Dhyana Vaibhogam

Dhyana Vaibhogam Patriji-Part1

Dhyana Vaibhogam Patriji-Part2

Patriji Discourse - Patanjali Yoga Shastram Part 1/5

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Siddhayoga

Gudi Padwa Or Ugadi

This festival marks the beginning of New Year in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. This festival is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It has become a custom to hold Kavi Sammelans (Poetry recitals) this day.Gudi Padva is considered one of the four most auspicious days in the year when people start new ventures. It is believed that Lord Brahma, created the world on this day and so he is worshipped specially at this time. Lord Vishnu too is said to have incarnated as Matsya, the fish, on this day.
A gudi (banner) with a swastika -marked metal pot and silk cloth is raised to announce victory and joy. It is reminiscent of the valiant Marathas returning home from their successful expeditions of war.This festival marks the beginning of New Year in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. This festival is known as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It has become a custom to hold Kavi Sammelans (Poetry recitals) this day.Gudi Padva is considered one of the four most auspicious days in the year when people start new ventures. It is believed that Lord Brahma created the world on this day and so he is worshipped specially at this time. People prepare for the New Year by cleaning and washing their houses and buying new clothes. On the festival day they decorate their houses with mango leaves and 'rangoli' designs, and pray for a prosperous new year, and visit the temples to listen to the yearly calendar 'Panchangasravanam' as priests make prediction for the coming year. In Maharashtra, it is reminiscent of the valiant Marathas returning home from their successful expeditions of war. They honour their favourite leader, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. A gudi (banner) with a swastika -marked metal pot and silk cloth is raised to announce victory and joy.The prasad of Ugadi/Gudi Padwa is the bitter leaves of the neem tree with jaggery. There are special foods prepared for this festival. In the southern states, puligore-a sour tamarind rice dish, bobbatlu, holige- sweet stuffed bread and Ugadi Pachadi made of jagerry, raw mango pieces, neem flowers and tamarind is prepared. In Maharastra, shrikhand -a fragrant yogurt dessert, with poori-a fried puffy bread is prepared.

Somnathpur Temple

Location	:	South West Of Bangalore, Karnataka
Consecrated In	:	1268 A.D
Built By	:	Somnath
Dedicated To	:	Lord Keshava

"There is a stillness and everlastingness about the past, it changes not and has a touch of eternity," wrote Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in his "Discovery of India." These words somehow hold true when one arrives at Somnathpur, a tiny village on the banks of the Kaveri, 140 kms, south-west of Bangalore. Here in this everlasting rural stillness, like a milestone to eternity, stood one of the last and the grandest of Hoysala monuments - the Kesava Temple built 740 years ago.

By the year 1268 A.D., the year in which the Kesava temple at Somnathpur was built, the Hoysala rule had completed 260 years. The riches and splendour of the Hoysala court were already evident in their grand temples at Belur and Dvarasamudra (present day, Halebid).

In the dust and turmoil of history, India was witnessing the Golden Age of the mighty Cholas, Pandyas and the Hoysalas. The last named dynasty which ruled Karnataka for nearly 350 years, was founded in 1006 A.D., soon after the collapse of the Ganga Dynasty.

Coming to the temple at Somnathpur, one need not search far for its history. An inscribed stone slab, in old Kannada, at the entrance says it all. The reigning monarch was Narasimha III (1254-91 A.D.) whose full regal title runs into a sizeable paragraph: "Sri Vishnuvaradhana, Pratapa Chakravarti, Hoysala Bhujabala, Sri Vira Narasimha, Maharajadhiraja, Raja Paramesvara, Sanivarasiddhi, Giridurgamalla etc.

The Temple
The temple, however, was not built by the king but by his celebrated army commander, Somnath. Some year ago he had founded a village on the left bank of the Kaveri River, which he named Somnathpur, after himself. Now in a bid for further immortality, Somnath petitioned the king to grand him the permission and resources for his project of setting up a grand temple to glorify Hoysala craftsmanship.

Soon work began. The best sculptors in the realm were commissioned for the task. There came sculptors whose wizardry with the hammer and chisel was almost legendary. Among them was the famous Mallitamma. Then there were sculptors: Ballayya, Chaudayya, Bharmayya, Kamayya and the Nanjayya. Of the 194 carved images on the outer walls, Mallitamma's contribution was forty. We know this because all the sculptors have signed their works - a practice unusual for its times, but also evident in Hoysala temples at Belur and Halebid.

The king not only bestowed Somnath with his largesse, but also sanctioned an annual grant of 3,000 gold coins for the temple's upkeep and maintenance. All these facts are duly mentioned on the slab and appear as though to have happened yesterday!

Interestingly, the earliest Hoysala monarchs were Jains. It was the great Vishnuvardhana (1108-42) who embraced Vaishnavism under the influence of the celebrated Vaishnava reformer Ramanuja. Later Hoysala rulers even became Saivites. But general tolerance of all faiths was typical of their rule. The Hoysala Dynasty finally came to an end around 1346 A.D. when the Vijayanagar Empire rose to power. Today Somnathpur is like any other Lackadaisical Indian village surrounded by farms of millet and sugarcane. Not as famous as Belur and Halebid, the Hoysala temple at Somnathpur, however, is truly unique in design, perfect in symmetry and the stone carvings are remarkable marvels in stone.

For the inscription on the stone slab, it becomes fairly evident that the magnificent temple was completed and consecrated in 1268 A.D. The shrine stands in the middle of a walled compound, around which runs an open verandah with 64 cells. The temple itself, stellar in shape, has three profusely carved pinnacles with a common Navranga and stands on a raised platform. The three sanctums once housed beautifully carved idols of Kesava, Janardhana and Venugopala. Today the idol of Lord Kesava is missing, but the other two still adorn the sanctums in their original form.

Sabarimala Temple

Location	:	Western Ghats, Kerala
Dedicated To	:	Lord Ayyappa
Altitude	:	914 m Above Sea Level
Main Festival	:	Sabarimala Temple Festival

Sabarimala is a renowned pilgrim centre atop the rugged hills of the Western Ghats. This holy shrine is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The sanctum sanctoram nestles 914 m above sea level, amidst the virgin forest wilderness of the Western Ghats.

The Village of Sabarimala is named after Shabari who did severe penance in order to meet Rama who granted her wish for her devotion and faith during her penance.

The main pilgrimage is undertaken between November and January. Regardless of caste, creed, colour, they wear black dhotis and carry on their heads, bundles containing traditional offerings like coconut filled with ghee, camphor and rice.

How to Get There
Transportation is available upto Pamba, from where one has to travel a distance of 5 kms on foot. Devotees undertake rigorous penance, ritualistic vows and fasts before they visit the temple.

The Main Festival
Sabarimala is one of the most important Hindu temples of Kerala. The Sabarimala Temple festival is celebrated in honour of Lord Ayyapan who is revered by all in India.

There are two main pujas called the Mandal Puja and the Makara Sankranti Puja, which are celebrated from November to Middle of January in Kerala, during which time the devotees perform austerities and penance.

The Penance
Devotees undergo rigorous penance and austere living before starting on the pilgrimage. Devotees wear black 'dhotis' and are bare-chested as they prepare for the pilgrimage to Sabarimala.

The temple is at the top of the Neeli hills and the devotees have to climb the treacherous route carrying their meagre provision in a bundle called "Iru Mudi" meaning in "two folds".

The distance from the base of the hill to the top takes about three days to cover and the most important part of the pilgrimage are the final 18 steps, which lead to the temple. The temple dome is covered with gold and the devotees break the coconuts before climbing the steps.

An Unmatched Instance of Religious Tolerance
Opposite the main temple complex, there is a smaller temple for the Muslim god called Wavar, who is an ally of Lord Ayyapa.

Signifying religious tolerance and harmony of the olden days, the devotees pay obeisance to Lord Wavar, on their way to the main temple. After the devotees complete their pujas and offerings, they return to the base of the hill and return to their homes.

The people making the pilgrimage for the first time are known as "Kanni Swamys" and the person leading the group is known as 'Guru Swamy' or the lead person of a team who is incharge of all the rituals.

Devotees take a ritual bath, while climbing up the hill in the holy river Pamba, which is believed to absolve one's sins.

Restricted Entry At The Festival Time
Only young girls who have not attained womanhood and old women who have reached menopause are allowed to worship at this time.

The men must vow to walk bare foot, not cut their nails and hair, sleep on the floor and practise absolute abstinence during the period of their penance.

Guruvayoor Temple

Location	:	29 Kms North-West Of Thrissur, Kerala
Popularly Known as	:	Dwaraka of the South
Dedicated To	:	Lord Krishna
Significance	:	Most Important Hindu Pilgrim Centre in Kerala

A temple, famous all over India as a pilgrim centre, dedicated to Lord Krishna popularly known as Guruvayoorappan. The Sreekrishna idol of this temple is believed to have been worshipped by Vasudevar and Devaki at Dwaraka. This shrine popularly known as ‘Dakshina Dwaraka’ (Dwaraka of south) is in the form of a rectangle. There are a lot of mural paintings around the ‘Shrikovil’ (Shrine).

Guruvayoor, where the famous Sree Krishna Temple is situated, is one of the most sacred and important pilgrim centres of kerala. The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are inlaid with exquisite mural paintings and carvings.

In Kerala, this is probably the only temple that hosts the maximum number of marriages and rice feeding ceremonies (the ritual first meal for infants). It was also the hub of the 'Guruvayoor Sathyagraha' , a historic movement demanding temple entry rights for the 'so called' lower castes.

The historic temple is shrouded in mystery. According to local belief, the temple was created by 'Guru', the 'preceptor of the gods' and 'Vayu', the 'god of winds'. The eastern 'nada' is the main entrance to the shrine.

In the 'Chuttambalam' (outer enclosure) is a 33.5-m tall gold-plated 'Dwajastambham' (flagpost). There is also a 7 m high 'Deepastambham' (pillar of lamps), whose thirteen circular receptacles provide a truly brillant spectacle, when lit. The square 'Sreekovil' is the sacred sanctum sanctorum of the temple, housing the main deity. Within the temple, there are also the images of Ganapathy, Sree Ayyappa and Edathedathy Kavil Bhagavathy. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple.

Punnathoorkotta, which is at a distance of 2 kms from Guruvayoor is home of 50 temple elephants, offers unusual spectacles of the gentle pachyderm.

How to Get There

• Air
  Nearest international airport is at Nedumbassery (87 km).
• Road
  The place is well connected to neighbouring places by good motorable roads.

Timings
The temple is open 03:00 am to 01:00 pm & 04:30pm to 08:30 pm.

Conducted Tours
DTPC conducts daily tours from Guruvayoor Bhakti Marg Circuit. The tour starts from Guruvayoor in the morning.

It then proceeds to Thriprayar, Koodal Manikyam, Vadakkumnathan Temple, Chettuva and returns to Guruvayoor by late evening.

Murugan Temple

Location	:	45-km From Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Presiding Deity	:	Lord Subramanya
Significance	:	One of the 33 Major Temples Of Lord Muruga In Tamil Nadu
Festivals Celebrated	:	Skanda Sashti In October-November, Margazhi Tiruvadirai, And Navaratri

Tirupporur (place of the sacred war) is one of the 33 major temples of Tamil Nadu dedicated to Lord Muruga, situated 25-km away from Chingleput and 45-kmfrom Chennai. Tirrupporur is an ancient temple dating back to the Pallava period.

Tirupporur is known by different names like Poriyur or Yuddhapuri or Samarapuri. It is believed that after vanquishing Soorapadman at Tiruchendur, Skanda destroyed the rest of the demons at Tirupporur.

History Of The Temple
Inscriptions dating back to the early 10th century as well as from the period of Vikrama Chola of the 12th century can bee seen in the temple. Tirupporur flourished but faded into oblivion for some time.

But Tirupporur was rediscovered and renovated by Chidambara Swamigal in the middle of the seventeenth century. Tirupporur was who is said to be a descendant of one of the poets of the "Tamil Sangam" of Madurai. Previously this place was a forest covered totally by Palmyra trees.

The image of the Lord Muruga (also spelt as Murugan) is believed to be as "Swayambhu Murti", which lay covered up by an anthill. Chidambara Swamigal is said to have discovered the image of 'Skanda' in the anthill, and then rebuilt the temple and reinstalled the image.

The temple was later on looked after by the decedents of Chidambara Swamigal and brought it to the present day fame.

The Legend
There are many legends related to Tirupporur according to one, Lord Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi were subjected to the curse of Kanva rishi. In order to liberate them from its effects Lord Shiva came to this place and relieved them from its effects.

Hence Tirupporur temple has a lot of significance where Lord Shiva and his son Muruga (also spelt as Murugan) are worshipped. The Sthalapurana also discloses that Lord Muruga with his consorts Valli and Devayanai granted protection to devas and expounded the meaning of Pranava to Agastya Muni at this place.

According to legend, Skanda enunciated the principle of pranava or reality to the devas here. The very concept of Pranavam is said to have worshipped Skanda here, and the hill behind the temple is known as "Pranava Malai". Legend also has it that Vishnu worshipped Shiva on the Pranava Hill. Legend also has it that Skanda worshipped Shiva as "Vanmeekeswara" to rid himself of the sin of having killed Soorapadman. Another legend has it that Skanda enunciated the principle of pranava or reality to the devas here. The very concept of Pranavam is said to have worshipped Skanda here, and the hill behind the temple is known as "Pranava Malai". Lord Vishnu worshipped Shiva on the Pranava hill.

Legend also has it that Skanda worshipped Shiva as Vanmeekeswara to rid himself of the sin of having killed Soorapadman.

How to Get There

• Air
  Nearest airport is Meenambakkam in Chennai; it operates both national and international flights.
• Rail
  The nearest railway station is at Chennai, which is a major junction.
• Road
  Tourists can access Tirupporurur by road either from Chennai or Chengalpattu. Private taxis and regular buses ply from Chennai and Chengalpattu to Tirupporurur.

About The Temple
This temple enshrines Skanda in several forms relating to legends from the Skanda Puranam. The foremost of these is the depiction of Skanda as a warrior, "Samhara Subramanya". He is also enshrined in the form of a child, expounding the meaning of the oneness of creation Om to his father Lord Shiva.

On the eastern side of the temple is sanctum sanctorum wherein one can see the 'Palmyra' tree and the anthill under it wherein is "Kanda Perumal" with "Valli" and "Devayanai" on a small Peetha. Chidambara Swamigal used to perform Abhishekam to these images. The image of the lord in the anthill is covered with Kavacha and other jewels but no Abhishekam (also spelt as Abhisheka) is performed for this deity.

There is a 24-pillared hall and a 30-pillared circular hall in this temple. There is a shrine to "Vembadi Vinayaka" under a Neem tree. The two sacred Teerthams (also spelt as Teerthas or Theertahs), "Saravana Poigai" and "Valliyar Odai" are on the southern side of the temple. On the eastern side of the Teerthams, there is a Mandapam of four pillars. There is also another Teertham by name "Pranavamritam".

Services And Festivities
The deity is offered four worship services each day. Skanda Sashti is celebrated in the month of Aippasi (October-November). Other festivals that are celebrated over here include "Margazhi Tiruvadirai" and "Navaratri".

Mahabalipuram Temple

Location	:	58-Km From Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Called	:	Mamallapuram, The City Of Bali
Famous	:	Centre For Pallava Culture And Arts
Important Festivals Celebrated	:	Dance Festival In The Month Of December

About Mahabalipuram
The history of Mahabalipuram dates back to two thousand years, it contains nearly forty monuments of different types including an "open air bas relief" which is the largest in the world, for centuries it has been a centre of pilgrimage, it figures in the early annals of the British search for the picturesque in India in the 18th century, today it attracts shoals of foreigners in search of relaxation and sea bathing, and most strange of all, it has an atomic power plant for neighbour. A small library has been written on it. Over its history and that of its monuments a number of scholarly controversies rage.

Mahabalipuram was already a centre of pilgrimage when, in the 7th century Mamalla made it a seaport and began to make temples fashioned of rock. It was through Mahabalipuram that many Indian colonists, who included sages and artists, migrated to Southeast Asia. Sri Lanka's national chronicle, the "Mahavamsa" testifies to this fact.

How to Get There

• Air
  Chennai (58-km) is the nearest airport with both domestic and international terminus. Chennai is connected with all the major places in India through the numerous domestic flights. International flights operate from various parts of the world to Chennai.
• Rail
  The nearest railway stations are Chengalpattu (29-km) and Chennai (58-km). From these stations one has to take road to reach the Mahabalipuram.
• Road
  Buses are available from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Chennai to Mahabalipuram daily. The road to Mahabalipuram is good. Tourists can also hire a taxi from Chennai.

Temple Town Of Tamil Nadu
Located at a distance of 58-km from Chennai, Mahabalipuram has everything that makes a site memorable; tradition, history, piety, western annals, and current importance as a centre of tourism.

Name Of The Site
The proper name of the site is "Mamallapuram", after Mamalla, an honorific of the Pallava king, Narasimha Varman I (630-668), who created the earliest of its monuments. But it is popularly called "Mahabalipuram", or "The city of Bali", whom Lord Vishnu chastised for his pride and of whom there is a relief in one of the excavated temples here.

Temples In Mahabalipuram
There are, or rather were, two low hills in Mahabalipuram, about 400m from the sea. In the larger one, on both sides, there are eleven excavated temples, called Mandapas, two "open air bas reliefs", one of which is unfinished, and a third enclosed one. Out of a big rock standing free nearby there is a "cut out" temple, called a "Ratha". This type is unique to Mahabalipuram.

Out of the other hill, much smaller and standing about 200m to the south, are fashioned five more rathas, and three big sculptures of a Nandi, a Loin and an Elephant. On the top of the bigger hill there is a structural temple, and a little distance the magnificent beginnings of a Vijayanagar Gopura and also survivals of what is believed to be a palace.

The Shore Temple
The Shore Temple occupies a most extraordinary site, by the very margin of the Bay of Bengal so that at high tide the waves sweep into it and the walls, with their sculptures, have been eroded by the winds and waves of thirteen centuries. The European name for Mahabalipuram, since the first western visitor wrote of it in the 16th century, is the "Seven Pagodas".

There are not seven temples here. The number has been made up fancifully and even whimsically. Some of the Europeans believed that the sea has overwhelmed a part of the town containing some temples. But, there is no sunken city in the waves off Mahabalipuram. The European name, "Seven Pagodas", is irrational and cannot be accounted for.

The Shrines In The Shore Temple
There are three shrines in the Shore Temple. That facing the sea and another facing west into the township are Saiva. The one between is Vaishnava, with an image of Lord Anantasayi made of live rock. There are Vimanas over the Saiva (also spelt as Shaiv or Shaiva) shrines, but none over the third; it seems to have disappeared with time. There are Somaskanda reliefs on the walls of the Saiva shrine. In front of the eastern shrine there is a stone dhvajastambha, frequently under the waves. The light that shone on it at night must have been the last sight of home for thousands of Pallava citizens immigrating to South East Asia.

The Dhvajastambha and the Balipitha, which normally stand in front of the main shrine, are here located to the west of the shrine. There was a Prakara here, with small Nandis on its walls. Some of the Nandis still stand on the survivals of the walls.

Till some decades ago parts of the temple were under sand. The sea is an ever-present danger. A semi-circular groyne wall has been built to the east. But what is notable is the fact that the temple has survived all these centuries. Built by Narasimha Varman II Rajasimha, the maker of the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram in the 8th century, this is one of the earliest structural temples in Tamil Nadu.

Temple Of Sthalasayana Perumal
Immediately to the north of the bigger hill there is the temple of Sthalasayana Perumal, much enlarged in Vijayanagar times. By the very margin of the sea, with the waves often flowing at its foot, there is a magnificent fane with three shrines in an axial line, called the "Shore Temple".

To the west of the five Rathas there are three more rathas, two side by side. About 600 m north of Mahabalipuram, along the coast, is Saluvankuppam, where there are magnificent excavated temples and, near it, a rock Mandapa with tiger heads along its periphery, called the "Tigers Cave". Between Saluvankuppam and Mahabalipuram, less than 200m from the sea, stands another structural temple, the Mukunda Nayanar.

Each and every one of these monuments of different types, structural temple, excavated temple "cut out" temple, "open air bas relief", not to mention sculptures and Mandapas to be found here and there, is important and interesting. The Shore temple, the celebrated "open air bas relief" called "Arjuna's Penance", the Mahishamardhani and the Adivaraha "Cave" temples and the Five Rathas are the especial rewards of the visitor. All the monuments are Pallava except that the original Sthalasayana Perumal temple was expanded in Vijayanagar times. To the Chola days belongs a Mandapa at the entrance to the township.

The Depictions Of Arjuna's Penance
There have been strong differences of opinion among eminent scholars on what this scene depicts. An old view was that it represents Bhagiratha's penance. But the opinion that currently holds the field is that it depicts Arjuna's Penance. This "Mahabharatha" incident, also represented in both mural and relief in Lepakshi and a number of other sites, relates to Arjuna's obtaining a weapon to use in the impending war against the Kauravas.

Bharavi, the Sanskrit dramatist, who, it is believed, was living in Kanchipuram in the seventh century, when this masterpiece was made, has made it his theme in his "Kiratarjuniyam". The Pallava court in that century was a nest of singing birds. It is highly probable that it is this scene, which is depicted here. The main scene of action is on the southern face. Here an ascetic is performing severe penance, standing on one leg. Near him is Lord Shiva, with His attendants. Immediately below them there is a small shrine with a relief of Lord Vishnu inside. By its side are many seated sages in meditation.

The fissure indicates a river. This is clear from a fact and a suggestion. The fact, also strengthened by the presence of water serpents, is the depiction at the edge of the southern surface of some persons performing the rite of "Sandhya vandhana" by the river. The suggestion is that, in Pallava days, actual water flowed down the cleavage from the hill behind, where there are survivals of what would be called a water tank. The notion is similar to what is found in the Isurumuniya in Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka.

On the northern face are some huge elephants, among the very best of their kind in the whole range of Indian sculptures. There is, besides, the hypocritical cat which, pretending to perform penance, draws to it a number of unfortunate unsuspecting rats. This is a touch of humour not very common in Indian art. There are, besides, the Lion, the Tiger, the Boar. In the upper part off the surface there are rows of semi-divine beings effortlessly flying, all towards the fissure. Close by is placed an engaging composition of a monkey picking out lice from the head of another. It was brought here from near the Mukunda Nayanar temple.

A little distance to the south there is an unfinished attempt at the depiction of the very same scene on another boulder. Probably the maker of the first bas-relief initially tried his hand here.

There is a third bas-relief, this time depicting Sri Krishna protecting the good people of Brindavan from Indra's wrath by interposing a mountain. This is a fine pastoral scene, which visitors to Mahabalipuram in the early centuries would have readily understood. Strangely enough, there are a few small sphinxes and gryphons at the edges of the huge composition. A Mandapa was built in Vijayanagar times in front of what originally was an open-air bas-relief.

Arjuna's Penance - An Open Air Bas Relief
If a temple by the sea and, at times, in the sea is a tour de force, the "open air bas relief" is even more so. In Mahabalipuram alone of all innumerable sites of monuments in India sculptor was impelled to choose a large cliff face on which to make his carvings. What is more, he chose a scene from the "Mahabharatha" (also spelt as Mahabharata), which a great Sanskrit dramatist, probably then living in Kanchipuram, had popularised.

This surface, 29m by 13m, consists of two large boulders with a fissure in between. In the cleavage there are a serpent god and a serpent goddess in the act of worship. Covering the surface on the boulders on either side of them there are nearly one hundred figures of Gods, sages semi-divine beings, huge elephants and a few other animals.

The Five Rathas - The Dharmaraja, The Bhima, The Arjuna, The Draupadi and The Sahadeva
The Five Rathas, about 200 m south of the main hill, were fashioned out of a smaller hill sloping down from the south. From the largest part was made the biggest of the five rathas, the Dharmaraja. Then followed onwards north, in the descending order of height, the Bhima, the Arjuna and the Draupadi.

A little to the west of Draupadi there was a comparatively large rock and out of it the Sahadeva Ratha was made. Immediately in front of the Draupadi again two smaller rocks were sculptured into an elephant and a lion. Behind the Draupadi and the Arjuna, which stand on a common base, there is a Nandi.

Not Exactly Temple Chariots!
These rathas (an irregular expression, for they are really Vimanas, and not temple chariots, as the word means) perpetuate the forms of the temple in use when they used to be made of perishable materials. A Pallava who must have been something of an art critic or art historian decided that these styles should be preserved in eternal rock. Outside Mahabalipuram except in Kazhugumalai (in Tirunelveli district), there is nothing like these rathas anywhere in India.

There are four rathas elsewhere in Mahabalipuram so that there are nine in all. Among themselves they represent four main styles: the apsidal, the barrel vaulted, the domical and the so-called "hut". The third was to dominate the future, with some modifications. The first two are comparatively rare and the last very much so.

The rathas with the domical sikhara are the Dharmaraja, the largest of them all; the Arjuna, a smaller version of the first, the Pidari and the two Valayankuttai, these three located elsewhere in Mahabalipuram. The Bhima Ratha and Ganesa Ratha, which is near the larger hill, are barrel vaulted, the Sahadeva is apsidal, and the Draupadi is "hut shaped".

There are some superb sculptures on the Dharmaraja and the Arjuna. The former contains splendid divine and secular portraits, with labels beside some of them. The later are certainly kings, but it is difficult to identify them. There are some lovely royal couples on the Arjuna. Again, it is impossible to say who they are. Nevertheless, these sculptures show how beautifully delicate and sensitive Pallava sculpture is, making it one of the great schools of Indian art.

The lion, Goddess Durga's mount, stands right in front of Her shrine, here called the "Draupadi". Just alongside the apsidal Sahadeva Ratha stands the elephant, also apsidal in shape. Such touches are frequent in Mahabalipuram. It is very probable that there was a school of sculpture here in ancient days. For, probationary and incomplete sculptural and architectural efforts are to be seen at every turn. An important point is that not a single monument in Mahabalipuram is quite complete.

Mahishamardhani and the Adivaraha Mandapas
Of the many excavated rock temples in Mahabalipuram anomalously called "Mandapas", two of the best are the Mahishamardhani and the Adivaraha. The former contains on walls facing each other two of the most superb sculptural reliefs known to Indian art, both connected with each other in their common scriptural source. The latter Mandapa has two groups of royal sculptures, also facing each other. Besides, it is the only temple in Mahabalipuram apart from the Sthalasayana Perumal, where worship continues today, but fitfully.

The Mahishamardhini temple has been excavated in a rock on the eastern side of the top of the hill. Right above it there is a structural temple, one of four of a lighthouse for decades until a new lighthouse was erected close by. Near the Mahishamardhani temple there is a smaller rock where an unfinished attempt at excavating a fane has been made.

There are three shrines in the Mahishamardhani Mandapa. A small Mandapa projects forward from the central shrine. On the northern and southern walls of the Ardhamandapa there are the great sculptural reliefs of Goddess Durga fighting the demon and of Lord Vishnu in His cosmic sleep. The incidents are from two consecutive cantos of the "Devi Mahatmyam". In the one relief the energy with which the young Goddess goes forth to war with the buffalo headed demon is in magnificent contrast with the cosmic sleep of Lord Vishnu on His serpent couch.

The royal groups in the Adivaraha temple are, in one, of a seated king with two queens flanking him and, in the other, of a standing king with two consorts standing by him. There are many opinions but it is generally thought that the seated monarch is Simhavishnu (574-600) and the standing one his son and successor, Mahendra I (600-630). There are, besides, reliefs of many divinities.

Fair & Festival at Mahabalipuram

• Dance Festival at Mahabalipuram
  The internationally acclaimed and globally renowned "Mahabalipuram Dance Festival" is organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu every year in Mahabalipuram - the renowned and ancient 7th century centre for Pallava culture and arts.
  
  The Dance festival starts on the 25th of December every year and is conducted on all Saturdays and Government holidays, upto February first week. Dancers and musicians of repute from India and abroad thrill the crowds every year. Folk dances of India are an added attraction.
  
  Sit before an open-air 'stage' created 13 centuries ago, the incredible monolithic rock sculptures of the Pallavas, next to the sea in this ancient city of Mahabalipuram. Lovers of dance will be treated to a very unique and unforgettably aesthet ic event: Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, presented by the very best exponents of the art besides folk dances.

Kanchipuram Temple

Location	:	75-Km From Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Called	:	Religious Capital Of South India
Famous Temples In Kanchipuram	:	Kamakshi Amman Temple, Varadaraja Temple, Kailashanathar Temple, Ekambareshwar Temple, Kumara Kottam, Ulahalanda Perumal Temple
Important Festivals Celebrated	:	Brahmotsavam -Varadaraja Temple In May; Garuda Sevai- Varadaraja Temple In June; Float Festival -Varadaraja Temple In February And November; Kamakshi Ammam Festival - February; Mahashivaratri Festival - Kailashanatha Temple In February; Panguni Uthiram -Ekambareshwara Temple In March-April.

Land Of Thousand Temples
Kanchipuram is a small, rural town about 75-km from Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu. With the Sankara Mutt acting as the hub of Hindu activities and the temples, Kanchipuram is one of the most highly visited pilgrimage spots in India, and can rightfully be called the "Religious Capital of South India".

Kanchipuram was under the Pallavas from the 6th to 8th century AD and later became the citadel of the Cholas, Vijayanagar Kings, the Muslim and the British. It has been a center of Tamil learning, cultural and religious background for centuries. Kanchipuram has magnificent temples of unique architectural beauty bearing eloquent testimony to its glorious Dravidian heritage.

All the religious cities in India support one of the two sects in Hinduism - Vaishnavism and Shaivism, but Kanchipuram has blended itself equally to both the sects, dividing itself into Vishnu Kanchi, surrounding the Varadaraja Temple, and Shiva Kanchi, surrounding the Ekambareshwar (also spelt as Ekambareshwa) Temple, while the Kamakshi Amman Temple stands in between as a place of Shakti worship.

How to Get There

• Air
  Chennai is the nearest airport to Kanchipuram.
• Rail
  Trains for Kanchipuram are available from Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tirupati, and Bangalore.
• Road
  Kanchipuram is 75-km away from Chennai and is well connected by a network of roads. There are frequent buses from the city to Chennai, Bangalore and other places. For local transportation bicycles can be hired from the shops near the bus stand. Cycle Rickshaws and auto rickshaws are also available on hire to move in and around the city.

Kailashanathar Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kailashanathar (also spelt as Kailashnatha) is one of the earliest temples built by the Pallava ruler Rajasimha Pallava and was completed by his son, Mahendra Varma Pallava in the 8th century AD. It is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram and the finest example of Pallava architecture in South India. The temple is situated among several low-roofed houses just over 1-km west of the town center.

Of all the temples in India, no other edifice has been so elaborately filled with all the 64 aspects of Lord Shiva. The temple is unique in its architecture and is viewed more as an architectural wonder than as a holy place. Hence, it is never crowded with locals. But, once in a year during Shivaratri festival large crowds visit the temple and there could be hours of waiting in long queues.

Kamakshi Amman Temple
India has three main cities where the Goddess Shakti is worshipped. Kanchipuram holds the most important rank among the three. In the same order, the three places are Kanchipuram, where the Goddess Kamakshi is worshipped, Madurai, where the Goddess Meenakshi is worshipped, and Kashi, where the deity is 'Visaalakshi'.

The Kamakshi Amman temple is the hub of all religious activities in Kanchipuram. The temple is also in closer control of the Shankara Mutt, unlike the other temples, which are governed either by the Department of Archeology, Government of India, or the Hindu Temples Department of the Tamil Nadu Government. The kings of the Chola Empire built the temple in 14th century AD.

The main tower over the sanctum (Vimanam) of the temple is gold plated. Also of significance is the Golden Chariot in this temple. The Golden Chariot is taken in a procession around the temple on Friday evenings around 7.00 p.m. This temple also features an Art Gallery with pictures depicting the history of Sri Adishankaracharya and the Shankara Mutt.

Kumara Kottam
Kumara Kottam is located in between the Kamakshi and Ekambareshwar temples in the Somaskanda formation in the town of Kanchipuram. It is a well-visited temple with two Prakarams and a complete pantheon of Parivara Devatas enshrined in their respective shrines.

In the sanctum, Muruga is in a seated pose. Valli, Deivayani are absent here, but their festival idols are kept here. In accordance with the function of Creation he has assumed, his right arm is in Abaya pose, the upper hand holds the rosary, and the lower left arm is on the thigh in Katyavailambita pose with the left arm holding the Kamandalam. The posture is also called "Brahma Chattam".

Here only honey is used for ablutions. When one comes out after worshipping the main deity, one can see the festival idols. In the front part of the temple in the mirror room one can see the marble figure of Ramalinga Swamigal.

Ekambareshwar Temple
Ekambareshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the largest temples in Kanchipuram, spreading over an area of 12.14 hectares. This ancient temple is surrounded by a huge stonewall built in the early 16th century during the days of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Ekambareshwar temple is of hoary antiquity, beginning as a small fane, it has grown over the centuries into a large one with innumerable shrines, Mandapams, Gopurams and Tanks. It is considered to be one of the most ancient temples in India and has been in existence even prior to 600 AD. It enshrines many traditions.

Varadaraja Temple
The Varadaraja temple is one of the important shrines of Sri Vaishnavites, also known as "Hastigiri" and is one of the celebrated Vaishnava Divya Desams, located in Vishnu Kanchi or "the Little Kanchi". Originally it was known as "Attiyuran". The main deity here is Varadaraja Perumal in a standing posture facing west and the Lord here is also known as "Devaraja", "Pranatharthihara", "Deva Perumal", "Athiyooran" and "Perarulalan".

Varadaraja temple with superb art has a magnificent history, which is associated with Sri Ramanuja, who used to serve here. Many miracles are said to have occurred. It was with his ministry that the temple, then already several centuries old, began to gain fame.

Festivals Celebrated In Kanchipuram
Some of the important festivals celebrated in Kanchipuram are the Brahmotsavam -Varadaraja temple in May; Garuda Sevai- Varadaraja temple in June; Float festival -Varadaraja temple in February and November; Kamakshi Ammam Festival - February; Mahashivaratri festival - Kailashanatha temple in February; Panguni Uthiram -Ekambareshwara temple in March-April.

Ulahalanda Perumal Temple
Ulahalanda Perumal temple, situated about half a kilometre from the centre of the town near Kamakshi Amman temple is one of the oldest temples in Kanchipuram. The deity Ulahalanda Perumal in this temple represents the "Vamana Roopam", an incarnation of Lord Vishnu taken to save the Devas from the Demon king Mahabali. The deity Ulahalanda Perumal is depicted by a huge image of about 35 feet high.

Meenakshi Temple

Location	:	Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Deity Worshipped	:	Lord Somasundara (Lord Shiva) And Goddess Meenakshi
Built By	:	The Pandyan King, Kulasekhara
Festivals Celebrated	:	Meenakshi Kalyanam In April-May And The Teppam Festiva

Madurai or "the city of nectar" is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu. This city is located on Vaigai River and was the capital of Pandyan rulers. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous temple around which he created a lotus shaped city. It has been a center of learning and pilgrimage, for centuries. Legend has it, that the divine nectar falling from Lord Shiva's locks, gave the city its name - 'Madhurapuri', now known as "Madurai".

The Origin Of The Meenakshi Temple
The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple and Madurai city originated together. According to tradition, Indra once committed sin when he killed a demon, who was then performing penance. He could find no relief from remorse in his own kingdom. He came down to earth. While passing through a forest of Kadamba trees in Pandya land, he felt relieved of his burden. His servitors told him that there was a Shivalinga under a Kadamba tree and beside a lake. Certain that it was the Linga that had helped him; he worshipped it and built a small temple around it. It is believed that it is this Linga, which is till under worship in the Madurai temple. The shrine is called the "Indra Vimana".

When the next Pandya, Malayadhvaja, and his queen, Kanchanamala, performed a sacrifice for a child, Lord Shiva caused Goddess Parvati Herself to step out of the fire as a little girl. She had three breasts. Lord Shiva told the couple that the third breast would disappear when she set eyes on he who was to be her husband. They were to name her "Thadathagai" and bring her up as if she were a boy.

Once Dhananjaya, a merchant of Manavur, where the Pandyas had arrived after the second deluge in Kumari Kandam, having been overtaken by nightfall in Kadamba forest, spent the night in the Indra Vimana. When next morning he woke up, he was surprised to see signs of worship. Thinking that it must be the work of the Devas, he told the Pandya, Kulasekhara, in Manavur, of this. Meanwhile Lord Shiva had instructed Pandya in a dream to build a temple and a city at the spot Dhananjaya would indicate. Kulasekhara did so. Thus originated the temple and city.

She succeeded her father to the throne at his death. She gained many military victories. Finally she marched on Kailasa itself. When she saw Lord Shiva, her third breast disappeared. The Lord told her to return to Madurai and said that He would marry her there. The divine marriage was celebrated. This is the theme much beloved of Madurai artists. There is a superb sculpture of this in the temple. The crowning of Meenakshi, for She was the same as Thadathagai, is celebrated as a festival in the temple.

The Lord performed many miracles at the wedding. These are described in a celebrated poem, the "Tiruviayadal Puranam". Under the name of "Sundara Pandya", the Lord ruled the land as a mortal. After sometime, crowning Lord Muruga, their son, who was named "Ugra Pandya", Sundara Pandya and Thadathagai went into the temple and assumed divine forms as "Lord Somasundara" and "Goddess Meenakshi" respectively.

How to Get There

• Air
  Madurai is connected by air with Mumbai and Chennai. Madurai airport is 10-km away from the city.
• Rail
  Madurai has direct rail connections to Bangalore, Coimbatore, Kollam, Chennai, Rameshwaram, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Tirupathi and Tuticorin.
• Road
  There are excellent roads connecting Madurai to all parts of South India. Madurai city has 5 Major Bus Stands- Periyar Bus Stand, Anna Bus Stand, Palanganatham Bus Stand, Arapalayam Bus Stand, Mattuthavani Bus Stand. From Madurai town buses, suburban buses, taxis, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available to reach the temple.

About The Temple
While the temple originated in times to which no date can be assigned, the structures that are standing today date mostly from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. They occupy a vast space, 258 m by 241m. There are the two main shrines, no less than twelve Gopuras, a tank and innumerable Mandapas. At every turn there is superb sculpture, magnificent architecture.

Earliest References Of The Temple
Paranjothi Munivar wrote the Tiruviayadal Puranam in the sixteenth century. It is regarded as the temple's Sthalapurana. An earlier work adds a few celestial sports not included in the latter. These are, or rather were painted on the walls around the Golden Lily Tank. Some of the painted wooden panels are in the Temple Museum.

In the 14th century an invasion by Malik Kafur damaged the temple. In the same century Madurai was under Muslim rule for nearly fifty years. The temple authorities closed the sanctum, covered up the Linga, and set up another in the Ardhamandapa. When the city was liberated, the sanctum was opened, and, tradition says the flower garlands and the sandalwood paste placed on the Linga were as fresh as on the first day, and two oil lamps were still burning.

The earliest references available to any structure in this temple is a hymn of Sambhandar's, in the seventh century, which refers to the "Kapali Madil". The present inner walls of the Lords shrine bear this name today. In the early times the entire temple must have been confined to the area between these walls, and the structures must have been of brick and mortar.

Mudali Pillai Mandapa
The Mudali Pillai Mandapa follows the Chitra Gopura. Added in 1613, it is 183m long and 7.6m wide. On its wall are many puranic scenes. It used to be without any natural light, but windows were added in the last renovation.

The Golden Lily Tank
The lovely and historic Golden Lily tank then comes into view. It is from its banks that most popular photographic views of the temple are taken, showing the gigantic south outer Gopura. The northern corridor leads directly to the shrine of the Goddess. On its pillars are the images of some of the Sangam poets, of Kulasekhara Pandya, the first builder of the temple, and of Dhananjaya, who figures in the traditional story of its origin. There is no fish in the tank.

The corridors around the tank are rightly called the "Chitra Mandapa", for the walls carry paintings of the divine sports of the Lord, as narrated in the "Tiruvilayadal Puranam". They have been renewed from time to time. A short while ago there were paintings on wooden panels affixed over an older series. They have since been removed to the Temple Museum in the thousand-pillared Mandapa, leaving some dilapidated murals to view. It is impossible to ascertain the date of these.

It was in the sixteenth century that the corridors and the steps leading down to the tank were constructed; the northern corridor and steps in 1562, those on the east in 1573, and those on the south five years later.

Samagam Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa
A smaller Mandapa connects the large one with another large one with another large hall, called the "Samagam Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa", after its builder, a minister of Vijayaranga Chokkanatha (1706-32), who erected in 1707. In former times the temple's elephants camels and bulls used to be stabled here. A brass "Tiruvatchi" holding a thousand and eight lamps stands here, 7.6m high. Marudu Pandya, one of the early opponents of the growing British power, installed it.

The Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa is a huge hall, 42.9m long and 33.5m wide. It contains 110 stone columns, each 6.7m high. There are yalis in the capital and delicate reliefs below. Some of the carvings are unfinished.

The "Chitra Gopura", its name amply justified by its exquisite sculptures, 740 in number, stands over the entrance from this Mandapa into the shrine complex of the Goddess. It could have been the original entrance into the sanctum. Over seven tiers, and 35.6m high, it is the tallest of those over the shrine of the Goddess. It was built about 1570 by Kalatthi Mudaliar, a son of Aryanatha Mudaliar, who helped Vishwanatha Nayak, the founder of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, to consolidate his power. He rose from poverty and obscurity to the highest post after the Nayak. There are equestrian statues of him in two places in the temple, in the Pudumandapa and in the thousand-pillared hall. The Gopura was extensively renovated in 1960-63.

Ashta Sakthi Mandapa
It is a convention in this temple, different from that followed in others, that the devotee offers worship first to Goddess Meenakshi. Therefore, while there are four other entrances into the temple, under huge Gopuras in the four cardinal directions, it is customary to enter not through any of them but through a Mandapa, with no tower above it. This entrance leads directly to the shrine of the Goddess.

An interesting story is told of what an artist did in 1923 when adding some paintings there. In one of these depicting the coronation of Goddess Meenakshi, he included a figure of Mahatma Gandhi. The British authorities ordered that it be removed. What the artist did was to add to the lasting oil painting long locks of hair in watercolour so that a sage resulted. But shortly after, the locks disappeared and Gandhiji re-merged.

This Mandapa is an impressive structure, with a hemispherical ceiling. It is 14m long and 5.5m wide. There are bas-reliefs all over the place. Over the entrance one of them depicts the marriage of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Somasundara. The Mandapa derives its name, the "Ashta Sakthi", from the fact it contains sculptures of the eight Sakthis (also spelt as Shakti). Those of the four principal Nyanmars were added during renovation of the temple in 1960-63.

Queen Rudrapathi Ammal and Queen Tholiammal, consorts of Tirumalai Nayak (1623-1659) erected the Mandapam. Tirumalai, the greatest of the Nayaks of Madurai, who were originally viceroys of the Vijayanagar Rayas, but who later made themselves virtually independent, was the grandest builder in the history of the temple and the city. Formerly, pilgrims used to be fed in this Mandapa.

The Unjal And Kilikatti Mandapas
Two Mandapas, the Unjal and the Kilikatti, stand on the farther way to the shrine of the Goddess. On their ceilings are more paintings. A celebrated mural, opposite to the entrance of the shrine, depicts the marriage of Goddess Meenakshi. The Kilikatti Mandapa derives its name from the fact that there are parrots in a cage here. On its walls are carvings of the divine sports. The most ornamental of the temple's Mandapas, it was built in 1623.

Near the flagstaff is a six-pillared structure, which is of historic interest. A famous poet, Kumaragurubarar, composed verses in praise of the Goddess at the request of Tirumalai Nayak. He recited the work in this part of the temple with Tirumalai present. As he was doing so, a little girl walked upto the Nayak, took a pearl necklace from his neck, gave it to the poet and disappeared. She was the Goddess Meenakshi Herself. There is a stone bell on the ceiling of the Mukhamandapa. The entire shrine measures 68.5m by 45.7m.

A Gopura of three tiers stands over the entrance from this Mandapa into the shrine of the Goddess. Built in 1227 by Vambathura Ananda Tandava Nambi, it is named the Vambuthurar Gopura after him. The shrine consists of a square sanctum, an Ardhamandapa and a Mukhamandapa. In the niches on the walls of the shrine are images of Iccasakthi in the south, Kriyasakthi in the west, and Jnanasakthi in the north. There are shrines of Vinayaka and Subramanya in the outer Prakara. They probably belong to the fifteenth century.

On the way to the Lord's shrine from here there are two Gopuras, the Nadu Kattu over the doorway leading from the Kilikatti Mandapa, and the Gopuranayaka, which rises above the actual entrance into the shrine. Each is of five storeys and perhaps belongs to the mid-sixteenth century.

Beyond the former, facing south, is a huge image of Lord Vinayaka, engagingly the "Mukkuruni Vinayaka" from the fact that a single enormous edible, the "Kozhukattai", made from 34 kg of rice, is offered to Him on Vinayaka Chaturthi Day. There is a tradition that the image was discovered when Tirumalai Nayak was digging the beautiful tank on the outskirts of the city, called the "Vandiyur Teppakulam" .

The Kambathadi Mandapa
The Kambathadi Mandapa, which contains the flagstaffs of the Lord's shrine, has, besides some of the most striking baroque sculpture in the country. It was originally built by Krishna Veerappa Nayak (1572-95) and renovated in 1877 by the Nagarattars, a class of Chettiars, who have built and renovated many a fane in Tamil Nadu.

This Mandapa encloses the Nandi shrine, two flagstaffs and the balipitha, has eight monolithic columns, which carry huge sculptures of the Lord in various forms. These includes Somasundara, the Protector of Markandeya, Nataraja, Chandrasekhara, Ardhanariswara, Dakshinamurti, Bikshatana, Somaskanda,Rudra, Ekapadamurti and Rshbaruda. There are also the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. It is here that the celebrated sculpture of Goddess Meenakshi's marriage is to be found. On either side of the entrance there are imposing monoliths of Bhadrakali, Agora Virabhadra, Agni Virabhadra and Urdhatandava. A carved ceiling made of a single stone covers the Nandi shrine.

Over the entrance into the shrine stands a Gopura of three storeys. It was originally built by a Pandya in 1168 and, therefore, is one of the oldest surviving structures in the temple. Flanking the entrance are huge dwarapalkas, each 3.6m high, made of a single stone each, and standing on a pedestal about 1.5m high.

The shrine is a square of 10.4m. Eight elephants, thirty-two lions and sixty-four sportive dwarfs support its base. On its outer walls there are prominent niches on the three sides, each projecting 1.8m. In the south there is Dakshinamurti in the west Lingodbhava, and in the north Durga. These niches are so big as to be small shrines. Stone elephants about 3m high flank each of them. There is always a concourse of worshippers in front of the Durga image. The Vimana above the sanctum is of three storeys. The Sikhara is plated with gold.

In front of the shrine there are successively an Antarala, an Ardhamandapa, a Mukhamandapa and a Mahamandapa so that this is virtually a temple by itself. The whole measures 128m by 94.5m. There are two Prakaras and five Gopuras. The outer walls are called the "Sundara Pandya Madil" and the inner ones, which measure 76.2m by 47.5m, the "Kapali Madil". The latter is referred to by Sambandar in the 7th century.

Thousand Pillared Mandapa
Among the other Mandapas in the temple is the celebrated thousand pillared one. Aryanatha Mudaliar, who bestrides a horse at the entrance, erected it in 1569. Measuring 76.2m by 73m, it contains 985 pillars. The central nave leads to a shrine of Lord Sabapati. On every pillar there are sculptures. These are varied iconographic interest. Among themselves they make a veritable pantheon. On the ceiling near the entrance there is a wheel, which gives the cycle of sixty years of Tamil calendar. Fergusson calls the Mandapa "The wonder of the place".

West of it is a small Mandapa added during the renovation of 1960-63. It commemorates Sambandar's reclamation of the Pandya to Hinduism. It contains a Linga and images of 'Sambandar', 'Mangayarkarasi', 'Kulachirayar' and 'Kun Pandya'. The second was the queen, the third the minister of the Pandya.

The Historic Shrines In The Prakaras
There are a number of historic shrines in the Prakaras. Opposite to an entrance into the first from the Mahamandapa there is one of Lord Sabhapathi. This is the famous Velliambalam where one of the Lord's divine sports took place when, at the request of the sages, Patanjali and Vyagrapadha, He danced as Lord Nataraja.

In the second Prakara a shrine, now called that of the Sangam poets, contains images of many of them. In the same Prakara there is a shrine apparently dedicated to Kariyamanikka Perumal, but now empty. Also in the same Prakara there is a row of fourteen small shrines, called the "isvarams". Many of them contain Lingas.

The Pudumandapa
Near the east outer Gopura stands the celebrated Pudumandapa. Built by Tirumalai Nayak between 1626 and 1633, it is a large hall, 100m by 32m, and contains a hundred and twenty four pillars. These magnificent columns carry bold reliefs. There are equestrians and yalis on the outer pillars, while at the centre there are portraits of ten Nayaks from Viswanatha, the first of them to Tirumalai.

There are, besides, some of the Tiruvilayadal scenes, the wedding of Goddess Meenakshi, Goddess Meenakshi as Thadathagai, and Ekapadamurti, among other themes. At the western end there is a canopied Mandapa, the Vasanta, where the images of the Lord and the Goddess are brought on certain festival occasions.

The Kalyanamandapa
The Kalyanamandapa, built by Vijayaranga Chokkanatha (who stands here in effigy) in the first decade on the eighteenth century, contains much excellent woodwork. It was originally open on all sides. In the center is a large platform, where annually the marriage of the Lord and the Goddess is celebrated. On two of the walls are two huge paintings of the "two worlds" of Hindu cosmogony, each about 1.8m in diameter.

The Gopuras Of The Temple
The Gopuras Of The Temple The four outer Gopuras in the four directions are marvellous works of art. They are of perfect proportions, though they were built at different time and though, moreover, they have been repaired and renovated from time to time. The Gopuras of Tamil Nadu, by themselves, form a chapter in the history of Indian Art. Some of the brightest pages are due to the towers of Madurai.

• The West Gopura
  The west Gopura was built in the fourteenth century, a troubled period in the history of the temple and the city following the Muslim invasions. It is difficult to believe that a venture of this magnitude could have been possible in that time of travail. But the sources of information are clear. They attribute the Gopura to a Parakrama Pandya. There were many kings of that name in the century. Since the famous Pandya crest of two carps appears on this Gopura, it may be accepted that the Pandyas did build it. This was their swan song in the temple, which will always be associated with their piety, munificence and glory. It is 48m high, rising on a base that is 31m by 14m. Like the three other Gopuras, it is of nine tiers.
• The Southern Gopura
  The most beautiful and the most artistic of the four, the southern, frequently photographed for its lovely eminence over the Golden Lily Tank, is also the tallest, 49m. Its stone base measures 32.9m by 20.4m. The tower sweeps in a graceful curve. It was built about the middle of the sixteenth century by Siramalai Sevvanthi Murti Chettiar, a scion of a family of Tiruchi, which has contributed much to the temple.
• The Northern Gopura
  The latest in date is the northern Gopura, which was built by Krishna Veerappa Nayak (1564-72). For some reason, it was without a Sikhara and was not plastered. Therefore, it was called the "Mottai" Gopura. The deficiencies were supplied in renovation about the end of the last century.
  
  Such an ancient and renowned fane has attracted considerable literature and many beautiful traditions, apart from those narrated above. It is said for example Rous Peter, a Collector in the early decades of the last century, was so beloved of the people that they called him "Peter Pandya". Every day he would go round the temple on horseback. One night when he was asleep, there was heavy rain. A little girl woke him up and beckoned him outside his house. The girl then vanished. Peter, convinced that She was Goddess Meenakshi, presented valuable jewels to the temple.

Mariamman Teppakulam
Connected with the temple is the lovely tank called the "Mariamman Teppakulam", about 3 km to the east. It measures 345m by 290m, and has steps leading down to the water. In the center is a towered Mandapa, with four smaller Mandapas around it. The tank was excavated and the Mandapas built by Tirumalai Nayak. On his birthday a float festival of the images of the Lord and the Goddess is celebrated. On the other side of the road there is a famous Mariamman temple.

Other Temples In Madurai

• Azhagar Koil
  Located 21 km. northwest of Madurai is a Vishnu temple located on a picturesque wooded hill. Here Lord Vishnu presides as Meenakshi's brother 'Azhagar'. It is one of the few temples in the country built in tiers. The tower consists of 3 tiers depicting Lord Vishnu in 3 postures, sitting, standing and reclining. The shadow of the Vimanam never falls on the ground.
  
  On entering the temple, one can see the life-size sculptures carved in the stone Mandapam built by Tirumalai Naicken. These are similar to those found in Madurai temple. The deity is known as "Kalazhagar" as he is the household deity of the Kallas, a low caste people.

Major Festivals Celebrated in Madurai

• Meenakshi Kalyanam At Madurai
  The annual solemnization of the marriage of Meenakshi with Lord Sundareshwar (Shiva) is one of the most spectacular temple festivals at Madurai's famous Meenakshi temple in Tamil Nadu. Car processions of the goddess and the god are some of the colourful features of this festival.
  
  Meenaskhi Kalyanam, the wedding festival of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwar is celebrated for twelve days from the second day of the lunar month (i.e. two days after the new moon). This is a spectacular festival celebrated in the month of Chaitra (April-May).
  
  The festival is characterized with royal decorated umbrellas, fans and traditional instrumental music. Scenes from mythology are enacted and the deities of Lord Shiva, Goddess Shakti and Goddess Meenakshi are taken out in a colourful procession. Thousands of devotees from all over the country gather in the city of Madurai on this occasion.

Rameshwaram Temple

Location	:	Island Of Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Deity Worshipped	:	Linga Of Sri Ranganatha
Famous	:	A Pilgrimage To Kashi Is Not Considered Complete Without A Pilgrimage To Rameshwaram
Significance	:	One Of The 12 Jyotirlingas Of India

Rameshwaram (also spelt as Rameswaram) is a pilgrimage centre of nationwide importance, as Rama is said to have worshipped Shiva here on his way back from SriLanka. The temple is in the island of Rameshwaram, the Banares of the South, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The deity here constitutes one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India.

The Sacred Pilgrimage To Rameshwaram
A pilgrimage to Rameshwaram is among the important injunctions laid on the Hindu from time immemorial. The great temple of Sri Ramanatha is connected by tradition with Kashi. A pilgrimage to Kashi is not considered complete without a pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. In olden days groups of pilgrims, many of them quite old, walked huge distances to the two temples, taking months and years, and some failing to survive the rigours and dangers of such incredibly long journeys. Men and women knew this cost might be exacted of them, but they repaid it cheerfully.

The Rameshwaram pilgrimage has long been a tradition in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, and has passed into folklore. Many kings of old prided themselves on having planted columns of victory in Rameshwaram-Krishna III the Rashtrakuta, in the 10th century; the Hoysala, Vishnuvardhana, in the 12th century.

Everything in and near Rameshwaram is traditionally connected with incidents in the "Ramayana". The Kashi pilgrimage is considered complete not only after worship in the Sri Ramanatha temple but also after a bath in Dhanushkodi, a tip of the island where the Bay of Bengal, called the "Mahodadhi" in ancient times, joins the Indian Ocean, or Ratnakaram, its beautiful old name "Dhanushkodi", in Tamil the "end of the bow", takes its name from a tradition that Sri Rama, at the request of Vibishana, his friend, destroyed the bridge to Sri Lanka with the end of His bow. Dhanushkodi was affected in a cyclone a few years ago.

How to Get There

• Air
  The nearest airport is at Madurai, at a distance of 154-km.
• Rail
  Rameshwaram is well connected by trains from all the major cities of India.
• Road
  State transport buses are available from the railway station to the various places in and around Rameshwaram. For local transportation taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas are available. Also city bus service is available in the island.

The Great Temple Of Sri Ramanatha
The temple of Sri Ramanatha, which has over the centuries grown into its present gigantic dimensions, stands on the eastern shore of an island, which is shaped like a conch, which Lord Vishnu bears in one of His hands. No field is ploughed or oil presses any where in the island. A magnificent railway bridge, over a kilometre long and constructed at the beginning of the twentieth century, connects it with the mainland.

To help the pilgrims walking incredible distances, philanthropists used to construct rest houses at intervals along the way. The last of them before Rameshwaram was Thangachimadam, a few kilometres away on the island. Modern means of transport have made these rest houses superfluous. But in their time they were most useful, even vital. The Sethupathis of Ramanathapuram, of which the district Rameshwaram is an administrative part, were called the "guardians of the Sethu", the bridge which, according to tradition, was built for Sri Rama to cross over into Sri Lanka when He set out to recover Sita.

About The Temple
Since it was Sri Rama Himself who, in time honoured tradition, built the temple, it is held in particular reverence. After killing Ravana, He returned to India and, in Rameshwaram, offered worship to Lord Shiva to expiate the sin incurred in destroying him. Intending to set up a Linga, He directed Hanuman to bring one from Kailasa within a certain time. Hanuman was delayed. Meanwhile, the propitious hour for the installation having arrived, Sita Herself prepared one of sand, and offered it worship. This is the Linga of Sri Ramanatha in the temple.

When Hanuman returned with a Linga, He found that it was too late. He was angry and attempted to uproot the Ramalinga. But He failed. To pacify Him Sri Rama directed that his Linga, the "Visvalinga", should also be set up and that worship should first be offered to it. This is the second Linga under worship in the temple.

Shrines Within The Temple
In the principal sanctum there is the Linga of Sri Ranganatha. This is the one, which Sita made and Sri Rama sanctified. There is much delicate artistry in many parts of the sanctum. The Vimana, of three storeys, contains images of Hanuman, the Gandhamadhana Linga, and the Agastya Linga. The Linga of Visvanatha (also spelt as Vishvanatha), which Hanuman brought, is enshrined in another sanctum to the north. Worship is offered to it first.

In yet another shrine there is an image of Visalakshi, the Consort of Visvanatha, Ramanatha's Consort, Parvathavardhani, is enshrined in a sanctum to the right of His. Usually, in Shiva temples, the Goddess is enshrined to the left of the Lord. But here, as in Madurai, this location has not been followed.

Behind the Sri Ramanatha shrine, and between the second and third prakaras, there is a sanctum for Lord Vishnu as "Sethumadhava". Strictly speaking, the name should be "Svetha Madhava". The first word is Sanskrit for "white". The name derives from the fact that the image is of white marble.

Thirthas Within The Temple
There are no less than twenty-two "thirthas" (also spelt as Teertha or Tirtha), or bathing places, mainly within, but a few also outside, the temple. According to time-honoured tradition, the pilgrim bathes first in Agni Tirtha (also spelt Theertham), as the sea to the east of the temple is called (nearby there is a Shankara Matha), and finally in the Kodi tirtha, which is within the temple. The importance of bathing in these "thirthas" derives from the tradition that Sri Krishna Himself did so.

Temple Architecture
The temple 264m east to west and 200m north to south, and with three Prakaras, two big Gopuras and two more unfinished ones, faces east, a few metres from the sea. It contains two Lingas under worship. There are innumerable other shrines and twenty-two "Tirthas" (also spelt as Teerthas), or sacred bathing places.

At the main eastern entrance stands a huge Gopura of nine storeys and 38.4m high. The outermost, or third, corridor, 196m long and 120.4 wide, is one of the achievements of the Hindu artist down the ages. There are about four thousand pillars, each 3.7m high. All are located on a platform 1.5m high. They look like an orderly, petrified forest.

What is truly remarkable, apart from the sheer artistry of it which has so magnificently conquered problems of proportions, height and such like, is that all these stones must have been transported here over long distances and across the sea by a causeway. In Nayak times there was a kind of ford. How the huge stones could have been carried across a turbulent sea is a question the answer to which proves that old Indian engineers were quite advanced in technology.

A huge Nandi, 6.7m long and 5m high, stands beyond the second Prakara. It is made of 'Sudai', a material used for sculptures on Gopuras. On either side of it there are portraits of two of the Nayaks, Visvanatha and Krishnappa.

The western Gopura is smaller than the eastern, but still impressive, being 24m high. On the northern and southern sides there are unfinished Gopuras.

An Interesting Story Is Told Of The Origin Of The Shrine
A Pandya of Madurai, Punyanadhi, once came to Rameshwaram on pilgrimage and performed a sacrifice to propitiate Lord Vishnu. The Lord, in order to test his faith, sent Goddess Lakshmi as an orphan girl.

The Pandya, having no daughter of his own, adopted her and lavished affection on her. One day Lord Vishnu, in the guise of an old ascetic, made his way into her apartment. When the king heard of this, he loaded him with chains and had him imprisoned in the Rameshwaram temple. That night he dreamt that the old man appeared as Lord Vishnu and the girl as Goddess Lakshmi. When he went to the princess apartment, he saw the same sight. On coming to the Rameshwaram temple, he found an image of Vishnu in shackles. Then he realised the enormity of what he had done. But the Lord consoled him and said that He, with Goddess Lakshmi would remain in the temple in shackles. The tradition is that he who bathes in a tank near the shrine and offers worship in that shrine will receive all the benefits of the Kashi pilgrimage.

Sacred sites outside the Temple

• Sethu
  5-km south of the temple is Sethu, where there is a celebrated temple of Sri Anjaneya, and where, tradition holds, Sri Rama built a bridge to Sri Lanka. In Devipatnam, or Navapashanam, also by the sea, there are nine stones visible at low tide. It is believed that they were set up by Sri Rama to represent the nine planets, the Navagrahas.
• Gandamadhana Parvata
  Outside the temple, on the island, there are a few sites also held sacred. About 2.5-km west of the temple, on a hillock, stands the Gandamadhana Parvata. In this Mandapa footprints of Sri Rama are enshrined. From the top of the Mandapa there is a fine view of parts of the island. 8-km from the temple, on the way to Dhanushkodi, there is a beautiful temple of Sri Kodandarama where, tradition says, Vibishana was crowned when he joined Sri Rama.
• Uttarakosamangai
  16-km southwest of Ramanathapuram stands the renowed Shiva temple of Uttarakosamangai. Manikkavachagar has sung of it. The Lord is Mangaleshvara and the Goddess Mangalesvari. The temple has inspired many Tamil works of devotion. So, of course, has the Ramanatha temple in Rameshwaram.
  
  To the making, expansion and preservation of these and many other temples in the district, the Setupathis of Ramanathapuram contributed magnificiently. Originally a ruling power in these parts, they were made zamindars by the British. The Sethupathi's proud boast was that he was the guardian of the Sethu. The family is closely connected with the temples in Rameshwaram, Tiruppullani, and Uttarakosamangai.
• Tiruppullani
  Outside the island, there are three other sites traditionally connected with Sri Rama's expedition to Sri Lanka. A big temple in Tiruppullani commemorates the tradition that there the Lord obtained a bow and arrows to use in the impending war from its presiding Deity and also that the Lord of the Ocean who had refused to help Him finally submitted.