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Ashtavinayak Temples List – Sequence, Route Map and Significance

June 30, 2022, Sasidhar Darla 7 Comments Filed Under: Blog

Ashtavinayak Temples are a group of eight holy temples situated in the state of Maharashtra. Each of these temples is associated with the legends of Lord Ganesha and is considered as a part of pilgrimage dedicated to Ganapathi.

Book Ashtavinayak Yatra

The Ashtavinayak Temples should be visited in a pre-determined sequence. It should begin with Sri Moreshwar Temple followed by the Siddhivinayak Temple, Ballaleshwar Temple, Varadvinayak Temple, Chintamani Temple, Girijatmaj Temple, and the Vignahar Temple. The last temple in the list is the Mahaganapathi Temple at Ranjangaon, Pune. It is believed that the pilgrimage is complete only when the devotee visits the first time again after visiting all the other seven temples.

1.Morgaon Ganpati Temple

The primary temple that one must visit during the Ashtavinayak pilgrimage is the Mayureshwar Ashtavinayak Temple situated at Morgaon near Pune. This is the starting point as well as the ending of the journey. The temple is a black stone structure built during the reign of the Bahmani Sultanate (14th – 16th century).

The Temple has four gates built with a slight Islamic architectural influence. The four corners have minarets giving it an appearance of a mosque. Eight idols of Lord Ganesha grace the eight directions or corners of the Temple. They are of the form of Ekadanta, Mahodar, Gajanana, Lambodar, Vikata, Vignaraja, Dhumravarna and Vakratunda.

Legend of Morgaon Ganpati Temple

The King of Mithila, Chakrapani and his wife Ugra were childless for a long time. They prayed to Lord Surya for a child. He was appeased and blessed him with a child named Sindhu. He was blessed with the full bowl of Amrit as a boon and was reminded that he will remain immortal as long as the bowl remains unbroken.

Sindhu swallowed the bowl to protect it. He turned into a corrupt demon that terrorized and kept even the Gods as captives. The Gods approached Lord Ganesha for help. He descended to Earth on a peacock and slew the demon, took out the bowl from his stomach and broke it. Morgaon is believed to be the place where the head of the demon Sindhu fell on Earth.

Significance of Morgaon Ganpati Temple

The Ganesha Purana mentions the legends and the significance of Morgaon in as much as 22 chapters. It is believed that Morgaon is one of the three highly sacred sites for Lord Ganesha, the other two being Mount Kailash in the Swargaloka and Adishesha’s abode in the Pataala Loka. It is also believed that at the time of Pralaya or the End of the World, Lord Ganesha will appear and take abode here.
It is believed that the original idol of Lord Ganesha was consecrated here by Lord Brahma himself. The idol was small and made of sand, iron, and diamonds. Eventually, the Pandavas enclosed this idol in a copper sheet and placed it behind the currently worshiped idol for safekeeping.
The idol of Lord Ganesha is unique. He is represented in a sitting posture with three eyes and the trunk facing the left side. The eyes and the navel are decorated with diamonds. The King of Snakes (Nagaraj) can be seen on top along with Buddhi and Siddhi on either side.

Morgaon Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple is open to devotees from 5 AM till 10 PM. The Prakshal Pooja, Shodashopachar Pooja, Panchopachar Pooja, and the Shej Aarti are some of the rituals that are performed every day.

2. Siddhatek Ganpati Temple

The second temple in the Ashtavinayak series of Temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha is the Siddhivinayak Temple situated at Siddhatek in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. The Temple is located on a hillock beside River Bhima.

Legend of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple

According to the legend, the demons Madhu and Kaitabha originated from the ears of Lord Vishnu during his Yoga Nidra (a state of consciousness between waking up and sleeping). The two demons obtained a boon from Goddess Shakti as per which they cannot be killed by any Deva or Asura unless they want to die willingly.

At that time, Lord Brahma was contemplating the creation of the universe and for which he required the Vedas. The demons stole the Vedas from Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma requested Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu woke up from his deep sleep and took the form of a Hayagriva (a horse-faced creature).

The battle between the Hayagriva and the two demons lasted five thousand years. Lord Vishnu realized that these demons were invincible until they were relieved of the boon granted by Goddess Shakti. He was also advised by Lord Shiva to see the blessings of Lord Ganesha before slaying the demons.

It is believed that Siddhatek was the place where Lord Vishnu asked for Lord Ganesha’s blessings which the later granted happily.

Significance of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple

It is believed that Lord Vishnu himself constructed the original unique four-door temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. However, due to natural reasons, the temple perished. Under the Peshwa rule, the temple was reconstructed and consecrated with the original idol.
The idol of the deity is Swayambhu in nature, 3 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide. The trunk is turned towards right representing the fierce form of Lord Ganesha. The idols of Riddhi and Siddhi are placed on one lap. The idols of Jaya and Vijaya, who are the gatekeepers of Lord Vishnu’s abode Vaikuntam flank the Lord on both sides.
This is the only temple among the eight Ashtavinayak Temples where the trunk of Lord Ganesha’s idol is turned towards the right. It is a belief that this Lord is difficult to please but grants Siddhi (Success) to the devotee.

Siddhatek Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple opens at 4:15 AM and closes at 9 PM daily.

3. Ballaleshwar Pali Ganpati Temple

The Ballaleshwar Temple situated at Pali Village in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. The Temple is the third in the sequence of which the Ashtavinayak Temples must be visited. The Temple was renovated and extended by Baburao Phadnavis and his son Morobo Dada Phadnavis in 1770.

The architecture of the Temple is exemplary. The Peshwas built the shrine in the shape of “Shri”. Two lakes are situated on the two sides of the Temple.

Legend of Ballaleshwar Pali Ganpati Temple

According to the legend, in the Treta Yuga, a boy named Ballal was born to a businessman named Kalyan and his wife Indumati. The boy was an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha and usually worshiped stones as the Lord along with his friends. One day, when he was roaming in the forests, he saw a huge stone. He decorated the stone and worshiped the stone after idolizing it as Lord Ganesha.

Ballal and his friends were so engrossed in the devotion that they forgot to return to their homes. The parents complained to Kalyan about Ballal. Kalyan in his anger caught hold of Ballal and tied him to a tree. He was also beaten up badly. However, Ballal continued his worship. Lord Ganesha was impressed and gave him darshan as a Brahmin. Since then, the Lord came to be known as Ballal Vinayak or the Eeshwar (Lord) of Ballal.

Significance of Ballaleshwar Pali Ganpati Temple

The idol of the main deity, Lord Ballaleshwar is believed to be Swayambhu in nature. The idol sits on a stone platform. The trunk is turned towards left. The eyes and the navel of the deity are studded with diamonds.
The idol is dressed up as a Brahmin. This is the only idol of Lord Ganesha to be dressed up in such a way in the world.
The Dhundi Vinayak Temple situated just behind the Temple is extremely unique as it is believed that this is the stone that was broken partially by Kalyan in his anger.
The Temple is built in such a way that on the day of Winter Solstice (December 21), the rising sun’s rays fall directly on the idol illuminating it.

Ballaleshwar Pali Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple is opened daily from 5:30 AM to 10 PM.

4. Mahad Ganpati Temple

The temple of Varadvinayak is one of the sacred Ashtavinayak Temples situated in the village of Mahad belonging to the Raigarh district of Maharashtra. Lord Ganesha is worshiped here as Varadvinayaka, meaning the giver of success and wealth.

The Temple is small, 8 feet by 8 feet long with a gold plated dome. The temple is surrounded by intricately carved statues of Elephants on four sides. A Gomukh ar a Cow’s mouth can be seen emanating water on the Northern side of the Temple.

The original temple is believed to have been constructed by Gritsamada in the Treta Yuga. However, the Ganesha idol was found submerged in a lake near the Temple by Dhondu Paudkar in 1690 AD. In 1725, Subedar of Kalyan, Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar built the Temple again.

Legend of Mahad Ganpati Temple

According to the legend, Prince Rukmangada of Kaudinya was a handsome and virtuous Prince, loved by all. Once during hunting, he stopped to rest at Sage Vachaknavi’s home. The Sage’s wife Mukunda fell in love with him and made physical advances to him, which he deftly refused. Mukunda became sad and Lord Indra, taking pity on her came to her home disguised as Rukmangada and fulfilled her wishes.

A son named Gritsamada was born to them. When the son grew up, he came to know about the truth of him being an illegitimate son of his parents. He grew sad and wandered into the forests praying all the time to Lord Ganesha to grant him inner solace and peace. Lord Ganesha appeared to him and granted him his wish. Gritsamada requested the Lord to make the forest as his abode and bless the people who visit him. Lord Ganesha agreed and took form as Varadvinayak.

Significance of Mahad Ganpati Temple

The idol of Sri Varadvinayak is believed to be Swayambhu in nature. The deity appears in a seated position with the trunk turned left. The Temple worships two idols, the old and the original one covered with Sindur and the new one made of Marble.
The Varadvinayak Temple is the only Ganesh Temple where the devotees are allowed to enter the Sanctum and pay respects to the Lord himself at proximity.
According to the local belief, devotees who eat the Coconut Prasad during the Maghi Chaturthi are blessed with a son.
The Nandadeep that burns at the Temple has been continuously burning since 1892.

Mahad Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple opens at 6 AM and closes at 9 PM every day.

5. Chintamani Ganpati Temple

The Chintamani Temple is situated in the village of Theur, also known as Kadambapur in Maharashtra. Theur is situated at the confluence of three small rivers named Bhima, Mula, and Mutha. The exact date of construction of the Temple is unknown but it is suspected that Sri Daharnidhar Maharaj Devji, a descendant of Saint Morya Gosavji built the Temple. Madhavrao Peshwa erected a Sabhamandap during his reign.

Legend of Chintamani Ganpati Temple

As per the legend, King Abhijeet and his wife Gunavati had a son named Ganasura. He was a strong but greedy prince. Once, Ganasura visited the Ashram of Sage Kapila. The Sage showed great hospitality with the help of the Chintamani stone that he possessed. Ganasura came to know about the stone and wanted to acquire it. However, Sage Kapila refused his offer.

Enraged, Ganasura forcibly took away the stone. Sage Kapila took advice from Goddess Durga and requested Lord Ganesha’s help. The Lord fought a battle with Ganasura under a Kadamba tree and defeated him. He took back the Chintamani to the Sage, who gifted the stone back to Lord Ganesha as an honor. The precious stone was hung around the neck of Ganesha and hence, he came to be known as Lord Chintamani.

Significance of Chintamani Ganpati Temple

The idol of the presiding deity, Lord Chintamani is Swayambhu in nature. The idol faces east and has a Mani or precious stone in the neck region of the Lord. The eyes of the deity are studded with diamonds.
It is believed that by obtaining a darshan of Lord Chintamani, one can get peace of mind and spiritual satisfaction in his or her life.
Historically, the idol is the family deity of Shri Madhavrao Peshwa. The famous ruler is believed to have spent his last days at the Temple.
The village of Theur is also believed to be the place where Saint Morya Gosavji performed penance and was given darshan by Lord Ganesha appearing as two tigers.

Chintamani Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple opens at 6 AM and closes at 10 PM daily.

6. Lenyadri Girijatmaj Ganpati Temple

The Temple of Lord Ganesha, known as Girijatmaj is situated at Lenyadri hills in the Pune district of Maharashtra. The Lord Girijatmaj shrine is dated back to 1st century AD. One has to climb 283 steps to reach the entrance of the cave. During the conversion of the cave from a Buddhist shrine to a Hindu shrine, several paintings depicting Ganesha’s childhood, Marriage and battles were done on the stone walls.

The name of Girijatmaj is unique and can be interpreted in two ways. Girija is the other name of Goddess Parvati whereas Atmaja means Son. So the word Girijatmaj would mean “The Son of Parvati” referring to Lord Ganesha. Alternatively, it can also mean “Mountain born”.

Legend of Lenyadri Girijatmaj Ganpati Temple

The Temple’s legend is controversial and based on the belief that Lord Ganesha is the supreme power. According to it, Goddess Parvati performed penance here to become the mother of Lord Ganesha.

Appeased, Lord Ganesha grants her wish and states that he will be born as her son. Eventually, on the day of Bhadrapada Shuddha Chaturthi, the Goddess created an idol of Lord Ganesha with dirt from her body. Lord Ganesha fused his life into the idol and came to be known as Girijatmaj.

Significance of Lenyadri Girijatmaj Ganpati Temple

The Temple is only one among the Ashtavinayak Temples to be located on a hillock and inside an earlier Buddhist shrine.
The Temple is carved out of a single stone and has no pillars supporting the entire structure. The Temple faces south which is rare. The shrine was built in such a way that no room remains dark throughout the day even though it is a closed cave complex.
The idol of Lord Ganesha is believed to be in an infant form and is carved in a simple manner on a rock. One cannot circumambulate the deity.

Lenyadri Girijatmaj Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple is a part of the site that is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Hence, the devotees are allowed to visit the shrine only from sunrise till sunset.

7. Ozar Ganpati Temple

The Vigneshwara Temple is situated in the village of Ozar in the Pune district of Maharashtra. The form of Ganesh worshiped here is Vigneshwara, meaning “Remover of Obstacles”. The Temple is seventh in the pre-determined sequence in visiting the Ashtavinayak Temples.

The temple faces east and has a spacious courtyard. The entrance of the temple is flanked by sculptures of two Dvarapalakas (Gatekeepers). The central Temple structure has three entrances, the eastern entrance being the main one. It is believed by historians and the locals that the Temple was built by the Peshwa ruler Chimaji Appa after defeating the Portuguese in the late 1700s. The spire or Shikhar of the Temple is covered with Gold.

Legend of Ozar Ganpati Temple

According to the legend associated with the Temple, King Abhinandan conducted a Yagna with the objective of overthrowing the kingdom of heaven. Alarmed Lord Indra sent the demon Kalapurush to destroy the Yagna. Kalapurush successfully destroyed the Yagna. However, he got carried away with his power and assumed the title of Vignasura, meaning the Creator of Obstacles.

He systematically destroyed all Vedic rituals and Poojas that were performed by several sages and created havoc. The Gods approached Lord Ganesha for help, who defeated Vignasura. The demon realized his arrogance and surrendered to Lord Ganesha asking for mercy. Lord Ganesha promised retribution on the condition that he will not interrupt whenever Lord Ganesha is worshiped. Thus, Lord Ganesha came to be known as Vigneshwara.

Significance of Ozar Ganpati Temple

The idol of the deity is believed to be Swayambhu in nature. The Lord faces east with his trunk towards left. The deity is flanked by Riddhi and Siddhi on either side.
The idol of the deity possesses precious stones. The eyes are studded with Rubies, the forehead is embellished with diamonds and navel is studded with semi-precious stones.

Ozar Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple is open to devotees from 5 AM to 11 PM. However, darshan is closed between 11 AM to 4 PM in the afternoon.

8. Ranjangaon Ganpati Temple

The Temple dedicated to Lord Mahaganapathi is situated at Ranjangaon, 50 km from Pune. The Temple is the last in the sequence of the Ashtavinayak Temples to be visited. The representation of Lord Ganesh as Mahaganapathi is believed to be the most powerful and fierce form of the Lord.

The temple is believed to have been constructed during the 9th century AD. The idol that is worshiped currently has been donated by the Khollam family in Ranjangaon. The idol faces east in a cross-legged position with the trunk pointing left. Both Riddhi and Siddhi flank the deity on either side.

Legend of Ranjangaon Ganpati Temple

The legend associated with the Temple has two distinct versions. According to one version, Sage Gritsamad’s son Tripurasur was a well-learned young boy and a devotee of Lord Ganesha. Pleased by his devotion and prayers, Lord Ganesha blessed the boy and presented him with three pura’s made of precious metals, which can be destroyed only by Lord Shiva.
Over a period of time, Tripurasur grew to be vain and created chaos in the world. Even Lord Brahma and Vishnu were disturbed by his atrocities and were forced to go into hiding. Sage Narada advised the frightened gods that they should take the help of Lord Ganesh. The Gods decided to invoke Lord Ganesh, who appeared and accepted to help them.
Lord Ganesh disguised as a Brahmin and met Tripurasur under the pretext of creating three flying planes. In return, he ordered Tripurasur to bring the Chintamani idol from Mount Kailash. The greedy Tripurasur went to Mount Kailash and fought with Lord Shiva for the idol. Lord Shiva realized that he had not offered his prayers to Lord Ganesh first, and hence was unable to destroy the pura’s or defeat him. He recited the Sadaakshar Mantra and invoked Lord Ganesh, who emerged and gave him the instructions for defeating Tripurasur. Lord Shiva followed the directions and defeated the greedy Tripurasur at also created a temple for Lord Ganesh at that spot.
As per another legend, when proceeding to the war against the demon Tripurasur, Lord Shiva fails to seek the blessing of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha breaks the axle of the chariot that Lord Shiva was traveling in. Realizing his mistake, Lord Shiva pays respect to Lord Shiva and then proceeds to a victorious battle against the demon. In honor of his son, he is supposed to have consecrated the idol at the site.

Significance of Ranjangaon Ganpati Temple

The idol of the deity is Swayambhu in nature that is Lord Ganesha is believed to have appeared himself in the form of Mahaganapathi at Ranjangaon.
The architecture of the Temple is such that at sunset, the sun rays fall on the idol of the deity directly illuminating him.
It is a belief that the original idol of the Lord is hidden in the basement of the Temple. The idol is supposed to have 10 trunks and 20 hands. The idol is called Mahotkat. However, the Temple priests deny the existence of the Idol.

Ranjangaon Ganpati Temple Timings

The Temple opens at 5:30 AM and closes at 10 PM.

Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu

August 2, 2019, Sasidhar Darla 1 Comment Filed Under: Blog

Navagraha Temples in Tamilnadu. Most temples across the country and certainly almost every temple in South India have a black square stone pedestal with nine idols arranged on it. One of the enduring memories of childhood, apart from the pilgrimage vacations, is that absolutely pleasurable dizziness that comes with the nine circumambulations of this set of Navagraha idols! Another enduring memory is the navagraha homa conducted before every auspicious occasion at home and the mandatory trip to the Navagraha Temples.

The belief that there is some power beyond man that affects his life is an old one. Our ancient sages identified constellations and aligned their movements to man’s fortunes and marked nine celestial bodies, the sun, the moon, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus, Neptune, Rahu and Ketu, as the nine grahas that impact man’s life, based on their position and arrangement at the time of his birth. Ever since these nine planets have been worshipped by the man in his pursuit of happiness or in times of misery.

The popular understanding of “Navagraha Temples” is the cluster of nine Shaivaite shrines, around Kumbakonam, in Tamil Nadu where each of the nine grahas, Surya (sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangal (Mars), Buddh (Mercury), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu and Ketu have a temple assigned to them. The Navagraha Temples in Tamilnadu owe their origin to Sage Kalava, who was not only a seer but also an excellent astrologer.

On examining his horoscope, Sage Kalava found that the planetary arrangements predicted that he will be afflicted with leprosy. He prayed to each of the nine grahas and his fervent devotion caused them to reverse this eventuality. When Lord Brahma came to know of this he was enraged, since grahas are not meant to offer boons. He cursed them to have the dreaded disease instead and banished them to earth to a place called “vellurrukku vanam” or the ‘forest of the white flower’.

The navagrahas prayed to Shiva and begged him to free them from the curse. Convinced of their repentance, Shiva freed them from the curse and assigned the territory to them with the caveat that they should bless the devotees who pray to them there. Each graha was assigned a village which then became its sthala or abode. Subsequently, temples were built in their honour, with most of them dating to the 7th and 9th century except the Surya Temple which was built in the 11th century.

List of Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu

The Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu pilgrimage consists of a visit to all these nine temples and can be done in one, two or seven days with the visit being aligned to the day special to the graha. Each temple has its own legend and lore and its own method of worship.

1. Suryanar Kovil dedeicated to Sun

The temple dedicated to the sun is at Suryanar Kovil, which is supposed to be Vellurukku Vanam of yore. The interesting feature at the Suryanar Kovil is that this is the only Navagraha Temples in Tamilnadu where the main deity is the graha itself. In the other eight temples, the main deity is Shiva while the graha is placed in an auxiliary shrine.

However, the first prayer, even here, is offered to Vinayaka to whom the navagrahas prayed as part of their penance, then to Shiva and Parvathi and lastly to Surya who stands on a one-wheeled chariot driven by seven horses symbolizing the seven days of the week. Facing him is Guru (Jupiter) who is positioned so that he may absorb some of the intensity of the sun’s rays before they reach the devotee – a fact that ancient India knew from ages before. Today, research in astronomy has discovered that Jupiter protects the earth from many comets and other bodies that may strike the earth and possibly eradicate a significant portion of it. The shrine of Surya is surrounded by shrines of the other eight grahas.

2. Navagraha Temple – Moon

Chandran or the moon is worshipped at Thingaloor. Legend has it that during Amrithmanthan, an Asura assumed the form of a deva and consumed some nectar. This was spotted by Surya and Chandra who informed Vishnu about it. An angry Vishnu cut the asura into two with his Sudarshana Chakram. Since the asura had consumed a significant bit of nectar by then, he did not die. His head merged with the body of a snake while his body joined the head of another snake and thus were born Rahu and Ketu. Obviously, they went behind Surya and Chandra. Rahu caught up with Chandra and started swallowing him. It is believed that Chandra prayed to Shiva at Thingalur and secured his complete form, fifteen days after Rahu had swallowed him. This explains the waning and waxing face of the moon. The main shrine at Thingalur is that of Shiva as Kailasanathar, while the shrine for Chandra, standing on a chariot drawn by ten horses, is an adjunct shrine. A very peaceful, almost somnolent temple, Thingalur attracts very few visitors except those on the Navgraha beat.

3. Navagraha Temple – Mars

Vaitheeswaran Temple is where Lord Shiva is worshipped as Vaitheeswaran or the “God of healing” and it is believed that prayers to Vaitheeswaran can cure diseases. It is one of the nine Navagraha temples in Tamilnadu associated with the planet Mars (Angaraka).

4. Navagraha Temple – Mercury

Budhan (Mercury), riding on a lion, is worshipped at the Shwetharanyeshwara Temple in Thiruvenkadu. Again, this is a very significant Shiva temple and one forgets that one is at a navagraha temple. As Lord of the White (Shwetha) Forest (Aranya), Shiva is said to have danced the tandava, seven times here. He stands here with five faces and as Aghora (Furious) Murthy who destroyed the demon Marutwasura by opening his third eye. Legend has it that Shiva sent Nandi first to slay this demon not once but twice. However, Nandi was vanquished and injured badly, the marks of which are seen on the Nandi idol which, incidentally, stands outside Parvathi’s and not Shiva’s shrine as he does always. Thiruvenkadu is a small village. One ticks the box as having prayed to Budhan here and moves on to worship Guru at Alangudi.

5. Navagraha Temple – Jupiter

Guru (Jupiter) is worshipped at the Apathasahayeshwara Temple at Alangudi. As Apatha (crisis) Sahayeshwara (one who helps), Shiva is said to have drunk (kudi) the poison (Ala) that rose from the celestial churn, here. It is also believed to be the place where he taught divine wisdom to the errant Devas as Lord Dakshinamurthy. Guru is held by devotees in great esteem as he is believed to influence marriage prospects as well as wisdom and intellect. He rides on a chariot driven by eight horses representing eight branches of knowledge. Consequently, this temple at Alangudi attracts many devotees, especially on Thursday.

6. Navagraha Temple – Venus

Sukran (Venus) is worshipped at the Agneeswarar Temple at Kanjanur. This temple is easy to miss as it is in a small nondescript village and has no visibility other than being a Sukran temple. In fact, we had to call for the priest from his house, when we reached there. Believed to be the place assigned to Sukran, Shiva stands here as Agneeshwara who granted Agni an audience. It is also believed to be the place where Brahma had a vision of the marriage of Shiva and Parvathi. Although we were not privy to this, there is a firm assertion that the oil poured on the idol for Abhishekha is fully absorbed by the idol and nothing falls off. And yet, this is a very peaceful temple where prayer comes easily.

7. Navagraha Temple – Saturn

This is not something one can say about the Shaneeswara Temple at Thirunallar. If devotees throng to Vaitheeswaran Kovil for Shiva, hordes of them congregate at the Dharbaranyeshwara Temple at Thirunallar, not for Shiva but for Shani (Saturn), especially on Saturdays. Here one forgets that one is at a Shiva temple! From Amitabh Bachchan to the man-next-door, there are not many who can resist a prayer at this temple to propitiate Shani who is feared for his malevolence! Shani (Saturn) is the only planet to have the term of Easwara or Lord suffixed to his name. The most popular of the Navagraha temples in Tamilnadu, it is the richest of them all. It is believed that King Nala was rid of the malevolence of Shani when Lord Shiva as Darbharanyeshwara stopped Shani from following Nala into the temple. The Shaneeswara shrine is thus located in the inner courtyard of the temple. All those wishing to rid themselves of the evil influence of Saade Saati and the two and a half year influence of Shani, ensure that they visit this temple.

8. Navagraha Temple – Rahu

Rahu, familiar with many because of Rahu Kala, is worshipped at the Naganathaswamy temple at Thirunageshwaran. The distinctive feature of this navagraha temple is that Rahu is depicted with a human face with his consorts while in most other temples he is depicted in his supine form. It is also believed that the milk poured on Rahu during the Rahu Kalam Abhisheka turns blue as it falls on the idol before turning white when it touches the ground. We missed seeing this as the navagraha tour is quite time bound and one is not always lucky to be here at Rahu kalam. One possible explanation could be that the idol is made of blackish blue sapphire so that milk poured over that appears bluish. But then, when has faith needed an explanation?

9. Navagraha Temple – Ketu

And finally, Ketu is worshipped at a small village called Keezhperumpallum in the Naganathar Swami Temple. As the second half of the Asura who ate the nectar by deceit, Kethu is believed to have prayed to Lord Shiva for forgiveness here and received a pardon.

Conclusion

The Navagraha Temples in Tamilnadu tour, unless specified, does not follow the chronology from Suryanar Kovil to Keezhperumpallam. The route is based on the location of the temples and the time at one’s disposal. Most devotees, like us, use Kumbakonam as a base, as all but one of the temples are within twenty to thirty kilometres of Kumbakonam. Most hotels in Kumbakonam arrange Navagraha tours but it is advisable to equip yourself with some basic information that can be had from reliable websites of the temples.

A visit to the Navagraha Temples in Tamilnadu threw up many revelations and realizations. It was a revelation that the Shaivaite cluster of Navagraha temples is different from the Vaishnavaite cluster that is followed by Iyengars of the South. It was a revelation that despite the ubiquitous presence of technology, there is still one facet of man that has been untouched by it all and is governed by faith, myth, lore and legend. It was a revelation that despite the myth, lore and legend, the mobile phone has penetrated into the tiniest of villages and thank God for that. Finally, it was a profound realisation that the Navagrahas are the bureaucrats who administer the retribution for our karma, good or bad, for, in every temple, the prime deity is still the Lord who is the force within us.

Valley of Flowers

September 25, 2019, Sasidhar Darla Leave a Comment Filed Under: Blog, Char Dham Yatra, Uttarakhand Temples

Valley of flowers is an Indian National Park in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is rich in flora and fauna that includes endangered and rare species of plants as well as animals. This diversity is a representative of a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of Zanskar and Great Himalaya.

Valley of Flowers – Overview

Opening Timings of the Valley	8 am – 5 pm
Time required to see the valley	4 – 5 hours
Best Time To Visit	Mid of July to August
Entry Fee	20 rupees per person
Nearest Airport	Jolly Grant Airport
Location	Chamoli, Uttarakhand

Furthermore, the valley lies 20 km northwest of Nanda Devi National Park. Moreover, the valley is open for visitors beginning of June till the start of October.

The Uttarakhand State Forestry Department, the national Ministry of Environment and Forests, India are responsible to administer the valley.

What is the significance of Valley of flowers?

This picturesque valley is significantly popular as an amalgamation of 600 different species of flora. Moreover, 62 species of Asteraceae dominate the valley. However, 45 species from the valley are used for medicinal purposes by the villagers. Also, it is home to endangered fauna such as red fox, snow leopard, musk deer, etc.

Moreover, it provides aesthetic pleasure to visitors because of a rich variance of flora growing here. Moreover, on the religious front, it is a popular destination where yogis visit for meditation since ages. Also, locals believe that Gods and fairies inhabited the valley.

Significance of Valley of Flowers — This temple is worshipped across the valley of flowers.

Nanda Devi, the regional peak is worshipped throughout the valley as an epitome of the goddess who is believed to be one of the incarnations of Goddess Durga.

What are the timings of Valley of Flowers?

Timings	From
Open	8 am
Close	5 pm

What is the history of Valley of flowers?

The history of this valley traces back to 1931, prior to which it existed in seclusion. Hence, In 1931, three British mountaineers namely, Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton and R.L. Holdsworth lost their way while coming back from Mount Kamet. Fortunately, they came across the place which was full of flowers. Hence, they named it ‘Valley of flowers’.

In 1980, the Government of India declared Valley of Flowers as a national park under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, for the conservation of its flora and fauna.

The valley also is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

How to reach Valley of flowers?

Here’s how to reach the place:

Air: Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport. It is 284.6 km away from Govindghat.
Train: The nearest railway station is Rishikesh. It is at a distance of 273 km from Govindghat.
Road: Buses to Rishikesh are available from ISBT Kashmere Gate. From there, one can avail buses or taxis to Govindghat. One has to complete a trek of 16 km from there to this divine valley.

Reaching Valley of Flowers — After Govindghat, one has to trek to reach this beautiful valley covered in flowers.

Where to stay near Valley of flowers?

Some of the places where one can stay near Valley of flowers are:

Hotel Heaven: The hotel offers all the modern facilities to its guests. Moreover, backed by a team of skilled professionals, the property ensures that all needs of guests are fulfilled timely.
Hotel Sudarshan Palace: This Hotel provides all luxurious to its guests. Moreover, both interiors, as well as the exteriors of the place, are a complete charm. Also, it is quite budget-friendly.
Shri Krishna Palace Hotel: This accommodation in Chamoli features a total of 36 well-maintained and spacious rooms. Additionally, this hotel in Chamoli provides a hygienic and comfortable stay.

What are some places to visit near Valley of flowers?

Some of the places one can visit near Valley of flowers is:

Hemkund Sahib: Hemkund Sahib (Formerly Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib Ji) is a Sikh place of worship in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The place is dedicated to the tenth Guru of Sikhism- Shri Guru Gobind Singh.
Badrinath Temple: Badrinath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Devotees believe that the statue of the Deity Lord Vishnu placed inside the temple is self-manifested. Also, it is a part of the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand.
Narsingh Temple, Joshimath: It is an ancient temple for Lord Narsimha, the fourth incarnation of Vishnu. Since the temple is a part of ‘Sapt Badri’, it is also popular as Narsingh Badri Temple.