KottilLingesvara Temple

Kotilingeshwara is the presiding deity of the temple of the same name in the village of Kammasandra in India. Kammasandra is a small village situated in Kolar district of Karnataka state. It is about five kilometers from Kolar Gold Fields and about 6 Kilometers from Aalamaram. This place has the distinction of having the biggest Shivalinga in the world. Over 2 Lakh devotees visit the temple on Maha Shivratri every year.

The main attraction of this peaceful retreat, which is surrounded by plush greenery, is a huge Shivalinga. Measuring 108 ft (33 m), this shivalinga is tallest of its kind in the world and accompanying it is a 35 ft (11 m) tall Basava, surrounded by lakhs of small shivalingas spread over an area of 15 acres (61,000 m2). So far, around 90 lakh shivalingas have been installed. The entire project involves the installation of one crore shivalingas of various sizes, hence the name ‘Kotilingeshwara’.

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Ujjian

Ujjain, city, western Madhya Pradesh state, central India. It is located just east of the Sipra River. Ujjain, one of seven sacred Hindu cities, is the site of the Kumbh Mela (Hindu festival) every 12 years. The city derived its name from the Sanskrit jai (“victory”).

Lying on the first meridian of the ancient Hindu geographers, it was the capital (as Ujjayini) of the Aryan Avanti kingdom (6th–4th century bce). In the 2nd century bce, Ujjain was the seat of the emperor Ashoka, the last of the Mauryan rulers and one of the most influential early Buddhists. The city was known to the Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century ce as Ozene, the capital of the western satraps—i.e., the Greek, Scythian, and Parthian rulers of western India. An important trade centre in ancient times, it passed in 400 ce to Chandra Gupta II of Magadha. In 1235 Iltutmish of Delhi sacked Ujjain, and it remained in Muslim hands until its capture in 1750 by the Sindhias, who made it their capital. With the transfer of the capital to Lashkar in Gwalior (1810) and the rise of Indore, Ujjain declined in importance. It was constituted a municipality in 1887.

Near the Sindhia palace is the Mahakala (Shiva) temple, one of the most sacred in India, which was destroyed in 1235 but subsequently restored. Just southeast is the observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur, governor of Malwa (1728–34) under the Mughals. Just north lies Bharathari Cave, an 11th-century temple.

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Amarnath Caves

 

Amarnath Temple Pilgrimage is an annual pilgrimage being made to the shrine Amarnath Temple by thousands of Hindu devotees on challenging mountainous terrain.

Located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and situated on Mount Amarnath, the Amarnath caves  are one of the most famous shrines in Hinduism. Dedicated to the god Shiva, the shrine is said to be over 5,000 years old. The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most time of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims.

Inside the 130 feet high, south facing Amarnath cave is 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 a Hindu legend, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort Parvati. Two other ice formations represent Parvati and Shiva's son, Ganesha.

The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft) about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

The main purpose of this pilgrimage is the sight of Lingam representing the Lord Shiva himself. According to an unproven theory the formation is an ice stalagmite which resembles the Lingam, however this theory is challenged by the fact that the substance of the lingam is not the same as stalagmites found elsewhere. Additionally, the cave being existed for few thousand years, have not filled itself from the sedimentary material. The water thawing from the roof does not fall on the lingam itself which brings in doubt the stalagmite theory.

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Udhayagiri caves

My  Pranams to this holy Shivling with Parvati in Cave No 4 , Udayagiri Caves , Sanchi , Madhya Pradesh , India.

What a sight to have darshan of Matha Parvati along with Mahadev.

Har Har Mahadev!!

Krishnamachari Santhanam.

Sthambeshwar

The holy temple of Stambheshwar Mahadev, which is situated at the distance of around 40 miles from the city of Vadodara in the small town of Kavi Kamboi, Gujrat-India. The specialty of this ancient temple is its location in the middle of th...e Arabian Sea in bay of Cambay.Lets all say Om Namaha Shivaya at this blessed Lingam of Lord Shiva at the Stambheshwar temple which can only be viewed during the low tide hours and gets disappeared inside the sea during high tide hours.This means that one will have to plan his visit in such a way that you can view the full Lord Shiva Lingam during low tide and then, subsequently watch it disappearing in the sea as the tide slowly increases, depending upon the time of high and low tide.

Thirupathi

Tirupati Temple Legends
Sri Venkatachala Mahatmya is referred to in several Puranas, of which the most important are the Varaha Purana and the Bhavishyottara Purana. The printed work contains extracts from the Varaha Purana, Padma Purana, Garuda Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Markandeya Purana, Harivamsa, Vamana Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahmottara Purana, Aditya Purana, Skanda Purana and Bhavishyottara Purana. Most of these extracts describe the sanctity and antiquity of the hills around Tirumala and the numerous teerthams situated on them.

The legends taken from the Venkatachala Mahatmya and the Varaha Purana, pertaining to the manifestation of the Lord at Tirumala, are of particular interest.

According to the Varaha Purana, Adi Varaha manifested Himself on the western bank of the Swami Pushkarini, while Vishnu in the form of Venkateswara came to reside on the southern bank of the Swami Pushkarini.   

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Goopuram

Ekambareswara Swamy temple is one of the famous temples in Kanchipuram, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Siva Linga in Ekambareswara Swamy temple is one among the Pancha Bootha(five elements) lingas. The five elements are Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Sky. This temple represents the element EARTH. The Siva Lingam inside the temple is made of Sand by Kamakshi Devi(Parvathi Devi) under a mango tree. Kamakshi Devi . It is also called as Rudhrasala, Rudrakoti, Bhukailasah.

 

PURANIC HISTORY

Lord Siva and Parvathi Devi were sporting in Kailasam. Goddess in her playful mood closed the eyes of Lord Siva. The whole world became dark and life on earth was in danger. Lord Siva then opened his third eye to save the world. Goddess asked Lord Siva to forgive her mistake. Lord Siva told her to go to earth and do penanace. Parvathi Devi came to Badarika Asramam and took the form of a small baby.

Kathyayana Mahamuni was doing penance for a child in Badarika Asramam. He was very happy to see this child and took her to his Asramam. So Parvathi Devi got the name Kathyayani. Kathyayana muni knows the reason why she came on earth so (as she grew) he gave her Yogadandam, Japamala, Deepasthambam, Pot, Skin of tiger, Book, Roasted green gram (Pesara pappu), Ganga water, Sand from river Ganga, Umbrella, and other thing that were necessary to do penance and told her to travel towards south direction to reach Kanchipuram and pray for Lord Siva. He told some symbols to identify Kanchipuram.

While traveling Kathyayani Devi reached a place where skin of tiger given by muni changed into Somavrutham, Pot changed into Peetam, Japamala tured into Bilwapumala, Umbrella as Nagabaranam, Yogadandam as Trisulam, Book as Kamadenu, roasted green gram as Sprouts. She comfirmed that place as Kanchipuram. She started her penance under a mango tree. (The four stems of this mango tree are believed as four Vedas. Now there is a small mango tree in its place. This is also not planted by any one. Each branch bears fruits with different taste). She made a Sivalingam by the Sand given by muni. She kept two maids for protection and created Panchagni and stood on its tip and started her penance. (you can see her  as tapas Kamakshi Amman in Mangadu temple, Chennai).

 Lord Siva in order to test her, sent Ganga Devi in the form of huge flood. Huge flood began to submerge that place and Kathyayani Devi out of fear said “Kampa Kampa” and  called her maids. Kampa also means fear and hence the water that formed a river is called as River Kampa. One of the maids, in the form of Durga, obstructed the flood and made the flood to sink into the Kapalam in her hand, so she is called as “MAHA PRALAYA BANDINI”. Lord Siva increased the force of the flood and now flood started coming out of the Kapalam and she couldn’t control it. Kathyayani Devi called Lord Vishnu for her help. Lord Vishnu told her Lord Siva created this flood to test her and told her to please Lord Siva by her prayer. She hugged the Sivalingam and started praying Lord Siva. The flood couldnot dissolve the Sivaligam which is made of Sand. As she hugged the Sivaligam the hand prints of the Kathyayani Devi are seen on the lingam). Lord Siva was pleased by her prayer and forgave her and made her as his consort. As he fulfilled the wishes of Kathyayani Devi he is called as Kameswarudu and she is called as Kameswari. By the touch of the feet of Lord Siva Kampa River went in to the inner layers of land and flowed as Anthervahinai

 IN THE MONTH OF PHALGUNI, THE MARRIAGE OF LORD SIVA AND PARVATI IS CELEBRATED WITH GREAT POMP AND SPLENDOR.

 

ABOUT TEMPLE

This is one of the most ancient temples in India and has been in existence even prior to 600 A.D. The temple covers an area of over 40 acres. The Raja Gopuram is 172 feet height and was built by Vijayanagar Monarch Krishnadevaraya.

 THE main Lingam is made of Sand so Abishekam is not done. It is covered with silver sheath. Some special oil is used here.

Under the mango tree where Kamakshi Amman prayed Lord Siva deities of Ekambareswarar and Kamakshi Amman are installed and poojas are performed. It is believed that our wishes will be fulfilled by doing poojas there. CHILDLESS couples tie swings and perform pooja to the Lord. For marriage also devotees will perform pooja there as it is the place where Kamakshi Devi prayed Lord Siva to marry her.

The Picture of the Sivalingam is from Tanjavore Brihadeevarar Temple and depicted  only for illustration.

Krishnamachari Santhanam