Sunday, 9 July 2017

Saptashrungi Devi Temple of Devi / Shakti ,Nasik ,Maharashtra.

Good morning.

Saptashrungi Devi Temple of Devi / Shakti in the form of Parvathi at Nasik -Maharashtra.

This temple is one among the 51 Shakti peethas located on the Indian subcontinent and is a location where one of Sati's limbs, her right arm is considered to have fallen when grief-stricken and agitated Shiva was carrying her dead body round the world on his shoulders, and Vishnu had cut her body into pieces with his Sudarshana Chakra.
 

About Saptashrungi Devi Temple

 The Devi is said to be swayambhu (self-manifested) on a rock on the sheer face of a mountain. She is surrounded by seven (sapta-in Sanskrit) peaks (shrunga-in Sanskrit), hence the name- Sapta Shrungi Mata (mother of the seven peaks). The image of Devi is huge-about 10 feet tall with 18 hands, holding various weapons. The idol is always coated with Sindoor, which is considered auspicious in this region.

It is said that,  when the demon king Mahishasura was creating havoc in the forests, the devatas and people urged Durga to kill the demon. Then the 18 armed Saptashrungi Devi,  took the form of Durga and slayed Mahishasura, and since then she is also known as Mahishasura Mardhini. Mahishasura was in the form of a buffalo.  At the foot of the hill, from where one starts climbing the steps, there is the head of a buffalo, made in stone, which is believed to be of demon Mahishasura.

In the epic Ramayana war, when Lakshmana was lying unconscious in the war field, Hanuman came to Saptashrungi hills in search of medicinal herbs to restore his life.

Saptashrungi mountain was a part of the forest called Dandakaranya mentioned in the Ramayana. It is mentioned that Lord Rama, along with Seeta, and Lakshmana had come to these hills to pray to the goddess and seek her blessings.

In the hill of Markandeya, named after Sage Markandeya, there is a cave which is said to have been the abode of the sage.  This hill is located to the east of Saptashringi and a deep ravine divides the two hills. While staying in this cave, Markandeya is believed to have recited puranas (Hindu scriptures) to entertain the Devi.

Another local myth is that,  a tiger resides in the garbagriaha (sanctum sanctorum) every night and  keeps a watch on the temple but goes away before sunrise.
The holy flag of Goddess Bhagawati,  flutters in the north of Saptashringa Garh. Hoisting of the flag is a privilege of a particular family. The ritual of flag hoisting on a specific day is witnessed by thousands ofdevotees.  People believe that the Goddess fulfills their wishes. So this place is frequented by devotees throughout the year.

The Devi is decorated with a high crown (like a papal tiara), and a silver nose-ring and necklaces which are the ornaments used every day.  Her attire is in the form of a robe with a blouse, which are changed with new dresses every day.  Before she is dressed for worship she is religiously given a formal abhisheka or bath.  Warm water is reported to be used for two days in a week. The courtyard in front of the temple,  has a trident or Trishula decorated with bells and lamps. There are other precious ornaments of the goddess which are normally kept at Vani in safe custody,  but are used to decorate the deity on special festival days. The Devi's image is painted bright red with ochre called sindoor, which is considered auspicious in this region. However, the eyes are not touched by the colour but are made of white porcelain, shining very brightly.

Sri Tadbund Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple, Tadbund, Secunderabad , Hyderabad

Good morning.(8th July 2017)


The temple of Sri Tadbund Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple, an ancient and famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman is situated in Sikh Village, Tadbund, near Secunderabad in Hyderabad district of Telangana state.

About The Temple

The temple has a large expansive Mukhamandapam hall with Granite Grabhalayam, Vimana Gopuram and Maharaja Gopuram. Numerous people from many places come to the shrine to do Mandala pradakshinas and Mandala Abhishekam for 40 days. These devotees choose to halt at the temple grounds for 40 days and do pradakshinas and poojas. For the convenience of these devotees choultries were constructed.

This shrine also has a Ashwatha Vruksham (Raavi Chettu), Shami Vruksham (Jammi Chettu), Bilvadala Vruksham, Maaredu Vruksham, Nimba Vruksham (Neem Tree) and Usiri (Amla) chettu etc, in the Devasthanam buildings which are revered by the devotees.

About The Deity

Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy the chief divinity of this shrine is a “Swayambhu” i.e., not created. Idol of Sri Vinayaka Swamy is also Swayambhu is to the left of Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy is on the same large rock inside the garbha gudi. This is the foremost of its kind where Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy along with Sri Ganesha is present on the same rock and is being worshiped by the devotees.

Navagrahas namely Surya, Chandra, Angaraka, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Kethu are also present in the temple premises. Shani Trayodashi is celebrated in the temple when the tithi Trayodashi happens on Saturday. Great numbers of devotees believe this day as an auspicious day and pray to Lord Shani to get relief from all types of Shani-doshas.

As Sri Anjaneya Swamy was acknowledged as one of the personifications of Lord Shiva, Sri Shiva Lingam along with Goddess Parvathi, Vinayaka, Vishnu and Surya which is known as Shiva Panchayathanam was sanctified in the temple grounds. Many devotees worship this Shiva Panchayatanam every day.

Nagaraja, which is said to signify Subramanya Swamy in the form of snake, is also seen in the Shrine. There had in the beginning been a huge ant-hill below raavi chettu inside the temple grounds in which snakes used to live in the past. Nagendra in black granite stone in installed at the same place in the temple premises and is being worshiped by most of the devotees.

Ushtra i.e., Camel is the vehicle (vahanam) of Sri Anjaneya Swamy. As it is stated in the History of Sri Anjaneya and in Sri Anjaneya Mangalashasanam, Camel vahanam in Block Granite stone covered with silver plate is seen in front of Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy inside the temple Grounds.

Sri Suvarchala Veeranjaneya Swamy is revered as Utsava vigrahas in the temple. Suvarchala, the Daughter of Surya (Sun God) is the Consort of Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy according to 1 legend. Sri Anjaneya Swamy had to wed Suvarchala Devi to complete his studies i.e., Nava Vyakaranas out of which four has to be Studied by Gruhasthas (married people) only. As Sri Anjaneya Swamy devoted his entire life for Sri Rama seva, both Sri Anjaneya Swamy and Suvarchala Devi practiced celibacy (Brahmacharya), in spite of being married.

Shri Durga Devi temple, Guhagar ,Ratnagiri ,Maharashtra

Good morning.(7th July 2017)

Shri Durga Devi temple, Guhagar is an ancient temple located at Guhagar, a taluka place in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra state in India. It is considered to be the Kuladevata or clan goddess of many Chitpavan families from Konkan region.It is located in Warla Pat (Upper Side ) of Guhagar Gaon.


The Temple is old with full of greenery along with Bhakta Niwas in nearby location. It is considered to be oldest temple and has been renovated in recent past. During Navratri festival the Temple is full of Devotees who come to offer their Offering to Shree Durga Devi from across India location.

This is one of the pleasant sea-side temples, to visit during Summer and Winter season. One can find all required amenities in nearby location. Puja's can be performed on request.

According to Hindu myth, goddess defeated the ill energies in one night and saved Guhagar from the possible destruction. During her war with enemy, a pearl from one of the ornaments was broken. Goddess ordered one of her devotees to collect the broken pearl from a tree near seashore. Even today the said pearl is in the ornamental collection of the goddess and occasionally it is kept in the main hall for display purpose.Another story tells us that once upon a time a person with rash on his body due to some allergy, came to the temple. He was suffering from unbearable pains. He sat in the temple premises for three consecutive days without food and water and was just chanting the name of goddess. On third day the goddess came in the form of an old lady. She gave him some oil for application on the rash and in further three days period, the rash along with pains got vanished.

The goddess also killed a devil named 'Mahishasoor'and hence got the name 'Mahishasoor Mardini'.

Datta kshetra Audumbar ,Sangli, Kolhapur , Maharashtra.

Good morning.(6th July 2017)


Datta kshetra Audumbar is a small Village near Sangli in Kolhapur district Maharashtra.

On the banjs of Krishna river Audumbar kshetra  is known for the shrine of Lord Dattatreya. It is said to have been built in honour of Narasimha Saraswati Swamy  who was a great saint and who is   the second  incarnation of Dattatreya. His greatness has been extolled in Shree Guru Charitra written by  Gangadhar Saraswathi. All the devotees of Lord Dattatreya treat Shree Datta Kshetra Audumber with similar respect as that of other places of Lord Dattatreya like Ganagapur and Narsoba Wadi.

Audumbar is the place where swamy left his padukas.This is a glory of place where people are blessed by knowledge and are freed from their troubles. This place is overgrown with audumbar trees .

Maa Bhuvaneswari devi Temple is situated on the other bank of Krishna river where a poor Brahmin boy was blessed.

The story goes as follows in adhyaya 17 of Shree Gurucharitra.. . Narasimha was born to a poor Brahmin couple, Madhava and Amba, in about 1304. Even after his thread ceremony he could not recite any of his lessons and so faced lot of insult from his elders and teachers.
So he left his home and came to Audumbar on the bank of the Krishna and prayed Maa Bhuvaneswari for three days and nights without taking any food.
But the goddess remained unmoved by his severe penance upon which he cut off his tongue and laid it at her feet. Taking pity the goddess advised him to go to Audumbar and pray Narasimha Saraswathy swamy. The boy taking the command and went to Sri Guru and fell at his feet. He received the blessings of the Swamy and became a scholar.

As per vision from Lord Dattatreya to Sage Bramhanand of Girnar, he discovered and renowned this divine holy place Audumber where Datta Avatar Narasimha Saraswati performed Chaturmas Anushtan (Four holy months).
The identity of Narasimha Saraswathi having been known, thousands of people began to flock to the place for darsan. At the end of Chaturmasa, when the sage prepared to leave, the people requested him to stay.

The outer mandap is of very recent construction. The shrine is situated at a lovely spot on the banks of the Krishna. Devotees can have darshan of Nijaroopa darshan of swamy padukas in the mandir in morning hours.

 Rudrabhisheka will be performed to padukas at about 7 to 8 a.m. and the padukas will be covered with alankara after abhisheka.

Bhagwant Temple-Barshi Village, Solapur

Good morning.(5th July 2017)

Bhagwant Temple-Barshi Village in Solapur district.


Barshi is famous for the Bhagwant temple. Bhagwant temple is dedicated to Shri Vishnu.

 The uniqueness of this temple is that, this is the only one temple of Shri Vishnu all over India,
 having Shri Vishnu’s name as Bhagawant. The temple is built in Hemadpanthi style in the year 1245 A.D. There are four entrances to the temple from all the four directions, but the main entrance is east-facing.
There is one Garudakhamb (Dwajasthambam) in front of Garbhagraha. The idol of main deity Shri Bhagwant, is in black stone having Shanku (Conch), Chakra and Gada in the hands and picture of devotee  king Ambrish below the right hand. Shri Lakshmi is on the back of Bhagwant idol.  Shivlinga is there on the forehead and marks of footsteps of Bhrigu Rishi are seen on the chest of the diety.  There are old records showing the grants released by Shri Nanasaheb Peshve in the year 1760, by East India company in 1823 and by British Government in 1784. The temple management is looked after, by a Panch Committee.  Badves carry out the work of daily rituals of the temple.

The daily rituals include Kakada Arti, Nitya pooja, Mahapooja in the morning, Dhuparti in the evening and Shejarti in the night.  Large no of devotees visit during the Chaitri, Maghi, Aashadi & Kartikai (Hindu Months) Ekadashi.  During the Aashadi & Kartikai Ekadashi,  the deity Bhagwant riding on Garuda is taken in a large procession, throughout  the entire town. A Chabina is taken out on every full moon day.

Every morning at 5.00 am., Lord Bhagawanta wakes  up with the Kakad arati adorations to the accompaniment of the sound of the holy instruments. They bring the offerings of sugar, fruits, milk, curds and butter. The traditional honour of the Kakad of Bhagawant Mandir is with Shri Dattatreya Krishnath Patil. The priest is particular about continuing this convention. It was Shri Bhaurao Tatya Patil who took up the onus of Bhagawant Kakad way back, a tradition that has been passed down the generations.

At the time of Kakad arati, the Lord is first adored with ghee lamps and then the priest changes the cloth and offerings of fruits and sugar are made. The Lotus feet of the Lord are washed with warm water. Incense is waved, milk offered in silver vessel and then a pancharati performed.

After this,  Shri Ganapati and Shri Varuna are worshipped with blowing of conch. The priest puts a blob of butter in Lord’s mouth. Then he is anointed with milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey. Lord Bhagawanta is given a bath with water showered out of his silver pail. This water is considered equal in merit, to Bhagirathi and sprinkled upon the devotees assembled.  After this, follows the karpur arati and hymns and praises are sung by the devotees.  After the Lord has been bathed and put on new clothes, he is given an offering of khichadi. This is being taken care of by the local business community.

In the afternoon, the Brahmins of town, Deshpande, Joshi, Patil, Deshmukh etc. provide the naivedya/repast for Lord Bhagawanta. The priests bring this from the homes of the respective families. Many offerings are  made to the God, on occasions such as Gudi Padva, Dasera, and Diwali.

Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Swamy Temple -Kadapa in A.P

Good morning.(19th July )  Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Swamy Temple -Kadapa in A.P The Devuni Kadapa is a part of the Kadapa City and a h...