Madangopal Jiu Temple, Mellock, Samta, West Bengal

Madangopal Jiu Temple, Mellock, Samta, West Bengal

Madangopal Jiu Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in the village of Mellock, near Samta, in the Indian state of West Bengal. The temple is also locally known as Gopaler Mondir, the temple of Gopala. Madan Mohan Jiu temple is also one of the largest Achala (roof with 8 slopes) temple in Bengal.

History

It was built in 1651AD by a wrestler known as Mukundaprasad Roy Choudhury, who was a family member of the Roy Zamindars, who then ruled the village of Samta. Then, the Rup Narayan River used to flow alongside the temple. However, now the river has changed its course and moved farther away. Mukundaprasad was reputed to be very strong and muscular. In those days, the road to the temple was connected to the barrage of the village by a small wooden bridge.

Mukundaprasad would carry two heavy stone dumbbells in his arms and would carry it to the temple crossing the wooden bridge. Neither did he use to get tired nor did the wooden bridge ever break. One of the stones is kept in the vicinity of the temple. The temple is in ruins and reconstruction work was started in early 2010s. The idols of the deity are made of eight metals (ashtadhatu). But since the reconstruction started, the deities have been shifted to a nearby house.

The Temple

The temple is a terracotta ornamented temple and its roof has eight slopes. The main entrance with three arches faces the south. One additional entrance is on the east side. The east entrance leads to a small room, adjacent to the garbhagriha, or the main room. The temple is approximately 40 feet high. The temple has number of sculptures and designs on it. The deity worshipped in the temple is Radha and Madangopal. The idol of Radha is much shorter than the idol of Madangopal. However, now as the temple is in ruins the idols have been kept in a nearby house.

Temple Opening Time

The Temple remains open from 06.00 am in the morning to 08.00 pm in the night.

Festivals

Local Holi and Dol Yatra in Samta is held every year a day after Dol Purnima (full moon day) and on the day of Holi the idols are carried to the nearby house of the Mukherjees by an ancient wooden palanquin. Special rituals are performed and at evening it is brought back to the temple following traditions, in which burning bonfires are placed alongside the whole road, starting from the house of the Mukherjees till the temple. The people must make their way through the road and carry the palanquin with idols to the temple. On the day of Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna) also special pujas are held.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 2.5 Kms from Deulti Railway Station, 9 Kms from Kolaghat, 13 Kms from Bagnan, 53 Kms from Howrah, 68 Kms from Kolkata, 77 Kms from Kharagpur and 76 Kms from Kolkata Airport. The Temple is situated off Kolkata Mumbai National Highway between Kolkata and Kharagpur near Mellock Village.

Location

Ardhagiri Veera Anjaneya Temple, Aragonda, Andhra Pradesh

Ardhagiri Veera Anjaneya Temple, Aragonda, Andhra Pradesh

Veera Anjaneya Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, located on the hill of Ardhagiri in Aragonda Village of Chittoor district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is about 300 years old. The temple tank is called as Sanjeeviraya Pushkarini. It is believed that the water has the divine Sanjeevini elements infused into it.

Legends

The origin of the temple dates back to Treta Yuga and has an interesting legend that associates it with the Ramayana. During the battle with Ravana, Laxmana got injured and fell unconscious. Anjaneya, at the behest of Jambava, assumed a gigantic form and bounded for the Himalayas to procure herbs from the Sanjeevini Hill to revive an unconscious Lakshmana. Unable to identify the herbs in quick time, he uprooted the entire hill and flew back to Lanka, carrying it on his left shoulder.

It is believed that, a part of the Hill (carried by Hanuman) was dropped at this place and called as Ardhagiri (half hill). From then, people started worshipping hanuman in the name of Veera Anjaneya Swamy. Many people, till today, come from all the world to collect the medicated water in the pond, besides to the temple. The clay in the mountain contains many medicinal properties and has a power to cure many types of skin problems. The water in the pond comes from different place from the mountain, touching many roots of medicinal plants.

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/ardhagiri-veera-anjaneya-temple-aragonda-temple.html

Temple Opening Time

The Temple remains open from 05.30 am to 1.30 pm and 01.30 pm to 9.00 pm. On full moon days, it's open until 11.00 pm.

Festivals

Full moon day is special here as it was on this day that Anjaneya flew to get the Sanjeevini herb. Cultural programmes are held and the temple remains open at night. Hanuman Jayanthi is also celebrated in a grand manner.

Prayers

Devotees believe the water from Sanjeeviraya Pushkarini will heal diseases like cancer and asthma. They carry water from temple pond and distribute it to their kin. It's said that prayers offered in the dark on a full moon day provide immense power, peace and happiness. Garlands made from betel leaves, Marigolds, and Tulasi (Indian Basil), and different flowers are offered to Lord.

Contact

Ardhagiri Veera Anjaneya Swamy Temple, 

Aragonda Village, Thavanam Palli Mandal,

Chittoor District,

Andhra Pradesh – 517 129

Phone: +91 8573 283 687 / 283 689 / 283 690

Email: eo_ardhagiri@yahoo.co.in

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 2 Kms from Aragonda, 14 Kms from Kanipakam, 23 Kms from Chittoor, 22 Kms from Chittoor Railway Station, 82 Kms from Tirupati, 97 Kms from Tirupati Airport, 184 Kms from Chennai and 175 Kms from Chennai Airport. There are direct buses from Chittoor and Kanipakkam to Aragonda.

Location | Photos

Ardhagiri Veera Anjaneya Temple, Aragonda – The Temple

Ardhagiri Veera Anjaneya Temple, Aragonda – The Temple

Veera Anjaneya Temple is situated on the foothill of Ardhagiri. The shrine is a modest structure, nestles in the midst of lush hills about 300 feet high. The temple’s tiled courtyard serves as the circumambulatory route. A structured path takes you to the sanctum sanctorum. The temple is built on Dravidian Style Architecture. Presiding Deity is called as Veera Anjaneya. He is housed in the sanctum. He is about 3 feet high, covered with copper plate.

He is facing North. The deity’s right hand is in abhaya mudra, and his left hand is seen holding the Sowgandhika flower. His enormous tail, raised above his head, holds aloft at the end, a small bell, characteristic of Anjaneya idols that are made in Andhra. His ears are embellished with beautifully sculpted earrings or kundalam.

The Temple was constructed in such a way that the sun rays will fall only on the feet of the Lord Anjaneya in the early morning. As the day progresses the sun rays strike each and every portion of the head, but finally disappearing beyond the head region. According to folklore, Sun god who was overwhelmed by Anjaneya’s courage and devotion to Rama, pays his tribute in this manner.

The temple tank is called as Sanjeeviraya Pushkarini. It is believed that the water has the divine Sanjeevini elements infused into it. Sanjeeviraya Pushkarini is perennial. It is situated on the right side of the Temple. In the centre of the Pushkarini (tank), is a statue of Anjaneya in meditation. To maintain sanctity and cleanliness, a wall has been built around the tank and there’s a gate that remains locked. A pipe from the tank carries the water to an adjoining room for the sake of the devotees, many of whom carry this water back home.

The temple walls have sculptures of several god and goddesses. Ayyapan Swamy Shrine can be found in the hills. One need to climb at least 300 rock cut stairs to reach here. The Ayyapan Swamy shrine is not open always but you can enjoy the view from the hill top. There is a shrine for Lord Shiva in mid of hills. Many devotees come to visit this temple and specifically on a full moon day as it is believed that it was on a full moon day when Hanuman brought the Sanjeevini Mountain from Himalayas.

Varadaraja Swamy Temple, Kanipakam, Andhra Pradesh

Varadaraja Swamy Temple, Kanipakam, Andhra Pradesh

Varadaraja Swamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Kanipakam Village near Chittoor City in Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is situated very close to Kanipakam Vinayagar Temple.

History

The temple was constructed in the early 11^th century CE by the Chola Emperor Kulothunga Chola I and was expanded further in 1336 by the Kings of Vijayanagara dynasty.

The Temple

The temple faces east and is surrounded by a prakara wall. The entrance into the temple is through a gopura in the east. On plan, the temple consists of garbhagriha, antarala, Muhamandapam and Mahamandapam. The Garuda Shrine is situated in front of the Mahamandapam. Behind this shrine are the Balipitha and dhvajastambha. The main shrine of Varadaraja faces east and contains garbhagriha and antarala. The adhisthana is of padabandha type. It contains the mouldings of upana, tripatta-kumuda, gala, patta, gala and alingapattika with lotus design.

The outer walls of the garbhagriha contain empty niches which are flanked by pilasters and surmounted by makara torana. Above the walls, the cornice is decorated with simhalalata gables. The vimana above the garbhagriha is of an ekatala type with the series of kuta, panjara and Sala elements. The niches of the griva contain deity figures like Matysavatara on the north, Narasimha on the west, Vamana on the south and Sri Rama on the east.

The griva and sikhara are circular and belong to the vesara order. The garbhagriha houses the stone image of Varadaraja and his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. The Outer Walls of the antarala contain empty niches which are flanked by pilasters. In the interior of the antarala there is an image of Andal. The door jambs are adorned with floral design. The Muhamandapam is rectangular and has four pillars with Chola capitals. In the interior of the mandapa, there is a vedi which contains nine loose stone images of Alvars.

There is a stone image of Vishnu in one corner of the mandapa. The ceiling of the mandapa has the Padmasila. There are Dwarapalakas on either side of the entrance of this mandapa. The Muhamandapam contains sixteen pillars with two square sections and one rectangular block alternating with two octagonal shafts in between. The pillar capitals are in Chola style. The rectangular and square blocks of the pillars are adorned with deity sculptures.

Garuda Shrine is situated to the east of the Mahamandapam. It is a square structure with plain walls. It has an ekatala vimana with circular griva and sikhara. Inside the shrine, Garuda stands in samabhanga with his hands in Anjali pose. The Varadaraja temple, as evidenced by its architectural features, was built during the later Chola period i.e., 12^th - 13^th Centuries A.D. The loose stone images of alvars, Vishnu and Andal may be dated to 14^th - 15^th century A.D.

Prayers

People believe that if newly married couples perform Satyanarayana Vrata in this temple their life will be happy.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/varadaraja-swamy-temple-kanipakam-connectivity.html

Location

Varadaraja Swamy Temple, Kanipakam – Connectivity

Varadaraja Swamy Temple, Kanipakam – Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 500 meters from Kanipakam Bus Stand, 12 Kms from Chittoor, 12 Kms from Chittoor Bus Stand, 12 Kms from Chittoor Old Bus Stand, 12 Kms from Chittoor Railway Station, 44 Kms from Katpadi Junction, 68 Kms from Tirupati, 83 Kms from Tirupati Airport, 78 Kms from Thiruthani, 51 Kms from Vellore, 181 Kms from Bengaluru Airport and 163 Kms from Chennai Airport. Kanipakam is well connected to Chittoor.

By Road:

Chittoor is well connected to major cities through national and state highways. The National Highways through Chittoor City are, National Highway 40 (India) connecting Chittoor with Kadapa and Kurnool on North and connecting Vellore and Chennai on South National Highway 69 (India) connecting Chittoor with Kolar and Bangalore on West National Highway 140 (India) connecting Chittoor with Tirupati and Nellore on East. 

By Train:

Chittoor railway station is a National railway station in Chittoor city of Andhra Pradesh. It lies on Gudur-Katpadi Branch line section and is administered under Guntakal railway division of South Central Railway zone. Nearest Major Railway Junction is Katpadi Junction railway station Tamil Nadu. There are direct trains daily from Chittoor to Vijayawada, Kakinada, Kacheguda (Hyderabad), Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi to Kanyakumari Him Sagar Express and weekly/biweekly/triweekly trains connect Chittoor with Mannargudi, Jammu, Katra, Tirunelveli, Mangalore, Ernakulam, Visakhapatnam, Hatia Ranchi, Santragachi (Kolkata) and Jayanthi Janata express, etc. which run through Chittoor.

By Air:

Nearest Domestic Airport is Tirupati Airport at Renigunta in Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh. The nearest international airports are Chennai International Airport at Chennai and Kempegowda International Airport at Bangalore.

Siddheswara Swamy Temple, Talakona, Andhra Pradesh

Siddheswara Swamy Temple, Talakona, Andhra Pradesh

Siddheswara Swamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Talakona in the Sri Venkateshwara National Park of Chittoor District in Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is located in the deep forest of the Sri Venkateshwara National Park (just 20 minute’s walk from the well-known Talakona Waterfall). Presiding Deity is called as Siddheswara Swamy.

History

As per the local people, the temple was built some 140 years ago. The Shiva Linga in the temple was brought from the ruined temple of Rayavaripalli, a village in Pulicherla Mandal, On olden days there was a custom that if any new temple is constructed, instead of making a new Siva Linga, can install old one which lies without Pooja in ruined Temples. Based on this custom the Shiva Linga was brought from Rayavaripalli ruined temple. The relics of the ruined temple can be seen today also in the agricultural fields of Rayavaripalli and field is called as "Lingaakaaram kaada kayya", till today, which means a piece of agricultural field near Siva Lingam.

Festivals

Maha Shivrathri is the most famous festival celebrated here. Locals also gather to celebrate Holi.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 24 Kms from Bhakarapeta, 24 Kms from Bhakarapeta Bus Stop, 56 Kms from Tirupati, 56 Kms from Tirupati Railway Station, 69 Kms from Renigunta Railway Junction, 89 Kms from Chittoor, 188 Kms from Chennai and 206 Kms from Chennai Airport. From Tirupati you can hire a private cab / car / jeep and you can reach Talakona or You can take a local bus which goes till Bhakarapeta and from there you can hire a jeep which will take you to Siddheswara Swamy Temple.

Location

Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur, Kerala

Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur, Kerala

Vadakkunnathan Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the heart of Thrissur City in the state of Kerala, India. This temple is a classic example of the architectural style of Kerala and has monumental towers on all four sides and also a Koothambalam. Mural paintings depicting various episodes from Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple. The shrines and the Koothambalam display vignettes carved in wood.

The temple, along with the mural paintings, has been declared as a National Monument by India under the AMASR Act. According to popular local lore, this is the first temple built by Parasurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu. Thekkinkadu Maidan, encircling the Vadakkunnathan Temple, is the main venue of the Thrissur Pooram. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter into the temple.

In the year 2012 the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recommended 14 sites, including Vadakkunathan Temple and palaces, from Kerala to include in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. India has won the top UNESCO prize ‘Award of Excellence’ 2015 for the remarkable conservation efforts of the majestic Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Kerala, the U.N. body.

The award recognizes the remarkable conservation effort undertaken at the sacred site which employed age-old rituals and conservation techniques drawn from Vastu Sastra focusing on architecture and construction,” UNESCO said in a statement. As such, the tangible attributes of the temple were inextricably linked with its intangible heritage which dates back generations, thus ensuring that “spirit of place” resonates throughout the site, the U.N. body said.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-legends.html

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-history.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-temple.html

Temple Timings

The temple opens daily at 04:00 AM, closes at 11:00 AM, reopens at 04:30 PM and closes at 8.20 PM after 'Trippuka', the last rite of the day. Three poojas are performed daily. No deities are taken outwards to procession. Every time the nada opens, there is niyamavedi (timing fire).

Poojas

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-poojas.html

Order of Darshan

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-order-of-darshan.html

Festivals

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-festivals.html

Contact

Vadakkunnathan Temple 

Near Thekkinkadu Maidan,

Kuruppam, Anchuvilakku,

Thrissur, Kerala – 680 001

Phone: +91 487 242 6040

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/07/vadakkunnathan-temple-thrissur-connectivity.html

Location | Photos