The Vishnupada Mandir,Gaya-Bihar

Good morning.


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.