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Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Sabarimala

Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha temples in Kerala and it one of the famous temples in india. The temple is situated on a hilltop (about 3000 feet above sea level) named Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district, which is unique in many respects. The uniqueness gathers its voice, as the temple is open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. There is a place near the temple; east to Sannidhanam, dedicated to the Vavar (a sufi and friend of Lord Ayyappa) which is called 'Vavarunada', an epitome of religious harmony. Another interesting fact is that it is not open throughout the year. It is open for worship only during the days of Mandalapooja, Makaravilakku and Chitra Vishu. It is said that the pilgrims have to follow fasting for 41 days to cleanse their minds before going to Sabarimala. The journey to the temple is to be taken through difficult paths in the forest as the vehicles can go only up to Pampa.

This is one of the most ancient temples in Kerala. It is believed that the deity of the temple was consecrated by Lord Parasurama at the foot of Sabari hills for which reference has been made even in Ramayana. The temple attracts pilgrims not only from the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh but also from other parts of country and abroad.
Sabarimala is believed to be the place where Lord Ayyapa meditated soon after killing the powerful demon, Mahishi. Another mythology says that its 'Parasurama Maharshi' who uplifted Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe and installed the idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala.

To enter the Sabarimala temple, the pilgrim has to pass Pathinettampadi (holy eighteen steps). The holly eighteen steps that lead to the shrine have been figuratively called Ponnu Pathinettampadi, 'Ponnu' being an epithet to denote the holy touch of lord's feet. But now 'Ponnu' has become literally true because the steps have been covered with Panchaloham. Each of these eighteen holy steps represents a desire one must conquer in life, it is believed. Only those who observe 41 day's of austerity as ritual can only carry erumudi and can climb these steps.

Pooja timings

Morning
05.00   Nada Opening
05.05   Nirmalyam
05.15   Neyyabhishekam
05.20   Ganapathi Homam
07.30   Usha Pooja
12.30   Kalabhabhishekam, Uchapooja
01.30   Nada Closing

Evening
05.00   Nada Opening
06.30   Deeparadhana
07.00   Pushpabhisehakam
09.00   Athazha Pooja
09.50   Harivarasanam
10.00   Nada Closing

Other Temples at Sabarimala

Vavar temple

The deity is Vavar, the friend of Ayyappa and a Sufi saint is at the close proximity to the main temple. Ayyapa cult gifts much importance for secularism and communal harmony and has turned out to be a model for the whole world. Another significant aspect of the pilgrimage is that all the pilgrims whether rich or poor, literate or illiterate are all equal before Lord Ayyapa and all of them address each other as Ayyappa or Swamy.

Erumeli Sastha Temple

Erumeli Sastha temple, an important meeting place enroute the pilgrimage to Sabarimala is very famous. There is also a mosque very close by. Ayyappas goes to Sabarimala after worshipping at these two places, which seems of a symbol of Hindu Muslim unity. The pilgrims usually go to Sabarimala after pettathullal- a ritual- at Erumeli. The pilgrimage to Sabarimala without pettathullal and worship at above mentioned temples are not considered traditional. Erumeli temple rests about 38 kiliometers south of Kottayam.

The nearest railway station is Kottayam.

Pandalam Valiyakoyickal Temple

According to legend, the King of Pandalam found a baby lying in the banks of river pampa. As the King had no heir to succeed, the child was considered as a god-given gift and was thus named Ayyappa. So the baby was brought up as a prince. One of the major events associated with the Makaravilakku festival is the procession of the Thiruvabharam (holy ornaments) of Lord Ayyappa from the Sastha temple at Pandalam.

The nearest town and railway station is Chengannur (12 km).

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples in India and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is also known as a golden temple of lord shiva.It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, the holiest existing place of Hindus. The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganges, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples. The main deity is known by the name Vishwanatha or Vishweshwara meaning Ruler of the universe. The temple town, which claims to be the oldest living city in the world, with 3500 years of documented history, is also called Kashi and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

The temple has been referred to in Hindu scriptures for a very long time and as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy. It has been destroyed and re-constructed a number of times in the history. The last structure was demolished by Aurganzeb, who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site. The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha monarch, Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780.

Since 1983, the temple has been managed by the government of Uttar Pradesh. During the religious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest and no other person or priest is allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. It is only after he performs his religious functions that others are allowed to enter.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple has most religious importance for the worship in the Hindu religion. Many great Hindu saints (like Adi Sankaracharya, Goswami Tulsidas, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Swami Vivekananda, Gurunanak etc) had came to the Varanasi to take bath in the holy water of the Gange and for the Darshan of the Jyotirlinga. It is believed that the one who will take bath (at least once in the lifetime) in the Gange in the holy city Varanasi will get Moksha. True devotees of the Lord Shiva get freedom from the cycle of the death and birth. After death they directly intermingled into the Mahadev. People beliefs that the one who decided to end their life at the temple, Lord Shiva himself drive a mantra of freedom in his ear.

Details about the Shiva temple is described in the Kashi Khanda of Skanda Purana. Kashi Vishwanath temple was constructed by the Hari Chandra in the 11th century. The temple was destroyed and reconstructed many times. The current construction is done by the Hindu Maratha queen of Malwa kingdom, Ahilya Bai Holkar.

Opening time of the temple is--3:00 am

Aarti time is-- 3:00 am to 4.00 am

How to reach?

Varanasi is easily accessible from all parts of the country. Very well connected by road, rail and air, the City of. offers convenient and comfortable travelling options to and from other cities of India.

By Air
Indian Airlines flies to Babatpur airport which is 22 km. from Varanasi and 30 km. from Sarnath There is a. direct, daily flight connection between Varanasi and New Delhi. It also connects Varanasi to Delhi, Agra,. Khajuraho, Calcutta, Mumbai, Lucknow and Bhuvaneshwar. For travel reservations contact Indian Airlines.

By Train
Varanasi is an important and major rail junction. The city is served by trains from all metros and major cities across the country. New Delhi, mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Gwalior, Meerut, indore, Guwahati, Allahbad, Lucknow, Dehradun… the city has direct rail connections.

Varanasi Cantt Railway Station Enquiry number 135.

Some important trains from Varanasi station are

Kashi Vishwanath Express (Varanasi-Delhi)
Shramjivi Express (Patna- Varanasi-Delhi)
Farakka Express (MaldaTown-Varanasi-Bhiwani)
Saryu-Yamuna Express (Muzzafarpur-Varanasi-delhi)
Mahanagri Express (Varanasi-Mumbai)
Pawan Express (Varanasi-Mumbai)
Sabermati Express (Varanasi-Ahamedabad)
Ganga-Kaveri Express (Varanasi-Chennai)
Purva Express (Howrah-Varanasi-Delhi)
Himgiri Express (Jammu-Varanasi-Howrah)
Siyaldah Express (Varanasi-Jammu Tawi)
Marudhar Express (Varanasi / Agra /Jaipur)
From Mughal Sarai Station: (16 Km. from Varanasi) Train from Mughal Sarai Station are
Rajdhani Express (Howrah – Mughal Sarai- Delhi)
Toofan Express (Howrah- Mughal Sarai- Delhi)
North East Super Fast Express (Delhi –Mughal Sarai-Guwahati)
Magadh Express (Delhi- Mughal Sarai – Patna).

By Road

Varanasi, on (National Highway) NH2 from Calcutta to Delhi, NH7 to Kanya Kumari and NH29 to GoraKhpur is connected literally to the rest of the country by good motorable, all – weather roads. Some important road distances are: Agra 565 km., Allahabad 128 km., Bhopal 791 km., Bodhgaya 240 km., Kanpur 330 km., Khajuraho 405 km., Lucknow 286 km., patna 246 km., Sarnath 10 km., Lumbini (Napal) 386 km., Kushi Nagar 250 km. (via Gorkhpur), UPSRTC Bus Stand, Sher Shah Suri Marg, Golgadda Bus Stand.

Local Transport
Taxis:
Private taxis are available from travel agencies, hotels, etc., auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and Tempos are also readily available.
Left Luggage Facility: Left luggage facility is available at both the Varanasi and Mughalsarai railway stations(24 Hours).

Map

Chamundeshwari Temple

The Chamundeshwari Temple is located on the top of Chamundi Hills about 13 km from the palace city of Mysore in the state of Karnataka in India.It is one of the famous temples in india.The temple was named after Chamundeshwari or Durga, the fierce form of Shakti, a tutelary (serving as a protector, guardian, or patron) deity held in reverence for centuries by Mysore Maharajas.
The Chamundeshwari Temple is considered as a Shakti Peetha and one among the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. It is known as Krouncha Peetham as the region was known in Puranic times as Krouncha Puri.
Shakti Peethas are divine seat of Shakti due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered in sorrow. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each temple have shrines for Shakti and Kalabhairava. The Hair of Sati Devi is said to have fallen here, the Shakti is addressed as Chamundeshwari Devi.
The original shrine is thought to have been built in the 12th century by Hoysala rulers while its tower was probably built by the Vijayanagar rulers of the 17th century. In 1659, a flight of one thousand steps was built leading up to the 3000 foot summit of the hill. At the temple are several images of Nandi (the bull mount of Shiva). There is a huge granite Nandi on the 800th step on the hill in front of a small Shiva temple a short distance away. This Nandi is over 15 feet high, and 24 feet long and around its neck are exquisite bells.
The temple has a seven storey tall Gopura decorated with intricate carvings. The deity of the goddess is said to be made of gold and the temple doors of silver.

Darshan Timings

Abhisheka Timings

6 am to 7.30 am &
6 pm to 7.30 pm
Friday 5 am to 6.30 am

Darshan & Pooja Timings

7.30 am to 2 pm
3.30 pm to 6 pm
7.30 pm to 9 pm

**Timings may be changed on Special Days

How to Reach?
By Air:
Mysore has a small domestic airport which is connected to Bangalore. Bangalore is also the nearest international airport which is at a distance of 140 km away from Mysore. There are regular flights to Bangalore from all the major cities in India. Bangalore is connected to many international cities as well. Taxi services are available from Bangalore to Mysore which costs about Rs 3000.
By Train:
Mysore railway station is connected to Bangalore, which is 140 km away. Bangalore is well connected to all the other cities in India.
By Bus:
There is an excellent bus service provided by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. Vanities of tourist buses are available from Bangalore to Mysore and fare is about Rs 4 to 5 per km.

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Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams, which are supposed to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The temple is situated on the side of the Rudra Sagar lake. The presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu, deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams that are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.

History

As per Shiva Purana, once Brahma  and Vishnu had an argument in terms of supremacy of creation. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions.Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity.
The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. The jyothirlinga shrines, thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. There are 64 forms of Shiva, not to be confused with Jyotirlingas. Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity - each considered different manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image is lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva.The twelve jyothirlinga are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharastra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharastra, Vaidyanath at Deogarh in Jharkhand or at Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh, Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharastra.

Festivals

The Puja-archana, abhishekaarati and other rituals are regulalrly performed all the year round in Mahakala temple. Some particular aspects are

1)Nitya Yatra:
Yatra to be conducted is narrated in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanada Purana. In this Yatra, after taking bath in the holy Sipra, the Yatri (Participator) respectively visits Nagachandresvara, Kotesvara, Mahakalesvara, goddess Avanatika, goddessHarasiddhi and Agastyesvara for darsana.
2) Sawari (Procession):
On every Monday of the Sravana month upto the Amavasya in the dark fortnight of the Bhadrapada and also from the bright fortnight of the Kartika to the dark fortnight of Magasirsha, the procession of Lord Mahakala passes through the streets of Ujjain. The last Sawari in Bhadrapadais celebrated with great pomp and show and draws attendance of lakhs of people. The procession of Mahakala on Vijaydasami festival visiting the celebrations atDashahara Maidan is also very attractive.
3) Harihara Milana:
On Baikuntha Chaturdasi, Lord Mahakala visits Mandir in a procession to meet Lord (hari) during the mid-night. Later on in a similar procession on that very night Dwarakadhisa visits Mahakal temple. This festival is the symbol of one-ness between the two great Lords.

How to Reach?

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Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir

It is One of the most famous temples of India, located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple devoted to Lord Ganesh.  Built by Laxman Vithu Patil, the temple welcomes devotees from all around the country and the world to attend religious ceremonies throughout the day and to pay their respects to the Lords. It is currently the richest temple of India.

History of The Temple

Siddhi vinayak Temple was built on a Thursday, 19th November 1801, by a professional contractor and a great devotee of Lord Ganesha, Mr. Laxman Vithu Patil. Mrs. Deubai patil provided the financial support for the construction of this temple.
She could not conceive a child and the idea that led for the construction of the temple was to provide a worship place to other childless women to pray for a child from Lord Ganesha.
Myths and stories that revolve around the temple have led the devotees to believe that Deubai's humble request was accepted by Lord Ganesha.
In the beginning, it was a small structure housing the black stone idol of Shree Siddhivinayak. The temple complex was approximately 2550 Sq. m in area and consisted of two Deepamalas, a rest house and living quarters for the caretaker. In 19th century, Nardulla dug up an adjoining lake to counter the water scarcity in the region.
Later, the lake was filled up and now it constitutes a part of the temple complex. During a road extension project in the year 1952, a Hanuman icon was discovered. A small shrine for the Hanuman icon was built in the temple complex.
By 1952, huge crowds started visiting the temple and by 1965, long queues of devotees were started to be seen outside the temple.

Festivals:
Hundreds of thousands of devotees throng the temple, especially during Angaraki and Sankashti Chaturti days, when there is a continuous stream of visitors for as long as a 24 hour period.

Online Booking& Donation:

Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust has launched Aashirwad Card on 11th September 2013 at a modest function in the Temple premises. Minister Of State for Law & Judiciary Hon'ble Shri. Uday Samant was the Chief Guest. Guests of Honour, Shri. T.M. Bhasin, CMD Indian Bank and Shri. Suryaprakash Madrecha - CMD Trimax also graced the function. Aashirwad Card is a transferable, Giftable, Refillable Multi purpose Pre-Paid Cashless Card. With Aashirwad Card, Devotees will spend minimum time in the Queues and maximum time taking Darshan and blessings of their favorite Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati.

Devotees will be able to make all the payments they need to make while at the Temple like:

-:Abhishek / Pooja Booking
-:Darshan Payment
-:Donation to the Temple Trust
-:Prasad
and make the best of their time while at the Temple .

The Aashirwad Card can be used by all members of a family and their friends as well since it is Transferable. They can gift it too.
Aashirwad cards are available in the Temple premises against a donation of Rs. 51/- only  and can be  loaded or recharged at the Temple.  Minimum of Rs. 100/- up to a maximum of Rs. 5,000/- in increments of Rs. 100/-  will be the denominations.
The Aashirwad card uses the proven and dependable RF technology with the chip from Phillips. Guaranteed for a million operations, these will last the Devotees a lifetime.

How To Reach?
By Air:
 Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, in Mumbai is an International airport and it has flight connectivity from all over the world.
By Train:
Mumbai Railway Station is well connected from all cities in India.
By Road:
Board a local that will take you here, or hire an auto or taxi

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Parumala Church in Kerala

Parumala is a small stretch of land on the shores of the river “Pampa”. In the days of old, many Brahmin families were living on this island which has an area of about 4 square miles. For various reasons, in course of time these families left the place. However, as relics, we can still see the broken down basements of buildings, disused ponds etc. with the departure of the Brahmins, the place became almost wild, desolate area.

Old Church

Parumal Church is named after the great Saint, Saint Gregorious Geevarghese also known as Parumala Thirumeni. This church is at Mannar in Kerala and is a parish church of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Parumal church is the tomb church of Saint Gregorious Geevarghese.
It was in 1947 that Mar Gregorious was blessed and declared a saint by the then Catholicos of the church. The present church could accommodate about 2000 believers. It is in a circular design with a diameter of 39 meters. The church is believed to have great powers and many believers come from all parts to pray at this divine church.

New Church

How To Reach?

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Sé Cathedral at Old Goa

This is one among the largest church in India and is located in Goa. This Cathedral is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. This church was built to honor the victory of Portuguese under a Muslim army, which led to the capture of the city of Goa.
Since this victory accidentally happened on the feast of St. Catherine, the cathedral was dedicated to her. The actual construction began in 1562 and was completed in 1619 and sacred in 1640. The church is 181 feet in breath and 250m in length.
On account of the rich tone of the bell in the Cathedral, it is known as the “Golden Bell”. It is known to be one of the best bells in the world and the largest in Goa. On the main Altar, there are several old paintings and it is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. On the right, there is a chapel, where it is believed that a vision of Christ is said to have appeared in 1919. This chapel is also known as Cross of Miracles.

How to reach?

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Basilica Of Bom Jesus

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is Located in Old Goa, India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The foundation stone was laid on 24th November 1594, and completed on 15th May 1605. It was raised to the status of a minor Basilica in 1946 and is considered to be one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Goa. The church is called “Bom Jesus” meaning ‘good Jesus’ or ‘infant Jesus’ to whom it is dedicated. The Basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier in Goa.

St. Xavier's quest took him to Malacca and then the Molucca Islands, Amboyna, Ternate, Baranura, and the island of Mindanao, Philippines. He met a Japanese man called Anger and baptized him in Goa. He arrived in Japan in 1549 and began preaching. After three years, he returned to Goa. Thereafter, St. Xavier left for China where he fell ill en- route. With his aggravated condition, he was offloaded at Sancian where a make shift hut had been built to shelter him. Here, he breathed his last.
It is said that the following year when the body of the saint was being transferred to Goa as per his wishes, the people were shocked to find his body fresh as ever. This was claimed to be a miracle and his body was preserved in an air tight coffin made of glass and placed inside a silver casket. Every year thousands of devotees visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus on 2nd December to see the mortal remains of the saint that is displayed publicly. Now, the practice has been stopped to prevent the body from deterioration.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the richest churches in Goa and also all over India and a renowned pilgrimage site of Christians. It is covered with marble flooring and inlaid with precious stones. Except for the elaborately gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple. The church houses paintings of St. Francis Xavier. In fact the Tomb of St. Francis Xavier (1696) was the gift of the last of the Medicis, Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Carved by a 17th century Florentine sculptor, named Giovanni Batista Foggini, it took 10 years to complete. The casket containing his body is made of silver. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every 10 years on the anniversary of his death.

How to reach?

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Mahanandi Temple

Mahanandi is a village located east of the Nallamala Hills near Nandyal, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a delightful village surrounded by thick forests. Within 15 km of Mahanandi, there are nine Nandi shrines known as Nava nandulu. Mahanandi is one of the Nava Nandis. The Mahanandiswara Swamy Temple, an important shrine, is located here. This ancient temple is over 1,500 years old . It is repaired and rebuilt several times.

Nine Nandi's present in Nallmala Hill Region is:

1) Mahanandi
2) Prathama Nandi [near Nandyal Railway Station]
3) Naga Nandi [In Nandyal Anjaneya Temple]
4) Soma Nandi [In Atmakur town]
5) Surya Nandi [6 miles west of Mahanandi]
6) Krishna Nandi or Vishnu Nandi [2 miles from Mahanandi]
7) Vinayaka Nandi [Present in north-west of Mahanandi temple premisis]
8) Shiva Nandi [13kms away from Nandyal town]
9) Garuda Nandi [Present in western side of Mahanandi temple]

Festivals:
A festival is held here annually during February and March to celebrate Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva.

Temple Attractions:

The shrine or deity of Lord Shiva present in this sacred temple belongs to 7th century. The basic temple structure was constructed by Chalukyas (7th century) and was later enhanced by Nanda Dynasty (10th century) and Vijayanagara Kings (15th century).
Devotees can take holy dip at Mahanandi temple Pushkarni or Koneru in which there are Pancha Lingams of which the centre one is called Varuna Lingam. Irrespective of the seasons, water in the Pushkarni [Koneru] is at same constant five feet flow.
It is said that the main water source is originated below the inner Swayambhu Linga at the Garbhagruha and the pilgrims can touch the Shiva Lingam to perform puja and also take the holy water as Thirtham.
The outgoing water of Mahanandi temple is used for irrigiation of fertile lands in the surrounding areas of the temple. One of the world's biggest man-made Nandi of 15 ft. x 27 ft. is present near the Mahanandi temple.
The main Gopuram of this temple resembles Badami Chalukyan style architecture where as other temple structures resemble the Vijayanagara style.

Koneru(Pushkarini) at Mahanandi

How to reach?
By Air:
The nearest airport is at Hyderabad i.e about 288kms from Kurnool.
By Train:
It can be well-reached by train with the nearest railway station at Nandyal.
By Bus:
To reach Mahanandi there are good bus facilities from the nearest villages.  The small temple town is also connected by rail and road from the town of Kurnool.

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Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Padmanabhaswamy temple is located in the centre of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.

History of Temple

Divakara Muni was a great Vishnu Bhaktha. While at ‘Aanarthadesa’, he performed deep tapas. One day Maha Vishnu appeared before the sage as a lovely child. The charming child attracted the attention of the sage. He requested the God-child to stay with him. The child made his stay conditional. Accordingly, the Sanyasi should treat him with respect. On failing to do so, he would vanish at once. This was accepted and the child stayed with him. The hermit gave him great care and tolerated the childish pranks. One day, when the sanyasi was in deep meditation at his prayers, the chills took the ‘salagram’ which the sanyasi was using for worship and put it into his mouth and made such a nuisance of himself that Divakara Mini was greatly angered and could tolerate it no further. He thereupon chastised the child. In accordance with the earlier agreement, immediately the child ran away and disappeared from the spot. While going he said, “If you wish to see me again, you will find me again in Ananthankaadu”. It was only then that Divakara Muni realized who his erstwhile child guest had been. The hermit was stricken with inconsolable grief and for many days followed what, he believed was the route taken by the child foregoing food, rest and sleep in the process.
Finally he reached a wooded area near the sea coast, caught a glimpse of the child disappearing into a huge ‘Ilappa’ tree. Immediately the tree fell into the ground and it assumed the form of Sree Maha Vishnu. The divine form had its head at ‘Thiruvallam’(a place about 3 miles from East Fort at where the Temple of Sree Padmanabha Swamy is located) and its feet at ‘Trippapur’ (5 miles away towards the north). Overawed by the majesty and the size of the divine form, which manifested before him, the Sanyasi prayed to the Lord to condense Himself in size so that he could behold Him. There upon the image of the Lord shrank to a size, three times the length of the Sanyasy’s Yoga Dand. His prayers had been granted. He immediately offered a raw mango in a coconut shell(still this offering continues). The Lord ordained that, poojas to Him should be conducted by Tulu Brahmins. To this day half the number of poojaris(priests) in this Temple represent Tulu region.
The principal deity Padmanabha is enshrined in the "Anantha-Sayanam" posture the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Anantha. The titular Maharaja of Travancore Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is the trustee of the temple as Sree Padmanabhadasa, the "Servant of Lord Padmanabha". In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple. Devotees have to strictly follow the dress code.

Festivals:

Chingam 1st

Malayalam New Year Day attracts many devotees here.

Vinayaka Chathurthi

This event comes on the Chathurthi tithi on Karuthapaksham(New Moon) of Chingam. Special offerings and deeparadhana are conducted for the Ganesh idol in the Sree Rama Shrine. ‘Chirappu’ is observed for the Agrashala Ganapathi. The Valiya Thampuran (eldest male member of the royal family) worships here only on this day and witnesses the deeparadhana.

Thiruvonam

This is one among the most major celebrations of this Temple by virtue of the fact that it is the Thirunal (Birthday) of Sree Padmanabhaswamy. The Temple celebrates this day in the manner laid down long ago. Of special note is the submission of the Onavillu to the Deities. It has a tradition of centuries behind it.

Ashtami Rohini

Sree Krishnaswamy's birth day is celebrated all over India in the month of Chingam when the asterism Rohini and the thithi Ashtami coincide. In this Temple special decorations and offerings mark this day. The Temple opens early in the noon by 2 pm. At 2.30pm abhishekam of milk is performed to Sree Krishna. On this day an exquisitely decorated ivory cradle is placed on the Abhisravana Mandapam and number of images of Lord Krishna are kept inside for the devotees to view. It is believed that if prayer is offered to them by childless couples, they will be blessed with infants.

Navarathri Pooja

In connection with the Navarathri festival Sree Saraswathi Amman is brought from Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kanyakumari District and worshipped traditionally in the Navarathri Mandapam at the Valiya Kottaram complex. Huge crowds throng for darshan. Sree Kumaraswamy from Kumarakovil and Sree Muthuttee Nanga from Suchindram also accompany Her in grand procession.

Valiya Ganapathi Homam

This is carried out for twelve days starting two days before the commencement of the Navarathri Festival, by the Tharananalloor Namboodiripads who are Tantries of the Temple.

Alpasi Ulsavam

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple celebrates bi-annual festivals in the months of Thulam (Alppasi) and Meenam(Painkuni). A function is conducted for according formal sanction to conduct the Ulsavam(festival). This is known as Anujna. Other functions include Mannuneeru Koral, Mula Pooja, Kalasam, etc. The festival starts with Kodiyettu(flag hoisting) at Sree Padmanabhaswamy’s gold and Sree Krishnaswamy’s silver flag poles. The festival is of ten days duration culminating in the spectacular Palliveta and Arat processions on the 9th and 10th days respectively. Kalasams also known as Ulsava Kalasams take place in addition to the routine rituals. Special Sreebalies (Processions) are conducted twice a day, in the evening 4.30 pm and at night 8.30pm.Exception is there on the first day when there is only night Sreebali.
Once during the reign of Sree Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, an elephant ran amock. Since then, the practice of using elephants to carry the idols in the procession was given up and Vahanas (vehicles) carried on the shoulder by a number of priests came into vogue. Six different kinds of beautiful conveyances are used for these processions. They are the Simhasana Vahanam(Throne), Anantha Vahanam(Serpant), Kamala Vahanam(Lotus), Pallakku Vahanam(Palanquin), Garuda Vahanam(Garuda) and Indra Vahanam(Gopuram). Of these the Pallakku and Garuda Vahanas are repeated twice and four times respectively. The Garuda Vahanam is considered as the favorite conveyance of the Lord. The different days on which the various Vahanams are taken out for the procession are as follows.

1st day of Utsavam Simhasana Vahanam
2nd day of Utsavam Anantha Vahanam
3rd day of Utsavam Kamala Vahanam
4th day of Utsavam Pallakku Vahanam
5th day of Utsavam Garuda Vahanam
6th day of Utsavam Indra Vahanam
7th day of Utsavam Pallakku Vahanam
8th day of Utsavam Garuda Vahanam
9th day of Utsavam Garuda Vahanam
10th day of Utsavam Garuda Vahanam

Mandala Chirappu

The celebration for the Sastha begins on the first of Vrischikam. Mandalachirappu falls on the 41st day.

Swargavathil Ekadasi

This is an auspicious day for the devotees of Maha Vishnu. On this day people throng the Temple. Special poojas, offerings and night Siveli take place. The Temple remains open for longer duration.

Bhadradeepam

Bhadradeepam is observed on the summer and winter solstices. On these day Bhadradeepappura is opened and special poojas are made.

Kalabham

This is conducted for seven days commencing from the last six days of Dhanu and Midhunam. The ablution with sandal paste on the idols is the highlight of the function.

Makara Sreebali

A night Sreebali observed on winter solstice (Utharayanam).

Sivarathri

This is a day celebrated all over India as important for Sree Parameswara. On this day special Abhishekam is done to the Shiva residing in the Sanctum.

Painkuni Utsavam

All the rituals and functions which take place for this Utsavam are same as for Alpasi Festival, the difference being the asterism. While prominence is given to the star Thiruvonam under which alone the Arat takes place for Alpasi, for Painkuni the emphasis is on the day of Kodiyettu (flag hoisting) on which the asterism is Rohini. In connection with this festival the massive figures of Pandavas are erected at the Eastern entrance of the Temple.

Sree Rama Navami

Special poojas are performed on this day for Sree Rama.

Vishu

Vishu is an extremely auspicious day for Malayalees. Vishukani is arranged inside the sanctum of all shrines in this Temple complex. The Temple opens an hour earlier for Vishukkani Darshanam.

Karkataka Sreebali

On the first day of the Malayalam month Karkkitakam solstice (Dakshinayanam) the Karkkitaka Sreebali takes place. Its procedure is same as the Makara Sreebali.
Sree Veda Vyasa Jayanthi
Sree VedaVyasa Jayanthi is celebrated on the full moon day of Karkkitakam in honour of the great sage Vyasa who resides in his separate shrine. Sree Veda Vyasa consecrations are rare.

Niraputhari

On the day of Niraputhari sheaves of grain are ceremoniously brought to the Temple. The chief priest removes some sheaves from the bundle after performing pooja to the same and takes them inside the sanctum of Sree Padmanabha Swamy and submits them. Some sheaves are spread out on the Ottakkal Mandapam. This procedure takes place in all the other shrines of this Temple complex.

Murajapam

The very term reveals its meaning. ‘Mura’ means turn and ‘Japam’ means chanting. This prayer lays tremendous stress on the chanting of Vedas and the Vishnu Sahasranamam( thousand names of Maha Vishnu). It is celebrated once in six years. It comprises 56 days of Veda chanting, Sahasranama Japam and rituals.

Lakshadeepam


Lakshadeepam literally translates as one lakh lamps. The entire Temple is adorned with lamps. The Sreebali (Procession) conducted with illumination on the concluding day of Murajapam is known as Lakshadeepam. The maiden Lakshadeepam was celebrated on the 1st of Makaram 925 ME / 14th or 15th of January 1750 AD. The festival was conducted with much pomp and fanfare, in the grandest manner possible by King Marthanda Varma. The latest Lakshadeepam was celebrated in 2008. The next one is due in 2014. It still continues as an immensely grand festival and visual magnitude attracting staggering numbers to the doors of this great Temple.

Darshan Timings:

Morning

03.30 am to 04.45 am (Nirmalya Darshanam)
06.30 am to 07.00 am
08.30 am to 10.00 am
10.30 am to 11.10 am
11.45 am to 12.00 Noon

Evening

05.00 pm to 06.15 pm
06.45 pm to 07.20 pm

The above-indicated time schedule is subject to changes during festivals and other special occasions. During the festival occasions the darshan time is reduced in order to performing the special poojas.

How To Reach?

Map

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Murudeshwar Temple

Murudeshwar is another name of the Hindu god Lord Shiva. Murudeshwar is located in Bhatkal Taluk ,Karnataka, India. It is Famous for the world's second-tallest Shiva statue, the town lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea and is also famous for the Murudeshwar Temple.

History of Murudeshwar

Ravana, the asura king of Lanka, wished to have the all powerful Atmalinga of Shiva, so that he can become invincible and immortal by worshipping it. Pleased by his severe penance, Lord Shiva gave him the Atmalinga but warned him not to place it on the ground till he reached his destination.
Upset by the thought that Ravana would become more powerful by worshipping the Atmalinga, the Gods devised a plan to take it away from Ravana. The Gods knew that Ravana being a pious devotee of Lord Shiva was punctual in performing the periodical rites everyday.
As Ravana approached Gokarna, Lord Vishnu blotted the sun with his Sudharshana Chakra. Thinking that it was evening, Ravana was in two minds whether to put down the Atmalinga or skip his evening rites. Just then, Lord Ganesh came to that place in the guise of a brahmin boy. Ravana called the boy and asked him to hold the linga until he completed his evening rites. The boy agreed on the condition that he'd keep the linga down if Ravana didn't return before the boy called out his name thrice. Ravana agreed and went about his rituals, but by then the boy called out his name thrice and place the Atmalinga on the earth, and it got firmly entrenched in the earth.
When Vishnu withdrew his Sudharshan chakra, Ravana saw bright sunlight and understood that he was tricked by the Gods. He became furious. He came to the Linga and tried to uproot it with all his might. But the idol did not budge even a liitle. The idol's shape now looked like a cow's ear. Hence, the place is known as Gokarna. (Go means Cow and karna means Ear in sanskrit).The crest fallen Ravana was deeply upset and beat the boy on his head. In anger he pulled and threw the case of linga, which fell 23 miles away at Sajjeshwar. He threw the lid to the south 27 miles away at Guneshwara in the form of “Vamdev Linga”. He threw the cloth wrapped to the idol to south, 32 miles away at Kanduka hills on shore of sea. It took the form of “Aghora”at Murudeshwar. The thread winding the idol was flung to south at Dhareshwara, came to known as “Tathpurusha Linga”.
Shiva learnt all this from wind god Vayu. He came on earth along with Parvathi and Ganesha and visited all these five places and worshipped the linga. He declared that these would be his Panchakshetras and those who worshipped lingas at those places would be free from all sins and their wishes would be fulfilled and ultimately reach the abode of Shiva.

Srisailam Temple

The shrine of Lord Mallikarjuna picturesquely situated on a flat top of Nallamalai Hills, Srisailam is reputed to be one of the most ancient kshetras in India. It is on the right side of the River Krishna in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh. This celebrated mountain is also named as Siridhan, Srigiri, Sirigiri, Sriparvatha and Srinagam. It has been a popular centre of Saivite pilgrimage for centuries.
The prominence of this Divya Kshetram is highlighted by the fact that while performing our daily household rituals we specify place of location of our existence with reference to Srisailam.
  The Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple located in Srisailam is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Bhramarambha Temple is also located in the same complex. It is considered as one of the eighteen Shakti peethas in India. Bhramarambha is a very powerful goddes. Originally she was worshipped by the Chenchu people.

Draksharamam

Draksharama temple is one of the Five Powerful temples of Lord Siva, known as Pancharama Kshetram.The Siva statue is known as Bhimesvara Swamy.
It is located in East Godavari District, Andhrapradesh, IndiaThe temple is situated on the eastern bank of Godavari River. The consort of Lord Bhimesvara is Manikyamba. According to local belief the Siva linga at the temple was installed and established by the god Surya. Maha Sivaratri, Devi Navaratrulu, Karthika Masam, and Dhanurmasam are the main festivals celebrated at this temple.
According to local legend, the temple was built by angels in one night. The construction of the perimeter wall could not be completed before sunrise and still stands incomplete. Several attempts have been made to construct the uncompleted part of the wall but all those efforts have failed with the constructed wall collapsing within a few months.
As per the Government of India, the temple construction was started in mid 800 AD and completed somewhere around the 11th century. The construction of the temple is a marvel, consisting of a two-staired mandapa and two walls, one inside of the other. The inner temple (Garbhaalayam) made it a very profound and cultural work of architecture in those times. Its architecture is still a library for students of architecture. The ventilation of the inner temple is impressive. The temple is always full of light and air with very good ventilation. The temple's two-stair mandapa is impressive, and the pillars in the temple are skillfully and delicately carved. Many Shasanas (Official & Historical Registry Chronicles) have been written on the stone walls of the temple from time to time, from legions of Chola & Sathavahanas to Vijayanagra & Reddy Kingdoms that ruled over centuries. The scripts are Dravidian, Tamil, Devanagri, and Telugu scripts in both Sanskrit and Telugu languages.
108 Shivite temples were built after 800 around this temple in a radius of 40 kilometers.
The village is called Dakshina Kasi. The Siva Linga in this temple is said to be one large crystal which is 2.6 meters high. Siva is accompanied by Dakshayani, who is the first wife of Siva (also the daughter of Daksha, and therefore named Dakshayani). Manikyamba goddess, said to be one part of the 18 pieces of Sati Devi that fell here, is a Shakti Peetha. It has one of the world's longest siva linga.
The inner sanctorium has a pedestal built for the archakas to perform rituals. The inner sanctorium is very dark, so much that one cannot see without a some sort of light. Legends say that the inner walls of the temple were once filled with diamonds that provided the required light. When Aurangazeb invaded the temple to plunder the riches, all the diamonds turned to stones. Archakas show the walls adorned with diamond-shaped rocks as proof of this.
There is another small temple within the main temple. One legend says that as ages go by, the height of humans would reduce to such an extent that the current temple would become a huge gigantic structure, and hence another temple was built for the tiny people of the future. Another legend says that the tiny temple is for the tiny creatures that inhabit the land.

Kanaka Durgamma Temple

Kanaka Durgamma Temple is located in Vijayawada,Andhra Pradesh.

History of Temple
In olden days a Yaksha named 'KEELA' had been performing awful penance about holiest goddess Durga. Goddess Durga was pleased by his penance and appeared to him. She asked him to beg a boon. Keela was so happy by the words of goddess Durga and begged like this, "O holy Mother! you should always be in my heart. This is the one and only my desire". Listened goddess Durga and gave the boon with showering the lunar lights of smile and said, "My Son! You remain here at this holiest planes of river Krishna in the form of mountain. In Krithayuga, after the assassination of demons, I will remain in your heart".          
As such, by the order of goddess Durga, Keela had been waiting in the form of mountain for goddess Durga. After sometime, in the Krithayuga goddess Durga killed Mahishasura who was a disaster for World. Then goddess Durga shined on the Keela mountain with eight arms in the form of "MAHISHASURA MARDINI" as she had given boon to keela. On this mountain, goddess Durga had been glowing with the lighting of crores of suns, with golden colour. Since that, Indra and all the deities praised her chanting "KANAKA DURGA" and they had been worshipping her daily. This mountain has attained the name "INDRAKEELADRI" from those times, since all the deities are visiting this mountain. Likewise, since goddess Durga shined on this mountain with golden colour glowing, the name 'KANAKACHALA' also attained by this mountain. Holy Indrakeeladri mountain became holiest after prevailing goddess Durga on this. Then Brahma Deva had a sacred intution that Lord Siva also should prevail on this mountain. For this holy purpose, he had performed 'Sata Aswamedha Yaga'. By this, lord Maheswara pleased with his devotion and rested in the form of 'Jyothirlinga' on this mountain. By the first time, Brama Deva worshipped lord Siva with Jasmin flowers (Mallika) with great devotion. Since Lord Siva was worshipped with Jasmin flowers by Brahma Deva, he has attained the name. 'MALLIKESA'. After this, in Dwaparayuga Arjuna, middle one of the Pandavas, awfully penanced about Parameswara, seeking 'Pasupatastra'. Parameswara wanted to test Arjuna and fau,ght with him. Finally Lord Siva pleased with the devotion and dauntlessness of Arjuna and offered him Pasupatastra. From that day 'MALLIKESA'had attained the name 'MALLIKESWARA' since he faught with Arjuna with greatest bravery. Days were passing on and on. In Kaliyuga, Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankaracharya observed that the Malleswara Jyothirlinga was in bad invisible condition and he re­installed Malleswara Swamy at the Northern Part to the temple of Goddess Durga. From that day onwards, Malleswara Swamy also has been worshiping by all the devotees. Since goddess Durga has been prevailing at the Southern direction to Lord Malleswara, this Indrakeeladri renowned in the World as power prominent centre the "KANAKA DURGA KSHETRA"
The temple of Kanaka Durga the Goddess of power, riches and benevolence and the presiding deity of Vijayawada, is swarmed by lakhs of pilgrims for worship during the "Navarathri" festival which is celebrated with Religious fervour, pomp and festivity. The small but ancient temple of Kanaka Durga , a top the Indrakeeladri hill on the banks of the Sacred river Krishna in Vijayawada abounds with legends of historical interest.
Indrakeeladri is unique in that it has been the chosen abode of Kanaka Durga and Her consort Malleswara as Swayambhu (the self-existent one). Here Durga is one the right side of Malleswara as against the tradition of Goddesses taking their position on the left of their consorts. This shows that Shakthi is predominant on the Indrakeeladri.

Vaishno Devi

Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess or Durga. The words "maa" and "mata" are commonly used in India for "mother", and thus are often used in connection with Vaishno Devi.
The words "mandir" and "mandira" are commonly used in India for "Hindu temple", and so these words are also often used in connection with Vaishno Devi. Vaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holy Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located at the Trikuta Mountains within the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Vaishno devi is one of 108 shakti peetha, the story of Vaishno Devi is found in Chanddi up-purana. When Vishnu Bhagwan cuts Sati Maa's body into 108 peethas then 52 body parts fell onto earth atmosphere and rest of the 56 fell on other planets. Out of which the "Blessing Hand" of Goddess Sati had fallen on "Planet Venus" or Shukra. Goddess Lakshmi is considered to be the ruling planet of Shukra hence also known as Goddess of Venus. But in the beginning of Treta Yug, there was a devil called "Mur", he got the boon from Brahma that he cannot be killed by any human being, god, trinity, or any one born on Earth. Eventually in a gods-demon war, Demon Mur ran behind his greatest enemy Vishnu, who went to the place where was the shakti peetha of Goddess Sati on the Planet venus. Goddess Lakshmi insisted goddess Parvati, the next incarnation of Adi Parashakti after Sati, for help, thereby goddess Sharda and goddess Parvati in the form Kalika, went to the region. Goddess Lakshmi incarnated in spiritual form, because physically, she had already been taken birth as Goddess Vedavati who later on would become Sita in next incarnation. So Mother Parvati herself gave her physical appearance, with a soul of "Lakshmi" and Goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. The girl born was named "Kumari". Saraswati, Kali and Lakshmi dropped three pindies as their true forms, where they will be present till the end of Kaliyuga. To make the devil not known about the birth of the miracle goddess, Lord Shiva Shifted the mountain to Earth. When the devil entered the place who was running after Lord Vishnu saw a little girl. She killed him and there by, Vishnu got another name called "Murari".

Shirdi Sai Baba

Shirdi Sai Baba, was a spiritual master who was and is regarded by his devotees as a saint, fakir or sadguru, according to their individual propensity and beliefs. He was revered by both his Muslim and Hindu devotees, and during, as well as after, his life on earth it remained uncertain if he was a Muslim or Hindu himself. This however was of no consequence to Sai Baba himself. Sai Baba stressed the importance of surrender to the guidance of the true Sadguru or Murshad, who, having gone the path to divine consciousness himself, will lead the disciple through the jungle of spiritual training.
Sai Baba remains a very popular saint,especially in India, and is worshiped by people around the world. He had no love for perishable things and his sole concern was self-realization. He taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace, and devotion to God and guru. He gave no distinction based on religion or caste. Sai Baba's teaching combined elements of Hinduism and Islam: he gave the Hindu name Dwarakamayi to the mosque he lived in,practised Muslim rituals, taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions, and was buried in Shirdi. One of his well known witticism, "Sab ka Malik Ek", is associated with Islam and Sufism. He also said, "Trust in me and your prayer shall be answered". He always uttered "Allah Malik" .

Live darshan os sai baba

https://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/darshanflash_1.html

Brihadeeswarar Temple

The Brihadeeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located at Thanjavur,Tamil Nadu. It is a best example of Tamil architecture achieved during the Chola dynasty. It is also known as Periya Kovil,Brihadeshwara Temple, RajaRajeswara Temple and Rajarajeswaram,
It is one of the largest temples in India and one of India's most prized architectural sites. Built by emperor Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010 AD,Peruvudaiyaar Temple, also popularly known as the 'Big Temple', turned 1000 years old in 2010.
Thanjavur Periya Kovil stands amidst fortified walls that were probably added in the 16th century. The vimanam (temple tower) is 216 ft (66 m) high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kumbam (Kalasha or Chikharam, the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single rock and it weighs around 80 tons. There is a big statue of Nandi , carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high. The entire temple structure is made out of granite, the nearest sources of which are close to Tiruchirappalli, about 60 km to the west of Thanjavur.

Amarnath Temple

Amarnath cave is a Hindu Holy place located in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft), about 141 km  from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town. The holy place forms an important part of Hinduism, and is considered to be one of the holiest place in Hinduism.The cave is surrounded by snow mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims. Thousands of Hindu devotees make an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave on challenging mountainous terrain to see an ice stalagmite formed inside the cave.
Inside the 40 m (130 ft) high Amarnath cave, the stalagmite is formed due to freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave on to the floor and grows up vertically from the cave floor. It is considered to be a Shiva Linga by Hindus. The Cave waxes during May to August, as snow melts in the Himalayas above the cave and the resultant water seeps into the rocks that form the cave and gradually wanes thereafter. As per the religious beliefs, it has been claimed that the lingam grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon reaching its height during the summer festival, although there is no scientific evidence for this belief.

Mahabodhi temple,Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya is a religious place for Budhism. Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment (Bodhimandala).

For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bodh Gaya is the most holy place for Buddhists. Located by the bank of river Neranjana the place was then known as Uruwela. King Ashoka was the first to build a temple here.
Buddha was born 563 BC in Nepal on the following auspicious Baisakhi purnima. As Siddhartha, he renounced his family at the age of 29 his gaining enlightenment in 534 BC and travelled and meditated in search of truth. After meditating for six years at Urubela (Buddhagaya) in Gaya, he attained Buddhatva or enlightenment. Enlightenment is a state of having infinite knowledge, and being able to accomplish the Noble and Universal truths. By gaining enlightenment, you enter Nibbana, in which the final stage is Parinibbana.

Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir

Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir is located in Delhi,India. It is the oldest and best-known Jain temple in  India. It is directly across from the Red Fort in the historical Chandni Chowk area.
Located just opposite the massive Red Fort at the intersection of Netaji Subhas Marg and Chandni Chowk, Digambar Jain Temple is the oldest temple of the Jain religion in the capital,  built in 1656. An impressive red sandstone temple today , Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir is popularly known as Lal Mandir "Red Temple".
The main devotional area of the temple is on the first floor. It is reached by ascending to the terrace after crossing the small courtyard of the temple, surrounded by a colonnade.
There are a number of shrines in this area but the main shrine is of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. Born in 599 BC in the ancient republic of Vaishali (Bihar) as a prince, he renounced all worldly pleasures and comforts and went in search of 'Moksha' (salvation). Soon he attained keval-jnana (Enlightenment), and spent the rest of his life preaching to the people all over the country about the eternal truth of life and ways to attain Moksha. Though some believe that he was the founder of Jainism but he was in a real sense the reformer of an existing faith who reorganized and presented the tenets of the religion in a form suitable to the period.

Sravaanabelagola

Shravanabelagola is a city located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is 158 km from Bangalore. The statue of Gommateshvara Bahubali  is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Jainism, one that reached a peak in architectural and sculptural activity under the patronage of Western Ganga Dynasty of Talakad. Chandragupta is said to have died here in 298 BC (Before christ)  after he became a Jain monk and assumed an ascetic life style. Jainism in this place is above two thousand years old.
Shravanabelagola has two hills, Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri. Acharya Bhadrabahu and his pupil Chandragupta Maurya are believed to have meditated there. Chandragupta Basadi, which was dedicated to Chandragupta Maurya, was originally built there by Ashoka in the third century BC. Chandragiri also has memorials to numerous monks  who have meditated there since the fifth century AD, including the last king of the Rashtrakuta dynasty of Manyakheta. Chandragiri also has a famous temple built by Chavundaraya, who was a disciple of Nemichandra.
The 58 feated tall statue of Gomateshwara is located in Vindhyagiri hill. It is the world's largest monolithic stone statue.

Tirupathi

Located in the hill 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 'Vaddikasulavadu','Venkata ramana','Govinda' 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 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.

Daily Sevas

On any day the arjitha sevas that are performed to the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara commences
-:Suprabhatam
-:Archana
-:Thomala Seva
-:Ekantha Seva(not open to piligrims)

Weekly Sevas

During the week days, each day has a specific ritual of worship which has a religious significance. Such sevas are called Weekly Sevas.

->Vishesha Puja (Monday)
->Ashtadala Pada Padmaradhana (Tuesday)
->Sahasra Kalasabhishekam (Wednesday)
->Tiruppavada Seva  (Thursday)
->Abhishekam-Vastralankara Seva-Nija Pada Darshanam (Friday)


Periodical Sevas

The periodical sevas are the annual events of religious significance performed in Tirumala following the importance of particular asterism.

Teppotsavam or float festival-------5 days a Year (March)
Vasanthotsavam------------------------3 days a year (March or April)
Padmavathi Parinayam---------------3 days a year (May)
Abhideyaka Abhishekam------------3 days a year (June-Annual)
Pushpa Pallaki---------------------------(July)
Pushpa Yagam---------------------------(November)
Koil Alwar Thirumanjanam-----------(4 times in a year)
Pavithrotsavams--------------------------3 days a year(August)

The tickets for all the arjita sevas and festivals are sold in 90 days advance for the benefit of the devotees to make their visit and participate in the holy event in the Srivari Temple.

How To Reach?

By Air:
Tirupati Airport is located 14 km from the town and has regular flights from Delhi and Hyderabad. It is a domestic airport and Jet Star and Kingfisher have daily flights from Hyderabad, except on Tuesdays and Indian Airlines operates daily flights from New Delhi. The airport has one terminal.
By Train:
Tirupati Railway Station is located in the town itself on Katpadi-Renigunta rail route. There are train connections like Kanyakumari Express, Ernakulam-Hyderabad Sabari Express, Tirupati Express, Krisna Express and Venkatadri Express from many places in the region including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
By Bus:
There are a lot of bus connections from within Andhra Pradesh and from Tamil Nadu. Express buses are much faster than the ordinary variety. Cabs are a comfortable road travel option though somewhat expensive. The distance from Chennai is 137kms and driving time is around 3 hours by road.

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Golden temple, Amritsar

Sri Harmandir Sahib (also known Darbar Sahib or Golden temple) is the most religious 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.

Kedarnath

Located 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 hill surface. One can make use of a pony(small horse) 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.

Badrinath temple

Badarinath Dham is considered as one of the most worshiped centres of pilgrimage located in the  Himalayan heights in the Garhwal hill tracks (Uttarakhand). Situated at the height of 3133 m (10248 feet) above sea level. The route to Badarinath is one of the most fascinating one due to the lofty hilly terrain, curves and cliffs amidst the most scenically beautiful place on the earth.

At Badarinath Lord MahaVishnu is believed to have done his penance. Seeing the Lord doing his penance in the open, Goddess Mahalaxmi is believed to have assumed the form of Badari tree to provide him shelter to face the onslaught of the adverse weather conditions, therefore the name Badari Narayan. It is believed that Lord Vishnu revealed to Narad rishi that Nar & Naryans forms were his own. It is also believed that Narad rishi, who also did his penance here, is even now worshipping the supreme God with Ashtakshara mantras.

The image of Badarinarayan here is fashioned out of Saligramam. Badarinarayan is seen under the Badari tree, flanked by Kuber and Garuda, Narad, Narayan and Nar. Mahalakshmi has a sanctum outside in the parikrama. There is also a shrine to Adi Sankara at Badarinath.

Behind the temple of Lord Badarinarayan is the Lakshmi Narsimh mandir, with shrines to Desikacharya and Ramanujachary.At Badarinath one can witness one of the greatest wonders of Nature in the Hot water springs of Taptkund on the banks of ice chilled river Alaknanda. The temperature of the water in the Kund is 55 degree centigrade whereas the normal temperature in this region for most part of the year remains at 9-10 degree centigrade to sub-zero levels. Before visiting the temple the pilgrims take a holy bath in the Taptkund.

Birlamandir, Delhi

Laxmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, is one of Delhi's major temples and a major tourist attraction. Built by the industrialst Sh. J.K. Birla in 1939, this beautiful temple is located in the west of Connaught Place.

The temple is dedicated to Laxmi (the goddess of prosperity) and Narayana (The preserver). The temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on the condition that people of all castes will be allowed to enter the temple.

Jagannath Temple, Puri

Shri Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu lord of the Universe is the supreme solace and saviour of countless devotees around the world. since time immemorial, His monumental and magnificent Shrine at Shri Purusottam-Kshetra (Puri, Orissa) one of the four major Dhamas of India has been a most sacred centre of pilgrimage and worship symbolising and uploading one of the greatest spiritual and cultural heritages of the world.

The most frrequently depicted theme involves the holy Triad of the Jagannath Temple - Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra

The deities of the Puri temple are generally known as the Trimurti (trinity) and also as Chaturdhamurti. Some scholars think that originally there was only image of Jagannatha as the object of worship called Nila Madhava and when Nila Madhava disappeared, king Indradyumna fabricated the body of Jagannatha out of a log of wood that was picked up from the sea, as per a divine direction. Scholars suggesting that originally there ,were only two deities, cite the example of a temple found in the Cuttack district in Orissa belonging perhaps to the seventh century A.D., where the images only of Jagannatha and Balabhadra have been carved and Subhadra is not to be seen there.
It is, therefore, believed that when there was a great resurgence of Saktism from the 7th century onwards, there was a successful attempt to instal an image of the mother goddess (Durga or Sakti) in the Puri temple by the side of Jagannatha. According to some others, installation of the image of Durga or Sakti, who is also known as Bhadra, Mangala etc., might have taken place during the visit of Sankaracarya to Puri. In the Konarka temple built in the 13th century A.D. about a century later than the Puri temple, there is a panel of three images. Jagannatha is seen in the middle and to his left is Durga killing demon Mahisa, while to his rjght is A linga (phallus) representing Siva. From this, it is deduced by some scholars that this might have been the original trio of the Puri temple, indicating the equal importance to Vaisnavism, Saktism and Saivism. In such a case, it is deduced that originally there was one image representing Visnu or Madhava and Siva and Durga were added subsequently.
There is another theory that Bhadra or Mangala (Durga) came to be called Subhadra and at the time of Vaisnavite preponderance, she was introduced as Krisna's sister, whose name is also Subhadra. Similarly one of the names of Siva is Virabhadra. Somehow, at a time of Vaisnavic effloroscence, he was transformed into Balabhadra. The second half Of this name i.e., 'Bhadra' was retained and the first half was substituted by Bala.When he was thus called Balabhadra, he was introduced as the elder brother of Krisna.

Festivals

It is said that there are twelve 'Yatras' (festivals) of Shri Jagannath as mentioned below, but actually there are more festive rituals performed throughout the year.

1. Devasnana Purnima (May-June)
2. Ratha Yatra (June-July)
3. Snana Yatra (Full moon day in the month of Jyeshta)
4. Dakshinayana Yatra (On the day of Karkata Sankranthi)
5. Parshwa Parivarthan (In the month of Bhadra)
6. Deva Utthapana (In the month of Kartika)
7. Prabarana or Parvana Sasthi (In the month of Margasira)
8. Pushyabhiisheka (Full moon day in the month of Pushya)
9. Makar Sankranti (In the month of Pushya)
10.Dola Yatra (In the month of Phalguna)
11.Damanaka Chaturdashi (in the month of Chaitra)
12.Akshaya Trutiya

How To Reach?

By air:

The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, From here puri is about 60 km.

By Train:

Puri is a terminus on the East Coast Railway having direct express and super fast train links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc. Some important trains are Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath Express; New Delhi; Purushottam Express. Khurda Road Station, 44 km, from Puri is convenient rail head for train to Chennai and Western India.

By Bus:

The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes. Minibuses to Konark leave every 20-30 minutes and also from Jatiababa Chhak. There are direct buses for Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.

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