Thirupati Govindaraja Swami.

Sri Govindaraja Swami

This temple is the biggest temple in Tirupati Town and attracts lakhs of pilgrims. A large number of inscriptions found in this temple and in the Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala help us to trace its history.

The earliest of the records belong to the year 1235 A.D when the Chola King, Raja Raja III was ruling the place. In the year 1239 A.D the queen of Viranarasinga of Yadavaraya made a gift for decoration of the chariot and carrying necessary repairs.

The temple came in for greater importance in 1506 A.D. during the rule of Saluva Dynasty of Vijayanagar and from then onwards different rulers in a different way developed the temple.

The emergence of Govindaraj Swamy has already been discussed in the temple history of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.

It is very interesting to note that this is the only idol in India for which no "Abhisekham" pooja is performed since the day of its consecretion as it was made of clay.

Mathura.

Lord Krishna

Being the birth place of Lord Krishna, Mathura is one of the most sacred destinations of India. As the legend goes, Mathura was founded in the Treta era by Shatrughna, the younger brother of Lord Rama and later was under the royalty of King Kamsa, the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna. According to Hindu mythology, Kamsa heard a divine prophecy saying that he would be killed by his sister Devki's eighth son Krisha.

Mathura SriKrishna Temple

Hence, he imprisoned Devki and her husband Vasudeva and kept on killing their children one after another. But when Lord Krishna was born, miraculously all guards went to sleep, prison gates opened and Vasudeva carried his son to Gokul crossing the wild river Yamuna in the mid night. The divine prophecy came true and Krishna killed tyrant Kamsa and ruled Mathura for a long time.

Vrindavan is the place where Lord Krishna spent his childhood leaving a number of myths and legends of love and friendship behind.Pilgrims Find here SanctityStudded with number of ancient and modern temples, Mathura is the abode of God and divinity. Hinduism find here a new dimension which is the colour of love with which Lord Krishna wanted to bind this entire world.

The mild sound of devotees taking the hundred and eight names of Lord Krishna all day long covers the entire ambience of Mathura. The immense belief of the pilgrims coming here from different parts of the world is something that give Mathura a well deserved wight and importance in the itinerary of Indian pilgrimages.

SriKrishna Janmabhoomi

(The Birth Place Of Lord Krishna)A vast temple complex situated in the heart of Mathura is one of the foremost places of Hindu veneration. It contains many smaller temples among which lies the age old prison of tyrant king Kamsa where Lord Krisha was born in order to save the universe from all evils. You have to be patient and maintain the long queue before entering into the narrow prison.

Sri Balram Temple

The temple had been destroyed number of times in the ages of Mohammed Gazni, Sikander Lodi and Aurangzeb but had been restored every time. You have to undergo a security checking at the gate and we request you to co-operate with the guards. You will be asked to leave you mobile phone outside the premises.

Vishram Ghat
It is the most important bathing ghat in Mathura. Lord Krishna is said to have rested here after killing Kamsa, the tyrant king of Mathura. The 'Aarti' being offered in the morning and evening at the riverside is a visual treat to the eyes. It is believed that bathing in the Yamuna on the second day of Kartik is very meritorious which is known as Yama Dwitiya.

ISKCON Temple

Located within the Krishna-Baldev Temple premises, the temple wall is adorned with exquisite paintings and carvings depicting the life of Lord Krishna. Beautiful architecture, carved arches and immense spirituality make the place a divine destination in Vrindavan. Be prepared to listen to 'Hare Krishna' as everybody you will meet inside the temple premise will greet you with these two words.One more aspect of Mathura that fascinates is how people from different nationality, religion and race are getting painted with the colour of love of Shri Krishna.

Mathura is truly a global city where people from various corners of the world come, lose themselves in the Krishna-divinity and start a new life in the ancient and narrow lanes of Mathura. You will find hundreds of ISKON (International Society of Krishna Consciousness) followers from foreign lands enchanting Sanskrit mantra effortlessly.When Divinity Mingles With FestivityThe quiet and ancient cities Mathura and Vrindavan come alive as the month of September arrives and devotees celebrate the birth of Lord Krish which is popularly know as Janmasthami with much enthusiasm and gaiety. Devout from various parts of the world come here to attend and participate in this grand celebration.

Govindaji Temple
Built in 1590, this ancient temple of Vrindavan has a number of fascinating stories to tell. The original Govindaji Deity was removed from this temple and kept in Jaipur when Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb tried to destroy it. This magnificent temple houses a spectacular marble altar adorned with gold and silver and hold the idols of Govindaji in the middle, Lord Chaitanya to His left and Lord Nityananda to His right.

Sri Govindaji

A sculptured lotus flower weighing several tons decorates the main hall of the temple and demands a careful look from your side.Brij Ki Holi is a festival of colours that leaves an ever lasting memory in the minds of the its participants and people don't even mind when their clothes and hair get colured with different shades of gulal (powdered colour). Plan your Mathura-Vrindavan tour at the time of Holi to savour a new colur of life.

Madan Mohana Temple, Radha-Ballava Temple, Radha-Damodara Temple and Radha-Gopinath Temple are some of famous temples of Vrindavan which you should not miss while you are in Vrindavan. Tourist InformationMathura and Vrindavan are hot in summer and best in winter. But if you plan your trip at the time of Janmashtami in Sepetember and Holi in March, you can discover the cities the most.By AirThe nearest airport is Agra which is 66 km away and is well connected to Delhi, Khajuraho and Varanasi by regular flights by Indian Airlines and other private airline services.

By RailMathura Junction is well connected to Delhi by numerous trains including the Punjab Mail and Taj Express, to Mumbai by the August Kranti and Mumbai Rajdhani and to Kolkata by the Toofan Express. The Lucknow-Agra Express also finds Mathura in its route.By RoadMathura and Vrindavan are well connected with Agra, Delhi, Bharatpur, Alwar and Lucknow by well maintained road.Local TransportBuses run by the UPSRTDC taxis (can be hired from the taxi stand opposite the District Hospital), auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas (rates negotiable), are the main means of transportation.

Amarkantak.

Sri Yantra Temple

Situated in the Maikal Mountains, Amarkantak is an important pilgrimage center for Hindus. It is the meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpura Mountain Ranges in Central India. It is also the source of the rivers Narmada and Sone.

There are dense forests of teak, Mahua, etc. around Amarkantak where one can find numerous small and trickling streams feeding the Narmada. Tour to Amarkantak will, therefore, be an escape from the mundane life. Amarkantak, being a unique natural heritage, comprises of a number of places of scenic beauty.

Sri Pataleswr

Apart from this it is source of origin of three important rivers. Tour to Amarkantak, a great pilgrim center for Hindus, is thus a unique experience of a lifetime. Some o the tourists' attractions in Amarkantak include:

Sri Pataleswr Temple

Ancient temples of Kalchuri period: situated in the south of Narmadakund, there are some ancient temples of Kalchuri period. These were built by Kalchuri Maharaja Karnadeva (1042-1072 AD). The Machhendranath and Pataleshwar temples are excellent examples of architecture.

Narmadakund and temples

Around Narmadakund, a pool at the origin of Narmada, there are number of temples such as Narmada and Shiva temple, Kartikey temple, Shri Ram Janki temple, Annapurna temple, Guru Gorakhnath temple, Sri Shuryanarayan temple, Vangeshwar Mahadev temple, Durga temple, Shiv Pariwar, Siddheswar Mahadev temple, Sri Radha Krishna temple, Eleven Rudra temple etc.

Sonemuda

Sonemuda,origin of Sone RiverSonemuda is the place of origin of Sone River. Enjoy the panorama of forested hills and valleys.

Mai ki Bagiya (Goddess garden)

it is a grove of trees in dense forests that is named Mai ki Bagiya in honor of the goddess Narmada. In this natural garden Mango, Banana and other fruit trees along with Gulbakavli, roses and other flower plants are there.

Kapildhara (Kapil waterfall):

it is the famous waterfall with a fall of about hundred feet. According to scriptures, Kapil Muni lived here. There is a scene of natural beauty with mountains and dense forest down hills.

Kabir chabutra (the platform of saint Kabir)

The local people, the Panikas, consider Kabir Chabutara as one of the holiest places of the Kabirpanthis because Sant Kabir spent many years here in meditation.

Shri Jwaleshwar Mahadev (the temple of Shiva)

The Jwaleshwar temple is situated at a distance of 8 km from Amarkantak on Shahdol road. To Reach Amarkantak :By AirThe nearest airhead is Jabalpur (245 kms). By Rail The nearest railhead is Pendra Road (17 kms) though Anuppur (48 kms.) is more convenient. By RoadThere are buses from Pendra Road, Bilaspur and Shahdol. Tour to Amarkantak brings to you a unique opportunity to explore the beauty of nature.

Birla Mandir.

Hyderabad reflects a synthesis of varied cultures. It presents a beautiful blend of the northern and southern styles of architecture. One such marvelous edifice is the Birla Mandir. An enchanting temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, the Birla Mandir stands in all its grandeur on the hilltop of Kalapahad.

Made of pure white marble from Rajasthan, the Birla Mandir overlooks the serene and placid waters of the Hussain Sagar lake.The magnificent shrine offers a fantastic panoramic view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

The intricate carvings of the temple, the ceiling and the mythological figures are a standing testimony to the dexterity and sculptural excellence of the craftsmen. Beautiful scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are finely sculpted in marble. A trip to Hyderabad remains incomplete without a visit to this enchanting Temple, Birla Mandir.

This shimmering ethereal temple of Lord Venkateshwara, built in sculpted white marble, floats on the city skyline, on Kala Pahad. The highest tower in the temple reaches a height of 165 feet and the ancillary towers reach 116 feet.

The tower over the main shrine of Venkateswara called the Jagadananda vimanam is built in the Orissan style while the towers over the shrines of the consorts are built in the South Indian style. This temple displays a mixture of architectural styles.

A number of lofty steps lead the visitor to the sanctum sanctorum. Along the winding path are many a marble statue of gods and goddesses of Hindu mythology located in the midst of verdant gardens, full of blossoms. The Birla Mandir presents a colorful spectacular sight when illuminated at night.

Brahmakapal.

I have to include information about Brahmakapalam. This is where the ancesters that passed away are remembered by doing specific rituals and rites.This is one of the places where if you do 'pinda pradanam', the ancestral souls will be freed and reach Vaikunta (the abode of Vishnu).

Kapal Mochan Ling

We were planning to do this at the famous Gaya, Varanasi anyway. My husband had collected all the names, gothras etc. (the data required to mention at the time of the ritual) before the trip. There was a large stone not too high in one corner of the Temple along the river.

That was where the priest and Rao sat to perform the rites. Only men were eligible to do the ritual. My husband was allowed to do on behalf of Nirmala for her parents, brothers and sisters who passed away. Nirmala and I stood at a distance and so, could not see the details of it.We were told we should do this even for any pets like cows, dogs, birds and so on that had left (us) this earth.

I felt that it was more to free ourselves of any bondages to those souls, since those souls are free anyway.But the tradition says that we do these to free those departed souls and those souls will not have rebirth. Our goal being not to return to this earth and go through the sufferings, this made sense too.We were given prasadam for this purpose at the Temple and we ate it after the rites were performed.

By the way, this is the only place we can see the river Saraswathi. In other places like Thriveni sangamam in Allahabad, it is hidden underneath!!We visited the Vedavyasa shrine also here. Pandavas supposedly left for Vaikuntam (the abode of Vishnu) from here.

Udupi.

The main icon (vigraha) in Udupi of Lord Krishna was established by Madhvacharya.Madhvacharya instituted the eight monasteries in Udupi to take care of the daily worship of Lord Krishna he established there.There is an interesting story about how Madhvacharya came to possess the vigraha of Lord Krishna.

It is said that he was once meditating on the seashore near Udupi, when he saw that a sudden storm in the sea was almost crashing a ship to bits. He lifted his "Angavastra" and guided the ship to safety.

The merchants travelling in the ship wanted to offer wealth to Madhvacharya for saving their lives, he instead asked for a lump of "Gopi Chandana", a type of mud block, light yellow in colour, which they were using as ballast. The merchants gave what he asked for and proceeded on their way.

Madhvacharya brought it to Udupi and washed it in the tank, and lo and behold! Inside the mud block was the idol of Lord Krishna. Madhvacharya immediately constructed a temple for the idol and established the system of daily worship. Gopi Chandana became holy for the followers of Dwaita philosophy, and since then is being used to apply the ‘Dwadasha Mudras’ on the body of all men.

The 8 monasteries (Ashta Mathas) of Udupi have been following his philosophy since then.The eight monasteries (Ashta Mathas) are Krishnapura, Pejavara, Putthige, Sode(Sondhe), Kaniyoor (Kaneyur), Adamaru, Shirur and Palimaru.The peculiarity of the Ashta Mathas is that the management of these Mathas is by turn (Paryaya) and each Swami or Pontiff has to manage administration for two years.
Perhaps the great preceptor evolved his own democratic way of managing complete hegemony over a religious establishment.In earlier days, the administration of the Mathas in Udupi used to change hands every two months. Later on it was found that the system was not viable and hence it was decided to give a period of two years before the baton of administration was passed on to the next one.

Melmaruvattur.

Onre Kulam, Oruvane Thevan, meaning all are equal in front of the One God is being practised literally in the Adi Parasakthi temple at Mel Maruvathur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The devotees believe in "Ore Thai and Ore Kulam". The devotees are permitted to enter into the garbha griha (inner chamber) & pray to the Goddess.

People of all religions Hindus, Christians, Jains, Buddhists are allowed to enter the sanctum & offer prayers in the pattern they are accustomed to. The founder is Sri Bangaru Naicker. Several charitable Trusts & Organisations are run under the guidance of Bangaru Adigalar.

Sri Adi Parashakthi Amman

The sacred place where the shrine is located was a dense forest. There was a neem tree exuding a white fluid, which was sweet & also cured some ailmets. When this tree fell during a cyclone in 1966, a Swayambu Lingam was noticed. Adi Parasakthi is considered to have done pooja to this Lingam & hence this Lingam is placed in front of the Adi Parasakthi idol.

The Adi Parasakthi idol (the Archamurti) is insitting posture, placed on a black stone pedestal in the form of a lotus. In front of the Archamurti is the Swayambu lingam (self-manifested lingam). The other shrines within the temple are - Puthu Mandapam.

Where it is believed Adi parasakthi was doing penance in the form of a serpent,in the form of a serpent Saptakanya Mandapam, with the images of the Sapthakanyas as well as the rectangular stones installed at the base Durga idol with Nagendra behind the Saptakanyas.

Margosa tree & outside the main temple is the small shrine for Adharvana Bhadrakali. The temple officials as well as the devotees wear red clothes, signifying equality - the colour of blood which is red for all, irrespective of caste, creed, status. Devotees wear mala & carry Irumudi to the temple as in Sabarimalai.