Showing posts with label Temple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Temple. Show all posts

Madhurai Meenakshi Sundareswara Temple

 Hare Krishna

Madhurai Meenakshi Sundareswara Temple is a historic temple located near the bank of river Vaigai in Madhurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The deity worshiped here is Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) and Lord Sundareswara (Shiva). The name Meenakshi means Fish Eyed Goddess. The temple is 1400 years old

 The Story begins with the Pandyan King Malayadhwaja and Queen Kanchanmala, they wanted a Son. So they performed a Yagna but instead a girl appeared from Yagna fire. The princess was considered the incarnation of Goddess Parvati but was born with Three Breasts. With the advise of gods the royal couple accepted the girl as their daughter and brought her up as heir of the throne. As per the prediction of astrologers, the third breast would disappear when she meets her husband.

After the death of the King Malayadhwaja, young Meenakshi became the Queen. Leading her army and conquering many kingdom, she moved to Swarga in Himalayas and came in conflicts with the gods. The gods went to Shiva and requested him to save them. When Lord Shiva appeared on the battlefield Meenakshi's third breast vanished, as she realised this she asked Shiva to marry her.

As Shiva accepted her proposal, he asked her to return to Madurai and wait for him. He visited her after 8 days in the form of Sundareswara and married her in a magnificent ceremony called Thirukalyanam. Lord Vishnu came on a Golden horse and gave away his sister Devi Meenakshi to marry Lord Sundareswara. Later they has 2 Sons Subramanya (Kartikeya) and Ganesha. It is said that Subramanya also celebrated his marriage in Madurai


The Icon of Meenakshi shows her holding parrot, symbol of Kama, god of love. On the temple of the wall is the image of her marriage. According to myth, Goddess Meenakshi had a dusky complexion as her Dravadian origin. And when a dusky woman applies turmeric on her face, they get a greenish tint and thus Meenakshi Amman is depicted green in color. 

Another striking point of Meenakshi Temple is the engraving. These engraving can be seen on the walls to the sancturies of Sundareswarar and Meenakshi Amma shrine. Every part of the temple is an illustration of mesmerizing artificer. The majestic structure of this temple along with compelling sculptures, drawings, paintings and serenity of religious piousness mesmerizes every visitor.


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Radhe Radhe!!!


Kollur Mookambika Temple

 Hare Krishna

Kollur Mookambika Temple is located near the holy river Sauparnika in Kollur Region of Karnataka, India. The temple is said to be 1200 times old, and was installed by Adi Shankaracharya. The deity who is revered deified is Goddess Mookambika.

According to legends, there was a demon name Khamasura, he had a boon that he will only be killed by a woman. He wanted more and when he was in deep penance seeking blessing from Lord Shiva, the Lord appeared in from of him, but when Khamasura was about was about to ask for a boon, Goddess Saraswati baffled his speech, causing him of incapable of asking the boon. From then Khamasura was named as "Mookasura"(Mooka means dumb). In wrathfulness and rage he defeated Indra and took his Kingdom and caused chaos in three world. In order to restore cosmic balance Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu combined their powers with Saraswati, Parvati and Lakshmi. Their combined power crowned into Goddess, who defeated Mookasura thus acquiring the name "Mookambika".

Installation of the Temple...

Adi Shakaracharya wanted to install a temple of Devi Mookambika in Kerala. On the top of Kodajadri hill is "Shakara Peetham". Shankaracharya did penance at the same place in order to get blessings from the Devi. Goddess Mookambika appeared in front of him and agreed his want but kept a condition that he should keep walking without distrusting or turning back if he turns back he has to install the temple there itself. Shankaracharya agreed and started walking down Kodajadri hills, when they reached Kollur the sound of Devi's anklet stopped and just to check if Devi is still behind him he turned back. Goddess Mookamika ordered him to install the temple in Kollur.



Shankaracharya cried and prayed to forgive him as he wanted to install temple in Kerala, but Devi dissented and ask him to install her temple and to calm him Devi said that she will live in Kollur in the form of Goddess Mookambika and as Goddess Chottanikkara in Kerala. It is said that, From early hours of morning, goddess would come and appear before the devotees at the Chottanikkara temple. Then in the afternoon, she would return to the Mookambika temple. And she also promised him that if ladies from Kerala stopped visiting Kollur, she will come to Kerala in her Mookambika form. Adi Shankaracharya agreed and installed a temple there. 


In front of the Idol of Mookambika Devi you can find a Linga, which is worshiped as Moola Devi. It is said that to bless Maharishi Kola, Lord Shiva appeared before the rishi. Maharishi Kola asked that the Lord with His Consort should remain then ever. To grant his want, a Jyotirlinga appeared, with a Swarnarekha (golden line) in the middle. Therefore, one half of this Linga stands for the conscious principle as embodied by Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, while the other stood for the Creative Principle in the form of Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswathi

This Temple is said to be among seven pilgrimage site created by Lord Parshuram in Karnataka. Kollur is famous not only for the sanctum of Devi Mookambika but also its scenic geography, defined by verdant hills and rivers. People flock to it not only to worship the Goddess but also to experience and enjoy its natural sensations and ancient heritage. 


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Radhe Radhe!!!

Tirupati Balaji

Hare Krishna

Tirupati Balaji Temple is in the town of Venkatgiri on Tirumala Hills in Andhra Pradesh, India. The revered God here is Lord Vishnu as Tirupati Balaji also known as Venkateshwara, Sreenivasa and Govinda.
The Story Starts as.....

Once there was a Sage named Bhrigu, known for his wisdom and devotion. He wanted to test the three primary deities of the Hindu pantheon – Lord Brahma (the creator), Lord Vishnu (the preserver), and Lord Shiva (the destroyer) – to determine who was the most supreme. 


He went to Lord Brahma first, Lord Brahma immersed in music of Veena of Goddess Saraswati, he felt neglected and cursed him that he will not be worshiped. Second he visited Lord Shiva, who was performing Tandava with his consort Goddess Parvati in Kailash , he got angry for being neglected and curses him, that only Shiva in Linga form will be worshiped. Then he visited Lord Vishnu in Vaikunth but finding Vishnu sleeping with Goddess Lakshmi besides him pressing his feet, he feels neglected again, the enraged Bhrigu kicks on the chest of God Vishnu.


God Vishnu asks for forgiveness from Bhrigu and requests a chance to do hospitality. Then pressing his feets and eventually pressing an eye under his feet (eye in the feet represents the ego, anger and ignorance) and destroys it and Sage Brigu realises his mistake. Goddess Lakshmi feels dishonored and tells that now she cannot stay in the place where Bhrigu’s foot has touched (ie, in God Vishnu’s heart) and then leaves Vaikunth angrily and settles near River Godavari (Present day, we worship her as Kolhapur Mahalakshmi). In the state of longing for Goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu left Vaikunth and reaches Earth.


Lord Vishnu starts performing penance under an Ant Hill, he keeps calling for Goddess Lakshmi. Lord Shiva and Brahma takes the form of a cow and calf, and starts showering the milk in the ant hill for the Vishnu to calm his hunger. Seeing this, the angry cowherd throws the axe at the cow, which hits Vishnu’s forehead in trying to protect the cow and losses his memory. It is said that in Tirumala, Vakula (who is also claimed to be incarnation of Yahoda) was waiting for Krishna as her child. Vishnu who is wandering in the forest visits Vakula, seeing Sreenivasa she realises he is none other than her Krishna. He starts staying at her place and treats her as his mother.


On the other hand, Lakshmi incarnated herself as Padmavati who was the daughter of King Akasha Raja. One day she was playing with her friends, and an wild elephant starts chasing them, and she runs and falls in the embrace of Sreenivas who has come there for a hunt. 


They both gets a glimpse of past memories and later plans to get married. As for marriage Lord Vishnu needed money, so taking loan from Kubera promising him to pay in interest, he became a groom and married Padmvati grandly in the presence of all the Gods and Demigods. It is believed that Lord Vishnu is Still Paying the Loan. Goddess Lakshmi from then started knowing as Sreedevi and Padmavathi is known as Bhudevi.


Later a temple was made and People Visits this temple and seeks blessing from Venkateshwara by donating their hair. The main Prasad here is Laddu. It is said that after visiting Tirupati balaji one should visit Kolhapur Mahalakshmi temple to seek blessings from Goddess Lakshmi.


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Radhe Radhe!!!



Madhurai Meenakshi Sundareswara Temple