waterfall.  Unfortunately due to fogg, I could not see the water fall.  However, I saw a mini-waterfall on the way back.

I returned back to the hotel around 2 pm and had my lunch.  

Day 3:  (21st November) After breakfast checked out and took my return bus back to Mumbai at 9.30 am..  Reached in Mumbai around 5 p.m.

Overall it was an excellent trip. I treat this trip as a kick off trip for my 2019 travel .

Top 30 Famous Temples in India

1. Badrinath Temple (Visited) Situated close to the Alaknanda River, the abode of Lord Badrinath is located in the Chamoli district, a small town of Badrinath (Uttarakhand). This holy shrine of Lord Vishnu forms a part of the four holiest sites (Char Dhams) in Hindu religion. It is also one of the four Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites (comparatively minor pilgrimage sites). It is one of the 108 temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Divya Desams), which find mention in the works of Tamil saints who existed from 6th to 9th century.

The ancient abode of Lord Vishnu can be visited only between April to November as in the rest of the months the weather is too harsh for undertaking a pilgrimage journey. Two of the famous festivals related to the temple are –

Mata Murti-Ka-Mela – in which the mother of Lord Badrinath is worshipped and it takes place in the month of September.

Badri-Kedar Festival – extending to 8 days, it takes place in the month of June and is celebrated in both the temples of Badrinath and Kedarnath.

2. The Konark Sun TempleThe Sun temple is situated in the small town of Konark, which is situated in the Puri district of Odisha. This marvel of architecture is dedicated to Lord Sun. And resembling his carriage, the temple has been built in the shape of a chariot, which has twelve wheels and is shown as being dragged by the seven horses.

The temple is believed to be constructed in the 13th century by a king called Narasimhadeva. Like with most things in India, this temple too has connections with a few legends. As per one of the legends, God Krishna cursed, one of his own sons with leprosy.  To seek penance, Samba worshiped Lord Sun (Surya) for a period of twelve years. Pleased with his devotion, Surya healed him. Samba made the Sun temple in return to express his gratitude.

The mesmerizing beauty of the place was best summed up by the Rabindranath Tagore through these words: 'Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man.'

3. Brihadeeswara TempleAlso known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil and RajaRajeswaram, this 11th century temple was built by the Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Brihadeeswara temple is the largest temple in India that is situated at Thanjavur city of Tamil Nadu.

Cholas are known for their majestic and splendid scale of structures. The opulence and artistic proficiency of Cholas is well reflected in the grand and magnificent architecture of the temple. Made entirely of granite stone, it was built as per the principles of Vaastu Shastras and Agamas.

The most remarkable thing related to the architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is that it doesn't leave any shadow on the ground at the noon time. The millenary celebrations of its construction took place in 2010 amid many enthusiastic and grand cultural events.

4. Somnath TempleThis is one of the oldest pilgrimage centres in India and finds mention in the ancient books, like Shivpuran, Skandpuran and Shreemad Bhagvat. Som refers to the 'Moon God', thus Somnath means 'Protector of the Moon God'. According to a legend, Som got the temple built in the honor of Lord Shiva as it was Shiva who cured the illness, which was inflicted on him due to his father-in-law's curse.

It is one of the most revered 'jyotirlings' among the 12 existing jyotirlings of India. The temple is located in Prabhas Kshetra in Saurashtra (Gujarat). Prabhas Kshetra is also the region in which, it is believed that, Lord Krishna left his mortal body.

Another interesting thing about the place is that it is built on the shore of Arabian Sea and in between the temple and the South Pole, in a straight line there is no land area. Somnath temple was destroyed and re-built many times. The place also has a Somnath museum, Junagadh gate, beach and a sound and light show to amuse the pilgrims.

5. Kedarnath Temple (Visited) Situated in the Himalayan range of Garhwal area (Uttarakhand), Kedarnath temple is one of the most sacred Shiva temples in the world. This holy abode of Shiva is said to be built by the Pandavas to atone for their sins committed during their battle with Kauravs. The temple was restored by Adi Sankaracharya in 8th century. It is one of the Chota Char Dhams of Uttarakhand and requires a pilgrim to walk a distance of 14 kms over the hilly surface. One can make use of a pony or manchan to simplify the journey.

Surrounded by the glaciers and snow-covered peaks and standing at a height of 3,583 m, the temple is closed during winters due to severe cold conditions. Even the idol of Lord Shiva is shifted to Ukhimath and worshiped there throughout the 5/6 months for which the extreme conditions prevail.

6. Sanchi StupaSanchi is a village in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, which is a home to several Buddhist structures built in between 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. The most significant of them all is the Sanchi Stupa, also known as the Great Stupa. A Stupa is a holy place of Buddhist, which is built in the shape of a dome that consists of relics of Buddha.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site this famous pilgrimage site in India was built by the great emperor Asoka in the 3rd century BC. There are four intricately designed gateways surrounding the Stupa known as Toranas, each individually symbolizing the four emotions of love, peace, courage and trust. The Great Stupa is 16 meters high and 37 meters in diameter and preserves the relics of Buddha.

7. Ramanathaswamy (Rameshwaram) Temple Rameshwaram (or Rameswaram) is a small island town in Tamil Nadu and is one of the four holiest pilgrimage places (Char Dhams) of the Hindus.

The reason for its being so sacred is the belief that Lord Rama along with his wife Sita first landed on its shore after defeating the demon Ravana (who was also a Brahmin). To seek atonement for killing a Brahmin, Rama wanted to pray to Shiva. Hanuman was sent off to Kailash to bring an idol of the God. In the mean time, Sita made a small lingam. The one made by Sita is called Ramalingam and one brought by Hanuman is called Vishwalingam.

As per the instructions of Lord Rama, Vishwalingam is worshiped before the Ramalingam, even today.

8. Vaishno Devi Mandir After a trek of about 12 km from Katra (base camp), one reaches the holy cave, which is the abode of Maa (mother) Vaishno Devi and is located at an altitude of 5200 ft in a mountain called Trikuta. It is situated in Jammu and Kashmir, near Katra town.

Vaishno Devi is present here in the form of three rock heads, called the Pindies, instead of a statue. Due to the strong faith of the people, every year millions of them come to take the blessings of Maa Vaishno Devi.  It is said that it is Maa Vaishno who decides her visitors. It is she who calls her devotees to her doorsteps. Anyone making a successful journey to her shrine is there because of her wish. The shrine is open all year round.

9. Siddhivinayak Temple (Visited) Located in Prabha Devi, Mumbai, Siddhivinayak Temple was built in the 18th century. Siddhivinayak or Lord Ganesha is the supreme deity of the temple and is famous for being the first one to be worshipped before commencing any new work or assignment. That is why he is also known as Vighnaharta (the terminator of impediments).

On the wooden doors of the shrine eight impressions of Lord Ganapati (Ashtavinayak) are carved. Siddhivinayak temple consists of one of the eight images of the God. Other distinct images are spread over seven temples situated in Maharashtra. The temple is visited by the devotees all days of the year but Tuesday is the day when maximum numbers of people come to pray to the Lord for good luck.

10. Gangotri Temple (Visited) The sacred origin of Ganga Maa (mother) is worshipped at Gangotri temple, which is situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. A partially submerged Shivaling lying along the temple in the waters of Bhagirathi signifies the place where God Shiva entangled Ganga in his hair. Built in the 18th century the temple is made from the white granite.

The holy temple of Gangotri opens up on Akshaya Tritiya (usually falling in the months of April or May). On this occasion, an idol of Ganga Maa is brought back from the Mukhyamath temple (her winter abode), which is at a distance of 20 km. On Diwali, every year, Maa Ganga again travels back to the Mukhyamath temple.

11. Golden Temple (Visited) Sri Harmandir Sahib (also known Darbar Sahib or Golden temple) is the most pious pilgrimage place for Sikhs. The temple was built on the values of universal brotherhood and equality. The four doors, opening in the four prominent directions, openly welcome people from any faith or race to seek religious and spiritual contentment. The structure, revered for its superb architecture, is built on a level lower than that of the immediate surroundings, symbolizing the value of humility.

The holy scripture of Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib, was first placed in Sri Harmandir Sahib after its compilation and first Granthi (or head priest) of this Sikh pilgrimage centre in India, was Baba Buddha ji.

12. Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Visited) Located in the ancient and holy city of Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Kashi Vishwanath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, also referred to as Vishwanath or Vishweshwara, meaning emperor of the universe. The city of Varanasi is also known as Kashi that is why the temple is famously called Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The distinguished temple has been visited by many great holy men like Swami Vivekanand, Adi Shankaracharya, Goswami Tulsidas and Gurunanak. The merit or the blessings received from sighting jyotirling at Kashi Vishwanath is equal to that earned from visiting the rest of the 11 jyotirlings placed at several areas in India. A visit to the sacred temple of Shiva is believed to be one of the ways through which one can attain Moksha (ultimate liberation of the soul).

13. Lord Jagannath Temple (Visited) Built in the 12th century, Jagannath temple is situated in Puri (Orissa) and is popularly called Jagannath Puri. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple is one of the four holiest places (Char Dhams) of India. Inside the main temple, with the idol of Lord Krishna (Jagannath) in between, the idols of Lord Balabhadra (brother) and Goddess Subhadra (sister) are placed.

Non-Hindus cannot enter the premises of the temple. They can get a good view of this magnificent temple from the roof-top of the Raghunandan Library located just opposite to the temple. The annual and world famous Rath Yatra conducted at Puri gives a chance to get a good glimpse of the Lord Jagannath along with Balabhadra and Subhadra riding on the chariots. Thousands and thousands of people pulling the sacred chariot makes for a mesmerizing spectacle.

14. Yamunotri Temple (visited) Yamunotri temple was built in the 19th century in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand and was damaged and rebuilt twice due to the damages inflicted by the natural disasters. Dedicated to Yamuna River, which is the second holiest river of India, the temple also forms the part of the four Chota Char Dham sites.

Located at the height of 3291 meters, the shrine of Mother Yamuna holds the idol of Goddess, which is built in black marble. The temple opens up on the day of Akshaya Tritiya and closes on the day after Diwali. Mother Yamuna spends the winter at a nearby village known as village Kharsali. The area around the Yamunotri temple doesn't have any motorable roads, so it has to be reached by trekking for a few kilometers. The surroundings of the Yamunotri temple have many hot water springs to the delight of the visiting pilgrims.

15. Meenakshi Temple (Visited)
This architectural wonder is situated in Madurai (Tamil Nadu) and is dedicated to Goddess Parvati (also known as Meenakshi) and her husband Lord Shiva. Madurai is the second biggest city of India and is also one of the oldest continuously populated cities of the world.

A dip in the Golden Lotus tank, situated in the temple, is considered auspicious and is usually taken before visiting the main shrine of the God and Goddess. As per a legend, the pond was created by Shiva and is even older than the temple. The temple has a hall, which consists of 985 pillars; each pillar is differently and intricately carved. The 12th century colorful temple was among the 30 nominees of the 'New Seven Wonders of the World'.

16. Amarnath Cave TempleThe holy cave of Amarnath is located at an altitude of 3,888 meters in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Engulfed with ice-clad mountains, the cave is also covered with layers of snow most times of the year. In the summer season, (June to August) it becomes accessible and hence opens up to receive the pilgrims.

The cave is believed to be around 5000 years old. As per a popular legend, Buta Malik (a Muslim shepherd) met a holy man who handed him a bag full of coal. On reaching home, he found that the coal has got converted into gold. Moved by the miracle the shepherd went in search of the saintly man and instead found the sacred abode of Lord Shiva. The pilgrimage towards Amarnath consists of a 5 day trek in which the devotees brave tough and uncertain climatic conditions and walk for 40 miles (distance covers journey from: camp-holy cave-camp).

17. Lingaraja TempleLingaraja temple is one of the oldest and largest temples of the 'Temple City of India' – Orissa. Drenched in the architectural style typical of Kalinga, the temple doesn't only attract religious devotees but also the historians.

The idol of Lingaraj usually represents Lord Shiva, but over here it symbolizes Shiva and Vishnu. The combined form of both the Gods is referred to as Harihara. A large lake called Bindu Sagar touches the temple from one side and is said to have healing powers. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the premises, thus they can see the magnificent structure from a platform outside the temple. Shivratri is the main festival of the temple.

18. Tirupati Balaji (Visited) Located in the hilly town of Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh), the temple is also known as Tirumala Venkateshwara temple. The temple is devoted to Lord Venkateshwara, who is popularly called 'Balaji' and is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Venkateshwara Tirupati Balaji is the second richest religious site with people offering money and gold to their Lord running into millions, each day.

The ancient temple has been visited by the rulers of many grand dynasties of Southern India. The temple celebrates many festivals, most famous among them is Brahmotsavam (also known as 'Salakatla brahmotsavam'), which goes on for 9 days and witnesses a great mass of the devotees.

The laddoos (a kind of sweet), which are given in the form of prasadam in the shrine are famous around the world for their unique delectable taste. As a religious ritual, people get their heads tonsured in large numbers over here, so much so that every year about 6 million US dollars are earned through the auction of hairs.

19. Kanchipuram Temples (visited few) 'The City of Thousand Temples' – Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) is one of the seven sacred places in India wherein the people can attain Moksha, as per the Hindu religion. Every temple in Kanchipuram is a fascinating piece of architecture. Among the most revered temples of Kanchi 3 major ones are mentioned below:

Kamakshi Amman Temple: Goddess Kamakshi is one of the manifestations of Parvati and unlike the standing poses in which we usually find her idols, the enchanting idol at Kamakshi temple is sitting in Padmasana (a yogic sitting posture).

Ekambareswarar Temple: This shrine of Lord Shiva is also the largest among all the temples of Kanchipuram. The main lingam of the Ekambareswarar temple is made of sand and is said to be built by the Goddess Parvati.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple: It is one of the 108 temples of Vishnu (Divya Desams). This temple along with the temples of Kamakshi and Ekambareswarar are collectively called Mumurtivasam (home of trio).

20. Khajuraho TempleKhajuraho is a town in the state of Madhya Pradesh, which houses several temples built between 10th to 12th centuries. Spread across an area of 20 sq km, the monuments of the town are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples are built of sandstone and dedicated to the deities of Hindus and Jains.

The temples are world famous for the erotic cravings, which can be seen along other cravings depicting the activities of routine life. It is believed that there were over 75 temples in the area but right now about 20 exist. The temples have been divided into three zones – eastern, western and southern. The Western zone consists of the most famous temples; the largest temple of Khajuraho, Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, falls under this zone.

An annual Khajuraho Dance Festival, celebrating classical dance forms of India, is held against the background of Chitragupta or Vishwanath temple in the first week of February.

21. Virupaksha Temple (Visited) Built in the 7th century, the temple is famous for being a functioning temple ever since it came into the existence. Located in the village of Hampi, it is one of the most famous temples among the various other temples of Hampi. All heritage sites of Hampi have been recognized by the UNESCO.

A shrine of Shiva, Virupaksha temple is a very important religious as well as the tourist destination. The pilgrimage centre has expanded in scale over a period of time. Shiva in the form of Virupaksha is the consort of local goddess Pampa and that is why the temple is also called Pampapathi temple. Many festivals take place in the temple celebrating the engagement and wedding of the couple.

22. Akshardham Temple (Visited)Constructed on the principles of Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra, this temple is situated near the banks of Yamuna in Delhi. The Indian-ness of the temple is reflected in its resemblance with ancient Indian architecture and the spirituality that the place exudes. The principal deity of Swaminarayan faith, Lord Swaminarayan, is the central figure of Akshardham. His 11 feet high idol lies below the central dome of the temple.

The structure has been built of Rajasthani pink stone and Italian Carrara marble. The magnificent temple of Akshardham looks more stunning during the night with the beautifully set lighting arrangements. There are many ways like exhibition, movie, statues and boat ride through which the information about the history and philosophy of the Swaminarayan sect and its founder is given to the visitors. Light and music show, which takes place in the evening, is the most fascinating element of the temple.

23. Shri Digambar Jain Lal MandirBuilt during the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1656, Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir is the oldest Jain temple in Delhi. Made in the honor of the 23rd Tirthankara, Parashvanath, the temple is made in red sandstone.

Standing right across the Red Fort, the temple consists of a charitable bird hospital, which has different wards for different species, a research laboratory and an intensive care unit. The hospital came in to being in 1956 and exemplifies one of the basic principles of Jainism, which states that all living beings (no matter how small or insignificant) have a right to freedom.

24. Gomateshwara Temple (Visited) Situated in the Shravanabelagola town of Karnataka, Gomateshwara temple is dedicated to Lord Bahubali also known as Gomateshwara. Built in the 10th century it is one of the most important pilgrimage places for Jains. The statue inspires awe among people world over because of its unique structure. Standing at an enormous height of 58.8 ft the idol is carved out of a single granite rock. This monolithic structure stands at such a great height without any external support. The base of the Bahubali idol has got inscriptions written in three different languages – Marathi, Kannada and Tamil.

The most important event occurs in the temple after every 12 years. It is called Mahamastakabhishek and is a very important festival for Jains. In which Lord Bahubali is bathed and smeared with various things like saffron paste, sugarcane, turmeric, milk and vermillion and offered various precious stones and coins (like gold and silver).

25. Ranakpur TempleRanakpur is a village in the Pali district of Rajasthan and falls between Udaipur and Jodhpur. One of the very famous pilgrimage sites in India, the majestic 15th century Jain temple is dedicated to Lord Adinatha. It is counted among the 5 major sacred places of Jains.

The marvelous architecture of the temple structure brought it among the list of 77 nominees at the time of determining the new Seven Wonders of the World. Completely built from light colored marble, the great structure is well supported with the help of about 1400 superbly carved pillars. The temple uses natural light of sun as the only means of illumination.

26. Shirdi Sai Baba Temple (Visited) The holy temple of Sai baba was built in 1922, in the Shirdi town of Maharashtra. Located about 296 kms from Mumbai, the small town of Shirdi has attained fame due to its association with Shri Sai Baba.

Spread in an area of 200 sq. Km, the shrine was made over the Samadhi of Sai Baba. Each day around 25,000 devotees come for Baba's darshan and on festivals the figure comes into lakhs. Ramnavmi, Guru Purnima and Vijayadashami are the major festivals that are celebrated with great enthusiasm and passion. The principles of Sai Baba (like love, charity, forgiveness) are spread through the land of Shirdi, which has been made holy by the pure soul.

27. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple  (Visited) Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala is the place where one of the 108 Divya Desams (sacred dwellings of Lord Vishnu) is situated in the form of Lord Padmanabhaswamy. Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple can be visited only by the Hindus.  There is a strict dress code while entering the temple for men (dhoti without any kind of shirt) and women (sari or skirt and blouse).

The elegant and splendid idol of Lord Vishnu is reclining over a 5 hooded serpent called Anantha. The idol of the Lord is very fascinating as it displays the supreme trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh (or Shiva). Out of the navel of Lord's statue a lotus is seen as coming out over which Lord Brahma (the protector) is sitting. That is why Vishnu (the creator) is also called Padmanabha, i.e. lotus-navel. Under the right palm of the stretched out hand of Padmanabha there is a Shiva lingum (the destroyer), completing all three powers into one.

28. Dwarkadhish TempleThe holy abode of Lord Krishna, Dwarkadhish temple is situated in the Dwarka city (Gujarat). Also known as Jagat Mandir, the temple has two doors for entry and exit for pilgrims. The entry door is called Swarg Dwar (doorway to heaven) and the exit door is called Moksha Dwar (the doorway to liberation).

A part of the Char Dham pilgrimage, the 5-story structure of the temple is standing with the support of 72 pillars. Placed on the banks of River Gomti the temple reaches the height of 51.8 meters and a flight of 56 steps need to be taken to reach the Swarg Dwar. Inside the shrine, the Lord dazzles his devotees through his image built in black stone and reaches up to 2.25 ft.

29. Laxminarayan TempleInaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1939, the temple was built by the industrialist Baldeo Das Birla in Delhi and can be visited by people of all castes and creed. Laxminarayan is a form of Lord Vishnu (Narayan) when he is with Goddess Lakshmi (his consort).

The primary shrine is devoted to Laxminarayan, other smaller shrines are dedicated to other Gods like Shiva, Hanuman, Krishna, Ganesh and Buddha. Spread in an area of 7.5 acres the temple is one of the tourist attractions of Delhi and has a huge garden, fountains and a large hall called Geeta Bhawan to conduct discourses, apart from the holy shrines.

 30. Iskcon TempleAlso known as the Krishna Balaram mandir, ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) was built in the year 1975. Located in the holy land of Vrindavan (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh), the land which is believed to be the abode of Lord Krishna in his young age, the ISKCON temple is well known for the utmost standard of cleanliness and worship they maintain. The chants of 'Hare Krishna' reverberate in the temple all hours of the day.

The temple belongs to the Gaudiya Vaishnava sect of Hinduism, which was founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the 16th century. Inside the temple there are idols of Krishna, Radha, Balarama, along with the idols of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Swami Prabhupada (founder of ISKCON).

For understanding India in its various hues one can start from its temples, i.e. undertake a Pilgrimage holiday in India and start to learn what binds its diverse population and begin to unravel the intriguing phenomenon called India. Mahatma Gandhi said that the essence of all religions is one; only their approaches are different. Likewise, from the different temples of India, one can realize the essence of the enigmatic land of India.

A spiritual Journey – Kollur and Kodachadri Hills

A spiritual Journey –  Kollur and Kodachadri  Hills

Brief description about Kollur

Kollur is one of the seven pilgrimages which were created by Parashurama. It is is situated at the banks of the  river Sauparnika and surrounded by thick forest.

Kollur is north of Udupi  (100 km from Udupi) and around 176  km from Mangalore Railway station.   Here we see the famous temple Mookambika at the foot hill known as Kodachadri.  The Sowparnika River  that originates on the hill flows past the temple

My journey from 6^th June to 10^th June, 2015

6^th June, 2015

My trip to these locations was not scheduled. On the 6^th (Saturday) morning, I took the Coimbatore-Mangalore train at 6.30am and reached Mangalore around 1.15 pm.  The hotel folks had organised a pick me up from the Mangalore Station.  It costs around Rs.2700/- to get dropped in Kollur.

On reaching I checked in at Hotel  Beena Residency at 4.15. It is a three hours drive from Mangalore Station to Kollur.  Since I had stayed at this hotel last year, they were kind enough to give a room even though they were over booked being a weekend.

Mookambika Temple opening and closing details:

Morning: 5 am to 1.30 pm

Evening: 3 pm to 9.30 pm

After taking a bath around 5.30 pm I went to the temple.  It is 2 mints walk from the hotel.

Being Saturday, it was slightly crowed.  However, I managed to get into the temple and had a very good darshan. After darshan,  by sitting inside the temple I recited Lalitha Sahasranam  and Vishnu Sahasranam.   It took 40 to 45 minutes for me to complete and I returned to the hotel. 

Brief description about the temple

The skanda purana describes the glory of this holy place and how a sage named kola did penance here. Devi Adi Shakti,  who vanquished the demon Mukasura, was praised by the devas as Mookambika.  It is also said that  the panchaloha idol of the Devi and Sri Chakra were installed by Sri Adi Shankara himself and he had also set up the methods for the various rituals and worship. . It is understood that  many yogis and sages have performed austeritie at this holy place.

The temple houses a swayambhu lingam worshiped as the form of Shiv Shakti.  The devoted accept that all three firms of shakti namely  Mahakali, Mahasaraswati and Mahalakshi are  housed in this sacred image of Mookambika. The image of the devi holds a conch and chakra and shown the hand gesture of blessings and freedom from fear. Onc can also see the images of Kali and Saraswati nereby the main deity.  Also in this temple are enshrined images of Vinayaka with ten hands, Anjaneya. Virabhadra, Siva, and

Subramaniya.

It is quite difficult to get good food in Kollur as this being a small temple town.   There are only two good places one being Mookamabika Palace and Beena Residency (where I stayed).   Since the choice ares very limited, I had a nice dinner at Mookambika Palace and hit the bed around 9.30 pm.

7^th June, 2015

Got up around 4 am and after completing my routine activities I went and stood in the line around 4.,30 am. By the time the temple opened, it was quite crowded being Sunday. Normally the temple is crowded on Fridays thru Sundays. 

I entered the temple around 5.15 am and as usual had a very good darshan. I could stand in front of the idol for around 10 minutes.  Thereafter I sat inside the temple and recited Lalitha Sahasranam and Vishnu Sahasranam.  I got back to my hotel around 6.,30 am.  Thereafter I managed to get some Kerala breakfast in one of the kerala hotels.  After that I went and enquired about trip to Kodachadri  Hills.  Only  jeeps are allowed to take one to Kodachadri hills.  All such jeeps are parked in front of the Kollur Police Station and they take minimum 8 people in one jeep.  If one hires the entire jeep, the cost works out to be Rs.2700 to Rs.2800/ otherwise the  jeep people charge an individual an amount of Rs.350/- per trip. Hence I went and registered myself. After 10 minutes or so, they managed to get 6 more people and we left around 7 am.

Kodachadri hill is on Kollur-Shimogha-Bangalore national highway.  After 12 kms, one needs to take a deviation at Nettur to Kodachadri hills. From this point,  the base of the bill is around 2 km but this 2 km ride took around one hour.   There is no proper road as this being through forest. It was very bumpy.

After reaching the base camp, we started our treak. It was very windy and misty.  First temple we covered was Kalabharavi and a devi temple.  Thereafter we visited one more a kali temple which is the moolastam (means original place where devi sat), I don’t know whether this true or not.

Thereafter we started  the trek and it was comfortable for sometime.  but after sometime, I found it very difficult.  One point I thought I should be return to the base as the path was very narrow and windy/misty.  Due to my enthu I decided not to surrender and moved on.  Then we saw a small cave where we saw a ganesh idol and pooja being conducted on a regular basis.

While climbing I was thinking why did Adi Shankara has to come all the way here and did meditation. After struggling a lot I managed to reach the Shankafra Simhasna.   

Located in the scenic western ghats, Kodachadri (1343 m) is around 14 to 15 km away from this temple.  It is here the Devi  Adi Shakti  is said to have also appeared before Adi  shankara .  The  stone seat called the shankara simhasana is revered by devotees who meditate near  it to receive the blessings of the guru. Adi shankara is said to have meditated here.

It is a mind blowing place. After reaching the place,   I understood why Adi Shankara selected this place.  After reaching this place, one could feel the high positive energy created at this place  and feel the vibration.

After doing my prayers, we returned to the base camp.  Immediately after getting into the jeep, the rain had started.  Around 2 pm we reached Kollur. Since it was feeling hungry,  I had a kerala lunch at Beena Residency.   It was a very good Kerala lunch..

In the evening, around 5.30 pm after taking a batch I went to the temple for my evening prayers.  It was crowded. However, I could manage to enter the temple without much problem. As usual did my prayers by reciting Lalitha Sahasranam and Vishnu Sahasranam. and returned to the hotel around 7 pm. Since the lunch was very heavy, I skipped my dinner and hit the bed around 9.30 am.

8^th June, 2015

As usual got up at 4 am. After taking my bath I  stood in  the line around 4.45 am. To my surprise, there were 10 to 15 devotees in the line. Absolutely there were no crowd being  Monday.  After my prayers I reached back to my room around 7.30.  Then the question was where to have the breakfast. Only option was to visit Mookambika Palace. Went had a good breakfast and returned the room.

Then I was debating within myself to stay one day( 9^th June)  at Udupi and have a darshan in the Krishna Temple which is very famous. I immediately called up and booked a room in Upupi Resiency near the bus stand otherwise I was supposed to stay one more day in Kollur.   I too informed the hotel authorities at Kollur about my check out program.

Since there was nothing much to do after, I decided to have lunch in the temple itself.  Every day the temple conducts ANNADHANAM in the morning and in the night. There is saying that “if one visit this temple, one needs to have the food in the temple itself. The food is treat as Prasadam”.  This is the practice followed in all temples in this area of Karnataka. This includes Subramanya, Udupi, Dharmsala, and Annapurnaeswari temples. They start the lunch around 12 noon till 3 pm.  I came to know that every day in the morning around 5000 people eat and in the night around 3000.  The food was excellent. As per their custom, after serving rice, they serve rasam first, then sambar and then butter milk.  They too serve payasam.  Every thing is limited – no second serving.

After lunch I went to the room and took a break till 5 pm.  Around 5.30 pm I went into the temple and did my prayers and was back around 7.30 pm in my room. Around 9.30 I went to sleep.

9^th June, 2015

I was up at 4 am and packed my bag.  Thereafter I went to the temple around 5.15 am. As usual did my prayers and back into the room around 7.00 am.  After having my breakfast I left for Udupi. In fact I took a bus (8.00 am)  from the Udupi bus stand for which I paid an amount of Rs.75/-. I took around 1.30 hours to reach Uduipi.

Around  9.30 am I reached Udupi.   Since Hotel Udupi Residency was very close to the bus stand, it took five minutes for me to reach the hotel and check in.  I was wondering what to do next. Then I happened to put on the TV and the news of Mr. Tomar, ex-Law minister of New Delhi was going on. I watched the TV till 12.30 pm.  Thereafter I went for a lunch to a nearby restaurant.  I had a North Indian thali and it was too good.  Around 1.30 pm I returned to my room and took some rest means watching Mr. Tomar incident on the TV.

Udupi Krishan temple opens at  5 am and closes at 9 pm.  Around 4 pm after taking a bath I left for the temple. It was a five minutes walk from the hotel.

It is a 13^th century temple. This idol of Krishna in the temple was originally worshiped by Krishna’s wife Rukmini in Dwaraka in the Dvapara Yuga.  The deity of Kishna shows Him holding the churning rod in one hand and a rope in the other, with a little smile on his face, reminiscent of the childhood activities. This is the  place where the great spiritual teacher Madhvacharya was born and lived. 

After reciting Vishnu and Lalitha sahasranam say around 6.00 pm I returned to the hotel.  I hit the bed around 9.30 pm.

10^th June, 2015

Got up as usual at 4.30 am and after completing my bath, I packed my bag. Around 7 am I had a quick breakfast and left for Mangalore station to catch my train at 11.45 am.  I took the bus of 8 am and reached Mangalore around 10 am. It took around 2 hours to reach the station.

Around 11,45 my train left for Coimbatore and reached Coimbatore around 7.15 pm. While in the train, I took some good photographs of Arabian sea.  There are some excellent beaches between Kasargode and Mangalore and Kasargode and Kannur. 

While in the train, I had taken some photographs :

Overall it was a fantastic spiritual journey.  The experience of 30 minutes near the shankara simhasana at Kodachadri Hills was fabulous.  By this trip, I could knock off two items from my “bucket list”  which are (1)  reciting Lalitha Sahasranam in Kollur Mookambika temple and Vishnu Sahasranam in Guruavaoor Krishna Temple (during my last visit) and Udupi Krishna Temple. It was an excellent feeling after doing all these.