Subramanya Temple, Ghati, Karnataka

Subramanya Temple, Ghati, Karnataka

Subramanya Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya and Lakshmi Narasimha located in Ghati village on the outskirts of Bengaluru in the Doddaballapura Taluk of Bengaluru Rural District in the Indian state of Karnataka. This temple is considered as Parihara sthalam for Rahu, Ketu, Sarpa & Naga doshas.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2023/08/subramanya-temple-ghati-legends.html

History

The temple is believed to be built in 17^th century CE by the Ghorpade rulers of Sandur State. They were believed to have ruled parts of current Bellary district.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east with five tiered rajagopuram. Dhwaja Sthamba, Balipeedam and peacock mount can be found immediately after the rajagopuram facing towards the sanctum. The temple consists of sanctum, ardha mandapa and mukha mandapa. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity Lord Subramanya seated on peacock.

He is found together with Lord Narasimha. The idol of Subramanya is depicted in serpentine form with seven hoods and is made from a single stone. A carving of Lakshmi Narasimha can be seen on the rear of the idol. Lord Subramanya faces towards east while Lord Narasimha faces towards west. A huge mirror is placed in the rear in the sanctum to ensure that both deities are visible to the devotees at the same time.

The idol is Swayambhu Moorthy (self-manifested). The mud from the anthill in the sanctum is distributed as prasada to the devotees. Idols of Adi Shesha and Vasuki can be seen in the temple premises. There is an anthill located opposite to the temple. Devotees pour milk on it as part of one of the rituals. Huge number of Naga stones can be seen under a Peepal tree.

Festivals

The temple celebrates its annual car festival (Brahma Rathotsava) on Pushya Shuddha Shashti (6^th day of Pushya month). A cattle fair is also held during this festival. Narasimha Jayanti, Skanda Sashti, Panguni Uthiram and Vaikasi Visakam are the other festivals celebrated here. Kuja Dosha, Naga Pratistha, Sarpa Dosha and Nivarana Puja are some of the major rituals performed in this temple.

Prayers

People pray to Lord Subramanya for child boon, relief from Angaraka dosha, relief from marriage related problems, wealth & prosperity, relief from Rahu, Ketu, Sarpa & Naga doshas, relief from leprosy & leukoderma, relief from enemies (both internal & external), relief from debts and general wellbeing. Those who take bath in Kumara Theertha, the temple pond will be relieved of lunacy, leprosy, back / stomach ailments, heart problems and also infertility.

People offer prayers to a snake mound  situated outside the temple. Milk is also regularly poured into the snake mound as a form of offering. It is believed that devotees who worship here sincerely are never troubled by Serpents. If their prayers or wishes are fulfilled, devotees install idols of Nagas near temple. It is believed to be an auspicious act and offering. Thousands of Naga idols can be seen around the temple attesting the benevolence of the Lord here.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 5 Kms from Makalidurga Railway Station, 9 Kms from Tubagere, 15 Kms from Doddaballapura, 15 Kms from Doddaballapura Bus Stand, 29 Kms from Gauribidanur, 46 Kms from Bengaluru Airport and 55 Kms from Bengaluru. The temple is situated on Bengaluru to Gauribidanur route.

Location

Kartik Swami, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

Kartik Swami, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

Kartik Swami Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva’s son Kartikeya, located near Kanak Chauri Village in Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand, India. The Temple is perched on a hilltop at an elevation of 3050 mts above sea level. The main attraction of this Temple is the mighty Chaukhamba peak which appears in the temple background.

Legends

Once Lord Shiva told his sons Lord Ganesha and Lord Murugan that between them who will be the first to take seven rounds of the universe will have the privilege of being worshiped first. Lord Kartik obeyed his father and moved with his carrier to complete the job. In the meantime, Ganesha took seven rounds around Lord Shiva and Parvati saying he sees the whole universe in his parents, in Lord Shiva and Parvati. Lord Shiva was amazed at Ganesha’s wisdom and honoured him with being worshiped first before any one.

In the meantime, Lord Kartik came back and heard about the incident. Angered by this, Kartikeya sacrificed his body and gave his bones to Lord Shiva and flesh to Mother Parvati as reverence. This is the spot where Lord Kartik sacrificed himself. So, the idol of Kartik in this Temple depicts the bones here. This Story is similar to famous Palani Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu. The only difference is here the fight is for being worshipped first but in Tamil Nadu, the fight is for divine mango.

The Temple

Kartik Swami Temple is located at the end of a narrow ridge with deep valley all around, at an altitude of 3050 mts above sea level. The temple can be reached after taking a flight of 80 stairs from the main road. The Sanctum houses the idol of Lord Kartik Swami, carved on a marble rock. The main attraction of this Temple is the mighty Chaukhamba peak which appears in the temple background.

Hundreds of bells can be found hanging in the temple complex. These come in different sizes and shapes. The musical cadence produced by their ringing when wind blows across the temple compound is noteworthy. There is an interesting ritual behind the many bells hanging in there. It is believed that carrying a bell to the temple on the occasion of Kartik Purnima would render one’s wish true.

From the temple, tourists can have a mesmerizing view of snow-clad Himalayan peaks of Bandarpoonch, Kedarnath Dome, Meru & Sumeru, Chaukhamba Peak, Neelkanth, Dronagiri, Nanda Ghunti, Trishul and Nanda Devi group of peaks.  It is also renowned for offering the magnificent sunrise and heart-melting sunset views.

Festivals

Kartik Poornima and 11 days Kalash Yatra are observed in this temple with much fanfare.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 3 Kms from Kanak Chauri Bus Station, 18 Kms from Chopta, 18 Kms from Pokhari, 42 Kms from Rudraprayag, 44 Kms from Karnaprayag, 177 Kms from Rishikesh Railway Station, 197 Kms from Dehradun Airport and 425 Kms from New Delhi Airport. The Temple can be accessed through a 3 Kms trek from Kanak Chauri Bus Station. The Kanak Chauri Village is situated on Rudraprayag – Pokhari route.

Location

Kataragama Murugan Temple, Kandy, Srilanka

Kataragama Murugan Temple, Kandy, Srilanka

Kataragama Murugan Temple is a Hindu Temple Complex dedicated to Lord Murugan, located in Kataragama Town near Kandy City in Monaragala District in Uva province of Srilanka. The Temple Complex is dedicated to Hindu War God Murugan and Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama Deviyo. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the Vedda people. For most of the past millennia, it was a jungle shrine very difficult to access; today it is accessible by an all-weather road. The shrines and the nearby Kiri Vehera are managed by Buddhists, the shrines dedicated to Deivanai and Shiva are managed by Hindus and the mosque by Muslims.

Up until the 1940s a majority of the pilgrims were Tamil Hindus from Sri Lanka and South India who undertook an arduous padayatra or "pilgrimage on foot". Since then most pilgrims tend to be Sinhala Buddhists and the cult of Kataragama deviyo has become the most popular amongst the Sinhalese people. With the change in devotees, the mode of worship and festivals has changed from that of Hindu orientation to one that accommodates Buddhist rituals and theology.

It is difficult to reconstruct the factual history of the place and the reason for its popularity amongst Sri Lankans and Indians based on legends and available archeological and literary evidence alone, although the place seems to have a venerable history. The lack of clear historic records and resultant legends and myths fuel the conflict between Buddhists and Hindus as to the ownership and the mode of worship at Kataragama. The priests of the temple are known as Kapuralas and are believed to be descended from Vedda people. Veddas, too, have a claim on the temple, a nearby mountain peak and locality through a number of legends.

There is a mosque and a few tombs of Muslim pious men buried nearby. The temple complex is also connected to other similar temples in Eastern Province dedicated to Murugan which are along the path of pilgrimage from Jaffna in the north to Kataragama in the south of the island; Arunagirinathar traversed this pilgrimage route in the 15th century. The vicinity of the temple complex is used for secretive practices of sorcery and cursing peculiar to Sri Lanka. The entire temple complex was declared a holy place by the government of Sri Lanka in the 1950s; since then political leaders have contributed for its maintenance and upkeep.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/kataragama-murugan-temple-srilanka-legends.html

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/kataragama-murugan-temple-srilanka-history.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/kataragama-murugan-temple-srilanka-temple.html

Festivals

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/kataragama-murugan-temple-srilanka-festivals.html

Religious Significance

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/kataragama-murugan-temple-srilanka-religious-significance.html

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 500 meters from Maligawa Bus Stop, 750 meters from Torrington Bus Station, 1 Km from Kandy, 1 Km from Kandy Railway Station, 1 Km from Kandy-Colombo Intercity Bus Station, 5 Kms from Kandy Airport, 81 Kms from Nuwara Eliya, 103 Kms from Colombo Airport and 116 Kms from Colombo. Kandy is well connected to Colombo and other parts of Srilanka by all means of Transport.

Location

Subramanya Swamy Temple, Kothapet, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

Subramanya Swamy Temple, Kothapet, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

Subramanya Swamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Murugan located in Kothapet, a well-known locality in Vijayawada City in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is situated on the foot of the celebrated Indrakeelaadri Hills.

Legends & History

lddhipalli Guruvula Das, a pious follower and admirer of Lord Subrahmanya, used to offer Surya Namaskara to Lord Surya Bhagavan every day. On an auspicious day, Sri Subramanya Swamy appeared to him in an avatar of a snake. The devotee felt blessed. Exactly after six days of this miraculous appearance of Subramanya Swamy, lddhipalli Guruvula Das had a dream in which the Lord wanted him to erect a temple, with the help of the local people. Later, when the pious devotee decided to build a temple, the local people suggested him to visit the temples of Lord Muruga in Tamil Nadu and choose one that is worthy of imitation.

The devotee went on a pilgrimage to the famous Arupadai Veedu (Six Holy Abodes) of Lord Murugan in Tamil Nadu. He went on to visit Thiruthani Subramanya Swami Temple, Swamimalai Swaminatha Swamy Temple, Pazhani Dhandayudhapani Temple, Pazhamudircholai Subramanya Temple, Thiruparankundram Subrahmanya Swami Temple and Thiruchendur Subrahmanya Swami Temple. Among the six holy abodes of Lord Murugan in Tamil Nadu, lddhipalli Guruvula Das picked Thiruthani Subramanya Swami Temple and the primary deity of the temple - Lord Tanikesan with his consorts Deivanai and Valli and commenced with construction.

He was lucky enough to unearth a priceless buried treasure, an idol of Sri Balasubramanya Swamy and a few clay lamps during excavation. His joy knew no bounds that went on to establish two sacred sites, one for Balasubramanya Swamy and another for Sri Valli Deivanai Sametha Lord Subramanya. During the year 1954, the sacred idols were installed according to the Agama Shastras as per the traditions of Hinduism. A large number of people participated in the auspicious occasion of Ashtabandana and Kumbabhishekam of Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple in Vijayawada.

Furthermore, just close to the shrine, an ant hill is found - the natural habitat of snakes that is revered by people with equal zeal as that of primary deity. Therefore, Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple in Vijayawada is endued with a triplex distinction, that is to say, Sri Dhandayudhapani Swamy in the form of a boy, Sri Valli Devyani Sametha Subramanya - Lord Murugan with his consorts and lastly; the almighty in the form of a serpent. The three forms of Sri Subramanya Swamy in a same location is regarded to be singular and the temple is frequented by devotees from faraway locations.

Learned about this unique Sri Subramanya Swamy kshetram, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, the 69^th acharya and pontiff of the renowned Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham - a famed Hindu monastic establishment situated in the temple town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, offered the deities and structures of Balipeetha, Idumban and so on. Besides, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal laid the foundation stone for the flight of steps. Many other eminent gurus and acharyas like Sri la Sri Sivanadha Mouna Swamigal of Thiruvalam, Thirumuruga Kirupanandha Variyar Swamigal visited this shrine and made the place of worship proud.

The Temple

The Temple is situated in the Indrakeelaadri hillock. This Temple overlooks the city of Vijayawada and the river Krishna and is one of the most admired temples in Vijayawada. This temple maintained by a famous family known as Iddipilli. This Temple has the special credit of having many regular devotees hailing from Tamil Nadu.

This Temple has a distinction of three forms of Lord Murugan. Dhandayudhapani Swamy in the form of a boy, Lord Murugan with his consorts and in the form of a serpent. The three forms of Sri Subramanya Swamy in a same location is regarded to be singular and the temple is frequented by devotees from faraway locations.

Temple Opening Time

The Temple remains open from 05.00 am to 12.00 Noon and 05.00 pm to 08.00 pm.

Festivals

Skanda Shashti is the most famous festival celebrated here. Thousands of devotees visit here during this time. Devasena Kalyanotsavam, Panguni Uthiram, Padi Utsavam and Thai Poosam are the other festivals celebrated here.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 500 meters from Nehru Bomma Bus Stop, 750 meters from Kothapet Fish Market Bus Stop, 1 Km from Kothapet, 3 Kms from Vijayawada Railway Junction, 3 Kms from Vijayawada Bus Station, 23 Kms from Vijayawada Airport and 37 Kms from Amaravathi. The Temple is situated on the foot of Indrakeelaadri hills, reachable from Kothapet. Vijayawada is well connected to other parts of Andhra Pradesh and India by all means of Transport.

Location