Varaha Temple, Pushkar, Rajasthan

Varaha Temple, Pushkar, Rajasthan

Varaha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in Pushkar Town near Ajmer in Rajasthan State, India. Presiding Deity is called as Varaha and Mother is called as Pundareegavalli. This is a rare temple dedicated to Lord Varaha, a Wild boar incarnation, considered as third avatar in the Dashavatara of Lord Vishnu. Pushkar is most famously known as the primary place of worship of Lord Brahma and is thus known as a Teertha Raj. Varaha Temple is one of the largest and ancient temples located in Pushkar town of Rajasthan. This is a fortified Vaishnavite temple in Pushkar and is considered to be the most ancient temple in the city. The Temple is considered as eighth among the eight Swayam Vyatka Kshetrams.

Legends

According to a legend, Demon Hiranyaksha has carried the Mother Earth and went under the Cosmic Ocean. To save earth, Lord Vishnu appeared as Wild Boar with two tusks to rescue Mother Earth from the demon Hiranyaksha and fought with him for thousands of years and brought back the Mother Earth holding between the two tusks and restored it in the Universe in original position.

History

The original Varaha Temple was built in Pushkar during the reign of King Anaji Chauhan (1130-1150 A.D.), who was the grandfather of King Prithviraj Chauhan. It was destroyed by the Ghaznavid army under Arnoraja during that time. The temple was first rebuilt by the Hada Chatrasal of Bundi and was again destroyed by Aurangzeb. It was rebuilt in 1727 by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. To this day, the ruins of stone lintels, carvings and broken architectural ornaments lie strewn about the temple compound. The temple was again renovated in 1806 by Gokul Chand Parikh, a Scindia minister.

The Temple

The temple itself is built of heavy stone and plaster in typical Rajasthani Haveli style. Situated inside a walled temple compound, the structure has large pilasters, gateways, chhatris and hanging eaves. Devotees ascend a long staircase to the entrance on one side. Presiding Deity is called as Varaha and Mother is called as Pundareegavalli. The temple has 2 feet white idol of Lord Varaha in the sanctum sanctorum. The Lord has the body of a boar and the head of a man.

Various sculptures, elegant carvings, life-size statues of Dwarapalakas and gold-styled pillars depicting Garuda, the mythical bird are situated within the temple. Varaha Ghat is one of Pushkar's most important Ghats, and the 7 Kms parikrama traditionally starts out from the Ghat. The Temple has an elegant structure and is heavily decorated with invaluable ornaments. The temple was said to be 150 feet in height and ornamented with excellent Vaishnava sculptures as per ancient records.

Temple Opening Time

The Temple remains open from 06.00 AM to 12.00 Noon and 04.00 PM to 08.00 PM.

Religious Significance

The temple is considered one of the eight Swayambhu Kshetra of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, and Vanamamalai Perumal Temple in South India and Saligrama, Naimisaranya, Pushkar and Badrinath Temple in North India. 

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 350 meters from Pushkar Railway Station, 1 Km from Pushkar Brahma Temple, 1 Km from Pushkar Bus Station, 1.5 Kms from Pushkar Lake, 14 Kms from Ajmer, 14 Kms from Ajmer Railway Junction, 14 Kms from Ajmer Bus Stand, 39 Kms from Kishangarh Airport, 43 Kms from Kishangarh, 147 Kms from Jaipur and 151 Kms from Jaipur Airport. The Varaha Temple is just about 10 minutes walking distance from the most popular Lord Brahma Temple.

Pushkar is situated in centre-east part of Rajasthan, on the western side of Aravalli mountains. Pushkar is about 14 Kms from Ajmer, connected via Pushkar road (Highway 58) which goes over the Aravalli Range mountains. Pushkar has its own railway station. Ajmer is also the nearest major railway station. Nearest Airports are located in Kishangarh and Jaipur.

Location

Naimisaranya, Uttar Pradesh

Naimisaranya, Uttar Pradesh

Naimisaranya, also known as Neemsar, Nimsar or Nimkhar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located close to Lucknow City in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Presiding Deity is called as Devaraja Perumal and Mother is called as Hari Lakshmi. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars. The Temple is situated on the banks of Gomati River.

The temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified as Swayam Vyaktha Kshetra. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from the ruling kings. The holy tank Chakra Kunda is associated with the temple and it is a pilgrimage centre where people take a holy dip during festive occasions.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/naimisaranya-legends.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/naimisaranya-temple.html

Religious Significance

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/naimisaranya-religious-significance.html

Singers

Tirumangai Alwar of the 9^th century CE is the only Alwar had sung of Naimisaranya in chaste Tamil in a total of 10 verses, as one of the abodes of Vishnu. Tirumangai Alwar refers to Vishnu as 'Naimisaaranyattull en Thai'. 

Connectivity

Naimisaranya is located at about 1 Km from Naimisaranya Bus Station, 1.5 Kms from Naimisaranya Railway Station, 35 Kms from Sitapur, 41 Kms from Sandila Railway Station, 42 Kms from Hardoi, 45 Kms from Khairabad, 82 Kms from Kannauj, 91 Kms from Lucknow and 108 Kms from Lucknow Airport. The temple is located between Hardoi and Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh. Some trains from important cities to Lucknow stop at Hardoi. One can hire a taxi from Lucknow for half a day to go to Naimisaranya.

Location

Muktinath, Nepal

Muktinath, Nepal

Muktinath is a highly venerated sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists located in Muktinath Valley at an altitude of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass (part of the Himalayas) in Mustang, Nepal. The site is close to the village of Ranipauwa, which is sometimes mistakenly called Muktinath. Within Hinduism, it is called Mukti Kshetra, which literally means the "place of liberation or moksha". Muktinath is located near the Kandaki river famous for the Salagrama stones.

Muktinath is also one of the 51 Sakthi Peetams of India. The temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6^th – 9^th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu. The ancient name of this place in Sri Vaishnava literature, Nalayira Divya Prabandha, before Buddhist origin, is Thiru Saligramam. Although the temple has a Vaishnava origin, it is also revered in Buddhism.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/muktinath-legends.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/muktinath-temple.html

Religious Significance

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/muktinath-religious-significance.html

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 14 Kms from Kagbeni, 25 Kms from Jomsom, 25 Kms from Jomsom Airport, 174 Kms from Pokhara Airport, 175 Kms from Pokhara, 374 Kms from Kathmandu and 376 Kms from Kathmandu Airport. Access is difficult because of harsh weather conditions in Mustang. The most suitable time to visit is from March to June. There are flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara and then to Jomsom Airport. From there, one can either trek all the way or take a jeep to Muktinath, a journey which passes many archeological sites and temples. Tourists are also known to charter a helicopter for a 45-minute flight, though this carries a risk of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and is only recommended for brief visits.

Location

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Venkateswara Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Sri Venkateswara, an incarnation of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. Hence the place has also got the name Kaliyuga Vaikuntham and Lord here is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Deivam.

The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple. Lord Venkateswara is known by many other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. The Temple is constructed in Dravidian architecture and is believed to be constructed over a period of time starting from 300 AD. The Garbagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum) is called Ananda Nilayam. The presiding deity, Venkateswara, is in standing posture and faces east in Garbha griha.

Tirumala Hills are part of Seshachalam Hills range. The hills are 853 metres (2,799 ft) above sea level. The Hills comprises seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha. The temple lies on the seventh peak -Venkatadri, on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy water tank. Hence the temple is also referred to as "Temple of Seven Hills". Tirumala town covers about 10.33 sq. miles (26.75 km2) in area.

The temple follows Vaikhanasa Agama tradition of worship. The temple is one of the eight Vishnu Swayambu Kshetras and is listed as 106^th and the last earthly Divya Desam. The Temple premises had two modern Queue complex buildings to organize the pilgrim rush, Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam complex for free meals to Pilgrims, hair tonsure buildings and a number of pilgrim lodging sites.

It is the richest temple in the world in terms of donations received and wealth. The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people annually on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the most-visited holy place in the world. In 2016, it was reported that 27.3 million pilgrims visited the temple.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-Legends.html

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-history.html

The Seven Hills

The temple is located on seven hills. The presiding deity is also referred to as Sapthagirisha or Lord of Seven hills. It is believed that seven hills, also referred to as Sapthagiri, represent the seven hoods of Adisesha. The seven hills are as follows:

·        Vrushabhadri—Hill of Nandi, the vahana of Lord Shiva

·        Anjanadri—Hill of Lord Hanuman.

·        Neeladri—Hill of Neela Devi

·        Garudadri or Garudachalam—Hill of Garuda, the vahana of Lord Vishnu

·        Seshadri or Seshachalam—Hill of Sesha, the Dasa of Lord Vishnu

·        Narayanadri—Hill of Narayana. Srivari Padalu are located here

·        Venkatadri—Hill of Lord Venkateswara

Pathways to Tirumala

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/Venkateswara-temple-tirumala-pathways.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/Venkateswara-temple-tirumala-temple.html

Theerthams

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/Venkateswara-temple-tirumala-theerthams.html

Daily, Weekly & Annual Sevas / Festivals

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https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-daily-weekly-annual-sevas-or-festivals.html

Worship & Religious Practices

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-worship-religious-practices.html

Religious Significance

The temple is considered one of the eight Swayambu Kshetras of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, and Vanamamalai Perumal Temple in Tamil Nadu and Saligrama in Nepal, Naimisaranya, Pushkar and Badrinath Temple in North India.

The temple is revered by Alvars in Divya Prabandham. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in these books. The benefits acquired by a pilgrimage to Venkatachala are mentioned in the Rig Veda and Asthadasa Puranas. In these epics, Sri Venkateswara is described as the great bestower of boons. There are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord at Tirumala.

Literary Mention

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-literary-mention.html

Notable Devotees

Ramanuja (1017–1137)  was the most important Acharya of Sri Vaishnavism. He was responsible for managing the worshipping procedures and other affairs of the Sri Venkateswara temple. He established the Pedda Jeeyar Madam. He has a sannidhi inside the temple. Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was the official song master of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, and a Telugu composer who composed around 36000 Keerthanas, many of which were in praise of Venkateswara, the presiding deity of the temple.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-tirumala-tirupati-devasthanams.html

Vaikuntham Queue Complex

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-vaikuntham-queue-complex.html

Temples & Other Places of Interest in Tirumala

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/Venkateswara-temple-tirumala-temples-and-other-places-of-interest-in-tirumala.html

Temples & Other Places of Interest in & around Tirupati

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/Venkateswara-temple-tirumala-temples-and-other-places-of-interest-in-and-around-tirupati.html

Contact

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, 

TTD Administrative Building, K.T. Road, 

Tirupati – 517 501, 

Andhra Pradesh, India

For Phone No’s, Emails and Call Center Contact Details, please refer below link;

http://www.tirumala.org/contactus.aspx

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/01/venkateswara-temple-tirumala-connectivity.html

Location