Rameswaram

Rameswaram, located at southern tip of India has a huge sri Ramalingeshwara temple consecrated by Lord Rama. this temple is said to built in 12th century and is huge one with 300 metres in length and 840 metres in breadth. the courtyards is known for Dravidan architecture. Sri ramalingeshwara shrine is in the first courtyard. next to this Sri Kashi Vishwanath shrine. legend says that after killing Ravana, Lord Rama installed shivalingas here to get rid of Brahmahatya,(Ravana was Brahmin).Lord Rama sent Hanuman to get Shivalingas to Kashi, hanuman could not come with the linga at said time so Sita prepared Shivalinga with sand on the shore while Rama consecrated it and this is known as Ramalingeshwara. Rameswaram is also one of the jyothirlingam kshetra. hanuman was enraged that the shivalingam brought by him was not consecrated Lord Rama consoled him and consecrated that lingam next to Ramalingeshwara and also ordained that pilgrim should first offer poojas to this lingam.other shrines are Goddess Parvathi, Sri Kothandaramaswami, Sethumadhava, Lord Ganapathi,Navagrahas and a huge Nandi(bull) facing Ramalingeshwara temple.
there are 22 Theerthams in temple premises considered auspicious to take bathe in these theerthams. Nearby the temple is Agnitheertham pilgrims take bath in Agnitheertham at sea shore and also offer pinda pradhana for their elders. nearby is Gandhamadana Parvath, which has two floors. the feet of Lord Rama is here. at Dhanushkodi there is temple of Kothandarama temple. it is said that from here the stone bridge for Lanka was constructed by vanaras but the place has been submerged in sea during cyclones. nearby places are Dharbashayanam, navapashanam. it is said that Rama was resting at Dharbashayanam on th holy grass waiting for sea god to give way for him and his army to enter Lanka. at Navapashana it is said that Lord Rama installed Navagrahas in the sea.

Sucheendram

Sucheendram is 77 kmsfrom Thiruvananthapuram and 13 kms from kanyakumari. Brahma, vishnu and maheshwara are deities here. the granite idol of Sri anjaneya is 18 feet high is in the northeast corner inside the temple. it is said that if we offer betelleaves garland to Anjaneya and pray our wishes will be fulfilled. Navagrahas are carved in the ceiling of the mandapa. the gopura is about 134 feet high. enterance door is about 24 feet high, granite mandapa, granite musical pillars make this temple splendid.

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is located at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. The small temple dedicated to Kanyakumari is located on the seashore, in the town known by the same name. Kanyakumari was referred to by the British as Cape Commorin.
Kanyakumari represents the site where the spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda spent days in meditation upon a rock off of the coast. Vivekananda rock is built as a memorial. There is also a recently built memorial to Tiruvalluvar, the author of the philosophical work
Legend says that demon Banasura was havoc to the people of this world, and that Mahavishnu requested the Gods and the humans to request Paraasakthi to vanquish the demon. Answering the prayers of the oppressed, Shakti appeared as a young virgin girl at Kanyakumari and commenced penance with the desire of marrying Shiva at Suchindram.
Legend has it that the celestial Sage Narada fixed the midnight hour as the auspicious time for the wedding. When Shiva's procession reached a site by name Vazhukkumpaarai, Narada crowed, heralding daybreak, and that Shiva assuming that the auspicious hour was past, returned to Suchindram. The disappointed Goddess decided to spend her life in Kanyakumari as a virgin, and that all the food prepared for the wedding was laid waste and that it turned into the colored sand seen on the southern shores of the subcontinent.
The demon Banasura upon hearing of Shakti's story proceeded to Kanyakumari to win her hand in marriage by force, and this led to a fierce battle in which he was slain by her by using her chakrayuda.
The temple: The black stone image of Kanyakumari in the sanctum bearing a garland is an enchanting one. Of particular significance is the glittering nose ring that is visible from a distance. Legend has it that the light emanating from this nose ring misguided arriving ships and caused them to crash onto the rocky coast. There is a door now, to the east of the shrine which is opened only five times a year. There are also shrines to Vijayasundari and Balasundari, friends and playmates of the Goddess in her youthful form. There are a total of 11 theerthams associated with the temple in the ocean surrounding the area. The confluence of the seas, at the southern tip of the subcontinent has been held sacred for centuries. Kanyakumari was installed and worshipped by Parasurama.

places of interest

Devi Kumari Temple, Swami Vivekananda rock, Saint Thiruvalluvar statue, Gandhi memorial mandapam, sunrise and sunset at kanyakumari.

Pilliar Ganapathi temple

Kaparga Vinayakar also known as Pilliar patti vinayakar.

Pillaiyarpatti temple is a rock - cut temple located about 12 km's from Karaikudi on the Karaikudi Madurai road. It was built on a hillock by the early Pandiya kings and the image of Karpaga Vinayaka and that of a Siva Ling were carved out of a stone by a sculptor called Ekkattur Koon Peruparanan. Karpaga Vinayaka must have been carved around 4th century AD.
This temple is 1,600 years old. Vinayak, the God of Victory is the main deity here in the name Karpaga Vinayakar. This temple is the only one in TamilNadu which deserves pride for having a 6 feet rock-cut Vinayak idol. The Thumbikai of Lord Ganesh is curled towards his right side and so the God is also known as Valampuri Vinayakar. The larger inner shrine with its splendid sculptures make the people wonder on the first sight. Besides this Ganesh image, there are many other images of deities carved out of rocks. One of them is Thiruveesar, a Siva Lingam. In front of the temple is a large beautiful teppakulam (tank) and it serves the water needs of the temple devasthanam. The temple has two splendid Rajagopurams. There are many inscriptions found in this temple which tell us the history of this ancient architecture. The festivals Ganesh Chathurthi is celebrated here in a grand manner. Ganesh Chathurthi is celebrated as ten days festival with flag hoisting.

Palamutircolai

Palamutircolai is situated 19 to 20 kms from Madurai. this is the sixth abode of Lord Subramanyam. Lord vishnu temple known as Alagar Vishnu kovil is situated here.

Tiruttani

Tiruttani is beautiful temple of Lord Muruga built on a single rock 700 feet high above sea level. this is fifth abode of Lord Subramanya. it is said that when we propitate to lord at this holy shrine he bless us with mental peace and bodily happiness.

The hill has 365 steps indicating 365 days of the year. Lord murugan fiercely fight with Surapadma at Tiruchendur, the anger of muruga wanted to reduce his anger. He reached Tiruttani Hill to reduce his anger that is why Tiruttani is called as Thanigai malai. Lord came to this hill after wedding Goddess Valli and said that if one worshipped him with heart and soul for five consecutive days in this hill temple that person would be blessed with all all that is best for him in this life and hereafter.

Swamimalai

Swamimalai is also known as Tiruverakam is the fourth abode of Lord Subramanya. it is said that deity explained the meaning of pranava mantra OM to his father Lord Shiva. this temple is built on hillock of about sixty feet high with sixty steps which represents hindu cycle of sixty years. temples dedicated here are to Lord Sundereshwar and Goddess Meenakshi.

Legend says that saint Bhrugu before commencing penance; got the blessing that anybody disturbing meditation will forget all his knowledge. Such was the power of the penance that the holy fire emanating from the head of the saint reached up to the heavens, and the frightened devas surrendered to Lord Siva praying for his grace. The Lord extinguished the sacred fire by covering the saint's head by hand. With the saint's penance thus disturbed the Lord became oblivious of all his knowledge and is said to have regained them by learning the Pranava mantra from Lord Muruga at this shrine.

Palani

Palani also known as Tiruvavinankudi is third abode of Lord Subramanya, situated at elevation of 1500 feet above Sealevel. Deity of Palani is known as DandayudhaPani swami. the sanctum is made up of nine minerals called as navabashana. Muruga is in standing position with baton in his hand.

The Legend of the Palani Temple
According to legend, Sage Narada once visited the Kailash Parvat of Lord Shiva at. Lord Shiva was with his consort, Parvathi, and their two children Lord Ganesha and Lord Subramanya. Sage Narada gave Lord Shiva a mango fruit and told him that it was a special fruit, the fruit of wisdom.
Lord Shiva wanted his children to have the fruit of wisdom. However, when he offered it to them, Sage Narada asked that the mango not be cut in two to be shared between the two sons, lest the power be diminished. Now, as a result, they had to decide who should have it. Shiva and parvathi decided that the son who first circles the Earth would get the fruit. Immediately accepting the challenge, Lord Murugan, started his journey around the globe on his divine vehicle, the peacock. Lord Ganesha, who believed that his parents were his world, circumambulated Lord Shiva and Goddess parvathi and claimed the mango fruit. Lord Subramanya returned to Mount Kailash, only to find that Lord Ganesha had already won the contest. Lord Murugan felt he had been deceived and decided to leave Mount Kailasam. He reached to top of what is today called "Palani" and set up his abode there.
Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva rushed to the hill and tried to pacify their son, calling him, Pazham Nee (in Tamil, "you are the fruit (of wisdom)"). Hence this place came to be called Pazhani, or Palani.

Tiruchendur

Thiruchendur temple is located on the sea shore. at this spot Muruga was said to have camped before and after defeating asura and worshipped Shiva at the shrine. the Kanda Madana Parvata of this coast received its foundation. the Pandya, The Chera improved the temple. the principal sanctum of this temple is subramanyam. the gopuram is said to have been built around 350 years ago by Desikamoorthy swami of Tiruvaduthurai Math.

Six Murugan Temples

Six murugan temples are Tirupparamkundram, Tiruchendur, Palani, Swami malai , Tiruttani and Palamutircolai. all these abodes of lord muruga is situated in Tamilnadu .

Tirupparamkundram is about 10 kms from Madurai, associated with divine marriage of Lord Muruga with Devayanai. it is said that two daughters of lord vishnu Amritavalli and Sundaravalli desired to get married to Lord Subramanya, with this aim both did penance to get their wish fulfilled, pleased with their sincere devotion Lord appeared before Amritavalli and told her that she would be Indra's daughter and then he will marry her. Sundaravalli also was born to Sage Sivamuni and brought up by Nambi. in course of time Amritavalli came to be known as Devayanai. on Lord's arrival at Tirupparamkundram, as promised he desired to get married to Indra's daughter Devayanai and married her at Tirupparamkundram temple. all devas, Siva Parvathi attended the marriage and blessed the holy couple. this is the first abode of Lord Subramanya.

kashi

Viswanath Temple

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple has earned the name of Golden Temple due to the gold plating done using one ton of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh .Invaders destroyed the original temple and Rani Ahilyabai of Indore rebuilt it only in in 1776. Again, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the Viswanath temple to replace it with the Gaynvapi Mosque . Today, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Gyanvapi mosque lie adjacent to each other.

Durga temple, Bharat Mata temple, Tulsi Manas temple and Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple are few to name worth visiting although Kashi is full of temples.

Ayodhya

Ayodhya is one of the most ancient, magnificent and holy city for Hindus. This is city where Lord Rama ruled and the great epic Ramayana was written by sage valmiki here.

Places to be visited

The Hanuman Garhi ,

Kanak Bhawan

Nageshwarnath Temple

Guptar Ghat

Raj Sadan

Valmiki Bhavan

Ram Ki Podi

Sarju River

Ram Janam Bhumi

Rang Mahal

Gaya

Places to be visited in Gaya

Phalguni river , Vishnu pada, Akshaya vata, Mangala gowri temple, Pretashila, Bodhgaya.

legend says while lord Rama along with Sita and his brothers comes to Gaya to perform sacred rites to his ancestors, Dasaratha appears to Sita and asks her to offer pindam, Sita asks him to wait as her husband returns with goodies to offer pindam Dasaratha refuses and ask Sita to offer pindam made of sand with no other options Sita offers pindam in front of five witnesses i.e. Phalguni river, Akshaya vata, a gaya brahmin, cow, and Tulsi plant. later after Rama returns calls his father to offer pindam Dasaratha does not appear Sita tells him that happened in his absence, when Rama does not believe she asks the witnesses to tell him truth. out of fear none but akshaya vata tells the truth. out of anger to this act Sita curses that Phalguni river will not have waters in Gaya and thus it becomes Gupt, Cow henseforth will not be worshipped from front, there would be no tulasi plants in Gaya and Gaya brahmins will not be satisfied and crave for more and more . since akshayavata said truth she blesses it saying whoever comes to Gaya for performing rites will also perform rites at akshayavata also.

Small trip to Mantralaya

recently i had been to mantralaya with my mom, and two aunts of mine by our K.S.R.T.C. rajahamsa bus. a very nice travel indeed our bus services has improved a lot now comparing to olden times.

left to mantralaya by night around 8.45pm reached next morning at 5.45 am took a room at sri upendra theertham guest house nice pace to stay nearby brundavanam. as it was ekadashi no prasadam or food was served on that day we managed outside. had a very good darshan of brundavana twice in morning and in evening. we visited panchamukhi temple . this place is naturally evolved place where god hanuman with five heads called panchamukhi.situated to north of mantralaya about 24 to 25 kms.

it is said that Sri Raghavendra Swamy did penance for 12 years in 16th century in these caves. sri panchamukhi swami appeared to raghavendra swami and blessed him telling that you will become a great by becoming samadhi alive in the place south of this on the banks of tungabhadra river. again swami went into deep meditation then lakshmi sri venkateshwara kurmavatara appeared and blessed him.

we can have padukas of lord hanuman there which is changed every 5 years it is beleved that lord hanuman uses these padukas every day dust grass could be seen on these padukas.

triveni sangam

my self with my husband , family friend and my mother-in-laws sisters had wonderful visit to kashi in november 2008. we boarded train on 14th november and reached mugal sarai on 16th morning. we had our room at Balananda ashram. left for allahabad by vehicle for triveni sangam . The Triveni Sangam in Allahabad is a confluence of 3 rivers, the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. river saraswati is said to be invisible (antarvahini) and underflowing joining two rivers from below. here at the confluence point is a sacred place for hindus ,a bath here washes all our sins of past rebirths.pale yellow waters of ganga merges with blue waters of yamuna. . At the confluence of these two great Indian rivers, where the invisible saraswati river conjoins them, many tirtha yatris take boats to bathe from platforms erected in the Sangam. An interesting ritual is performed in the boat while sailing in the boat.Husband combs the hairs of his wife and a beautiful plait is done , decorated with flowers then end of the plait is cut and offered to rivers. normally hairs float in water but her hairs are drowned in the rivers. normally this is done for the long life of her husband. a priest performs pooja then a dhoti, saree blousepiece has to be given to the priest, this ends veni daanam. various ceremonies are conducted to ancestors according to their traditions and cultures.

Places to be visited enroute to Allahabad are

Anand bhavan Ancestral home of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Allahabad Museum , Allahabad University, Hanuman Temple (Near Sangam),Akshayavata and lot temples.

Shirdi

My first visit to shirdi was with my uncle's family me and my sister. it was a very good experience and prayed to baba that he shower his blessings on our family , make us visit this holy place every year because i heard a saying there that without baba's wish nobody can set foot on shirdi soil. after our return i said about my experiences, four arathis dwarkamai baba' garden and everything i saw and heard in shirdi to my husband . he then said he too wish to visit samadhi mandir and attend all 4 arathis hope baba listened to our prayers he blessed us to have his darshan all these years without fail. after our pilgrimage to shirdi with baba's blessings we started our own business SRI SAI MEDICALS which is running smoothly under his kind blessing .