Kandariya Mahadev Temple
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple ( कंदारिया महादेव मंदिर) meaning “Great God of the Cave”, is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple of the group of medieval temples found in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India . It is considered one of the best examples of preserved temples from medieval times in India. Location The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh in central India. It is in the village of Khajuraho, and the temple complex is spread over an area of 6 square kilometers. It is in the western part of the town west of the Vishnu temple. The temple complex, in the village of Khajuraho at an elevation of 282 meters, is well connected by road, rail and air services. Khajuraho is 55 kilometers south of Mahoba, 47 kilometers from the city of Chhatarpur to the east, 43 kilometers from Panna, 175 kilometers by road from Jhansi to the north and 600 kilometers southeast of Delhi. It is 9 kilometers from the train station. Khajuraho is served by Khajuraho Airport (IATA code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra, and Mumbai. It is located 6 kilometers from the temple. History Khajuraho was once the capital of the Chandela dynasty. The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, one of the best examples of preserved temples from the medieval period in India, is the largest of the western group of temples in the Khajuraho complex that was built by the Chandela rulers. Shiva is the main deity in the deified temple in the sanctum sanctorum. The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple was built during the reign of Vidyadhara. In various periods of the reign of this dynasty many famous temples were built dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva, Surya, Shakti of the Hindu religion and also to the Thirthankaras of the Jain religion. Vidhyadhara, also known as Bida in the recordings of the Muslim historian Ibn-al-Athir was a powerful ruler who fought against Mahmud of Ghazni in the first offensive launched by the latter in 1019. This battle was inconclusive and Mahmud had to return to Ghazni . Mahmud returned to wage war against Vidhyadhara in 1022. He attacked the fort of Kalinjar. The siege of the fort was unsuccessful. He got up and Mahmud and Vidhyadhara called for a truce and parted ways, exchanging gifts. Vidhyadhara celebrated his success over Mahmud and other rulers with the construction of the Kaṇḍāriyā Mahādeva temple, dedicated to his family deity, Shiva. Epigraphic inscriptions on a mandapa pilaster in the temple mention the name of the temple builder as Virimda, which is interpreted as the pseudonym of Vidhyadhara. Its construction dates from the period of 1025 and 1050 AD. All existing temples, including the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, were inscribed in 1986 under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List under Criterion III for their artistic creation and under Criterion V for Chandelier culture which was popular until the country was invaded by Muslims in 1202. Features The 31-meter high Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is located in the Western Complex, which is the largest among the three groups of the Khajuraho Temple Complex. This western group of temples, consisting of the Kandariya, Matangeshwara and Vishvanatha temples, is compared to a “cosmic design of a hexagon (a yantra or Cosmo gram)” representing the three forms of Shiva. The architecture of the temple is a set of porticoes and towers ending in a shikhara or spire, a feature that was common from the 10th century onwards in the temples of central India. The temple is built on a massive 4-meter high pedestal. The structure of the temple on the pedestal is cleverly planned and pleasantly detailed. The superstructure is built in the shape or form of a steep mountain, symbolic of Mount Meru, which is said to be the mythical source of the creation of the world. The superstructure has richly decorated roofs that rise in a grand way and end at the shikara, which has 84 miniature spiers. The temple has a design of 6 square kilometers (2.3 square miles), of which 22 are preserved, including the Kaṇḍāriyā Mahādeva temple. This temple is characteristically built on a plan that is 31 meters (102 feet) long and 20 meters (66 feet) wide with the main tower rising to a height of 31 meters (102 feet), and is called “the largest and grandiose temple of Khajuraho “. A series of steep steps with great height lead from ground level to the entrance to the temple. The temple design is a five-part design, something in common with the Lakshmana and Vishvanatha temples in the Khajuraho complex. Right at the entrance is torana, a very intricately carved garland that is carved from a single stone; such entries are part of a Hindu wedding procession. The carvings on the entrance door show the “tactile quality of the stone and also the character of the symmetrical design” that is on display throughout the temple which has high relief carvings of the figurines. Finely chiseled, the decorative quality of the ornamentation with the crisp inscribed lines has “strong angular shapes and bright patterns of dark light.” The carvings are of circles, undulations that give off spirals or sprays, geometric patterns, lion masks and other uniform designs that have created a pleasant painting that is unique in this temple, among all the others in the complex. In the interior space of the entrance there are three mandapas or corridors, which rise successively in height and width, which includes a small chamber dedicated to Shiva, a chamber where the Shiva linga, the phallic emblem of Shiva, is deified. The sanctum sanctorum is surrounded by interconnected passages that also have side and front balconies. Due to the lack of natural light on the balconies, the sanctuary has very little light, thus creating a “cave atmosphere” that is in stark contrast to the external parts of the temple. In the inner corridors of the temple and on its outer faces are elaborately carved sculptures of gods and goddesses, musicians,
Hoysaleswara Temple
Shiva and Parvati at the Nandi bull at the Hoysalesvara temple, Halebidu is a 12th century city located in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India. The Hoysaleswara Temple, which dates back to 1121 C.E., is astonishing in its wealth of sculptural detail. The walls of the temple are covered with an infinite variety of representations of Hindu mythology, animals, birds and Shilabalikas or dancing figures. However, no two temple sculptures are alike. This magnificent temple guarded by a Nandi bull was never completed, despite 86 years of work. The nearby Jain basadi are equally rich in sculptural detail. Belur and Halebid are 222 and 216 km from Bangalore, respectively. This temple is now proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Halebidu is located in Hassan district, Karnataka, India. Halebidu (formerly called Dorasamudra or Dwarasamudra) was the royal capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. It is home to one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture in the ornate Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples. Halebidu literally means city in ruins. It is given this name because this city was ruined twice by the Bahmani Sultanate. Halebidu was the capital of the Hoysalas in the 12th century. The Hoysaleswara Temple was built during this time by Ketamala and attributed to Vishnuvardhana, the Hoysala ruler. He consecrates Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara, named after the temple builder Vishnuvardhana Hoysala and his wife, Queen Shantala. It was then sacked by the armies of Malik Kafur in the early 14th century, after which it fell into a state of disrepair and neglect. History Halebidu is located in the middle of a valley east of the Western Ghats. It is surrounded by low mountains, boulders, and seasonal rivers. This valley is well connected with northern Karnataka, western Andhra Pradesh, and northern Tamil Nadu. Around this region, between the 10th and 14th centuries, the Hoysaḷa dynasty came to power, whose history is not clear. According to their own inscriptions from the 11th and 12th centuries, they were descendants of the Krishna-Baladeva roots and the Yadavas of Maharashtra. They were married in the Hindu Kalyana Chalukya dynasty, known for its temple and artistic tradition. Some historians have questioned the reliability of these inscriptions as a potential mythology on the part of some historians, who propose that the Hoysala were a local Hindu family: a hill chief in the Western Ghats remembered for having killed a tiger or a lion, and they took over and eventually expanded. its power from the 10th century on. Halebidu was rebuilt near a large reservoir by the early Hoysala kings, with the support of their governors, merchants, and artisans. They excavated and greatly expanded the Dorasamudra reservoir. The important and spectacularly carved Hindu and Jain temples were already completed in the 12th century. Around the city were walls of forts, which generally laid out a rounded square area with an average length of 2.25 kilometers. Inside were four large water tanks and many smaller public water tanks. The life of the city, its main temples and the roads were centered near the Dorasamudra water reservoir. The city has several dozen temples, of which only a small group has survived. Three sets of temples, Hoysaleswara (twin temple), Jain Basadi (3 temples), and Kedareshvara (1 temple), were the largest, most sophisticated in their architecture and artwork, while the rest were simpler. To the immediate west of the main Hindu and Jain temples was the Hoysala Palace. This palace stretched south to Benne Gudda (literally Butter Hill). The palace is completely ruined and missing, with a section lost in mounds and fragments found near Benne Gudda. To the west of the palace was another group of Hindu and Jain temples: the site of Nagaresvara, also destroyed whose ruins have been found in mounds. To the north of the original city of Hoysala there was a Saraswati temple and a Krishna temple, both also in ruins and mostly lost. Towards the center and south of the old city were the Hucesvara temple and a Rudresvara temple, evidenced by inscriptions and ruins that have been discovered. Four temples have survived in the northeast section: Gudlesvara, Virabhadra, Kumbalesvara, and Ranganatha. The western part of the fortified section and beyond the fort were the historic farms that fed the population of the capital Dorasamudra. The roads connected the capital of Hoysala with other important cities and places of pilgrimage such as Belur and Pushpagiri. Numerous inscriptions dating from the mid-10th to early 13th century attest to the importance of Dorasamudra to various kings of Hoysala. After the first invasion and destruction of Dorasamudra in the 14th century, the inscriptions suggest that there were attempts to repair the temples, the palace, and the infrastructure at Dorasamudra. As a condition of ending the invasion, Malik Kafur of the Delhi Sultanate demanded that King Ballala accept Khalji’s sovereignty, pay tribute and provide logistical support to the Sultanate forces seeking to raid and loot the legendary wealth in the Pandya capital of Madurai in Tamil. Nadu. Additional waves of wars of destruction and loot from the sultanates ended the kingdom of Hoysala and the prosperity of Dorasamudra as a capital city. For nearly 300 years, Dorasamudra saw no new inscriptions or evidence of political or economic prosperity. A mid-17th century Nayaka-era inscription at Belur thereafter becomes the first to mention “Halebidu.” Meanwhile, the surviving Hindu and Jain communities continued to support and repair the temples, with evidence of living temples in what is now the northern part of Halibidu.
Murudeshwar Temple
Murudeshwara is a town in the Bhatkal Taluk of the Uttara Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India. The city is located 13 km from the taluk headquarters of Bhatkal. Murudeshwara is famous for the second tallest Shiva statue in the world, the city is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea and is also famous for the Murudeshwara Temple. Murudeshwara has a railway station on the Konkan Mangaluru-Mumbai railway route. The origin of the name “Murdeshwar” dates back to the time of the Ramayana. The Hindu gods achieved immortality and invincibility by worshiping a divine Linga called Atma-Linga. King Lanka Ravana wanted to achieve immortality by obtaining the Atma-Linga (Soul of Shiva). Since the Atma-Linga belonged to Shiva, Ravana worshiped Shiva with devotion. Pleased by his prayers, Shiva appeared before him and asked what he wanted. Ravana asked for the Atma-Linga. Shiva agreed to give him the blessing on the condition that he never lay down on the ground before reaching Lanka. If the Atma-Linga is ever placed on the ground, it would be impossible to move it. Having obtained his blessing, Ravana set out on his journey back to Lanka. Lord Vishnu, who learned of this incident, realized that with the Atma-Linga, Ravana can obtain immortality and wreak havoc on the earth. He approached Ganesha and asked him to prevent the Atma-Linga from reaching Lanka. Ganesha knew that Ravana was a very devout person who performed prayer rituals every night without fail. He decided to make use of this fact and came up with a plan to confiscate Ravana’s Atma-Linga. As Ravana approached Gokarna, Vishnu blotted out the sun to give the appearance of dusk. Ravana now had to perform the night rituals for him, but he was worried that with the Atma-Linga in his hands, he would not be able to perform the rituals for him. At this moment, Ganesha disguised as a brahmin boy approached him. Ravana asked him to hold the Atma-Linga until he performed his rituals and asked him not to place it on the ground. Ganesha made a deal with him saying that he would call Ravana three times, and that if Ravana did not return within that time, he would place the Atma-Linga on the ground. Ravana returned and found that Ganesha had already placed the Atma-Linga on the ground. Vishnu then removed the illusion from him and it was day again. Ravana, realizing that he had been deceived, tried to uproot and destroy the linga. Due to the force exerted by Ravana, some pieces were scattered. One such piece of the linga head is said to have fallen in present-day Surathkal. The famous Sadashiva temple is said to have been built around that piece of linga. He then decided to destroy the cover of the Atma-Linga and threw the case that covered it to a place called Sajjeshwar, 37 kilometers away. He then threw the lid of the box to a place called Guneshwar (now Gunavanthe) and Dhareshwar, 16-19 kilometers away. Finally, he threw the cloth that covered the Atma-Linga to a place called Mrideshwar on Kanduka-Giri (Kanduka Hill). Mrideshwar has been renamed Murdeshwar. Main attractions Shiva statue: A huge statue of Shiva, visible from great distances, is present in the temple complex. It is the second tallest Shiva statue in the world. The tallest statue of Shiva is found in Nepal, known as (Kailashnath Mahadev Statue). The statue is 123 feet (37 m) tall and took about two years to build. The statue was built by Kashinath of Shivamogga and several other sculptors, financed by businessman and philanthropist Rama Nagappa Shetty, at a cost of approximately Rs 50 million. The idol is designed to receive direct sunlight and therefore appear bright. Murdeshwar Temple and Raja Gopura: This temple is built on the Kanduka hill, which is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Arabian Sea. It is dedicated to Sri Lokankara, and a 20-story gopura is built in the temple. The temple authorities have installed an elevator that offers a view of the 123-foot Sri Shiva idol from the top of the Raja gopura. There is also a Rameshwara linga at the foot of the hill, where devotees can do seva themselves. A Shaneswar temple has been built next to the Sri Akshayaguna idol. Two life-size concrete elephants stand guard on the steps leading up to him. The entire temple and temple complex, including the 209-foot-tall Raja Gopura, is one of the tallest. There are statues of Sun Chariot on the side of a park, swimming pool, statues representing Arjuna receiving Geetopadesham from Lord Krishna, Ravana being deceived by Ganesha in disguise, the manifestation of Shiva as Bhaghirnath, descending from the Ganges, carved around the hill.The temple is completely modernized except for the sanctum sanctorum which is still dark and retains its composure. The main deity is Sri Mridesa Linga, also called Murdeshwar. The linga is believed to be a piece of the original Atma Linga and is about two feet below ground level. Devotees who perform special sevas such as Abhisheka, Rudrabhisheka, Rathotsava, etc., can see the deity standing before the threshold of the sanctuary and the Linga is illuminated by oil lamps held nearby by the priests. The Linga is essentially a rough rock inside a hole in the ground. Entrance to the sanctuary is prohibited for all devotees.
Brihadeeswara Temple
The Brihadeeswara Temple, also known as the Peruvudaiyar Kovil or the Big Temple, is one of the most iconic and revered Hindu temples in India. Located in the city of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a fine example of Dravidian architecture. In this article, we will take a closer look at the history, architecture, and significance of the Brihadeeswara Temple. History of Brihadeeswara Temple The Brihadeeswara Temple was built in the 11th century by the Chola dynasty king, Raja Raja Chola I. It was constructed to showcase the power and glory of the Chola dynasty and was an important center of worship and patronage for the arts and culture of the time. The temple was completed in 1010 AD after seven years of construction and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Dravidian architecture. Architecture of Brihadeeswara Temple The Brihadeeswara Temple is a massive structure that covers an area of 29.6 meters square. The temple is built of granite and has a towering vimana, or tower, that rises to a height of 66 meters. The vimana is capped by a massive dome, which weighs about 81 tons and is carved out of a single block of granite. The dome is considered to be one of the largest in the world and is an engineering marvel of its time. The temple complex also includes several other structures, including a Nandi mandapa, a massive statue of Nandi, the divine bull, which is carved out of a single block of granite and is 6 meters long, 2.5 meters high, and 2.5 meters wide. The temple also has several gopurams, or gateways, which are decorated with intricate carvings of gods and goddesses. Significance of Brihadeeswara Temple The Brihadeeswara Temple is a significant pilgrimage site for Hindus and is visited by millions of devotees every year. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is believed to house one of the largest lingams in the world, which is 3.7 meters high and is made of granite. The temple is also famous for its magnificent architecture and sculptures, which depict scenes from Hindu mythology and showcase the artistic prowess of the Chola dynasty. The temple is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered to be an important cultural and historical landmark of India. It has been recognized for its outstanding universal value and is a testament to the rich heritage of South India. The Brihadeeswara Temple is a fascinating destination for anyone interested in Indian culture, history, and spirituality. Its magnificent architecture, rich history, and spiritual significance make it one of the most iconic landmarks in India. Whether you are a devout Hindu or simply an admirer of art and architecture, a visit to the Brihadeeswara Temple is sure to leave you awestruck and inspired.
Ekambaranathar Temple – Ekambareswarar Temple
The Ekambareswarar Temple (Ekambaranathar Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in the city of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of earth, or Prithvi. Shiva is worshiped as Ekambareswarar or Ekambaranathar, and is represented by the lingam, with his idol referred to as Prithvi lingam. His consort Parvati is represented as Elavarkuzhali. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil holy poets known as the Nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple also houses the Nilathingal Thundam Perumal temple, a Divyadesam, the 108 temples revered in the Vaishnava Nalayira Divya Prabhandam canon. The temple complex covers 25 acres and is one of the largest in India. It houses four entrance towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the south tower, with 11 stories and a height of 58.5216 meters, making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. The temple has numerous shrines, the most prominent being those of Ekambareswarar and Nilathingal Thundam Perumal. The temple complex houses many rooms; the most notable is the thousand-pillar hall built during the Vijayanagar period. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. at 10 p.m., and twelve annual festivals on its calendar. The Panguni Uthiram festival celebrated for thirteen days during the Tamil month of Panguni is the most prominent festival of the temple and the city. The present masonry structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed to the rulers of Vijayanagar. The temple is maintained and managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The temple is the largest and one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the city. History This vast temple is one of the oldest in India and has existed since at least 600 AD. Tamil poetry of the 2nd century AD talks about Kama kottam and Kumara kottam (currently the Kamakashi Amman temple and the Subramanya temple). The temple is mentioned in classical Tamil Sangam literature dating back to 300 BCE like Manimegalai and Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai. Initially the temple was built by Pallavas. The Vedantist Kachiyapper served as a priest in the temple. The existing structure then, was demolished and rebuilt by the later Chola Kings. Adi Sankara, the 10th century saint, remodeled Kanchipuram along with the expansion of this temple along with the Kamakshi Amman temple and the Varadaraja Perumal temple with the help of local rulers. There are inscriptions dated to AD 1532. that indicate the gift of various peoples made by Achutaraya. Vira Narasingaraya Saluva Nayaka, who was led by Achutaraya, broke the royal order by giving more land to the Ekambaranathar temple than to the Varadaraja Swamy temple against the instruction of a gift equal to any of the temples. Achutaraya hearing this equally distributed the lands to both temples. The kings of Vijayanagar, during the 15th century, also made many contributions to the temple and later developed by Vallal Pachiyappa Mudaliar used to regularly go from Chennai to Kanchipuram to worship in this temple, he spent a significant amount of money that astonished during the British rule in the temple. renovation, Pachiyappa Mudaliar sitting on horseback can be seen on the temple pillar. At a later stage, Pachiappa Mudaliar built a similar temple with the same name Ekambareswarar in Chennai to avoid travel time to Kanchipuram. The 1905–06 Archaeological Survey of India report indicates that Nattukottai Chettiars carried out extensive renovation activities at the temple.
Nimbo Ka Nath Temple
Nimbo Ka Nath famously known as ‘Nimbo Ka Nath Mahadev Temple’, is the Lord Shiva temple. It is the centre of great faith of Pali’s people and Lord Shiva devotees in Pali. Located between Falna and Sanderao route, Nimbo Ka Nath is the same temple, which is according to hindu mythology, where Kunti, mother of the Pandavas, worshipped the Hindu deity Shiva during period of exile. Pandavas also established a Navdurga at this place and during Shivratri and Baisakhi Poornima fairs are organised here. How To Reach Nimbo Ka Nath Mahadev Temple, Pali By Road: Nimbo Ka Nath is located at the Falna and Sanderao route in Pali. One can easily reach here by bus or taxi from Falna. By Rail: Nimbo Ka Nath is well connected through nearest Pali Railway station to major cities railway stations like Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Chennai, Bikaner, Pali, Jaipur, Ahmedabad. By Air: Nimbo Ka Nath can be reach through nearest Jodhpur Airport (75 km) which is well connected with regular domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai.
Somnath Temple Pali
Somnath Temple is a famous Lord Shiva temple in the Pali city. Temple shrine was constructed by the King of Gujarat Kumarpal Solanki in the Vikram Samvat 1209. Located in the main market of Pali, Somnath mandir has marvelous shilp art. Known for its rich history, Somnath temple has intricate carvings on the Shikar and pinnacle of the temple. Inside the Somnath mandir, there is a Shivling inside the Temple along with the idols of Parvati, Ganesha, and Nandi. Raj Kumar Pal Solanki brought this Shiva Linga from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.