Travel Guide to Famous Temples

Ahobilam Temple Timings, Poojas, and History

Ahobilam Temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha and is located in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. There are two sects – the upper Ahobilam and the lower Ahobilam. In total there are nine Narasimhasthalams. They are:

Jwala Narasimha
Ahobilam Narasimha
Malola Narasimha
Kroda Narasimha
Karanja Narasimha
Bhargava Narasimha
Yogananda Narasimha
Chatravata Narasimha and
Pavana Narasimha.

Also, the main temple- Ahobilam Narasimha Swamy temple is a holy place that enthralls visitors every time they visit the place. It is a majestic sight to see through bare eyes. The temple is also one of the earliest, falling under Narasimhasthalams. It is at a distance of 70km from Nandyal and 150 km from Kurnool.

What is the history of the Ahobilam Temple?

According to the history of Ahobilam temple’s, there is a legend according to which this is the place where Lord Narasimha blessed Prahlada and killed the demon Hiranyakshipu. Mythology says another story that Lord Vishnu once appeared as half-lion and half-man which is one of his incarnations.

The Devas seeing him shouted crying “Ahobala” (powerful) and “Ahobila” (the cave where currently the sanctum is located) . so this place thus got its name Ahobilam or Ahobala.

What is the significance of Ahobilam Temple?

The significance of Ahobilam Temple is that:

The temple follows the Vadakalai mode of worship.
The shrine of the Ahobilam temple is on the top of the first range and is also popular as Upper Ahobilam and down below is the Lower Ahobilam.
The “sacrosanctum” at Upper Ahobilam was carved out of a big egg-like rock with mandapams.
According to beliefs, the presiding deity is a ‘swayambhu’.
The Lord is also popular as ‘Ugra Narasimha’ or the ‘Fierce One’ as the Lord appears in his fierce avatar.
Also, there are two Devis residing within the temple. They are Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Senjulakshmi.
The temple also projects intricate stone art where the entire history of its building has been carved out in the stone form. The temple also is the abode of Adivan Sathagopulu.
Also, the tower above the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is famous as Guhai Vimanam and the Pushkarani (temple tank) of this temple are Pavanasini, Bhargava, Indra, Nrisimha and Gaja Pushkarani.

What are the timings of the Ahobilam Temple?

Here are the timings of Ahobilam temple:

Timings	From	To
Open	5:30 a.m.	8:30 p.m.

Which festivals are celebrated at Ahobilam Narasimha Swamy Temple?

There is one major festival famous as Brahmotsavam whose celebrations take place with much grandeur and splendour during the month of February.

How to reach Ahobilam Temple?

Here’s how to reach Ahobilam Temple:

Road: The state buses from Hyderabad, Tirupati, Chittoor, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Nellore and Chennai are available.
Rail: Nandyal town (74 km. on Guntur-Hubli line) and Cuddapah (118 km. on Madras-Bombay line) are the ones to avail.
Air: Hyderabad and Tirupati are the nearest airports where regular flights are available.

Where to stay nearby?

Here are some places where one can stay near Ahobilam Temple:

The Haritha Hotel at Ahobilam is a great place to check-in. It is a very suitable and homely place.
Malolan guest house at Sannithi street, Ahobilm is another place where one can stay. It also has a very soothing atmosphere with great amenities.

What are some temples nearby?

Some of the temples near Ahobilam Temple are:

Bhargava Narasimha Temple is on a hill near a pond popular as Bhargava Theertham where Bhargava Rama performed his penance. Hence the Lord of the temple is Bhargava Narasimha Swamy.
Yogananda Narasimha Temple is another place at a distance of 2km from Lower Ahobilam. it is the place where Lord Narasimha appears in yogic posture.
Further, The Prahlada Varda temple has its design as per the architectural style of the Vijayanagar Temple. Moreover, it is in the Lower Ahobilam and primarily dedicated to Prahalada Varada. A beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara also exists in the southwest direction of the Narsimha temple.

Simhachalam Temple Guide – Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha – Timings, Poojas, and History

Simhachalam Temple is a hilltop temple situated in Vishakhapatnam (Vizag) in Andhra Pradesh. It is visited with great reverence by devotees of Lord Vishnu. It is dedicated to Lord Narasimha Swamy, a lion-man incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is beautifully adorned with really intricate carvings. The Sanskrit translation of “Simha” is a lion and “Achala” is a hill, hence the name Simhachalam.

The deity is in the tribhangi posture, with two hands and the head of a lion on a human torso. The temple has the most exquisite stone-carved 16-pillared Natyamandapa and 96-pillared Kalyanamandapa. According to the legend, Narsimha’s avatar when he killed Hiranyakashyp was very fierce. His idol is covered with sandalwood throughout the year and is revealed only once a year. The day is celebrated as Chandanotsavam and on this day, the temple receives maximum devotees from all over the world.

Simhachalam Temple History

The legend of Simhachalam relates to the story of Hiranya-Kasyapa, his son Prahlad and Lord Vishnu’s avatar, Narsimha. Hiranyaksha, the brother of Hiranya-Kasyapa intended to disturb the peace on earth and seized it. Lord Vishnu assumed the incarnation of Boar (Varaha Avatara) and destroyed him, thus rescuing the earth.
Hiranyakasipu, with intent to avenge the death of his brother Hiranyaksha, performed austerities (tapasya) to seek immortality from Lord Brahma. Brahma grants him a boon that he could not be killed by animal or man, neither in the morning nor in the night. Hiranyakasipu, with an evil desire to bring the world to his feet, began punishing the gods, sages, and worshipers of Lord Vishnu.
However, Hiranyakasipu’s own son Prahalad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Angered by Prahalad’s devotion, Hiranyakasipu tried several ways to end his life. He asked his servants to drown his son in the sea and place mount Simhadri over him. However, Lord Narayana rescued him by jumping over the hill and lifting up Prahalada from the sea. Simhadri is thus the place where the Lord rescued Prahalada.
After Narsimha killed Hiranyakyshp, Prahalad built this Simhachalam Temple. However, Simhachalam Temple was neglected for centuries and it began to decay with time. When the next life-cycle began, Simhachalam Temple was discovered by Emperor Pururava of the Lunar Dynasty. Legend has that Pururava, and his wife Urvasi, were drawn to Simhachalam by a mysterious power. That is how they discovered the deity which was lying on the hill, embedded in crests of earth. It is also said that he received a message from the heavens not to expose the image but cover it with sandal paste. He was also instructed to worship the Lord in this form and only on the third day of the month of Vaisakha, could he remove the paste and reveal his nijaswarupa. Emperor followed these instructions and kept the deity covered with sandal paste, revealing it only once a year. He also constructed a temple around the deity, which has remained ever since.
Based on the inscriptions discovered which dated back to the year 1087, endowments to the temple were made by Kulottunga Chola I of Tamil Nadu. According to another inscription, one of Velanandu chief Gonka III queens covered the image with gold during the of the years 1137-56. Yet another one mentions that the central shrine and the enclosing veranda were built in the 13th century by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimha I. There are over 525 inscriptions in the temple, written in Telugu and Oriya and one of them states that the monarch of Vijayanager, Krishna Deva Raya had visited the temple twice, once in 1516 AD and then in 1519 AD. There are details of his victories in the temple inscriptions such as the one where he defeated the Gajapati ruler of Orissa Gajapati Prataparudra Dev and provided offerings to the villages so that they could continue the worship. A valuable emerald necklace offered by the Emperor is still present in the temple. The trustees of the temple for the last 3 centuries have been the Royal family of Vizianagaram, also known as ”The Pusapati Gajapathi’s”.

Significance of Simhalchalam Temple

The presiding deity of the Simhalchalam Temple is Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha, which resembles a Shiv linga and combines the iconography of Varaha and Narasimha. The idol, which is covered throughout the year in sandalwood paste, reveals itself once a year during the Chandana Visarjana and at that time, the pilgrims can see the deity.
Simhalchalam Temple is an architectural marvel and deserves high praise. Simhalchalam Temple has a high tower surmounting a square shrine and a 16 pillared mandap. There is a portico in the front with a smaller tower above it along with a veranda, where a stone care structure rests with stone wheels and horses carved in stone. The structure is made of dark granite, which is intricately carved with conventional and floral ornament and scenes from the Vaishnavite puranas. One of the pillars is called the kappa stambham or ‘tribute pillar’. It is believed that the pillar has healing powers and cures infertility.
The carvings and the architecture bear similarity with that of Temples in Konark such as the chariot, elephants, and flowers/plants. The 16 pillars of the Kalyana Mandap have carvings depicting the incarnations of Lord Vishnu and the outer sanctum is dedicated to depicting the images of King Narasimha.

What are the timings of Simhachalam Temple?

Darshan Timings: 7 AM to 4 PM, 6 PM to 9 PM.

Festivals celebrated at the Simhalchalam Temple

CHANDANOTSAVAM: The main festival celebrated in Simhalchalam Temple is on akshaya thritheeya which is the 3rd day of Vaisakhamasam (usually during the month of April or May). Although throughout the year, the deity is covered in sandal paste preperation, on this day, the sandal wood paste is removed from the deity in a ceremony call Chandanayatra or Chandanotsavam. The devotees can then witness the Nija roopa darsanam (darshan without the chandan layer) of the Swamy. Over 1 lakh devotees visit the temple on this day to celebrate the festival.
UGAADHI (TELUGU NEW YEAR): The Pandhiri raata utsavam is celebrated at the temple and Sri Swamy is dressed as the bridegroom (Chaitra Suddha Padyami).
NARASIMHA JAYANTHI: The Narasimha Jayanthi festival occurs on the 14^thday of the 1^st half of month of ‘Vaisakha’ and is celebrated as Birthday of the Lord Narasimha.
RADHOTSHAVAM: This is a festival celebrated at the temple before the God gets married.
KALYANOTHSAVAM: Sri Swamy vari Vaarshika Thirukalyana Mahothsavam (From Chaitra Sudda Dasami to Chaitrasudda Pournami) (march/april).
VAISAKHA POURNAMI: This is the 2nd phase of Chandana Samarpana and is one of the most auspicious days at the temple.
JYESTA POURNAMI: This is the 3rd and final phase of Chandana Samarpana and is celebrated early in the morning.
TEPPOTSAVAM: Teppotsavam is celebrated on Pushya Bahula Amavasya and on this day, the ‘Utsava idols’ are taken in a palanquin from the temple to ‘Varaha Pushkarini’. The devotees get to have a look at the Lord and the procession begins on the hill at 3 p.m. and reaches the foot of the hill around 4.30 p.m.
KANUMA: This day is celebrated by bringing the deity downhill to the garden for darshan and a fair is organized. The temple administration organizes this fair near the lake and scenes from Bhagwat Gita’ ‘Gajendra Moksha’ episode are enacted by the priests. The idols are then taken to Sri Pydithalli Ammavari temple.
VYKUNTA EKADASI: On this day, the Lord Narasimha Swamy attracts the devotees on vykunta dwaram and is celebrated on Dhanusudda Ekadasi.
GIRI PRADHAKSHINA: Generally, Giri Pradhakshina is celebrated in the month of June or July on “Aashada Pournami”. The devotees fast on this full moon day and walk around the Simhalchalam hill which is a stretch of 34kms. Only after the darshan and the Pradakshina do they break their fast and eat dinner. Alternatively, devotees may also circle 180 times around the temple if they find the 34km trek too tiring.

Poojas and Rituals at Simhalchalam Temple

The following poojas are performed at the Simhalchalam Temple throughout the year:

Ashtottara Sathanamarchana
Sahasranamarchana (05.00 PM – 05.45 PM)
Ammavaraki Ashtottara Sathanamarchana
Kappasthabham Aalinganam
Gopooja
Nitya Kalyanam (09.30 AM – 10.30 AM)
Garuda Seva
Swarnapushparchana (Every Thursday at 07.00 AM – 08.00 AM)
Laksha Kunkumarchana
Laksha Tulasi Pooja
Saswatha Laksha Kumkumarchana
Saswatha Laksha Tulasi Pooja
Nityapooja, Bhogakainkaryamu
Saswatha Nitya Kalyanam
Saswatha Garuda Seva
Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva (Every Saturday at 05.30 PM – 06.30 PM)
Sudarsana Narasimha Yagam (Monthly once on Swathi Nakshathram day)

How to reach Simhachalam Temple?

By Air: The nearest airport to Simhachalam Temple is Vishakhapatnam airport, Vishakhapatnam which is 10 km away (30min drive) from the Temple.
By Train: The nearest railway station to Simhachalam Temple is Visakhapatnam Train Station which is 7 km away from the Temple. From the Vizag Railway station, it is 45 mins drive by road. If you get down at the Waltair Railway Station, you can visit Simhachalam by Bus (6A).
By Road: Busses numbered 6A, 28 and 40 starts from the Dwaraka Bus Station (APSRTC Complex). Devotees who are starting from Gajuwaka, you can get Bus numbered 55 and devotees starting from Maddilipalem, get the bus numbered 540.

There is also a Trekking route available for trekking lovers from Madhavadhara side, two hours climbing to temple premises with steep natural stone steps and a beautiful view of Vizag city and at the other side the temple view from the hill top.

Hotels in Vizag: Where to stay

Several cottages are available for devotees to stay in at the top of the hill, such as A.P.T.D.C.
Chandana Tourist rest house, Temple Cottage and Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam Cottages. Apart from these cottages, there are several hotels and other accommodation options available down the hill in the city of Visakhapatnam.

Where to eat nearby?

In 1989, the Dharamakartha, Dr. P.V.G.Raju Garu introduced the Nityannadanam Scheme under which close to 1500-2000 devotees are served the Annaprasadam every day. This count has recently increased to 5000 devotees and the temple is welcoming more people. Apart from the meal at the temple, there are options available at eateries around the temple at the hill.

Nearby Temples

Sri Ayyappa Swamy Temple – It is located on National Highway 5 in Sheela Nagar, Visakhapatnam and is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, who is the preceding deity. Kerala Vastu Shastra has been used to build the temple and it was constructed 25 years ago by the BHPV Employees Union. The Sri Ayyappa Swamy Temple is located 27kms away from Simhachalam Temple.
Sri Sampath Vinayagar Temple – The temple is established in Asilmetta, Visakhapatnam and was built in the year 1962 by Late S.G. Sambandan, Late T.S. Selvaganesan, and Sri T.S. Rajeswaran. The devotees visit the temple believing the mythology that the powerful deity Sri Sampath Vinayagar will wash off their sins if they offer their prayers. The Sri Sampath Vinayagar Temple is located 20 kms away from Simhachalam Temple.
Arasavalli Sun Temple – It is dedicated to the Hindu deity Surya or the sun, and is located in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. The temple was originally named Harshavalli which means and an abode of joy. The temple was constructed by the Kalinga rulers Devendra Varma of Orissa in the 7th Century AD. The Sun Temple is located 11 kms away from Simhachalam Temple.

Aundha Nagnath Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Aundha Nagnath Temple (one of the 12 Jyotirlinga Temples) in Hingoli, Maharashtra is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped as Lord Nagnath in this region. The devotees praying to Lord Nagnath believe that the Lord will guide them to the correct path of life, just as he did with demons at Darukavane.

Planning to visit this temple? Have a look at our Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra Tour Package.

Aundha Nagnath Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Nagnath (Lord Shiva)
Location	Hingoli, Maharashtra
Significance	Jyotirlinga
Tours	5 Jyotirlingas of Maharashtra Tour
Darshan Timings	4:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Poojas	Rudrabhishek
Entry Fee	Free
Best Time to Visit	June to August
Festivals	Shravan Maas, Mahashivratri, Vijayadashami
Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra	Sri Vaidyanath, Sri Trimbakeshwar, Sri Grishneshwar, Sri Bhimashankar

Aundha Nagnath Temple Video

Aundha Nagnath Temple is one of the 5 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra. The other 4 Jyotirlingas are:

Parli Vaidyanath Temple (in Parli)
Trimbakeshwar Temple (near Nasik)
Grishneshwar Temple (in Aurangabad)
Bhimashankar Temple (near Pune)

What are the timings of Aundha Nagnath Temple?

The temple opens at 4:00 AM in the morning and closes at 9:00 PM in the evening. The temple also performs various rituals during this time. The devotees can be a part of these rituals such as the afternoon and evening aarti.

The timings of Aundha Nagnath Temple are as follows:

Rituals	Timings
Darshan	4:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Darshan during Shravan Maas	4:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Afternoon Pooja	1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Evening Pooja	4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

What is the significance of Aundha Nagnath Temple?

It is a popular belief that the Nagesh Linga or the Jyotirlinga is the Adhya or the first Jyotirlinga on Earth. Devotees believe that by praying at this temple, one can protect themselves against all kinds of poisons.

Since this form of Shiva is Nagnath since he has a snake around his neck. This association with snakes has led to a belief that this Linga is very powerful and potent against negating the harmful effects of all poisons. Devotees have often sighted snakes with open hoods guarding the Linga.

The Aundha Nagnath Temple is one of the Top 50 Famous Temples of India.

What is the history of Aundha Nagnath Temple?

The history of Aundha Nagnath Temple dates back to the period of Pandavas. Yudhistra, the eldest among the Pandavas, first built this majestic temple during his exile. It is also believed that Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb tried to raze down the Aundha Nagnath temple. But it is said that a swarm of bees attacked his men and Aurangzeb gave up and left the temple.

However, damages were made, to a certain extent, to this sacred Jyotirlinga. Later, Rani Ahalyabai Holkar, Queen of the Maratha Malwa Kingdom, repaired and renovated the temple.

The Aundha Nagnath Temple is a pious site for followers of both Hinduism and Sikhism.

Sant Namdev Maharaj was a well-known saint and poet. He is also considered as one of the Gurus in Sikhism and his writings are a part of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs.

It is believed that he used to sing praises of Lord Shiva every day at the temple. But the priests objected to this saying that it disturbed their routines. They drove him away. Since he was such a staunch devotee, the Lord turned the temple to face him and the priests were left facing the back of the temple. Thus, the entire temple stands rotated and directions of the Linga and Nandi are different from other temples.

Aundha Nagnath Jyotirlinga — The Aundha Nagnath Temple is said to be the 8th Jyotirlinga among the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country.

What is the legend of the Jyotirlinga?

During their exile, the Pandavas built their hermitage in a forest in this region of Hingoli. The cows from their hermitage drank the water from the nearby river and released milk into the river. Bhima noticed this one day and informed Yudhistra.

The Pandavas felt the presence of a great God residing in the river. Thus, they began to remove the water. Beyond a certain point, the water was boiling hot. Bhima struck the river thrice with his mace. Blood started oozing from the spot and a Linga emerged. Yudhistra then built a temple and instated the Jyotirlinga.

What is the legend of Nageshwar Darukavane?

The Aundha region was lush with thick forests in which serpents lived. It was popular as Darukavane, named after the Asuras – Daruk and Daruka. The demons harassed the hermits living in the area and imprisoned them. This angered the Gods who fought the demons and drove them away.

But Daruka was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and was blessed by a boon from Goddess Parvati.

The boon gave them the power to shift the entire forest into an island. And the demons continued to harass the hermits from the island. Among the imprisoned hermits was an ardent devotee Lord Shiva named, Supriya. She invoked the powerful Rudra Mantra along with the priests. Lord Shiva then appeared and destroyed the demons.

Daruka repented for their sins and asked for Lord Shiva’s forgiveness. He requested that he stay in the forest. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati accepted his request and assumed the form of a Jyotirlinga. They stayed in Darukavane as Lord Nageshwar and Nageshwari.

What is the structure of Aundha Nagnath Temple like?

Architecture of Aundha Nagnath Temple — The temple is built using stones from the period of the Pandavas.

The Aundha Nagnath Temple structure is strong as it consists of stones from the Pandava period. Therefore, the temple is nearly 3000 years old.

The Garbhagriha and Linga are in the basement level and devotees have to climb down to worship the main deity. The Linga faces the South and the Gomukha faces the East. The corridors of this temple are huge and are supported by eight pillars in an oval shape. The Garbhagriha consists of the Nagesha Lingamurthi inside.

One of the shrines inside the Aundha Nagnath Temple complex houses the Runomochan Teerth as is also famous as Saas Teerth and Bahu Teerth (Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law). Interestingly, the Saas Teerth has brackish water while the Bahu Teerth has sweet water. Once every 12 years during Kapila Shashti, the water from Kashi Ganga is offered here and the water of the teerth would turn crystal clear.

What are the poojas and rituals of Aundha Nagnath Temple?

The poojas that take place at Aundha Nagnath Temple are:

Pooja	Timing
Rudrabhishek Pooja	4:05 AM
Aarti Pooja	12:00 PM
Shrisnan Pooja	4:00 PM
Shejaarti Pooja	11:00 AM
Sayarakchai Pooja	8:30 PM

The rituals that take place at Aundha Nagnath are:

Rituals
Rudrabhishek
Dudhabhishek
Rudrabhishek with Bhog
Char Somvar (four Mondays) Ek Ammavasya Rudrabhishek
Ek Shravan Maas Akhand Jyot
Rudrabhishek for one year every Somvar
Ek Somvar 1008 Bilva Patra Abhishek
Laghurudra by 11 Brahmins
Ek Shravan Maas Jalabhishek
Ek Shravan Maas Doodh and Bilva Patra Abhishek
Char Somvar Ek Ammavasya Rudrabhishek with Doodh
Ek Somvar 1008 Mahamrityunjaya Jaap

What are the festivals celebrated at Aundha Nagnath?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Aundha Nagnath Temple are:

Shravan month: Shravan Maas falls on the fifth month of the Hindu calendar, starting late July and ending by the third week of August.
Mahashivratri: It is the day when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati. It usually occurs in late February to early March.
Vijayadashami: Also known as Dussehra, this festival signifies the victory of good over evil and is celebrated after the nine days of Navratri.

How to reach Aundha Nagnath Temple?

Here’s how to reach Aundha Nagnath Temple:

Air: The nearest airport is in Nanded which is 54 km from Aundha Nagnath.
Rail: The nearest stations Parbhani is 50 km from the temple. One can also find connecting trains to the Hingoli junction.
Road: There are buses connecting from Aurangabad, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and other nearby cities of Maharashtra.

Where to stay nearby?

There few accommodation options at Aundha Nagnath Temple. Travelers mostly stay at Nanded or Parbhani.

Where to eat nearby?

Restaurant options at Aundha Nagnath Temple are very few. Travelers eat at Dhabbas which one can find on the highway or at the hotels in Nanded and Parbhani.

What are some temples nearby?

Exploring Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra — There are four more Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra apart from the Aundha Nagnath Temple.

Some of the temples near Aundha Nagnath are:

Mallinath Digambar Jain Temple: The Mallinath Digambar Jain Temple is in Shirad Shahapur Village and is for Lord Mallinath. This 300-year-old temple is 15 km from Aundha.
Parli Vaidhyanath Jyotirlinga Temple: This temple is in Parli, Beed District, Maharashtra. The temple is 118 km from the Aundha. Devotees believe that praying at this temple improves health conditions.
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple: The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple is near Pune and is 465 km from Aundha Nagnath Temple.
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple: This Jyotirlinga is in Verul, Beed District, Maharashtra. This temple is the last of the Jyotirlingas and for devotees who undertake the Jyotirlingas pilgrimage, a visit to this temple completes their journey. The Grishneshwar temple is 227 km from Aundha.
Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple: The Trimbakeshwar Temple is in the town of Trimbak, Nashik District, Maharashtra. The temple is 286 km from Aundha Nagnath Temple and the Linga has three faces symbolizing Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma.

Frequently Asked Questions about Aundha Nagnath Temple

Is the Aundha Nagnath Temple open throughout the year?

Yes, the Aundha Nagnath Temple is open all 365 days of the year.

What is the entry fee?

The entry to the Aundha Nagnath Temple is free of cost.

Is there any online darshan facility available?

No. There is no facility for online darshan available.

Is there any facility for specially-abled and senior citizens?

No. There is no facility for specially-abled and senior citizens.

Which is the best time to visit the Aundha Nagnath Temple?

June to August are the months when the monsoon starts in Maharashtra. The weather is pleasant, making it an ideal time to visit the temple.

What is the weather like during summer?

The summers at Maharashtra start from March and continues until June. The summers here can be very hot. Temperatures during the day-time often go up to 36 º C.

What are winters like in Maharashtra?

In Maharashtra, winters start in November and continue until January. The temperatures during this time range from around 20 º C to 30 º C.

If you have any questions about the Aundha Nagnath Temple, please leave a comment below and we will get back to you within one hour.

Yaganti Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Yaganti Temple also known as Sri Uma Maheswara Temple or Yagantiswamy Temple is located in Yaganti which is in Kurnool of Andhra Pradesh. This temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and is supposed to have been built in the 15th century by kings Harihara and Bukka Raya of the Sangama dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Yaganti Temple is extremely beautiful and is in the middle of the Yerramala Hills, surrounded by scenic beauty. Also, there are numerous caves in the hills around the temple where quite a lot of saints reside including the great Telugu saint and astrologer ‘Potuluti Veera Brahmam Garu.’

The temple dates back to 5^th and 6^th centuries with donations from the Pallavas, Chalukyas, Cholas and Vijayanagara rulers. Apart from this, the temple also received valuable contributions from Vijayanagara Kings Harihara and Bukka Rayalu who completed the construction of quite a lot of structures in and around the temple.

Yaganti Temple has idols of Shiva and Parvathi engraved out of a single stone. This temple is almost certainly the only place where Lord Shiva is adorned in the form of an idol and not in the form of a Shiva Linga. It is a popular belief that Agastya performed the sacrament for Lord Shiva and appealed him Lord Shiva to make an appearance in Ardhanareeswara form. Another very bizarre yet miraculous characteristic of this temple is that the idol of Nandi here keeps increasing in size.

Yaganti Temple History

Lord Agastyar was a preacher, a Vedic saint, the earliest Siddhar & one of the Saptarishis, the seven sages who were extruded at many places in the Vedas. According to the mythology associated with the temple, Lord Agastyar desired to construct a temple for Lord Venkateswara, i.e. Lord Vishnu at Yaganti.

Accordingly, a number of rituals were performed to establish the idol of Lord Vishnu at the explicit place selected at Yaganti but to his surprise, he found that the nail of the foot thumb finger was broken. Lord Agastya was bothered to discover this and made a sacrament to Lord Shiva to be acquainted with the reason behind the incident. Lord Shiva responded positively to his prayer and appeared before him and explained that the place bear a resemblance to Kailash and it is appropriate tobe the domicile of Lord Shiva.

Sage Agastya was enthralled and demanded Lord Shiva to dwell in this place for eternity along with Goddess Parvati. So, since then the place is called as Uma Maheswara Temple where in ‘Uma’ refers to Goddess Parvati and ‘Maheswara’ refers to Lord Shiva.

Yaganti Temple is has been constructed as per the Vaishnava traditions and it demonstrates the artistic dexterity of the ancient Vishwakarma Sthapathis.

Significance of Yaganti Temple

The deities of Yaganti Temple are Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati carved on a single stone. There is also a cave in the name of sage Agastya who performed the sacrament towards Lord Shiva. The idol of Lord Vishnu which was apparently believed to be distorted was also found in one of the caves of the temple known as Venkateswara Cave.

The Nandi also termed as Lord Nandeeswara, the ascend of Lord Shiva, present in the Yaganti temple is considered to be budding in size over the decades. As per the researchers, the rock out of which the idol of Nandi is made has a special characteristic which leads the rock to grow. Furthermore, it was also discovered that the idol of Nandi increases to about 10mm per eight years i.e., 1 inch per 20 years. The Archaeological Survey of India has conirmed that the growing of the size of the idol is due to Geological phenomena as per science.

A very significant and remarkable feature of this temple is that the Pushkarini which is the temple tank consists of sacred holy water flowing from the tank. But, the water is believed to flow from the bottom of the hill.

A very bizarre fact about the place is that crows are forbidden to fly in Yaganti. This is because when sage Agastya was meditating here, Kakusara, the king of crows distracted him from his deliberation and in rage sage Agastya spelled his curse on the crows to prevent them from his entering his premises. Likewise, Shani, the vehicle of crows also could not go through.

It is also a belief that people performed Pradakshinas, rounds around the idol of Nandi years ago. One of the pillars of the temple has been removed due to the increasing size of the idol. As per the Potuluri Veera Brahman, the Basavanna which is the idol of Nandi will come alive and bellow when Kaliyuga ends.

Yaganti Temple caves are also remarkable about the place. The following are the temple caves at Yaganti:

Agastya Cave: It is believed that sage Agastya performed the holy sacrament here for Lord Shiva. The shrine for Godess Parvati is also located here and one has to climb 120 steps to reach the entrance to the temple.
Sri Venkateswara Cave: The distorted idol of Lord Vishnu can be seen here and it is a popular belief that this idol was carved preceding the arrival of Lord Venkateswara Swamy onto Tirumala hills.
Sri Potuluri Veera Brahman Cave: Here, the prophet Sri Potuluri Veera Brahman spent some of his time and that’s why the cave has been named so.

Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple, Nandi: Also dissimilar to other Shiva temples, the idol of Nandi is not placed right opposite to Lord Shiva, rather it is located to the side of main Mantap. Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swamy declared in his prophecy that the idol of Nandi would come alive at the end of the Kaliyuga and would shout piercingly.

Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple Akasha Deepam: The temple priest used to lit lamp using 4 litres of oil and 2-meter thick wick on an everyday basis. This was done in the evening on a ledge behind Veerabhadra Swamy Temple. The lamp burns from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm in an open air on the top of the hill.

What are the timings of Yaganti Temple?

Here’re are the timings of Yaganti Temple:

Darshan Timings: 6 AM to 1 PM, 3 PM to 8 PM.

The customary Poojas and rituals are performed within this time slot on an everyday basis.

Festivals celebrated at Yaganti Temple

The main festival celebrated at the Yaganti Temple is the Maha Shivratri Which is celebrated in the month of February/March. This festival is celebrated every year and a mammoth of visitors and pilgrims come from across the country and abroad to be a part of this ceremonial festival.

How to reach Yaganti Temple

By road: It is associated with state transport to Hyderabad, Chittoor, Tirupati, Cuddapah, Nellore, Kurnool and Chennai which is 24km from the place called Allagadda and is also connected to the rest of the major cities. Buses are also available to Yaganti from Banaganapalli twice a day i.e., at 7:00 am and 3:30 pm. One can also find buses to Banaganapalli from Cuddapah, Nandyal, Hyderabad and Kurnool.
By Train: The nearest railway station to the Sri Uma Maheswara Temple is the Secunderabad Railway station which is about 7 km from the temple. Nandyal railway station which is 55 km away from the temple is the nearest railway station connected to connected to major cities like Hyderabad, Howrah, Bangalore, Goa, Machilipatnam, Vijaywada, Puri, Hubli, Vizag and Bhubaneshwar.
By Air: The nearest airport to Sri Uma Maheswara Temple is Rajiv Gandhi International airport, Hyderabad and it is about 12km from the temple.

It is believed that the best time to visit Yaganti is in between the months of October to March while the peak season is said to be in between the months of February to March and it generally takes half of the day to explore Yaganti.

Yaganti Temple Accommodation

There are quite a lot of hotels available in and around the Yaganti Temple. Apart from the hotels, Lodges are also available at reasonable costs with all the necessary facilities and every year pilgrims from across the world visit Yaganti on an everyday basis.

Where to Eat

Free and quality food are offered to the pilgrims on a daily basis at Annanda Hall and the timings are from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm and 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm.

Nearby Temples

There are a number of important temples located near by the Uma Maheswara/ Yaganti Temple and visitors from around the country visit these temples as well.

Nava Narasimha Temple: This temple is located on the upper Ahobilam at a distance of 8km from Lower Ahobilam. The supervising deity of this temple is believed to be “Svayambhu” who is worshipped as Lord Ahobila Narasimha Swamy and is also known as ‘Ugra Narasimha’ because he appears in his fierce feature.
Shikaresvara Temple: Located in Nallamala Hill of Srisailam, Shikaresvara Temple is atop the highest point 2830 feet termed as Shikaram. This temple is bestowed to Lord Shiva and the people residing here have the propensity to believe that Lord Shiva in this temple has great healing powers and accomplish all their wishes. The temple also consists of Garbha Griha, 16 pillared Mukhmandapam and Antaralaya.
Sakshi Ganapati Temple: This temple is considered as one of the most holy spots recurrented by pilgrims since time immemorial. Located at a distance of 3km from Srisailam, this temple is positioned on the main road to Sikharam. As per the legend of this temple, the Ganapathi in this temple is believed to keep habitual account of the pilgrims to tender Sakshyam which means evidence of their visit to this Kshetram and so the temple is accordingly termed as Sakshi Ganapathi.
Mahanandi Temple: Located in the east of Nallamala Hills near Nandyal in Kurnool district, Mahanandi temple is considered to be the living temple that abides the evidence to the harmony that depicts the Hindu way of life. Lord shiva is depicted as the Lord of Nandi, his bull vehicle. Bull is also considered to be an important aspect of the agricultural world and is also bequeathed with worship because bull here, is correlated to Lord Vishnu and his incarnations
Iswaraswami Temple: This is also among one of the famous temples in and around Yaganti. This temple is also most popular because of the scenic beauty and the captivating view. Devotees appear in mammoth to visit the temple on a daily basis.

Bhimashankar Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Bhimashankar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. It is in Bhimashankar reserve, near Pune in Maharashtra. The temple is also the source of the River Bhima. A holy dip in the river is believed to wash all the sins of a person.

Planning to visit this temple? Have look at our Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra Tour Package.

Bhimashankar Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Bhimashankar (Lord Shiva)
Location	50 km North-West of Khed, near Pune, Maharashtra
Significance	Jyotirlinga
Tours	5 Jyotirlingas of Maharashtra Tour
Darshan Timings	4:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Poojas	Rudrabhisek, Laghurudra
Entry Fee	Free
Best Time to Visit	June to August
Festivals	Mahashivratri, Karthik Poornima, Ganesh Chaturthi
Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra	Sri Aundha Nagnath, Sri Trimbakeshwar, Sri Grishneshwar, Sri Parli Vaijnath

Bhimashankar Temple Video

Bhimashankar Temple is one of the 5 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra. The other 4 Jyotirlingas are:

Sri Vaidyanath (in Parli)
Sri Nageshwar (in Aundha)
Trimbakeshwar (near Nasik)
Sri Grishneshwar (near Aurangabad)

What are the timings of Bhimashankar Temple?

The temple opens at 4:30 AM in the morning and closes at 9:30 PM in the evening. The temple also performs various rituals during this time. The devotees can be a part of these rituals such as the afternoon and evening aarti.

The timings of Bhimashankar Temple are as follows:

Rituals	Timings
Darshan	4:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Morning Aarti	4:30 AM – 5:00 AM
Morning Darshan	4:30 AM – 3:15 PM
Evening Darshan	4:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Nijarupa Darshan	5:00 AM – 5:30 AM
Shringar Darshan	4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Evening Aarti	7:30 PM – 8:00 PM

What is the significance of Bhimashankar Temple?

The Linga of Lord Shiva is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. These Jyotirlingas are self-manifested forms of Lord Shiva, unlike the Lingas that are instated by humans. It is said that these Jyotirlingas are when Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. The Bhimashankar Linga occurs at a lower level compared to the ground in the main sanctum.

The top of the Linga is divided by a narrow groove in the Linga. Each half of the Linga signifies Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The Lord appears as “Ardhanareeshwara” in the Bhimashankar temple.

According to beliefs, water flows continuously from the Linga since time immemorial.

The River Bhima is considered sacred by the people because it is believed that the river is actually the perspiration of Lord Shankara (Shiva) after he defeated the demon Tripurasura.

The Mokshakund, located behind the Bhimashankar temple is believed to be the place where the Maharishi Kaushik (also known as Brahmarishi Vishwamitra) performed penance or Tapasya to please the Gods.

The temple administration allows pilgrims to conduct Abhishekam and Poojas to the Jyotirlinga by themselves with marigold and Bilva leaves.

What is the history of Bhimashankar Temple?

The history of the original sanctum dates back to the 13th century. Various renovations were done on the complex during different time periods. According to beliefs, in the 13th century, a woodcutter named, Bhatirao Lakhadhara, discovered the Jyotirlinga when his axe hit the tree, the ground started bleeding.

The villagers gathered there and offered milk to the tree which stopped the bleeding. The people of the village built a small temple at the site and named it the Bhimashankar Temple.

Several notable figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, and Raghunath Peshwa also regularly visited the shrine and carried out poojas and renovations. The Diwan of the Peshwas, Nana Phadnavis built the Shikhar of the Bhimashankar temple.

Legend of Tripurasura

As per one legend mentioned in the Matsya Puranam and the Shiva Puranam, there were three demons by the names of Vidyunmali, Tarakaksha, and Viryavana, and together they were known as the Tripurasura. They performed Tapasya and obtained a boon from Lord Brahma. The boon was that the Gods will construct three beautiful cities, each made of gold, iron, and silver for the Asuras. All three forts together will be called Tripura. However, the prophecy said that only a single arrow can destroy the city.

Demons from all over the world came and resided at the palaces. After the initial self-enjoyment, they eventually started troubling the people of the realm. They even misbehaved with Rishis and Maharishis, terrorized the common folk and eventually challenged the Gods. Therefore, Lord Indra accompanied by other Gods went to Lord Brahma to put an end to the Tripura, but Lord Brahma could not help and asked them to request Lord Shiva. Shiva obliged and the war between the Devas and the Asuras began. He also requested the help of Goddess Parvati and both of them took the form of “Ardha-Narya-Nateshwar” and descended to the Earth.

To destroy the Tripura, Lord Shiva asked Vishwakarma to build a chariot. The chariot had special features. The Goddess Earth (Prithvi) became the chariot, Sun and Moon became the wheels, Lord Brahma became the Sarathi, Mount Meru became the bow, Serpent Vasuki was the bow-string and Lord Vishnu became the arrow. Just as the three cities aligned, Lord Shiva burned them to the ground. Then the Gods requested Lord Shiva to take rest there and make the place his home. Lord Shiva turned himself into a Linga and made the Bhimashankar mountains his home.

The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga — It is said that Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is a form of ‘Ardhanareshwara’.

What is the architecture of the Bhimashankar Temple like?

Bhimashankar Temple Architecture — There are two big Nandi statues in the temple premises.

The Bhimashankar temple complex is small and has a simple structure with numerous sculptures depicting different Gods and Goddesses. The architecture of the temple follows the Nagara style and the Hemadpanthi style of construction. The temple consists of Garbhagriha, Sabhamandap, and the Kurmamandap.

The main door of the Bhimashankar temple is made of solid wood with figures of several gods and goddesses. A huge bell is there at the entrance of the temple. Chimaji Appa, brother of Bajirao Peshwa I gifted this bell. Two large Nandis are also there in the Temple. The one in front of the sanctum is very old and the other one is new. One can also visit the shrines of Lord Shani, Nandi, Lord Ram, and Dutta.

What are the festivals celebrated at Bhimashankar Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Bhimshankar Temple are:

Mahashivaratri: A huge fair is organized for five days in late February or early March as a mark of their respect for Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is believed that Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati on this day. The day is famous for rigorous poojas, bhajans, and abhishekams. Thousands of people descend on the small town to visit the glorious festival. Pradosham is also said to be celebrated here.
Karthik Poornima: The day falls anytime in-between November or December. On this day, Lord Shiva actually destroyed the demon kingdom of Tripura in all three realms.
Ganesh Chaturthi: The festival comes in August or September with great enthusiasm and cheers. This is the birthday of Lord Ganesha, son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Deepawali: The festival comes in October – November. People decorate the whole temple with Deepams (lamps) and priests perform special poojas for Lord Shiva throughout the day.

What are the Sevas and Poojas performed at Bhimashankar Temple?

The sevas and poojas that take place at Bhimashankar Temple are:

Rudrabhishek: The pooja is for Lord Shiva who the devotees worship as fire or Rudra. The pooja wipes out all sins and purifies the atmosphere. It also removes all sorts of planetary related ill-occurrences. Mondays of the month, as well as the Pradosham days, are ideal for performing the pooja.
Laghurudra Pooja: This Abhishek is done to resolve issues related to health and wealth. It also removes the bad effects of planets in the horoscope.

Devotees can perform the Rudrabhishekam and Mahapooja on every Monday, every Amavasya, every Pradosham day, and in the month of Shravan at a reasonable price.

The yearly poojas or sevas include:

Prati Somvar
Prati Pradosh
Prati Shivaratri
Prati Amavasya
Mahashivaratri
Shravan Maas Pratidin.

Besides the above poojas, a Shashvat Pooja can also be performed at the temple. One can perform these poojas for 1 day every year for a period of 20 years. The poojas are:

Rudrabhishek
Mahapuja
Mahapuja with Mahanaivedyam
Laghurudra
Shravan Somvar and Mahashivaratri
Laghurudra with Brahman Bhojan.

How to reach Bhimashankar Temple?

Here’s how to reach Bhimshankar temple:

Air: The nearest airport is Pune Airport.
Train: The nearest railway station is Pune, 120 km away from the temple.
Road: Regular buses are available from Pune from 5:30 AM to 4 PM. A bus also from Kalyan starts at 9 AM and one from Ghatkopar or Kurla at 11 AM

Where to stay nearby?

Limited options are available for staying near the Bhimashankar temple. The temple administration runs a guesthouse named Jeevan Guest House that provides the basic facilities. However, nearby towns have options like the Blue Mormon Jungle Holiday Resort, Ecogreens Sankalp Farms, and Holiday Maiyaan Karjat.

Where to eat nearby?

Several small restaurants are present near the temple premises such as Shivshakti and Shankar Vishranti where the visitors can eat. The cuisine available is a mix of both North Indian and South Indian food items. Moreover, the food items available here are primarily vegetarian.

There are four more Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra apart from the Bhimashankar Temple.

What are some temples near Bhimshankar Temple?

Some of the temples near Bhimshankar temple are:

Gupt Bhimashankar: A small trekking path from the Bhimashankar temple will lead you to the place of discovery of the Jyotirlinga. The Linga is on the banks of a waterfall and has greenery around.
Sakshi Ganapati Temple: The temple is 2 km away from the Bhimashankar temple. The Ganapati here is “Sakshi” because he is the witness to the visit of the pilgrims to the Jyotirlinga. He keeps the attendance of whoever visits the Bhimashankar shrine. The pilgrims visit the temple to show their respects to the Lord Ganapati and Lord Shiva.
Kamalaja Devi Temple: The temple is for Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. She helped the Lord in his battle against the demons. Also, She sits on a lotus in this temple.

Some other famous temples in Maharashtra are:

Ozar Ganapati Temple: It is a Ganesha Vinayak temple. The idol form worshipped here is called Vigneshwara. It is associated with the legend of Ganesha defeating Vignasura, the demon of obstacles. The temple is one of the Ashtavinayak Temples, the eight holy shrines of Ganesha in Maharashtra, India.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bhimshankar Temple

Is the Bhimshankar Temple open throughout the year?

Yes, the Bhimashankar Temple is open all 365 days of the year.

What is the entry fee?

The entry to the Bhimashankar Temple is free of cost.

Is there any online darshan facility available?

No. There is no facility for online darshan available.

Is there any facility for specially-abled and senior citizens?

Yes. There is are palki services available for the specially-abled and senior citizens.

Which is the best time to visit the Bhimashankar Temple?

June to August are the months when the monsoon starts in Maharashtra. The weather is pleasant, making it an ideal time to visit the temple.

What is the weather like during summer?

The summers at Maharashtra start from March and continues until June. The summers here can be very hot. Temperatures during the daytime often go up to 36 º C.

What are winters like in Maharashtra?

In Maharashtra, winters start in November and continue until January. The temperatures during this time range from around 20 º C to 30 º C.

If you have any questions about the Bhimshankar Temple, please leave a comment below, and we will get back to you within one hour.

Shree Siddhivinayak Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Shree Siddhivinayak Temple is one of the oldest sacred temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Situated in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, is one of the most popular and sacred temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The name Siddhivinayak means “Vinayak who grants one’s wishes.” The Lord is known locally as “Navasacha Ganapati” and “Navasala Pavanara Ganapati.” In Marathi, it means “Ganapati grants a wish whenever prayed with genuine devotion.”

Siddhivinayak Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Siddhivinayak (Lord Ganesh)
Location	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Entry Fee	General Darshan: Free; VIP Darshan: Rs. 100 /-
Best Time to Visit	June to December
Darshan Timings	Tuesdays: 3:15 AM to 12:00 AM; Other days: 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Poojas	Rudrabhisek, Laghurudrabhisek
Festivals	Sankashti Chaturthi, Vinayaki Chaturthi, Ganesh Chaturthi

Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai, Video

What are the timings of Siddhivinayak Temple?

The temple timings vary depending on the day. However, the temple performs various rituals every day. The devotees can be a part of these rituals, such as the morning, afternoon, and evening poojas.

For all days except Tuesdays: The temple opens at 5:30 AM and closes after the last aarti (Shejaarti).

Ritual	From	To
Kakad Aarti	5:30 AM	6:00 AM
Morning Shree Darshan	6:00 AM	12:15 PM
Naivedhya	12:15 PM	12:30 PM
Afternoon Shree Darshan	12:30 PM	7:20 PM
Evening Aarti	7:30 PM	8:00 PM
Evening Shree Darshan	8:00 PM	9:50 PM
Shejaarti	9:50 PM	10:00 PM

On Tuesdays: The temple opens at 3:15 AM and closes at midnight after the last aarti (Shejaarti).

Ritual	From	To
Early Morning Shree Darshan	3:15 AM	4:45 AM
Kakad Aarti	5:00 AM	5:30 AM
Morning Shree Darshan	5:30 AM	12:15 PM
Naivedhya	12:15 PM	12:30 PM
Afternoon Shree Darshan	12:30 PM	8:45 PM
Aarti	9:30 PM	10:00 PM
Shejaarti	10:00 PM	12:00 PM

On Sankashti Chaturthi: The temple opens at 4:30 AM and closes after the last aarti (Shejaarti) which takes place 90 minutes after Moonrise.

Ritual	From	To
Early Morning Shree Darshan	4:40 AM	4:45 AM
Kakad Aarti	5:00 AM	5:30 AM

The Shree Darshan starts soon after the Kakad Aarti until 90 minutes before Moonrise.

On Vinayaki Chaturthi: The temple opens at 5:30 AM and closes after the last aarti (Shejaarti).

Ritual	From	To
Kakad Aarti	5:30 AM	6:00 AM
Morning Shree Darshan	6:00 AM	12:15 PM
Abhishekam, Naivedhya, & Pooja Aarti	7:30 AM	1:00 PM
Afternoon Shree Darshan	1:00 PM	7:20 PM
Evening Aarti	7:30 PM	8:00 PM
Evening Shree Darshan	8:00 PM	9:50 PM
Shejaarti	9:50 PM	10:00 PM

Devotees are not permitted in the main temple from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM when the Mahabhishek is performed.

It is worth noting that Tuesdays tend to be more crowded than usual.

What are the poojas and sevas at Siddhivinayak Temple?

Siddhivinayak Temple Pooja — Several poojas and sevas take place daily at The Siddhivinayak Temple.

Atharva Sheesha Havan: The Havan is performed by a team of priests on behalf of the devotee. The Havan is performed to receive the Lord’s blessings and removing any obstacles in his or her life. The Pooja begins with the Ganesh Pooja, followed by the Punyahavacham, Nandishraddha, Grahmukh and finally the invocation of the God of Fire (Agni). The Navagraha Pooja is performed followed by the offering of the Modakas to the Agni. Following the Pooja, the devotee honours the Brahmin priest for performing the Havan.
Panchamrut Pooja: The idol of the deity is bathed with five holy items – Milk, Honey, Sugar, Ghee, and Curd. The ritual takes place among the chants of several hymns and shlokas.
Ashtottar Nama Pooja: The Pooja involves the recital of 108 names of Lord Vinayaka among chants praising him and invoking his blessings.
Shodashopachara Pooja: This is the first step of the ritual of any Pooja that is performed for any God. This Pooja involves 16 steps or parts. These are Upachara, Avahana, Asana, Padaprakshalana, Hastaprakshalana, Achamanam, Snanam, Vastram, Yagyopaveetam, Gandham, Pushpam, Dhupam, Deepam, Naivedyam, Tambulam, Neerajanam, and Mantrapushpam.
Sahastravartan Pooja: In this special Pooja, a silver image of Lord Ganesha is worshipped. The Shodashopachara Pooja is first performed for the Lord followed by Abhishek with Milk. This Pooja is performed for family harmony, healthy and long life, financial happiness and forbearing an heir to a family.
Sri Satya Vinayaka Pooja: This pooja is generally performed by people whose family deity is Lord Ganesha. The auspicious days to perform this Pooja are Tuesdays, Fridays, full moon days, Vaisakha Poornima and Ganesh Chaturthi. In the temple, the Shodashopachar Pooja is performed followed by Sahasra Namam Pooja. Naivedyam is offered to God after which Aarti is conducted. This Pooja is performed for the birth of a child, financial growth, wedding, and prosperous family life.

What is the significance of Siddhivinayak Temple?

The Siddhivinayak Shrine — The shrine of Shree Siddhivinayak.

The significance of the temple is that idol of the deity is carved out of a single black stone with the Lord’s trunk tilted towards the right. It is quite unusual for a Ganesha idol’s trunk to not be left-sided, making the temple very sacred.

The idol consists of four hands, Chaturbhuj, each adorned with the elephant god’s sacred items. While the upper right-hand holds a lotus flower, he wields an axe in his upper left arm, holy beads in the lower right and a bowl full of Modaks in the lower left. On his either sides are goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi, who bestow the devotees with prosperity and riches.

The Goddesses Riddhi and Siddhi who represent sanctity, attainment, prosperity, and riches flank Lord Ganesh on both sides. On the Lord’s forehead, the third eye of Lord Shiva can be seen.

Shree Siddhivinayak is known as Navascha Ganapati in Marathi as it is said that he grants all the wishes of those who pray to him sincerely. It is also one of the wealthiest temples in the county and is visited by all kinds of people, ranging from celebrities to common man.

What is the history of Siddhivinayak Temple?

The history of the temple raises back in time about 200 years ago is prevalent to this date. Shree Akkalkot Swami Samarth’s adherent, Late Shree Ramakrishna Jambhekar Maharaj attained Siddhi. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha and the Gayatri Mantra. One day, he buried idols of the gods outside a disciple’s courtyard. He prophesied that a Mandar tree would grow in its place and the elephant god would reside in there. 21 years later, as the tree grew, so did people’s faith.

A more popular story is that of an Agri woman, Shreemati Deubai Patil. Rendered childless due to infertility, she funded the construction of the temple with a prayer that the Lord bless women like her with children.

Established in 1801, the temple is more than 200 years old. What was originally a small place of worship, Shree Siddhivinayak was rebuilt into a majestic temple complex of 2550 square feet in 1993.

In 1952, a small Hanuman Temple was consecrated within the temple complex. The idol of Lord Hanuman was excavated during a road extension project.

The official website of The Siddhivinayak Temple is: http://www.siddhivinayak.org/

What is the structure of Siddhivinayak Temple?

The initial shrine was small and had a lake next to it. However, the lake was filled up and currently is not part of the temple complex. Currently, the temple is an imposing six-storied multi-angular structure.

The sanctum sanatorium (Gabhara) is right under a 12 feet high dome with the gold plated Kalash weighing 1500 kgs at its pinnacle.

The central dome is gold plated while the other domes are plated with Panchadhaatu (five metals- gold, silver, copper, brass, and bronze). The second floor houses the temple kitchen and the fourth houses a collection of more than 8000 books related to religion, philosophy, and science.

Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai also conducts social and cultural activities for the welfare of society. It operates a Dialysis Center, conducts blood and health camps and provides free eye checkups.

What is the dress code at Siddhivinayak Temple?

The Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai does not have a strict dress code but recommends decent clothes for men and women. Shorts and miniskirts are to be avoided. Beachwear and other revealing dresses are not allowed inside the premises.

Siddhivinayak Temple Festival — The Siddhivinayak Temple is decorated beautifully during Chaturthi and is visited by a large number of devotees.

What are the festivals celebrated at Siddhivinayak Temple?

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most popular festivals of Maharashtra.

Ganesha Chaturthi: The biggest celebration dedicated to Lord Ganesha is held in a grand manner at the Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai during August – September. The celebrations last for 10 days and the last day are named as “Ananta Chaturdashi”. In preparation for the festivities, a giant clay idol of the Lord is made 2-3 months in advance. The idol is then placed on a giant pedestal and decorated with garlands. The idol is installed at the temple in a ritual known as the Pranaprathishtha Pooja. Vedic hymns and Shlokas are chanted to appease the Lord. Offerings like coconut, jaggery and modaks are made to the Lord to receive his blessings. The temple receives lakhs of pilgrims during these ten days to catch a glimpse of the majestic deity. On the eleventh day, the idol is taken out in a grand procession amidst singing and dancing on devotional songs. The idol is then immersed in the sea, bidding adieu to the Lord who proceeds to his home in Kailash.
Sankashti Chaturthi: The auspicious dates fall on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha or the waning phase of the moon every month of the Hindu calendar. The day is extremely sacred to Ganesha devotees worldwide, who observe fast on these days. The importance of the day is mentioned in the Puranas like the Narasimha Purana and the Bhavishaya Purana. It is believed that Lord Krishna himself explained the importance of the Pooja to Yudhishthar of the Pandavas. On this day, the temple performs important Poojas to the Lord to remove obstacles in the devotee’s life and grant prosperity. Mahapuja is performed for the deity by reciting the Purush Sukt, Brahmanaspati Sukt, Atharva Sheersha, Ganapati Sukt and the Saraswati Sukt.
Hanuman Jayanti: The day marks the birth of Lord Hanuman. The festival is celebrated in the month of Chaithra in Maharashtra. On this day, special religious discourses and Poojas are held for the Lord which begin at dawn and end after sunrise. It is believed that the Lord was born at sunrise on this auspicious day.
Akshaya Tritiya: The auspicious day is celebrated in the month of May in the Temple. Special Poojas dedicated to the Lord are performed on the day. It is believed that the benefits of doing Jaap, Yagya, and Punya will never diminish but remain forever with the devotee. Along with Ugadi and Vijayadasami, Akshaya Tritiya is believed to be one of the days that are free from all ill-effects.

Besides these festivals, Gudi Parva, Ram Navami, Ganga Dussehra, Nag Panchami, Gokulashtami, Navaratri and Mahashivaratri are some of the other joyous occasions celebrated at the temple premises.

How to reach Siddhivinayak Temple?

By Air: The distance from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to the Siddhivinayak Temple Mumbai is 15 km and takes about an hour depending on the traffic conditions. One can hire a taxi from the airport to Prabhadevi. Mumbai is the financial capital of India and is well connected to all major cities of the country via major airlines.
By Train: Dadar is the nearest railway station and is a ten-minute ride to the Temple complex from here. Local trains ply between Dadar and major railway stations like the CST Terminal, Churchgate and Santacruz. Mumbai CST Terminal is well connected to all major cities of the country.
By Road: The city of Mumbai is connected to all major nearby cities like Panaji, Pune, Thane, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Surat via wide national highways. The state transport operated government buses from all important towns and cities of Maharashtra. The private bus service also operates regular buses in and out of the city. The city also boasts of good local transport connectivity by buses and taxis.

Where to stay?

A large number of hotels, lodges and guesthouses are available for tourists. Since Mumbai is a coastal city, there are several options for staying in beachfront villas and hotels. The pricing of rooms is on a higher side in the city. The city boasts of several five-star hotels such as the Taj, Trident, and the Four Seasons. One can also book guesthouses like the one run by ISKCON.

Where to eat?

Mumbai is one of the best cosmopolitan cities to experience a wide range of delicacies. One can find an incomparable range of cuisines like Maharashtrian, Coastal, North-Indian, Mughlai and Muslim food, South-Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Thai and European.

The options to taste these delicacies range from excellent seven-star hotels to local cafes and dhabas that are dispersed through this huge city. The chaats are a must-have at the Juhu and the Chowpatty beach. Vada Pav and Pavbhaji are a must-try. The Khao Gully in Colaba is particularly famous for its Maharashtrian food.

What are some places to visit near Siddhivinayak Temple?

Explore Mumbai — The city of Mumbai has something to offer to everyone.

Mahalakshmi Temple: The famous Mahalakshmi Temple is located 6 km from Siddhivinayak Temple. The presiding deity is Goddess Mahalakshmi is a form of Goddess Shakti or Adi Parashakti. The Temple was built in 1785. The deity is represented by her three forms – Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. The Temple is famous for its yearly grand celebrations of the festival Navaratri.
Mumba Devi Mandir: The deity of the famous temple is Maha Amba, known as Mumba in Marathi. The Goddess is the patron deity of the Fishermen of Mumbai, the original inhabitants of the city. The city of Mumbai is named after the Goddess. The original temple dated back to the 15th century. However, it was destroyed and the new structure was built in the 18th century.
Sri Radha Rasabihari Ji Temple, ISKCON: The temple complex is located near the Juhu beach. The presiding deities of the temple are Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Radha Rasabihari and Sri Sita – Ram, Lakshman and Hanuman. The temple is an architectural landmark and is visited by thousands of devotees and tourists every day.
Swaminarayan Temple: The temple dedicated to Sri Swaminarayan is situated in the Bhuleshwar area of Mumbai. The Temple is nearly 100 years old. The Temple follows the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. The tri-spire structure houses the deities Hari Krishna, Gaulokvihari and Radha, Laxminarayan Dev and Ghanshyam Maharaj.
Jogeshwari caves: The cave temples of Jogeshwari in Mumbai are some of the earliest cave shrines dedicated to both Hinduism and Buddhism. They date back to 550 AD. The cave complex is used as a temple by the locals who worship the ancient idols of Lord Shiva, Hanuman, Ganesha and Lord Dattatreya. It is believed that the cave also enshrines the footprints of Goddess Jogeshwari who is worshipped by many as Kuladevi.

Frequently Asked Questions about Siddhivinayak Temple

Is the Siddhivinayak Temple open throughout the year?

Yes, the Siddhivinayak Temple is open all 365 days of the year.

What is the entry fee?

The entry to the Siddhivinayak Temple is free of cost. However, if you want to avoid the long queues, you can access VIP Darshan by paying Rs. 100/- per person.

Is there any Online Darshan facility available?

Yes, please visit the website http://www.siddhivinayak.org/ for Online Darshan.

Can one carry mobiles and gadgets into the temple?

Yes. All electronic gadgets are strictly allowed (viz. mobile, camera, laptop). However, photography inside the temple is prohibited.

Is there any facility for specially-abled and senior citizen?

Wheelchair facilities for disabled and senior citizens are available at the gate of the temple. Lift facilities are also present inside the temple.

What is the weather like during the summers?

The summers at Mumbai start from February and continues until May. The summers here can be hot and humid. Temperatures during the daytime often go up to 32 º C.

What are winters like in Mumbai?

In Mumbai, winters start in November and continue until January. The temperatures during this time range from around 18 º C to 28 º C. The weather during this time is warm and pleasant.

If you have any questions about The Siddhivinayak Temple, please leave a comment below, and we will get back to you within one hour.

Ganpatipule Temple

Ganpatipule Temple is located at a distance of 350 kms from Mumbai, in Ratnagiri district of the Kokan coast of Maharashtra. ‘Ganpatipule’ is the land of 400 years old “Swayambhoo” (a self-incarnated idol) Ganesha. Its origin can be imagined by its references in ancient literatures like Mudgal-puran etc, where it has been referred to as the “Paschim Dwar- Devata” or “Paschim Dwarpalak” (Western Sentinel God).

What is the history of Ganpatipule Temple?

Various myths are prevalent about the temples and deities. Some 500 years back, during the reigns of Moguls, there used to be ‘Kevada’ (flower tree) forest at the foot of the hill where presently the “Swayambhoo” Ganpati is situated. Here lived a Brahmin named Balbhatji Bhide.

Once he came across a major personal calamity, but being a determined person he decided to give up food and water till he is relieved from his problem. Hence he stayed in the Kevada forest for penance and worshiping his tutelary diety “Mangalmurti” Lord Ganesha.

During this period, Bhide had a vision in his dream in which Lord Ganesha told him that he has come to Aagargule (Ganesh Gule) in his “nirakar” (void) form to relieve all my devotees of their difficulties. Hence, you worship and propitiate here.

During the same period, one of the cows of Bhide was not giving milk, for which reason, the cowherd kept a close watch on her. He was astonished to see that the milk was flowing from cow’s udder on the place where the idol of the God is placed at present.

The cowherd narrated the incident to Bhide, on cleaning up the entire area Bhide found the idol of Ganesh which he had seen in his vision. Therefore, he built a shrine on a grass top there and started performing his first rituals.

Later, Secretary Annaji Datta, one of the eight trusted ministers of Shivaji Maharaj, erected a marvelous dome replacing the grass-top. The next construction was the auditorium built by Sardar Govindrap Bundele from Peshwa court.

After that the Kolhapur Sansthan Secretary Vasudeorao Barve, made a gold plated dome-summit. His Highness Nanasaheb Peshwa arranged for the continuous lamp-lit “Nandadeep” and Ramabai Peshwa created a permanent hard-stone construction for the pilgrims. Madhavrao Peshwa built the “Sabhamandap”.

What is the significance of Ganpatipule Temple?

Ganpatipule Temple is one of its kind and holds an important place in the Hindu culture as it is one of the ‘Astha-Ganapatis’ (eight Ganpatis).

Another most unique characteristic of this temple is that the abode of Ganesha is ‘Swayambhoo’ (Self-incarnated). This very concept of being self-embodied is suitable only to the ‘Aadhya-Devatas’ (Initial deities). All these ‘Swayambhoo’ deities are the parts of this eternal nature. Hence, they do not need any further carving or sculpturing. They are nature in itself.

Unlike the deities in other Indian temples who faces the east, the ‘Swayambhoo Ganpati’ faces the west direction, also making him known as the “Paschim-Dwar-Devata” or the “Paschim-Dwarpalak” i.e. Western Sentinel God. It is believed that he faces the west so as to protect the Western Ghats of India.

The mesmerizing glimpse of the fountain spurring from the naval of Lord Ganesha on a typical monsoon day, fills every devotee witnessing it with utmost divinity and purity.

The present form of the temple was built between 1998 and 2003. To give it an impression of being carved out of a single rock, construction has taken place with a special kind of stone called the Agra Red Stone.

Ganpatipule Temple Pradakshina

The Ganpatipule temple is situated at the foot of a small hill along the seashore. Therefore, pilgrims visiting here believe in taking a “Pradakshina” around the hill instead of just the temple. The “Pradakshina” is usually done to show ones’ obeisance to the Lord and devotion towards Him.

The northern front gate of Ganpatipule Temple

At the front gate, to the north, is a huge main gate with two elephants with raised trunks, standing on both sides of the gate. There is also one large bronze “Mushak” (mouse) situated near the gate. The “Mushak” is the “Vahana” (carrier) of Sri Ganesh, typically found in all His temples, is very sacred to the Hindus.

It is believed that if anyone has a wish to get fulfilled by Lord Ganesha then he or she can whisper the wish into the ears of the Mushak and pray for its fulfillment.

What are the timings of Ganpatipule Temple?

The Darshan timings of Ganpatipule Temple are as follows:

Timings	From	To
Morning Darshan	5 AM	9 PM
Morning Aarti	5 AM	5:30 AM
Noon Aarti	12 PM	12:30 PM
Evening Aarti	7 PM	7:30 PM
Khichdi Prasad Time	12 PM	2 PM

What are the festivals celebrated at Ganpatipule Temple?

Various festivals and celebrations are carried out ardently throughout the year, those are:

Bhadrapad Celebration

Bhadrapad shuddha pratipada to panchami.
Aarati, Mantrapushpa and Keertan every night.
Mahaprasad on the auspicious day of Waman Dwadashi.

Magh Celebrations

Magh Suddha 1 to Magh Suddha 5.
Aarati, Mantrapushpa and Keertan every night.
Magh Shuddh 6 – Cultural Programmes at night.
Magh Shuddha 7 – Mahaprasa at noon and cultural Programms at night.

Dasara

On this day, at early morning a pooja takes place at the ‘Samadhi’ (Holy Tomb) of Bhatji Bhilde and 2100 Boondi Ladus are distributed among the devotees. In the evening, the palanquin procession for ‘Simollanghan’ (Symbolic crossing of the out skirts) takes place.

The palanquin halts at the Shamee Tree on the Pradakshina path. The leaves of the Shamee tree are taken as a symbol of gold and are hence offered to Lord Ganesha during the pooja and like this the palanquin celebration comes to an end.

Deepotsav (Festival of Lights)

Kojagiri full-moon-night to Tripuri full-moon-night.
Every evening between Ashwin Shuddha 15 to Kartik Shuddha 15 lamps are lit at the time of Aarati.

Vasant Puja

Chaitra Shuddh 1 to Vaishakh Shuddh 3 (Gudhipadava to Akshayytritiya).

Palanquin Procession of the Lord

On every Sankanshti (i.e. 12 time a year), on Gudhipadwa, Dasara, Deepawali (First Day) Ganesh Chaturthee (Bhadrapad Suddha 4), Maghi Chaturthee (Magh shuddha 4) are the specific SEVENTEEN times, on which the Lord Ganesh is worshipped with this procession.

How to reach Ganpatipule Temple?

There are multiple ways to reach the Ganpatipule temple, those are as follows:

By Road:

Kolhapur – Ganpatipule, 144 kms.

Belgaum – Ganpatipule, 299 kms.

Pune – Ganpatipule (via Satara), 331 kms.

Mumbai – Ganpatipule (via Mahad), 375 kms.

By Rail:

Konkan Railway station is around 65 kms away from the temple.

By Flight:

The nearest airport to the temple is Mumbai Airport which is around 375 kms away from the temple.

By Bus:

The MSRTC State Buses are also available for transportation from Ratnagiri Bus Station.

Where to stay nearby?

There are several modern accommodation available near Ganpatipule temple and also in the Ratnagiri city. Apart from this, the charitable endowments like Bhaktinivas also provide lodging at a very nominal tariff.

Where to eat nearby?

All kinds of food options are available in the Ratnagiri city. Although near the temple mostly vegetarian restaurants are found. But it is worth mentioning that the local people of this place are very generous and kind. It is for them only that such an old heritage of the Hindus looks so serene and blissful even now. It is highly recommended to drink clean water only.

What are some temples nearby?

Karhateshwar Temple: It is a Lord Shiva Temple and can be reached by taking a left road from the Jaigad Fort.

Shri Laxmi- Keshav Temple: It is located in the Kolisare village, the temple is surrounded by dense forest and holds a very ancient idol of Laxmi and Keshav. The 5 feet idol is sculpted on a reddish black Shaligram stone from the Gandaki river in Nepal and is an excellent example of the finest form of ancient art.

Shri Uma-Maheshwar Mandir- Hedvi: The pretty mandir of Shri Uma and Maheshwar was built at the end of the 18th century with the help of Ahilyabai Holkar’s Charity. The temple has the heritage of solemn peace.

Shri Walneshwar Mandir: It is 5 kms from Hedvi. This temple too has a history of 400 years, hence, is a point of tourist attraction.

Shrikshetra Parshuram: Lord Parshuram is the 6^th incarnation of Lord Shri Vishnu. This temple has a significance of its own and has many myths and legends related to it. The sculptural beauty of the temple is a fine blend of western, Muslim and Hindu architecture.

Shri Swami Swaroopananda Shrine temple (Samadhi Mandir): Swami Swaroopananda was a great saint, poet and spiritual Guru. His full name was Ramachandra Vishnu Godbole. He was fortunate enough to see Lord Vishnu in person. The place where he gave away his elements of existence (accepted Samadhi), has been transformed into a huge, beautiful and extremely clean temple.

Shri Zari Vinayak Mandir: On the Ratnagiri-Pavas road runs a crystal clear brook through the mountains. at the upper side of the brook (Zari in Marathi) you can see a carved rock symbolizing Lord Ganesha, hence the name Zari Vinayak.

Ganeshgule (Agargule): This temple of Ganpati is a famous 400 years on the Pavas-Poorngad road, 4 km from the main road. There is a popular story realted to this temple which says that Lord Ganesha transferred Himself from Ganesgule to Ganpatipule, which also led to the creation of a Marathi saying- “ Gulyacha Ganapati Pulyala Gela” (The Ganesh of Gule went to Pule).

Dhoot papeshwar Temple: It is located just 5 km from the main market area of Rajapur. One can see a very beautiful Ganesh idol carved out of a black stone. The temple traditionally celebrates Mahashivratri from Magh vadhya 10 to Falgun suddha 1.

Hot Water Spring – Unhaale: On the Mumbai- Goa highway comes a village called Unhaale. It is well known for the sulfur smelling hot springs which serves for many medicinal benefits to its visitors, especially people with skin diseases. There is a small Shiva temple too.

Ganga- Teerth- Rajapur: Located on the Mumbai- Goa highway this spot has a similar significance as that of the previous one. It has 14 Kunds (Earthen tanks borderd with Jambha rocks with hot spring waters over flowing through it. The place is worshipped due to its mysterious and beneficial properties.

Shri Kankaditya Mandir: The Kankaditya temple is a beautiful architectural piece. The Lord’s statue is splendidly carved out of a black stone. The temple also has a special silver chariot fot the Lord. The Rath (chariot) Saptami festival is celebrated in this temple between Magh suddha 7 to Magh suddha 11.

Shri Mahakali Mandir: The temple is located in the Adiware village on the Ratnagiri-Rajapur vai Pavas road. There are 5 idols in the temple namely Shri Yogeshwari, Shri Mahakali, Shri Mahalaxmi, Shri Mahasaraswati and Shri Ravalnath. The festival of Navaratri is celebrated in the temple very enthusiastically every year.

Chottanikkara Temple Guide – Timings, Vazhipadu, Dress Code, and History

Chottanikkara Temple is located near Kochi in Kerala. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped here. The Goddess is also known as Bhagavathy. The idol is 4 to 5 feet in height. She has four arms. The upper right arm holds the disc. The upper left arm bears the conch. The lower right hand is in a blessing pose and the lower left arm is in an Abhaya pose, which means fearlessness.

Chottanikkara Temple
Temple Timings	4:00 am to 12:00 pm. 4:00 pm to 8:45 pm
Prasadam Timings	1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Guruthy at Keezhakavu Temple	8:45 pm to 9:30 pm
Dress Code	Men: Dhoti, no shirt. Women: Saree
Time Taken for Darshan	Normal Season: 2 hours. Ayyappa Season: 3-4 hours.
Entry Fee	Free. No Special darshan available.
Best Time to Visit	September – February
Nearest Airport	Kochi

Chottanikkara Temple Timings

Here are the timings of Chottanikkara Temple:

Ritual	Timings
Morning Darshan	4:00 am to 12:00 pm
Evening Darshan	4:00 pm to 8:45 pm
Prasadam Timings	1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Guruthy at Keezhakavu Temple	8:45 pm to 9:30 pm
Seeveli	6:00 am to 6:30 am
Ucha Pooja	12:00 pm to 12:30 pm
Deeparadhana	6:15 pm to 6:30 pm
Athaza Pooja	7:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Chottanikkara Temple Food Timings

Devotees can have food at the temple during the afternoon from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Dress Code at Chottanikkara Temple

As per the Chottanikkara Temple dress code, men should wear dhoti and no shirt (only Angavastram). Women devotees should wear a sari, churidar, pavadai chattai or salwar kameez. Devotees will not be allowed to enter the Chottanikkara Temple wearing informal attire like jeans, shorts or T-shirts.

History and Legend of Chottanikkara Temple

Chottanikkara Temple is one of the oldest temples of Kerala. There are several legends related to the temple.

The Goddess was worshipped by the great Bhogacharya.
As per myth, the Rudraksha Sila was worshipped by great saints. These saints were Adishankaracharya, Vilwamangalam Swamiyar, Kakkasseri Bhattathiri and Chemmangattu Bhattathiri.
It is believed that the deity was brought here from Mookambika Temple which is in Kollur, Karnataka.
It is also believed that Goddess Mookambika Saraswati is present at the temple during morning worship. She stays at the temple till 7 am. This is the reason that the Goddess is worshipped late at Mookambika Temple. As the Goddess is present at the Chottanikkara Temple during the worship.
Another myth states that the original deity of the Goddess was self-born; this is also known as swayambhu.
The original idol is made of laterite and is irregular in shape. This is in red colour.

Significance of Chottanikkara Temple

The temple is important in the religious history of Kerala due to the following reasons.

Goddess Bhagavathy is an evil destroyer here. She protects her devotees from danger.
As per folklore, pilgrims get free from the stress of material life here.
Goddess Rajarajeswari has three forms at the temple. In the morning worship, she is Goddess Saraswati. In the afternoon She is Goddess Lakshmi and in the evening She is Goddess Durga.
She is in a white dress in the morning. In the afternoon She is in crimson red cloth and in the evening the Goddess is in a bright blue dress.
There is a statue of Lord Vishnu on the same pedestal. For this reason, the Goddess is also known as Ammenarayana, Devinarayana, Lakshminarayana and Bhadrenarayana.
There are also deities of Lakshmi, Narayana, Brahma, Siva, Ganapati, Subramanya and Sastha on the pedestal.
The temple also has various idols of mythological characters.

Festivals celebrated at Chottanikkara Temple

Makom Thozhal Festival: This festival takes place on the Makom day in the month of Kumbham. The Malayalam month of Kumbham is either February or March. On Makom day Goddess Bhagavathy appeared before Vilwamangalam Swamiyar. There is another myth, that the Goddess appears before the devotees every year on the Makom day. Hence the celebration takes place on this day. Devotees sing Bhajanam on the occasion. As per legends, after Bhajanam, Bhadrakali at Kizhukkavu frees the devotees from the evil spirit.
Navaratri Mahotsavam: This is another major festival celebrated at the temple. The festival takes place every year in the months of September and October. It takes place for 10 days. Several cultural programmes take place at the temple during the festival. Priests perform Vidyarambham and Annadhanam during this time.

Poojas and Rituals at Chottanikkara Temple

Chottanikkara Temple follows some special rituals.

Worship starts at the temple by blowing the conch. Musicians play instruments at this time.
The day starts with Nirmalya Darshan. The swayambhu image of Goddess is visible only at this time.
Dhaara of Lord Shiva is the next ritual.
Several types of worship take place throughout the day. Ethruthu Pooja, Seeveli, Guruthi Nivedyam, Pantheeradi, Ucha, Uchaseeveli are the other afternoon worships.
The Evening Nada opening again worships Goddess Rajarajeswari.
Deeparadhana, Athazha and Seeveli worship take place in evening.
Bhajanam is a special ritual that takes place on the request of the devotees. Devotees can request Bhajanam only if they stay at the temple. They do not go out of the temple this time. Worshippers do not have food with salt, chilly and sour at this time. Bhajanam can heal diseases.
Mandapathil Paattu is another ritual which gives blessings of the Goddess. Bronze lamps and flowers decorate the temple. The devotees present satin clothes, fineries, rice and paddy to the Goddess. Devotees play Brahmini Amma Paatu devotional songs. After worship they get Chathussatham. This is a kind of sweet pudding.
Annadanam is another ritual that satisfies the Goddess.
Rudrabhishekam worship is for Lord Shiva.
Chuttuvilakku and Nirmala rituals are for prosperity.
Trikala worship is also for prosperity. In this ritual, the devotee has to worship the Goddess three times in a day.
One day worship is another ritual in which the devotee has to worship Goddess Rajarajeswari complete day.
Mahabhagavath Seva is for the main deity. This ritual gives jaggery to the Goddess.
Noorum Palum ritual worships the Naga snakes.
Palpayasam ritual worships Lord Vishnu.
Mrithyunjaya Homam ritual gives blessings of Lord Shiva. This ritual also provides long life. it helps to cure diseases.
Chathussadam is another form of worship of Goddess Rajarajeswari.

How to Reach: Road, Rail and Air

Chottanikkara Temple is easily accessible from all parts of the country.

By Air: The temple is at 38 km from the Cochin airport. This international airport is well connected to the other airports of India, Singapore and Gulf countries.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to the temple is the Thrupoonithura railway station. It is at 4 km from the temple. The temple is 18 km from Eranakulam south and north railway station. Eranakulam is a junction and connects the city with the other cities of the country. There are auto-rickshaws and private cars available from the railway stations which take you directly to the shrine. Trains are available throughout the day, starting from 4.00 am till 10.00 pm.

By Road: The temple is at 20 km from the Eranakulam KSRTC bus stand. It is at 22 km from the Kaloor private bus stand. Road transport to the Chottanikkara Temple is economical. Deluxe Volvo buses are available which connect the temple to the different cities, like Chennai, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Where to stay

Chottanikkara Temple authorities are planning to construct accommodation for devotees visiting the temple. Pilgrims who wish to donate to the temple can stay at the temple. These suites will come with a bedroom sum living room, kitchen and an attached bath. The suites planned are modern with ceramic floorings. Devotees will be provided with gas cylinders and stoves to enable cooking. The suites will have amenities like refrigerators, television sets with cable connection and hot water.
Besides this, the Hinterland Village Resort, PPG Tourist Home, Hill Palace Hotel and SPA, The Capital Fort Kochi, Royal Homestay and Casa de Forte are some of the best hotels at about 1.6 km from the temple. These hotels provide clean rooms with basic amenities. You can also get good food at these hotels.

Where to eat

Chottanikkara Temple is very famous and hence there are several eat outs near the shrine. Black N White, Grameen Ruchi, Kettuvalam, Naushad the Big Chef, The Avenue Regent and the Deagle Arabian Hut are also near. Visitors can relish authentic Kerala cuisines here. These eateries also provide Asian, Chinese and other Indian cuisines.

Nearby Temples

There are several temples near Chottanikkara Temple.

Kizhukkavu Temple: This temple is situated just on the eastern side of the Chottanikkara Temple. Moreover, the temple is famous for its ValiyaGuruthy worship. This means great sacrifice and the event takes place every day at 8.45 pm. This ritual takes place after the evening worship at the Chottanikkara Temple. This ritual cures women from mental disorders, like schizophrenia.
Ernakulatthappan Temple: This temple is situated at the heart of the Eranakulam city. Here also Lord Shiva is the presiding deity. The important feature of this temple is that the deity is west facing. In addition, here the great Villawamangalathu Swamiyar framed rituals. The shrine depicts the Kerala style of architecture. The temple also has deities of Lord Ganesha and Sastha.
Ettumanoor Shiva Temple: This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is from Travancore. The temple is also historically important. The Pandavas and Saint Vyasa worshipped here. The temple has mural paintings.
Kaduthuruthy Temple: Also known as the Thali Temple, this shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is near the Vembanad Lake. In addition, Lord Shiva is east facing here. Kharasura demon worshipped Lord Shiva here. The wooden carvings of the temple narrate various stories related to Lord Shiva. Also, there are Lord Ganesha, Sastha and Goddess Durga here.
Sree Poornathrayesa Temple: This temple is also significant as it is 1000 years old and is dedicated to Poornathrayesan. Poornathrayesan is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Furthermore, childless couples can pray here to get a child. Also, Vrishchikoltsawam is the main festival here. It takes place during the months of November and December.
Vaikom Mahadeva temple: This is the most famous Lord Shiva temple of central Kerala. While some believe that Parasurama installed Shiva Lingum here, others believe that demon Kharasuran placed the Siva lingam at this shrine. Also, Ananadana Prabhu is the major festival at the temple.

Winters (December to February) is the best time to visit the temple as Chottanikkara has pleasant weather at this time. The place experiences heavy rainfall during the monsoons (June and July) and moderately hot from March to May. If you want to participate in the festivals of the temple then it is best to visit the temple between August and November.

Kedarnath and Badrinath in August Weather

It rains in Kedarnath and Badrinath during August. Monsoon in these places is risky and there are chances of landslides and floods. Therefore, it is suggested not to travel to Kedarnath or Badrinath during this season. Kedarnath helicopter also will not fly during August. You can travel during September and October to Char Dham.

If you are still planning on visiting Kedarnath and Badrinath during August, it is important to take the services of an experienced tour operator like us. Our drivers are very safe and we make sure you have a wonderful trip even during August.

Take a look at our Char Dham Yatra Package now.

Kedarnath and Badrinath in August

How is the weather in Kedarnath and Badrinath during each season?

Summer Season: This is the best season to visit Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham. Summer in Kedarnath stays from April to June. The view is beautiful and there is freshness everywhere. Although, even during the summers, it can get freezing during the evening. You must carry proper warm clothes to protect yourself.
Monsoon Season: July and August are the Monsoon months in Kedarnath and Badrinath. This place witnesses heavy rainfall during these months. There are chances of landslides and floods. It is advised not to travel during these months.
Pre-Winter Season: September and October cover Pre-Winters. This time is also very ideal to visit the Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham. Just after the rains, the weather becomes stunning. The places are full of greenery. The beauty of the whole region increases during this time.
Winter Season: Winters at this place starts around the end of November and continues till March. During this time, the place witnesses heavy snowfall. Due to freezing weather, the shrines are kept closed for the pilgrims. It again opens in April.

Frequently asked questions about Char Dham Yatra

Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple in Tamil Nadu is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga Temples in India. It is located in the Rameshwaram District of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost part of India.

Planning to visit the Rameswaram Temple? Have a look at our Madhurai Rameswaram Tour Package.

Rameshwaram Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Rameshwar (Lord Shiva)
Location	Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Significance	Jyotirlinga
Tours	Madurai Rameswaram Tour
Darshan Timings	6:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Entry Fee	Free
Poojas	Rudrabhisek, Laghurudrabhisek
Best Time to Visit	October to March
Festivals	Shravan, Shivratri
Jyotirlingas in South India	Rameswaram Temple, Srisailam Temple

Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple Video

What are the timings of Rameswaram Temple?

The temple opens at 6 AM and closes at 9 PM. The temple also performs various rituals during this time. The devotees can be a part of these rituals, such as the morning, afternoon, and evening poojas.

The timings are as follows:

Ritual	From	To
Morning Darshan	6:00 AM	1:00 PM
Evening Darshan	3:30 PM	8:30 PM

Rameshwaram Shiva — The Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple is closely associated to Lord Rama.

What are the sevas and poojas of the Rameswaram Temple?

Poojas at Rameswaram — There are several poojas that take place at the Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple.

Some of the sevas and poojas of the Mahakaleshwar Temple are:

Ritual	Timings
Palliyarai Deepa Arathana	5:00 AM
Spadigalinga Deepa Arathana	5:10 AM
Thiruvananthal Deepa Arathana	5:45 AM
Vila Pooja	7:00 AM
Kalasanthi Pooja	10:00 AM
Uchikala Pooja	12:00 PM
Sayaratcha Pooja	6:00 PM
Arthajama Pooja	8:30 PM
Palliyarai Pooja	8:45 PM

The Palliyarai (Sayanangriha) Procession of Swami and the Palliyarai Pooja for Swami and Ambal in the Sayanagriha in the Ambal Shrine are performed between 8:45 PM and 9:00 PM.

Some famous poojas conducted at the Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple are:

1008 silver Kalasa Abishekam
108 silver Kalasa Abishekam
1008 Kalasa Abishegam (copper)
Rudrabishekam
Panchamirtha Abishekam
Gangabishekam with Ganges & Vessel
Swami Sahasranama Archana
Ambal Sahasranama Archana
Rudrajapam
Swami Astothra Archanai

Rameswaram Poojas — All the poojas at the temple are celebrated with great pomp and fare.

What is the significance of Rameswaram Temple?

Like all the 12 Jyotirlingas, the Rameshwaram Jyoritlinga is Swayambhu.

The significance of Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple is that the sanctum sanctorum of the temple has 2 Lingas – the Ramalingam – made out of sand by Sita, and the Vishwalingam – brought by Hanuman. Since Hanuman had brought the Linga all the way from Kailash, Lord Rama instructed that one should worship Vishwalingam first.

The entire island of Rameshwaram and nearby areas are in relation to Lord Rama. As per beliefs, many incidents from the Ramayana happened here and therefore, this place is important for both Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Rameshwaram has many as 50 Teerths or holy wells, and 22 of them are inside the temple. The water from these wells is believed to possess medicinal properties. Also, as per belief, the water from each Teerth tastes different and offers various remedies.

The Linga is made of Spatika. It is auspicious to bathe the Linga with the water from the Ganges. Devotees who go to Kashi, make it a point to bring the Ganges water and offer it to the Linga here.

The official website of the Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple is: http://www.rameswaramtemple.tnhrce.in/

What is the history of Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple?

Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy History — Lord Ram and Goddess Sita made a Shiva Lingam out of sand and water.

The history of Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple dates back to the Ramayana period. Devotees believe that Lord Rama made the Linga and installed it here. As per the legend, Lord Rama and his wife Sita were returning from Lanka after killing Ravana, who was half-demon and half Brahmin.

Since killing a Brahmin is a sin, Lord Rama wished to worship Lord Shiva and ask his pardon. So, he had sent Lord Hanuman to Mount Kailash to bring Lord Shiva’s idol. Meanwhile, Lord Rama and Sita were living on the island and when they tried to drink the water, a powerful and divine voice spoke to them.

The voice chided Lord Rama that he was drinking the water without worshiping. Therefore, instead of waiting for Hanuman’s return, Lord Rama instructed Sita to make a Linga with the sand and water from the seashore.

Then he worshipped Lord Shiva in this form and pleaded for mercy. Lord Shiva manifested himself as the Jyotirlinga, blessed Lord Rama and also accepted to stay here and bless mankind forever. Since Lord Rama worshipped the Linga, the Jyotirlinga was named as Ramanathaswamy, and the place was called as Rameshwaram.

What is the structure of Rameswaram Temple?

Architecture of Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple — The architecture of the Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple is dedicated to a host of gods and goddesses carved on the walls of the temple.

The rulers of Pandya Dynasty expanded the temple in 12^th century AD.

The Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple has the world’s largest temple corridor. They measure around 1220 meters and also comprises of nearly 1200 magnificent granite pillars in total.

What are the festivals celebrated at Rameshwaram Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple are:

Mahashivratri: This festival is in honor of Lord Shiva. Devotees believe that he is the Adiyogi who is the source of the Yogi tradition. Also, people observe it by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, doing Yoga as well as meditating.
Ramalinga Prathishtai: It is a 3-day festival celebrating the installation of the Ramalingam. The festival occurs during May- June.
Thirukalyanam: It is the celestial wedding ceremony of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The festivities carry on for a fortnight and occur in July – August.
Navaratri & Dussera: It is a 10-day festival celebrated in September – October.
Aarudhira Dharshan: It is an important day in the Shaivite calendar when Lord Shiva indulges in a cosmic dance. Also, Lord Shiva’s avatar, Lord Nataraja, performs this ecstatic dance on a day that coincides with the longest night of the year. This festival occurs during the end of December or in early January.

How to reach the Rameswaram Temple?

Here’s how to reach Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple:

Air: The nearest airport is in Madurai, which is 174 km from Rameshwaram.
Train: Rameshwaram Railway station is the nearest railhead, 1 km away from the temple.
Road: This major pilgrim site is connected to all cities and towns in Tamil Nadu. Several state-run and private buses are available.

Where to stay near Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple?

There are several accommodation options available at Rameswaram. The temple also offers accommodation options. One can also find comfortable rooms and dormitories in the TTDC Guest House at a nominal tariff.

What are some temples near Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple?

Explore Rameshwaram — There are several beautiful places to visit near the Ramanathaswamy Temple, such as, the Ram Setu.

Some of the temples near Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple are:

Satchi Hanuman Temple: The Satchi Hanuman Temple is a spot of great significance in the Ramayana. It is the place where Hanuman conveyed to Lord Rama, that Sita is in Lanka. Moreover, Hanuman gave Sita’s jewel as evidence or Satchi and hence, the spot became popular as Satchi Hanuman Temple. The temple is 3 km from Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy Temple.
Panchamukha Hanuman Temple: The Panchamukha Hanuman Temple has a majestic idol of Lord Hanuman with five faces covered in vermillion. The temple also attracts devotees who come to see the floating rocks that Lord Hanuman’s army used to build the Ramsethu bridge between Indian and Sri Lanka. Also, the Panchamukha Hanuman Temple is 2 km from the Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy Temple
Badrakaliamman Temple: Badrakaliamman Temple is in dedication to Goddess Durga. The temple is just 2 km away from the Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy Temple.
Nambu Nayagiamman Temple: The Nambu Nayagiamman Temple is a 14^th-century temple. The people of Ramnad built it as a mark of their faith and respect for Lord Rama. Further, the temple is 8 km from the Rameshwaram Ramanathswamy Temple.
Kothandaramaswamy Temple: This temple has relations with Vibishana, the brother of Ravana and Lord Rama. Devotees believe that Vibishana sought Lord Rama’s refuge in this place. This is also the place where Lord Rama coronated Vibishana after his victory in Lanka. The Kothandaramaswamy Temple is 12 km away from Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy Temple.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rameswaram Temple

Is the Rameswaram Temple open throughout the year?

Yes, the Rameswaram Temple is open all 365 days of the year.

What is the entry fee?

The entry to the Rameswaram Temple is free of cost.

Is there any online darshan facility available?

No. There is no facility for online darshan available.

Is there any facility for specially-abled and senior citizen?

No. There is no facility for specially-abled and senior citizens.

What is the weather like during the summers?

The summers in Rameswaram starts from April and continue until June. The summers here can be very hot and dry. Temperatures during the daytime often go up to 45 º C.

What are winters like in Rameswaram?

In Rameswaram, winters start in October and continue until March. The temperatures during this time range from around 17 º C to 28 º C. The weather during this time is not too cold and pleasant.

The Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy is a very important pilgrimage destination.

If you have any questions about The Rameswaram Ramanathanaswamy Temple, please leave a comment below, and we will get back to you within one hour.

Jagannath Temple Delhi Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Jagannath Temple Delhi is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. He is the God of the universe who symbolizes universal love. The temple is located at Hauz Khas, Delhi. Along with Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, Sudarshan, Madhaba, Sridevi and Bhudevi are also worshipped on the Ratnabedi or the bejeweled platform.

Jagannath Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Jagannath
Location	Bhagwan Jagannath Mg, Hauz Khas Vill- Rd, Hauz Khas, Delhi – 110016
Darshan Timings	5 AM to 10 PM (summer) 6 AM to 9:30 PM (winter)
Entry Fees	Free
Dress Code	Traditional Wear
Festivals	Ratha Yatra and many other Hindu festivals

Sree Neelachala Seva Sangh had established the temple in Hauz Khas in 1969 after acquiring land from the Delhi Development Authority. Orissa Government also donated 1 lakh rupees for the temple.

Jagannath Temple Delhi has been built according to the Odisha style of a temple structure in the same design as of Shri Mandir in Puri. The Deities of many other gods and goddesses like Shri Baraha, Shri Narasimha, and Shri Bamana, etc. have been engraved outside the structure of the main temple. The deities of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Chakra Sudarshan are made of Margosa wood.

The temple also serves as a center of cultural, religious and spiritual interests of Oriyas in Delhi.

Jagannath Temple Introduction — The Lord’s Yatra began first in 1979 after the Temple was built.

This Mandir is managed by a Society called Shri Jagannath Mandir and Odisha Arts & Cultural Centre, New Delhi (Regd.) under the Society of Registration Act, 1860 in the year 1968. The society also runs several charitable organizations. The temple is mostly run by the donations of the devotees.

Jagannath Temple Timings

The timings of the Jagannath Temple Delhi are:-

	Pahad Opening Timings	After Prasad Vitaran, Pahad reopening Timing	Pahad Closing Timings
Summer Timings	5:00 AM	12:30 PM	10:00 PM
Winter Timings	6:00 AM	1:00 PM	9:30 PM

Poojas and rituals performed in Jagannath Temple

The poojas and rituals performed in Jagannath Temple Delhi are listed below:

Mangal Aarti
Abkash
Balya Bhog
Mandir Rosoi Ghar Hawan
Surya Pooja
Dwarpal Hawan
Garud Pooja
Snana, Srinagar and Sohala Upchar Pooja
Gopal Ballabh, Aarti and Pushpanjalee
Gita Paath
Vishnu Sahashranam Paath
Bada Bhog
Aarti
Pana Bhog
Veda Paath
Sri Bhagwat Paath
Strotra Paath
Sainkaleen Pooja
Sandhya Aarti
Bhajan and Kirtan
Shayan Aarti
Bhada Bhog
Geet Govinda Paath

Dress code of Jagannath Temple

Dress Code at Jagannath Temple is:-

It is advisable to wear decent pieces of apparel when entering the temple. Ladies should be in the traditional attire of sari, lehenga choli or salwar kameez.
Leather items are not allowed inside the temple.
People should leave their footwear behind while entering the temple.

What is the significance of the Jagannath Temple?

The significance of the Jagannath Temple Delhi is:-

The Jagannath Temple at Hauz Khas was built by the working class Oriya community in replication to the Puri temple.
Jagannath, the God of the Universe is believed to be the fulfiller of one’s wishes. It is also said that his blessings can shape or destroy a man.
The person who gets to see the Lord’s idol in his life is considered to be lucky or Punyavan.

The Lord’s Yatra began first in 1979 after the Temple was built.

What is the history of Jagannath Temple?

The history of Jagannath Temple states that:-

Several legendary accounts found in the Skanda-Purana, Brahma Purana and other Puranas and later Oriya works suggest that Lord Jagannath was originally worshipped as Lord Nila Madhava by a Savar king (tribal chief) named Viswavasu.

Jagannath Temple History 1 — Lord Jagannath was originally worshipped as Lord Nila Madhava

Hearing about the deity, King Indradyumna sent a Brahmin priest, Vidyapati to look for the deity, who was worshipped secretly in a dense forest by Viswavasu. After many failed attempts, he managed to marry Viswavasu’s daughter Lalita.

Jagannath Temple History 2 — Viswavasu took his son-in-law blind folded to a cave where Lord Neela Madhava was worshipped.

Vidyapati intelligently dropped mustard seeds on the ground on the way. The seeds germinated after a few days, which enabled him to find out the cave later on.
On hearing from him, King Indradyumna proceeded immediately to Odra Desha (Odisha) on a pilgrimage to see and worship the Deity. But the deity had disappeared in the meantime. The king was extremely disappointed at this failure. The Deity was hidden in the sand.

Jagannath Temple History 3 — King Indradyumna proceeded Odisha on a pilgrimage to worship the Deity.

The king was determined not to return without having a darshan of the deity an observed fast unto death at Mount Neela, then a celestial voice cried ‘thou shalt see him.’ Afterward, the king performed a horse sacrifice and built a magnificent temple for Lord Vishnu.
Sri Narasimha Murti brought by Narada was installed in the temple. During sleep, the king had a vision of the Lord. Also, an astral voice directed him to receive the fragrant tree on the seashore and make idols out of it.

Jagannath Temple History 4 — King Indradyumna got the vision of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Chakra Sudarshan

Accordingly, the king got the image of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Chakra Sudarshan made out of the wood of the divine tree and installed them in the temple.

What are the major festivals?

The major festivals celebrated at the Jagannath Temple are all Hindu festivals and certain festivals specific to the Oriya community. However, the most important festival is the Rath Yatra.

Jagannath Temple Festival 1 — The idols of Sri Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are placed in wooden chariots.

Rath Yatra is a Hindu festival associated with the God Jagannath which is held at the Jagannath Temple every year. It is the replication of the festival which happens at the same time in Puri. This annual festival is celebrated on Ashadha Shukla Dwitiya (second day of the bright fortnight of Ashadha month) which coincides with the months of June-July.

Rath Yatra translates into ‘The Chariot Journey’ in English. Over the period, the idols of Sri Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are placed in wooden chariots that are constructed over a period of time by skilled craftsmen and the chariots are carried across the streets which are strewn with flowers and grains by the devotees.

They carried for a couple of kilometers and they are brought back to their original place after the journey. It’s a visual treat to see thousands of devotees gathering on the streets and helping in sharing the burden of the chariots of the gods.

Jagannath Temple Festival 2 — The most important festival is the Rath Yatra.

The other festivals celebrated at the Jagannath Temple Delhi are:

Maha Vishuba Pana Sankranti / Hanuman Jayanti
Shri Rama Navami
Basantika Dushhara
Ravinarayan Brata
Chaitra Purnima
Akshay Tritiya / Ratha Anukula
Harishayana Ekadashi / Sunabesha
Guru Purnima
Shrikrishna Janmasthami
Ganesh Chaturthi
Navadinatmaka Puja Arambh
Pithe Mahasthami Puja / Maha Navami Puja / Dushahera
Dipawali
Devabhisheka
Makara Sankranti
Saraswati Puja
Holi

How to reach Jagannath Temple?

Road:
- Hauz Khas is one of the busiest suburbs of Delhi NCR.
- One can also rent a car or auto-rickshaw from anywhere and reach here.
- Delhi Transport Department has added more buses to its fleet.
- Several new and old buses are in service which will take you to the Jagannath Temple Terminuses such as Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan, and Anand Vihar are located nearby which leads to various important places in the city.
Metro: Hauz Khas Metro station is the nearest station to Jagannath Temple (1.9 k.m.).
Rail:
- Many metro trains in New Delhi passes through the Hauz Khas suburb.
- Whether one is coming from Noida, Gurgaon, India Gate, and the Airport or from the Delhi University area, they will find ample metro trains to reach the destination.
- Hauz Khas metro station is the nearest metro station to Jagannath Mandir, Delhi(1.4 k.m.).
Air: Indira Gandhi International Airport is the official airport of Delhi(12.2 k.m.).

Where to stay near Jagannath Temple?

The temple comes under a non-governmental organization. It is handled by a large association who are appointed as members of the temple. The temple also owns a self-run Dharamshala with up-to-date facilities. Rooms are available only on prior booking. AC/Non-AC rooms are also available for accommodation.

Inmates can even avail the Prasad Sevan facility which is provided at affordable rates. Hauz Khas also have 3 star and 5-star hotels catering to the needs of the visiting devotees.

Please carry valid ID proof such as Aadhar Card. It is needed at the time of booking of the rooms.

Where to eat near Jagannath Temple?

Every day Annaprasad is distributed with prior booking. The meals are available at affordable prices both in the daytime and the night. Devotees generally eat at the temple. On a daily basis about 300-400 devotees/visitors take Anna Prasad at the Prasad Hall of the temple. Many restaurants are also available in the contiguity.

What are some temples near Jagannath Temple?

Kalkaji Mandir – Kalkaji Mandir is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu Goddess Kali. This temple is located in the southern part of Delhi, right opposite to the Nehru Place business center. The belief surrounding the temple is that the image of the Goddess Kalka or Kali, here is a self-manifested one, and also the shrine dates back to Satya Yuga.
ISCKON Temple – ISKCON Delhi temple, is the temple of Lord Krishna and Radharani in the form of Radha Parthasarathi. It is one of the top tourist places in Delhi to visit.
Lotus Temple – The Lotus Temple, located in Delhi, India, is a Baha’i House of Worship. The temple is built in the shape of a floating half-open lotus set amidst pools and gardens. It serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent and has become a prominent attraction in the city.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jagannath Temple-

What’s the address of Jagannath Temple?

C-Block, Safdarjung Deplopment Area, Bhagwan Jagannath Mg, Hauz Khas Vill- Rd, Hauz Khas, Delhi – 110016.

What’s the average time spent in Jagannath Temple?

The average time spent in Jagannath Temple is 30 min.

What are the metro stations available near Jagannath Temple?

Hauz Khas Metro station is the nearest station to Jagannath Temple (1.9 k.m.).

What’s the dress code for women in the Jagannath Temple?

Women should be in the traditional attire of sari, lehenga choli or salwar kameez.

In which style the Jagannath Temple is built?

Jagannath Temple Delhi has been built according to the Odisha style of a temple structure in the same design as of Shri Mandir in Puri.

Which is the most important festival of Jagannath Temple?

The most important festival is the Rath Yatra.

What are the summer timings of Jagannath Temple?

5:00 AM to 10:00 PM is the summer timings of Jagannath Temple.

What are the winter timings of Jagannath Temple?

6:00 AM to 9:00 PM is the winter timings of Jagannath Temple.

Chintamani Ganpati Temple – Ashtavinayak Guide – Timings, Poojas and Significance

Chintamani Ganpati Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and is one of the eight Ashtavinayak Temples in Maharashtra. The temple is in Theur in Haveli Taluka. Chintamani Ganpati temple has specially designated sections for meditation. The main mandap consists of wood with a stone fountain at its centre.

Planning to visit this temple? Have a look at our Ashtavinayak Yatra Tour Packages.

Chintamani Ganpati Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Ganesha
Location	Theur, Maharashtra
Significance	Part of Ashtavinayak Temples
Best Time to Visit	July – November
Darshan Timings	6:00 AM to 1:00 PM \| 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Entry Fees	Free
Vehicle Parking Fees	20 to 30 Rs (As per vehicle)
Photography	Not Allowed
Dress Code	Traditional
Festivals	Badrapat, Magh and Rama-Madhav Punyotsav

Few more interesting facts on Chintamani Ganpati Temple at Theur in Maharashtra

Chintamani Ganpati Temple – Timings

The timings of Chintamani Ganapati Temple are:

Timings	From	To
Morning Darshan	6 AM	1 PM
Evening Darshan	2 PM	10 PM
Darshan Timing on Angarkhi Chaturthi	4 AM	11 PM
Maha Aarti Timing	7:30 AM
Maha Prasad Timing	10 AM	1 PM
Madhyan Aarti Timing	12 PM
Shejaarti Timing	10 PM

Notes/Tips: Plan to spend 1-2 hours for darshan. On weekends, the rush will be more. During the festivals of Ganesh Chaturthi and few other Ganesh festivals, devotees have to wait for 3 – 4 hours for darshan.

Donations by devotees on Abhishek, Ekadashi, Sahastravartana, and so forth are done by Priests. Prasad and Angara (wholy fiery remains) are sent by post.

What are the poojas and sevas conducted at Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Timmings and Pooja Rituals in Chintamani Ganpati Temple — Devotees waiting for the start of the auspicious aartis and rituals in Chintamani Ganpati Temple

Here are the poojas and rituals that take place at Chintamani Ganapati Temple:

Poojas and Rituals
Sahastravartan
Abhishek
Ekadashi

Devotees may make the appropriate payments at the temple and receive the Holy Prasad and ashes of Yagna.

The famous Chintamani Ganpati temple has a separate section known as Overry where devotees can meditate peacefully.

What is the significance of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

The significance of Chintamani Ganapati Temple is that Lord Chintamani is the God who brings peace mind. The idol of Lord Chintamani faces east. The Lord’s eyes are precious gems. The Mahadwar or the main gate of the temple is north-facing, and a road connects it to river Mula Muth.

There are numerous little temples inside the temple complex like Mahadeva temple. Also, there is additionally a Vishnu-Lakshmi temple and a Hanuman temple. So while doing the temple Parikrama, those temples can be equally viewed. Since the legend of Chintamani occurred under a Kadamba tree, therefore, the village of Theur has another name- Kadambapur.

Lord Chintamani is the family deity of Shree Madhwarao Peshwa. Shree Madhwarao spent his last days at the temple and breathed his last while chanting the Lord’s name. Saint Morya Gosavi did severe penance at Theur. Pleased with his penance, Lord Ganesh emerged from the nearby river Mula Muth as two tigers and granted the saint with Siddhi.

It is beleived that Kapila Muni received this gem through worshipping Lord Shiva at Talaiaalankaadu near Thanjavur in Tamilnadu. Legends says that he walked on his head to reach the shrine.

Significance of Chintamani Ganpati Temple in Theur — One of the many different temples that can be found inside the temple premises while doing the parikrama.

What is the architecture of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Architecture of Chintamani Ganesh Temple in Theur — The temple was build in around 18th Century CE during the Peshwa rule and has vivid architectural style.

It is portrayed as one of the largest and increasingly acclaimed of the Ashtavinayak temples. The temple’s entryway situated toward the North is moderately smaller. The central icon of Chintamani Ganpati faces East. The temple has a wooden Sabha-mandapa which was built by Madhavrao. The lobby of the temple additionally has a black stone drinking fountain in it.

There are a number of smaller hallowed shrines in the temple complex. Behind the temple is the Peshwa Wada also known as the Peshwa Palace. Once it was the living arrangement of Madhavrao. Today the everyday activities of the temple are conveyed from this spot.

While there is no definite date of the origin of these places of worship, the present temple was built during the Peshwa rule in the eighteenth century CE.

The fascinating history of Chintamani Ganpati Temple in Theur — The valiant and devoted ruler of the Peshwas Shree Madhwarao Peshwa who constructed the present structure of the temple Chintamani Ganpati.

What is the history of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

History of the Chintamani Ganapati is that there is no record of the person who built it. However, devotees believe that it exists since ancient times. Also, Chintamani Ganpati is related to the Saint Morya Gosavi, a staunch devotee of Lord Ganesh. Moreover, his descendants constructed the main temple structure.

Following a hundred years, Madhavrao Peshwa raised the Sabhamandap of the temple. A couple of years prior to the Shikhar (peak), of the temple was blessed in gold. As Peshwas visited these spot frequently, the two 5 metal bell purchased from Europe was one kept in Mahad and another one was kept here.

After the passing of Madhav Rao Peshwa, his wife performed Sati, the beautiful garden in the temple was made in her memory.

It is said that Emperor Aurangzeb had offered many grants to this temple. These days the organization of this temple is administered by Chinchwad Temple Trust.

Legends related to Lord Ganpati of Chintamani in Theur — The divine idol of Lord Ganpati at the shrine of Chintamani Temple in Theur.

What are the legends of Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Legend of Theur: Lord Brahma was once feeling very restless and plagued by an unwavering mind. He then meditated to Lord Ganesh in this village to help him to pacify his restless mind. The name Theur is a derivative of the Sanskrit word – Sthavar, which means stable. Since Lord Ganesh helped clear Lord Brahma’s worries, the Lord became popular as Chintamani Vinayak.

Legend of Chintamani: King Abhijeet and his wife did severe penance and gave birth to Ganaraja, also known as Guna. When Ganaraja visited Sage Kapila’s ashram, the sage took the help of the precious jewel – Chintamani to serve food to the prince. However, the greedy Ganaraja wanted the jewel for himself and forcibly took it from the Sage.

Goddess Durga advised Sage Kapila to seek Lord Ganesh’s help. Then, Lord Ganesh defeated Ganaraja under a Kadamba tree, retrieved the precious jewel and took it back to sage Kapila. So, the sage rewarded Lord Ganesh by putting the jewel around his neck. Henceforth the Lord became famous as Chintamani Vinayak

What are the festivals celebrated at Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Festivals of Chintamani Ganpati Temple in Theur — The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated with much pomp and glory in the temple.

Some festivals celebrated at Chintamani Ganapati Temple are:

Bhadrapat: Lord Ganesh’s birth celebrations known as Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi is a key festival in the state of Maharashtra. In Theur, Lord Chintamani’s birthday is a big event during Bhadrapat Shudh (August / September)

Magh: The Dwaryatra festival held during Magh Shudh, the Chintamani Ganpati Temple is bustling with arrangements. Devotees celebrate the celebrations in Magh Shudh until Ashtami, or the eighth day (January – February)

Rama-Madhav Punyotsav: A fair is organized in the month of Karthik by the temple as part of the Rama-Madhav Punnyotsav. This commemorates the death anniversary of the temple patrons Madhavrao and his wife Ramabai.

The town of Theur sits at the conjunction of three noteworthy provincial rivers Mula, Mutha and Bhima, making it a picturesque delight.

How to reach Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Here’s how to reach Chintamani Ganpati Temple:

By road: Theur is nearly 25 km from Pune. Several state-run buses operate from Pune and Mumbai to Theur. In the event you are self-driving you can take Mumbai to Khandala road course. After crossing the Bhor Ghat, the town of Theur can be seen which is situated in Haveli Taluka, Pune District.

By rail: The nearest railway station to Theur is in Pune. The Pune station connects to major Indian cities. Pune Junction railroad station associates the city with all the prime Maharashtra cities. There are a few mail/express trains and superfast trains connecting the city from south, north, and west.

By air: The nearest airport is at Pune, which connects to all major Indian cities. Lohegaon Airport or Pune Airport is a universal air terminal, found 15 km far from Pune downtown area. Regular flights from Bangalore, Jaipur, Delhi, Goa, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Nagpur lands in the airport. Theur is 22 km from Pune Airport.

Where to stay near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

There are not many places to stay for accommodation at Theur. Therefore, pilgrims usually consider staying at Pune which is just 25 km from the Temple.

Where to eat near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

There are no restaurants at Lenyadri except for the Yatri Niwas which offer food options. Therefore, devotees opt to eat at the smaller restaurants on the highway or at Junnar.

Moreover, one can consider having lunch inside the temple premises served by the foundation. A small amount of Rs 15 is charged for having Lunch in the temple. In this thali, you get the opportunity to eat rice, dal/lentil, aloo chana curry dish, chappati, and sooji halwa/Sheera.

The temple volunteers served the food while you sit in a table and chair. Lunch timing is from 12 to 2 pm.

What are some temples near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Bhima Gada: Adjacent to the Girijatmaj Temple, cave no. 6 houses a Buddhist stupa. This is popular as Bhima’s Gada. This stupa has good acoustics that allows sounds to echo.

What are some other Ashtavinayak Temples?

Other Ashtavinayak Templess — The different idols of Lord Ganesh in the other seven temples that come under the Ashtavinayak Yatra

Here’s a list of the other Ashtavinayak Temples:

Mayureshwar Temple, Morgaon: Devotees begin and end their journey at the Mayureshwar Temple. The temple derives its name from the legend of Mayureshwar – Lord Ganesh riding a peacock, who defeated a demon at this place. The Mayureshwar Temple is in Moregaon, 63 km from the Chintamani Temple.

Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Siddhatek: It is believed that Lord Vishnu appeased Lord Ganesh at this place. Lord Vishnu then proceeded to slay the demons known as Madhu and Kaitabh. Moreover, Lord Siddhi Vinayak is the only idol with the trunk pointing towards the right. The Siddhi Vinayak Temple is in Siddhatek, 100 km from the Chintamani Temple.

Ballaleshwar Temple, Pali: As the name suggests this temple is named after Lord Ganesh’s devotee Ballal. This is the only Ganesh Temple whose name is after a devotee. The Ballaleshwar Temple is in Pali, 140 km from the Chintamani Temple.

Varadha Vinayak Temple, Mahad: Lord Ganesh is Varadha Vinayak, the Lord who grants boons and wishes. The Varadha Vinayak Temple is in Mahad, 150 km from the Chintamani.

Girijatmaj Temple, Lenyadri: Goddess Parvathi is believed to have performed penance at this place to have a child. The deities prayers were answered when Lord Ganesh was born. The temple gets its name from the words Girija (Parvathi) and Atmaj (son). The Girijatmaj Temple is in Lenyadri, 110 km from the Chintamani Temple.

Vighneshwar Vinayak Temple, Ozar: King Abhinandan’s prayer was disturbed by Vighnasur, the demon who was sent by Lord Indra. So King Abhinandan sought helped from Lord Ganesh who defeated the demon at this place. The Vighneswar Vinayak Temple is in Ozar, 105 km from the Chintamani.

Mahaganapati Temple, Ranjangaon: To defeat the demon Tripurasura, Lord Shiva is believed to have worshipped Lord Ganesh here. The Mahaganapati Temple is in Ranjangaon, 42 km from the Chintamani.

Frequently Asked Questions about Chintamani Ganpati Temple –

Is there online booking available for Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Entry to the temple is free and no booking is needed to visit the temple.

Where we can stay near Chintamani Ganpati Temple?

Being 25 km from the temple of Theur, Pune is the best option for lodging.

What is the best mode of transportation from Pune to Theur?

Hiring a Cab or a Uber is the best and fastest mode to reach Theur.

What is the fuel cost of self-drive from Pune to Theur?

The cheapest way to reach Theur from Pune is self-driving where the fuel will cost you around ₹180 – ₹270 for 23 km.

What is the nearest airport to Chintamani Ganpati Temple in Theur?

Lohegaon Airport in Pune is the closest airport to Chintamani Ganpati Temple in Theur.

What is the temperature in Chintamani Ganpati Temple, Theur?

The maximum temperature in summer can reach till 35^°C. The minimum temperature that can fall down is 13^°C in winter.

What is the significance of Chintamani Ganpati Temple, Theur among the Ashtavinayak Yatra?

The Chintamani Ganpati Temple comes in 5th number during the Ashtavinayak Yatra.

What is the prasad’s usually offered in the temple?

Ladoo and Modak prasad which are known to be favorite of Lord Ganesh are offered in the temple.

Lenyadri Girijatmaj Ganpati Temple Guide – Vigneshwara Ashtavinayak – Timings, Poojas and Significance

Lenyadri Ganpati Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It is one of the eight Ashtavinayak Temples in Maharashtra. The temple is also known as Girijatmaj temple. It gets its name from the words Girija (Parvathi) and Atmaj (son), thus the son of Parvati. This is the only Ashtavinayak temple which is on a mountain.

Planning to visit this temple? Have look at our Ashtavinayaka Yatra Tour Packages.

Lenyadri Ganpati Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Ganesha
Location	Lenyadri, Maharashtra
Significance	Part of Ashtavinayak Temples
Best Time to Visit	August – September
Darshan Timings	5.00 AM to 8.00 PM.
Entry Fees	Rs 5/-
Palakhi Fees	700 Rs. Per person
Vehicle Parking Fees	20 to 30 Rs (As per vehicle)
Photography	Not Allowed in the temple and Ganesh Murti
Dress Code	Traditional
Festivals	Magh Chaturthi, Ganesh Jayanti, and Ganesha Chaturthi.
Official Website	Lenyadri Ganpati

An insightful tour of the divine Caves of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple

Virtuous deeds like Abhishek, Pooja, Sahastravartan etc. are done by temple trust on behalf of devotees. Since the Ganesh idol is attached to the wall one can not circumnavigate Girijatmaj.

Timings and puja of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple-

Puja and Rituals done at Lenyadri Ganpati Temple — Devotees offering Puja to Lord Ganpati at Lenyadri Ganpati Temple

Here’re the darshan timings of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple:

Timings	From	To
Darshan	6 AM	6 PM
Panchamrit puja	8 AM

What is the significance of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

The significance of Lenyadri Ganapati Temple is that amidst a cluster of rock-cut Buddhist caves. It is one of the Ashtavinayak temples. Devotees believe that Lord Girijatmaj was Lord Ganesh’s manifestation as an infant Lord. Rather, it is carved on a rock, with its head turned to the left.

According to Ganesh Puran, this place is also known as Jirnapur or Lekhan Parbat. Moreover, Devotees believe that the Pandavas carved the caves during their exile period. Lenyadri Ganpati temple is south-facing and monolithic – carved out from a single rock.

Since the Lenyadri Ganpati is rock-cut, devotees cannot circumambulate. However, they are free to worship the Lord themselves.
Furthermore, the main mandap is 53 feet long and interestingly there are no pillars supporting the entire structure.
The main mandap also known as the sabha mandap has 18 indents or small rooms that pilgrims use for meditation.
Once there, a serene atmosphere, with pleasant vibrations from the Lekhan mountain and a beautiful view of the nearby Kukadi river is a treat for the senses.

The divine Idol of Lord Ganesh in Lenyadri Ganpati Temple

Lenyadri is silent and a lonely place. Silence loving people can come here and meditate and have Girijatmaj’s blessings.

Legends of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple-

The history of Lenyadri Ganapati temple relates to the following Legend:

Legend of Girijatmaj: According to Ganesh Puran, Goddess Sati reincarnated as Parvati and wished to give birth to Ganesh. She did severe penance on the Lenyadri mountain. On the fourth day of Bhadrapad Shuddh or Chaturthi day, Goddess Parvati wiped her body and used the dirt to create an idol.

Lord Gajanan entered this idol and stood before her a young boy with six arms and three eyes. His name was Girijatmaj or the son of Parvati. This incarnation of Lord Ganesh – Lord Girijatmaj is believed to have stayed at Lenyadri for nearly 15 years.

Though the caves on Lenyadri are under control of Archeological Dept. of India, adminstration of Ganesh temple is looked after by Temple Trust.

The architecture of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple –

The caverns date from between the first and third century AD. the Ganesha sanctum arranged in Cave 7 is dated to the first century AD. However, the date of transformation to a Hindu holy place is obscure. The majority of the caverns emerge from Hinayana Buddhism.

It is basically a Buddhist Vihara in structure, an unpillared lobby with 20 cells with shifting measurements. The lobby is huge and can be entered by a focal entryway, under a pillared veranda. The hall is now a sabha-mandapa of the Ganesha temple. 283 steps were built in stone brickwork which will lead to the passageway.

Devotees walking on the 283 stone built steps. — The 283 stone steps which were built by devotees to reach the Lenyadri Ganpati Temple.

The corridor additionally has hints of mortar and artistic creations, both included during the transformation and renewed in later occasions – perhaps as late as the nineteenth century. The artistic creations portrayed Ganesha’s youth, marriage arrangements, fight with evil spirits, etc.

Before the gigantic section doors of Shri Girijatmaj Ganpati temple are colossal columns with pictures of elephants, horses, lions and different creatures cut on them. Also, there are columns with various carvings before each other cavern.

The neighboring sixth cavern and fourteenth cavern have Buddha-columns in them normally known as Bouddha-Stupa. These caverns are made into the state of the side of the equator interiorly. That is the reason, echoes can be effectively heard.

The Sanctorum of the temple hotshots a wide scope of bewildering workmanship as reverential artistic creations of Shri Guru Dattatray. Lord Ganesh laying on Shiv-Parvati’s lap, Bal Ganesh playing an ancient game like ludo made by utilizing regular hues.

There is no power to illuminate in the temple. The temple is developed with the end goal that during the day it is constantly illuminated by the sun-beams.

Ganesh Jayanti and Ganesha Chaturthi are celebrated in a great manner with cultural programs. Bullock cart racing is also organized on this occasion.

Which festivals are celebrated at Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

Ganesh Chaturthi Festival — Celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Lenyadri Ganpati Temple.

Some of the festivals celebrated at Lenyadri Ganapati Temple are:

Bhadrapath: Lord Ganesh’s birth celebrations known as Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi is a key festival in the state of Maharashtra. Moreover, in Lenyadri, Lord Ganpati’s birthday is a five-day festival from Bhadrapath Shudh 1 to Bhadrapath Shudh 5 (August – September)
Shravan: Janmashtami or Krishna Ashtami, Lord Krishna’s birthday is celebrated here with a Dahi Handi event during Shravan ( July- August)
Holi: The colorful festival of Holi is in the month of Phalgun (February/March), on Phalgun Shudh Poornima.
Aashad: Chaturmas symbolizes Lord Vishnu’s four months slumber. The beginning of Chaturmas is in the month of Aashad (June-July). Devotees can participate in Puram Pravachan program during this period.
Ashwin: Devotees celebrate the Dusshera festival here on Ashwin Shudh 10 (September/October). During the festivities, Lord Ganpati is taken on a palanquin procession across the village.
Magh: The Magh Utsav is an important festival at the Lenyadri Temple. Here, the celebrations are held from Magh Shudh 1 to Magh Shudh 6 (January – February). During this period, devotees conduct Bhajans, Kirtans and several programs. In the month of Magh, an Akhand Harinaam Saptah is held.

Devotees riding in Palakhi — Many devotees who are unable to walk the 283 steps, take the Palakhi rides to reach Lenyadri Ganpati Temple.

How to reach the Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

Here’s how to reach Lenyadri Ganapati temple:

Road: Lenyadri is nearly 95 km from Pune. Junnar is the nearest town at a 5 km distance. Lenyadri enjoys good roads and several buses operate from Mumbai, Thane, and Pune. The RedBus operates a bus from Mumbai to Junnar in every 15 minutes.
Rail: The nearest railway station is at Pune, 94 km from Girijatmaj. Devotees can purchase the Tickets at ₹150 – ₹1,000 and the journey takes 2h 43m.
Air: The nearest airport is at Pune, which is well connected to all major Indian cities. There are numerous numbers of taxis and buses that will take you to Pali from outside the airport.

Where to stay near Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

Yatri Niwas in Lenyadri Temple — Yatri-Niwas in Lenyadri Ganpati Temple for devotees to rest.

Lenyadri Ganpati Temple trust operates Yatri Niwas and offers accommodation at nominal charges.

Temple trust has built Yatri-Niwas for lodging purpose of devotees. At a time arrangement of 300 devotees can be done. Rs.200 are charged for a room having the capacity of 10 people.

Beddings are provided by the trust.
A very good lunch arrangement is available at Hotel Girija.
There are few resorts that function at Junnar.

Lenyadri is name of Temple Trust and it comes in Golegaon. Main crops of this area are Grapes, Tomato, Cacumber and Sugarcane. A very good season for going to Lenyadri is from Diwali to May.

Where to eat near Lenyadri Ganpati Temple

There are no restaurants at Lenyadri except for the Yatri Niwas which offers food options. However, devotees may opt to eat at the smaller restaurants on the highway or at Junnar.

Devotees can also get a meal coupon from the temple office (timing: till 1.30p.m.) for Rs.10/-.

What are some of the temples and sightseeing places near Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

Buddhist caves on Lenyadri — Sightseeing places near Lenyadri Ganpati Temple filled with Buddhist Caves.

Here are some temples near Lenyadri Ganapati Temple:

Lenyadri Buddhist caves: Girijatmaj Temple is amidst a collection of 30 manmade rock-cut caves. These caves have functioned as Buddhist Monasteries from Lord Buddha’s time. Moreover, the seventh cave is the Girijatmaj Temple. However, other caves were either chapels or living spaces for the monks.

Bhima Gada: Adjacent to the Lenyadri Ganpati Temple, cave no. 6 houses a Buddhist stupa. This is popular as Bhima’s Gada. This stupa has good acoustics that allows sounds to echo.

What are the other Ashtavinayak Temples?

Other Ashtavinayak temples are:

Mayureshwar Temple, Morgaon – This is the first of the Ashtavinayak Temples. Devotees begin and end their journey at the Mayureshwar Temple. The temple got its name after the legend of Mayureshwar – Lord Ganesh riding a peacock.
Ballaleshwar Temple, Pali: This temple derives its name from Lord Ganesh’s devotee Ballal. This is the only Ganesh Temple whose name is after a devotee. It is in Pali, 180 km from the Girijatmaj Temple.
Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Siddhatek – This temple is the second in the list of Ashtavinayak Temples. Lord Vishnu is believed to have appeased Lord Ganesh at this place before slaying the demons Madhu and Kaitabh. The Siddhi Vinayak Temple is in Siddhatek, Maharashtra.
Varadha Vinayak Temple, Mahad – This temple is the fourth in the list of Ashtavinayak Temples. Lord Ganesh is famous as Varadha Vinayak, the Lord who grants boons and wishes.
Chintamani Temple, Theur – This temple is the fifth in the list of Ashtavinayak temples. Lord Ganesh retrieved the invaluable jewel – Chintamani from a greedy demon and gave it back to sage Kapila.
Vighneshwar Vinayak Temple, Ozar – This temple is the seventh in the list of Ashtavinayak Temples. Lord Indra sent Vighnasur to disturb King Abhinandan’s prayer. Then, the troubled devotees turned to Lord Ganesh who defeated the demon at this place.
Mahaganapati Temple, Ranjangaon – This is the last of the Ashtavinayak Temples. Lord Shiva worshipped Lord Ganesh here before proceeding to defeat the demon Tripurasura.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lenyadri Ganpati Temple –

Is there online booking available for Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

Entry to the temple is free and no booking is needed to visit the temple.

What is the nearest airport to Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

The nearest airports are in Pune at a distance of 95 km.

What is the temperature in Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

The maximum temperature in summer can reach till 35^°C. The minimum temperature that can fall down is 13^°C in winter.

What is the significance of Lenyadri Ganpati Temple, among the Ashtavinayak Yatra?

The Lenyadri Ganpati Temple comes in 6th number during the Ashtavinayak Yatra.

What is the prasad’s usually offered in the temple?

Ladoo and Modak prasad which are known to be favorite of Lord Ganesh are offered in the temple.

When are the celebrations celebrated during Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

The Bhadrapad and Magh Chaturthi are times when big celebrations are held in the temple. In the month of Magh, an Akhand Harinaam Saptah is also held.

Where do devotees pray in the Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

Devotees can offer prayers in the Garbhagriha of Girijatmaj temple. Flowers, Garlands are the main offerings made at Girijatmaj temple.

What are the sightseeing places near Lenyadri Ganpati Temple?

There is a small garden, namely Sunder Udyan near Bhakta-Niwas. Fort Shivneri, where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born is at a distance of 5-6 km’s from Lenyadri.

Sabarimala Temple Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Dharmasastha Sabarimala Temple located at Sabarimala in the Pattanamthittu district of Kerala. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Sastha, popularly known as Lord Ayyapan. The Sabarimala Temple is located at the peak of a hilltop named Sabarimala at an altitude of 1535 feet. The temple complex is surrounded by dense forests which have been converted into the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The forest is locally known as Poomkavanam.

Here are the opening and closing dates for Sabarimala Temple for 2019 – 2020.

Sabarimala Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Ayyappa (Lord Dharmasastha)
Location	Pattanamthittu, Kerala
Entry Fee	General Darshan: Free
Darshan Timings	4:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Poojas	Padi Pooja, Neyyabhishekam, Harivarasanam
Best Time to Visit	November to January
Festivals	Vishu, Makara Jyothi

Sabarimala Temple Video

In Hinduism, Lord Dharmasastha is also popularly known as Manikandan and Ayyapan. He is the son of Harihara, often called as Hariharaputra. Hari refers to Lord Vishnu and Hara refers to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Dharmasastha was born out of the union of Mohini (an avatar of Vishnu) and Lord Shiva. He holds the combined powers of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Lord Ayyapan is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Dharmasastha and a visual representation of the unity of Shiva and Vishnu.

The Sabarimala Temple can be visited by only men. Devotees who wish to get Lord Ayyapan’s blessings must fast for 41 days. They wear a black or blue dress, do not shave and smear Vibhuti or Chandan on their forehead. They wear a Rudraksha or Tulasi mala as a sign of fasting. The devotees are required to abstain from non-vegetarian food, alcohol, tobacco, sexual intercourse, foul language, shaving, haircut, and nail trimming.

The Sabarimala Temple is also a fine example of the integration of the Buddhist religious beliefs with the Hindu system of worship. Historically, it is believed that a Buddhist shrine existed in the vicinity where the present temple is situated. The temple was dedicated to the Buddhist God Avalokitesvara, an avatar of Bodhisattva.

What are the timings of the Sabarimala Temple?

The Sabarimala Temple opens at 4:00 AM and closes at 11:00 PM. The temple also performs various rituals during this time. The devotees can be a part of these rituals, such as the morning, afternoon, and evening poojas. The temple remains closed from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM.

The timings of the Sabarimala Temple are:

Ritual	Timing
Darshan Starts	4:00 AM
Nirmalya Darshanam	4:05 AM
Ganapati Homam	4:15 AM
Usha Pooja (Morning Pooja)	7:30 AM
Ucha Pooja (Noon Pooja)	1:00 PM
Deeparadhana (Evening Pooja)	6:30 PM
Athazha Pooja (Night Pooja)	10:30 PM
Temple Closes	11:00 PM

The temple is open to male devotees during the days of Mandalapooja, Makaravilakku (Makara Sankranthi), and Vishu. The temple also remains open on the first five days as per the Malayalam calendar.

What are the poojas and rituals at Sabarimala Temple?

Neyyabhishekam: The Abhishekam is considered as the best way to do service for God. Pilgrims bring Ghee inside a coconut from their homes. For the pilgrims coming from outside, the temple makes arrangements for the seva. These coconuts are then opened and the deity is bathed with the Ghee. It is believed that the Ghee symbolizes the human soul and by pouring it over the God, one merges himself with the Paramatma.
Ashtabhishekam: This Abhishekam is one of the popular Abhishekam performed on request of the devotees. The eight items used for the Abhishekam are Vibhuti, Milk, Honey, Panchamrutam, Tender Coconut water, Sandalwood paste (Chandan), Rosewater and Water.
Ayyappachakram: The Ayyappa Chakram can be obtained at the temple counter and this is presented at the feet of the Lord to receive his blessings.
Ganapathy Homam: The Homam can be done at the Temple dedicated to Lord Ganapathi. This Homam should be performed at the beginning of any ventures in life, whether personal or professional.
Kalabhabhishekam: The Kalabhabhishekam is performed for strengthening the intelligence and consciousness of the devotee. The special pooja is performed with great reverence and dedication.
Laksharchana: The names of the Lord are repeated in the form of a mantra 1 lakh times. The names are repeated in a group.
Nithya Pooja: All the poojas of the day are performed for the Lord on behalf of the devotee.
Padi Pooja: This unique and grand pooja is performed for the holy 18 steps of the temple sanctum. Each step represents a facet of life and is worshipped separately. It is believed that one attains spiritual enlightenment after performing the pooja and is relieved of all curses and evil effects in his life. The booking for the pooja must be done online or much before in advance.
Sahasrakalasam: The ritual involves offering 1000 pots (gold. silver and brass) of holy water to the Lord. The pooja is performed for the general happiness of mankind.
Udayasthamana Pooja: This unique pooja is a ritual where 15 special poojas are performed throughout the day (Udaya for Sunrise and Astha for Sunset) for the deity in the name of the devotee. The rituals begin at dawn and proceeds in succession till dusk after which the devotee and other attendees are given prasadam of the pooja.
Harivarasanam: The most popular devotional song dedicated to Lord Ayyapan is the famous composition Harivarasanam written by Srinivasa Iyer. It is a lullaby for the Lord and is sung in front of the main shrine after the night pooja every day. The composition is written in Sanskrit and is 8 stanzas long with 352 letters

What is the significance of the Sabarimala Temple?

The idol of the presiding deity is made of the special Panchaloha element. The Panchaloha is traditionally an alloy of five metals. The composition of the alloy was kept as a secret for several centuries and is often mentioned in the Shilpa Shastras. The metals involved were later found out to be a mix of Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron and Lead. It is believed that worshipping idols made of the Panchaloha material imparts balance, self-confidence, health, fortune and peace of mind.

The 18 steps that one has to climb to reach the main sanctum are extremely sacred to the devotees. They have been mentioned in several religious texts and several songs and bhajans have been composed about them. Several versions are present regarding the importance of the 18 steps. According to a popular belief, the first five steps represent the five senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin), the next eight represent the Ragas (Tatwa, Kama, Krodha, Moha, Lobha, Madha, Matsraya, and Ahamkara), the next three represent the Gunas (Satwa, Rajas, and Tamas) and the last two, Vidya and Avidya. It is believed that anyone who climbs these steps achieves self-realisation. Some also believe that the 18 steps denote the number of weapons with which the Lord annihilated Mahishi and some believe that each step represents each Purana.

It is believed that on the day of Makara Vilakku, Lord Dharmasastha stops his penance to bless the devotees visiting Sabarimala. Thousands of ardent devotees gather at Sabarimala to view the divine Makara Jyothi light up on the other side of the hill. Every year, the evening of Makara Sankranti witnesses the event of Makara Jyothi at the top of the Ponnambalamedu hill. The Makara Jyothi celebration has turned into a controversial issue as recent evidence point that the occurrence of the divine flame is actually manmade.

It is believed that the installation of the deity Lord Ayyapan was done by Parashurama himself on orders of Lord Dharmasastha.

The Sabarimala Temple Complex consists of a Ganapathi shrine, a Homakundam (place to conduct Homams), and a Bhasmakulam (sacred water tank). A small shrine dedicated to Devi Mallikappurathamma is situated at the foot of the hill along with the shrines of Nagaraja and Nagayakshi (God and Goddess of Snakes). The small shrine dedicated to Vavurswami is situated near the sacred 18 steps. Vavur was the Muslim friend and confidante of Lord Ayyapan.

The Sabarimala Temple is one of the largest annual pilgrimages taken by devout pilgrims throughout the country. It is estimated that about 40-50 million devotees visit the shrine during November – January season. The revenue from the temple is estimated at about 230 crores.

What is the history of Sabarimala Temple?

According to history, the Sabarimala Temple is believed to have been constructed somewhere during the 10th – 11th century. The earlier structure was a Buddhist shrine dedicated to Avalokitesvara. The shrine has consistently grown popular among the population especially among the southern states of Kerala, Tamilnadu, and Karnataka.

The story behind the temple:

A demoness named Mahishi possessed the boon of invulnerability, except by the son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. She started torturing public folk and created fear and panic among the residents of the Earth. Seeing the atrocities, the Gods prayed to Shiva and Vishnu to put an end to this. Lord Vishnu took the avatar of the beautiful enchantress Mohini and had a child with Lord Shiva. As per the Brahmanda Purana, this child would possess the combined powers of Durga and annihilate Mahishi. The Skanda Purana mentions that Goddess Durga herself took birth in a masculine form to annihilate Mahishi. Lord Vishnu gifted the child with a precious necklace pendant that hung around the child’s neck. Hence, he is also popular as Manikandan.

The legend associated with the Sabarimala Temple and the Lord’s journey on Earth starts with the decimation of the Pandyan dynasty of Tamilnadu. The remaining descendants left Madurai and settled at various locations throughout Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They established the Pandalam kingdom in Kerala around the tenth century. The King of the Pandalam kingdom, Raja Rajashekhara did not have a child for a long time and together with the queen, worshipped Lord Shiva for a boon. Lord Shiva obliged and ordered Dharmasastha to take an avatar and be born to them as a child. He was handed over a mission to annihilate the buffalo-headed demon Mahishi, the sister of Mahishasura, who was creating havoc in the earth realm.

Accordingly, King Raja Rajashekhara found the young baby crying on the banks of the River Pamba. A Sanyasi appeared to him and advised him to give the child home and raise him as his own. He told him that when the child becomes 12, his divine nature will be revealed. The King and the Queen were very pleased and grew the child as their own. The child was named Manikandan and was taught the local martial arts form and all the Shastras. In the meantime, the Queen gave birth to another child named Raja Rajan. However, the King decided to make Manikandan the king.

The Diwan of the Kingdom brainwashed the queen into feigning a sickness so that her child becomes the King instead of Manikandan. The physician gave a false assurance that tigress’s milk was the only cure for the Queen’s sickness. Manikandan decided against his father’s wishes, that he will go into the forest to bring a tigress’s milk. On entering the forest, he decided to annihilate Mahishi first. He entered into a conflict with the demon along the banks of the Azhutha River. Manikandan climbed on her chest and danced violently. Realizing the futility of battling against the avatar of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva combined, the demon prostrated and died.

After killing Mahishi, all the Gods led by Lord Shiva appeared to Manikandan and turned themselves into tigers and tigresses. They accompanied him to the palace. On his return, the Sanyasi appeared and revealed the true identity of Manikandan to the King and the public. King Raja Rajashekhara was overwhelmed with joy and asked Manikandan to stay with him forever. However, Manikandan refused. Then the King requested him to guide him to a place where he could construct a shrine for him as a memory. Manikandan shot an arrow which fell at Sabari, the hill where aeons ago an old woman named Sabari had performed penance and was visited by Lord Rama. Manikandan ordered the shrine to be built there and promised that he will bless his devotees from there. He later disappeared into the forests.

The legend of Makara Vilakku is related to Lord Rama and Lakshman. On their journey towards Lanka, they met a tribal named Sabari at the present day Sabarimala. Sabari offered the Lord, fruits that she was carrying with him. While eating the fruits, Lord Rama observed a divine person doing penance. On enquiring the tribal about the person, he informed that it was Sastha. Lord Rama went to meet Sastha. On seeing the arrival of Lord Rama and Lakshman, Sastha stood up and received him to his abode. The day is celebrated as the Makara Vilakku day.

What is the dress code of Sabarimala Temple?

The Sabarimala Temple follows a very strict dress code for men who wish to seek the blessings of the Lord. One must not wear any upper garment like shirts or vests. One must wear a black, orange, or dark blue dhoti to view the Lord. Ladies between the ages of 10 – 55 are not allowed to visit Sabarimala. Ladies above the age group should wear a saree inside the temple premises.

What are the festivals celebrated at Sabarimala Temple?

Makara Vilakku: This is one of the most important festivals celebrated at the shrine. The festival begins on the day of Makara Sankranthi and continues for seven days. It is believed that the idol of Lord Ayyapan was installed in the temple o this particular day. The god is decorated with precious jewellery brought from the Valiya Koyikkal Sastha Temple at Pandalam. A representation of the Lord riding on a tiger is displayed on the platform of the Manimandapam. The idol of Mallikappurathamma is taken around in a procession on an elephant’s back till the holy 18 steps and then returns by circumambulating the shrine.
Vishu: The Malayali New Year is celebrated in mid-April and is known as Vishu locally. People wear new clothes and decorate their homes with lights. Offerings are made to God with Payasam, Appam, and milk sweets. The ritual arrangement of items like rice, fruits, betel leaves, arecanut, kanni flowers, mirror, and coins are presented in front of the Lord and pooja is performed for them. After the morning rituals of the day, children burst firecrackers celebrating the birth of the New Year.
Onam: The State festival of Kerala is celebrated in the month of Chingam (Aug-Sep). The grand festival is celebrated for 3 days. The day signifies the birth of the Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the King Mahabali. It is also considered as a festival of harvest.

How to reach Sabarimala Temple?

By Air: The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport at a distance of 160 km. Alternatively, one can also land at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport situated at a distance of 170 km. Regular buses are available from these cities till Sabarimala.
By Train: The nearest railway station is Kottayam at a distance of 90 km. Kottayam is well connected to cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Guwahati, Vizag, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Mangalore and New Delhi.
By Road: The Kerala State Transport operates buses from major cities and towns in Kerala to Sabarimala. Other nearby towns that can be used as a transfer point to Sabarimala, especially for pilgrims from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are Thrissur, Kottayam, and Ernakulam.

Vehicles are allowed only until Pamba, 5 km before the main shrine. The new route is comfortable and easy to traverse.

However, many devotees still trek through the long and difficult older route through Erumeli. The distance from Erumeli to Sabarimala is roughly 60 km.

Where to stay near Sabarimala Temple?

The Sabarimala Temple Administration operates a pilgrim complex at Nadapanthal and Pandyathavalam. Several guesthouses have been constructed by them to meet the needs of the devotees. The rooms are clean and hygienic and can be booked at nominal rated by visiting their official website.

Where to eat near Sabarimala Temple?

A lot of small hotels have been set up near the base of the Sabarimala hills and at Pamba by the Sabarimala Temple administration. The cuisine provided is pure vegetarian and South Indian.

What are some temples near Sabarimala Temple?

Erumeli Ayyapan Temple: The temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is situated 61 km from Sabarimala. The traditional route to Sabarimala begins at Erumeli where the pilgrims begin their trek to reach the peak of Sabarimala hills known as the Neelimala. The temple’s deity Lord Ayyapan is represented here as an archer. This is also supposed to be the place where Lord Ayyapan killed the buffalo faced demon Mahishi.
Pandalam Valiyakoyickal Temple: The temple is closely associated with the Sastha Temple of Sabarimala. The deity worshipped here is the family deity of King Rajashekhara of the Pandalam kingdom. The jewels of Lord Ayyappa are kept at this temple and are taken out in a procession amidst high security. A divine presence of a Garuda can be seen circling around the treasure.
Nilakkal Mahadevar Temple: The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva lies on the traditional path taken by the devotees to reach Sabarimala. The temple is small and dedicated to Lord Shiva, father of Lord Ayyappa.
Chengannur Mahadevar Temple: The famous shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is located 97 km from Sabarimala. The main Shiva Linga is covered with Gold and represents the image of an Ardhanareeshwara – a Shiva-Shakti form. This Temple legend states that Kannagi, who burnt the city of Madurai down to ashes, came here to perform penance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Sabarimala Temple open throughout the year?

No, the Sabarimala Temple is open for all the devotees during certain times in a year. The opening and closing dates vary.
Please refer: Opening dates of the Sabarimala Temple

What is the entry fee?

The entry to the Sabarimala Temple is free of cost.

Is there an age restriction in the Sabarimala Temple?

There is no age restriction for men. However, ladies from the ages of 10 to 55 are not allowed inside the temple.

Is there any online darshan facility available?

No. There is no facility for online darshan available.

Is there any facility for specially-abled and senior citizens?

Yes. There are facilities for specially-abled and senior citizens such as palkis.

What is the weather like during the summer?

The summers in Sabarimala starts from April and continue until June. The summers here can be very hot and humid. Temperatures during the daytime often go up to 38 º C.

What are winters like in Sabarimala?

In Sabarimala, winters start in October and continue until March. The temperatures during this time range from around 15 º C to 25 º C. The weather during this time is cool and pleasant.

If you have any questions about The Sabarimala Temple, please leave a comment below, and we will get back to you within one hour.

Kadri Manjunath Temple Mangalore Guide – Timings, Poojas, and Significance

Kadri Manjunath Temple of Sri Manjunatha is located in Kadri, Mangalore. Kadri Manjunath Temple is one of the best examples of religious harmony, where people from two faiths, Hinduism and Buddhism worship together with the deity of Lord Shiva as Lord Manjunatha.

Kadri Manjunath Temple – Facts

Darshan Timings	6:30 AM – 2:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Poojas	Rudrabhishek, Mahapuja, Karthika Puja and Belli Rathotsava
Location	Mangalore, Karnataka
Tours	Mangalore Temple Tour
Deity	Lord Shiva
Significance	One of the seven Teerthas
Entry Fee	General Darshan: Free.
Dress Code	Traditional wear
Photography	Not Allowed
Parking	Free
Festivals	Kadirotsava, Karthika Masam, Navaratri, and Sivaratri.

The divine temple of Kadri Manjunath in Mangalore

The Annadana Seva is provided to all visiting devotees between 12:30 PM to 2 PM.

Kadri Manjunath Temple Puja Timings

Pujas and Rituals	Timings
Morning Temple Opening	5:40 AM
Rudrabhishek	7:30 AM
Rudrabhishek	11:00 AM
Ekadasa Rudrabhishek	11:30 AM
Maha Puja	12:00 PM
Evening Temple Opening	4:00 PM
Rudrabhishek	7:30 PM
Karthika Puja	7:45 PM
Belli Rathotsava	8:00 PM

Puja and Rituals at Kadri Manjunath Temple — The Inner sanctum Mahapuja in Kadri Manjunath Temple by the Priest.

Poojas and Rituals at Kadri Manjunath Temple

Ekadasha Rudrabhishekam – The Ekadasha Rudrabhishekam Pooja is performed for all the eleven Rudras of Lord Shiva. After the aavahan sthaapna, the Laghu-nyasam is recited. Then Rudra Trishati is recited. Abhishekam is done to each of the 11 Rudras with all the 11 Dravyas prescribed in the Shiv Purana.
Shata Rudrabhishekam – The Pooja is considered to be extremely auspicious and sacred. It is believed that by performing the Pooja, one can obtain protection and fulfillment of the wishes from God.
Bilva Archana – The Archana is performed for the deity with the Bilva leaves on behalf of the devotee.
Karpoora Aarti – The Aarti is performed for the Lord with Camphor known as the Karpoora on behalf of the devotee.
Panchamrutha Abhisheka – The deity is bathed with five holy “Amrit” or Nectar. They are Milk, Honey, Curd, Sugar, and Ghee.
Sahasranama Archana – The Lord is worshiped by reciting his 1008 names and singing chants praising him on behalf of the devotee.
Navagraha Shanti Homam – The Homam is performed for devotees who want o remove the ill-effects of placement of planets in their horoscope. It helps in removing obstacles from achieving the goal.
Shukra-Aditya Sandhi Shanti Homam – This unique Homam is recommended for people whose horoscopes have Shukra Dasha ending and Ravi Dasha beginning. This is mainly performed for a happy marital life and good parental health.
Kuja-Rahu Sandhi Shanti Homam – This unique Homam is recommended for people whose horoscopes have Kuja Dasha ending and Rahu Dasha’s beginning.
Rahu – Brihaspati Sandhi Shanti Homam – This unique Homam is recommended for people whose horoscopes have Rahu Dasha ending and Guru Dasha’s beginning.
Ranga Pooja – The Goddess is worshiped with either 24 rows of Deepams or with 64 rows of Deepams on behalf of the devotee.
Sathyanarayana Pooja – The Pooja is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The Pooja can be performed on any day but is believed to be extremely auspicious if performed on the eve of Chithra Pournami. The Pooja is performed to attain peace, prosperity, to remove obstacles and to be free from the negative thoughts.
Mrityunjaya Homam – This Pooja is done to increase longevity and immortality of the person. The devotee asks for forgiveness from Lord Shiva and asks for a long healthy and prosperous life.

Dress Code at Kadri Manjunath Temple –

Devoteees in traditional dresscode in Kadri Manjunath Temple — Devotees and Small Kids dressed up traditionally for the festivals and puja in Kadri Manjunath Temple.

The Kadri Manjunath Temple does not prescribe to any strict dress code but it is recommended to wear decent clothes. Shorts, Bermudas, Miniskirts, and Beachwear are to be avoided for the visit.

The water’s source in Gaumukha cannot be traced to date. However, devotees believe that River Ganga herself flows into these Theerthas from Varanasi.

Significance of Kadri Manjunath Temple

The Kadri Manjunath Temple is one of the foremost examples of the confluence of diverse religious beliefs and their peaceful practice. The presiding deity is called Lord Manjunathaswamy in the Vaishnavite style. Sri Lokeshwara or Trilokeshwar in Shaivite style and as Sri Avalokitesvara in Buddhist style.
The presiding deity, Lord Manjunatha, a form of Lord Shiva is depicted in a unique Buddhist form. The deity has three faces, six arms, and a Mukut or a Crown depicting Dhyani Buddha.
The idol is made of the Panchaloha element. The Panchaloha is traditionally an alloy of five metals. The composition of the alloy was kept as a secret for several centuries and is often mentioned in the Shilpa Shastras. The metals involved were later found out to be a mix of Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, and Lead.
It is believed that worshiping idols made of the Panchaloha material imparts balance, self-confidence, health, fortune, and peace of mind.
The Theerthas of most of the Temples in India is either located on par or below the Temple elevation. However, in Kadri Manjunath Temple, the seven main Theerthas is located 20 feet above the Temple’s location. Water collects into this seven holy theerthas from the Gaumukha, a cow’s mouth shaped cavern.
The town of Kadri is the biggest center of worship for the Natha cult or sampradaya. Macchendra Natha, a disciple of Adinatha along with his disciple Gorakh Natha made Kadiri Vihara their home in the 10th century. They discovered the Kundalini system of Yoga.
The caves surrounding the vicinity of the Kadri Manjunath Temple are called Pandava Caves and it is believed that the Pandavas resided here during their period of exile.

The interesting and unique fact about the Kadri Manjunath Temple is that it was a major Buddhist center of worship till the 10th century.

The History and Legends attached with Kadri Manjunath Temple

The legend goes by that Parashurama accomplished his goals by destroying the 21 generations of Kshatriyas all over the country. He than donated the land won to Sage Kashyapa. He wanted to do penance to Lord Shiva to redeem himself of the sins of killing Kshatriyas.
However, he did not know where to perform the penance as he had donated everything to Sage Kashyapa. Hence, he requested Lord Shiva for land, who appeared before him and asked him to proceed with his worship in Kadalivana.
Kadalivana was immersed in the ocean. He asked Lord Varuna (King of oceans) to release Kadalivana who refused to let go of the region. Parashurama took his ax, roared and threw it into the ocean. Afraid, Lord Varuna relieved the land to Parashurama as requested.
Another legend that establishes the Kadri Manjunath Temple origins states that the famous Sage Matsyendranatha (believed to be an incarnation of Shiva), his queen Mangala (incarnation of Goddess Parvati) and Sage Gorakhnatha visited Kadri. Impressed by the historical importance of the region, he wanted to establish a Shiva Linga at the place.
He instructed Gorakhnatha to obtain a Linga from Kashi for the purpose. Gorakhnatha was delayed in bringing the Linga to the place. Sage Matsyendranatha did penance for the appearance of the Linga. Eventually, Lord Shiva granted him his wish and appeared as an Udbhavalinga. The Linga brought by Sage Gorakhnatha was eventually taken by Sri Annappa Swamy to Dharmasthala.

A bronze image of a Buddha can be found on a Garuda vehicle of Lord Vishnu. This Temple represents in totality, the transition stage of Buddhism being absorbed into Hinduism.

The architecture of Kadri Manjunath Temple

According to legends, Parashurama located Kadalivana and observed the presence of one Rasakoopa (well) there. As promised, Lord Shiva appeared as a Linga in the well. He ordered Parashurama to construct a Temple with the help of Vishwakarma (God of Architecture). Accordingly, Vishwakarma constructed the Temple and the town.
The Manjunatha temple complex is square-shaped and is located on a hill. The figure of Sage Matsyendranatha graces the southern portion of the Temple. An idol of Sringinathas having a three hooded Naga overlooking it can be seen behind the figure of the Sage.
Similarly, on the western side, the 6 feet tall statue of Sage Gorakhanath can be found. The Deepasthambha can be found on the northern side of the complex.
The Kadri Manjunath Temple is believed to be built sometime during the 12th-13th century. The records show that the solid granite structure was renovated in the 14th century.
The Kadri Manjunath Temple architectural style resembles that of the Vijayanagara style of construction. A partially faded script in the kitchen of the Temple states that a King (whose name cannot be read) donated land for the construction and renovation of the Temple.
The earliest reference to the region of Kadri Temple can be seen in an engraving on the pedestal of the beautiful idol of Sri Lokeshwara. The inscription dated 968 AD states that King Kundavarma of the Alupa dynasty installed the idol in the Kadarika Vihara.
In Buddhist traditions, “Kadarika” means “hillside pasture land” and “Vihara” refers to a name given by Buddhists to any settlement. This inscription gave proof that a Buddhist settlement existed at the place in the 10th century.

Statues and Idols Present in Kadri Manjunath Temple — Different Statues and bronze idols of Gods that can be seen in Kadri Manjunath Temple.

There are several smaller shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Ayyappa, Kateel Durga Parameshwari, Goddess Manjushri, Lord Ganapathi, and Vyasa Muni that can be found in the temple complex.

Festivals celebrated at Kadri Manjunath Temple

Festivals in Kadri Manjunath Temple — The celebrations held in Kadri Manjunath Temple with much pomp and glory during the festive season.

Annual Festival – This Kadri Manjunath Temple festival is celebrated in a grand manner for nine days. The festivities begin in January on the day of Makara Sankranthi.

The first day comprises of an early morning Abhishekam to the Lord and a Dhwajarohana event in the evening. The Temple flag is raised indicating the beginning of the 9-day extravaganza. The Garudarohana will take place after the flag-raising ceremony is over.
On the first and the seventh day, a unique ritual called the Kanchil takes place. In this ritual, small kids dressed up as brides and grooms perform a parade in front of God.
The procession with the idol starts at 7 PM every evening and proceeds to Bikarnekatte, Mallikatte, Mundanakatte and then to Konchadi on the third, fourth, fifth and sixth day respectively. After the end of the procession, Mahapooja, Nithyabali, and Bhootha Bali will be performed on all the nine days.
The Maharathothsava will be held on the eighth day of the festival. Poojas like the Ratha Kalasha Pooja and the Mahapooja are performed in the morning. The Ratha Yatra starts at 6 PM. After the procession ends, Mahapooja, Bhoothabali, and the Shayana Pooja are performed for God.
The Lord will be placed in the Theertha Mandapam and given a ritualistic bath in the morning. Mahapooja and the Thulabhara Seva will be performed. The flag is brought down indicating the end of the celebrations.

Krishna Janmashtami – A Sandalwood statue of Lord Krishna is taken around in a procession to Gopala Krishna Mutt in the evening. The next day at 6 PM, the idol is brought back to the Temple with great enthusiasm. The Handi festival consisting of Mosuru or Buttermilk is broken by enthusiastic participants.
Sri Ganesh Chaturthi – The morning of the day marks the beginning of the Ganahoma with 108 coconuts. Special Modaka, made of Coconut, Arecanut, and jaggery are offered to Lord Ganapathi.
Maha Shivaratri – The festival is celebrated in February or March. The festival signifies the marriage of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati. Some also believe that this is the day when Lord Shiva absorbed the poison that turned him blue during the churning of Amrit’s episode in mythology. The day is celebrated with great reverence.
Sowramana Ugadi – On this auspicious day, Mahapooja will be done for the Lord. Vegetables will be offered to the Lord in the evening followed by a reading of the Panchanga (predictions for the New Year).

Some of the other occasions celebrated are Dhanupooja, Laksha Deepothsava, Karthik Somavara, Narakachaturdashi, Navaratri, and Rugupakarma.

How to reach Kadri Manjunath Temple by Road, Rail, and Air

Kadri has located just 4 km from the Mangalore city center.

By Air – The city of Mangalore is connected to all the major cities of India as well as the surrounding countries due to the presence of the Bajpe International Airport. The Airport lies at a distance of 10 km from the city center.
By Train – There are two main stations in Mangalore – Mangalore Junction and Mangalore Central. Trains from almost all major cities either stop or terminate here. Mangalore is well connected to cities like New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar, Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Vizag, Trivandrum and many more.
By Road – Mangalore is well connected by roads and highways. One can board buses from Bengaluru, Goa, Chennai, Karwar, Pune, and Mysore.

The Temple is further sanctified by the seven holy Theerthas presents at an elevation from the main sanctum. The main Theertha is called Gomukha Bhagirathi Theertha.

Where to stay in Kadri Manjunath Temple-

Place to stay in Kadri Manjunath Temple — The Kadri Manjunath Temple, Dharamsthala for devotees to stay and rest.

The Kadri Manjunath Temple administration operated one guest house consisting of 21 single rooms and 3 double rooms which can be booked by the devotees.
A large number of private hotels are available for accommodating pilgrims and tourists alike. The rooms may range from standard to AC suites in five-star hotels.
A large number of Government offices also operate guest houses in the city which can be booked by contacting them. Mangalore is a coastal city and offers beautiful beaches. Hence, resorts are abundant here.

Devotees keep fast and sing bhajans throughout the night and into the day. Special Poojas are performed for the Linga. Thousands of pilgrims from in and around Karnataka visit the shrine to receive blessings from the God themselves.

Where to eat in Kadri Manjunath Temple-

Food in Kadri Manjunath Temple for devotees and tourist — Devotees can have a meal organized by the Temple or association or eat at the various south Indian restaurants close to Kadri Manjunath Temple.

The Kadri Manjunath Temple provides Annadana to all devotees from 12:30 PM to 2 PM.
Besides the Kadri Manjunath Temple, several other private restaurants are available throughout the bustling city of Mangalore.
The city offers a wide variety of cuisines like Konkani, Seafood, Mughlai, North Indian, South Indian, Chinese, Italian and Thai.
Several popular food joints are Hotel Narayana for Seafood, Hotel Guthu for authentic local cuisine and Chutneys for North Indian Vegetarian and Giri Manja for Seafood.

Nearby Temples in Kadri Manjunath Temple-

Temples near Kadri Manjunath — Different significant temples that devotees can visit near Kadri Manjunath Temple.

Shri Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple – The Temple dedicated to Lord Ganapathi dates back to 800 years and can be visited in the heart of the city. The Temple has been mentioned in several Puranas like the Sthalapurana. Sri Dashabhuja Mahaganapati, Sri Sharabeshwara, and Siddhi Lakshmi are the presiding deities of the Temple.
Gokarnanatheshwara Temple – The Temple dedicated to Lord Gokarnanatheshwara, another form of Lord Shiva is situated at Kudroli, 5 km away from the city center. The Saint Sri Narayana Guru consecrated the Shiva Linga at the Temple in 1912. The Gopuram is 60 feet high and is decorated with beautiful divine sculptures depicting several Gods and Goddesses.
Kateel Durga Parameshwari Temple – The famous and sacred shrine dedicated to Sri Durga Parameshwari is situated in Kateel, 26 km from Mangalore. The Temple is located on the banks of the River Nandini. Several legends are associated with the Temple, which is mentioned in the Puranas themselves.
Kudupu Sri Anantha Padmanabha Temple – The Temple is located just 12 km away from the Mangalore city center. The presiding deities of the Temple are Lord Anantha (Lord Shiva) and Lord Padmanabha (Lord Vishnu). The Temple is known for Serpent worship. The deity Sri Anantha Padmanabha faces west.
Thousand Pillars Jain Temple – The Temple is located at a distance of 37 km in Moodbidri. The presiding deity of the Jain Temple is Sri Chandranath Swamy. The Temple dates back to 1430 AD. A 2.5-meter high statue of Sri Chandranath Swamy is worshiped here. The style of architecture resembles the Vijayanagara construction.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kadri Manjunath Temple

Are online tickets available for Kadri Manjunath Temple?

Tickets can be purchased on arrival at the counter for the same day Pooja. Online booking is not available for any of this poojas.

What are the preferable dress codes for devotees visiting Kadri Manjunath Temple?

Preferable dress codes for –
Men: White Pancha, Dhoti/ Kurta, Pyjama
Women: Saree with blouse/Punjabi Dress with Dupatta/ Chudidhar with Dupatta/ Half Saree.

What is the climate condition in Kadri Manjunath Temple?

The climate is tropical in Kadri Manjunath Temple. It has significant rainfall most months, with a short dry season.

What is the closest airport to Kadri Manjunath Temple?

The closest airport for devotees and tourist is situated at Gaggal which is around 50 km away from Kadri Temple.

What is Maha rathothsava that is held in Kadri Manjunath Temple?

Maha manmaharathothsava or chariot uthsava is popular for its mass feeding. Devotees all over the world assemble to seek the blessings of Lord Shree Manjunatha and to be a part of the grand ceremony.

What is the main event that is celebrated in Kadri Manjunath Temple?

The main event here is Lakshadeepotsava, when a 9-day fair is held.

What are the facilities available for tourist in Kadri Manjunath Temple?

The facilities available for tourists and devotees are Food Stalls, Accommodation, Washrooms, Lockers

Kheer Bhawani Temple Srinagar Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Kheer Bhawani Temple in Srinagar is one of the most picturesque and popular temples in the northern state of Jammu & Kashmir. It has been dedicated to the locally prevalent Goddess Kheer Bhawani (originally she was revered as just Bhawani).

The temple has been constructed on a sacred spring and this is one of the major attractions of the temple. The Kashmiri Hindus universally worship Goddess Kheer Bhawani and she is among the most respected Goddesses in the community.

The famous temple is located about 14 miles in the east of the Srinagar city and is near the village Tul Mul. It is protected by the Indian Army and the soldiers ensure the name of the temple is derived from the word kheer meaning rice pudding that is a popular prasadam offered.

Many people believe that there was a mulberry tree near the holy spot of the temple and in the local language, it is called tulmul. Hence, the place derived its name. The goddess has many names as it is a custom with most Hindu deities. She is called Maharagya Devi, Ragnya Bhagwati, Ragnya Devi and Rajni.

Kheer Bhawani History

According to stories, the Goddess Maharagya was extremely pleased with the devotion of the demon Ravana and she appeared before him. Ravana then got the image of the Goddess that he saw, installed in Sri Lanka. But the Goddess became displeased with the brutal and wicked life of Ravana and as a result, she was no more pleased to stay in Sri Lanka. Therefore, according to a popular legend, she instructed Lord Hanuman to get her image from there and this was installed here at the holy spot of Tul Mul.

Ragniya is one of the Rupa or incarnations of Goddess Durga and the one at Tul Mul is a Vaishnav Rupa. In the Kashmir, Ragniya is known as Tripura. In Sri Lanka, the Mother Goddess was popular as Shayama. Goddess Sita (the consort of Lord Rama) is also believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Ragniya. According to Ragniya Mahatmya, those who meditate on the PanchDashi Mantra during Navreh (New Year in Kashmir), the Mother Goddess Ragniya grants all their wishes.

Another legend states that the temple is the spot where Lord Rama had worshiped Ragnya Devi while he was in his exile. Lord Rama asked his devotee Lord Hanuman to shift the Goddess form, Lanka, after the exile period was over. Hence, Lord Hanuman brought the seat of the Goddess to Shadipora first and later she was shifted to the current site.

According to popular mythology, the night during which the Mother Goddess was brought from Sri Lanka to Kashmir has been termed as Ragniya Ratriand. This is a major festival among the Kashmiri Pandits. Many shrines have been dedicated to the goddess in Kashmir at Tiker, Manzgam (Noor-abad) Bheda, Bhuvaneshvar, Lo-qraer-pur, Rai-than, Mani-gam and Baed-pur but the one at Tul-Mul has been the most famous one and so this shrine is a focus of the pilgrims. 360 springs (nagas) are believed to have gathered at this spot.

The Ragniya form of the Goddess is Sattavie form which means the form of bliss and tranquility. Kheer Bhawani has been mentioned elaborately in the Kalhana’s Rajtarangini. The texts mention that the sacred spring of the Tula Mula region is situated in a marshy ground. This spring has been named as the Mata Ragini Kund (pond). The Brahmins of the Kashmir region worship this spring and the pilgrims from all comers of the country visit here to have the pious darshan of this place and of Maharagini as the form of Goddess Durga Bhagvati.

According to the text of Rajtarangini, Tula Mula, and the Maharagya spring both have been considered extremely sacred and the region’s Brahmins of Tula Mula are considered to have immense spiritual prowess. As stated by legends, during the Samvat 4041 of the Hindu lunar calendar, when the sacred Spring of Tula Mula in Kashmir was inundated under the sway of the floods, the holy place couldn’t be seen anywhere and couldn’t be traced. It was then that Yogi Krishna Pandit of Kashmir had a dream and the Goddess appeared to him to direct that she will be swimming in the form of a snake at some proper place and asked him to demarcate the holy spot with large poles in the marsh land. The holy spot was subsequently discovered at the same spot as directed by the Goddess.

The place had also uncovered the ruins of an old temple and shrine slabs that were engraved with figures were discovered and many images were found. In the 1920s, Maharaja Pratap Singh, an ardent disciple of Goddess got the marble temple made in the middle of a spring that shines similar to a pearl in the midst of a shell.

Another mention of the temple is in the book Ain-i-Akbari where Abu’l-Fazl ibn Mubarak had mentioned the area of the Tula Mula extending over a hundred bighas (units of land area) that used to sink in marshy lands during summers. The holy place was also visited by Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Vivekananda. When Swami Vivekananda visited the temple, during his stay, he ritually worshiped Kheer Bhavani and he communicated with the Goddess.

The sacred spring situated here is uniquely septagonal and has been dedicated to Goddess Kheer Bhawani. The spring flows from the west direction to the east. This holy spring mysteriously changes its color in various hues including red, pink, orange, and green, blue, white and this was noted by both Abul Fazal and Swami Vivekananda. The spring located at a distance of 27 kms from Srinagar, in Jammu & Kashmir of India, and is considered to be a form of the Goddess Mata Ragnya Devi.

Significance of the Kheer Bhawani Temple

Kheer Bhawani temple is highly important among the followers of the historical Vedic Religion in the Kashmir region and the followers are called Kashmiri Pandits. The area around the temple is covered with smooth and beautiful stones and large and old chinar trees that grow near the temple which is a popular place for the pilgrims to sit or sleep on the soft mats of grass. A major significance of the temple is due to the occasional change in the color of the spring water which when black or darkish is believed to indicate inauspicious times for the Kashmir region. This popular belief was reinforced at the time of the visit of Walter Lawrence, the-then British settlement commissioner for land in 1886. He visited the spring and reported the water of the spring having a violet tinge. A darkish or murky tinge was observed by the locals in the spring water just before the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and during the infamous 1989 insurgency in the valley.

Kheer Bhawani Temple Timings

Kheer Bhawani Temple is open from morning 6AM to 8PM every day.

Festivals Celebrated At the Kheer Bhawani Temple

The annual festival held at the temple is the Mela Kheer Bhawani which is the time when the devotees of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani gather here and fast on the eighth day of the full moon. The festival is held during the month of May/ June. The annual festival is a public holiday in the state of Kashmir. This is the time when, according to a popular belief, the Goddess changes the color of the water of the spring and this is due to the mysterious manifestations of the Goddess Mata Kheer Bhawani.

This time of the festival on the eighth day of the full moon holds high significance for the devotees of the temple’s presiding deity Ragnya Devi. The temple serves as the main venue for the annual celebrations on the occasion of Jesht Ashtami. A large number of Hindus gather at the temple and seek the blessings of the goddess. The temple also gains special visitors during the occasion of Shukla Paksh Ashtami. Many havans/yagys are performed by the holy men during the festival to please the goddess.

Poojas and Rituals at Kheer Bhawani Temple

The Kashmiri Pandits hold special reverence towards the temple and thus they perform many rituals at the temple to please the Goddess and to keep their region safe from any external danger. It is believed that there were 360 springs surrounding the main temple earlier that disappeared and the land became marshy and so the Kashmiri Brahmins for whom the Kheer Bhawani is the presiding deity perform special yagys here to protect the temple. A lot of people also visit here for a pilgrimage and chant mantras for their Goddess.

How to Reach By Road, Rail & Air

Kheer Bhawani Temple is located in the village Tul Mul at a distance of 1 hour, 14 miles in the east of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. The temple is guarded by soldiers from all around and from a distance as many devotees visit here so while visiting the devotees first need to register near the entrance gate. Srinagar can be reached from all parts of the country through rail, road as well as airways.

By Air: There are regular flights from all the major cities of the country to Srinagar and the Srinagar Airport is the major airport.

By Train: Srinagar does not have its own railway station but the nearest railway station is the Udhampur station. It is situated 130 kms away from Srinagar and the Ram Nagar station is located 138 kms away from the city

By Bus: Regular buses can be caught from Srinagar to all other major cities of the country and back. The major bus stand is at Srinagar.

Hotels in Srinagar

Srinagar has many 3-Star, 4-Star, 5-Star hotels as well as many luxurious resorts like Hotel Akbar, The Lalit Grand Palace and Vivanta Dal View by Taj. It is also house to many houseboats and many inns, cottages and private residences.

Nearby Temples and Attractions

Srinagar is a wonderful city poised with natural beauty and nestled among mountains. The city is situated on the banks of the Jhelum and has many diverse temples of great architectural grandeur. The city has beautiful gardens and lakes. Some of the major tourist attractions of Srinagar are the Dal Lake, Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bag and Jami Masjid.

Following are some major temples in Srinagar:

Shankaracharya Temple, Srinagar: Adi Shankaracharya had visited this temple and hence it derived its name. The Temple is a soaring imposing structure and highly visited.
Sharika Devi Temple, Hari Parbat: This is a temple laced with many mystical theories from the ancient Hindu mythology. The temple’s presiding deity is Sharika Devi who is also the major deity of the Srinagar city.
Martand Sun Temple, Anantnag: The Anantnag temple is popular among the devotees who visit the Amarnath temple and the temple is a work of genius architectural labor. This temple was built by the King Lalitaditya of the Surya (Solar) dynasty.
Pandrethan Temple, Srinagar: An old stone structure, the Pandrethan temple is a major temple that is associated with Emperor Ashoka and is one of the major attractions of the city.
Bhuteshwara Temple, Srinagar: The temple was constructed in the 12^th century and is blessed with great architecture and as a result holds great importance among the locals.
Jwala Mukhi Temple, Khru: The picturesquely placed temple is atop a hillock and is a popular draw for the tourists.
Rameshwaram Shiva Temple, Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar: The popular Shiva temple has religious significance and has associations with Hinduism, but also Sikhism.
Mamal Shiva Temple, Pahalgam: The popular Shiva temple is one that has exceptional popularity amongst the faithful devotees and the devotees throng the temple in spite of its ruined condition.

The Kheer Bhawani Temple of Srinagar has been a temple of special importance among the Kashmiri Brahmins and so does the city of Srinagar that is visited by many tourists. A temple is a place with immense natural beauty and thus is worth a visit.

Chhatarpur Temple Delhi Guide – Timings, Poojas, and History

Chhatarpur Temple is located on the outskirts of the South-western Delhi, i.e. Chhatarpur. It is 4 km away from Qutub Minar. This temple is home to Goddess Durga’s both manifestations namely, Maa Gauri and Maa Katyayani.

The temple is popular among its devotees by the name of Shri Adhya Katyayani Shakti Peeth Mandir. Sant Shree Nagpal Baba founded the temple in 1974. The temple expands to the area of about 70 acres. And for a fact, it is one of the biggest temple complexes in India.

It is like a marble art coming alive and is a modern mix of both northern and southern architectures. Nevertheless, the temple’s architecture is of the Vesara genre.

The temple has a huge area. Moreover, other smaller temples too stand on the Chhatarpur temple land. Some of these shrines are Ram Mandir, Hanuman Mandir, Shiv Mandir, Nageshwar Mandir etc.

Chhatarpur temple introduction — Chhatarpur Temple is also known as Shree Adhya Katyayani Shakti Peeth.

Chhatarpur Temple – Facts

Deity	Goddess Katyayani
Temple Timings	4:00 am – 11:00 pm
Opening and Closing Dates	Open 365 days in a year
Time required for Darshan	2-3 hours
Entry fee	No fee
Festivals 2019	Navratris, Guru Purnima, Maha Shivratri, Babaji’s birthday, Babaji’s Nirvaan Divas, Krishna Janmashtmi
Best Time To Visit	During Janmashtmi, Navratri and Maha Shivratri
Nearest Airport	IGI Airport
Location	Chhatarpur, Delhi

Timings of Chhatarpur Temple

Devotees can offer prayers in the temple during the following timings-

Timing	From
Open	4:00 am
Close	11:00 pm

Poojas and Rituals in the Chhatarpur Temple

Morning Aarti is done by the Pujari of the temple at 4:00 am when its still dawn, every single day. Special Aartis of Kumbabhishek and Guru Purnima takes place during Navratri and Guru Purnima respectively.

Aarti at Chhatarpur Temple — Aarti taking place inside the Chhatarpur Temple.

Significance of Chhatarpur temple

Chhatarpur Temple has a unique architecture from being an all-in-all marble structure to its ornate designs on the temple Jalis. Apart from it, the temple hosts beautiful lawns and gardens that add to the scenic beauty of the temple complex.
Both soft and perilous manifestations of Navdurga, Gauri and Katayayani respectively sit inside the temple. Devotees can offer prayers to Goddess Gauri every day.
Furthermore, the temple also has an ancient tree, Kalpavrikasha, in its entrance. In addition to this, the threads and bangles tied by devotees cover the entire tree. It is so because of the popular belief of wish fulfillment after the tying of the thread and bangles around the tree.

Darshan of Goddess Katyayani can be done only on the Ashtami of every month or during the nine days of Navratri.

History of Chhatarpur Temple

Baba Sant Nagpal Ji supervised the construction of the temple in 1974. Beliefs say that after the death of his mother, an unknown lady took Babaji under her care. The lady, however, claimed to be the mother of the universe. Hence, Babaji developed an unknowing devotion to the Goddess.

Hence, the temple came into existence after he moved to Delhi. He purchased this land from villagers and set up the huge temple complex.

He dedicated it to Goddess Katyayani. She is the sixth incarnation of Navdurga. Religious texts state that Goddess Katyayani is the creation of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu and the savior of the Gods.

Katyayani was born to the Rishi Katyayani who used to pray to the Goddess Durga. Hence, he got the happiness of being a father to one of her incarnations. Its believed that Katyayani was extremely beautiful and hence caught the attention of the demons.

And so the demon Mahishasur had intentions to woo her. However, the Goddess insisted upon war as the only way to get her. And that is when the demon met his death in the hands of the eight-armed fierce protector of the Gods.

Chhatarpur-temple-history — Chhatarpur Temple is built by the determination and hard work of Baba Sant Nagpal Ji.

Legend of Chhatarpur Temple

Worshipped as the Sixth manifestation of Navdurga, Maa Katyayani is the “Mahishasurmardini”. For the Goddess is the one who took away the life of demon Mahishasur.

According to Shaktism, Goddess Katyayani is the creation of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. She is the mighty one with three eyes and eighteen arms all of which hold lethal weapons. Her beautiful black locks and awestriking beauty never fails to charm her devotees.

Legend-of-Chhatarpur-temple — Goddess Katyayani killed the buffalo demon Mahishasur and hence became popular as ‘ Mahishasurmardini’

What’s inside the Chhatarpur Temple

The temple has a very big complex. There are around 20 small and bigger temples divided into three complexes.
Apart from the main deity, there are other smaller temples too. However, two incarnations of Navdurga, namely Gauri and Katyayani have their separate temples.
There are two main shrines one is a dedication to Gauri and the other to Katyayani. Gauri temple is accessible all days of the year. However, the devotees can visit Katyayani temple only on Ashtami of every month or during all the nine days of Navratris.
Goddess Katyayani’s golden faced idol is put up in a big hall, accessible from the prayer hall. The idol is always dressed up in heavy clothes and amazing jewellery accompanied by flowers.
Near to the Aarti Complex are two rooms. One is a living room with silver furniture. And the other is the “Shayankaksh”, the bedroom consisting of silver bed and dresser. However, the rooms have glass enclosures all around and can be seen from outside only.
There is also a huge area for Langar. Also at the entrance is the huge ancient Kalpavraksha. Moreover, on this tree, people tie threads and bangles for wish fulfilment.

People are expected to come to the temple in decent attires. Also, any kind of provocative clothing is prohibited. Moreover, devotees take out their slippers outside the temple and wash their hands before offering prayers.

Inside-chhatarpur-temple — The golden idol of Devi Katyayani inside the Chhatarpur temple accompanied by the holy tree where devotees tie threads and bangles for wish fulfilment

Festivals celebrated at Chhatarpur Temple

Navratris– Both Vasant Navratri coinciding with Ram Navmi and MahaNavratri coinciding with Durga Puja calls for a celebration here. The first one falls in the months of March/April and the later in the months of September/October. Kumbaabhishek or the holy bath of Goddess Katyayani marks the beginning of the festival. After this grand celebrations go on for almost 9 days on both times. Also on the days of Navratri, Goddess Katyayani is accessible to the devotees on all days.
Krishna Janmashtami– The festival falls on the Bhadrapad Ashtami (8th day) of the Hindu month of Bhadon (August/September). And as the clock strikes midnight, the pujaris chant Vishnu Sahasranam in the temple. Hereafter, Aarti takes place after which prasad is given to the devotees.
Guru Purnima – This calls for celebration in August every year. A procession starting around 10.00 am from Shree Shiv Shakti Mandir, Kilokari village reaches Babaji Samadhi at 2 pm in the main temple complex. After which Aartis take place.
Babaji’s Birthday– The festival falls on the full moon day in February or March. The devotees play with colours just like in Holi at the Markandeya Hall. After that lunch is served. On this day, various cultural and religious programs are held.
Babaji’s Nirvaan Divas- Babaji’s Samadhi was accomplished on 15th December 1998. The Samadhi is decorated with flowers and illuminated with lights on the day. The Tilak of Babaji’s statue is done. And the samadhi is beautified with lights and flowers. Langar is held on this day for many saints. They also receive clothing etc as gifts.

Navratri-at-Chhatarpur-Temple — Grand Navratri celebrations at the Chhatarpur Temple

How to Reach the Chhatarpur Temple?

By Air– The nearest airport is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The temple is 12 km away from the airport.
By Train– The nearest railway station to the temple is Hazrat Nizamuddin. It’s at a distance of about 11 km from the temple.
By Road- Delhi possesses good connectivity throughout the city via Roads. There are three bus terminuses namely, Kashmere Gate and Anand Vihar. One can also take city buses to the temple from here.
By Metro– Metro trains are air-conditioned alternatives that connect every nook and corner of the state. Hence, the nearest metro station to the temple is Chhatarpur Metro station.

Metro-Station-near-Chhatarpur-Temple — Metro Station nearby Chhatarpur Temple

Metro Station is at walking distance of 800 meters from the temple. Devotees can either take a sharing auto rickshaw or walk to the religious site.

Where to stay nearby?

The temple has a Dharamshala of its own for the stay of its devotees. The Dharamshala consists of 12 halls which can accommodate 30 people each. Furthermore, there are 36 rooms which can host the stay of 6 people each.

Moreover, there are several luxurious hotels nearby the temple like-

The Ocean Pearl Retreat– Its a hotel packed with all the luxuries for its guest. And has both interior and exterior beauty one can imagine of.
Opulent Hotel by Ferns and Petals– This is another luxurious stay with all the amenities for the best of the comfort of its guests.

Where to eat?

Delhi being the city, devotees have many options open to them. One can obviously enjoy the tasty langar at the temple or choose to eat from the nearby outlets. Delhi has many options on its street food to choose from and also does have outlets like Moti Mahal etc.

Streetfood-nearby-Chhatarpur-Temple — Some tasty streetfood options available near Chhatarpur temple

Nearby Temples

Bala Hanuman temple– It’s one of the ancient Hanuman temples located at Baba Kharak Singh Marg in Connaught Place. According to the legends, the Hanuman idol here appeared on its own and has been here since then.
Gauri- Shankar temple– This temple is one of the most sacred temples of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. The 800-year-old Shivlingam here is the pride of the place.
Aurobindo Ashram– The centre is an extension of the main branch in Pondicherry. Further its the centre for yoga and meditation to seek the ultimate truth of life.
Digambara Jain temple– According to the beliefs, this is the oldest and most known Jain temple in Delhi. It was built in 1656 in Chandni Chowk where it still is. And it stands out for the fact that it has Jain Bird Hospital behind the Main Temple.

Frequently asked questions about the temple

Can I offer prayers to Goddess Katyayani everyday?

No. Goddess Katyayani’s darshan can only be availed on Ashtami of every month and on all Navratri days.

Does the temple provide any facility for a night stay?

Yes. The temple has its own Dharamshala for this purpose.

Is the temple open during the afternoon?

Yes, the temple can be visited at all times from 4 am to 11 pm.

Are facilities provided for the handicapped like wheelchair?

Yes, wheelchair facilities are provided by the temple staff.

Is there a parking facility near the temple?

Yes, The temple provides free parking for all transports.

Do the temple provide child Mundan facilities?

Yes, One can get their child’s Mundan done here.

Photography is allowed in the temple?

Yes, Photography is allowed here.

How can I reach the temple from Chhatarpur Metro Station?

The temple is 800 metres from the temple so you can either walk or take an Auto Rickshaw.

Which is the best time to visit the temple?

The best time to visit the temple is during Navratris as the devotees can easily offer prayers to Goddess Katyayani.

Is there a theft report counter in the temple?

Yes, one can complain to the security staff and get things checked in the CCTV footage.

Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple Guide – Timings, Dress Code, and History

Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple is also known as Sri Muthappan temple which is one of the famous Hindu temples. It is situated on the banks of the Valapattanam river about 10 km away from Taliparamba town in Kannur District of Kerala State. The main deity of worship in the temple is Sree Muthappan that is an indication of 2 mythical characters named Thiruvappana and Vellattam.

Parassini Madappura Sree Muthappan Temple is not a Kshethram but it is a Madappura. Sree Muthappan is always accompanied by a dog.

The ritual performers of Muthappan Theyyam belong to the tribal community of Kerala. It is unique because in Kerala both the upper-caste Brahmins, and the lower-caste tribals have a significant contribution to the major forms of worship. The devotees can interact with God as they pour out their grievances in a chat with the tastefully decorated Muthappan Theyyam.

History and Legend of Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple

The Naduvazhi (landlord) Ayyankara Illath Vazhunnavar was unhappy as he had no child. His wife Padikutty Antharjanam was a devotee of Lord Shiva. She offered several things as a sacrifice to the God Shiva. One day in her dream she saw the Lord. The very next day, while she was returning after a bath from a nearby river, saw a pretty child lying in a flower bed. She took the child home and brought him up as her own son.
The boy would take food with the poor and with the backward communities. As these acts were against the Namboothiri way of life, his parents earnestly requested him to stop this practice.
One day the boy went to his parents and shown his parents his divine form (visvaroopam) with bow and arrow and fiery eyes. His parents understood that the boy was not an ordinary child but God.
After revealing himself he left his house and on the way he got associated with toddy. Once a toddy tapper saw him stealing toddy and he tried to attack with his bow and arrow but fell unconscious. Toddy tapper’s wife begged by him to spare his life by calling him Muthappa with respect and since then he came to be known a Muthappan. He made his abode near valapattanam river in Parassinikadavu.
The deity here is an embodiment of the divine powers of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The deity is also known as Thiruvappana and Vellattam. The ritual conducted in this temple is totally different and does not follow the satvik Brahminical form of worship as in other Hindu temples. The customary offerings to appease the deity of this temple are fish, meat and toddy.

Significance of Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple

Here dogs are considered sacred and can be seen in large numbers around the temple. Two carved bronze dogs at the entrance of the temple symbolize the bodyguards of the God. The temple is dedicated to Lord Muthappan, believed to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva.
Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple is the only temple in Kerala where the Folk art form of North Kerala ‘Theyyam’ is presented daily. This centre of worship and faith has in store many unique practices and rituals, and the temple architecture itself stands testimony to this aspect.
Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple is also a popular destination for travellers and pilgrims to savour the charm of Theyyam. A ritual that is performed here on a daily basis. Men adorning masks and costumes with a riot of colours perform this temple art form. It represents the conflict between good and evil, with good ultimately emerging victorious.

Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple Timings

Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple starts function from early morning to late night with few breaks in between for rituals to be performed.
Vellattam and Thiruvappana are performed every morning from 5.45 AM to 8 AM. Vellattam are also performed at evening by around 6.30 PM.
Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple remains open from 5 AM to in the morning to 8:00 PM in the evening.

Festivals celebrated at the Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple

Puthari Thiruvappana festival

Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple Festival or Utsavam is the main festival celebrated at Parassini Madappura Sree Muthappan Temple. It falls during the Malayalam month of Vrischikam (November end – December half) every year. The Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple Festival starts as per customary rituals at the Madamana Illam in the morning. Also known as Puthari Thiruvappana festival (Parassinikadavu Ulsavam), the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple festival is related to the harvest celebration of local people. Every year the festival begins on 16th Vrischikam in the traditional Hindu Calendar. During this harvest festival, people celebrate “puthari”. A grand ceremonial feast will be conducted at the temple for devotees.

It is associated with the harvesting season of the region. The last Thiruvappana of the temple year is on 30 Kanni every year.

Thiruvappana is not performed on the following days:

Thulam 1st to Vrischikam 15th every year.
Amaavasi (new moon) day of Karkkitakam and Thulam.
“Nira” day of the temple.
When there is a death in the Madappura family.

Poojas and Rituals at Sree Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple

Avoid shirts, skirts, tank tops and so not expose legs. Footwear is not allowed inside the temple. Use of cellphones and photography is strictly prohibited.
The traditional offerings made to Sree Muthappan by devotees are Panamkutty, Vellattam and Thiruvappana. The offerings to the prime priest, Matayan, are Vecheringat (a boiled mixture of banana, pepper, turmeric powder and salt), Neerkari (a mixture of raw rice powder, salt, turmeric powder and pepper), boiled gram, or coconut slices. Toddy and burnt dry fish are also used as offerings.
The deity worshipped in this temple is Sree Muthappan. All the main poojas are performed by the Thiyyas of Parassini Muthappan family. In special cases, Brahmins and Madayans together perform poojas in Sreekovil.
Before entering the main temple one needs to climb down the steps to reach the river and clean the body. After cleaning, enter the inner premises of the temple. Pray before Muthappan and put some money into the box provided.
After having your food, you can go to the office and pay if you have anything to offer. One can pay cash for the same and get a receipt from the counter.

How to reach: Road, Rail and Air

By Air: Karipur International Airport at Kozhikode is the nearest airport. It is about 93 km from Kannur town. Mangalore Airport is about 120 km away.

By Train: Kannur Railway Station is an important railhead in Konkan Railway. It is the nearest railway station about 16 km from the temple.

By Road: Located at a distance of around 20 kilometres from Kannur, the Parassinikadavu Sri Muthappan Temple is a very popular pilgrim site and is visited by many devotees on a daily basis. Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple is just 20 km from Kannur town.

Where to stay

Thapasya Heritage

Contact: Opp. AKG Mandiram, Temple Road, Parassinikadavu, Kannur- 670563

Thai Resort

Contact: Nr.Sri Muthappan Temple, Parassinikadavu, Kannur, Kerala 670563

Das Residency

Contact: Parassinikadavu, Kannur, Kerala – 670563

Hotel Well View

Contact: Near Muthappan Temple, Parassinikkadavu, Kannur-670 563, Kerala

Hotel Polariz

Contact: Hotel Polariz, PO Kalliassery, Mangad, Near Snake Park, Kannur -670 562, Kerala

Where to eat

The lane leading to the temple is full of tea shops offering a variety of delicious dishes. Breakfast consists of rice which is light and wholesome; Puttu, a steamed rice flour dish is eaten with coconut scrapings, banana and sugar. Appam is another rice and coconut preparation fermented with toddy and made into a spongy pancake with crispy lacy frills eaten with coconut milk and sugar or Idiyappam. Rice flour pressed through a mould to resemble fine strings and then steamed are some of the dishes offered.
Another popular breakfast item is a rice and dal combination like idli and dosa accompanied by coconut chutney and sambar. Lunch and supper are unpolished rice, fish curry and vegetables. Evening tea is accompanied by the boiled green gram with coconut pieces topped with a plantain. A non-vegetarian delicacy is stewed clams, a shellfish with hinged shell, from Valapattanam river. Food is served on a banana leaf, the tip of the leaf placed to the left of the diner.
Devotes of all castes and beliefs come in hundreds and throng the courtyard. They are given generous quantities of Prasadam or sacred ashes as Muthappan bestows his blessings upon all his devotees.
Parassini Madappura provides free lunch to students from the temple oottuPura, irrespective of caste and religion. Almost all students from Parassinikadavu LP and UP school have their lunch from the Parassini Madappura Oottupura.

Nearby Temples

Sri Rajarajeswara Temple: Rajarajeswara Temple is situated 20 km from Kannur of Kerala state, south India. It is near Taliparamba town, famous for its spices trade. The temple is believed to have got the name from Thiru Shambara or the holy shambara in reverence to Maharishi Shambara. The Shiva Lingam here is believed to be several thousands of years old. The Rajarajeswara temple in Thaliparamba in Kannur district is one of the famous Shiva Temples in Kerala in general and in North Malabar in particular.

Trichambaram Sree Krishna Temple: Trichambaram Krishna Temple is an 11th-century shrine situated at Trichambaram, just 2 km south of Taliparamba in Kannur District. It is 20 km from Kannur on National Highway 17. The temple dedicated to Lord Krishna is one of the best known Krishna temples in Kerala. The temple is of great archaeological importance. The sanctum sanctorum is double storied and has a pyramid-shaped copper roof with a golden stupa (pinnacle) at the top. The sanctum has beautiful carvings and murals which date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

Kalarivathukkal Temple: Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy Temple, Bhadrakali Shrine located near Valapattanam river. It is the family shrine of Chirakkal Royal Family. The deity of the shrine is the fierce form of Bhadrakali. Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy is considered as the mother of the ancient martial art Kalarippayattu and hence the name. The shrine is administered by Malabar Devaswom Board and classified as Category A Temple of the board. Kalarivathukkal has come from the word Kalari Vaatilkal.

Sabarimala Temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is also located in the same state of Kerala. It is open for only a few days every month. Check Sabarimala Temple Opening Dates before you visit.

Tirumala Teppotsavam 2019 – Dates, Festival

Here is everything you want to know about Tirumala Teppotsavam of Lord Venkateswara.

Tirumala Teppotsavam 2019 Dates

The annual Teppotsavam at Tirumala is scheduled to take place from March 17, 2019, to March 21, 2019.

What is Tirumala Teppotsavam?

This annual seva is offered at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. It is a five-day festival. In this unique festival, the procession deities will be taken out on the glittering and colorfully decorated floats in the Swami Pushkarini commencing on the Ekadashi day of Phalguna month every year in the evening hours.

Who should take part in Tirumala Teppotsavam?

A single person can participate in this seva by booking tickets either online or offline.
The price of the ticket is Rs 500 per person per day.
They should start booking tickets at least 90 days prior to the actual date of the seva.

What are the best days to do Tirumala Teppotsavam?

The best days to perform Teppotsavam are:

This annual seva is celebrated in the month of March.
One should make prior bookings to get the dates to participate in this pooja.
It is performed in the evening, starting around 6 p.m.

How is Annual Tirumala Teppotsavam Seva celebrated?

Every year during Phalguna Poornima, this festival is celebrated on a grand scale in the Swami Pushkarini for five days in the month of Chaitra (March).
On the first day, Lord Rama with Sita and Lakshmana are offered worship and taken out for a celestial ride on the finely decked float in Swamy Pushkarini.
On the second day, Lord Sri Krishna and Rukmini are offered puja and taken for a pleasure ride on the float.
During the remaining three days beginning with Thrayodashi and ending with Poornima, Sri Malayappa Swami along with Sridevi and Bhudevi are taken out for a ride in the temple tank.
On the third day, there will be three rounds followed by five rounds.
And on the final day, the utsava murtis will be taken out for pleasure ride on the impressively decorated float for seven rounds.
On this day special charms are added to the boat deck. Along with the main temple, the Mada streets are also decorated with radiant lights. The full moon is an added attraction to the divine beauty of the deities.
The pilgrims throng to see the grandeur of the deities on this day since the charm of the full moon is an added attraction to the divine beauty of the deities.
Arjitha seva ticket holders who take part in this float festival will have darshan of the Lord after the festival.

Where is Tirumala Teppotsavam performed?

The festivals begin in Srivari Pushkaram, Tirumala around 6 to 7 p.m. in the evening on all 5 days.

What is the history behind Tirumala Teppotsavam seva?

The earliest inscription relates to the year 1468 A.D. says that Sriman Maha Mandaleswara Medini Misraganda Kathhari Saluva Narashima Raju Udayar “the son of Saluva Gundaya Deva Maharaja Udyar”, built a Vasanta Mandapam in the middle of Swami Pushkarini Teertha.
Even today it is this mandapam from the Teppotsavam starts.
Earlier this festival was celebrated for 9 days. But it is being observed for 5 days starting from Ekadashi and concluding on Poornima.

What is the cost to get tickets for Tirumala Teppotsavam?

The pilgrims who wish to be a part of this annual seva, they need to book tickets either online through ttd seva online or offline. Ticket cost is approximately Rs. 500/- per person per day.
Every ticket holder is given one Big Laddu and one Vada along with silk piece upper for gents and blouse piece for ladies

Siddhatek Ganpati Temple – Ashtavinayak Guide – Timings, Poojas, and Significance

Siddhatek Ganpati Temple – Being one of the Ashtavinayaka temples in Maharashtra, the Siddhatek Ganpati temple is dedicated to the Hindu God, Lord Ganesha. It is present in the Ahmednagar district and is close to the Daund railway station. It is a sacred tourist destination for pilgrims all around the world.

Planning to visit this temple? Have a look at our Ashtavinayak Yatra Tour Packages.

Siddhatek Ganpati Temple – Facts

Deity	Lord Ganesha
Location	Ahmednagar in Maharashtra
Significance	Right-Trunked Lord Ganesh idol
Best Time to Visit	July to November
Darshan Timings	4:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Entry Fees	Free
Vehicle Parking Fees	Free
Dress Code	Traditional
Festivals	Ganesh Chaturthi, Bhadrapad and Magh Chaturthi
Fairs	Vijayadashami and Somavati Amavasya
Architecture	Hindu temple style

On giving appropriate donations temple trust or poojari performs Abhishek, Pooja and Sahastravartan. Prasad and holy ashes are sent by post.

What are the timings of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

Here are the timings of Siddhatek Ganapati mandir:

Timings	From	To
Regular Temple Timings	5 AM	9:30 PM
Morning Aarti	4:30 AM
Dhoop Aarti Timing	9 PM

Which Poojas and Rituals take place at Siddhatek Ganpati?

The poojas and rituals that take place at Siddhatek Ganapati are:

Timings	From
Saharan Pooja	5:00 AM
Khichdi	10 AM
Panchamriti Pooja	11 AM
Mahabhog	12:30 PM

Rules for performing pooja of Siddhivinayak are observed very strictly as such devotees are not allowed to do pooja personally.

Idol of Lord Ganesh at Siddhatek Ganpati Temple — The divine idol of Lord Ganesh in the sanctum of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple.

What is the significance of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

Siddhatek Ganpati is along the river Bhima and is in Karjat taluka of Ahmednagar. The Ganesha idol here has his trunk to the right side and is named as Siddhi Vinayaka. Usually, the trunk is towards left and the right trunked Ganesha is very powerful and hard to please.

Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir is also famous as Jagrut Kshetra.

The Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir consists of black stones faces the north direction.

The Garbhagriha or the sanctum is 15ft in height and 10 ft in width. It has Jaya-Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vishnu’s abode adjoining the main idol of Siddhivinayaka.

The Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir has a dome-shaped ceiling and the deity and the Ganesha image is self-existent. This is a natural icon in the form of an elephant.

The sanctum also has a Shiva – Panchayatana along with a shrine dedicated to Goddess Shivai.

Devotees can see the icon seated cross-legged with his consort siddhi located nearby. The Almighty remains covered with flower garlands and sindoor paste.

What is the history of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

The history of Siddhatek Ganapati says that Lord Vishnu built the auspicious shrine. It was later destroyed over time and a cowherd had a vision of this temple who ultimately found the icon of Siddhi Vinayaka. From then on, the cowherd began worshipping the deity and this shrine became popular.

Sardar Haripant Phadke was the commander in chief and an official of the Peshwa rulers. He built the Nagarkhana or the chamber which is the home to Nagaras and a paved road leading to the main door of the temple. Moreover, he worshipped the deity for 21 days and circled the temple 21 times daily.

Ahilyabai Holkar, the Philosopher Queen of Indore built the Siddhatek Ganpati temple in its present form. The Ganapatya, a particular Sect of people that worships Ganesha as the Supreme Almighty, Saint Morya Gosavi, and Narayan Maharaj worshipped at the temple where they attained siddhi.

As such Siddhatek is holy place where God Vishnu, Sage Vyas and Bhrushundi, hermit Morya Gosavi and Narayan Maharaj had attained siddhi.

What are the legends of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

As per the legends, the ‘Mudgala Purana’ describes the events relating to the beginning of the Creation. Lord Brahma emerged from the lotus that rises from Lord Vishnu’s navel. While creating the universe, Vishnu was in his yoga Nidra and two demons rise from the dirt in his ear.

Then the demons, namely, Madhu and Kaitabha disturbed the process of creation which made Lord Vishnu rise from his sleep. But, Vishnu was unable to defeat them and asked Lord Shiva for help. So, Shiva told him that he has forgotten to invoke Lord Ganesha before the fight.

Consecutively, Vishnu performed penance at Siddhatek and invoked the God of beginning and obstacle removal. Ganesha defeated all the demons, and it is in this place that Vishnu acquired Siddhi. Hence the place became famous as Siddhatek.

What is the Architecture of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

The temple is developed in dark stone which faces north. The temple has a sabha-mandapa of dark stone and another sabha-mandapa, which is a later expansion. The threshold of the primary temple has a little demonic head mold. The temple likewise has a Nagarkhana.

The Garbhagriha (sanctum) is 15 ft high and 10 ft wide. It has the Jaya-Vijaya – the guards of Vishnu’s home, flanking the focal symbol of Siddhivinayaka. It has a vault formed a stone roof. Like all Ashtavinayaka places of worship, the focal Ganesha idol is accepted to be Swayambu.

The focal icon of Siddhi-Vinayaka is seated cross-legged with his associate Siddhi situated close-by, however regularly she is covered up with blossom laurels and the sindoor paste that covers the image. The idol is sheathed in metal and with its trunk turned to the right. The sanctum likewise has a Shiva-Panchayatana and a place of worship to goddess Shivai.

Which festivals are celebrated at Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

There are many festivals that are observed in this temple premises, such as:

Bhadrapath: Lord Ganesh’s birth celebrations known as Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi is a key festival in the state of Maharashtra. Moreover, in Pali, Lord Ballaleshwar’s birthday is a five-day festival from Bhadrapath Shudh 1 to Bhadrapath Shudh 5 (August – September)
Ganesh Jayanti: Another festival that draws visitors from all across India is Ganesh Jayanti. It is another popular occasion that celebrates the birthday of Ganesha on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Magha.
Fairs and Celebration: Vijayadasami and Somavati Amavasya, a no-moon day that falls on a Monday are also important days on which the temple organizes a festival and a fair.
Magh: The Magh Utsav is an important festival at the Siddhatek Temple. Here, the celebrations are held from Magh Shudh 1 to Magh Shudh 6 (January – February). During this period, devotees conduct Bhajans, Kirtans and several programs.
Holi: The colorful festival of Holi is in the month of Phalgun (February/March), on Phalgun Shudh Poornima.
Shravan: Janmashtami or Krishna Ashtami, Lord Krishna’s birthday is celebrated here with a Dahi Handi event during Shravan ( July- August)

How to Reach Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir?

Here’s how to reach Siddhatek Ganapati mandir:

Air – The nearest airport is Pune Lohegaon Airport. There are numerous numbers of taxis and buses that will take you to Siddhatek from outside the airport.

Train – Daund Junction Railway Station, which is 18 km away, is the nearest railway station on the Pune – Solapur line. Mumbai Hyderabad Express, Jhelum Express, Nanded Pune Express, Mumbai Nagercoil Express, Konark Express, and Udyan Express passes through Daund Junction Railway Station.

Road – An alternate route is the long route of 48 km from Daund-Kashti-Pedgoan. In the morning hours, many buses ply from Pune directly to Siddhtek.

Boat – Buses are available from Pune and Daund to a village called Shirapur, which is a kilometer away from Siddhatek. From there, one can get on a boat to reach the temple.

Where to stay near Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir?

There are budget as well as luxurious hotels available to stay during your visit to Siddhatek Ganpati. However, for people looking to stay at Siddhatek, prior booking is a must. One can call the Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir priest, Shree Gajanan Purohit to make prior arrangements near the Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir.

If you are a single traveler and looking to save up on your budget, then dormitories or sharing rooms are a great alternative. For people traveling with families, there are double, triple and four beds available for rent.

Irrespective of the size of your room, all modern amenities are available in the hotels. From private balconies to basic electronic gadgets and free internet, the hotel staff provides all sorts of comfort to meet the requirements of a modern-day traveler.

Siddhatek temple trust is under control of Chinchwad Temple Trust. Temple trust is constructing a building fo r the purpose of devotees.

Where to eat near Siddhatek Ganpati Mandir?

Maharastrian Cuisine — Maharastrian Cusisine can be enjoyed by devotees while visiting Siddhatek Ganpati Temple.

There are quite a few other options available for good food :

Free food is provided inside the temple from 12:30 pm to 2 pm.
In addition, the people of Siddhatek are very friendly and cordial in nature. One can try the conventional Jhunka-Bhakri meal by paying a small amount to the natives.
By the banks of the Bhima, on the Pune side, one can find village women preparing wholesome, tasty Maharashtrian food. For Rs 35 per meal, diners may have unlimited Bhakri which are rotis made with a choice of jowar/ bajra/ wheat flour, on stone stoves, pithala, and some vegetable dish.

What are the other Ashtavinayak Temples?

Here’s a list of the other Ashtavinayak Temples:

Mayureshwar Temple, Morgaon: Devotees begin and end their journey at the Mayureshwar Temple. Further, the temple got its name after the legend of Mayureshwar – Lord Ganesh riding a peacock, who defeated a demon at this place.
Girijatmaj Temple, Lenyadri: Goddess Parvathi performed penance at this place to have a child. Then, her prayers were answered when Lord Ganesh was born. The temple gets its name from the words Girija (Parvathi) and Atmaj (son).
Ballaleshwar Temple, Pali: This temple is named after Lord Ganesh’s devotee Ballal. This is the only Ganesh Temple whose name is after a devotee.
Varad Vinayak Temple, Mahad: Lord Ganesh is referred to as Varadha Vinayak, the Lord who grants boons and wishes. It is in Mahad, 146 km from the Girijatmaj
Chintamani Temple, Theur: Lord Ganesh retrieved the invaluable jewel – Chintamani from a greedy demon and given it back to sage Kapila. The sage rewarded Lord Ganesh by placing around Lord Ganesh’s neck and hence was the name, Chintamani Vinayak.
Vighneshwar Vinayak Temple, Ozar: Lord Indra sent Vighnasur to disturb King Abhinandan’s prayer. The troubled devotees turned to Lord Ganesh who defeated the demon at this place.
Mahaganapati Temple, Ranjangaon: Lord Shiva worshipped Lord Ganesh here before proceeding to defeat the demon Tripurasura.

The place where Sage Bhrushandi had performed penances is nearer to the temple.

What are some temples near Siddhatek Ganapati temple?

Temples near Siddhatek Ganpati Temple — Few of the more renowned and important temples near Siddhatek Ganpati Temple.

Some temples near Siddhatek Ganapati temple are:

Vishal Ganpati Mandir- This temple is for Lord Ganesha. It is a 100-year-old temple. It presents a spectacular sight with a red-colored idol. The Ganesha sits posture and has a Shivalinga coiled by a snake that originates from the navel.
Shani Temple- One of the unique things about this temple is that there is no idol present in the temple. Only a black stone stands on a beautiful platform. The native’s belief that this stone has extraordinary powers which protect the village from all sorts of evil.
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple– Being located only at a distance of 80 km from Ahmednagar, thousands of devotees throng to this place every day. Shirdi Sai Baba was a famous saint. Moreover, people considered him as the reincarnation of God by the pilgrims. This temple is in Shirdi itself.
Renuka Temple- This shrine is for Goddess Durga. It is also among few of the temples that enjoy huge adulation and respect among the local people. As it is a Devi temple, devotees celebrate the Navaratri festival here with lots of fervor.
Siddheshwar Temple- This beautiful temple has both a grand architecture along with a natural atmosphere. Also, this popular shrine, in fact, needs no introduction among both the devotees and the tourists visiting this holy place.

Frequently Asked Questions about Siddhatek Ganpati Temple –

Is there online booking available for Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

Entry to the temple is free and no booking is needed to visit the temple.

What is the nearest airport to Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

The nearest airport is Pune Lohegaon Airport.

What is the temperature in Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

The maximum temperature in summer can reach till 35^°C. The minimum temperature that can fall down is 13^°C in winter.

Where to stay near Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

Shree Siddhivinayak lodging and boarding is available near the temple. The rate for a single room for one day is Rs.75/- and for the big hall is Rs. 251/-.

What is the significance of Siddhatek Ganpati Temple among the Ashtavinayak Yatra?

The Siddhatek Ganpati Temple comes in 2nd number during the Ashtavinayak Yatra.

What is the prasad’s usually offered in the temple?

Ladoo and Modak prasad which are known to be favorite of Lord Ganesh are offered in the temple.

How much time does it take to do the Pradakshina in Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

To make one round (Pradakshina) around the temple it will take about 30 minutes with moderate speed.

What are the best Yatra’s taken by devotees for Siddhatek Ganpati Temple?

The Bhadrapada Shukla 4 and Magha Shukla 4 are the best time for yatra’s taken by devotees for Siddhatek.

Char Dham Yatra Age Limit

There is no particular age limit for Char Dham Yatra. But, due to the high altitudes and breathing difficulties, it is recommended only for people between 7-65 years of age.

Char Dham Yatra Tour Package 2020

Planning to visit chardham this year? Check our package now.

Chardham 2020 Package

There are several factors to be considered before embarking on the Char Dham Yatra. One such important factor is the age restrictions which are advised primarily for health concerns.

Badrinath Age Limit

Badrinath Temple Age Limit — The journey to the Badrinath Temple can be covered by either trekking or riding a palki or a pony.

Badrinath Temple: No age limit that has been decided upon by the temple authorities, but, it is a suggestion, widely offered, that devotees aged 7 to 65 years only travel to the temple. For anyone apart from this age group, it is important to get a health check-up.

It is mandatory to show a medical certificate as proof. This is because the Badrinath Temple is located at a high altitude of 3300 meters. Traveling to the temple can cause breathing problems due to low oxygen levels at such a height. The distance to be covered is also another factor to consider before planning a visit. Cars are allowed to travel up to a certain point. After this point, the devotees must trek in order to get to the temple. Ponies and palkis are available for those who cannot continue the journey on foot.

Badrinath to Kedarnath Chopper — For those unable to trek to the temple, especially senior citizens, helicopter services are available.

Kedarnath Age Limit

Kedarnath Temple: It is advised that kids below 10 years and senior citizens above 65 years of age should avoid pilgrimage due to the high altitudes. However, if medical fitness is proven, a devotee of any age can join the holy yatra.

Like the Badrinath Temple, the Kedarnath Temple is also located at a very high altitude of 3583 meters. To cover the distance on foot would vary from 5 to 8 hours. Since the journey to the temple is long, there is a provision of palkis and mules for those unable to trek. The time it takes to travel on a mule or a palki is approximately 4-5 hours.

Gangotri Age Limit

Gangotri Temple: The temple does not impose age restrictions, and hence with medical approval, a person of any age group can travel to this temple. However, it is advised that devotees aged 7 to 65 years only travel to the temple.

This is because, the Gangotri is present atop the Great Himalayan Range at an altitude of 3100 meters, on the banks of the River Bhagirathi. Since the temple is located in the valley, snowfall, as well as rainfall, is common throughout the year. This increases the risk of traveling up the slope and takes at least 3 to 4 hours to cover the distance from the Uttarkashi base camp to the Gangotri.

Yamunotri Age Limit

Yamunotri Temple: Like all the other Char Dham Temples, the Yamunotri is also located at a high altitude. But since the route is comparatively better structured, it makes it convenient for pilgrims of all age groups to travel to this temple. However, medical proof of ‘fit to travel’ is still required to be shown at the base camp at Uttarkashi.

Please carry a valid medical certificate as it is required to be shown at the camps as proof.

All the Char Dham Camps provide first aid boxes & oxygen cylinders, but it is advised to carry your own first-aid kits. The Char Dham Yatra is divided into two treks – one is a 6 km one-way trek from Jankichatti to Yamunotri and the other is a 21 km one-way trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath. For those unable to walk the distance, such as senior citizens, ponies, pithus, and palkis are readily available.

If you have any questions about Char Dham Yatra, please leave a comment below, and we will get back to you within one hour.

Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple Guide – Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy – Timings, Poojas, and History

Srinivasa Mangapuram temple is an ancient Hindu Vaishnavite temple present at Srinivasamangapuram which is 12 km from Tirupati in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu and is referred to as Kalyana Venkateswara Temple.

The presiding deity of the temple is Venkateswara who is also Kalyana Venkateswara. The deity will be facing west and is in standing posture with four hands with left two hands one in varada mundra and one holding Chakra and right two hands one in kati mudra and the other holding Shanka.

What is the history of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

According to the history of Srinivasa Mangapuram temple, the temple itself is believed to have I existed from very ancient times and it is said that Sri Venkateswara is referred to even in the Rigveda. ‘Sri Venkatachala Mahatrnyam’ contains Puranic lores from the twelve Mahapuranas.

After celebrating the marriage of Lord Venkateswara Swamy with Goddess Padmavathi, he did not immediately return to the Tirumala hills. But instead he visited the sage Agasthya’s ashram to seek blessings. Yes, even the lord is humble enough to seek blessings from elderly and wise.

As it was scientifically wrong for the newlyweds to scale the hill for six months, the lord was unable to immediately return to the Tirumala mountain-temple. At this situation the sage Agastya suggested that Swamy Venkateswara along with his wife could stay at his humble ashram. Then, the Lord graciously accepted this request and blessed with the ashram with his presence for the entire six months.

About the temple history, this is no substantial indication about its construction. Devotees also believe that the ancient temple’s destruction took place in 1324, during the reign of Sultans. As per the inscriptions on the temple, one can say that the grandson of Sri Annamacharya, Sri Tallapaka Chinna Tirumala Acharya had renovated this temple during 16th Century. Moreover, Tallapaka Family maintained it over a long period of time.

Later it came under the administration of Archaeological Department, Government of India. Finally in 1967, it came under the control of TTD.

What is the significance of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Here’s the significance of Mangapuram Temple:

Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy Temple is an alternative to those devotees who are unable to visit the Balaji Temple on the Tirumala Hills. Many newly-wed couples also come here to seek the lord’s blessing for a happy married life.
Sri Rama Temple, Sri Ranganayaka Temple, Sri Padmavathi and Sri Andal Temple are other shrines in this complex. Devotees can also find small shrines including Sri Sakti Vinayaka Swami, Sri Veerabhadra Swami, Sri Avanakshamma, Sri Parasareswara Swami and Sri Agastheeswara Swami.
According to Vaikhanasa Bhagavat Shasthram Lord Venkateswara’s idol is ‘Sthanaka yoga Viraha Murthy’. Sthanaka means Standing, Yoga means this idol is mainly for Rishis who wish to attain Mukthi, Viraha means without Sanka and Chakra.
The idol at Srinivasa Mangapuram is consecrated by Srikrishna Devaraya with the help of Vaikhanasa Priests at Tirumala so that He will be always in touch with the Lord Balaji as he is a diehard devotee of him. So it is a Pratista made by Humans. Whereas in the Tirumala Temple Lord Balaji is self existent and devotees believe that a self existent idol is more powerful than a Pratistitha idol.

What are the timings of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Here are the timings of Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple:

Timings	From	To
General Darshan timings	5:30 a.m	7:30 p.m.
Kalyanotsavam	11 AM	12 PM
Sahasranamarchana	7:30 a.m.
Sarvadarshanam	(Throughout the day)

Which festivals are celebrated at Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple are:

The premier focus of the Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple is the “Kalyana Utsavam” every day.
The “Bramhostav” held during the months of February and March. On this occasion the Lord Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy ascends on a Simha Vahanam (Lion Carrier Ratham) to be a drawn-along with the devotees.

How to Reach Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple?

Here’s how to reach Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple:

By road: it is 12km from Tirupati. Local buses and autos are available making the journey easier.

Where to stay nearby?

Some of the places where one can stay near Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple are:

Hotel Fortune Select Grand Ridge is one of Tirupati’s five star hotels at the intersection of Chennai-Bangalore highway, on the Tiruchanoor road. This hotel is just beside Shilparamam Theme Park..
Situated at a distance of 17 km from Tirupati Airport, KVP Residency is another place that provides ample car parking space. Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vaari Temple is at a distance of 25 km from the place.

What are some temples nearby?

Some of the temples near Srinivasa Mangapuram Temple are:

Kanipakum Temple:- You may visit one of the most important Vinayaka temple in south India, at a distance of 86 KM from the Sri Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple.
Tirumala Venkateshwara Swamy Temple:- It is at a distance of 12 KM. Frequent buses are available. Or you can reach through private vehicles.
Srikalahasti Temple:- It is at a distance of 60 KM. One can also cover this distance under one and a half hours with a private vehicle or taxi cab. Srikalahasti temple is famous for the Rahu Ketu Pooja.

Maa Mangala Temple Kakatpur – Timings, Poojas and History

Maa Mangala Temple is located in Kakatpur in Puri in the Indian state of Orissa. Kakatpur is a small village in Puri District and is situated at a distance of 50 kms from Puri. There are large number of devotees who visit the temple each month. This temple is associated with Puri Lord Jagannath temple.

During the renovation of the deities which is known as Navakalebara, the old deities are buried at a dedicated place in the Jagannath temple and the new idols are shaped for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. The idols are also made from a very sacred wood which is the Daru Brahma. Nobody knows from where to find the sacred wood to create the new idols, so as per the tradition the priests of Lord Jagannath temple come to Kakatpur Mangala to pray the Goddess to help them to find the sacred wood. The priests sleep in front of the Goddess with their face down and then Goddess Mangala come in their dream and tell the exact location of the three sacred trees for the three deities.

Maa Mangala Temple is built in typical Kalinga style and is a major pilgrimage for devotees of Shakti cult. Pilgrims frequently visit the temple seeking boons from Maa Mangala. Kakatpur Mangala Temple is also known as Sarba Mangala Mandir and it is one of the most celebrated shakti peeth in Puri. This temple is also sometimes called as the Bata Mangala Temple.

Maa Mangala Temple Timings

Maa Mangala Temple remains open on all days of the week. The timings of the temple are from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM in the morning and from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the evening. In case of special occasions or festivals, the timings might differ.

Maa Mangala Temple History

There is a famous story behind the evolution of the name of the deity as ‘Kakatpur’ Mangala and believed by the local people. Goddess Mangala kept herself hidden under the deep water of river Prachi. Once a boatman was sailing his boat across river Prachi. At that time the river was outpouring and flooded so he was unable to sail his boat to the middle of the river.
Goddess Mangala came in his dream and asked him to recover her from the water and to establish her in nearby Mangalapur village. The boatman dived into the water and able to find the deity from the bed of the river. Then as per the direction of the Goddess he established the figure of the deity in a temple in Mangalapur village.
After this the boatman saw a black crow dived into the water and did not come out of the water for hours and days, the crow detained inside the water of river Prachi exactly in the same place from where he recovered the figure of Goddess Mangala.
In Oriya language the word crow means ‘kaka’ and the word detain means ‘atka.’ Thus, the village is known as ‘Kakatpur’ and the goddess is named as Kakatpur Mangala.
That time i.e 500 years ago the then local Jamindar Roychudamoni family made the mandir at Kakatpur with all the Sebak arrangement. This Mandir was built by Panchanan Mitra (Roychudamoni) on 1548 AD. This goddess is very famous with all the qualities of peace, power, happiness, love, purity, knowledge & truth.

Significance of the Maa Mangala Temple

Pilgrims and devotees visiting the temple seek boons from Maa Mangala. There is a bed made of solid stone on which it is said Maa Mangala rests after touring the entire universe everyday. As if to attest to this, the bed looks worn out in just the same way it would if it were in use for centuries.
The ‘Bhaktas’ who really want to acquire knowledge on lord Jagannath and Goddess Maa Sarba Mangala must read the book which is written by Raghunandan Panda, Sebak of Maa Sarba Mangala. He was a teacher and belongs to Kakatpur. He has spent almost 25 years from his busy schedule in doing research on Kakatpur Mangala. He has shared all his experience in the form of his book which will enlighten the whole story. The book is available only in Kakatpur.

Maa Mangala Temple Rituals

Mangala is Arupa (formless) and has become Sarupa (took form). Throughout the year, and days the ‘Niti’ ‘Puja’ is being done in ritualistic manner. ‘Prasadams’ are available for the devotees. Many patients come to remain in “Dharana” in prostrate form to get themselves cured.

Festivals celebrated at the Maa Mangala Temple

Jhamu Yatra: Jhamu Yatra is the most popular festival of Goddess Mangala which falls on the first Tuesday of the Vaisakh every year. On this occasion devotees collect water from river Prachi and pray to get her blessings. Then with the mud pot, filled with water, on their shoulder, they are able to walk on the surface of burning fire spread on a long channel on bare feet. Due to their faith on Goddess Mangala and her blessings on them, the devotee are unhurt and uninjured while performing such a risky custom. Every year thousands of devotees come to Kakatpur to celebrate the Jhamu festival.

Maa Mangala Temple has a close relation with Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri during the Navakalebara (Renovation of the Deities) festival. The new idols are created from a sacred wood known as “Daru”. As per the tradition the priests of Lord Jagannath temple come to Kakatpur Mangala to pray the Goddess to help them to find the sacred wood. The priests visit the goddess and offer her the things brought for the Banajaga Yatra and then Goddess at night shows the direction of the sacred wood or daru in their dreams. This custom has been performed from years together without any deviation. This shows the power and energy of Goddess Mangala and her blessings for her devotees.

Dhanu Yatra: It is a popular drama festival held at Bargarh of Western Odisha. The play is the enactment of the story of Lord Krishna and his demon uncle King Kansa. It features the Lord’s visiting Mathura for witnessing the ceremony of “Bow” or “Dhanu” organized by evil Kansa. The play continues for 7 to 11 days and attracts large number of viewers. Dhanu Yatra is celebrated for eleven days of the month from the 5th day of the bright fortnight till the full moon day. The festive mood of people made them enact the victory of Lord Krishna, the embodiment of truth, justice and righteousness over Kansa who personifies arrogance and wickedness. The epic play was just a symbolic representation of Indians victory over unfair British rule.

How to reach: Road, Rail and Air

By Air: Nearest airport from this temple is the Bhubaneshwar airport which is 65 Km from this place. Bhubaneswar is connected by air with flights to major Indian cities like New Delhi, Calcutta, Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Chennai and Mumbai etc. All major domestic airlines like Air Deccan, Jetlite, Kingfisher, Indian Airlines have daily flights to/from Bhubaneswar. The nearest International Airport is at Calcutta (Kolkata).

Travellers flying from Europe or America (east): The best way to reach Puri is to fly either to Calcutta (Kolkata), Mumbai (Bombay) or Delhi and then fly to Bhubaneshwar. Travellers flying from Australia or California could fly directly to Chennai (Madras) or Calcutta (Kolkata) and then fly to Bhubaneshwar.

By Rail: Puri is the nearest railway station from the temple. Puri is a terminus on the East Coast Railway having direct express and super fast train links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc. Some important trains are Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath Express; New Delhi; Purushottam Express. Khurda Road Station, 44 km, from Puri is convenient rail head for train to Chennai and Western India.

Some of the important trains from New Delhi

1) Purshottam Express Leaves New Delhi on Day 1 and arrives at Puri on Day 3 (the distance is about 1866 kms) journey Time approx 31 hours.

2) Puri Express Leaves New Delhi on Day 1 and arrives at Puri on Day 2 (the distance is about 1794 kms) journey Time approx 30 hours.

3) Neelachal Express Leaves New Delhi on Day 1 and arrives at Puri on Day 2 (the distance is about 1910 kms) journey Time approx 35 hours.

By Road: Kakatpur Mangala Temple is 50 Km from Puri. The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes. Minibuses to Konark leave every 20-30 minutes and also from Jatiababa Chhak. There are direct buses for Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. Puri is linked with Bhubaneswar by state highway no.8 and Bhubaneshwar is situated along the National Highway no.5 connecting Chennai and Kolkata. The best way to go from Bhubaneswar to Puri is on one of the State Govt. buses, mini buses and tourist buses leaving from Bhubaneswar main bus stand.

Where to stay

There are many good hotels and resorts available near Maa Mangala Temple for the accommodation.

Lotus Resort: Near Ramachandi Temple,Konark-Puri Marine Drive Road, 752111 – Konark
Sun Temple Hotel: Near Bus Stand, Konark, 752111 – Konark
The Pearl: River Side Retreat Puri konark Marine Dr Rd, 752002
Nature Camp Konark Retreat: Khalakata Patna, Ramchand
Marwadi Hotel and Lodge: Konark, konark marine drive puri
Surya Inn: Near Canara Bank, Near Canara Bank
Lotus resort Ramchand Beach: Konark Puri Marine Drive
OYO Homes Konark Sun Temple: Near Sun Temple

Where to eat

There are numbers of local dhabas (food-joints) serving vegetarian and non-vegetarians food. Apart from relishing the local delicacies, fish fry prepared in Bengali-style is highly suggested. Apart of Indian cuisines, continental and chinese dishes are also available at an affordable rate.

Santi Restaurant: Shanti Restaurant & Bar, Unit-2, Ashok Nagar, Bhubaneshwar
Sun Temple Restaurant: SH 13, Khelar, Orissa
Madhuban: Toshali Sands Ethnic Village Resort, Konark Marine Drive
Peace Restaurant: Chakratirtha Road, Puri, Odisha
Bamboo: C T Road, Puri, Odisha, 752002
The Gajapati: Chakratirtha Road, Puri, Odisha
Wildgrass Restaurant: VIP Rd, Puri, Odisha 752001
Chung Wah Restaurant: VIP Road, Puri, Odisha, 752001

Nearby Temples

Shri Jagannath Temple: The origin of the sacred shrine of Jagannath goes back to the pre-Vedic period and Purusottam Kshetra, the sacred abode of Sri Jagannath, has been described in various Sanskrit works, such as the ‘Padma Parana’, ‘Narada Purana’, ‘Matsya Parana’, etc. There is a monumental and magnificent Shrine at Shri Purusottam-Kshetra (Puri, Orissa) one of the four major Dhamas of India. The cult of Jagannath came to be regarded as the religion of masses ‘Gana Dharma’. That means Jagannath cult is a unique cult. Indian culture has reached its culmination in the unique culture of Lord Jagannath. It is more than a cult — an all-embracing synthesis of cults. It has combined diverse faiths, cultures, creeds and ideologies. He is also known as Jagabandhu. He is the friend, philosopher, guide and the anchor of the purest thoughts of the people of the entire Universe.

Shree Lokanath Temple: Lokanath Temple is ranked next to Shri Jagannath Temple. This temple is at a distance of about two kilometers to the west of the Shri Jagannath Temple. Lord “Siva” and “Mata Parvati” are the main deities of the temple. The unique feature is that the shivalinga is always under water which substantiates the legend that Goddess Ganga flows through the top of the shivalinga as a stream. Lord Rama constructed the temple in “Tretaya Yuga”.

Konark Sun Temple: Konark is one of the well known tourist attractions of Orissa. Konark houses a colossal temple dedicated to the Sun God. Konark is one of the most famous tourist destinations in India from the spiritual standpoint and boasts of one of the best known architectural specimen. The tourists coming to Konark also visit the Chandrabhaga Beach, one of the most exotic beaches in Odisha. The konark city is also known world over for its fairs and festivals. Millions of devotees gather here to take a holy dip in this river on the occasion as this dip is believed to be a sure cure for all illnesses.

Panchalingeshwar Temple: Panchalingeswar Temple is situated on the hilltop of the Eastern Ghats in Panchalingeshwar, Nilagiri, Baleswar district. It’s a beautiful place for picnic, darshan of Shiva Linga and breath some fresh air from the real nature. The five round “Shiva Linga” are worshipped as Panchalingeswar (Pancha means five in Odia).

Khajrana Ganesh

Khajrana Ganesh Temple at Indore in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is located at the center of India and is famous for its brilliant architecture and natural surroundings. It is home to the fine specimens of architecture and is also a famous pilgrimage destination as well. Indore is a beautiful place which attracts pilgrims from across various parts of the nation. A tourist who visits this place opines that each part of Indore is different from the other. People in this modern world are often tired with their hectic and busy work schedules and places like Indore in Madhya Pradesh offers you a fine way to seek solace and relief. Many tourists from around the world visit this place to offer prayers and rejuvenate their mind and soul. The Khajrana Ganesh Temple at Indore is one of the most visited shrines in this city owing to the history and religious beliefs associated with it. It is said that the natives have a lot of faith in the Lord and seek blessings as well. This temple is highly popular and is visited by anyone who visits Indore.

Khajrana Ganesh History

It is said that this holy place of worship was originally built by Ahilya Bai Holkar which was later subjected to some last minute beautification by different historic personalities.
According to many people, it is said that whoever comes at this place and wishes for something, gets it fulfilled within a very short duration. All the obstacles of the devotee also get eliminated as well. That is the reason for pilgrims gathering here and praying for getting a baby or some work related problems.
In addition, the religious importance of this temple increases manifold as there is also a dargah located nearby this temple. This is dedicated to Nahar Sayed who as the natives say, is believed to be buried headless here. For Muslims, this place stands auspicious and holds a great religious importance which is visited by a dozen of people every day.
Although the Khajrana Ganesh Temple has been presently taken over by the government, yet the shrine is managed by the Bhatt family. It is trusted that keeping in mind the end goal to protect the monument from the ruler, Aurangzeb, the deity was kept in a well and in 1735, it was taken out from the well and a shrine was built up in 1735 by Ahilya Bai Holkar who belongs to the Holkar line of the Maratha Empire.

Significance of the Khajrana Ganesh Temple

The Khajrana Ganesh temple stands tall for being the home to the famous Lord Ganapati idol in Indore. The deity measures eight meters in length.
The idol of Lord Ganapati is made up of a mixture comprising of limestone, jaggery, bricks, mud and the soil and water brought from all important pilgrimage destinations. The deity is believed to generate positive energy on the devotees.
The frame of the Lord’s idol is developed using precious metals and offers a wonderful look.
The enormous statue of Ganapati is an important pilgrimage destination for all tourists who visit Indore and devotees gather to offer their prayers at this temple especially on Wednesdays and Sundays.
On a visit to this temple, you will discover that the gate, outer and upper sections of the Garbhagriha are made up of silver. There are paintings of various festivals inscribed on it.
The eyes of the Ganapati idol are made up of diamonds and it was donated by an Indore businessman.
This holy place of worship was a small hut which later became a huge structure. Pilgrims from around the world offer gold, diamond and precious jewels as a donation.
There are several shrines within the temple premises and these are dedicated to numerous Gods, besides Lord Ganesh.
There are no entrance fees needed in order to pay a visit to the temple.
The temple has a committee with members who help in the administration of the temple activities. Not every priest can worship the God. There is a list of priests who have the permission to offer pooja at this temple.
Visitors are not allowed to take pictures or videos inside the temple premises.
A pilgrim is also not allowed to take any pets inside the holy shrine.

Khajarana Ganesh Temple Timings

The holy shrine is open for pilgrims all throughout the year. It also remains open during the public holidays as well.
Khajrana Ganesh Temple opens its door for the devotees from as early as 5 A.M. and is available for darshan or visit until 12 P.M.
Khajrana Ganesh Temple reopens again during the evening from 4 A.M. and finally closes at 9 P.M.
A pilgrim can complete his darshan within 30 minutes on a normal day.

Khajarana Ganesh Temple Food Timings

A visitor can buy food or Prasad to offer to the Lord on the way to the temple.
Prasad consists mainly of sweets, fruits, and coconuts and is available for pilgrims after 12 P.M.

Festivals celebrated at the Khajrana Ganesh Temple

Vinayaka Chaturthi is one of the most important festivals that are observed in this Khajrana Ganesh Temple for Lord Ganapati. It is celebrated every year during the months of August and September. Lots of devotees gather to take part in this pious occasion. There is also fair that is organized in the Khajrana region.
Raksha Bandhan is the celebration of a bond between a sister and a brother is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in this temple. Sisters tie a thread on their brother’s wrists and pray for their long lives as a part of this festival.
Diwali or the festival of lights sees people lighting candles and oil lamps at their homes. The temple is well decorated during this occasion and many pilgrims gather to offer prayers to the Almighty.

Poojas and Rituals at Khajrana Ganesh

The Lord is bathed in the morning and is decorated with clothes made of fine material and jewelry on special occasions. Red flowers along with incense sticks and oil lamps are a must in the pooja and vermilion paste is applied on the deity’s forehead. The priest recites the Ganapati mantras and devotees offer their pooja. Special sweet also called as modak is also offered to Lord Ganapati.
Arati takes place twice in this temple. The priest does the morning arati from 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. The evening arati or the sandhya arati takes place between 8 P.M. to 8:40 P.M.
Bhajans or songs sung in praise of the God are also organized in this temple. The poetic content of these songs also consists of a wide category. Mira or Kabir bhajans are assumed to be the highest with regards to its literal quality. The lowest poetic form is the dhun, which can be referred to nothing more than a musical version of a chant.

How to Reach: Road, Rail, and Air

By Air– In order to visit this auspicious Khajarana Ganesh Temple, a tourist can travel by air and reach the Indore airport. This is the nearest airport that connects it with the temple. There are local cabs available outside the airport which will take you to this sacred shrine.
By Train– There are regular trains from Indore that connects it with other major cities of the sub-continent. The Indore Junction is the nearest railway station for people traveling by train.
By Road– Indore is very well connected through roads as well. It has proper roads and connects various parts of Madhya Pradesh. There are government bus services that travel to and fro from Indore to other states as well.

Hotels in Madhya Pradesh: Where to stay

There are reliable and clean places of accommodation for all tourists who visits Indore. If you want to relax and enjoy the luxuries of life, take a pick from the exclusive resorts that come with their signature restaurants. On the other hand, you can also opt to save up on your expenses by putting up at budget hotels. Most of these lodging inns provide complimentary breakfast for its clients. There are also rooms available with private balconies. You can choose the room you want depending on the number of travelers accompanying you. Rooms of all sizes are available with all the modern amenities. For single voyagers, there are dormitories available that provide good stay at competitive prices. It is advisable for tourists to book the hotel rooms in advance to avoid any disappointment. Pre-booking rooms will also facilitate the pickup and drop services provided by the hotel staff. Moreover, you can also bargain and get lucky when it comes to paying the rent of the rooms in advance.

Where to eat

Indore in Madhya Pradesh offers a variety of both traditional and contemporary cuisines when it comes to satisfying one’s appetite. India is famous for its spices and the variety which is evident as you move one part of the nation to another. When planning a visit to the famous Khajrana Ganesh temple, it is a must to taste the street food of Indore like poha, samosa, jalebi and moong dal ki halwa. From snacks to main meals, a visitor is bound to fall in love with its sweets and milk offerings. The traditional meal or Thali comprises mainly of rice, roti, sabzi, dal, papad, pickle, salad and dahi. There are also options available like tandoori chicken and kebabs for nonvegetarian lovers as well.

For people looking for fine dining, there are also various eating joints that pave a way for international cuisines as well. From Chinese to Thai and Continental, take your pick from the awesome spread and satisfy your senses. In addition, the cost that one has to bear is very reasonable and the restaurants are also equipped with good ambience. High-end city eateries also arrange live performances for their tourists as well. Most of the people visiting Indore also opt for takeaway namkeens and sweets on their return from the temple.

Nearby Temples

Bijasen Tekri- Bijasen Tekri refers to a small shrine that is dedicated to Bijasen Mata. This temple was constructed in 1920, on the top of a hill which is also called as Tekri. This temple is located at a distance of 9 km from the railway station but is close to the airport. It just takes two minutes drive to reach the temple from the airport. There was once a guest house of the Holkars which paved the way for a Border Security Force Arms Museum. The hill presents a panoramic view of the surrounding and the nearby area has been converted into a garden with a small lake in it. A fair is organized every year during the festival of Navaratri.
Gomatgiri- This is a very popular pilgrimage destination for the followers of Jain religion. It is a small hillock that is situated near Indore and is the home to a 21 feet Gomateshwar idol. There are 24 marble temples built with shikhars that are dedicated to each of the 24 Tirthankaras of the Jain religion. There is a lodging facility and a restaurant for the benefit of the travelers and the M.P. government in 1981 had donated this hillock to the Jain Samaj.
Bada Ganapati- It refers to the deity of Lord Ganesha that measure 25 feet. It is said that the Idol has been built here following a fantasy of an Avantika (Ujjain) citizen, named Shri Dadhich. It was constructed in the year 1875. It boasts of being the largest Ganesha idol in the whole world. Thousands of pilgrims visit this place every year and seek blessings.
Annapurna Temple- This sacred shrine is dedicated to the Goddess of nourishment, Devi Annapurna. This temple is distinct as it has no Mandap or pillared halls. It has Indo-Dravidian architecture with the main gate of the temple decorated with four life-sized elephants made of plaster of Paris.

Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple – Timings, Poojas and History

Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple is situated nearby Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. This Hindu temple is famous for its worshiping of the King of Serpents or Nagaraja – Vasuki. Also, Nagercoil town derives its name from this very temple. This temple also has a huge number of naga statues from all over India.

What are the timings of Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple?

Here are the timings of Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple:

Timings	From	To
Morning Darshan	4:30 am	11:30 am
Evening Darshan	5:00 pm	8:15 pm

What is the history of Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple?

History of Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple is that Nagas are children of Kashyapa and Kadru. Among prominent nagas are Manasa, Sesha, and Vasuki and Nagaraja. Devotees believe that Nagaraja Temple was earlier a Jain temple because of the images of Jain Tirthankaras, Mahavira and Parswanatha on the pillars of the temple.

However, there is no authentic epigraph to help us understand its chronology. The mountain Mahendragiri in the Kanyakumari district is also popular as the abode of Nagas in the Ramayana of Valmiki. From this, one can presume that the origin of Naga influence in the area goes back to legendary times.

But there is a local story that goes around. Once there was a girl who was cutting paddy when suddenly she cut her hand and blood began to spurt out. Soon she saw that the sickle had cut into a five headed serpent. The girl was afraid and went to the village. She then told the villagers about this miracle. So, they all came to see this peculiar event and they cleared the space allotting it to the Lord.

What is the significance of Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple?

Significance of Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple is that Nagaraja deity, which originated itself , is below ground level in a square plot which is a wet place. The deity has five faces and only the place where the Nagaraja sits is wet. The soil here underneath the Prathishta has a saffron colour.

It is because of the blood that oozed form the head of the idol. The temple also gives the soil as Prasada.

The temple has a distinct style of their own by the lavish use of wood, stone and metals. The surrounding walls of temple also consist of mud. Moreover, the roof has coconut leaves and bamboo poles. Devotees also believe that this soil is a good medicine for skin diseases.

What are the festivals celebrated at Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple?

Some of the festivals celebrated at nagercoil nagaraja Temple are:

Thai Brahmmotsavam in January-February; Aavani Sundays and Aavani Aslesha (Aayilyam) star day and Krishna Jayanthi in August-September.
Navarathri in September-October and Tirukarthikai in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

How to reach Nagercoil?

Here’s how to reach Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple:

Air: Nearby airport is Madurai, Thiruvanathapuram.
Rrail: Nagercoil junction is the nearby railway station. One can easily take trains from here.
Road: The temple is 1km far from Nagercoil Vadaseri and from Meenakshipuram bus stand. Adequate road facilities are available to reach Nagercoil from all parts of the state.

Where to stay near Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple?

Some of the places where one can stay near Nagercoil Nagaraja Temple are:

Hotel Sahana Castle at Distillery road, vadaseri is a great place with suitable accommodations, according to reviews. It is opposite to the Omni bus stand.
Hotel Udupi International is another grand place to check in. It is about 20 km away from Kanyakumari. It has splendid facilities including its advantageous position making communications available at its doorstep.

What are some places to visit nearby?

Some of the places that one can visit near Nagercoil Nagaraja temple are:

Padmanabhapuram Palace, is one of the chief attractions of Tamil Nadu in Padmanabhapuram village of Kanyakumari District about 15 km from Nagercoil. King Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal built it around 1601 A. D. which is famous for its antique and tricky woodworks.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is also a popular tourist attraction in Kanyakumari in honor of Swami Vivekananda and his teachings.
Further, Devi Kanya Kumari temple is one among the 108 Shakthi Peethas in the world. Sage Parshurama built it around 3000 year ago for the goddess Bhagavathy Amman.