Padu travelogue
Temple travels
Friday, September 22, 2023
Devarayana Durga
Atop of a hill at 3950 ft was the juicy bait to visit Yoga Narshima Temple at Devarayanadurga. Bhavani and I set off on a Sat morning. We packed our lunch which in hindsight was a good decision as there were no restaurants atop of the hill. The drive was spectacular and a good road right till the top.
The temple is fairly well maintained. This seems to be a popular temple in this area and seems to be family deity for many. Going down a flight of step to the fresh water spring was an experience by itself.
For a truly invigorating experience a trek to the top of the hill would be a great idea.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Jyotirling-2 Nageshwar
Nageshwar Jyotiring is 15km off Dwaraka.
We reached Dwaraka from Somnath late night. We checked into a hotel and asked about details of Nageshwar temple. The hotel owner was very helpful. He said that there is a bus which takes you on a darshan of all the temples in Dwaraka which covers Nageshwar Jyotirling too. The bus was to leave at 8.30. We are light sleepers. Due to continuous travel we woke up at 7.30 and rushed out at 8.00.
The bus left at 8.30AM
The structure is relatively new and is built by T- Series. There are buses which take you to the temple
We had a fantastic darshan, We decided to perform puja and bought a puja plate from a counter next to the sanctum.We did a small puja to the jyotirling.
We reached Dwaraka from Somnath late night. We checked into a hotel and asked about details of Nageshwar temple. The hotel owner was very helpful. He said that there is a bus which takes you on a darshan of all the temples in Dwaraka which covers Nageshwar Jyotirling too. The bus was to leave at 8.30. We are light sleepers. Due to continuous travel we woke up at 7.30 and rushed out at 8.00.
The bus left at 8.30AM
The structure is relatively new and is built by T- Series. There are buses which take you to the temple
We had a fantastic darshan, We decided to perform puja and bought a puja plate from a counter next to the sanctum.We did a small puja to the jyotirling.
Labels:
Dwaraka,
Jyotirling,
Nageshwar,
Nageswar,
T series
Location:
Dwarka, Gujarat, India
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Char Dham - Rishikesh
This is in continuation of our temple tours.All these years
we had taken short pilgrimages and we had been keen on a long and preferably
arduous pilgrimage. We had zeroed in on Kailash Mansarovar this year and the Himalayan Chardham in 2016. We had finalised the tour operator and had paid an advance. We had timed it so that we
are in Manarovar on full moon day. All our plans had come to a naught because
of the earth quake in Nepal. So we decided to do the Himalayan Char Dham
covering Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath this year and hopefully
the Kailash Masarovar Yatra in 2016
We took the early morning flight to Delhi and landed in Del
at 8.30am. The car (Ertiga) picked us up from the airport and we set of to
Rishikesh. The journey was uneventful and we reached Rishikesh at 3.30 pm.
Rishikesh
The hotel was empty as we had chosen an off season to make
this trip. There was a slight drizzle in the evening as we started off for the
Ganga aarthi. I was praying that the rains would give us a miss as this region
is prone to landslides and it is at a peak during the monsoons.
We had reached the banks of the Ganga a little early and the
scenery which awaited us was astounding. The Ganga was flowing at a brisk
steady pace. It is said that the entire length is sacred and there are certain spots
where you feel the intense spiritual energy. Rishikesh is certainly the divine's chosen spot. It was liberating, catapulted from a concrete jungle with its cacophony
of words and thoughts and never ending noise into the grandeur and vastness of
tranquil nature. From one end of the spectrum to the other.
We were walking along the banks of the river soaking in the
moment . The only thing which I can say is that there was no eagerness or
anticipation for anything. The normal eagerness to be done with our objective and move on to the next was surprisingly missing. We let the events
pan out and play at its own pace which is surprisingly an anti- thesis of my
personality. There was a silence in the mind which I cannot articulate further.
We learnt that the aarthi is not at any fixed timing but
happens at dusk. So there is a window of +/- 15 mins. The banks had begun to fill up. Since this
was the off season the crowds were absent and we could actually see the Ganga
aarthi without the pushing and jostling for space.
The aarthi started a little after 6.30 pm. It was a grand spectacle. The hand holding the aarthi was covered by a wet cloth to prevent it from singeing. One person was constantly wetting it with water from the river. Such huge lamps lit fully and the aarthi thereafter is a sight to watch. One did not feel that they have come to witness a spectacle and seemed a part of the ceremony. Very few diyas were lit and floated in the river. It would have been quite a spectacle had there been 100's of diyas.
Yamunotri
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Jyotirling Yatra1 - Somnath
Having a made a decision to visit all the shiva temples , the
jyotirlings were on top of the wish list. We had been visiting them over the years.
Hence these updates will be a few years old.
The then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, did the Pran-Pratistha at the existing temple on 11 May 1951.
Somnath is the first among the twelve Aadi Jyotirlings.
Located on the western
coast of India, itderives its name from the tradition
that the first temple was built by the Moon God in gratitude to the Lord Shiva
for ridding him of a curse placed on him by his father in law. Som in Sanskrit
means “Moon” and hence the name Somnath for the temple built by “Som”.
The
temple is so situated that there is no land from here to the South Pole. An
arrow indicates the direction.
Pauranic legends tell us that the Moon God had built a golden temple, followed by a silver temple by
Ravana, Bhagvan Shree Krishna is believed to have built Somnath temple with
Sandalwood.
The present day temple was the brainchild of Sardar
Vallabhai Patel who had visited Junagadh when he was tasked to build a united
India integrating 500 princely states into India. There is a massive statue of
Sardar Vallabhai Patel in the front looking at the temple with devotion which
he helped build.
The then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, did the Pran-Pratistha at the existing temple on 11 May 1951.
We reached Ahmedabad from BLR by the Indigo flt at 8.30 am.
We took a cab to Modhera and Rani-Ki –Vav. I will give details of those
magnificent heritage sites in a
different post. We were back
in Ahmedabad by 6.30pm and proceeded to the railway station for our train to
Veraval which is about 7 km from Somnath. The scheduled departure was 10.00 pm
and it left on time to arrive at Veraval at 7.30 am. We took an auto to Somnath
which is a 20 min ride. The auto driver was chatty and friendly and was keen
that we hire him to show us around Somnath. Luck wasn’t on our side as we did
not get a room in the temple guest house. I was unable to see the room but my
impression of the facility from outside was that it was neat and clean and well
maintained.
The aarthi timings are 7.00 am , 12.00 noon and 7.00 pm. The auto
driver suggested that we go to the
temple at 12.00 in time for the noon aarthi. I had been waiting for years to
make this trip and was keen to have the darshan first before I do anything.We
checked into a hotel close to the temple and freshened up and left for the
Somnath Mandir immediately.
The security
is extremely high. No bags/ mobiles/cameras. Though the security personnel were present everywhere they were unobtrusive
and very helpful. One thing which strikes you apart from the overwhelming
security is the cleanliness,, not just here but all of Gujarat.
Everything
about the temple is massive. It has a 7 tiered gopuram which rises about 150 ft with
a flag pole on top of it. It faces east
and is bang on the shores of the Arabian sea. Once you enter the temple there
is a massive courtyard with a beautiful lawn.
The temple
built in the 1950’s is built on the same lines as the old temple built on 56 pillars.
Coming from the south, where one can see “100 pillar mandapam” or a “ 1000
pillar mandapam” I wondered the significance of 56. There is a legend
associated with 56. Krishna had come to the rescue of villagers from the anger
of Indra who had brought torrential rain and floods for 7 days by lifting the
Govardhana giri. The people had taken refuge under the mountain and were saved
from the wrath of Indra. Indra realized his mistake and the futility of taking
on Krishna came to his senses and peace returned to the villages. Kishna is
supposed to have 8 meals/day. 7X8 =56 item menu is prepared for Krishna.
Krishna is supposed to have shed his mortal coil in Somnath. Is that why we
have the Somnath temple built on 56 pillars?
When we enter
the sanctum there is a huge Ganesha on the left and a huge Hanuman on the right
both made of white marble. The floor is white marble inlaid with black granite.
Up ahead is the sanctum sanctorum with a huge lingam. The goddess is behind the
linga and can be seen only if you stand slightly to the side.
An
interesting system allows you do abhishekam to the lingam without entering the
sanctum sanctorum. There is a small opening on the platform in the front where
you pour the abhishekam water (water/milk etc) . The priest pushes a button.
and the milk/ganga jal trickles on the lingam . The pipes are well concealed and appears neat.
Outside is "sakshi Ganapathi" who keeps a record of all the
devotees who visit the Somnath temple.
There is an
open air auditorium for sound and light
show. We missed the show as we had to leave for Dwaraka by late noon. But going
by the pictures on the net it seems like a brilliant effort and a lot has gone
into choreographing the show. I would encourage the readers to stay overnight
and see the program.
Also of
interest is a small gallery displaying old photos of the temple. This is within
the temple complex. There are photos of excavations and the old stones with markings
Dehotsarga also called Balkh Tirth
where Krishna shed his mortal coil is nearby. The tirtha stands at the
confluence of Hiranya, Saraswati and Kapila rivers. Vallabhacharya's Baithak is
also there at PrabhasPatan
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Ahobilam
Ahobilam had been in our wish list for long and for some
reasons we never got around make the pilgrimage. My inlaws were keen on
visiting it too and our schedules needed to match for us to make the trip. Eventually
we did, when we had a long weekend in the first week of Mar 2015.
Before I get into
details of the trip let me tell you that this pilgrimage was like none other.
The temples by themselves are small (miniscule), but what sets this yatra apart
is that one goes through a complete range of emotions during the trek. From worldly worries to ecstasy,
from ecstasy to silence from a silent mind to unexplained joy. I would urge you to take time off by yourself and sit by the various mountain streams.
I could not find a recent update from helpful bloggers on
Ahobilam and was trying to figure out which of the 3 routes to take from
Bangalore. We set off at about 16.00 hrs from Bangalore and decided to
take the Bangalore – Kadri- Pulivanthala – Ahobilam route. The road was
passable with bad stretches when crossing villages. However, on our return we
decided to take the
Ahobilam – Kadappa – Rayachotty – Chinthamani- Bangalore.
In hindsight, this was a good decision as the road was very good and we could reach Bangalore without a hitch.
I had booked my stay in “Ahobilam Malolan Tours and
Religious Services Ltd”(AMTRS). The A/c rooms were clean and functional
and the food was home cooked. The rates included the services of a guide (Very
much required) and also a jeep to visit 2 temples in the middle of a forest
after a grueling 20 km drive. This is run by an enterprising
lady, Mrs.Komala who has built the rooms for stay as an extension of
her house.This was probably one of the best decisions I had taken, as once the
stay and food were taken care of, a major part of the planning is done.
We had reached late night but were up early and left by car
with packed breakfast and the guide in tow for the temples in Upper Ahobilam
which has 4 of the 9 temples.
Since my father-in- law is 80 and MIL is 75, we had
organized dolis for them @ Rs 2000/ each.
You reach the Ahobila Narasimha temple at the base after a
short drive of 8 kms. Our trek starts
from here to the other 3 temples. From Ahobila temple, going to Jwala Narashima
involved climbing through rocks on a river bed and up a narrow path way for
about an hour. Kroda is on the way to Jwala and Malola can be reached after a
short trek and a a climb of 100 steps from Kroda.
This is a trek which is about 2-4 kms passes through some of
the most beautiful landscapes, mountain streams and green vegetation . The
final stretch to reach the Jwala Narasimha temple is a neatly constructed
flight of stairs. After the climb you cross a path carved out of the face of
the hill. The guide told us that it would be a thrilling
sight during the rains as one would be trekking under the waterfall from the
Vidyatri mountain. We had to make do with just a trickle and a fine spray on
our faces.
The path down was fairly easy and we were back in our cars
in 3 hours. There is a lot written about the trekking which can put off many a
pilgrim. Most of it is overstated and can be done without a hitch. I’m not in
the best of shape and have weak legs. I
was able to cover the 3 temples in Upper Ahobilam and still have enough energy
to drive back and cover 3 more temples on the way back. The 5th temple Karanja was
on the road side of the way back to Lower Ahobilam.
We covered the other 2 temples (Yogananda and
Chatravata) in Lower Ahobilam by driving right up to the temples.
We came back to the room and rested for a couple of hours
and had home cooked food at the house of the organizer. She had organized for
the jeep to pick us up to take us to the final 2 Narasimha temples deep inside
a jungle. The starting point for Pavana is also Ahobila Narasimha temple, but
the route is on the opposite side of Jwala Temple. This is about 20km from the
town and drive was on a dirt track. It was fun and the 40km to and fro trip
took about 2.5 hrs. I had conjured up visions of a dense rain forest with an
odd wild animal running around. The reality was far from it. The forest by
itself was dry and barren and all the jolting left us _ _ _ _.
We finally reached the temple and were surprised to find a number of people who had made the journey on foot. I realized the depth of their faith and the strength of their resolve. In comparison, my bhakthi was conditional and was practiced only if it was within my comfort zone. This revelation of was a humbling experience.
The last temple (Bhargava )which was just 3 km from the town
was covered on the return by jeep. You have to walk a short uneven path and
climb a flight of steps to reach this. My FIL and MIL were able to manage the
last segment on foot without much hassle.
We went back to the room to freshen up and were right in
time to see the last few overs of India – WestIndes match of the world
cup. The win was a perfect end to a great trip.
We visited the Prahalada Narasimha Ahobilam temple in the
town later in the evening. It was the last day of the Brahmotsavam and it was
crowded. We had people waiting on top of structures as a
vantage point for viewing the grand finale procession later during the night.
Some pics of the devotees and the crowd.
My 2 cents
- Make full use of the bamboo pole for trekking and use it effectively so that it takes most of the weight of your legs. This reduces fatigue to a huge extent. We covered the so called arduous journey in 3 hours.
- We had carried breakfast and had it after the darshan of the 2nd temple . This slowed us down considerably. If hungry during a trek have a banana or other fruits for energy and drink lots of water.
The Legend and the Temples:
According to Hindu Mythology Western Ghats is considered to
be the celestial thousand hooded serpent Adi Seshan in which Lord Vishnu sleeps
in the milk ocean. Tirumala being the head portion, Ahobilam the middle and Sri
Sailam being the tail portion.
This is also known as Nava Narasimha khshetras - as
per legend the nine shines of Narasimhas are Nine Navagrahadhipathis and the
Navagrahas are said to have attained their power by worshiping these deities.
“Jwala Ahobila Malola Kroda Karanja Bhargava Yogananda
Kshatravata Pavana Nava Moorthayaha”
Graha
|
Grahadhipathi
|
Angaraka
|
Jwala
|
Guru
|
Ahobila
|
Sukra
|
Malola
|
Rahu
|
Krodha
|
Chandra
|
Karanja
|
Surya
|
Bhargava
|
Shani
|
Yogananda
|
Kethu
|
Chatravata
|
Budha
|
Paavana
|
Every year, in the month of Phalguna, Brahmotsavas are held. Apart from this, every month, on the star day of the Lord, which is Swathi, Thirumanjan Seva is performed with 108 Kalasas at the Prahalada Narasimha temple.
Jwala Narasimha - Jwala means flame - the Lord is at His most ferocious form.
There are three idols in this shrine - first one depicts
him emerging out of the pillar to kill Hiranya.
In the second one the Lord is depicted with eight hands –
· two hands
tearing open the stomach of Hiranya
· two hands
garlanding himself with the intestine
· two hands
holding the legs and head firmly in place on His thigh
· two hands
wielding the conch and discus.
The third idol depicts the fight between the Lord and the
demon
|
Ahobila Narasimha also known as Ugra Narasimha - Ugra means ferocious
The main shrine is a cave and the Lord is depicted with
Hiranya on His lap. The idol of Prahalada is in front of the Lord. Adi
Sankara and , Thirumangai Alwar have sanctified the Lord with their hymns.
There is a shrine for Senju Lakshmi also.
|
Malola Narasimha - Maa means Maha lakshmi and Lola means Lover. In this form the Lord gives dharshan with His consort Mahalakshmi seated on His left thigh. He is depicted as Santha (peaceful) Narasimha showering His blessings to the devotees.
It is said that the 'utsavamoorthi' of the Lord appeared
to Srimath Adivan Satakopa Jeeyar, the first Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt and the
Utsava Murthi accompanies each of the Jeeyars whenever they are on religious
tours
|
Krodha Narasimha - Kroda means the extruded teeth. The Lord is depicted as the Varaha Narasimhar (boar) holding mother earth in His teeth. |
Karanja Narasimha – the main shrine is under
the Karanja tree and hence Karanja Narasimhar.
Hanuman did penance to see Lord Rama and when Lord
Narasimha appeared before him, Hanuman requested him to give darshan as Rama.
The Lord is seen here with bow and arrow with the celestial serpent as
umbrella
|
Bhargava Narasimha - Bhargava (Parasurama) did
penance here to see the Lord in his Narasimha form. Lord Vishnu appeared as
Ugra Narasimha and also showed the dasavatharam forms to Parasurama.
|
Yogananda Narasimha - The Lord is depicted in
a yogic posture with legs crossed and the hands in yogic posture. The legend
is that He taught the nuances of yoga to Prahalada here.
|
Chatravata Narasimha - Chatra means umbrella
and Vad means banyan tree. The Lord is depicted in jolly mood enjoying
the music of Ahaa and Uuhu two divine singers under the banyan tree with one
of his hands is tapping the rhythm on his thigh
|
Paavana Narasimha – located on the banks of
the Pavana river. The Lord gives darshan along with His consort Chenchu
Lakshmi. The legend is that the Goddess Mahalakshmi took birth as a tribal
Chenchu Lakshmi and married Lord Narasimha after the death of Hiranyakashpu.
The local Chenchu tribals celebrate the marriage of Goddess Mahalakshmi as
Chenchu Lakshmi and Lord Narasimha.
|
Other places of importance:
- Ugra Sthambham - Located in the mountains further above the Jwala Narasimha is a cleft of the mountain dividing it into two visible parts. Legend is that this the pillar from which Lord Narasimha emerged.
- Prahalada Mettu - Small shrine with an image of Prahalada in a cave on the hill between Ugra Sthambham and Upper Ahobilam.
- Rakthakundam – This is on the way to Jwala Narasimha and the Lord after killing Hiranyakasipu is said to have washed his hands in this 'theertham' and hence the name Rakthakundam.
- Garudatri - opposite the Jwala Narasimha shrine. Garuda wanted to have darshan of Lord as Narasimha and did severe penance in these hills. The Lord appeared in the form of Narasimha and gave darshan to Garuda. Garudatri resembles the shape of eagle with folded hands and beak in the middle and two wings on either side.
Labels:
Ahobilam,
Andhra,
Brahmotsava,
Chatravata,
Divya,
Garuda,
Hiranyakashpu,
Jwala,
Kadappa,
Malola,
Narshimar,
Navagraha,
Parasurama,
Pavana,
Prahalad,
Rakthakundam,
Rama,
trek,
Ugra,
Yogananda
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