Shiva Temple, Ambarnath, Maharashtra

Shiva Temple, Ambarnath, Maharashtra

Ambarnath Shiva Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Ambarnath City near Mumbai in Ambarnath Tehsil in Thane District in Maharashtra, India. The temple is situated on the slopes of a barren hillock. The temple is also called as Ambreshwar Temple and Puratana Shivalaya. The name Ambarnath means Lord of the sky. The temple is situated on the bank of Vadavan (Waldhuni) river.

Legends

As per legend, the Pandavas planned to build this temple in single night but they could not able to finish the construction before the sunrise. Hence, the shikara of this temple is incomplete till this date.

History

The construction of this temple was probably initiated by Shilahara King Chhittaraja (1022 – 1035 CE) and was completed in 1060 CE during the reign of his younger brother King Mummuni.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and follows Bhumija style of architecture. The temple consists of sanctum and mandapa with three entrance porches on three sides (eastern, northern and southern side). The tower over the entrance porch and mandapa are intact and follows stepped pyramidal style. Nandi can be seen in the mandapa facing towards the sanctum. The sanctum is situated below the ground level and can be reached after climbing down 20 steps from the mandapa. The sanctum is open to sky. The shikara over the sanctum raises little above the height of the mandapa.

The shikara was never completed due to some unknown reason. An image of Nataraja can be seen on the shikara. The exterior wall is decorated with single band of images. The sculptures in this band are predominantly Shaiva. There are fluted mouldings above and below the sculptures. A large number of the sculptures has lost its details to the weathering. The sculpture of Hari Hara Pitamaha Surya in the temple complex is unique because Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and Surya have been portrayed together in this rare sculptural masterpiece.

Festivals

Shivrathri (Feb-Mar) is the major festival day celebrated in this temple. A four-day fair is conducted during Shivaratri.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 2 Kms from Rangoli Hotel Bus Stop, 2 Kms from Ambarnath Railway Station, 2 Kms from Matka Chowk Bus Stop, 9 Kms from Kalyan, 9 Kms from Badlapur, 47 Kms from Mumbai and 49 Kms from Mumbai Airport. The temple is situated on Kalyan to Badlapur route. Ambarnath has a Mumbai Suburban Railway link to Mumbai and lies on the route to Karjat and Pune. 

Location

Mahadeva Temple, Sakegaon, Maharashtra

Mahadeva Temple, Sakegaon, Maharashtra

Mahadeva Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Sakegaon Village in Chikli Taluk in Buldhana District in Maharashtra, India. This temple is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east with an entrance on the northern side. The temple is enclosed within a compound wall. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala, sabha mandapa and mukha mandapa. The mukha mandapa is supported by four intricately carved pillars. Three idols of Nandi, facing towards sanctum can be seen in the mukha mandapa. The sanctum enshrines a Shiva Linga.

The shikara follows Hemadpanti style of architecture.  The shikara over the sanctum is connected to a low protrusion tower called Sukanasi (tower over the vestibule, called nose of the main tower). The sukanasi is decorated with the trifoliate chaitya arch. Images of Nataraja with Parvati can be seen inside the arch flanked by Bhairava, Mahishasura Mardini and Ganapathy.

There is a small shrine attached to the compound wall to the south of the main shrine. This shrine is facing towards north. It enshrines a pedestal and the image stood on the pedestal was missing. The exterior walls of the sanctum and doorway are devoid of decorations except the niches and geometrical patterns.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 11 Kms from Chikli Bus Stand, 12 Kms from Chikli, 23 Kms from Dhad, 30 Kms from Jafrabad, 31 Kms from Buldhana, 73 Kms from Khamgaon Railway Station, 133 Kms from Aurangabad Airport and 136 Kms from Aurangabad. The temple is situated on Chikli to Dhad route.

Location

Kasi Viswanatha Temple, Budanur, Karnataka

Kasi Viswanatha Temple, Budanur, Karnataka

Kasi Viswanatha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Budanur Village in Mandya Taluk in Mandya District in the Indian state of Karnataka. This temple is also called as Kasi Visveswara Temple. This temple is considered equivalent to Kasi. Hence, it is called as Dakshina Kasi. This temple is considered as one of the lesser known Hoysala temples of Karnataka. The temple is a protected monument under the Karnataka state division of the Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The temple is believed to be built in 13^th century CE by King Narasimha III of Hoysala dynasty. An inscription dated to 1276 CE records the grants made to this temple.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and stands over raised platform. The temple is stellate in plan. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala, navaranga and mukha mandapa. The mukha mandapa is supported by two lathe turned pillars of Hoysala style and two pilasters. The navaranga is a closed mandapa without any windows. The pillars in the navaranga are lathe turned ones with capitals. The navaranga has five niches.

These niches might have enshrined the images of Ganesha, Saptamatrika, Surya and Kumara Vishnu. All these images are kept outside in the navaranga. The ceilings of the navaranga are more ornate. The ceilings might have been painted originally. The remnants of the paintings can be still seen. Nandi can be found in the navaranga facing towards the sanctum. The doorways of the sanctum, antrala and navaranga are ornate and have multiple jambs of decoration.

Dvarapalas can be seen at the entrance of the sanctum on either sides. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Kasi Viswanatha in the form of Shiva Linga. The vimana over the sanctum follows vesara style. The antrala has a superstructure called sukhanasi. It looks like a shorter extension of the main tower. The exterior walls of the temple are devoid of any decoration except the repetitive geometrical design.

Contact

Kasi Viswanatha Temple,

Budanur, Mandya Taluk,

Mandya District – 571 404

Mobile: +91 96116 95091

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 7 Kms from Mandya Bus Stand, 7 Kms from Mandya Railway Station, 8 Kms from Mandya, 18 Kms from Maddur, 52 Kms from Mysuru, 66 Kms from Mysuru Airport, 98 Kms from Bengaluru and 138 Kms from Bengaluru Airport. Budanur is situated on the Bengaluru to Mysuru bus route.

Location

Anantha Padmanabha Temple, Budanur, Karnataka

Anantha Padmanabha Temple, Budanur, Karnataka

Anantha Padmanabha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Budanur Village in Mandya Taluk in Mandya District in the Indian state of Karnataka. This temple is considered as one of the lesser known Hoysala temples of Karnataka. The temple is a protected monument under the Karnataka state division of the Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The temple is believed to be built in 13^th century CE by King Narasimha III of Hoysala dynasty. An inscription dated to 1276 CE records the grants made to this temple.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and stands over raised platform. The temple is stellate in plan. A garuda sthamba can be found facing towards the sanctum. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala, navaranga and mukha mandapa. The mukha mandapa is supported by two lathe turned pillars of Hoysala style and two pilasters. The navaranga is a closed mandapa without any windows. The pillars in the navaranga are lathe turned ones with capitals.

The doorways of antarala and sanctum are ornate and have multiple jambs of decoration. There are two subsidiary shrines on either sides of the doorway of the antarala enshrining the images of Ganesha and Lakshmi. The sanctum is rectangular on plan. The sanctum enshrines an image of the presiding deity, Anantha Padmanaba. He is depicted in standing posture unlike the typical reclining posture found in other temples.

He is flanked by his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi. The coils of the snake, Anantha forms the prabhavali. All are carved in single stone. He is holding a chakra, ashtbanda, gada and shanka. The vimana over the sanctum is of five tiers. The antrala has a superstructure called sukhanasi. It looks like a shorter extension of the main tower. The exterior walls of the temple are devoid of any decoration except the repetitive geometrical design.

Contact

Anantha Padmanabha Temple,

Budanur, Mandya Taluk,

Mandya District – 571 404

Mobile: +91 96116 95091

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 7 Kms from Mandya Bus Stand, 7 Kms from Mandya Railway Station, 8 Kms from Mandya, 18 Kms from Maddur, 52 Kms from Mysuru, 66 Kms from Mysuru Airport, 98 Kms from Bengaluru and 138 Kms from Bengaluru Airport. Budanur is situated on the Bengaluru to Mysuru bus route.

Location

Yellamma Temple, Savadatti – Legends

Yellamma Temple, Savadatti – Legends

As per legend, Renuka Devi (also called as Yellamma) was the daughter of the king Renu of Kubaj country and the wife of the sage Jamadagni. The king Renu performed a yagna for the welfare of his kingdom. Pleased with Yagna, the gods blessed him with a girl child. The king named her as Renuka. When Renuka reached eight, Sage Agastya advised the king to get his daughter married to Sage Jamadagni. The king married her daughter to the sage Jamadagni. Sage Jamadagni lived along with his wife Renuka lived in the Ramshrung mountains.

Renuka helped the Jamadagni in all of his tasks of performing various rituals and puja. Renuka would wake up early in the morning to bathe in the Malaprabha River with complete concentration and devotion. Her devotion was so powerful that she was able to create a pot to hold water made only of sand, one fresh pot every day. She would fill this pot, on the bank of the river and would use a snake which was nearby, turning it into a rope-like convolution and placing it on her head, so that it supported the pot.

Thus, she brought the water to Jamadagni for his rituals of oblation. Renuka gave birth to five sons: Vasu, Viswa Vasu, Brihudyanu, Brutwakanwa and Rambhadra. Rambhadra was the youngest and most beloved, gaining the favour of Lord Shiva and Parvati and hence called Parashurama (the sixth incarnation of Vishnu). One day when Renuka went to the river, she saw Gandharva spirits playing. These were young couples carelessly frolicking in the water with abandon.

For a moment, she lost her concentration and devotion and fantasized about playing in the river with her husband. She wished she and her husband had such fun sometimes too, living so close to such a beautiful place. After some time, Renuka came to her senses and cursed herself for her indiscretion. She hurriedly bathed, as she had lost precious time, and tried to create the pot, but was unable to as she had lost her concentration. She even tried to catch the snake, but it disappeared.

Disappointed by this, she returned to the ashram in shame. Seeing Renuka returning empty-handed, Jamadagni became furious and angrily ordered her to go away. After being cursed by her husband, Renuka went east and sat in the forest to meditate. In her penance, she met with the saints Eknath and Joginath; she prayed to them and asked to gain the mercy of her husband. They first consoled her, then instructed her to follow their advice exactly as told. They told her to purify herself, first bathing in a nearby lake, and then to worship a Shivalinga, which they had given to her.

Next, she should go to the nearby town and beg for rice from the houses. After collecting the rice, she was to give half to the saints and cook the remaining half, adding jaggery, partaking of the cooked rice with full devotion. They said that if she performed this ritual for three days, she would be able to visit her husband on the fourth day. Jamadagni was still furiously angry with Renuka and ordered his sons to punish their mother. One by one, four of them refused flatly. Jamadagni, who possessed the power to burn anyone to ashes with his one look, was so angry that he went berserk and turned four of his sons into four piles of ashes.

Parashurama, who was not there when this happened, found his mother weeping by the piles of ashes when he arrived, and his father was still raging mad. Jamadagni told him what happened and ordered him to behead his mother for her infidelity. Parashurama had to think quickly. Knowing his father's powers and the extent of his anger, Parashurama immediately obeyed his father, using his axe. His father then offered a boon to Parashurama, who asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life.

To everybody's astonishment, Renuka's spirit multiplied and moved to different regions. This miracle inspired her sons and others to become her followers and worship her. She is also revered as one of the Saptamatrika or seven divine mothers, who protected the earth and its rulers. The goddess is also known as Yelumakkaltai, meaning the mother of seven children in Kannada language. She is a cult figure worshiped by the pastoral community of the Dhangar and Kurumbas of southern Maharashtra and North Karnataka. 

Yellamma Temple, Savadatti, Karnataka

Yellamma Temple, Savadatti, Karnataka

Yellamma Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Renuka Devi located in Savadatti Town in Savadatti Taluk in Belagavi District in the Indian state of Karnataka. The temple is also called as Renuka Temple. This temple is situated on top of the Yellamma Gudda overlooking the Malaprabha river.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2022/10/yellamma-temple-savadatti-legends.html

History

The original temple might have been built by the Rashtrakutas in 8^th century CE. The current temple was built in 1514 CE by Bomappa Nayaka of Raibag. The temple is associated with the ancient Devadasi practice of dedicating girls to the temple during ancient times. This practice has been abolished now. The temple is under the control of Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department of Karnataka. Saundatti, also known as Savadatti is one of the oldest towns in Belgaum District in the Indian state of Karnataka. Savadatti was Sugandavarti / Sougandipura during ancient times. Saundatti was the capital of the Ratta dynasty (from 875 – 1230 CE), until the capital shifted to Belgaum.

The Temple

This temple is situated on top of the Yellamma Gudda overlooking the Malaprabha river. Yellamma Gudda was known earlier as Siddhachal Parvat / Ramagiri. The temple follows a mixture of Chalukyan and Rashtrakuta style of architecture. The temple consists of sanctum, antrala and maha mandapa. The sanctum enshrines the image of Yellamma / Renuka Devi, the wife of Sage Jamadagni and mother of Lord Parasurama. Shrines of Ganesha, Mallikarjuna, Parashuram, Eknath and Siddheshwar can be found in the temple premises.

There are three theerthas (sacred ponds) at the back side of the temple namely Kumkum Kundam, Yoni Kundam, and Arihan Kundam. There is also a sacred well called the Jogal Bhavi. The water from this well is said to have medicinal properties to cure skin diseases. There is a tank named Yogarbavi Sathyamma Kunda, situated at the lower end of the hill. Devotees take bathe and put new clothes here before proceeding to the main temple for worship.

A notable custom called Nimmana is observed here. It involves the circumambulation of the Sathyamma Temple with neem leaves in their mouths. There is a spot known as Parasurama Kshetra situated adjacent to the temple. It is believed to be the site where Lord Parasurama sat in penance. The temple has dharmashalas (free lodges), health centers and other basic facilities for the benefit of the devotees.

Festivals

Yellamma Devi fair is held about five times between October and February. But the largest fair is held on the full moon day of Margasira (Nov-Dec). The number of attendees normally crosses 10 lakhs during this fair. The fair is also known for the practice of dedicating girls to the Devadasi system. A very large number of pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Maharashtra visit the temple during these festivals. Banada Hunnime (Oct-Nov) and Bharatha Hunnime (Jan-Feb) are the other festivals celebrated here.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 6 Kms from Savadatti Bus Stand, 9 Kms from Hooli, 16 Kms from Munuvalli, 29 Kms from Nargund, 30 Kms from Belavadi, 38 Kms from Ramdurg, 44 Kms from Dharwad, 55 Kms from Hubballi, 60 Kms from Hubballi Airport, 64 Kms from Hole Alur Railway Station, 82 Kms from Belagavi Airport and 93 Kms from Belagavi. Savadatti is situated on Belavadi to Ramdurg route.

Location

Aghoresvara Temple, Ikkeri – History

Aghoresvara Temple, Ikkeri – History

The temple was constructed in 16^th century by Keladi chief Hiriya Venkatappa Nayaka (1586 – 1629 CE). Italian traveler Pietro Della Valle, visited his kingdom in 1623 CE, called him an able soldier and administrator. He describes about the festival of this temple in his memoirs. The temple was ransacked by Tipu Sultan during an invasion on Nayakas of Ikkeri. Nayakas of Keladi (1499 – 1763CE), were an Indian dynasty based in Keladi in present-day Shimoga district of Karnataka, India. They were also known as Nayakas of Bednore and Ikkeri Nayakas. They initially ruled as a vassal of the famous Vijayanagar Empire.

They asserted their independence after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire in 1565 and ruled significant parts of Malnad region of the Western Ghats in present-day Karnataka, most areas in the coastal regions of Karnataka, and parts of northern Kerala, Malabar and the central plains along the Tungabhadra river. They were absorbed into the Kingdom of Mysore in 1763 CE with their defeat to Hyder Ali. Sadashiva Nayaka (1530–1566 CE) was an important chieftain in the Vijayanagar Empire and earned the title Kotekolahala from emperor Aliya Rama Raya for his heroics in the battle of Kalyani.

The coastal provinces of Karnataka came under his direct rule. He moved the capital from Keladi to Ikkeri. The word Ikkeri in Kannada means Two Streets. Ikkeri remained their capital from 1560 CE to 1640 CE. Then, the capital was moved to Bednur Nagara. However, Ikkeri continued to be their nominal capital, the Kings were called by its name, and the coins were called Ikkeri Pagodas and Fanams.