Kanaka Maha Laxmi Temple Burujupeta Vizag:

In so far as Stalapuranam of this Temple is concerned, there is not authentic information. It is learnt that Sri Kanaka Maha Lakshmi Ammavaru is the family deity of the then “Rajas of Visakhapatnam”. The locality where the idol was found is called “Burujupeta” since it was near “Buruju” means “Fort” of the then Rajas.

According to local story, in the year 1912, the Idol of Godess Sri Kanaka Maha Lakshmi Ammavaru was taken out from the well and it was installed at the center of the road i.e., amidst the Municipal lane. The Municipal authorities, for the purpose of widening the road, have shifted the Idol from admidst the road to a corner of the road. During which period i.e., in the year 1917 the dangerous contagious disease “Plague” spread over the town and so many deaths occurred in Visakhapatnam village. The people of Visakhapatnam were afraid of the incident and thought the devastation was due to shifting of idol of goddess “Sri Kanaka Maha Lakshmi” and therefore, reerected Ammavari Idol to its original place i.e., at the center of the road as it existed now. Owing to re-installation, the “Plague” disease was cured and normalcy was restored. With this, the villagers have a stauch belief that it is all due to miracle of Goddess., and thus from then onwards, the Villagers used to worship the Goddess by performing sevas with much devotion.

How to Reach:
1) 4 Kms from RTC Complex, Visakhapatnam
2) 5 Kms from Railway Station, Visakhapatnam

3) 14 Kms from Airport, Visakhapatnam

THE PILGRIMS CAN HAVE DARSHANAM OF AMMAVARU ROUND THE CLOCK EXCEPT THE TIMINGS OF TRIKALARCHANAS AS NOTED BELOW

TRIKALARCHANA TIMINGS :

PRATHAKALA PUJA AT 05:00 A.M. TO 06:00 A.M.

MADHYAHNA PUJA AT 11:30 A.M. TO 12:30A.M

PRADOSHAKALA PUJA AT 06:00 P.M. TO 07:00 P.M.

(TEMPLE IS OPENED IN ALL 24 HOURS EXCEPT ABOVE TRIKALARCHANA)

                                                                                                                  

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Sri Ganapathi Devalayam Secunderabad AP.

Sri Ganapathi Devalayam at Secunderabad deserves a special mention in terms of its architectural grandedur and spiritual sanctity. Historians opine that resplendent icon of Lord Ganapathi was found out in 1824 by the Madras Regiment Sepoys, while they were digging a well of portable water there. With great devotion, the Sepoys consecrated the idol and installed it in an architecturally marvellous temple, built according to Aagama Sastra. This temple is situated just beneath Secunderabad Railway Station and about 2 KM from R. T.C. Bus-stand.This temple is now acclaimed as one of the gigantic temples in the Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, enthralling the devotees with its rare spiritual ambience. It is also said that the Icons of Sri Navagraha Valli Deva Sena Sametha Sri Subrahmanya Swamy and Sri Anjaneya Swamy were consecrated and installed in the vicinity of Sri Ganapathi Devalayam in 1932

  How to Reach:

It is Beside Secunderabad Railway Station.

       

OM SRI GANESHAYA NAMAH.....

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Sri Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy ,
Huzur nagar, Mattapalli, Nalgonda


The Temple of Sri Laxmi Narsimha Swamy, a famous pilgrimage, is situated here on the banks of the river Krishna. Major celebrations take place during the Vykunta Ekadasi in January & Kalyana Mahotsvam in May. The idol was formed naturally, it is situated in a cave.

In the Huzurnagar taluq, Nalgonda District of Andhra Pradesh is the town of Mattapalli, which is home to another famous temple of Lord Narasimhadeva. Here, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami (also known as Sri Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy) resides in His maha kshetram cave dwelling beside the Krishna River. The other presiding Deities of Mattapalli dhama are Sri Raajyalakshmi Thaayar and Sri Chenchu Lakshmi Thaayar, who are present alongside Lord Narasimha.

Temple Entrance

Mattapalli is the centre of a cluster of Nrsimhadev temples, which are placed in all four directions: Vedadri, Vadapally, Vethapuram and Mangalagiri. Together, the five temples are known as the Pancha Narasimha Kshetras.


The importance of Mattapalli Kshetram is seen in this verse:

ekameva kshetram, mattapalli kshetram,
na anyat kshetram, mattapalli tulyam,
ekameva tatvam, mattapalli naatham,
na anyat tatvam, palli Simha tulyam


"Mattapalli is the only pilgrim spot. There is no secondary whatsoever and there is no equal to it. There is only one Lord and He is the Lord of Mattapalli. There no secondary whosoever and none is comparable to him."


History of the Mattapalli Kshetra:

The Lord has been radiating glory from the Mattapalli cave kshetra since time immemorial. Originally, Lord Nrsimhadeva was worshipped here only by the rishis and devas. Sri Bharadwaaja Maharshi worshipped the Deity here every day, accompanied by various other sages.

Later, during the Kali Yuga, the Lord appeared to a local devotee named Machireddi in a dream, telling him the location of His transcendental abode. Sri Anumala Machireddi was the ruler of Thangeda, which is located a few km from Mattapalli, on the opposite bank of the Krishna river. The Lord instructed Machireddi that his above could be identified by a tree, the Vedapatri. The Lord instructed Machireddi to open up the cave so that other devotees could also worship him.


The Maha Kshetram is located in the midst of a dense and lovely forest. At first, Machireddi and the pandits who accompanied him were unable to locate the Vedapatritree amongst the others in the forest. Finally, the Lord appeared in Machireddi's dream and pressed him to search further, near an "Aare" tree hidden behind the foliage. Machireddi came across a beautiful and effulgent bird seated in the tree. A monkey then led him to the exact place in the face of the mountain that needed to be cleared and opened.


Inside the cave, the Deity of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami was found in a seated posture, under the protection of Sesha naga's hooded head, fully adorned with Shankha Chakra Gadha. As if the Lord was being worshipped regularly, flowers, sacred leaves, fruits, etc. were also found there. Overjoyed, Machireddi then revealed the Maha Kshetram to the general public and constructed a Mukhaalaya.

The sanctum sanctorium of Sri Mattapali Kshetram is located inside the cave, facing west. As soon as one moves down the narrow passage, they immediately come face-to-face with Sri Narasimha Swami. A bas-relief silver kavacham displays the Lord's fierce lion form and features a prominent moustache.


Along the wall next to the Lord is His consort, Srimati Rajalakshmi. On her right can be seen a passage in the rock face. Now blocked, the passage at one time lead out of the cave, to the river. By this path, Bharadwaja came each day to worship the Deity. A few years ago, the river flooded up the passage and engulfed the Lord.


The temple's mukha mantapam has 21 pillars with a cement roof. Before the Vaikunta dvaara (north door) there is a mantapa with five pillars and a cement roof that was built in the 1970's. It measures 21feet x 18 feet. The mukhamantapam in front of the sanctum measures 24 feet x 45 feet and is about 20 feet high.

Because the sanctum cannot be circumambulated, the devotees perform pradakshinam by going around the Dhwajasthambha, where a stone murti of Hanuman faces the Lord. There is also a Ramanuja Kutam (madapalli or kitchen) to the north of the temple on the same premises, where the naivedya to the Lord is prepared.

There is an entrance to the temple which faces the south, and a series of steps leading down to the river Krishna, just outside the main temple but within the compound.

Sri Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy

Description of the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum):


In the Garbhagriha, or sanctum sanctorum, there is a rock above the door into which is carved a motif of Gaja Lakshmi with two elephants raising their trunks upwards on either side. The roof of the Garbhagriha the rock cave wall.

The Lord manifested Himself on a rock, which is located on the backside of the Garbhagriha. Another rock is spread like the hood of Sesha over it. The Form of the Lord is 1 foot in height. He is seated in Padmasana, holding a chakra in His upper right hand and Sankha in His upper left hand. His lower left hand is on His left knee, and His lower right hand is not visible.

On the left side of the Lord are three Namams (Thirumann), and two eyes which are understood to be the Form of Prahlada Maharaja. A small, lengthy rectangular rock of about 1 foot is positioned at the feet of the Lord, and it is said to be "Chakri", an ardent devotee of the Lord who was not given mukti when he requested it, because the Lord did not want to be separated from him. Instead, the devotee was made into a rock-like form and placed in the sanctum. Daily abhishekam is performed for this personality, also.

To the left of the manifested Lord there is a black stone image of Lakshmi devi that is 1.5 feet in height. Sitting on a lotus, she holds lotus flowers in her upper hands while her lower right hand is in Abhaya posture, and the left hand is in Suchi posture.


Below this Lakshmi image there is another image of Lakshmi, which is carved into a rock. This Lakshmi is not visible to the visitors, but the image of Rajya Lakshmi is installed for the darshan of the devotees. She holds the chakra, sankha and lotus and is in sitting posture. This Laksmi form measures 1.25 feet in height, and she wears a makuta on Her head. Elsewhere there are copper images of Sudarsana, Nammazhwar and another Azhwar.


To the right side of the sanctum, leading to the north door are eleven black stone images of the Azhwars, seven of which face the west while the remaining four face east. There is a trench on the left side of the Lord at some distance in the cave, which it is believed to lead to the river Krishna through an underground passage.

Inside The Temple

Temple Traditions and Festivals

Major celebrations take place at Sri Yogaswami kshetra during the Vykunta Ekadasi in January and at Kalyana Mahotsvam in May. Vaikhaanasa Aagama is followed here, and the priest is a Sri Vaisnava hereditary priest. The temple closes each day at 12.30 p.m. and opens briefly before 1.30 p.m. for a final aarthi and distribution of prasadam. The temple does not open in the evenings, for that time is reserved for sacred worship by the rishis.

On the occasion of the Brahmotsavas, Mukkoti Ekadasi and Nrsimha Jayanthi, about 5,000 devotees from local and distant places congregate to worship. During festival days one-act-plays, dramas, dances, harikatha, bhajan and songs are provided for the pleasure of the Lord and the enrichment of the devotees. Prasadam is distributed to all the pilgrims.


How to Reach|:

To reach mattapalli, we have to reach Kodad by bus, either from

Hyderabad(200kms) or Vijayawada(99kms). From Kodad, we have to
come to Huzoornagar(15kms) by bus & from there we have to reach
Mattapalli by another bus. On reaching mattapalli,

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Sri Meenakshi Agasteswara and Sri Laxmi Narsimha Temple Wadepalli, Miryalguda, Nalgonda

6000 years ago, sage Agasthya Maharshi installed the idols of Sri Meenakshi Agasteswara and Sri Laxmi Narsimha at the holy Sangam of Krishna and Musi rivers in Wadepalli village of Miryalguda Mandal. For thousands of years the temple place remained in dense forest. During the time of excavation the idols of Lord Shiva were found in the temple and reinstalled the same. Once a hunter was chasing a bird, the bird wanted to save its life. So it hid behind the idol of Lord Shiva by covering it with its wings. Lord Shiva appeared to the hunter and asked him not to kill the bird. Lord Shiva assured the hunter that he would offer his brain instead of bird. Then the hunter agreed to him and had the brain of Shiva by inserting his fingers. As he did so, holes were made on his head. Goddess Ganga rose out of the holes, soon after this incident. There are holes on the Siva Lingam in which 10 figures can be inserted. Even after taking large quantities of water from the holes, the level of water does not go down. Once Sri Shankaracharya visited the temple along with his disciples. They wanted to find out the reason as to why the water level was not going down therefore they tied a thread to a spoon and dropped it into the hole then it went deep inside and stopped. When they pulled up the thread, they found blood stains on that, then realised their mistakes and begged pardon from the God.

How to Reach:
Wadapally is situated at a distance of 25 km from Miryalaguda. Wadapally is well connected by road and there are frequent buses from Miryalaguda. Private transport is available from Miryalaguda

Images:

Sri Meenakshi Temple Wadapally.

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Penchala Kona Narsihma Swamy Temple Nellore

Penchalakona village is located in Rapur mandal of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh. It is 70 km from Nellore town. Penchalakona houses the temple of Sri Penusila Narasimha Swamy, which is situated at the foot of a hill. It is believed that Kanva Maharshi did his penance here. The annual festival of the temple, during the month of April and May, is a major event at Penchalakona.Devotees from near and far distances congregate for Narasimhaswamy Jayanthi with great devotion.


Places to visit
Penchalakona waterfalls

How to Reach:
From Devarakonda 3km. 
Direct  RTC Buses to Rapur mandal..

Images:

Penchala kona Water Falls..

Temple Road....

                              
                                Route Map

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The Amarnath caves    Jammu & Kashmir.

The Amarnath caves are one of the most famous shrines in Hinduism,

dedicated to the god Shiva, located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The shrine is claimed to be over 5,000 years old and forms an important part of ancient

Hindu mythology.Inside the main Amarnath cave lies an ice stalagmite resembling the Shiva Linga,

which waxes during May to August and gradually wanes thereafter.

This lingam is said to grow and shrink with the phases of the moon,

reaching its height during the summer festival.According to Hindu mythology,

this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine

consort Parvati.There are two other ice formations representing Parvati and Shiva's son,

Ganesha.The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,760 ft),about 141 km (88 mi)

from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The Central Reserve Police Force,

Indian Army and Indian Paramilitary Forces maintain a strong presence in the region

due to concerns of security and hence prior permission is needed from the

Government of India before making a pilgrimage (Note: as of June 2009, no permit was

necessary to go to the cave, even for foreigners).

Aryaraja (34 BCE-17CE) used to spend “the most delightful Kashmir summer”

in worshiping a lingam formed of snow/ice “in the regions above the forests”.

This too appears to be a reference to the ice lingam at Amarnath. There is yet

another reference to Amareshwara or Amarnath in the Rajatarangini (Book VII v.183).

According to Kalhana, Queen Suryamati, the wife of King Ananta (1028-1063),

“granted under her husband’s name agraharas at Amareshwara, and arranged for the

consecration of trishulas, banalingas and other [sacred emblems]”.

In his Chronicle of Kashmir, a sequel to Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, Jonaraja relates

that that Sultan Zainu’l-abidin (1420-1470) paid a visit to the sacred tirtha of

Amarnath while constructing a canal on the left bank of the river Lidder

(vv.1232-1234).[citation needed] The canal is now known as Shah Kol.

In the Fourth Chronicle named Rajavalipataka, which was begun by Prjayabhatta

and completed by Shuka, there is a clear and detailed reference to the pilgrimage

to the sacred site (v.841,vv. 847-849). According to it, in a reply to Akbar’s query

about Kashmir Yusuf Khan, the Mughal governor of Kashmir at that time, described

among other things the Amarnath Yatra in full detail.

It is a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus - about 400,000 people visit

during the 45-day season around the festival of Shravani Mela in July-August,

coinciding with the Hindu holy month of Shravan.

Devotees generally take the 42 km (26 mi) pilgrimage on foot from the town of

Pahalgam, about 96 km (60 mi) from Srinagar, and cover the journey in four to five days.

There are two alternate routes to the temple: the longer and more traditional path

from Srinagar, and the shorter route from the town of Baltal. Some devotees,

particularly the elderly, also ride on horse-back to make the journey.

Related to the history of amarnath

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Aihole Caves Karnataka Images:

Aihole Temple-1

Aihole Temple-2

Aihole Temple-3

Aiheole Temple-4

Aihole Temple-5

Inside the Temple

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AIHOLE CAVES KARNATAKA

Aihole (Kannada) is a temple complex in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India.It is a very popular tourist spot in north Karnataka. Aihole is to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River,

Aihole has the potential to be included as a UNSECO World heritage site.

Early inscriptions call this town Ayyavole and Aryapura. Aihole has its own historical significance and is called as cradle of Hindu rock architecture. Many temples and caves of historical importance can be found at Aihole. Poetry on stone at the Meguti temple (Aihole inscription) dated 634 CE, in Sanskrit language and old Kannada script.

Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. Here they built over 125 temples in various styles and is said to be a laboratory of experiments in rock cut architecture. Pulakesi I, one of the greatest rulers of this dynasty, moved the capital to Badami nearby. Badami was then known as Vatapi. It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal. The first phase of temple building in Aihole dates back to the 6th century CE, the second phase up to the 12th century CE. Some temples were even built as early as the 5th century CE

The famous Badami Chalukyas King Pulakeshi II (during 610-642 A.D.) was follower of Jainism. The Shilalekh of Ravikirti in praise of Pulakeshi is still available in Meguti temple, Aihole inscription dated 634 CE, in Sanskrit language and old Kannada script.

In Aihole inscription which mentioning achievements of Pulakeshi II, he defeated king Harshavardhana.

Aihole inscription of Pulakesin II mentioned as akrantatma-balonnatim Pallavanam patim, that means the Pallavas had attempted to nip in the bud the rise of the Badami Chalukyas. The conflict of the two powers before the campaign of Pulakesin II against the Pallavas.

Inscription which prepared by Pulakeshi II (634 AD) found in the Jain Temple at Aihole, that all the scholars have relied on this inscription related to Mahabharath War and Kaliyuga.

In the Aihole inscription referred that Mangalesha's (Paramabhagavat) victory over the Kalachuris and the conquest of Revatidvipa.

According to the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II, a civil war between Mangalesha and Pulakeshin II, due to Mangalesa's attempt to secure the succession for his own son, which was the end of Mangalesha's reign

In inscription of Amoghavarsha I found at Aihole, mentioned about his new administration (navarajyam geyye)

The prominent temple groups at Aihole are the Kontigudi group and the Galaganatha group of temples, although historians have divided all the temples into 22 groups.

A group of three temples is referred to as the Kontigudi group of temples. One of these is the Lad Khan temple(The oldest temple at Aihole is the Lad khan temple dating back to the fifth century), named after a mendicant that lived in this temple in the 19th century , another the Huchiappayyagudi temple and the Huchiappayya math.

Lad Khan temple consists of a shrine with two mantapas in front of it. The shrine bears a Shiva lingam. The mukha mantapa in front of the sanctum has a set of 12 carved pillars. The sabhamantapa in front of the mukha mantapa has pillars arranged in such a manner as to form two concentric squares. There are also stone grids on the wall carrying floral designs. The temple is built in a Panchayat hall style, indicating a very early experiment in temple construction. The windows are filled with lattice style which is a north Indian style. The temple was built in late 7th or early 8th century.

Huchappayya (gudi) temple has a curvilinear tower (shikhara) over the sanctum (unlike the Lad Khan temple). The interior of the temple has beautiful carvings.

Huchimalli (gudi) temple at Aihole, built in the 7th century shows an evolution in the temple plan, as it shows an ardhamantapa or an ante-chamber annexed to the main shrine.

Galaganatha group temples is one of nearly thirty temples on the bank of the Malaprabha River. The main shrine of the Galaganatha temple enshrining Shiva - Galaganatha has a curvilinear shikhara, and has images of Ganga and Yamuna at the entrance to this shrine.

Durga temple or fortress temple is the best known of the Aihole temples and is very photogenic. It is apsidal in plan, along the lines of a Buddhist chaitya, a high moulded adisthana and a tower - curvilinear shikhara. A pillared corridor runs around the temple, enveloping the shrine, the mukhamantapa and the sabhamantapa. All through the temple, there are beautiful carvings. The temple appears to be of the late 7th or early 8th century.

Meguti Jain temple stands on a hillock. It is the only dated monument built in 634. The temple sits on a raised platform, and a flight of steps leads one to the mukhamantapa. The pillared mukhamantapa is a large one. A flight of stairs leads to another shrine on the roof, directly above the main shrine. From the roof, one can have a panoramic view of the plain with a hundred temples or so. The temple which was possibly never completed gives important evidence of early development in dravidian style of architecture. The dated inscription found on the outer wall of the temple records the construction of the temple by Ravikeerthi, a scholar in the court of emperor Pulakeshi II.

Ravana Phadi cave is one of the oldest rock cut temples in Aihole, is located south east of Hucchimalli temple. This temple dates back to the 6th century, with a rectangular shrine, with two mantapas. There is a Shivalinga in the inner room or sanctum sanctorum. This is a Shaivite cave temple with a sanctum larger than that of the Badami Cave Temples. The sanctum has a vestibule with a triple entrance and has carved pillars. The walls and sides of the temple are covered with large figures including dancing Shiva.

Gowda temple is built on similar lines as the Ladh Khan temple but earlier. It has sixteen plain pillars and is dedicated to goddess Bhagavathi.

Suryanarayana temple has a 0.6 m high statue of Surya along with his consorts Usha and Sandhya being drawn by horses. The temple dates from the 7th or 8th century, has a four pillared inner sanctum and a nagara style tower over it.

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