Vizhinjam Cave Temple, Kerala

Vizhinjam Cave Temple, Kerala

Vizhinjam Cave Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Vizhinjam Village in Neyyattinkara Taluk in Thiruvananthapuram District in Kerala, India. This cave temple is considered as one of the earliest rock-cut cave temples in Kerala and smallest rock cut cave temples in Southern India. This temple is protected as monuments of national importance by the central Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The cave temple is believed to have been excavated in 8^th century CE. The site is a centrally protected monument under the control of Archaeological Survey of India since 1965. Vizhinjam was the administrative capital of Ay kingdom, which is believed to have ruled over parts of the southern India between the 8^th and 10^th centuries A.D. The region had witnessed several battles in which the Chola and Pandya dynasties attempted to gain control of the port town. Vizhinjam gradually lost prominence after the 10^th century CE after coming under constant attack of the other kingdoms.

The Cave Temple

The cave is excavated on a small boulder measuring about 3 metres in height and 3.5 metres in width. The cave is carved on the eastern face of the boulder and is facing towards east. The cave consists of sanctum only. It measures about 1 metre in length, 0.7 metres in width and 1.5 metres in height. The sanctum enshrines an image of Vinadhara Dakshinamurthy. There are two rock cut niches housing bas relief images on either side of the entrance of the sanctum.

The right side niche has bas relief image of Tripurantaka. He is accompanied by two dwarf images on either side. He is four armed. His lower left hand holds the bow & upper left hand holds the axe and his lower right hand holds arrow & the upper right hand shows ardhapathaka mudra. He is depicted standing on his right foot the floor and the folded left foot on the head of the Muyalagan. A carving of Bhooda gana can be seen on the left side of Muyalagan. 

It is interesting to note that different forms of Tripurantaka had developed at such an early date. The left side niche has two bas relief images of Nataraja and Parvati. The Nataraja image is depicted in dancing posture. His left leg is depicted in parsvatha posture and his right leg held in swastika posture. The face is tilted towards his right side. The image to the left of the Nataraja is Parvati. She is shown resting her left hand on her hip and the right hand rests on her chin.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 250 metres from Vizhinjam Bus Stand, 2.5 Kms from Kovalam, 9 Kms from Balaramapuram Railway Station, 14 Kms from Poovar, 14 Kms from Neyyattinkara, 15 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Stand, 15 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station, 16 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram Airport and 21 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram. The temple is situated on Kovalam to Poovar route.

Location

Jora Shiva Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Jora Shiva Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Jora Shiva Temple is group of two Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Gurap Village in the Dhaniakhali CD block in the Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. These temples were built in 19^th century CE by the Nag family. These temples are situated close to Nandadulal Temple.

The Temples

The temple group consists of two temples situated adjacent to each other. The temple follows Pancha Ratna architecture style. It has five shikaras (pinnacles) on a typical Bangla style curved chala roof. The central shikara is being the largest among the five shikaras. The pinnacles are in Kalingan style. These temples are decorated with terracotta works with floral and ornamental patterns. However, most of the original terracotta works have been lost.

Connectivity

These temples are located at about 1 Km from Gurap Railway Station, 1 Km from Gurap Cinematala Bus Stop, 3 Kms from Basipur More, 9 Kms from Amra, 40 Kms from Bardhaman, 58 Kms from Howrah, 65 Kms from Kolkata Airport and 66 Kms from Kolkata. The temple is situated at about 3 Kms to the north west of Basipur More on Kolkata to Bardhaman route via Amra.

Location

Aatchala Shiva Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Aatchala Shiva Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Aatchala Shiva Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Gurap Village in the Dhaniakhali CD block in the Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. This temple is situated at about 100 metres to north of Twin Aatchala Shiva Temple.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and stands over a raised platform. The temple follows atchala style of architecture. The atchala style is similar to the four-sided char chala temple style, but with a small replica of the base temple on top. The temple consists of sanctum and a verandah with triple arched entrance. The sanctum enshrines a Shiva Linga. The façade is decorated with scenes from Ramayana.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 1.5 Kms from Gurap Railway Station, 1.5 Kms from Gurap Cinematala Bus Stop, 3 Kms from Basipur More, 8 Kms from Amra, 39 Kms from Bardhaman, 58 Kms from Howrah, 66 Kms from Kolkata Airport and 66 Kms from Kolkata. The temple is situated at about 3 Kms to the north west of Basipur More on Kolkata to Bardhaman route via Amra.

Location

Twin Aatchala Shiva Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Twin Aatchala Shiva Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Twin Aatchala Shiva Temple is group of two Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Gurap Village in the Dhaniakhali CD block in the Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. These temples were built in 19^th century CE by the Nag family. These temples are situated at about 300 metres to the north of the Nandadulal Temple, at the North Eastern corner of a T-junction.

The Temples

The group of temples consists of two temples situated adjacent to each other. The temples follow atchala style of architecture. The atchala style is similar to the four-sided char chala temple style, but with a small replica of the base temple on top. Both the temples are placed on a raised platform. The exterior is plastered with cement except a few patches of terracotta works on the façade above the door. The surviving terracotta works depicts floral and bird motifs.

Connectivity

The group of temples is located at about 1.5 Kms from Gurap Railway Station, 1.5 Kms from Gurap Cinematala Bus Stop, 3 Kms from Basipur More, 8 Kms from Amra, 39 Kms from Bardhaman, 58 Kms from Howrah, 66 Kms from Kolkata Airport and 66 Kms from Kolkata. The temple is situated at about 3 Kms to the north west of Basipur More on Kolkata to Bardhaman route via Amra.

Location

Gaudeshwar Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Gaudeshwar Temple, Gurap, West Bengal

Gaudeshwar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Gurap Village in the Dhaniakhali CD block in the Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

History

This temple was constructed in 19^th century CE by the Mukhopadhyays family. The present shebait of the temple are the descendants of Mukhopadhyays family. The recent renovations have completely destroyed its original architectural features.

The Temple

The temple follows atchala style of architecture. The atchala style is similar to the four-sided char chala temple style, but with a small replica of the base temple on top. There is depiction of lotus and conch on the façade above the entrance. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Gaudeshwar in the form of Shiva Linga. The exterior of the temple is devoid of any decoration. There is a natamandir in front of the temple.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 2 Kms from Gurap Railway Station, 2 Kms from Gurap Cinematala Bus Stop, 4 Kms from Basipur More, 7 Kms from Amra, 40 Kms from Bardhaman, 59 Kms from Howrah, 66 Kms from Kolkata Airport and 67 Kms from Kolkata. The temple is situated at about 4 Kms to the north west of Basipur More on Kolkata to Bardhaman route via Amra.

Location

Jamgarh Cave, Jamgarh, Madhya Pradesh

Jamgarh Cave, Jamgarh, Madhya Pradesh

Jamgarh Cave is a natural located in Jamgarh Village in Bareli Taluk in Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh in Central India. This cave is situated on the hills of the Vindhya mountain range.

Legends

As per legend, Jambavan is the king of bears who assisted Lord Rama in his battle with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Jambavan, together with Parashurama and Hanuman, is considered to be one of the few to have been present for the birth of both Rama and the Krishna. His daughter Jambavati was married to Krishna. It is believed that Jambavan still resides in this cave. It is also believed that the legendary Jewel Syamantak Mani is hidden in this cave even today.

The Cave

It is a natural cave located in the hills of the Vindhya mountain range. The cave is deep and mysterious. It is said that the cave is not yet explored completely. Strange sounds are heard from the interior of the cave. There is a mysterious stepwell in the middle of the cave. A natural Shivalinga can be seen in the middle of the stepwell. It is always filled with water even during the summers. The water from this stepwell is considered sacred for the pilgrims. The footprints of Jambvan are still visible in this cave. There is a temple situated close to this cave. It is said that this temple was built by Jambavan himself with his own hands.

Connectivity

The cave is located at about 7 Kms from Khargone, 20 Kms from Bareli Bus Stand, 21 Kms from Bareli, 29 Kms from Udaipura, 60 Kms from Pipariya Railway Station, 82 Kms from Raisen, 98 Kms from Narmadapuram and 144 Kms from Bhopal Airport. The cave is situated at about 7 Kms to the north west of Khargone on Bareli to Udaipura route.

Location

Ramling Temple, Yedshi, Maharashtra

Ramling Temple, Yedshi, Maharashtra

Ramling Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Yedshi Village in Dharashiv Taluk in Osmanabad (Dharashiv) District in the Indian State of Maharashtra. The temple is situated in the Yedshi Ramling Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary.

Legends

Ramling:

As per legend, Lord Rama had installed the Shiva Linga of this temple during the Vanavasa in search of his wife Sita. As the Linga was installed by Lord Rama, it came to be called as Ramling. It is also believed that Lord Rama created the waterfall situated near the temple with his arrow for providing water to the devotees visiting this temple.

Jatayu:

As per legend, Jatayu attacked Ravana, the demon king of Lanka at this place while Ravana was carrying away Sita by force. However, Jatayu lost the battle and died at the hands of Ravana. Hence, this temple has a shrine for Jatayu for his valiant efforts.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and is situated in a valley The temple is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains from all sides. The temple is situated at lower elevation and can be reached after descending down around 60 steps. The temple consists of sanctum, sabha mandapa and an open courtyard. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Ramling in the form of Shiva Linga. There is a shrine dedicated to Jatayu can be seen in the temple premises. There is a small waterfall situated behind the temple. The top of the waterfall can be reached after a small trek.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 3.5 Kms from Yedshi, 3.5 Kms from Yedshi Bus Stand, 6 Kms from Yedshi Railway Station, 15 Kms from Dharashiv Railway Station, 22 Kms from Dharashiv, 34 Kms from Barshi, 73 Kms from Latur, 220 Kms from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Airport and 261 Kms from Pune Airport. The temple is situated on the Barshi to Latur route. Regular buses are available from Barshi, Dharashiv and Latur.

Location

Mahadev Temple, Mangeri, Maharashtra

Mahadev Temple, Mangeri, Maharashtra

Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at the top of the Mangeri Mahadev Mountain in Sangrampur Taluk in Buldhana District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. This temple is situated in the midst of the Amba Barwa Wildlife Sanctuary. The temple is situated in a small cave. This temple opens only once a year on the third Monday of Shravan.

An annual procession is taken out during the Shravan month of Marathi calendar. It is said that Sonaji Maharaj of Sonala had spent considerable amount of time here. The temple is about one hour’s trek from the Mangeri Mahadev Forest Camp. The Mangeri Mahadev Forest Camp can be reached after a trek of about two hours from the Shemba forest Camp of the forest department.

Connectivity

The Shemba forest Camp is located at about 9 Kms from Sonala, 35 Kms from Telhara, 36 Kms from Jalgaon Jamod, 43 Kms from Akot, 43 Kms from Akot Railway Station and 286 Kms from Nagpur Airport. The Shemba forest Camp is situated at about 9 Kms to the north of Sonala on Akot to Jalgaon Jamod route.

Location

Mahadeva Temple, Ramnagar, Uttar Pradesh

Mahadeva Temple, Ramnagar, Uttar Pradesh

Mahadeva Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Ramnagar Village in Mau Tehsil in Chitrakoot District in Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is one of the state protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh declared by Archaeological Survey of India.

History

This temple is believed to be built by the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti, an Indian dynasty ruled Central India particularly much of the Bundelkhand region (then called Jejakabhukti) between the 9^th and the 13^th centuries. The temple suffered destruction of the Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb.

The Temple

This temple is facing towards east and stands over a raised platform. The temple consisted of sanctum, antrala, sabha mandapa with lateral transepts and entrance porch. The sanctum, antrala and entrance porch are completely destroyed except the sabha mandapa. The sabha mandapa is enclosed by parapet wall on all sides except its eastern entrance. The basement of the sanctum can be seen. The walls and the shikara are completely lost. The damaged lintel and the door jambs are kept near the entrance of the sanctum. The exterior of the temple is decorated with carvings of Hindu deities, floral motifs and geometrical patterns.

Connectivity

The temple is located at about 14 Kms from Raipura, 15 Kms from Mau, 22 Kms from Rajapur, 30 Kms from Bargarh Railway Station, 44 Kms from Chitrakoot, 71 Kms from Prayagraj and 89 Kms from Prayagraj. The temple is situated on Mau to Chitrakoot route.

Location

Rawatpura Group of Temples, Rawatpura, Uttar Pradesh

Rawatpura Group of Temples, Rawatpura, Uttar Pradesh

Rawatpura Group of Temples are group of two Hindu Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Rawatpura Village in Kulpahar Tehsil in Mahoba District in Uttar Pradesh, India. The temples are situated on the bank of Rawatpura Lake. The temples are one of the state protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh declared by Archaeological Survey of India.

History

The temples were believed to be built by the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti, an Indian dynasty ruled Central India particularly much of the Bundelkhand region (then called Jejakabhukti) between the 9^th and the 13^th centuries. The Rawatpura Lake is also said to have been excavated by them.

The Group of Temples

The group of temples contains several ruins of Chandela era. Only, two temples from this group are considered major temples. The larger and the best preserved temple is situated on the embankment of the Rawatpura lake. The smaller temple is situated at about 300 metres from the larger temple. The mandapa of the smaller temples remains intact. The sanctum is completely lost. The ruins of this temple are scattered all around the place. Both the temples are built over a raised platform and are in ruins.

Connectivity

The group of temples is located at about 10 Kms from Kulpahar, 10 Kms from Kulpahar Bus Stand, 11 Kms from Kulpahar Railway Station, 32Kms from Panwari, 34 Kms from Mahoba, 45 Kms from Nowgong, 56 Kms from Chhatarpur, 90 Kms from Khajuraho and 93 Kms from Khajuraho Airport. The temple is situated at about 10 Kms to the south east of Kulpahar on Mahoba to Panwari route.

Location