Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath temple dedicated to Shivji, is said to be more than 1200 years old. Atop 3584 mts, in the Garhwal Himalayas this is one of the Chota Char Dhams of Uttrakhand, the others being Gangotri, Yamunotri and Badrinath and it is visited before going to Badrinath. According to a mythological account, Shivji agreed to dwell here at the request of Nar-Narayan.

Arriving by helicopter and looking out

For those who cannot climb, one can be carried up

According to legend, after the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavs, came here to meet Shivji seeking forgiveness for killing their kin. However, Shivji did not want to forgive them; he turned into a bull and hid among the cattle on the hill taking refuge at Kedarnath. When found by the Pandavs, he went further into the earth leaving the hump on the surface. One of the brothers grabbed his tail, forcing him to appear before them and forgive them. It is one of the 12 jyotirlings in India, however as a huge irregular shape. Unlike other jyotirlings, a conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Shivji. Portions of Shiv's body later appeared at four other locations nearby, collectively known as the five Kedars ("Panch Kedar"). "Kedarnath" means "the lord of the field" – kedar is "field". The marriage of Shiva and Parvati was held nearby.

The Pandava brothers built the first temple at Kedarnath and the present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of the earlier temple. Outside the temple door, a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.
The temple on the shores of Mandakini river, a tributary of Ganga, remains covered in snow for the most part of the year. 

During winter the temple is closed; the deity is brought down to Ukhimat village and brought back amid much fanfare and rituals when the weather improves. The area was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods when the temple complex, surrounding areas, and Kedarnath town suffered extensive damage, but the temple structure remained mainly intact. The renovation work has since been undertaken.

Renovation

Mandakini river flowing there

Mandakini river as seen from the helicopter

One tale is that Adi Shankar died at Kedarnath; although another states that he died at Kanchi. The ruins of a monument marking the purported death place of Shankara are located at Kedarnath.

Shanti Stupa, Dhauli

Dhauli or the Dhauligiri Hills are located about 8 km from Bhubaneswar on the banks of river Daya. It may be recalled that the infamous and gruesome battle of Kalinga was fought here around 261 BCE, reportedly turning the river Daya red with blood. Ashok’s edicts are nearby.

Several centuries earlier, Mahabhikshu Nichiren of Japan had predicted that 2500 years after the death of Gautam Budhha, Budhhism would return to the land of its origin. 

In keeping with this belief, the Shanti Stupa or white peace pagoda was built by Fuji Guruji to promote world peace and prosperity and to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism. 

It was constructed by the Japan Buddha Sangh as a collaborative project between Kalinga Nippon Sangha and the Odisha Government in 1972.

Apparently there are 7 Peace Pagoda or Shanti Stupas in India including the Global Vipassana Pagoda Mumbai, Deekshabhoomi Stupa Nagpur and Buddha Smriti Park Stupa Patna.

Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves

Bhubaneswar, a city of temples, also has amongst the earliest rock-cut shelters. These caves, in the two hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, are just off the main city of Bhubaneswar. 

Built somewhere around the 2nd century BCE by King Kharavela these ancient rock cut caves on the Kumari mountain range were built for the Jain monks and offered them a place to stay and meditate. 

In keeping with Jainism’s insistence on great austerity many of the caves are so small that a person can’t stand straight. Of the over 100 built originally only 33 survive – 18 in the Udaygiri hill and 15 in the Khandagiri hill. The caves are largely empty chambers and inscriptions are in Brahmi.

In Udayagiri (Hill of Sunrise) some caves (Gumphas) are even two storied monasteries with beautiful sculptures and entrances. Modern scholars are of the opinion that the Udayagiri cave complex was also a theatre complex. 

In Khandagiri, there are Gumphas with inscriptions of the time and the use of natural colour pigments. Ancient Jain motifs such as Swastikas and serpents, sculptures depicting 9 Jain Tirthankaras or seer-sages are found, as also a relief depicting a number of Hindu deities.

Ashoka Edicts

Dhauli, just off Bhubaneshwar, is beside the river Daya and has the Ashokan Rock Edicts

Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, reigned from 268 BCE to 232 BCE, and had conquered many areas across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. His battle at Kalinga in Odisha was fought on the river Daya and the death toll is said to have been over a lac. It was so bloody that the river Daya flowing alongside turned red with the blood of those killed. The sight of this violence so shocked Ashoka that he gave up fighting and spread Buddhism across Asia.

His edicts or pronouncements are a collection of more than thirty inscriptions on boulders and cave walls. Ashoka used the term Dhamma Lipi or Inscriptions of the Dharm to refer to his edicts.

Yet he is less known for the Edicts of Ashoka than as Ashoka the Great. The emblem of the modern Republic of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka. He also has a tree named after him.

The river Daya has more or less dried up now.

Konark Sun Temple

The Konark Sun Temple in Odisha is a 13th-century temple dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. It is designed in the form of a beautifully decorated chariot mounted on 24 wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, and drawn by 7 mighty horses. 

Konark Temple

These wheels located at the base of the temple tell time as well – the spokes of the wheels create a sundial.

 

This beautiful wheel, one of 24, also works as a sundial

The entire temple is covered with sculpture consisting of deities, dancers, scenes of life at court, etc. 'Konark' or 'Kon'(corner) and 'Ark' (Sun) has been a World Heritage Site since 1984.

Beautiful carvings of the Konark Temple.

Detailed carvings - dieties, dancers etc

It was built by King Narasinghdev, with the help of 1200 artisans within a period of 12 years. The main idol was said to have been floating in air without any physical support due to the arrangement of magnets, with the lodestone at the top of the temple a massive 52-ton magnet. The temple subsequently got destroyed with the removal of the top magnet either because it was causing interference to the ships’ compass passing in the sea nearby, or by some marauding king. But it is generally said that the worshiping of the Sun god never occurred.

The Konark Sun temple has two huge lions on either side of the entrance, each lion shown crushing an elephant. Beneath each elephant lies the human body. Lion represents pride and elephant represents money. 

At the entrance of Konark Temple, the lion on the elephant, on the human

There are three images of the Sun God at three different sides of the temple, positioned in proper direction to catch the rays of the sun at morning, noon and evening.

The ‘Aruna Stambh’, named after Aruna, the charioteer of the Sun God, is a high monolith standing on a grand pedestal. It was originally erected at the Sun Temple in Konark, and in the 18th century it was shifted to its current location by the Marathas.
An interesting tale (fact or fiction?) about the construction and destruction of the Sun temple can be found at https://www.myindiamyglory.com/.../konark-sun-temple.../

Lingraj Temple

Lingraj temple is considered to be the most ancient and the largest of all the temples in Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Odisha, historically known as Ekamra Kshetra (एकाम्र क्षेत्र). 

Outside Lingraj temple, Bhubaneswar

King of Jaipur/Jeypore in 11th century, on shifting his capital to Bhubaneshwar, embarked on construction of the Lingraj temple. 

Lingraj Temple, Bhubaneswar

One of the dwars (entrances) to Lingraj Temple, Bhubaneswar

The Ling is believed to have originated on its own (Swayambhu) and is worshiped both as Vishnu and Shiv, revered as Hari-Har. Parvati is said to have destroyed two demons here. To quench her thirst, Shivji created Bindu Lake here with various holy rivers contributing the waters.

Bindu Lake, Bhubaneswar

Thought that some parts of the temple was built originally in the 6th century it was renovated in a fully fledged way only in the 11th century. 

The temple in Bindu Lake, Bhubaneswar

Collecting jal (water) from the Bindu Lake, Bhubaneswar

Rath Yatra

Ratha Yatra is a nine-day festival celebrated each year. The three deities of the Jagannath temple are taken out in huge wooden chariots or raths (which are built anew each year). 

Logs got ready for making the raths

Work on the raths has started

The wheels in making

A wheel and its axle. An idea of the size can be had here

The rath yatra (chariot journey) goes to Gundicha Mata temple, 3 kms away from the main temple – Gundicha was the Queen of King Indradyumna who built the first temple at Puri. 

The temple, on the occasion of the rathyatra

The three raths of Balram, Subhadra and Jagannath. And the devotees.

The return journey to the main temple after nine days is called as Bahud Yatra. The three chariots are called Nandighosh नंदीघोष (of Jagannath) Taldhvaj तालध्वज (Balbhadra or Balram) and Devdalan देवदलन (Subhadra); these are decorated with fabric coloured yellow, green and black respectively, mixed with red. 

The chariot of Balram, decorated in green colour, ready to be pulled

The chariot of Subhadra, decorated in black, ready to be pulled.

While the idols are taken out on a Rath, the three chariots are pulled by devotees through the streets of Puri. Since non-Hindus are not allowed at Jagannath temple, the rathyatra is an opportunity for them to have darshan. The photos here are entirely of the 2018 celebrations.

 The three raths of Balram, Subhadra and Jagannath. And the devotees.

A small video of the procession can be viewed here. 

The festival is celebrated on second day of the bright lunar fortnight in the month of Ashadh - आषाढ़ शुक्ल द्वितीया. In 2018, it was on July 14, while the Ulta Rath or Bahud Yatra was on July 23, 2018. The largest Rath Yatra festival is celebrated at Jagannath Puri in Orissa, while smaller ones are celebrated in other cities too. In Varanasi, we have a Rathyatra crossing – रथयात्रा की चौमानी – a rath is kept there which too is pulled along the road.

There are various stories associated with the deities and the Jagannath Rath Yatra. 

• King Subal, a great devotee of Jagannath, asked a sculptor to create idols of Krishna, brother Balaram and sister Subhadra. The sculptor’s condition was to work in a room in solitude. But the King became impatient and opened the door - the sculptor disappeared and all the King could see were the wooden deities – only partially complete and without their limbs. 
• Another is of mother Rohini telling tales of young Krishna to his wives. Subhadra was tasked with keeping the men away. Engrossed, she then stood between Krishna and Balram at the doorway. Narad saw this scene and wished for these to bless people together.
• And one story goes that King Indradyumna, disappointed to find no idols of Vishnu on the Nilanchal mountain was given a divine assurance of re-incarnation as Jagannath but in the form of stone or wood.

After Krishna left Vrindavan, many decades later the Vraja-gopis met him in Kurukshsetra and longed for a lasting re-union. They envisioned taking Krishna back to Vrindavan on a chariot – drawn not by horses, but by the love of their hearts and the labor of their hands. This is immortalized in the Rath-Yatra - the starting point represents Kurukshetra and the ending point Vrindavan. Devotees pull the chariot and assist the gopis in their labor of love. 

Incidentally, as part of the Chithirai Festival of the Shaivites in April/May each year, the Vaishnavites take out the Alagar procession in a rath – photos in the post on Madurai
(My grateful thanks to my friends for the rathyatra photographs posted here).