Kedareshwar Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Kedareshwar Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Kedareshwar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Varanasi (Kasi) City in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Kedareshwar of Kasi is said to be equivalent to the Kedareshwar of Himalayas. The Temple is situated at Kedar Ghat in the banks of Ganges River. Kashi is one of the seven cities, considered by the Hindu's as Mokshadayikas or the cities leading to salvation. The poojas at the temple are performed by Kumaraswamy Mutt of Tamil Nadu. The Temple is considered as Thirupugazh Sthalam as Lord Murugan of this temple had been praised in Thirupugazh Hymns of Saint Arunagirinathar.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2020/01/kedareshwar-temple-varanasi-legends.html

The Temple

The Temple is situated in Kedar ghat on the banks of river Ganga. The facade of the temple is distinguished by its vertical yellow and red stripes at the top of an impressive ghat. The temple is more popular among locals than the outside devotees. This is one of the Ghat temple at Varanasi. Presiding Deity is called as Kedareshwar. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. This Temple has all Dwadasa Jyotirlingas and Lord Badrinath. There is lift facility to those who cannot climb steps.

Temple Opening Time

The temple remains open from 03.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.

Pooja Timings

Mangala Aarti is performed at 03.15 a.m., 2nd Aarti at 10.00 a.m., 3rd Aarti at 05.30 p.m. and Shayan Aarti at 10.30 p.m.

Festivals

Ekadasi, Pradosham and Poornima days are observed here. Anna Abhishek is performed once in a year. In this ritual, the Shiv Ling is covered with cooked rice.

Prayers

Taking bath in Ganges on every Monday and performing pooja/Abhishek of Lord Kedareshwar is very auspicious. Much importance to attached to poojas on Mondays during Shravan month (July 23 to August 20) and most importantly on last Monday of that month. It is believed that performing Shraddha ceremony on Amavasya which falls on Tuesday at Kedar Ghat is very auspicious.

Contact

Kedareshwar Temple,

Kumaraswamy Mutt,

Kedar Ghat, Varanasi

Uttar Pradesh – 221 001

Phone: +91 542 245 4064

Email: agentskmutt@gmail.com

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2020/01/kedareshwar-temple-varanasi-connectivity.html

Location

Naguleswaram Temple, Keerimalai, Jaffna, Srilanka

Naguleswaram Temple, Keerimalai, Jaffna, Srilanka

Naguleswaram Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Keerimalai Town, in the suburb of Kankesanthurai in Jaffna District in the Northern province of Srilanka. The Temple is also known as Thirutambaleswaram Kovil of Keerimalai. It is one of the oldest shrines of the region, it is the northernmost of the island's Pancha Ishwarams of Lord Siva, venerated by Hindus across the world from classical antiquity. The temple is situated adjacent to the mineral water springs.  Hindus flock in large numbers on Aadi Amaavaasai day which falls during the Tamil month of Aadi, to carry out rituals for their forefathers and bathe in the natural springs. Saint Arunagirinathar of Tamil Nadu had sung his 15^th Century Thirupugazh Hymns on Lord Murugan of this Temple.

Etymology

Keeri in Tamil and Nagula in Sanskrit mean "mongoose". Keeri-Malai in Tamil means "Mongoose-Hill".

Legends

The legendary sage Nagula Muni, shrunk by age and austerity while meditating at a cave in Keerimalai was likened to mongooses that frequented the area. The sage bathed in the springs and was cured of his mongoose face. In gratitude, Nagula Muni constructed a small shrine and worshipped the Lingam enshrined there. This became known as the Thirutambaleswaram Kovil of Keerimalai and also the Naguleswaram Kovil of Keerimalai alluding to the sage.

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/naguleswaram-temple-keerimalai-history.html

The Temple

The Temple is facing east with an entrance arch and followed by a 9-tiered Rajagopuram. The sanctum houses the presiding deity in the form of huge Shiva Lingam. It is said that the Sivalingam is made out of a very rare material. The Keerimalai natural spring ponds, which is said to have medicinal properties is just a short distance away from the temple. 

Festivals

Maasi Magam and Aadi Amaavaasai festival days, the latter falling during the Tamil month of Aadi (mid July – mid August) brings Hindu pilgrims to the town to carry out rituals for their forefathers and take a divine dip in the natural springs. These rituals are usually carried out by men. Keerimalai is particularly famous for this festival. The new moon or Amaavaasai is a significant day, and according to Tamil astrologers, in the month of Aadi, the moon is in the ascendant in Kataka rasi, which is occupied by the Sun; this concurrence is reminiscent of Siva and Sakthi in Hinduism.

Hence, there is special significance of Aadi Amaavaasai as a day when children remember their departed parents, notably their late fathers. It is customary for them to perform ablutions, offer prayers to the departed souls with the help of a priest (Darpana) and attend a temple of Siva. In Sri Lanka, Keerimalai Naguleswaram temple continues as the foremost shrine for Aadi Amaavaasai.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 300 meters from Keerimalai Bus Stand, 4 Kms from Kankesanthurai, 4 Kms from Kankesanthurai Railway Station, 12 Kms from Palaly Airport, 19 Kms from Jaffna Bus Stand, 20 Kms from Jaffna, 20 Kms from Jaffna Railway Station, 350 Kms from Colombo Airport and 378 Kms from Colombo. The Temple is well connected to Kankesanthurai and Jaffna.

Location | Photos

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

Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee, Srilanka

Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee, Srilanka

Koneswaram Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Trincomalee in Eastern Srilanka. Koneswaram Temple is also called as Dakshina Kailasa.  Presiding Deity is called as Thirukoneswarar and Mother is called as Mathumayal. The temple is situated atop Konesar Malai, a promontory that overlooks the Indian Ocean, the nearby eastern coast (the Trincomalee District), as well as Trincomalee Harbour or Gokarna Bay. Koneswaram is revered as one the Pancha Iswarams, of Sri Lanka for long time. Being a major place for Hindu pilgrimage, it was labelled "Rome of the Gentiles / Pagans of the Orient" in some records. Koneswaram holds a significant role in the religious and cultural history of Sri Lanka, as it was likely built during the reign of the early Cholas and the Five Dravidians of the Early Pandyan Kingdom.

Pallava, Chola, Pandyan and Jaffna designs here reflect a continuous Tamil Saivite influence in the Vannimai region beginning during the classical period. The river Mahavali is believed to be risen at Sivanoli Patha Malai, Mount of Shiva's glowing feet, and meets the sea near Koneswaram Rock. This formation is the basis of the myth that it is comparable to Ganges, in that it symbolically crowns the flowing of river from Shiva's head to his feet. Developed from 205 B.C., the original temple combined key features to form its basic Dravidian temple plan, such as its thousand pillared hall – "Aayiram Kaal Mandapam" – and the Jagati expanded by King Ellalan Manu Needhi Cholan. Regarded as the greatest building of its age for its architecture, elaborate sculptural bas-relief ornamentation adorned a black granite megalith.

In the medieval period, its multiple gold plated gopuram towers were expanded. The Koneswaram Temple is one of three major Hindu shrines on the promontory with a colossal gopuram tower, but it stands distinctly on the cape's highest eminence. The complex was destroyed by the Portuguese Empire in colonial religious attacks between 1622 and 1624, and Fort Fredrick was built at the site from its debris. In 1632 Ati Konanayakar Temple was built, and housed some of its original idols, but was located away from the city.

Worldwide interest was renewed following the discovery of its underwater and land ruins, sculptures and Chola bronzes by archaeologists and Arthur C. Clarke. They were preserved through restorations, most recently in the 1950s. The modern temple has been a source of conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils due to its position in a geostrategically important area. Revenue from the temple provides services and food to local residents. Dr. Paul E. Pieris declared in 1917, at a meeting of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon Branch), there was in Lanka five recognized 'Eeswararns' of Siva, which claimed and received adoration of all India. These were Thiruketheeswaram near Mahathitha, Munneswaram, Thondeswaram, Naguleswaram and Tirukoneswaram.

Koneswaram has many strong historical associations. The shrine is described in the Vayu Purana, the Konesar Kalvettu and Thevaram hymns by Sambandhar and Sundarar as a Paadal Petra Sthalam along with its west coast counterpart Ketheeswaram temple, Mannar, it is the birthplace of Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras and was praised for its tradition by Arunagirinathar upon his visit. The Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Manmiam works note it as Dakshina / Then Kailasam (Mount Kailash of the South) for its longitudinal position and pre-eminence, it lies directly east of Kudiramalai west coast Hindu port town, while it is the easternmost shrine of the five ancient Iswarams of Shiva on the island.

Mentioned as a widely popular bay temple of the island in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Yalpana Vaipava Malai, the Mattakallappu Manmiam confirms its sacred status for all Hindus. Kachiyappa Sivachariar's Kanda Puranam compares the temple to Thillai Chidambaram Temple and Mount Kailash in Saivite esteem. Konesar Malai may have been the site where Yoga originated; some scholars have suggested that the worship of the almighty god Eiswara on the promontory is the most ancient form of worship existing.

Etymology

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-etymology.html

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-legends.html

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-history.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-temple.html

Festivals

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-festivals.html

Literary Mention

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-literary-mention.html

Contact

Thiru Koneswaram Temple

Trincomalee, Sri Lanka

Phone: +94 26 222 6688 / 26 326 7588 / 26 320 4382

Phone: +94 77 127 0292 / 77 967 0057

Email: webmaster@koneswaram.com

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2018/10/koneswaram-temple-trincomalee-connectivity.html

Location | Photos