Shree Manudevi Temple ,Adgaon Village, Jalgaon , Maharashtra.

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Shree Manudevi Temple is in Adgaon Village in Jalgaon district-Maharashtra.

Located in the lush ranges of Satpuda hills on River Tapi is the Shree Manudevi Temple.  The approach to the temple is through a 1500 mtr paved road of gravel. From there, it is an interesting 1500 mtr trek through lush green surroundings to the temple.
The temple is 500 mtr high. The temple is enveloped by hills on three sides. In front is a beautiful waterfall 400 feet high. Six to seven months a year, the waterfall has fierce running water that touches the foot hills of the Satpuda. A lake has now been built here.


History and Mythology

The temple was discovered around 1251 A.D/B.C. Excavations indicate that this is an ancient temple dating back thousands of years. The massive trees at the approach to the temple are said to be a manifestation of that.
Lord Parshurama himself, welcoming devotees for the darshan of Shree Manudevi.

There is a rich folklore and historical tradition regarding this holy shrine.

Myth of Shree Manudevi

In the Bhagwath Puranas the triad of Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma faced a serious problem. Rakshasas were menacing the people of earth. The trinity met in a cave in the Satpuda ranges. This cave is the Shree Manudevi temple and its surroundings.

While deeply meditating on a solution, their breathing and the environment that was made in the cave by their power and meditation, gave rise to an illumination of Shakti (power inherent in a goddess) as lightening. These rays culminated into Goddess Manudevi. She is the combined strength, power and intelligence of the Trinity.

The Devtas prayed to Goddess Manudevi, telling her -“O Adishakti, we are in a crises. The Asura Mahishasur is menacing the earth. O Goddess, we ask to you to eliminate him by taking an angry form of your personality. Help us in enforcing peace on earth”.

The Goddess Manudevi promised to kill the Asura soon. She assured them that she would start her offensive against the Asura immediately in the form of Sapthashrung deva.

The Goddess ravaged the forces of the Asura and reached River Tapi. A battle was fought in the area called Shiragadh. Here, she is worshipped as Shiragadh’s Ashta Bhujaa Devi. From here, the Goddess proceeded to Nandra (Bajara). A temple of her as Ashta Bhujaa Devi is here as well.
From there, she proceeded to Paatna, where a great battle was fought with the demons. Weary, the Goddess rested in here and here she came to be known as "Paatna Devi". The serene form of Manudevi was represented in Ashta Bhujaa Devi.

The final battle took place on the Sapthashrung Mountains. The Goddess battled the Asura for seven years. It was a battle between adharma and dharma. The Goddess transitioned into Sapthashrunga Devi. This is the enforcer form which is fearsome to the evil. In this form, she killed the Mahishasur and his forces. Folklore says that this place became the Devi’s home - Khandesh.

Khandoba temple-Jejuri, Pune

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Khandoba temple-Jejuri

At a distance of 48 km from Pune Junction, Jejuri is a town and municipality situated to the southeast of the Pune city. The town of Jejuri is renowned for one of the most pious temples in Maharashtra known as Khandoba Temple and is one of the popular tourist places in Pune.

Jejuri Khandoba Temple is dedicated to Khandoba, who is also known as Mhalsakant or Malhari Martand in the region. Khandoba is the important god worshipped by Dhangar, the oldest tribes in Maharashtra. It is believed that Khandoba is a god of Sakamabhakti, the god who fulfills all the desires of his devotees. Jejuri is popular for its old Deep Mala.

The Khandoba temple in Jejuri is built on a hill and offers good views all around. One has to climb a series of almost 200 steps to reach the sanctum sanctorum. There are various stone images of elephants on either sides of the main gateway of the temple. The entire flat plateau above the hill is surrounded by a stone pavement in the center, of which stands the Khandoba shrine.

The idol of Sri Khandoba enshrined inside the temple is simply beautiful. There are three weapons housed in Jejuri Temple, a sword, a damaru and a paral. They are very exquisite and also have historical importance attached to them. A Sword Competition is held every year at the temple, on the occasion of Dussera. The one, who lifts the sword of the temple high up, for the maximum time, is declared as the winner. It attracts people from all over the state on the occasion of Bandara festival.

Temple story:-

The Khandoba temple was built on a hill top with a fort around. The heroes were the bees and the villain was Aurangazeb. We can see a small niche housing a sivalinga and it is called as Savalaksha Bhunga, meaning that a bee worth a lakh and a quarter of coins. The story begins with Aurangazeb raiding the temple during one of his campaigns when he conquered another fort, Daulat Mangal Fort which is near to this place. He saw the Jejuri fort (which was enclosing the temple) after conquering Daulat Mangal fort. He wanted to conquer the Jejuri Fort. He reached with his army to this fort but found that sturdy gates were closed. So he wanted to break the walls of the fort and come inside. He then ordered to make a hole in the wall by putting a dynamite exactly at the place where the Savalaksha Bhunga lies now. Does Khandoba like this kind of thing to happen? Suddenly there emerged from the hole lot of honey bees one after the other in quick succession. The honey bees attacked the army of Aurangazeb with great noise covering each soldier's body completely. So the soldiers told about this to Aurangazeb. Aurangazeb was completely paralyzed. Then one of the Hindu soldier told him that Lord Khandoba is very powerful and ever vigilant to protect his devotees. He then suggested that by appearing in front of him alone, the trouble would be removed. So Aurangazeb order at once an offering of One lakh and a quarter coins to God Khandoba. When the offering was made, the honey bees disappeared soon. So Aurangazeb did not know how it happened, but realized that God was so powerful and bowed down in front of Khandoba

Amba Devi Temple, Amaravati, Maharashtra

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Amba Devi Temple-Amaravati

Shri Amba Devi temple is situated at the heart of the city of Amaravati, Maharashtra, which is 155 km from Nagpur.  The presiding deity is Amba Devi (Goddess of Shakti). According to legends, it is believed that Shri Krishna married Rukmini after abducting her when she came to pray at the Amba Devi temple. Goddess Amba is popular amongst the devotees from Vidarbha.

The temple is dedicated to the main deity of the district “Goddess Amba”, who is another incarnation of Goddess Durga.  Amravati district is believed to have been named after the presiding deity, which translates as “The Eternal City” or “The City of The Immortals.”

Shri Amba Devi temple is so ancient that one cannot find even a single mention of it in the old gazetteers. The temple is held in great reverence by Hindus and people from different corners of not only Maharashtra, but the whole of India, who come all the way to Amravati to pay respects to the Goddess.

One of the major attractions of the temple is the Navratri festival, when the whole temple gets beautifully decorated.  People belonging to, even the neighboring cities flock to the festival during this time, to catch a glimpse of the Goddess.  During Navratris, a huge mela (fair) is organized on the grounds of the Ambadevi temple, in which the devotees participate with full enthusiasm. The nearby hotels provide a solution to the accommodation problem faced by the pilgrims.

There is a very interesting legend associated with the Amba Devi temple of Amaravati.  It goes that king Bhishma's daughter Rukmini fell in love with Lord Krishna, after hearing the tales of his courage. However, her brother Rukmiya, fixed her marriage with his friend, king Shishupal of Chedi.  It is said that Rukmini was kidnapped by the Lord Krishna, just a day before her marriage with Shishupal, when she came to visit the Ambadevi temple.

Varada Vinayak temple,Mahad Village ,Khalapur

Good morning.( 27th June 2017)

Varada Vinayak temple is located in Mahad Village
On NATIONAL HIGHWAY NO.4, NEAR MUMBAI PUNE EXPRESS HIGHWAY, KHALAPUR-410203

This is a famous Ganesha temple in India. A nandadeep or

lamp has been lit in this Hindu temple continuously since the 1892. It is one of the Ashtavinayak temples of the Hindu deity Ganesha.

The idol of this Indian temple, Varada Vinayak is supposed to have originated itself and was found in the adjoining lake in 1690 AD. The temple was built in 1725 AD by Subhedar Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar. The temple has a beautiful pond. The idol of this Hindu temple faces east. There is an oil lamp in this shrine which is said to be burning continuously since 1892. This temple also has the idols of Mushika, Navagraha Devtas and a Shivalinga. There are 4 elephant idols guarding the 4 sides of this Hindu temple. In this Ashta Vinayak temple, devotees can enter the Garbagriha and pay their homage and respects to the idol personally.

According to the temple legends,King Bhima of  Koudinyapur had no child. He and his wife met sage Vishwamitra when they went to the forest to do penance. Vishwamitra gave the king a mantra, Ekashar Gajana mantra to chant and thus his son and heir, prince Rukmaganda was born. Rukmaganda grew up into a beautiful young prince.

Once on a hunting trip, Rukmanganda stopped at the ashram of the  Rishi Vachaknavi. The Rishi's wife, Mukunda fell in love at the sight of the handsome prince and asked him to fulfill her desires. The virtuous prince flatly refused and left the ashram. Mukunda became lovesick. Sensing an opportunity, King Indra took the form of Rukmaganda and made love to her. Mukunda became pregnant and gave birth to a son Gritsamada.

When Gritsamada came to know about the truth of his birth, he cursed his mother to become an unattractive and thorny berry-bearing "Bhor" plant. Mukunda in turn cursed Gritsamada, that a cruel rakshas (demon) will be born to him. Suddenly they both heard a heavenly voice saying, "Gritsamada is the son of Indra", shocking them but too late to alter their respective curses. Mukunda was transformed into the Bhor plant. Gritsamada, ashamed and penitent, retreated to the Pushpak forest where he prayed to Lord Ganesha (Ganapati). Lord Ganesha was pleased by Gritsamada's penance and offered him a boon that he will have a son who would not be defeated by anybody other than Shiva. Gritsamada asked Ganesha to bless the forest, so that any devotees who pray here would be successful and urged Ganesha to stay there permanently . Gritsamada built a temple there and the Ganesha idol installed there is called Varadavinayaka. Today the forest is known as Bhadraka.

The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga shrine, Aurangabad,Maharashtra.

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Grishneshwar Temple is the abode of one of the 12 Jyotirling. The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga shrine is located at Verul in Aurangabad district in Maharashtra.  Located close to Daulatabad (once known as Devagiri) is the popular tourist attractions Ajanta – Ellora caves.

The holy tree of this temple is Vilwa.The holy water of this temple is well water.The agamam or Pooja of this temple is called as Kameeyam.The temple is around 2000-3000 years old in this region.

The Grishneswar Temple was constructed by Ahilyabhai Holkar.
The Grishneshwar Temple is also known by several other names like Kusumeswar and Grushmeswar temples.

Stala Purana of  Grishneshwar temple:-

The Grishneshwar temple has its root in several legendary tales. As the legendary tale goes, a devotee by the name of Kusuma used to offer prayers to Lord Shiva by dipping the Shivalinga in a water tank. When her son was killed by her husband’s first wife out of jealousy, she continued her rituals and one day Lord Shiva appeared before her, answered her prayers by miraculously restoring her son’s life.

Legend:-

According to the Shiva Purana, on a mountain named Devagiri, a Brahmin called Brahmavetta Sudharma lived along with his wife Sudeha. The couple did not have a child  which upset Sudeha greatly. Sudeha prayed and tried all possible remedies but it was of no use. In the end, out of frustration, Sudeha married her sister Ghushma to her husband. On Sudeha’s saying, Ghushma used to regularly discharge 101 shiv linga in the nearby lake.

With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Ghushma gave birth to a baby boy. This made Sudeha jealous of her sister. Out of jealousy, one night she killed Ghushma’s son and threw his body in the lake.

Next morning, Ghushmas and Sudharma got involved in their daily prayers and didn’t notice anything amiss. Sudeha too, got up and started performing her daily chores. Ghusma’s daughter-in-law however saw her husband’s bed covered in blood. Horrified, she told Ghushma and Sudharma about everything. Such was Sudharma’s and Ghushma’s devotion to the Lord that they did not deter even for a second and kept calm. Ghushma said that the Lord had blessed her with her son and he would protect him. She even went down to the lake and saw her son walking towards her. Even then she did not express any emotion. At that time Lord Shiv appeared before her and told her that Sudeha had killed her son. Even then, Ghushma asked the Lord to forgive Sudeha and emancipate her. Impressed by her devotion and generosity, Lord Shiva granted her another boon. Ghushma wished that the Lord should reside in the village in the form of a jyotirlinga in order to protect the people and that he should be known by her name.

Katarmal Sun Temple, Almora, Uttarakhand.

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Katarmal Sun Temple is at an altitude of 2116 meters above sea level, in the Kumaon Division of Uttarakhand, India. Sun temple in Katarmal built in the 9th century Katarmal near by Almora has the Second important Sun Temple in the country, the first Sun temple being the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha.

Katarmal Sun Temple is Situated 7 Kms from Almora, Uttarakhand.

Katarmal Sun temple is around 70 kms away from Nainital.

Katarmal Sun temple was built

by KATARMALLA, a Katyuri Raja, in the 9th century. In the early medieval period, Kumaon was ruled by the Katyuri dynasty.




It is believed that when Pandavas were in exile, one of the conditions that were levied on them by the Kauravas, was “They must maintain their anonymity for fourteen years of their exile“. One breach of such a condition, they won’t get their kingdom back. It is said in the Mahabharata, Pandavas once built a magnificent Sun Temple in a single day as their hideout, but due to some reason they had to fled the temple, and the structure was left incomplete. Katarmal, temple of Almora, whose part of the roof is half- finished is assumed to be that temple. Even today, the partially complete roof of the temple is clearly visible.




About Katarmal Sun Temple :-




The Katarmal Sun Temple is a monument of historical importance and also is an example of intricate sculpturing. The first rays of the sun falls straight on this Sun Temple.




The main deity of the Sun temple in Katarmal is called Burhadita or Vraddhaditya (the old Sun God). The idols of Shiva-Parvati and Lakshmi-Narayana are also found in this temple.




However, the intricately carved doors and panels have been removed to the National Museum in Delhi after the 10th-century idol of the presiding deity was stolen.




The Katarmal Sun temple, noted for its magnificent architecture, artistically made stone and metallic sculptures and beautifully carved pillars and wooden doors, the image of Surya in the temple dates back to 12th century.




The Katarmal Sun temple is now protected and preserved by the Archeological Survey of India and the government is also constructing road and can be easily accessed by foot as a small beautiful trek among the thick deodars leads you to the Sun Katarmal Temple.

Badrinath Temple, Chamoli, Uttarakhand

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Good morning.

Badrinath Temple Chamoli dist-Uttarakhand 

Badrinath temple   sometimes called Badrinarayan temple, is situated along the Alaknanda river, in the hill town of Badrinat.It is widely co


nsidered to be one of the holiest Hindu temples, and is dedicated to god Vishnu. The temple and town are one of the four Char Dham and Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites. It is also one of the 108 Divya Desams, holy shrines for Vaishnavites. The temple is perched at an elevation  of 3133 meters above the sea level.

The presiding deity at the temple of Badrinath is a 3.3ft high Shaligram Shila idol of lord Vishnu and is one of the most auspicious self-manifested idols of the lord.

The temple is open only six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November), due to extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region.

Badrinath is mentioned in religious texts as far back as the Vedic period.

There are many legends about this temple.

According to mythics, Badrinath oftenly called as Badri Vishal, was re-established by Adi Shri Shankaracharaya to revieve the lost prestige of Hinduism and to unite nation in one bond. Badrinath is one land richly infused with sacred accounts from numerous ancient Hindu scriptures. Be it the puranic story of the Pandav brothers, along with Draupadi, going past on their last pilgrimage by ascending the slopes of a peak near Badrinath called Swargarohini or the ‘Ascent to Heaven’ or the visit by Lord Krishna and other great sages, these are just some of the many tales which we associate with this holy tirtha.

One legend explains the reason that Vishnu is shown sitting in padmasana, rather than reclining. According to the story, Vishnu was chastised by a sage who saw Vishnu's consort Lakshmi massaging his feet. Vishnu went to Badrinath to perform austerity, meditating for a long time in padmasana. To this day, the area around Badrinath attracts yogis who come for meditation and seclusion.

One more logical Legend explains both name itself and sitting posture as this place was full of Badri (Bael Fruit,'Ber' in Hindi) bushes and Vishnu meditating for couple of hundred years,beloved Lakshmi stood next to him sheltering him from scorching sunlight turned into a Badri herself called 'BADRI VISHAL' and her lord(Nath) became the BadriNath.

Another legend says that Shiva and Parvati were doing tapas in Badrinath. Vishnu came in disguise as a small boy, crying loudly and disturbing them. Parvati asked the reason for his crying and he replied that he wanted Badrinath for meditation. Shiva and Parvati found that it was Lord Narayan in disguise. They then left Badrinath and moved to Kedarnath.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, "There in Badrikashram the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana,(fifth avatar of Lord Vishnu) had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities."The Skanda Purana states that “There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath.” The area around Badrinath was also celebrated in Padma Purana as abounding in spiritual treasures.

Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar

Good morning. (23rd June 2017)

Chandi Devi Temple, Haridwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi in the holy city of Haridwar in the Uttarakhand state of India. The temple is situated atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Sivalik Hills, the southernmost mountain chain of the Himalayas. Chandi Devi Temple was built in 1929 by Suchat Singh in his reign as the King of Kashmir. However, the main murti of Chandi Devi at the temple is said to have been installed in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest priests of Hindu religion. The temple also known as Neel Parvat Teerth is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) located within Haridwar. Chandi Devi Temple is highly revered by devotees as a Siddh Peetha which is a place of worship where desires get fulfilled. It is one of three such Peethas located in Haridwar, the other two being Mansa Devi Temple and Maya Devi Temple.


Goddess Chandi also known as Chandika is the presiding deity of the temple.

 The story of the origin of Chandika is as follows: Long time ago, the demon kings Shumbha and Nishumbha had captured the kingdom of the god-king of heaven – Indra and thrown the gods from Swarga (heaven). After intense prayers by the gods, Parvati assumed the form of Chandi, an exceptionally beautiful woman and amazed by her beauty, Shumbha desired to marry her. On being refused, Shumbha sent his demon chiefs Chanda and Munda to kill her. They were killed by goddesss Chamunda who originated out of Chandika’s anger. Shumbha and Nishumbha then collectively tried to kill Chandika but were instead slain by the goddess. Thereafter, Chandika is said to have rested for a short while at the top of Neel Parvat and later a temple was built here to testify the legend. Also, the two peaks located in the mountain range are called Shumbha and Nishumbha.

Mahasu Devta Temple, Hanol village, Uttarakhand

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Mahasu Devta Temple is on the eastern bank of Tons River (Tamas) at Hanol village, near Chakrata, about 190 km from Dehradun and 156 km from Mussoorie in Uttarakhand state.

In the deitydom, Mahasu Devta is not only

the sole arbiter over the mortals, he also reigns supreme over the innumerable indigenous gods and goddesses. He exercises his authority over the religious dispensation of people and secular matters. Disputes among the people are settled through a unique LotaPani adjuration. For this purpose water is ritually filled in a metallic goblet in the name of Mahasu Devta by a neutral person, then the disputants are asked to drink that water in the name of Mahasu Devta. The party who has given the false statement suffers on drinking the water.


Legend:-

Mahasu Devta appears in quadruple form as the four brothers. The legend tells when Krishna disappeared at the end of DwaparYuga the pandavas followed him. They cross the River Tons. Yudhishtra was fascinated by the beauty of place and asked Vishwakarma to build a temple here and stay with Draupadi for nine days. The place subsequently came to known as Hanol, after the name of Huna Bhatt.

At the start of Kaliyuga demons wandered over Uttrakhand devouring people and devastating villages. The greatest demon was Kirmir who had devoured all the seven sons of a pious-hearted Brahmin named Huna Bhatt. Demon cast an evil eye and desired to have the Kirtaka wife of the Brahmin; she prayed to Lord Shiva to protect her chastity. Lord Shiva blinded Kirmir and thus she could run away to her husband. They then prayed to Hatkeshwari Devi of Hatkoti (ashtbhuji Durga) who advised the couple to go to the Kashmir mountains and offer prayer to Lord Shiva to help. They did, and Lord Shiva granted them their wish that all the evils will be killed shortly.

Huna Bhatt was told to go back to his home and perform certain rituals and worship devi. On doing so the shakti emerged from the ground with flames around and told Huna Bhatt to plough every Sunday a part of his field with a plough of solid silver with a shoe of pure gold having yoked a pair of bullocks who had never been put on yoke before. On the seventh Sunday the Mahasu brothers with their ministers and the army will come out and rid the people from the clutches of demon. Huna Bhatt did accordingly, but on sixth Sunday when he had turned on five furrows out of each sprang a deity from the first came Botha from second Pavasi, out of third Vasik and Chalda from the fourth one. All the brothers were called by a common affix of Mahasu (Char Mahasu). From the fifth furrow appeared their heavenly mother Devladli Devi and their ministers. Countless army sprang out like mushrooms from the field. Huna Bhatt did as directed and the whole army of the demon was killed by Mahasu brothers. Kirmir was taken by Chalda Devta in a ravine of Mount Khanda. The marks of his sword on the rock can be seen today.

During the absence of the Mahasu brothers, demon Keshi took control of Hanol. Chalda Devta and his warriors Shitkulia, Kaolu and others set out with the army to the mountains of Masmor where Keshi had gone. The demon was killed; Chalda Devta returned jubilantly to visit with his heroes the places named by him. He divided the country among the brothers so that they may rule their respective territory and guard against calamities of all the people who would worship them as god and perform jagara.

However, a mistake erupted in the venture of the Mahasu brothers. In the beginning, Mahasu Devta had pledged their word to Huna Bhatt that they would appear on the seventh Sunday. Since they arrived a week earlier, the Mahasu brothers were hurt by the blade of Huna Bhatt's plough — he was in the field unaware of their untimely arrival. As a result, Botha was hurt in the knee and became unable to walk. Vasik's eye was damaged by the blade of grass which impaired his vision. Pavasi had a small piece cut out of his ear. Only Chalda and Devladli Mata remained unhurt. Thereafter Botha preferred to settle within his temple at Hanol on the right bank of river tons. Pavasi keep moving over his domain and spend years turn by turn at Hanol, Lakhmandal, Authana and Uttarkashi. Chalda, being sound of limb, was to exercise away in the whole dominion in the Botha Mahasu name — twelve years on end he roamed among his subjects.

Each of four deities has a bir (attendant). They are Kapala, Kaolu, Kailath and Shitkulia. All the birs have balyayinis (female helpers).

Chitai Almora, Almora , Uttarakhand

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This temple of Chitai Almora is dedicated to Gollu or Goljyu Devta an incarnation of Lord Shiva in the form of Gaur Bhairav. There are many more temples in Almora but this is the most famous and sacred one. It is situated at 8kms from Almora on Jageshwar Dham road-Uttarakhand. 

It is reputed to make every wish come true, provided the worshipper ask for it with a clear conscience.

The temple is identified by a large number of bells hanging in the premises. These bells are hung by the devotees as offerings making a wish or in thanksgiving on the fulfillment of one’s wish. This is an important religious attraction on the tourist map. It is the most sacred temple for the people of Almora and the neighboring villages. The walls of the temple are covered with court stamp papers by those who did not get justice in the court. Around the temple are hanging thousands of bells, which have been donated by those people whose wishes have been fulfilled.

According to history, Golu devta is considered as the brave son and General of Katyuri king, Jhal Rai and his mother Kalindra and grand-father Hal Rai. Historically the origin of Golu Devta is accepted at Champawat. His mother is believed to be the sister of two other local deities Harishchand Devjyun and Sem Devjun.

Another legend suggests that, once a king went to the forest for hunting when he felt thirsty and asked his servants to fetch water for him. For the purpose, the servants disturbed a lady deep in meditation. The king became fond of the lady and married her. The other queens became jealous of her and threw the newborn baby into a well and a fisherman found it. They replaced the baby with a stone. Years later when the prince realized about his true identity, he took a wooden horse and tried to make the horse drink water from the lake. When the king notices this, he tells him that the horse wouldn’t drink water. To this the kid retorts that if a woman can give birth to a stone, then why can’t a wooden horse drink water. Realizing the truth, the king punished the other queens and his son went to be crowned and was known as the Gwalla Devata.

There are other tales that say Golu Devta was killed by the king of Binsar due to some false doubt and he was beheaded by the king. His head fell at Kaparkhan and his body fell at Gairad at Dana Golu where the temple now stands.

Garjiya Devi Temple, Ramnagar

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Garjiya Devi Temple, Ramnagar

Garjiya Devi Temple is located in the Garjiya village near Ramnagar on NH 121 in Nainital district, Uttarakhand. It is 13km away from Rmanagar and 75km from Nainital. It is situated on the outskirts of the Corbett National park. It is a shakti shrine. Garjiya Devi is the presiding deity. It is situated on a huge rock in midst of river Kosi.  It is one of the famous temples in the Nainital district.

Legends believe that Garjiya Devi is the incarnation of Goddess Parvati, daughter of King of Himalayas, Giriraj. On the day of Kartik Poornima, a big fair is organized at the temple. It is attended by thousands of devotees. It is a holy day celebrated on the fifteenth lunar day of the Kartik month i.e.  November- December. Kartik Purnima also coincides with Guru Nanak Jayanti.

The Temple visit is open for tourists all round the year except for the monsoon season since the water level in river Kosi increases.

Dhikuli is an ancient rural region located near to Ramnagar and the history of Garjiya devi mandir is mainly related to this place as per the stories and beliefs of the people in Ramnagar. Being one of the sacred Shakti peetha of the region, Garjiya Devi temple is closely connected with the ancient royal families like Katyuri, Kuru etc.  There are many stories related to the origin of the Garjiya Devi temple

Goddess Parvati is also known by the name Girija because she is believed to be the daughter of the Mountains, Himavan. The form of Shakti residing in the Garjiya devi temple Uttarakhand is the calm and peaceful avatar of Maa Paarvati. Visiting this place gives a chance to please both God Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Another myth is that in order to control the over-flooded river Kosi, Bhairav Dev the devotee of Lord Shiva asked Garjiya, his sister to marry Kosi and reside there itself to control the anger of the river. Obeying his order, his sister Garjiya married Kosi and start residing in the rock located in the Kosi river. Garjiya, being one of the avatar of Goddess Parvati, blessed the entire place divine with her presence and it is believed that after Garjiya Devi resided at the rock, river Kosi never flooded again.

Kedarnath Mandir, Garhwal Himalayan, Kedarnath

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Kedarnath Mandir is dedicated to god Shiva. It is on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini River in Kedarnath. Kedarnath is a Jyotirlinga temple and also forms part of the Chota Char Dham circuit. During the winters, the vigrahas (deities) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshiped there for six months. Lord Shiva i

s worshiped as Kedarnath, the ‘Lord of Kedar Khand’, the historical name of the region. The temple is at a height of 3,583 m (11,755 ft), 223 km from Rishikesh on the shores of Mandakini river. It is a tributary of Ganga and is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. The structure is believed to have been constructed in the 8th century AD when Adi Shankara visited. The present structure is on a site adjacent to where Pandavas are believed to have built the temple. It has one Garbhagriha and a Mandapa and stands on a plateau surrounded by snow clad mountain and glaciers. In front of the temple, directly opposite to inner shrine, is a Nandi statue carved out of a rock.

The present Head priest or Raval of Kedarnath temple is Shri Vageesha Lingacharya. Shri Vageesh Ligaacharya belongs from the Village Banuvalli of Taluka Harihar of Davanagere district in Karnataka. During Pooja of Lord Shiva at Kedarnath, the mantras are pronounced in the Kannada language.

According to Hindu History, during the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas killed their relatives; to absolve themselves of this sin; the Pandavas undertook a pilgrimage. But Lord Vishweshwara was away in Kailasa in the Himalayas. On learning this, the Pandavas left Kashi. They reached the Himalayas via Haridwar. They saw Lord Shankara from a distance who tried to hide from them. Then Dharmaraj said: “Oh, Lord, You have hidden from our sight because we have sinned. But, we will seek You out somehow. Only after we take your Darshan would our sins be washed away. This place, where You have hidden will be known as Guptakashi and become a famous shrine.”

From Guptakashi (Rudraprayag), the Pandavas went ahead till they reached Gaurikund in the Himalayas valleys. They wandered there in search of Lord Shankara. While doing so, Nakul and Sahadev found a buffalo which was unique to look at.

Then Bheema went after the buffalo with his mace. The buffalo was clever and Bheema could not catch him. But Bheema managed to hit the buffalo with his mace. The buffalo had its face hidden in a crevice in the earth. Bheema started to pull it by its tail. In this tug-of-war, the face of the buffalo went straight to Nepal, leaving its hind part in Kedar. The face is Doleshwar Mahadev in Sipadol, Bhaktapur, Nepal.

On this hand part of Mahesha, a JyotirLinga appeared and Lord Shankara appeared from this light. By getting a Darshan of Lord Shankar, the Pandavas was absolved of their sins. The Lord told the Pandavas, “From now on, I will remain here as a triangular shaped JyotirLinga. By taking a Darshan of Kedarnath, devotees would attain piety”. A triangular shaped rock is worshiped in Garbhagriha of the temple. Surrounding Kedarnath, there are many symbols of the Pandavas. Raja Pandu died at Pandukeshwar. The tribals here perform a dance called, “Pandav Nritya”. The mountain top where the Pandavas went to Swarga is known as “Swargarohini”, which is located in Badrinath. When Darmaraja was leaving for Swarga, one of his fingers fell on the earth. At that place, Dharmaraj installed a Shiva Linga, which is the size of the thumb. To gain Mashisharupa, Shankara and Bheema fought with maces. Bheema was struck with remorse. He started to massage Lord Shankara’s body with ghee. In memory of this event, even today, this triangular Shiva JyotirLinga is massaged with ghee. Water and Bel leaves are used for worship.

When Nara-Narayan went to Badrika village and started the worship of Parthiva, Shiva appeared before them. Nara-Narayan wished that, for the welfare of the humanity, Shiva should remain there in his original form. Granting their wish, in the snow-clad Himalayas, in a place called Kedar, Mahesh himself stayed there as a Jyoti. Here, He is known as Kedareshwara.

Sri Neelamega Perumal Temple, Garhwal,Uttarkhand

Good morning.

Sri Neelamega Perumal Temple is one of the famous Hindu temple. It is Situated in town Deva Prayag of Tehir Garhwal District,Uttarkhand. Out of the 108 divya desams, it lies in the 103th place.This is called as Thirukandam.

Thirukandam is also called as “Kadinagar” and “Devaprayag”. It is situated aroud 1700 feet from the sea level. Rivers Alaknanda and Bagirathi mingle here at Deva Prayag to form. Thus this place of Confluence is considered very Sacred and bath here in ganga is considered purifying.

About the Deity

The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Neelamega Perumal also called as Lord Purushothaman, found in a standing posture facing towards the east. And the goddess of the temple is Pundareega Valli Thayaar.

It is said that performing Annadhanam here is very Famous. A king by name of Swetha Kethu did a number of good deeds. After his death, his soul was possessed by an insatiable hunger. Swetha Kethu approached Bharma to solve his problem of hunger. Brahma told him that Swetha kethu was suffering because he did not perform any Annadhanam.Swetha Kethu at the advice of Brahma approached Agasthya Muni.
Agasthiya Muni told him to gift his punyams in the form of a gold ring. This gold ring was sold by  Agasthiya Muni and Annadhanam was performed at Deva Prayag. This Sorted the problem of Swetha Kethu. This is also the place where Pandavas bathed and prayed to the Lord to get rid of their sins of killing their relatives in the war.

The banyan tree located in the temple here would survive the pralaya at the end of  kali yuga. It said that Vishnu,Shiva and Brahma reside inside this tree. The Perumal would swallow the entire universe and as baby lie down on one of the leaves of this tree as Vadapathra Sayee and save the entire universe from destruction.

The king of this place came and workshiped for Purushothaman guidance.The Perumal appeared in the dream of the king and asked him to get Periyazhwar here. Accordingly, Priyazhawar came and praise this perumal by his song. This brought rain to this region. The Perumal on whom Periyazhwar sung Mangalasasanam is called Raghunathji. It is said that Rama, Dasaratha, Brahma did Penance here. Raghunathji is said to have been consecrated by Adi Shankara. A beautiful Hanuman is seen behind the temple.

Kartik Swami, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

Good morning.

Kartik Swami is a temple dedicated to God Kartikeya, elder son of Lord Shiva and is positioned at a high altitude amidst the serene beauty of Himalayas in the Gaharwal Region, in the Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand. 

The temple can be reached by a 3 km trek from Kanak Chauri village, which is located on the Rudraprayag-Pokhri route, 38 km from Rudraprayag.

Kartik Swami is considered as “God for War and Victory” and is known as Murugan Swami in Tamil Nadu, Subramanya in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and Kartikeya in Bengal.

Kartik temple is situated at the end of a narrow ridge with a deep valley and is perched at a high altitude Of 3,050mts above sea level. It doles our wonderful view To Himalayan range and nature’s sheen that Is entirely impeccable. The temple encompasses an idol of Lord Kartik Swami carved on a marble rock.

The temple of Kartik Swami is one of its kinds in the whole of northern India, with the view of snow covered Himalayas one gets to have from such height being indescribable. This sort of sight is very rare to come across.

The legend states that once Lord Shiva told their sons lord Kartik and lord Ganesha that one of them will get the privilege to worship first whoever comes first after taking a complete round of the universe. Kartik started his journey but lord Ganesha shows his intelligence and circles around Lord Shiva by saying that whole universe is in him. Lord Shiva impressed by his intelligence gave the privilege to be worshipped first to Ganesha. Lord Kartik got angry with this and gave his flesh to mother Parvati and bones to his father Lord Shiva. In this temple the bones of lord Kartikeya are shown in the idol.

Chandika Sthan, Munger, Bihar

Good morning.

Chandika Sthan is a Hindu temple situated in Munger, in the Indian state of Bihar on the bank of river Ganga, among the Vindhya mountain in a cave.
 It is one of the sixty-four Shakti Peethas, places of worship consecrated to the goddess Shakti. On the Northeast corner of Munger, Chandika Sthan is just two kilometers away from the Munger town. Being a Siddhi-Peetha, Chandika Sthan is considered to be one of the most sacred and sanctified temples, as important as the Kamakshya temple near Guwahati.

Legendary tales and the Hindu folklore say that it was to save the world from

the anger of Lord Shiva, as he took the corpse of Sati and wandered. The same legend says that the left eye of the Sati fell at Munger, which subsequently developed into a place of worship of the Divine Mother Chandi. Among the different Shakti peethas, Chandika Sthan is famous for the cure of eye troubles, as per the traditional belief of the local folklore.


The Chandika Sthan Temple is believed to be a Shakti Peetha, the divine shrine of Shaktism. The mythology of Daksha Yaga and Sati’s self-immolation and Shiva carrying the corpse of Sati Devi is the story of origin behind the Shakti Peetha shrines. It is believed that Sati Devi’s left eye has fallen here. Another legend connected with Chandika Sthan is regarding King Karna of the ancient Indian kingdom of Anga, who used to worship Chandi Mata every day and in turn, the Goddess gave him 11/4 pounds (equivalent to 50 kilograms) of gold for distribution among the needy and downtrodden at Karanchaura, now a local name for the vicinity. In the city of Munger, the eastern region of the city on the bank of river Ganga, among the Vindhya Mountain in a cave, Shakti Peeth Maa Chandika Sthan is situated with a historical importance. The place where Chandika Sthan is situated, their left eye of Maa had fallen, it is said that the history of Chandika Sthan is related to Raja Karna. Raja Karna was a worshipper of Maa. Raja Karna used to worship Maa daily, he used to daily come in mandir and jump into boiling ghee, according to saints, Maa used to give Darshan to Raja Karna and made his dead body alive.

The Ramchaura Mandir Hajipur, Bihar

 
Good morning.


The Ramchaura Mandir is a Hindu Temple in the city of Hajipur, Bihar, India. Dedicated to Lord Rama, it is located at Rambhadra near Helabazar, Hajipur. As per local folklore, it is said to have been in existence since Ramayana period and Lord Shri Ram is believed to have visited this place on his way to Janakpur, where his footprints are worshiped. The Ramchaura Mandir has tradition of celebrating Rama Navami, the birth anniversary of Rama, every year. A small fair is also organised on the eve of Rama Navami.

Archeological objects excavated from Ramchaura are kept at the Patna Museum.

Etymology

Chaura is a Bhojpuri language word which means orchid.

Deity


The presiding deity of the temple is 'Lord Rama'. Rama Navami is celebrated with full zeal and enthusiasm. It is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Ram is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. The SreeRama Navami festival falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Shuklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations.

Significance of a Ramchaura Mandir


Lord Shri Ram Chandra, the legendary king of Ayodhya during his learning period had arrived here and had got his Mundan (first head shaving ceremony) done. The temple hence was made on his footprints and this place has great religious value for the Hindu populace. This footprint is at the altitude of 45 mts from ground. Bael (Aegle marmelos) is taken as prashad on the eve of Rama Navami. "Bari Sangat" and "Chhoti Sangat" is also situated near this pious place. During ancient period many Saints, Mahatmas and Yogi used to visit these "Sangats" and offered prayer. A popular fair is also organised here on the occasion of Rama Navami every year.

The Vishnupada Mandir,Gaya-Bihar

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The Vishnupada Mandir is an ancient temple in Gaya-Bihar, India. It is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is located along the Falgu River, marked by a footprint of Lord Vishnu known as Dharmasila, incised into a block of basalt.  Vishnu foot print inside the Vishnupada Mandir, the 40 cm long footprint of Lord Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock and surrounded by a silver plated basin.

The construction date of the temple is unknown and it is believed that Rama along with Sita had visited this place. The present day structure was rebuilt by Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, the ruler of Indore, in 1787, on the banks of the Falgu river. 

Once a demon known as Gayasura did a heavy penance and sought a boon that whoever see him should attain salvation (Moksham). Since salvation is achieved through being righteous in one’s lifetime, people started obtaining it easily. To prevent immoral people from attaining salvation Lord Vishnu asked Gayasura to go beneath the earth and did so by placing his right foot on asura’s head. After pushing Gayasura below the surface of the earth, Lord Vishnu’s footprint remained on the surface that we see even today. The footprint consists of nine different symbols including Shankam, Chakram, and Gadham. These are believed to be weapons of the lord. Gayasura now pushed into earth pleaded for food. Lord Vishnu gave him a boon that every day, someone will offer him food. Whoever does so, their souls will reach heaven. The day Gayasura doesn’t get food, it is believed that he will come out. Every day, one or the other from different parts of India will pray for the welfare of his departed and offer food, feeding Gayasura.

Within the temple stands the immortal banyan tree Akshayavat where the final rituals for the dead take place.

The next legend concerns the Falguni river. There is never much water in the river at Gaya, though apparently, there is water upstream as well as downstream. It is clear that there is water under the ground, because, even as one digs into the ground with ones fingers, water appears. This is apparently because of a curse on the river. The story goes that Rama, along with his brothers and Sita, came to Gaya to perform the sacred rites for his father, Dasaratha. When the brothers were bathing in the river, Sita was sitting on the banks, playing with the sand. Suddenly, Dasaratha appeared out of the sand, and asked for the Pindam, saying he was hungry. Sita asked him to wait till his sons returned, so that she could give him the traditional Pindam of rice and tilam. He refused to wait, asking her to give him pindams made of the sand in her hand. Having no other option, she gave him the Pindam he desired with five witnesses – the Akshaya Vatam, the Falguni River, a cow, a Tulsi plant and a Brahmin. Soon, Rama returned and started the rituals. In those days apparently, the ancestors would arrive in person to collect their share, and when Dasaratha did not appear, they wondered why. Sita then told them what had happened, but Rama could not believe that his father would accept pindams made of sand. Sita now mentioned her witnesses, and asked them to tell Rama the truth. Among the five, only the Akshaya Vatam took her side and told the truth, while the others lied, trying to take Rama’s side. In her anger, Sita cursed all of them thus: the Falguni river henceforth would have no water at Gaya; the Cow would no longer be worshipped from the front as all others are- only its backside would be worshipped; there would be no more Tulsi plants at Gaya and the Gaya Brahmins would never be satisfied, they would always be hungry and crave more and more. She then blessed the Akshaya Vatam saying that all who came to Gaya would perform the Pinda pradaanam at the Akshaya Vatam too.

 A Pind Daan done at Gaya on Panchakroshi Gayakshetra is believed to guarantee a safe passage for the souls of twelve generations.

The Ganpati Temple, Ratnagiri , Konkan

Good morning. (13th June 2017)

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Today is Angarika Sankasthahara Chaturthi.


The Ganpati Temple at Redi is located about 30 km from Vengurla, in the coastal district of Ratnagiri in the Konkan region. The deity of the temple is the sitting form of Lord Ganesha and approximately 15 meters in height. The most astounding part is that the idol was recovered from beneath the earth, after a local person dreamt of a buried idol of the Lord and started excavating the area.

On April 18th, 1976 one truck-driver, Sadanand Nagesh Kambali parked his truck at a particular place. This truck used to ply from Reddi  (iron & minerals) mines to harbour. That truck -driver slept there and he had a dream. In dream, God Ganesha gave him divine appearance and told him to dig at the very same place, since He(God) is residing there. He had great faith in Lord Ganesha. As per his dream, he started digging there and to the astonishment of all the villagers, there appeared two-handed idol of Lord Ganesha, carved in solid rock. The date was 1st May 1976. After seeking omen from Gram–Devata (Village deity), it was decided to build a temple at the very spot and establish this deity. After few days, in the same area they excavated a big idol of mouse, which is a traditional vehicle of Ganesha. These idols are very pretty and graceful. Today one. can visit beautifully built temple and get delighted by taking “Darshan” of the adorable deity.

Now, after an investigation it has been found that the statue was made by the Pandava during their rule. The statue is approximately 6 ft in height and 4 ft in width. The Ganesh idol is in a sitting position and is Dwibhuja (two arms) as compared to rest of the idols which are generally Chaturbhuja (four arms).

The Pataleshwar Mandir, Hajipur,Bihar

Good morning. (12th June 2107)

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The Pataleshwar Mandir is a Hindu Temple in the city of Hajipur, in Vaishali district Bihar, India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is located at Jadhua Road, Hajipur. As per local folklore, it is said to have been in existence since ancient peri

od and Lord Shiva is believed to be in the form of Lingam here. Apart from anthropomorphic images of Shiva, the worship of Shiva in the form of a lingam, or linga, is also important. The worship of the Shiva-Linga originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva-Veda Samhita sung in praise of the Yupa-Stambha, the sacrificial post. The lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples.

The Pataleshwar Temple has an interesting origin — King Siddharaj Solanki of the Solanki era was born at this site. In celebration, Maharani Minaldevi ordered that a well should be dug at the spot for thirsty travelers. While digging the well, a Shiva Linga was unearthed, and therefore, the Pataleshwar temple was later built in the shape of a well.

It was aptly christened Patal-eshwar, which means ‘Lord under the ground’; The actual temple built in the 8th century AD lies 40 feet below the ground, while the new structure on top has only been recently added. On many original stones used to build the temple, inscriptions showing different symbols of snakes (who adorn Lord Shiva’s neck) are found.

It is a Swayanbhu Shivlinga(self created) and believed that it came out from the earth without any efforts. It is believed that that in ancient time a lion roared daily near the temple in the morning and evening. There is also a beautiful statue of Nandi and snake god which is installed in front of the temple. Many saints came here time to time and meditate here.

According to few legends

During the exile period of Pandavas, the brother Arjuna meditated hard for lord Shiva. Being pleased, lord Shiva appeared himself before Arjuna and told him to ask for a boon. Arjuna prayed lord Shiva to retain himself at this place in the form of Shiva linga for public welfare. Lord Shiva accepted his prayer and told him that one who worships him and pours water on the Shivling will be blessed and fulfilled with all his wishes.

The place where lord Shiva standing a shivling started to come out from the earth by itself. Coming out of the shivling from the earth leads to name Pataleshwar Mahadev.

It is told that every year on Shivratri the Shivlinga increases by an inch. That is why  Pataleshwar Mahadev shivling is unique in the world and has become the centre of religious faith for Hindus.

The Sun temple of Deo

Good morning & Happy Sunday. (11th June 2017)

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The Sun temple of Deo is one of the most popular temples in Bihar. The Temple is unique as it faces west, the setting sun not the usual raising Sun. 

Sun Temple of Deo is one of the remarkable and notable temple and religious place in Bihar. It is a 100-ft tall structure, with an umbrella-like top. The important custom of worshipping the Sun God and taking bath in its Brahma Kund dates back to the era of King Ayel. The temple is very old and very well built. It is a mix of nagara art of design and other contemporary art of designs.


Deo is located 10-km to the southeast of Aurangabad. The main structure is a beautifully carved ornamental, pyramid shaped stone built shikhara .The frontal section and the courtyard is built in later period. Presently there are three idols (Vishnu, Surya and Avalokitesawara) at the sanctum which are not the original presiding deity. Outside the main sanctum in the front hall section there are three broken idols kept as it is not the custom to worship a broken deity. One of the broken sculptures is of Surya (the Sun God) sculpture with seven horses, and one Uma- Maheshwara idol and the other is of Vishnu. There is also one Shivlinga and a Ganesha sculpture. An ancient inscription stone is installed at the interior of the temple. This temple is considered very auspicious to visit on the festival of Chatth puja / Adra Nakshatra tithi on Sundays. The Surya Kund is about a km away where the offerings for the rituals are made. The two tanks on either side of the road, known as Rudra Kund (left) and Surya Kund (Right) are believed to cure leprosy and other acute ailments

TEMPLE HISTORY

It is said that once Lord Vishwakarma was told to build temples in one night. And this very temple was built that night. But historically the Temple of Deo, is believed to have been built by Bhairvendra Singh, a Chandravanshi king of Umga. The holy Sunland of Deo is also the place of historical importance where tourist can find ruins of ancient forts mainly built in the era of the king Raja Jagannath Singh. His empire was the time when Deo, bloomed into the great location. His main administration centre was located in “Kanchanpur” village, almost 3-4 kms south of Deo, the other place that is an attraction to the tourists are forests and the baba Siddhanath’s temple, located on the bodla peak near the village of Bara Khurd. The forest here have the well maintained greenery and in history, it was the place where the king and his ministers went for hunting.


The flock of birds flying in, almost threaten to knock you down as you enter the Dev Surya Mandir. Among the rarest and oldest of Sun temples of India, there is a shilalekha outside , on which a shloka that is inscribed, has been taken from the book of Aryabhatta that says that on the fifth day of Magha month’s shukla paksha, Thursday, Eila’s son Aiel established this Sun temple in Tretayuga twelve lakh sixteen thousand years ago. Eila was the daughter of Manu. As legend has it, King Aiel who was suffering from leprosy and was out hunting in the forest here, discovered that the muddy water of a pit cured him of the disease. He dreamt of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh statues in the pit and was ordered to install them. Thus this temple came up. Priest Sachchidananda Pathak says that these three statues depict the eleventh form of Sun God out of twelve. Sun God is depicted as Brahma in Udayakal, as Mahesh in Madhyakal and as Vishnu at Astakal. Below the central statue of Sun God as Mahesh, a chariot is depicted being pulled by seven horses and Arjun as charioteer.

Mahavir Mandir, Patna

Good morning.

Mahavir Mandir Patna is located near Patna Junction. Mahavir Mandir Patna is one of the oldest and leading temple of the country. This temple is devoted to Lord Hanuman. Mahavir Mandir is located in Patna, Bihar. Thousands of devotees come here each day to offer prayer and seek the blessing of Lord Hanuman. It is also called “Manokamana Temple” as it is said that each and every wish of devotees is granted. This is why there is an increasing number of devotees in the temple.

Mahavir Mandir Patna is considered to be the holiest temple in the country that is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Mahavir Mandir Patna is very prominent and renowned temple of Lord Hanuman in Bihar. Millions of devotees come here to seek blessings and offer the prayer because of which it is the second most visited religious place in North India. After Vaishno Devi shrine, Mahavir Temple Trust has the second highest budget. The daily earning of Mahavir Mandir Patna is around 1 lakh. Acharya Kishore Kunal is the secretary of Mahavir Mandir Patna Trust.

Mahavir Mandir Patna History

According to Patna High Court Judgement in 1948, it is said that the Mahavir Mandir Patna exists since immemorial period. Still the first establishment date is unknown to the people. Mahavir Mandir Patna gained popularity in 1947. This is because a large number of refugees came to Patna after partition.
But according to the historic facts and traditions is it said the Mahavir Mandir Patna was originally established by Swami Balanand. He was an ascetic scent in 1730 A.D. The Temple was rebuilt at the time of Independence.

There is no such specific story behind Mahavir Mandir Patna as its existence is still unknown to the people. It is said that this temple exists since immemorial times.

Mahavir Mandir Patna has two idols of Hanumanji standing side by side in the sanctum.

Significance of Mahavir Mandir Patna

The entrance of the Mahavir Mandir Patna is towards the north. There are many facilities like shoe keeping, clean water for washing feet and hand.

Mahavir Temple does not only have temple but a whole temple complex. Towards the left side of the entrance, there are stairs on a raised platform which leads to Garbhagriha. This Garbhagriha is the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Hanuman.

There is again a passage which houses Lord Shiva. This passage has a ritual significance for the devotees who come here to offer prayer and seek blessings.

The first floor of the Mahavir Mandir Patna consists of four sanctum sanctora of Deities. The first one is of Lord Rama. The second one is of Lord Krishna delivering the sermon to Arjun. Goddess Durga is situated next to Lord Krishna. And last but not the least, Lord Shiva meditating with his wife Goddess Parvati and Nandi, the holy ox.
The holy floating Ram Setu Shila is also placed on the ground.This Ram Setu Shila is kept in a glass container. It weighs around 15kgs whereas its volume is around 13,000mm.

Dirgheswari Temple, Guwahati

Good morning.

Dirgheswari Temple is a temple situated in the northern banks of the river Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Assam.

Built by Ahom king Swargadeo Siva Singha, Dirgheswari temple is considered as a Shakti Peethas for Shakti Worship. Many ancient images made on rocks existed along with the temple. The main attraction of Dirgheswari temple is the annual Durga Puja celebrations, in which devotees from far of places use to attend.

Since ancient times, Dirgheswari was a prominent place of Worship for the followers of Shakti cult of Assam. It is said that when Sati, the first wife of Lord Shiva died, Lord Shiva, in his grief was carrying her dead body around the world. In order to pacify Shiva, Lord Vishnuand other Gods decided to get rid of the body of Sati, which had become a source of sorrow for Mahadeva. Lord Vishnu instructed his disc, Sudarshan Chakra, to cut the body of Sati into several parts. The Sudarshan Chakra acted as instructed, and the pieces of Sati’s body were scattered in different parts of the world. While her genitals fell in Nilachal Hill, on which the famous Temple of Kamakhya is situated, another body part of Sati fell in Sitachal hill. From that time onwards the place is considered sacred by the people.

Located on the north bank of the Brahmaputra and linked by a motorable road, this shrine is considered as one of the supreme Devi Tirthas of the state. Isolated and lying at the foot of a range of hills, it has several rock-cut images which can be traced to the 11th to 12th century A.D. This is one of the few temples where buffalo sacrifice is done annually during Durga Puja. On the north of North Guwahati there is a hill named Natuancha. Here Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvoti and other gods resided. This was alternative of Kailash dham, the abode of the Lord Shiva. Here Beula, the traditional chaste got her husband's life back by gaining a boon from Lord Shiva after pleasing him with her charming dance and music. The Dirgheswari Dewalaya in the Dirgheswari hill or 'Sita parbati' exist beside this. The great hermit Markanda had his hermitage here. Lord Shiva also happened to carry on his shoulders his wife's dead body (Sati) over this site hills when one of Sati's limb fell here the Dirgheswari temple was built.