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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Undavalli Caves Near Vijayawada..

The Undavalli Caves, and example of Indian rock-cut architecture are located in the village of Undavalli in Guntur District, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The caves are 6km south west of Vijayawada, 22km north west of Guntur City and about 280 km from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

These caves have been carved out of solid rock on a hillside in the 4th to 5th centuries A.D.They have four stories with a huge statue of Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture sculpted from a single block of granite inside. Other shrines are dedicated to Trimurti and to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.They are among the earlierst example of Gupta architecture, primarily primitive rock-cut monastery cells carved into the sandstone hills.
The walls of the caves display sculptures carved by skilled local craftsmen. The structure of these caves resemble the Buddhist viharas in their architectural and sculptural proficiency, and can be seen as signs of a past Buddhist culture. The caves are surrounded by the green countryside

The caves are associated with the Vishnukundina kings of 420 to 620 A.D. They are dedicated to Anantapadmanabha Swamy and Narisimha Swamy.From the high hill above the cave overlooking the Krishna river many fine specimens of rock cut Hindu architecture can be seen.

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