Hill Temples

Chandra Choodeswarar Temple Hosur

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 06:44:00 +0530

Name : Chandra Choodeswarar Temple

Location : It is located 40kms from Bangalore 52 kms from Krishnagiri in National High ways NH-7

Names of Deities : 'Chandra Choodeswarar' means the Eshwara who wears the Moon (Chandra) as an ornament on his crest or tuft of hair on top of the head.

Shiva's consort Parvathi is worshiped here as Maragathambal. ‘Maragatham’ means green and ‘Ambal’ means mother. This is in reference to the green plants and trees (Photosynthesis), which provide sustenance to all living beings.

Description :

The exact history of the temple as to when it was consecrated is not clearly documented. Considering that the Hosur region is mentioned in ancient Hindu texts like the 'Bhadragiri Mahatmyam', a part of Brahmanda Purana, a shrine for Shiva is deemed to have existed here from ancient times.

The temple has grown during the time of the Cholas, Hoysala and Vijayanagara Emperors. The Chandra Choodeshwara Temple structure may have been built by the Hoysala king, Thirupuvanamalla Barvatharaja Anthiyazhvar, in the year 1260. The 13th-century inscription found during Chandra Choodeshwara temple patronage Perumal Temple in Hosur and Bangalore Shiva Temple inscriptions tell the details of donations to Chandra Choodeshwara temple. There are also inscriptions of Rajendra Chola in this ancient temple. The temple was renovated by Azhakiya Perumal Aathimoolam.

Daily 500-1000 Devotees are visiting this temple most of them from hosur, Bangalore, Krishnagri, and neibouring states like Karnataka, and Anthrapradesh. it is very famous temple like Mysore Samundeeswari temple. stone inscription is witnessed 11th century AD Chola period temple the Glory of Raja Raja cholan and Gulothunga cholan also found in this temple stone documents.

Festivals :

Chandra Choodeswarar temple car festivals is very famous festivals in city most of the people from hosur, mangaluru part of Karnataka are participated in this festivals every year in the month of Mar-April. Temple maintained by HR&CE, Garden, telescope house maintained by Municipal Corporation, Hosur.

Websites :

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra_Choodeswarar_Temple

Mata Bhangayani Devi Temple Mandir Haripurdhar Sirmour Himachal

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:20:00 +0530

Name :

Mata Bhangayani Devi Temple Mandir Haripurdhar Sirmour Himachal

Location :
The Mata Bhangayani Devi Temple is a revered Hindu shrine located in the village of Haripurdhar, within the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. Perched at an altitude of 8,000 feet, the temple is dedicated to Maa Bhangayani, a powerful local goddess. It is a peaceful place of worship that draws both devotees and tourists with its spiritual significance and scenic Himalayan views.

Legends :

1) One popular story involves Shirgul Devta, who once traveled to Delhi with other deities . While there, he encountered a shopkeeper whose scales would not balance , leading the shopkeeper to suspect Shirgul Devta had supernatural powers. This incident caught the attention of the Turk ruler, who sought to capture Shirgul Devta . When he failed to capture the deity, they deceitfully tied him in leather shackles and put him in jail. Maharaja Gugga Jahar Peer of Bagar country, who came to help Shirgul Devta, freed Shirgul Devta with the help of Mata Bhangyani working there as a Bhangin. On being freed from the prison, Shirgul Devta brought Mata Bhangyani with him and asked her to reside on the peak of Haripurdhar and himself merged on Chudhar.

2) As per the legends, Shirgul Mahadev was imprisoned by a Mughal King as the Mughal King was afraid of the spiritual powers of Shirgul Mahadev. Guga Peer, the King of Bagad helped him to get out of the prison with the blessings of Mata Bhangyani, who was working as a maid in the prison. For Shirgul Mahadev it was very difficult to be freed from the confinement of Mughals but he was rescued due to the help of Mata Bhangayani. Since then, Maa Bhangayani has been worshipped as God sister of Shirgul Mahadev.

3) Local cowherds discovered a stone on the peak that mysteriously kept emerging from the ground no matter how deep they buried it 🪨. Intrigued, they sought the advice of a priest, who recognized the stone’s significance and encouraged them to build a temple. The villagers constructed the temple and enshrined the stone, revering it as a Pindi. They view this stone as a symbol of the goddess’s power. They keep it covered because they do not allow direct viewing

Deity: The temple honors Maa Bhangayani, a local deity considered the "goddess of justice" (Nayay ki Devi).

Divine connection: According to local lore, Maa Bhangayani is the god-sister of Shirgul Mahadev, a prominent regional deity. Her legend also connects her to Churdhar Peak and its Chureshwar Mahadev Temple.

Also people call this temple Haripurdhar Wali Mata, and it holds great respect in Sirmaur, Solan, and Shimla. Devotees visit to seek the goddess’s help in solving disputes, as she delivers quick justice

Festivals :

The festivals of Chaitra Navratri, Ashvin Navratri, Dussehra, and Deepavali is celebrated with great joy. Thousands of devotees pay a visit to Maa Bhangayni temple to pray for their well being and prosperity. The temple is crowded on Navratris, Makar Sankranti, and on weekends. Every year, a fair is organized during Navratras and in the month of May by temple management.

Design: The temple features a distinctive pagoda-style architecture, with intricate carvings on wood and slate stone.

Scenic location: Situated in the lesser Himalayas (Shivalik ranges), the temple offers visitors stunning, panoramic views of the surrounding hills and valleys.

Nearby attractions :
Haripurdhar village: Formerly known as "Dungbhangayani," Haripurdhar was once the summer capital of the Sirmour State.
Killa: An ancient fort, known as "Killa," sits atop the Haripur hill.
Churdhar Peak: The highest peak in the area is home to the Chureshwar Mahadev Temple. The Mata Bhangayani Devi Temple offers a clear and open view of the peak.
Trekking routes: For adventurers, a 3-km trekking route from the Haripurdhar main market leads to the Killa Peak and a forest guest house

How to Reach :

It is easy to reach Shillai from Ponta Sahib and Haripurdhar from Shillai . You can visit here anytime. The road connects the temple well to Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur. The temple is about 100 km from Nahan, and you can reach it via the Nahan-Renuka-Sangara, Paonta Sahib, or Shimla-Chopal-Kupvi routes. Accommodation including inns (rest houses) and hotels are available near the temple with online booking options

Websites :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maa_Bhangayani_Temple,_Haripurdhar

https://www.apnisanskriti.com/temple/maa-bhangayani-temple-haripurdhar-sirmour-himachal-pradesh-3481

https://himachalstory.com/location/maa-bhangayani-temple-haripurdhar/

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 06:45:00 +0530

Name:
Arulmigu Vilpatti Vetri Velappar Temple, also known as Paarai Velappar

Location:
Vilpatti village, near Kodaikanal, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu

Description :
The Vilpatti Vetri Velappar Temple is an ancient Lord Murugan temple in Vilpatti, near Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, believed to be 2000 years old and potentially the first Murugan temple. It is known for its association with the story of the Pandavas and for the presiding deity, Sri Vetri Velappar, is depicted with a spear atop a Shiva Lingam. The temple celebrates major festivals like Panguni Uthiram and Thai Poosam, with devotees considering the deity their "Kula Deivam" or family god.

Presiding Deity:
Sri Vetri Velappar, another name for Lord Murugan.

Ancient Significance:
Believed to be around 2000 years old, with origins possibly dating back to the Pandya King Koon Pandyan. It is also considered one of the oldest Murugan temples.

Legend of the Name:
The name "Vetri Velappar" (Lord of Victory) arose from the belief that he brings victory to devotees.

Cultural Connection:
The name Vilpatti itself is thought to be derived from the Pandavas practicing archery there, with "Vil" meaning bow.

Deities' Sub-Shrines:
Sub-shrines exist for Mahadeva, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma.
Idumban Shrine:
There is a separate shrine for Idumban, a disciple of Murugan.
Bogar Connection:
A shrine to Bogar is present, with a legend linking it to a cave where he continues to meditate.
Fish Symbol:
The presence of fish symbol inscriptions within the temple grounds is noted.

Festivals:
The temple is alive with devotion during major Murugan festivals like Skanda Sashti, Thaipoosam, and Panguni Uthiram. Daily poojas include Ushakkala Pooja, Uchikala Pooja, and Sayaraksha Pooja, each performed with Vedic chants and traditional drums. Devotees often carry kavadi, offer milk abhishekam, and perform padayatra from nearby villages. The temple serves as a hub of spiritual rejuvenation and heartfelt vows.
Palanquin Procession:
During the Tamil month of Panguni, the Urchavamoorthy (procession idol) is carried in a palanquin.

Kula Deivam:
Many people around Kodaikanal consider Vetri Velappar to be their Kula Deivam.

Opening Hours: The temple is open daily from approximately 7 AM to 6 PM

Websites :

https://arunraj.org/murugan-temples/sri-vetri-velappar-temple-vilpatti/

Shirgul Maharaja Temple Himachal

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:37:00 +0530

Name : Shirgul Maharaja Temple

Location :

Churdhar Sanctuary is named after the Churdhar peak, which has an elevation of 3647 metres above sea level and is located in Sirmour, Shimla district of the indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Churdhar peak is the highest peak in Sirmour district and is also the highest peak in the outer Himalayas. The peak has a great religious significance for the people of Sirmour, Shimla, Chaupal and Solan of Himachal Pradesh and Dehradun of Uttrakhand.

Legend 1 :

According to legend, Shirgul was imprisoned by the Mughals in the mid-16th century. His "fault" was that he defended the Haattis of Sirmaur against exploitation and for slaying butchers caught slaughtering a cow in Delhi. A sweeper woman, Bhaghayni, sent word to Shirgul’s ally, Goga Pir, who led a covert mission to free Shirgul from prison. Together, they returned safely to the hills.

Once back, Shirgul found a demon threatening the life of Churu, a devotee, and his family at Choorhdhar. Joined by Bijjat, the two brothers decimated the demon, saving Churu, who is also now worshipped as a deity in the region. Shirgul, deeply devoted to Lord Shiva, established the Mahadev temple at Choorhdhar, which houses a life-size Shivling and two idols.

It is believed that Shirgul later distributed his kingdom to his trusted minister, Deviram, and his third brother Brijeswar. Shirgul dedicated his life to meditating and worshipping Lord Shiva at the Mahadev temple here. Both Shirgul and Bijjat mysteriously disappeared after 200 years of spiritual devotion at Choorhdhar.

Legend 2 :

Shirgul and Bijjat are revered across the region, with over a hundred big or small temples dedicated to them in Shimla, Sirmaur, and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh and the Jaunsar Bawar and Janpur regions of Uttarakhand.

Shirgul Devta and Bijjat Maharaj are centuries old deit ies of Himachal situated at Churdhar in Sirmaur. Both deities had a centuries old fight but now after 1, 500 year, both the deities are ready to end their fight and they will meet each other very soon at a joint jagaran in the region. People of two panchayats are associated with these deities. Chadhna and Devmanal panchayats are the two panchayats where people couldn’t organise fairs and festivals together due to the fight between their deities. But, now they will come together for a jagaran, local people informed. They stated that once both the deities shared a great relationship with each other which was known as shata-pasha. After that, neither both deities met in a festival nor people of the two panchayats had any relations with each other. But now the deities have ordered the local people to stop the fight and organise a deity fair where they will meet each other. It was decided in a joint meeting of both the panchayats, where panchayat pradhan and other members of the villages were present.

After 52 years, the ShantMahayagya ceremony was held this year. A highlight of the Mahayagya was Bijjat Devta’s grand journey from Sarahan, accompanied by thousands of devotees. The revamped temple complex, unveiled through the week-long Shant Mahayagya, culminated in the installation of beautifully carved deodar-Kurud atop the temple. It also also revived the legendary meeting of the royal family of King Bhukru, his wife Dudma Rani, parents of Shirgul, and his trusted friend Goga Pir, alongside his adopted sister, Devi Bhaganyani, whose temple stands at a cliff near Haripurdhar in Sirmaur.

Description :

Churdhar is a holy place related with Shri Shirgul Maharaj also know as Chureshwar Maharaj, a deity widely worshipped in Sirmour and Chaupal. The major god of area is Lord Shirgul Maharaj. Many gods goes their for religious pilgrim and bath at the holy temple of lord shirgul.

Choorhdhar, standing tall at nearly 11,870 feet, is not just a spiritual destination, but also a geological wonder and a wild life sanctuary. So when you reached this place then there are so many places for the visit, firstly there is statue of Lord Shiva are made on the top of hill. When you came down to the hill then there so many big stones are present there and in the last there is temple where Shiva’s Ling is present. From this place you can enjoy the Paragliding and beautiful view of mountains. The best season to visit this place in the summer because it is situated on the top of hill and in the winter there is heavy snowfall and even when you visit in the summer then wear warm clothes because there climate suddenly changes.

The legends of Shirgul and Bijjat resonate deeply here. The devotees find here Shauni Ghori, mare of the Shirgul, Asur Ki J Kanali, the utensil used by the demon and mysterious routes and caves.

A massive rock near the temple is still worshipped as the site where Churu and his family were saved.

Rajput families in the region maintain the tradition of bringing their children to Choorhdhar for the sacred ritual of cutting their Choortha (a symbolic lock of hair) as an offering to Lord Chooreshwar when they come of age- a ritual practice as good as abandoned now.

This revival of ancient traditions at Choorhdhar has reawakened the spiritual essence of this sacred mountain, marking a significant religious milestone for devotees from across the region.

How to reach :

You can reach there by bus. As this temple is located in the Sirmour district firstly you have to go to Nauradhar then after that you have to go walk or riding on the horse, from this place it is about 15-16 km which takes around 6 to 8 hours, you can also come from Sranha from it its distances is reduces to half. This place is on the solan-haripurdhar road, from solan nauradhar is about 60 km, in which there are so many places for the wondering and when you reach the nauradhar then after that you have to go to the top of the hill, in the ways there is forest and also there are two or three shops so don’t go there alone and also go some fruits in your bags and take bottle for water, there are so many resources of water.

Links :

https://mysterioushimachal.wordpress.com/tag/shirgul-devta/

Fanjingshan in china

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 06:23:00 +0530

Name : The mountain's name "Fanjing" is an abbreviation of Fantian Jingtu (梵天净土), or "Brahma's Pure Land". Fantian is the Chinese name for the Buddhist heavenly king Brahmā, and Jingtu is Chinese for "pure land", the focus of Pure Land Buddhism.

Location :

Fanjingshan is located in Tongren, Guizhou Province in southeastern China. It is the highest peak of the Wuling Mountains. The elevation of its terrain ranges from 480 to 2,570 meters (1,570–8,430 ft) above sea level.

How to Reach :

Fanjingshan, you’ll have to take a bus from Tongren (a city in Guizhou province of China). The bus takes around two hours to reach the base camp from where travellers need to go on a challenging 8,888-step ascent, which will take around five hours to reach the summit. Those who don’t want to take the stairs, there’s a cable car to transport visitors to the top.

Description :

Fanjingshan is considered a sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism, ranking just below the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism. It is considered the bodhimaṇḍa (or daochang)—a spot in which one reached enlightenment—of the Maitreya Buddha. The influence of Buddhism reached Fanjingshan by the Tang dynasty at the latest, especially after Hou Hongren (侯弘仁) constructed the Zangke Road (牂牁道) in 639 AD, which facilitated transport in the mountainous region, and local gazettes record the construction of several temples in the area. More temples were built during the ensuing Song and Yuan dynasties.

Buddhism greatly prospered during the Ming and Qing dynasties, when the cult of Tianguan Maitreya (天冠弥勒) became dominant in Fanjingshan. The Bozhou rebellion in the late 16th century caused great damages to Fanjingshan's temples. After suppressing the rebellion, the Wanli Emperor ordered the monk Miaoxuan (妙玄) to rebuild the Golden Peak and the Cheng'en Temple (承恩寺). Many other temples were constructed in the area, ushering in the golden era for Buddhism in Fanjingshan. Most temples during the Ming and Qing dynasties belonged to the Pure Land and the Linji sects of Buddhism.

In the turmoil that toppled the Qing dynasty, many temples were destroyed by marauding armies and bandits, and few monks remained in the Republic of China era.[2] After further destructions during the Cultural Revolution, Buddhism has enjoyed a renaissance since the 1980s. Many old temples have been rebuilt and new ones constructed, including the Cheng'en Temple, Huguo Chan Temple (护国禅寺), Great Golden Buddha Temple (大金佛寺), and Longquan Temple (龙泉寺).

In 2010, the Fanjingshan Buddhist Cultural Park was opened, with a Golden Hall that houses a 5-metre-tall (16 ft) statue of the Maitreya Buddha made with 250 kg (550 lb) of gold and thousands of gems. It is said to be the largest gold Maitreya statue in the world.

Attractions :

Old Golden Summit

The Old Golden Summit is 2,493 meters above sea level. When observed from a distance, it looks like the kind of rice steamer used by farmers.

Around the Old Golden Summit there are lots of strange and magnificent views, such as the Book Scrolls, the Mushroom Stone, the Eagle Rock and others. Besides the fantastic views from the summit, many temples are located there.

Mushroom Stone

This special mushroom-shaped rock sits on the summit, and is now an icon of Fanjing Mountain. It is 9.4 meters tall, and about 1 billion years old. Many artists have created work based on the Mushroom Stone.

New Golden Summit

The New Golden Summit is 2,336 meters in altitude. If you are lucky enough, you will see the peak surrounded by carnation-colored mists which symbolize the blessing of Buddha.

The top of the summit is on the other side of a gorge and connected by an arched stone bridge. Two temples are on separate crags of the summit: Shakyamuni Temple and Mile Temple.

Buddhist Temples

Buddha figure in Fanjing MountainBuddha figure in Fanjing Mountain

The name "Fanjing" means "Pure Buddhist Land". In its heyday, the mountain was home to 4 emperor temples and 48 active temples, though only a few of these remain today. Some of the largest temples are near the summit of the mountain, and the scenery around is very spectacular.

Huguo Temple: This is one of the four Emperor Temples on Fanjing Mountain, covering an area of 3,000 square meters. Today, six wooden buildings from Huguo still exist. The temple is endowed with beautiful natural scenery, embracing the clouds in the morning and bathing in rain in the evening.

Cheng’en Temple: This is between the New and Old Golden Summits. Its gate still stands intact in front of the main hall, after many years. There are four halls on either side of the temple. Only ruins of the walls can be seen today, however.

Zhenguo Temple: This was originally built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), but collapsed around 1949. Only ruins of the walls still exist on the site, though the main hall, side hall, rooms accommodating monks, and kitchen are all faintly discernible.

Websites :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanjingshan

https://www.mybestplace.com/en/article/mount-fanjingshan-and-the-two-temples-at-the-gates-of-heaven

https://www.chinahighlights.com/tongren/attraction/fanjing-mountain.htm

Doi Thepnimit temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 17:58:00 +0530

Name : Doi Thepnimit temple

Location :

Doi Thepnimit is a monastic residence with a fantastic panoramic view over Patong beach. You can see its iconic white pagoda from the beach, if you know in which direction to look, of course, it’s pretty tiny. To access Doi Thepnimit is a bit tricky since the new road to reach it is precisely at the top of the notoriously dangerous Patong Hill. If you are familiar with Patong you will know right away how to spot that small road: it’s next to the Chinese temple where everyone honks three times for good luck! The way to the Chedi is now nicely paved on a couple of kilometres, and there is ample parking next to the temple.

Description :

Doi Thepnimit is a small but so beautifully decorated temple, and with such a view, it’s worth stopping on your way in or out Patong beach. The Doi Thepnimit temple is a "Samnak Song" (สำนักสงฆ์) which is more like a monastery or meditation center. These places may not have all features of a larger Wat. Doi Thepnimit has really just one large Chedi with a great view and on a lower level are buildings that look like accommodation and dining areas for Monks or people coming to study or meditate.

The Chedi (a Buddhist stupa) is ornate with colourful seven-heads Naga (a mythical serpent-like creature) and many other mythological characters. All the sculptures and carvings are exceptionally well executed, and it is a pleasure to admire the craftsmanship. Note that the pagoda area is not always opened, but you can still walk around it. The shape of the chedi is Pra Tat Pra Nom style, from the northeast part of Thailand. This Temple is impressive and very bright and colourful as it's so new! The entrance (below) is guarded by 2 Yaks (mythical giants, often seen at temples) and also by 2 Naga (7 headed mythical snakes) - Buddhist stories tell of the king of the Naga sheltering Buddha from a storm by covering him with his 7 heads, so you see the Naga in pretty much all Buddhist temples too.
Just remember to dress and behave appropriately as this is a religious place and you will frequently see monks and nuns meditating or sweeping the surrounding of the temples.

There is another temple called Wat Thepnimit located between Phuket Town and Chalong. Just make sure you mark the right one when using Google map

Websites :

https://www.jamiesphuketblog.com/2018/09/doi-thepnimit-temple-near-patong.html

St. Mary's GunadalaMatha Shrine Vijayawada

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Mon, 8 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0530

Name : St. Mary's Gunadala Matha Shrine

Location :

Gundala Matha Shrine, or Mary Matha Shrine, known popularly as St Mary’s Church, is constructed on a hilly region Gunadala in Krishna district near Vijayawada. An iron cross, erected atop the hill, stands as a rare distinction of the shrine.

Shrine History :

Mother Mary is said to have appeared on this hill as on 11th Feb.1858.

Description :

One of the most popular churches and pilgrim places for Christians in Andhra Pradesh, A shrine for the Christians situated in Gunadala, a hilly region of district Krishna at Vijayawada is the Mary Matha Shrine or Gunadala Matha Shrine and its more popular name, St Mary's Church. It has the rare distinction of having an iron cross set up on the hill top.

It houses a museum having a collection of ancient holy relics and precious gifts of the followers. The shrine is filled on Sundays and other important festivals and occasions. The annual feast for Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated with devotion and gaiety.its a famous pilgrimage place where people take the help of Mother Mary's prayers and lakhs of people come from all over places to worship, every February 9,10&11 more than 5 lakh people come to visit at the hill top.there are only steps way to go up the hill,and on the top there is a huge Jesus crucified statue

Annual Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes attracts many devotees and is celebrated with much enthusiasm and devotion. After getting their heads tonsured and breaking coconuts at the shrine, the devotees lined up to the grotto on the hillock to light candles.

The other side of extended gunadala hills haves historically important mogalrajapuram caves and a large statue of lord Shiva a top.

Gunadala Matha Festival

Gunadala Matha Festival was successful , more than 10 Lakh devotees attend this festival every year. Of those 10 Lakhs only 60% were Catholics means 4 lakh remaining people are mixed people from different religions ( Hindus, Muslims) and of course Protestants.

Ever year the Festival startes with Holy mass on 9th Feb at 6.30 AM and around 8.30 AM Adoration Started and will end on 11th Feb late night.

Many Religious ( Sisters , Priests, Deacons, Brothers, Seminary & Convent students) , General devotees from Vijayawada and other parts of AP also took part in this Adoration along with Jesus Youth of Vijayawada Diocese.

Contact : +91 9948695979, 0866-2450244

Websites : http://www.gunadalamathashrine.com/

Chetti Thambiran Temple & Konganar Siddhar Samadhi (Karur - Tamil Nadu)

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 7 Feb 2021 19:43:00 +0530

Name : Chetti Thambiran Temple & Konganar Siddhar Samadhi (Karur - Tamil Nadu)

Location :

From Trichy: 73km via Kangeyam. Break journey via Kangeyam via Vellakovil.
From Tiruppur: 40km via Kangeyam. Break journey via Kangeyam.
From Dharapuram: 19km towards Kangeyam. Frequent buses are available.
From Kangeyam: 14km towards Dharapuram. Frequent buses are available.
Nearest Bus Stop: Uthiyur aka Pon Uthiyur

Legend :

When the great Ramayana war happened between Rama and Ravana in Ceylon, Rama’s brother Lakshmanan was attacked by an arrow sent by Ravana which made him almost dead. So to cure him, Jambavan asked Hanuman to get a Sanjeevani herb from the Himalayan range in between the peaks of Rishabam and Kailasa. And Hanuman followed suit. But in the specified location in the hill between the 2 peaks he couldn’t find the herb. So frustrated he felt like breaking the hill into pieces. But he suddenly came up with the idea of lifting the whole hill and taking it to Jambavan and he did it. When he flew across the whole length of India from Himalayas to Ceylon a few pieces of the hill fell in several places along the length. One of it was in Uthiyur, where the sage Konganar Sithar meditated in a small cave at the top of the hill. Once Hanuman reached, Jambavan took the Sanjeevani herb from the hill and gave its juice to the whole battalion and saved everyone's lives.

Description :

It was a pretty small village with a hillock at one side. Not just a hillock, there were atleast 3-4. There was a little temple after a flight of 100 steps from the ground, which is the base temple ‘Uthanda Velayudhasamy Thirukoil’ with a huge water-well as well and the little path with few rocky steps beside the temple lead us to the base of a hillock and the steps ended there as well. There were few more little mandapams in a dilapidated condition.

This hill, till date, is considered to have all those medicinal plants including Sanjeevani. Though the program didn’t give any details about the medicinal plants in this it gave a decent coverage about the place on a whole with interviews from several locals. Though the program said that the place is near Kangeyam, I had no clue where in Kangeyam is this place. After searching the net for pretty long time, I found some details about this place. It was spelt Uthiyoor by some other site and atleast I got the info that its midway to Dharapuram from Kangeyam. We started off and were there at Uthiyur shortly.

There were few sculptures here and there, and also some hero-stones. But I couldn’t make out the era it could have been from. Must be Chola period with regards to its location, but which Chola king or which century, I had no clue.

From that point there was no proper path as well. The little temple like structure at the peak of one of the hillocks is destination. There is a little muddy pathway that is rocky at most of the places. Also there are several smaller pathways that lead to the hillock. The route is rocky and the hill is pretty vertical. Many places the muddy pathway will be missing. Filled with several plants that formed a decently thick forest-like area, several among these huge number of plants must be medicinal which would include the Sanjivani as well.

A route will be divided into 2 and there is a little board that shows an arrow to a route that reads “Route to Chetti Thambiran Temple”. A little more trek and will lead to the Chetti Thambiran Temple. This is a small temple formed by the space in between 2 rocks. The sounds heard here were freaky at times, thanks to the several rocks and boulders and heavy winds that blow through them. A little more climb from there will take us to the hill top and there was a little temple of Lord Ganesh.( Uchi Pillayar Temple)

To reach Kongana sithar cave, we have to climb another hill with boulders atop (as you see in the picture below).

To go there we have to use the other pathway where we were directed to Chetti Thambiran Temple. The other path leads to the peak of the hill to go to the Konganar Caves. Care had to be taken not to go to the edges of the boulders there. A fall from there could definitely prove fatal. Here again there is a little room created by the space between 2 boulders. It was here that Sage Konganar Sithar meditated and lost his physical self. Sithar’s are yogists who are in the high meditative state and lose their physical state and attain divinity.

There is a pathway to enter this cave from the rear as well. It could be entered from the rear side through a small tunnel like opening and crawled down into the cave. Else in a simpler way you could enter it from the huge front opening.

Food: There are a few local messes here. Nearest place for good restaurants and hotel is Kangeyam.

Contact number of Konganar cave Priest : +91 99425 32193

Websites : https://travel.bhushavali.com/2010/05/uthiyur-hills-aka-pon-uthiyur-konganar.html

Sulayman -Too Mountain, Kyrgyzstan

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Fri, 2 Oct 2020 15:50:00 +0530

Name : The Sulayman Mountain (Kyrgyz: Сулайман-Тоо, also known as Sulaiman-Too, Sulayman Rock, or Sulayman Throne)

Location :

The Sulayman Mountain is the only World Heritage Site located entirely in the country of Kyrgyzstan. It is located in the city of Osh and was once a major place of Muslim and pre-Muslim pilgrimage. The rock rises abruptly from the surrounding plains of the Fergana Valley and is a popular place among locals and visitors, with a splendid view.

Legend :

Legends claim that that the Macedonian warrior king Alexander the Great visited the city on his way to India, and that King Solomon visited and slept on top of the hill that still bears his name, Taht-i-Suleiman (Suleiman Mountain or Solomon’s Throne). This most enduring tale says that when Solomon reached the outcropping of high rock in the center of modern day Osh, shouted ‘khosh’ (‘that’s enough’).

How did this mountain change from being simply a spiritual natural landscape into a focus of intense worship?:

To understand it, you need to step back and look at the big picture. The city of Osh is right in the middle of the network of paths that today we call the Silk Road. To the north, to the east, and to the south are huge mountains – and travellers who made the arduous journey over these peaks would need somewhere to stop for a while to rest and feed their animals.

Snowy mountains on the way to Kyrgyzstan

However, Osh was not normally the first city that travellers would have arrived at after coming down from the mountains. That was Uzgen, about 50 kilometres away. Even though Uzgen was the first stop; Even though Uzgen had a river, offering a perfect water supply; And even though Uzgen was already an established trading city, travellers started to choose Osh because they thought they could pray and worship at the mountain of Sulaiman-Too and that would bring them better luck for their onward journeys.

Although there are mosques on the mountain these days, they are relatively new – from just a few centuries ago. For most of the travellers who were stopping here at the zenith of the Silk Road period, it was a more spiritual type of worship, not tied to a particular religion.

So what you would’ve found – and what you still find today – are different spot across Sulaiman-Too dedicated to different things that people would come to wish for.

There’s an opening in the rock that women who wanted to conceive a child would climb through.

There’s another rock that people would slide down if they wanted to cure back pain.

There’s another spot to help headaches, and another for longer life, and so on.

At the Chak-Chak cave you can insert your hand, pull out some rocks and make a wish.

The people came because they believed… not because of any evidence but because people believe what they want to believe, right?


Women making prayers at sulayman too rock formation

Holy men recite passages from the Koran in exchange for about US$0.50 cents in som. Inside another cave, water droplets drip from the roof, and it is said that these are the tears of Suleyman (Solomon). Legend has it that if you roll clown the inclined slab of limestone at the summit you will be cured of all bodily ills or at least confer considerable health benefits. Just behind the shrine is this smooth sloping slab of rock, called Bel Bosh Tosh, where the popular custom is to slide down foot-first on the part of the body that ails you. There is usually a queue of local families lining up to do just this. As you wind your way up the hill there are many smaller caves, crevices, and side trails that are said to cure specific elbow, arm, or leg, or head ailments. If you put your affected part of the body into grooves worn smooth by similarly sick people, locals believe that the different cracks in the mountain are designed to heal different illnesses.

Description :

This mountain is thought by some researchers and historians to be the famous landmark of antiquity known as the “Stone Tower”, which Claudius Ptolemy wrote about in his famous work Geography. It marked the midpoint on the ancient Silk Road, the overland trade route taken by caravans between Europe and Asia.

Sulayman (Solomon) is a prophet in the Qur'an, and the mountain contains a shrine that supposedly marks his grave. Women who ascend to the shrine on top and crawl though an opening across the holy rock will, according to legend, give birth to healthy children. The trees and bushes on the mountain are draped with numerous "prayer flags", small pieces of cloth that are tied to them.

According to the UNESCO, the mountain is "the most complete example of a sacred mountain anywhere in Central Asia, worshipped over several millennia". The site is still a popular place for local Muslims, with stairs leading up to the highest peak where there stands a small mosque originally built by Babur in 1510. What is more certain than founding legends, according to historians is that the founder of the Afghan Moghul Dynasty and descendant of Tamerlane, Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur (aka Bobur the Lion 1483-1530), who was born nearby just across the Uzbekistan border in Andijan, came to Osh to visit Solomon’s Throne before venturing on to India. In 1496, Babur, passed through modern day Kyrgyzstan on his way to conquer India and commissioned the small mosque on top of Solomon’s mountain, Suleyman Too. Even today this mosque is still referred to as Babur’s House.

Much of the mosque was reconstructed in the late 20th century.

Visiting Sulayman too Mountain :

When you visit Sulaiman-Too today, it is not too hard to imagine how it was on the mountain for all those hundreds of years that travellers would come and ask for some good luck.

You can still go into a lot of the caves. You can still see some petroglyphs on the walls. You can even still slide down the rock that is supposed to cure back pain.


Slide down Rock that cured Back pain for travellers for decades

The rock also contains the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex Sulayman that was built during the Soviet era, showing archaeological findings from the area and its history.

Museum inside the cave structure

Websites:

https://www.timetravelturtle.com/sulaiman-too-sacred-mountain-osh-kyrgyzstan/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulayman_Mountain

Malikappurathamma Temple, Sabarimala

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 20:19:00 +0530

Name : Malikappurathamma Temple

Location : Malikappurathamma Devi temple alias Malikapuram Temple is situated on a small hill just 100 meters away from Sabarimala right side of Sabarimala main Temple.

Legends :

1. The Maalikappuram Temple, is dedicated to Malikappurathamma, the Devi who was dedicated to Ayyappa and wished to marry him. One of the stories about Malikappurathamma is related with the Kalari School, Cheerappanchira .The Pandalam Raja admitted Ayyappa in this school to study Martial arts (Kalari) from the Guru, Kalari Panicker. Leela, his daughter fell in love with the Prince. But being a Brahmachari, Ayyappa couldn’t accept her passion. But he gave her a word that, he will marry her certainly, if there is no Kanni Ayyappas at Sabarimala.

2. It is said that the Malikappurathamma is Madhura Meenakshi, the Kula Paradevatha of Pandalam Royal Family which has conections with Pandya Dynasty.

3. The legend of Malikapurathamma is closely connected to that of Lord Ayyappa. The incarnation of Lord Ayyappa was for the destruction of “Mahishi”, sister of Mahishasura. The Upanishads declare that it is Dharma that sustains the world. Like how Shiva’s son Ganapathy is worshipped as Vignahartha, Shiva’s son Dharmasastha is the ruler and protector of the world. When the Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – took up human form to establish dharma in the world, there emerged from them a Shakti or force which they named Dattatreya. Simultaneously the consorts of the Trinity – Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati – together took birth as the daughter of sage Galava. The sage named her Leela and in due course gave her in marriage to Dattatreya. The couple fulfilled their grahasthasrama for a long time. Later when Dattatreya tried to convince Leela that the purpose of human birth is ‘Self realisation’ she was not ready to accept the same. She challenged him by saying that she being his Patta-mahishi does not accept it. Dattatreya got angry and cursed her to become a Mahishi (She Buffalo) in asuras family. Leela was also enraged and she too cursed her husband to become a Mahisha .

In course of time Leela was born as Mahishi, the daughter of Karambaasura , she had a grouse against Devas for their role in her cousin Mahisasura’s death. Mahishi undertook severe penance and propitiated Lord Brahma and obtained a boon from him that an incarnation born to Hari and Hara can only kill her. Blessed by the boon Mahishi deposed Indra and oppressed the Devas. They turned to the Trinity for redress. Dattatreya was made to take the form of a Buffalo named Sundara Mahisha. Thus Leela’s curse on Dattatreya took effect. Lord Vishnu asked Sundara Mahisha to lure Mahishi and take her down to earth. When Sundara Mahisha went to Deva Loka to fetch Mahishi, she was so enamoured that she forgot herself and all about the revenge, she blindly left her throne and followed Mahisha to earth. To kill Mahishi, Shri Dharmasastha the son of Shiva (Hara) and Mohini (Hari) took an avatar as Manikantan, the foster son of King Rajasekharan of Pandalam kingdom in Kerala. When the Devas prayed to him for achieving the aim of his avatara, Manikantan blessed them and fought Mahishi. Having been blessed with several boons she gave a tough fight to Manikantan who at last caught hold of her horns and killed her. Mahishi fell dead on the banks of the river Alasa (Azhutha) in Kerala. The Devas praised Shree Dharmasastha as Mahishi was killed by him. Lord Shiva came down to the world to witness the destruction of the evil. The place where the body of Mahishi fell is known as Kallidumkunnu and according to some legends the place where Lord Shiva tethered his bull when he came to witness the destruction of Mahishi is now known as Kalaketti.

As the Lord danced on the fallen body of Mahishi, Leela emerged, redeemed from her curse and prayed that she be taken as his consort. The Lord declined her request since he was a bramhachari for the purpose of Dharma Sasan, but agreed that she being the avatar of Saraswati, Laxmi and Parvathi combined would be worshipped at a special shrine. From then onwards she was known as Malikapurthuamma.

After fulfilling the purpose of his avatar, Lord Manikantan agreed to the wishes of King Rajasekharan of Pandalam and agreed to remain at Holly Sabrimala for the purpose of Dharma sasan in the world. Thus two adjacent temples were made by the King at Sabarimala, one for Shree Dharmasastha and the other for Malikapurthuamma.

Description :

Maalikapurathamma is the goddess who is worshipped in a subsidiary shrine at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Maalikapurathamma Temple is visited after having darshan of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.Malikappurathamma is also called Manchambika and Mancha mathavu (Mancha matha). The value of Bhakthi is reflected in owns own faith and hope. Malikappurathamma teaches this lesson to every devotee who wishes to go to see Lord Ayyappa. After visiting her shrine the devotee should get awareness of the ultimate fact “ It’s You” (Tatwamasi) ( self realisation )

The temple complex houses the shrines of the Devi and Kaduthaswamy and also the the shrines of the snake god, Nagaraja and goddess, Nagayakshi. On the way to the temple, there is a temple tank called as Bhasma Kulam where the devotees can take a holy bath in memory of the tapaswini Sabari, who had committed her mortal life by entering the fire. After this incident the hill was named Sabarimala.

Offerings : Of the two coconuts in the "Pin Kettu" of the Irumudi kettu, One is broken at the Pampa River and another coconut is to offer to the Malikapurathamma.The turmeric powder in the Irumudi kettu is also offered to the Malikapurathamma. Here coconuts are offered only after rolling them on the ground. Other main offerings to Goddess Malikapurathu Amma are Saffron powder (Kumkumam podi), Manjal podi (Turmeric powder), Plantain (Kadali Pazham), Jhagri (Sharkara), red silk and Honey. The other main rituals at Maalikappuram temple are Pattudayada, Pottu, Chandu, Kanmashi, Vala and Bhagavati Seva.

Festivals :
Malikappuram Ezhunnelathu (Malikappuram Procession)
Beginning with Makara Vilakku festival, Malikapurathamma leaves her shrine on three successive nights to inspect if the time has come for Ayyappan to fulfill his promise. A procession from the Malikapurathamma temple goes to Sharamkutti, where the first-time pilgrims leave an arrow to announce their presence. Every year, a crestfallen Malikapurathamma returns to continue her eternal wait. The idol of the Devi will be carried on the back of a caparisoned elephant with traditional music including pandy melam. The same procession will return to Malikappuram in a silent manner which symbolizes the grief of Devi who sees thousands of arrows at Saramkuthy.

Websites :
http://www.vaikhari.org/malikappurathamma.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maalikapurathamma

Senjerimalai Manthiragiri Velayuthasamy Murugan Temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 05:54:00 +0530

Name : Senjerimalai Manthiragiri Velayuthasamy Murugan Temple

Location :

The temple is located at Senjerimalai in Palladam Taluk which is 45kms. from Coimbatore.

Legend :

The 'Thenserigiri Sthalapuranam' relates: As Lord Muruga set out with his battalion to subdue the demon Surapadma, Lord Shiva summoned him to the Thenserigiri hills and, initiating him to certain mantras, endowed him with invincible powers to route and destroy the demon and his retinue. Since then Lord Muruga came to be worshipped as Manthragiri and Sri Velayudhaswami. This is the legendary origin of this temple.

Description :

This temple was originally built by Karikala Chola and renovated by veera ballala III dates back to 13th Century. A holy spring called 'Gnanatheertha Sunai' and a sacred tree known as 'Karunochi' can be seen.

Festivals :
Tamil New year
Shasti
Ayppasi annabishekam
Kirutthigai
Thaipoosam
Car festival

Websites :

http://senjerimalaivelayuthaswamy.hrce.in/index.html

http://www.dinamalar.com/koil/129_MandiragiriSwamy_Chensary.asp

Amaragiri Malekal Tirupathi, Hassan

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 13:49:00 +0530

Name : Malekal Tirupathi aka., Mavinakere Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy

Location :

The Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy Temple is situated in the Holenarasipura Taluk, of the Hassan District in Karnataka. It is 20 kilometers away from Hassan, and about 165 kilometers from Bangalore. It is well connected by road and rail, hence getting there is easy.

When driving on the Holenarasipura highway, the Sri Lakshmi Venkatarmanaswamy temple is about 1.5 kilometers after Hassan. It offers a pleasant break from the city for those who want to get away from the concrete jungles of Bangalore for a weekend, amidst the lush greenery of the surrounding countryside and the hills.

Legend :

The name Malekal and the installation of Lord Venkataramanaswamy here has got a legendary story. Devaguru Shri Vashishta lived here and went to penance worshiping Lord Venkataramanswamy for over 800 years, who in turn gave his darshan on the day of Ashada Shuddha Dwadashi. To mark this event Maharathothsava is being held every year even now. After getting Tapasiddhi with the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara left the place. As a result there was nobody to perform pooja to Lord Venkataramanaswamy installed by Devaguru Vashishta. As the days passed the ashrama built by him has perished and the statue (Vigraha) of Lord Venkataramana Swamy installed by him submerged in the earth. After lapse of thousands of year the palegar of Chithradurga who were ruling the area 800 years back. They were the devotees of Thirupathi Thimmappa i.e. Venkataramana Swamy. On one occasion Shri Thimmappa Nayaka one of the Palegar of Chithradurga had a dream of getting the darshan of Lord Venkataramana and had a direction of the lord to construct a temple for him and can have his darshan instead of Thirupathi. Thimmappa Nayaka was in fix to know the geneusness of his dream. Then lord Venkateshwara again appeared in his dream and told that he can be found on top of the hill. If the palegar follow the route along with Tulasi (Basil) male which can be found at the bottom of the hill.

Accordingly Thimmappa Nayaka found the Venkateshwara statue (Vigraha) on the top of the hill following The Thulasi male. As such the place has named after male as Malekallu and with a result the Palegaras can have the Darshan of Lord Venkataramana instead of at Thirupathi. Hence that has been named as Malekallu Thirupathi. The temple is on the top of the hill and it has got over 1200 steps.

Description :

Malekallu Malekal Tirupathi hill has 1300 steps and its beleived that lord Rama had visited this place. Its the only place you can see a standing Venkateshwara idol other than famous Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh. Its the only place you can see a standing Venkateshwara idol other than famous Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh.

At the down hill of the temple Lord Govindarajaswamy live. The utsava murthy's (festival deities) of main deity (Lord Vekataramana Swamy) is housed at Govindarajaswamy temple itself. In view of inconvenience on top of the hill for performing Rathothsava and other similar type of Uthsavas.The Govindaraja Swamy temple was built by Palegar Thimmappanayaka as he has found the Govindaraja Swamy statue (Vigraha) while constructing a lake to solve the drought problem.

As such the temple on top of the hill was called as Amaragiri Tirupathi and the temple at the down hill has been called as Govindaraja Pattana (town).

Another important aspect of the place is that while at Thirupathi Lord Venkataramana is installed ALONE on the hill top and the Govindaraja Swamy at the down hill, At Malekallu Lord venkataramana and goddess Padmavathi are installed TOGETHER on top of the hill. Newly wedded couples visit the temple to seek the blessing from Lord Venkatramana and Goddess Padmavathi. Kalyanotsava is a major performance of ritual happening here witnessed by thousands of devotees. There will be pooja performance in the temple every day from morning 7 AM to night 8 PM.

The temple serves as a family deity for surrounding villages and enjoys the patronage of the locals. The two festivals celebrated with great pomp and splendor is Hanuman Jayanthi and Vaikunta Yekadashi. No one knows when and how this deity was formed though it is rumored to have been consecrated by the great Vasishta. This temple can be visited throughout the year, and an ideal time to go would be during September to March, as the weather will be pleasant.

Festivals :

Ugadi festival, Shriramanavami, Dodda Garudotsava, Asahada Shuddha Dwadasi, Ashada Shuddha Triyodasi and many more festivals are conducted here with great grandeur. The annual Brahmotsavam is held every year and it is celebrated with great pomp and splendour.

Websites :

http://rcmysore-portal.kar.nic.in/temples/malekaltirupathitemple/about.html

Chandi mata Kashmir / Machel mata

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 13:09:00 +0530

Name : Chandi Mata Temple / Machel yatra

Location :

Machel Mata is a Goddess Durga shrine popularly known as Machail Mata being located in the village Machel, from where it derives its name, in Kishtwar District of Jammu region in India. It may be noted that Goddess Durga is also known by the name Kaali or Chandi.

Legend :

The temple history is entwined with the conquests of Zorawar Singh Kahluria, who in 1834 sought blessings of Machelmata, before crossing the mountains and Suru River (Indus), with 5000 men for vanquishing an army of local Botis of Ladakh. He became a faithful devotee after the successful mission.

Description :

Machelmata Sthan as the shrine is popularly known, has a landscape of unblemished beauty with hills, glaciers and tributaries of the Chenab River (Chadrabhaga). Paddar valley, nearby is famous for its world-famous sapphire mines, and is a cool place for hiking, cannoning and holy hot springs. The area is home to bhot community and the Thakur community who are serpent worshipers, and was merged with Kishtwar tehsil, by Maharaja Ranbir Singh. Thousands of people visit the shrine every year mainly from Jammu region.

The Pilgrimage / Machel Yatra :

The pilgrimage happens in the month of August only every year. The shrine was visited in 1981 by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, Jammu region. From 1987 onwards, Thakur Kulveer SIngh started 'Chandi Yatra' that happens every year and thousands of people visit the shrine every year during 'Chandi Yatra', which starts from Chinote in Bhaderwah to Machail in Paddar. There are lot of supernatural happenings that the pilgrims experience and report.

To reach the shrine, lot of travel agents arrange buses from Jammu, Udhampur, Ramnagar, Bhaderwah. One can also hire a cab as well. It takes approximately 10 hours by road from Jammu to Gulabgarh, as the distance is 290 km.

The Gulabgarh is the base camp.
From Gulabgarh, the foot journey starts, that is 32 km.
People take 2 days to reach the shrine by foot.
On the way there are many villages, where one can stay in the night.
The chaddi takes three days to reach Machel.
Many people organizes roadside 'langers' (free food points) on the way to the Gulabgarh.
Devotees are welcomed at various villages with them offering free Langars at Gulabgarh, Massu, Kundhail, Chishoti, Hamori and Machail.
Government of Jammu & Kashmir also arranges basic amenities for the pilgrims. The shrine is inaccessible during the winter months of December, January and February.
Other mean of reaching the shrine is by helicopter from Jammu and Gulabgarh.

The helipad is only 100 meters from the shrine. But if someone goes by helicopter, he will be missing many scenic beauties of the nature. Helicopter takes at least 7-8min to reach the Mata's darwar.

Websites :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machel_Mata

Arittapatti Caves - rockcut Shiva Temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 1 Jul 2018 07:16:00 +0530

Name : Arittapatti Rockcut Shiva Temple

Location :

Arittapatti is a small village located in Melur taluk of Madurai district. It is 25Kms from Madurai Town.

Description :

The hillock which looks like a pack of rocks is steeped in 2300 years old history. On one side of the hill are natural Jain caves called Pandava Padukkai and on the other side, a rock -cut Siva temple. Pandava Padukkai has got nothing to do with the Pandavas of Mahabharatham. Yet people assume the stone beds might have been used by Pandavas during their exile. These are actually the beds used by Jain saints.

The Siva temple is a fine example of the early Pandya rock-cut temple architecture. This simple but beautiful edifice, which belongs to the 7^th-8^th century CE, has a garbhagriha and a front mandapa. Now the local people call this temple as Idaichchi mandapam. The Siva linga of this temple has been chiseled in the centre of the same rock. The bas-relief sculptures of the Vinayaka and Siva as Lagulisa adorn the two niches of the exterior wall of the front Mandapa. This is one among the rare Lagulisa sculptures found in Tamil Nadu.

Websites :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNV3q59COr8

http://www.tnarch.gov.in/cons/temple/temple33.htm

Dantakali Temple, Nepal

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 19:49:00 +0530

Name : Dantakali Temple

Location : Vijapur Hill in Nepal. From Bhanu Chowk walk eastward for 15 minutes and you will enter the lowest point of Vijayapur Hill and you will see the first temple here, Pindeshwor Temple. From there walk uphill for about 10 minutes on the main road to reach Datankali Temple.

Legend :
This holy temple is famous to Hindus as Teeth fallen place of Satidevi (wife of Lord Shiva).According to Hindu myth Lord Shiva carries the body of death wife (Satidevi) on his back and walked to different places.As he walked on the Teeth fell in the place where the temple is situated now.

Description :

Surrounded by the beautiful hills in Bijaypur the temple of Dantakali or the the tooth goddess is situated. It is one of the major Shakti Peeths in Nepal and holds a great religious significance. The area of the temple is also very attractive with green hills and a panoramic view of Terai and Dharan bazaar.

The temple, in its present form, was built by locals after 1978 AD and consists of a cement and brick structure with three roofs and a metal pinnacle on the top. Housed within the temple is the actual object of worship -- a silver-plated rock in the shape of teeth, which are said to Sati Devi's.

The hill of Vijaypur once formed the Eastern frontier of the medieval kingdom of Vijaypur, and, besides Dantakali, it consists of numerous other temples, namely Bhatabhange, Panchakanya, Budhasubba, Gadi Ganesh, and Pindeswor. Devotees of Kali visit Dantakali during the festival of Navaratra and also on Saturdays.

Festivals :

The temple observes the presence of maximum number of devotees in Navaratri (nine nights) during the festival of Dashain. Also, on the occasion of Maha Asthami, mass sacrifices of he-goats take place on the temple premises.

Websites :

http://travelgolpo.com/asia/nepal/dharan/dantakali-temple/

Sivagiri Balasubramania Swamy Temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Wed, 7 Feb 2018 06:32:00 +0530

Name : Balasubramania Swamy Temple

Location :

Siva giri is 108 km from Madurai on the Kuttralam route. The temple is 1 km from the bus stop. Auto facility is available.

Moolavar : Balasubramaniar
Urchavar : Muthukumarar
Theertham : Saravana Poigai

Legends :

Lord Muruga, after destroying demon Soorapanma, was returning to Tiruparankundram to wed Mother Deivanai. Sage Agasthya was performing penance in the place seeking the darshan of Muruga. Lord, on His way granted darshan to the sage and stayed in this place as wished by the sage. The temple was built later. As the Lord appears here as a little child – Bala – He is praised as Balasubramania.

The Pada Mandapam of the temple is at the place where Lord granted Darshan to Sage Agasthya. The Shivalinga is nearby.

Description :

There are shrines for Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord Mahavishnu, Mother Chandikeswari, Bhairava, Navagrahas the nine planets, Sani Bhagwan, Mother Ashtabuja Durga and Idumban. There is also a separate shrine for Lingodhbava in the ghoshta wall with Brahmma and Chandikeswara nearby opposite to each other. There is a shrine for Mother Kali in the middle of the hill. The first puja is offered to Her at morning and evening Sayaraksha. Special pujas are dedicated to Her on full moon days. Lord Muruga in the temple is praised as Navagraha Muruga. Vinayaka is known as Anugnai Vinayaka.

Those facing adverse planetary aspects, to children in particulars and those suffering from paralysis pray here for relief.

Speciality of the Temple :

1. Lord Muruga grants darshan with his turf mated up as a crown.

2. A metal piece – thagadu – is placed at His feet with zodiac symbols as He assures relief to the devotees from planetary problems. This is a rare form of Lord Muruga, The NavaGraha Muruga. Those facing problems, pray to the Lord on the day attributed to the particular planet. Pujas are performed in the temple as per Tiruchendur procedures.

3. Skanda Sashti in Murugan temples are celebrated for 6 days or 7 days with the wedding festivals. Here the festival is celebrated for 11 days. Soorasamharam-killing demon Soora-is celebrated on the 6th day, Muruga on the horse vahan, The wedding festivals takes place the next day. The coronation festival to the Lord is celebrated on the 11th day placing the Lord on the throne with gold crown and the Sengole the stick representing the royal authority. He comes then in procession in His royal robe known as Pattina Pravesam – entering the city. This is a famous festival of the temple.

4. Among the Saivite saints, Tirugnanasambandar was graced with the wisdom milk fed by Mother Parvathi. He is considered as the incarnation of Lord Muruga. This festival is celebrated in the temple on the 6th day of Panguni Brahmmotsavam when the Lord is fed with milk remembering this event. During this festival, Lord Muruga appears with red in the morning puja (Sivappu Sathi) with Lord Shiva attribute, in white in the midday with Brahmma attribute (Vellai Sathi), in green dress as Vishnu (Pachai Sathi) on the third puja in the next morning. He goes for the river bath (theerthavari) on Panguni Uthiram day.

5. Somaskanda: The shrine is situated in an environment of scenic beauty surrounded by hills and water resources. The temple is on Sakthi Malai, Sakthi-Mother. Shiva hill is on the left. The temple is in Somaskanda – Lord Muruga with Shiva and Shakti on both sides. On the right of Muruga shrine is Lord Sundareswarar and Mother Meenakshi on the left. Procession deity here is Shanmugar used in Panguni Brahmmotsavam. The procession darshan is available to the devotees only for three days during the festivals. Darshan during other days can be had only within the temple.

Festivals :

Panguni Brahammotsavam in March-April, Aipasi Skanda Sashti in October-November, Vaikasi Visakam in May-June and Masi Magam in February-March are the festivals observed in the temple.

Websites :

http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=190

Bheemana Kindi

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 5 Nov 2017 18:55:00 +0530

Name : Bheemana Kindi

Location :

Driving down from Bengaluru on Kanakapura road will take approximately 2 to 3 hours depending on the time of travel. Reach Kanakapura (50 Kms) then go straight on the main road it will take to place called Sathanur (a further 21 Kms). From Sathanur, a diversion to the right goes to Kabbala village(another 6 Kms). Near Kabbala durga base take right diversion and move another 3 Kms. to Kanchana Halli which will take you to base of Bhimana Kindi.

Description :

Bhimana Kindi near Kanchana Halli in Halgur (Malavalli) – Channapattana Road. This Hill has a Natural Rock Arch and is a good trekking place for beginners. Some believe that this arch was formed due to hitting of a huge rock by the Mace of the Bhima (Pandava, Mahabharatha). Geologists say that it is a natural phenomenon.

One has to go through the coconut farm and through the muddy road to reach the bottom of the hill. There is a Small temple at base of Bhimana Kindi which can be considered as Landmark point to start the trek. From this temple, one can find stair case type of steps which will take us to the top. one has to climb about more than 500 stone steps in order to reach the top of hill. The 35 light poles is a source of guidance to the top of the hill. It takes approximately 3hours to reach the top.

Animals like Bear, Elephant are found here, hence its advisable to travel in groups and avoid late nigh trekking or camping here.

Websites :

http://www.bgbaligatraveldiary.com/moon-light-night-trek-to-bhimana-kindi-with-bat/

Durga Temple on Rayiranellur Hill

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 13:32:00 +0530

Name : Rayiranellur Durga Remple

Location :
Hills of Rayiranellur a Village in Pattambi Taluk in Palakkad District of Kerala State

Legend :

Rayiranellur is a historically and culturally important place in Kerala. Centuries ago a mystic named Naranathu Bhranthan lived here. He was one of the 12 children born to sage Vararuchi and his Pariah wife.

Naranathu was born at the Chethallur village on the banks of Thutha River. Later he went to Thiruvegappura to learn Vedas and the scriptures. One of his favorite pastimes during this period was rolling a huge boulder up the Rayiranellur Hill. He would take the whole day to climb up the hill with the boulder. Once he reached the hilltop with the boulder, we would just drop the boulder. Clapping his hands Naranathu would burst into laughter as the piece of rock took its downward journey. He would repeat this act every single day and people thought he was a lunatic. Naranathu, however, was a mystic who knew the worthlessness of worldly possessions and material gains. By rolling the rock up the hill and pushing it downwards, he was just showing that rise will eventually lead to fall and fall will lead to rise. Legend has it that Goddess Durga appeared before Naranathu on a Thulam 1 as he was rolling the boulder up. They had a debate about the cause and purpose of existence. The Goddess was pleased with the knowledge of Naranathu and blessed him.

Later a Durga temple was built on the hilltop. On Thulam 1 (mid-October/usually October 17 or 18), thousands trek to the top of the hill and visit the temple. Special poojas and offerings are performed at the temple in the three days prior to Thulam 1.

A huge statue of Naranathu has been installed on the hill. After praying at the temple, devotees circumambulate the statue before leaving. Pilgrims arrive even from Tamil Nadu. Police and district administration are well aware of this and they make elaborate arrangements to ensure the safety of pilgrims during the 500 meter trek.

Websites :
http://discoveringindia.net/annual-pilgrimage-to-rayiranellur-hill-on-thulam-1/

Bettadapura Sidilu Mallikarjunaswamy & Veerabhadra temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 12:44:00 +0530

Name : Sidilu Mallikarjunaswamy temple

Location :

The Sidilu Mallikarjunaswamy temple on the top of Bettadapura hill is one of the hidden marvels of Karnataka.
How to reach: Bus: There is a direct bus which goes to Bettadapura from Bangalore. Alternately, board a bus to Mysore, from there, there are buses bound towards Hassan via Bettadapura.
Car/Bike: Head on SH17 towards Mysore, after Srirangapatna, turn towards Elvaala to join Mysore-Madikeri road. Continue on the road till Periyapatna. At Periyapatna, turn right towards Bettadapura on State highway 21.

Description :

Bettadapura or "Land of Hills" is known for the famous Sidilu Mallikarjuna Swamy temple which was built by the Cholas more than 1000 years ago and has not been damaged much as the visitors have to climb a hillock to reach there through a flight of 4000 steps. Bettadapura is home to the Sankethi community which migrated from Shankottai in Tamil Nadu around 600 years ago. From Bettadapura they migrated to several other villages along the banks of Cauvery.

One significance of the temple is the fact that the temple is believed to be hit by lightning at least once a year around Deepavali time. Hence derives the name "Sidilu" meaning lightning in Kannada. Also a jaatre or procession is held once a year during Deepavali in which many people from the surrounding villages take part by carrying the idols of Lord Ganesha, Shiva and Parvati to the top of the hill and bring it back by evening.

It becomes difficult to climb as the day sets in. There are mantaps at regular intervals for a quick power break. At around half way mark one can see the ruins of the ancient Veerabhadra temple which has a Shiva Linga guarded by the Nandi bull. The temple is too dark from inside and is not at all maintained. This place is completely in a neglected state and is used by the climbers to relax for a while.

It takes about two hours to reach the temple. The temple premises looks wonderful and the view of the village from the top is breathtaking and its worth the effort spent in climbing around 4000 steps. The temple is built on a plateau and is a simple stone structure with a Gopuram. The inner sanctum of the temple has a Shiva Linga or Mallikarjuna which is believed to be struck by lightning every year. There are huge copper vessels of antiquity here to indicate large scale feeding of pilgrims and the enshrined deity is also called Annadani (donor of cooked rice) Mallikarjuna.

Websites :

http://www.thelightbaggage.com/2013/06/bettadapura-village-with-rich-history.html

Parshuram Temple, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 07:10:00 +0530

Name : Parshuram Temple, Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan

Location :

Parshuram Mahadev Temple is a Shiva temple in Desuri tehsil in Pali district of Rajasthan state in India. The Cave or Parshuram Temple is located just 9 kilometres away from the famous Kumbhalgarh Fort. The place is 14 km from Sadri town.

Legend :

It is said that Parshuram, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, made the cave with his axe and used to worship the lord Shiva at this serene place in the foothills of the Aravalis mountain range.

Description :

This is a prominent cave temple dedicated to Lord Parshuram in Rajasthan. It is nestled within a cave and devotees have to climb a flight of 500 stairs to reach this temple. The temple has a lot of religious significance amongst its ardent devotees. Parshuram (the 6th Avatar of Lord Vishnu), was known for his temper.

The cave, 3,995 feet above sea-level, has naturally made figures of Lord Ganesh and Lord Shiva and also has nine Kunds which never go dry.

The highlight of this temple is its scenic and picturesque location. Devotees feel an instant connection with the Almighty when they reach this temple after an arduous climb.

Festivals :

Fairs are organised here twice a year. On the Shravan Shukla Sastami and Saptami (6th and 7th) usually falling in August/September a large fair held. Some social organisations, notably Amar Ganga Charitable Trust, have been arranging food and lodging facilities for the past many years. The trust also organises 'Sangeet Sandhya' (musical nights) during fairs where local artists sing devotional songs. According to an estimate, around 900,000 people visit the holy place every year.

Websites :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parshuram_Mahadev_Temple

Thalamalai Sanjeevi Perumal Temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 21:17:00 +0530

Name : Thalamalai Sanjeevi Perumal Temple aka.,Nallendra Perumal Temple

Location :

At a distance of 5 km from Sevinthipatti, 39 km from Gunaseelam, 34 km from Namakkal, 95 km from Erode, 65 km from Trichy & 354 km from Chennai, the ancient and famous Thalamalai Perumal Temple is situated on a unique rock on the peak of Thalaimalai Hill. It is a renowned Vaishnava temple.

Legend :

1. In Ramayana, great of the two great epics of Hindu mythology, Lord Rama on his way back to Ayodhya with Sita after rescuing her from Ravana in Lankan lands, he had to stay at this Sthala, a spring by name Ramar Sunai was made and there is water flow always. When a person goes close this spring, he can breathe the pleasurable smell of turmeric.

2. In Ramayana, the Yuddha Kanda, Indrajit, son of Ravana and the primary of army of demons showered deadly weapons (the Brahmastra.) to kill his enemies - Rama, Lakhmana and vanaras and they were unconscious. Jambavan sent Hanuman to fetch the Sanjivi, a powerful life-restoring herb to revive the unconscious. Unable to find the specific herb before nightfall, Hanuman brought the entire mountain Dronagiri which was full of medicinal plants, to the fight field, thus helping find the herb and even with the approach of the Sanjivi hill, (fragrance of the herbs) Rama and Lakshmana and the Vanaras felt the darts slip off their bodies. Their wounds healed. Jambavan told Hanuman to replace the Sanjivi Hill but Hanuman was tired to go back to the spot and he tied the hill in his tail and threw it with full vigour. The top portion of the hill fell and that place came to be known as Thalaimalai.

Description :

The temple is open only in the Tamil month of “Puratasi” (Mid of September to Mid of October). During this period, people from surrounding areas would come to this temple and worship. The temple is atop nearly 2300 Feet above sea level.

This hill gets its name because it resembles the head of a person. This hill is also known as Siragiri.

The presiding deity of the temple is Nallendra Perumal, a form of Lord Vishnu. One can find shrines of Venkatachalapathy, Alamelu Mangai Thayaar, Goddess Mahalaxmi, Sri Devi, Bhudevi, Lord Anjaneya, Garudazhvar, and Karupanna Swami. If one takes a holy dip in the Kannimar Sunai and pray to Lord Nallendra Perumal, they would be void of the bad effects of Lord Shaneeswar. This temple was built by Madurai Nayaks.

There is a spring called Ramar Sunai with water flowing all the time.

Visitors need to trek for about 4 kms through rocky path running through steep stretches at times. It usually takes about 2 hours to trek upwards. The trekking starts from Thalamalai foothill, which is about 10 kms from Appananallur. From Trichy, the route goes through Guanseelam, Musiri, Manamedu and Appananallur.

Devotees walk around on a narrow path around the temple for pradakshinas. People strongly believe that going round this rock temple would give them successful marriage, wealth and child birth. Doing this ritual is now banned after an accident.

One can find Sanjivi herb spread in this hill and the pilgrims who workshopped this temple would be guarded against the sting of poisonous insects and snakes. There is no threatening to their lives.

Festivals :

Annual festival is celebrated in Tamil month of Puratasi (September / October), once in three years poojas for Edi Bhagavan (Thunder) are performed here.

Timings: 6 AM to 9 PM on Monday to Saturday and 6 AM to 2 PM on Sunday

Websites :
http://www.gconnect.in/guestarticles/thalaimalai-hills-unseen-serene-beauty-of-nature.html

http://amudhasurabi.com/tour/Trichy/ThalamalaiTemple

https://www.trawell.in/tamilnadu/tiruchirappalli/thalamalai-perumal-temple

Dharmalingeshwarar temple, Madukkarai

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 20:38:00 +0530

Name : Dharmalingeshwarar temple

Location :

Darmalingeswarar temple is situated on the Palghat Main road 10 km from Coimbatore near Marappalam on the western side.

Legend :

During their exile, Pandavas visited this place and worshipped the Swayambulinga on the hill. During Darma’s worship at the hill, Bheema was at the foot hill as a security to his brother, according to the sthalapurana. There is a statue of Bheema here worshipped as the custodian deity of the villagers.

Description :

Lord Shiva in the temple is a swayambumurthi. The height of the hill is about 300 metres. Steps are provided to reach the temple. Lord Vinayaka and the Navagraha shrines are at the foot of the hill.

There is a mango tree near the Navagraha-9 planets shrine that yields fruits with three different tastes. Sacred tree of the temple is Vilwa. There is mandap and an anthill behind the Vinayaka shrine. It is said that an aged serpent is still living in the anthill. There is also a well nearby that is perennial even during severe drought times. Water is taken to the hill through pipes from this well. The devotee can reach the hill temple in 30 minutes through the steps.

With Nandhi just opposite the presiding deity, Lords Vinayaka and Muruga are on both sides of the sanctum. The tribal people worship Lord Darmalingeswara s their family deity.

The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Phone : + 91 98422 22529

Temple's Speciality :

Those seeking justice and success in court cases worship here, as Dharma the eldest of Pandavas worshipped Lord here.

Festivals :

During the Karthikai month (November-December) the villagers light lamps on the hills from each family in turn for three days. Thousands undertake Girivalam on full moon days as in Tiruvannamalai.

Bajans are sung in the temple during the whole night of Maha Shivrathri in March-April. Pradosha, Kruthika, new moon days are observed with special pujas and aradhanas. Annabishekam is performed on Aipasi Poornima day and on Thaipoosam in October-November and January-February respectively.

Websites :
http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=607

Keesaragutta Shiva Temple, Rangareddy Telangana

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 6 Aug 2017 16:33:00 +0530

Name : Keesaragutta Temple

Location :

Keesaragutta Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Siva and his consorts Bhavani and Sivadurga at Keesaragutta in Rangareddy district. It is about 40 km from Hyderabad and 10 km from ECIL. It is located on a small hillock.

Legend :

The temple draws thousands of devotees on Shivaratri Legend has it that Sri Rama installed the Siva lingam here to atone for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahman. He selected this beautiful valley surrounded by hills and verdant greenery for the purpose and ordered Hanuman to bring a Sivlingam from Varanasi. Hanuman was late in arriving with the Siva lingam and as the auspicious hour was nearing, Lord Siva himself appeared before Sri Rama and presented a Sivilingam for installation. Hence the lingam in the temple is called Swayambhu Linga. It is also called Ramalingeswara as lord Sri Rama had installed the lingam.

Hanuman returned with 101 lingams for selection from Varanasi and felt aggrieved at not having his lingam installed. Hence he threw them all over the area. Even to this day several lingams are found scattered all over the place outside the temple. To mollify Hanuman, Sri Rama ordained that precedence would be given to him for worship at the temple. He also said that the hillock where the lingam was installed would bear his name kesarigiri i.e., Hanuman, the son of Kesari. Over a period of time, it has colloquially transformed and is now known as Keesara and the hill as Keesaragutta. Ever since, the rituals follow the command of Sri Rama.

Archaeological Excavations :Exploration and Excavations were conducted by the archaeological department in the surroundings of Keesaragutta Temple. Many Remnants of Brick structures and Shiva Lingas were found on the Hill north of the temple and a hillock near the water resource. The remnants belonged to Chalukyan Empire reign. Fortification walls, Yaga shala and Prayer hall's were excavated here. Some Vestige remnants and rock cut cisterns were found on the hills as an indication of Jainism and Buddhism Flourished contemporarily. On October 18, 2014, twelve idols of Jain Tirthankara dating back to the 4th-5th century were found near the temple steps at a depth of one foot which proves that Jainism co-existed along with Hinduism at Keesaragutta during the time of Vishnukundins in 4-5th century. But since 60 to 70 years thatakam family is working hard to develop the temple, and they are the founder trustees of the temple now.

Temple Timings :

6 AM TO 7 PM

How to Reach :

The temple is a near 1.5 Hr to 2 Hr drive from the city. When we were traveling, it was raining and the drive was very pleasant. How to reach Keesar
The village is in Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh and is located about 18 km from ECIL X roads on the out skirts of Hyderabad (and about 45 km from Begumpet airport).
Keesara is a Town in Keesara Mandal in Rangareddy District in Andhra Pradesh State in India. Keesara is Main Town for the Keesara Mandal. Keesara is 75.9 km distance from its District Main City Rangareddy. And 35 km distance from its State Main City Hyderabad. Keesara is about 35 kms from Hyderabad. It has proper roads and driving direction is pretty easier. Andhra Pradesh state run APSRTS offers bus services from Jubilee Bus Station, Secunderabad and Imliban bus station and Koti.

Sevas/Utasavams :

Shiva kalyanam
Maha Shivaratri
Karthika Masam

Websites :
http://manatemples.net/Pages/TE_Hyd_Keesaraguttta.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keesaragutta_Temple

Bhramarambhika Mallikharjuna Swamy Temple

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 6 Aug 2017 16:18:00 +0530

Name : Bhramarambhika Mallikharjuna Swamy Temple

Location :

It is located on a small hill nearby called Beeramguda Gutta in town located in Sangareddy district in Telangana.

Description :

The people are of the belief that the temple was established due to the effort of two sages named Bhoga Maharshi and Brugu Maharshi. Devotees find a Shiva Linga when they travel through an inner route of the temple. Known as second Sree Sailam, people believe that the temple here existed since the 13th century. The people believe that the inner route leads to Sree Sailam. There was a four feet statue of Lord Veera Bhadra earlier as a result of which the temple was called as Veerappa or Beerappa. Nowadays, the place came to be known as Beeramguda. The temple attained great significance during the reign of Kakatiyas and developed much in 1980's.

Websites :

http://www.templesofindia.net/temples/bhramarambha-mallikarjuna-swamy-temple-beeramguda

Manyamkonda Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Temple aka. Palamoor Tirupathi

ctr.rajesh@ymail.com (CTR Rajesh) — Sun, 6 Aug 2017 15:53:00 +0530

Name : Manyamkonda Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Temple aka. Palamoor Tirupathi

Location :

Manyamkonda is a place which has so much spiritual and tourist importance in Mahabubnagar District. This place is located exactly at a distance of 6 Km from Devarkadra Railway Station on the Secunderabad Dronachellam section of the South Central Railway. Due to its presence on a hill surrounded by beautiful scenic and ancient importance, this place has got lot of importance as a major tourist attraction of Mahabubnagar District and Telangana state.

Manyamkonda Venkateshwara Temple is around 13 Kms from Mahabubnagar town on the state highway to Raichur.

On the heart of the forest and on the hill top, Lord Venkateshwara Swamy could be found majestically. The shrine is located on a hill which is 915 m high and at a distance of 2 Km from the village.

Legend :

Very rarely we can find Lord Venkateshwara as a “Swayambhumurthi” which means self manifested. Seeing Lord Venkateshwara in the thick forest, with lush greens is truly a blissful experience.

When moving around the temple, devotees here believes and has found against the back wall, Lord Venkateshwara Swamy is’Self Manifested’ resembling the idol of Tirupathi. And it is also believed by the pilgrims that ancient saints have practiced penance in the caves which adds more positive energy to the shrine.

Naming Reason for the destination ‘Manyamkonda’:

During the past, it is said that ancient saints like Narasimha Yogi, Kasirayalu, Ettepu Ramayogi, Veerappaiah, Yanumaddhasu have meditated here and hence this place was called as Munulakonda (Munulu means Saints and Konda means hill) and later as days passed by it has been referred as Mannemkonda or Manyamkonda.

Description :

Manyamkonda or Mannemkonda (or Manikonda) is the hill were the Lord Venkateshwara Swamy Temple is located.This place is very calm ,mesmerizing, beautiful and of course a perfect destination for devotees and tourists. It is believed that this ancient temple is more than is five hundred years old. It is also called as "Palamoor Tirupathi".

Architecture of the Temple:
The temple is located in a cave here which is inclined and settled on top of three hills. Main Deity here is Lord Venkateshwara Swamy and this place is also known as Harihara Kshetra.

Festival time to visit the Temple:
It is ideal to visit the temple during the time of ‘Jathara’ which is celebrated every year during the months of January and February. Usually the festival is held on the day of ‘Maha Purnima’. This place is also well called as ‘Palamoor Tirupathi’.

Manyamkonda Temple Timings: 5am to 8pm daily

How to Reach the Temple:
By Road :
– Pilgrims could find the temple around 13 Kms from Mahabubnagar on the state highway to Raichur.
– Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses ply frequently yo Manyamkonda Temple. One can also find many private vehicles from Mahabubnagar town to the temple.

By Train:
– After crossing to Mahabubnagar Railway Station, one can find ‘Devakadra’ Railway Station. The temple is just 6 Kms from this station.

By Air:
– Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad is the nearest airport for Mahabubnagar district.

Food Facilities:
– Very little options are available when it comes to food. It’s better to have food at Mahabubnagar town or pack your food from Mahabubnagar town.

Where to Stay:
– A guesthouse is present on the top of the hill. I can reach the temple and book the rooms.
– Other options is to stay at Mahabubnagar Town.

Nearby Places:
– Wanaparthy Town
– Koilsagar Dam Project
– Sangameshwara Temple
– Kollapur – Land of Temples
– Jurala Dam

Websites :
http://www.exploretelangana.com/manyamkonda-venkateshwara-temple-mahabubnagar/