KEDARNATH

Lord Shiva manifested in the form of Jyotirlingam or the cosmic light. Kedarnath is highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas. This ancient and magnificient temple is located in the Rudra Himalaya range. This temple, over a thousand years old is built of massive stone slabs over a large rectangular platform. Ascending through the large gray steps leading to the holy sanctums we find inscriptions in Pali on the steps. The present temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya.The inner walls of the temple sanctum are adorned with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. The origin of the revered temple can be found in the great epic - Mahabharata. According to legends, the Pandavas sought the blessings of lord Shiva to atone their sin after the battle of Mahabharata. Lord Shiva eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed, he dived into ground leaving behind his hump on the surface. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form. The temple, believed to be very ancient, has been continually renovated over the centuries. It is situated at an altitude of 3,581 mt. It is a 21 km trek from Sonprayag. At the approach of winters in the month of November, the holy statue of Lord Shiva, is carried down from Kedarnath to Ukhimath, and is reinstated at Kedarnath, in the first week of May. It is at this time, that the doors of the temple are thrown open to pilgrims, who flock from all parts of India, for a holy pilgrimage. The shrine closes on the first day of Kartik (Oct-Nov) and reopens in Vaishakh (Apr-May) every year. During its closure the shrine is submerged in snow and worship is performed at Ukhimath.

Location

Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the devout Hindu. It is set amidst the stunning mountainscape of the Garhwal Himalayas at the head of the Mandakini River. Kedar is another name of lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer. Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions - love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism which are expressed through his various forms.

The shrine of Kedarnath is very scenically placed, and is surrounded by lofty, snow - covered mountains, and during summer grassy meadows covering the valleys. Immediately behind the temple, is the high Keadardome peak, which can be sighted from great distances. The sight of the temple and the peak with its perpetual snows is simply enthralling.

The Mythological Past

There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in Chamoli district itself, the most important one is Kedarnath. According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their own Kith and Kin and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull.

On being followed he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations.

The arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and his locks (hair) with head at Kalpeshwar. Kedarnath and the four above mentioned shrines are treated as Panch Kedar.

An imposing sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks. The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the exquisitely architectured Kedarnath temple is considered to be more than 1000 years old. Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut grey slabs of stones, it evokes wonder as to how these heavy slabs had been handled in the earlier days. The temple has a Garbha Griha for worship and a Mandap, apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.

Best Time to visit:-

The ideal time or peak season to go for a Char Dham Yatra is from May to October, except monsoons. This is because; all the four sacred sites are perched in Garhwal Himalayas, which is prone to heavy snowfall. As a result, all the passage leading to the shrines are blocked. Moreover, during the monsoon season, there is undue threat of having landslides, which can further disrupt the journey.

Kapat Opening:- The kapat of Shri Kedarnath Temple was opened on 04th May 2014 at 6:00 AM.

GETTING THERE

Air : Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, 260 kms.

Rail : Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh, 243 kms.

Road : Well connected to Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and Delhi.

Ambe Tu Hai Jagdambe Maa Durga Aarti

Jai Ambe Gauri Durga Maa Aarti

Shiv Aarti

Bhasma aarti ujjain

Omkareshwar Temple

Omkareshwar Temple is situated on the mountain Mandhata by the banks of Narmada River in the Malva area in Madhya Pradesh. Omkareshwar Temple is one of the 12 revered Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. The temple is closely linked with Mammaleshwar Temple (situated on the south of river Narmada) as both the forms of Shiva have been counted as one.  

Legend behind Omkareshwar Temple Shiva Purana describes the greatness of Omkareshwar and Mammaleshwar. It says, two sons of the sun dynasty Mandhata - Ambarish and Mucchkund practiced severe penance and austerities here and pleased Lord Shiva. They also performed great religious sacrifices in this place because of which the mountain is named Mandhata.

Another popular legend says that once upon a time Vidhya Parvat practiced severe penance and worshipped Parthivarchana along with Lord Omkareshwar for nearly six months. As a result Lord Shiva was pleased and blessed him with the desire boon. On the sincere request of all the gods and the sages Lord Shiva made two parts of the lings. One half being Omkareshwara and the other Amaleshwara or Amareshwar.

Some scholar say, King Mandhatha of the Ishvaku clan is believed to have worshipped Shiva here. Besides, Govinda Bhagavatpaada, the Guru of Shankaracharya is believed to have lived in a cave here.

Structure and Significance of Omkareshwar Temple Omkareshwara Temple is located at a distance of about 12 miles from Mortakka in Madhya Pradesh. A special feature of the location of Omkareshwar Temple is that the river Narmada branches into two and forms an island Mandhata or Shivapuri in the center. The shape of the island resembles that of the visual representation of the Omkara sound, Om. There are two temples here, one to Omkareshwar and one to Amareshwar.

The Omkareshwar Temple is built in the Nagara style and is characterized by a lofty shikhara. There are also shrines to Annapurna and Ganesha here. Before entering the temple one has to pass through two rooms. The Omkareshwar is not affixed to the ground but is naturally installed there. There is always water around it. The significance of this linga is that the linga is not situated below the cupola. The idol of Lord Shiva is situated on the top of the temple. The temple can be reached by ferry from the banks of the river. A huge fair is organized here on the day of Kartik Poornima. 

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, which means that it is facing the south. This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Juotirlingas. The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine. The images of Ganesh Parvati and Karttikeya are installed in the west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for Darshan only on the day of Nag Panchami.The temple has five levels, one of which is underground. The temple itself is located in a spacious courtyard surrounded by massive walls near a lake. The shikhar or the spire is adorned with sculptural finery. Brass lamps light the way to the underground sanctum. It is believed that prasada (holy offering) offered here to the deity can be re-offered unlike all other shrines.

The presiding deity of time, Shiva,in all his splendor, reigns eternally  in the city of Ujjain. The temple of  Mahakaleshwar, its shikhar soaring into the sky, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with  its majesty. The Mahakal dominates the life of the city and its people, even in the midst of the busy routine of modern preoccupations, and provides an unbreakable link with ancient Hindu traditions. On the day of Maha shivratri, a huge fair is held near the temple, and worship goes on through the night.In the precincts of the Mahakaleshwar temple is Shri Swapaneshwar Mahadev  temple, where devotees pray to Shiva as Mahakaal, to  realize the most important dreams of their lives. Sadashiv Mahadev is so empathetic, benevolent and easy to please that devotees are sure to be granted the boons they wish for with a pure heart  in this temple, it is believed. Here Mahadev is Swapaneshwar and Shakti is Swapaneshwari.

According to the Purans, the city of Ujjain was called Avantika and was famous for its beauty and its status as a devotional epicenter. It was also one of the primary cities where students went to study holy scriptures. According to legend, there was a ruler of Ujjain called Chandrasena, who was a pious devotee of Lord Shiva and worshiped him all the time. One day, a farmer's boy named Shrikhar was walking on the grounds of the palace and heard the King chant the Lord's name and rushed to the temple to start praying

with him. However, the guards removed him by force and sent him to the outskirts of the city near the river kshipra. Rivals of Ujjain, primarily King Ripudamana and King Singhaditya of the neighboring kingdoms decided to attack the Kingdom and take over its treasures around this time. Hearing this, Shrikhar started to pray and the news spread to a priest named Vridhi. He was shocked to hear this and upon the urgent pleas of his sons, started to pray to Lord Shiva at the river kshipra The Kings chose to attack and were successful; with the help of the powerful demon Dushan, who was blessed by Lord Brahma to be invisible, they plundered the city and attacked all the devotees of Lord Shiva.

Upon hearing the pleas of His helpless devotees, Lord Shiva appeared in his Mahakala form and destroyed the enemies of King Chandrasena. Upon the request of his devotees Shrikhar and Vridhi, Lord Shiva agreed to reside in the city and become the chief deity of the Kingdom and take care of it against its enemies and to protect all His devotees. From that day on, Lord Shiva resided in His light form as Mahakala in a Lingam that was formed on its own from the powers of the Lord and His consort, Parvati. The Lord also blessed his devotees and declared that people who worshipped Him in this form would be free from the fear of death and diseases. Also, they would be granted worldly treasures and be under the protection of the Lord himself

Somnath Temple

Somnath temple, the first in the twelve jyothirlingas, is located at the Viraval port - Prabhas Pattan in Saurashtra - Gujarat.  

Anceint Glory of Somnath Temple

 Known as prabhAsa kshetra, Somnath occupied a much esteemed place in the Hindu holy places. It finds many references in the purANas & itihAsas.

The inner temple of the Garbhashay was supported to be aglow with the luster of these gemstones. The Nanda Deep was always kept lighted with Kannauji attar. The treasure of the temple was forever full of vast wealth and was kept safe.

For worship of the Lord-and Abhishek (worship with holy water) sandalwood scented water was brought from Haridwar, Prayag Kashi every day. However flowers for special festivities were imported from Kashmir. For the routine daily worship, one thousand Brahmins were appointed. About three hundred and fifty dancing girls were appointed for the regular music and dance concerts that took place in the Temple courts.

This religious place of worship was earning the produce of ten thousand villages. Among the twelve JyotirLingas (Lingas of light) Somanath is considered as the primary one. Because this deity is supposed to be Swayanbhu (self-born) and is always awake, lakhs of devotees visited this temple and considered themselves blessed and to have achieved piety. Offerings made by crores of devotees amounted to crores of rupees which kept the Somnath Temple always rich and abundant. Along with this, the Sun worshipping foreigners (probably Parsis) also contributed a pat of their profits to the temple treasury which kept its coffers full, all the time.  

Sthala purANa of Lord Somnath temple

Chandra, (moon) was the first one to receive the benefic boon of Shri Somanath of Saurashtra, the Shiva pilgrimage, Agni Teerth and Surya Teerth. Then Chandra built a beautiful golden temple and put a glorious JyotirLinga in it, the first of its kind in India.

According to Prabhaskhand of Skanda Purana, the legend goes like this:

Chandra married the twenty seven daughters (stars) of Daksha, but was very partial and showed lot more love and affection to rohini. The remaining twenty six wives not only felt neglected but also insulted. They were disappointed with their husband and went and complained to their father. Daksha was upset to see his daughters suffer thus, and tried twice to convince his son-in-law to change himself, but in vain. He put a curse on him that Chandra would be “decreasing” in size.

The Devas (Celestial gods) were very sad at Chandra’s plight and went to Brahma. The Creator, in order to find out a remedy for this condition of Chandra and get a solution for redressing the curse. Brahma told them that the only way out was to worship Vrishabhdhwaj Shankar at Prabhas Kshetra Mahamrityunjay. Chandra went on a penance for six months and prayed to Lord Shiva, at the end of which Shankara appeared before him. He gave Chandra the boon that in a month, he would grow for fifteen days in one half and in the other half he would keep loosing one Kala (shade) per day and decrease in size. He was pleased with the Devas and in order to increase the prestige of the place, Lord Shiva Himself came to be known as Someshwar, meaning famous moon (Soma). The Devas established a Someshwar Kund there. By taking a holy dip in this pond or Kund, it is believed that one would obtain release from all the sins.

Chandra or moon is also called Som. That is why this JyotirLinga has become famous as Somanath. Chandra or moon looks very bright here. Therefore, this place is also known as “Prabhasapattana”.

Later, Shri Somnath Mandir was built by Ravana fro Rupa in the treda yug and Lord Krishna fro Chandran in . Emperor vikramAditya built the temple in the kali yug.  

Troubled times and Hindu Resilience in rebuilding the grat temple of Somnath

This grand temple of Somanath came under the attack of the Muslims several times. In the year 722, Junamad, the Sindh Subedar attacked it for the first time and looted innumerable items from its treasure.

The beautiful statue of Somanath, can be seen from the center because of the miraculous magnetic power. Ghajni Mohammed, destroyed this statue on Friday, the 11th of May 1025 AD. From then onwards, Ghajni Mohammed came to be known as the “Statute Destroyer” (Iconoclast). On that day, he plundered and looted a treasure worth 18 crores.

In 1297 AD, Allauddin Kkhiji sent his Sardar Altaf Khan to Somanath on a mission of destroying and putting down the Somanath Mandir. The Somanath Temple was subjected to series of attacks starting in 1479 AD by Mohammad Begada, Mujaffar Shah, II, in 1503 AD, and finally by Aurangazeb, known to be the most intolerant towards other religions, in 1701 AD, where in, the temple was totally destroyed, plundered and looted in a most horrible way. A large number of people were killed mercilessly and a lot of money stolen.  

Jai Shiv Omkara Om Baba Shiv Omkara Shiv

Anupama Sundara Nanda Kishora

Choti Choti Gaiya Chote Chote Gwal Choto Se Mero Madan Gopal

Radhe Radhe Radhe Barsane Wale

Mangal Bhawan Amangal Haari

Mangal Bhawan Amangal Haari Drubahu Su Dasarath Ajir Bihari I Dashrath Ke Ghar Janme Ram 

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple Rishikesh

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nilkanth (Lord Shiva). The temple is situated at a height of 1330 meters and is located about 32 km from Rishikesh. The Neelkanth Mahadev temple is considered to be one of the most famous temples of Rishikesh. With temples at almost every fold of the Himalayan Range, Hindu mythology is closely associated with most of these temples.
The sikhra of the temple is adorned with sculptures of various Devas and Asuras depicting the Samudramanthan. Neelkanth Mahadev in the form of Shivalinga is the presiding deity of the temple. The temple complex also has a natural spring where devotees usually take a holy bath before entering the premises of the temple.
The sikhra of the temple is adorned with sculptures of various Devas and Asuras depicting the Samudramanthan. Neelkanth Mahadev in the form of Shivalinga is the presiding deity of the temple. The temple complex also has a natural spring where devotees usually take a holy bath before entering the premises of the temple.
According to Hindu mythology it was the place where Shiva drank up the venom (poison Halahala, which emanated during the 'Samudra Manthan') churned out of the ocean, to save the world from the evil, death and destruction. It is said that Lord Shiva had the immense capacity to stop the venom from entering his body and thus reserved it in his throat forever. The poison did not harm him but turned his throat murky blue, thus giving Shiva the name of Neelkanth. It is believed that the event occurred here in this place where the temple is located.
The temple of Neelkanth Mahadev is situated at a distance of 12 km from Rishikesh among the snow capped mountains and forests. Rishikesh holds immense importance in the religious lives of devout Hindus. Neelkanth Mahadev temple holds two fairs; one during the occasion of Shivratri and another in the month of Shravan (July-August). Thousands of devotees throng during Shivratri. From the Neela Kantha temple you can climb 2 kms. To the Parvati temple, located on top of a high hill another 2kms. Further up the hill is a Cave (gufa), where there is a small temple. There are good views along the way. It is a fairly hard climb to the Parvati temple and a fairly easy walk to the cave.

Places to Visit in Neelkanth Mahadev Temple:

Neelkanth Mahadev in the form of Shivalinga is the presiding deity of the temple. The temple complex also has a natural spring where devotees usually take a holy bath before entering the premises of the temple.

Things to do in Neelkanth Mahadev Temple:

The devotees who pay a visit to Neelkanth Mahadev make an offering of Bael leaves, coconut, flowers, milk, honey, fruits and water to the Lord Shiva. The temple observes two fairs that are held annually on the occasions of Maha Shivratri (Feb-Mar) and Shivratri of Shraavana (month of Hindu calendar) (July-Aug) during which the devotees (Kawarias) trek from Haridwar to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.

Places to Visit near Neelkanth Mahadev Temple:

There are three caves. Each one is different from another in size and shape. Shri Shailesh Giri ji – a sadhu in the Jhilmil Gufa. Alha Udal’s (The King from Uttar Pradesh) Guru meditated within these caves years ago. The cave is dedicated to Guru Gorakshanath and was discovered by Saraswati Nijanand Swami ji. 150 years of cave history he said is known to them. The cave is known as Jhilmil Gufa because Guru Jhilmila ji also meditated within these caves years ago.

How to Reach Neelkanth Mahadev Temple

Its only 65km far from Haridwar, 30 km from Rishikesh, 260 km from Delhi, 60 km from Dehradun, 40 km from Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun, 100 km from Mussoorie. You can go by taxi, by bus & by your private vehicles.

Note: You can also enjoy the lunch with the Gujjars family.         (with Extra charge)

Kali Paltan Mandir of Meerut

The temple of Augarnath at Meerut in the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is a little-known place of worship but of great historical importance. It is significant not only for its religious significance but also for its distinctive role in India’s freedom struggle.
No one knows exactly when this temple was built. It is said the ‘shiv linga’ present in this temple emerged on its own – a miracle that has been attracting the followers of Lord Shiva ever since its inception. According to local priests, the great Maratha rulers used to worship here and seek blessings before proceeding with their victory processions.

A Favorite Place for the Army
During the British rule, the Indian army was called ‘Kali Paltan’ (black army). Since the temple is located close to the army barrack, it is also know by the name ‘Kali Paltan mandir’ (not to be confused with Goddess Kali). Its close proximity to the Indian army camps offered a safe haven for freedom fighters, who used to visit and stay here for their secret meetings with the officers of ‘Kali Paltan’.


The Revolt of 1857
There was also a well inside the temple complex that the soldiers use to frequent to quench their thirst. In 1856, the Government introduced new cartridges for their guns, and soldiers were supposed to remove its seal using their teeth. Since the seal was made of cow fat (cow is sacred in Hinduism), the priest disallowed them to use the well. In 1857, this triggered off a revolt against the British establishment by the Indian army that spread throughout Northern India and jolted the very roots of British rule in the country. 


The New Avatar
Until 1944 this huge complex consisted only of a small temple and the nearby well. All this was surrounded by huge cluster of trees. In 1968, a new temple with modern architecture (with the old shivlinga very much there) replaced the old temple. In 1987, a huge hexagonal hall was built for the purpose of religious ceremonies and ‘bhajans’. In May 2001, a 4.5 kg gold plated ‘kalash’ (pitcher) was installed at the spire of the temple.