Hanumangarhi In Ayodhya

Hanuman Garhi is considered to be one of the most sacred sites in Ayodhya, said to be the place from where Hanuman, while residing in a cave, guarded the city of Ayodhya. Hanuman is a Chiranjivi (immortal) and is widely known as the eternal guardian and protector of Ayodhya, to whom Ramchandra ji handed over the care of Ayodhya while leaving Earth for his abode Vaikunth - please also read the post on Guptar Ghat. Darshan at Hanumangarhi is done before going to the Ram mandir.

According to the Skand Puran, King Vikramaditya built Hanuman Garhi along with 360 other temples. But Aurangzeb destroyed Hanuman Garhi temple, and built a Mosque. Ramanandi Bairagi ascetics subsequently reclaimed it, removed the Mosque and rebuilt the shrine, with subsequent patronage, land revenue support, and development tied to Awadh rulers.

Hanuman Garhi Temple is shaped like a four-sided fort with circular ramparts at each corner, housing shrines dedicated to Hanuman. There are 76 steep steps to reach the main temple, where the garba griha adorned with silver carvings, awaits (however we entered from the back side where the steps are around half). The central hall has three intricately designed doors leading to the inner chamber Within, a 6-inch deity of Hanuman, depicted in his youthful (Bal) form, is positioned on the lap of his mother Anjani.  

The Garba Griha behind the crowd 

Enlarged view of the Garba Griha

A silver tulsi garland, inscribed with the name of Ram is adorned by Hanuman. The verses of the Hanuman Chalisa are inscribed on the temple walls. The temple features a Victory Pillar, known as Vijay Stambh (of gold?) which Hanuman ji is said to have brought back with him from Lanka.

The Vijay Stambh

Our visit to Hanumangarhi

Previous : Badrinath or Badrikashram

Badrinath or Badrikashram

While Badrikashram is mentioned in the Bhagwat Puran, the history of the Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, is vague and varied. Adi Shankar is said to have established the temple, perhaps converting a Buddhist shrine. He is said to have discovered the black Shaligram idol in Alaknanda river and established it near the Tapt Kund. 

The township of Badrinath

In the 16th century, the King of Garhwal moved the idol to the present temple which has gone through several renovations. The temple is one of the four Char Dhams in India as also one of the four Chota Char Dham yatras of Uttrakhand, the others being Kedarnath (which incidentally is visited before Badrinath), Gangotri and Yamunotri. 

The black stone idol of Vishnu is is considered to be one of the 8 swayam vyakta kshetras or self-manifested statues of Vishnu. Here he is worshipped sitting in a meditative pose surrounded by idols of Nar, Narayan, Narad, Uddhav, Garud and Kuber. Just below the temple, there is a natural thermal spring and a dip therein is taken before visiting the shrine. The main gate of the shrine is painted with myriad colours. The present structure is the result of several restorations the temple has undergone due to damages caused by avalanches and earthquakes.

The Badrinath area also referred to as Badrikashram (बदरिकाश्रम) is sacred to Vishnu, particularly in his dual form of Nar-Narayan, the twin sons of Dharm who setup their hermitage here, in the spot blessed with cold and hot springs behind river Alaknanda.
As per one legend, Vishnu performed penance at this place and during his deep meditation, he was unaware of the harsh weather. Lakshmi turned into a Badri tree and protected him. Pleased by her efforts, he named the place Badrikashram.

Alaknanda which flows past the sacred Badrinath Temple, is one of the two headstreams of the Ganga providing the larger discharge, the other being Bhagirathi.

It is also said that the Pandavs climbed via 'Swargarohini, (the ascent to heaven, and Mana town, north of Badrinath while on their route to heaven.

Neelkanth Peak, named after Shiv, sets a great background to the Badrinath shrine, and is beautiful when its snow-covered peak receives the first rays of the Sun at the crack of dawn. Himalaya is also called Ashtapad because of its eight different mountain range Gaurishankar, Kailash, Badrinath, Nanda, Drongiri, Narayan, Nar and Trishuli.

This place is considered holy in Jainism as well. In Jainism, Rishabhanatha / Rishabhdev attained Nirvana on Mount Kailash situated in the Himalayan range and according to Jain faith (Nirvankand), Rishabhanatha is the legendary first Tirthankara (supreme preacher) of Jainism. From Badrinath, numerous Jain Munis attained Moksh by doing Tapsya. According to Shrimadbhagwat, at this place Rishabhdev's father Nabhirai and mother Marudevi had done hard Tap after Rishabhdev's Rajyabhishek and taken Samadhi. Even today, the footprint of Nabhirai at Neelkanth mountain attracts people.

Next : Hanumangarhi in Ayodhya

Previous: Kedarnath Temple

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.../