Sabarimala Temple - Pathanamthitta

Kerala is a land of temples; perhaps the best known pilgrimage destination in Kerala is Sabarimala, high up in the Sahyadri Mountains (Western Ghats). Sabarimala Sri Dharmasastha Temple is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha Temples. It is believed that "Parasurama Maharshi" who retrieved Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe, installed the idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala to worship Lord Ayyappa.

The pilgrimage begins in the month of November and ends in January. The temple attracts pilgrims not only from the southern states of India, but also from other parts of the country and abroad.

The shrine gets thronged with devotees especially during the main pilgrim season from November to January.

Mandala pooja  and Makaravilakku are the two main events of the pilgrim season. The temple stays closed during the rest of the year except for the first five days of every Malayalam month and during Vishu (April).

Certain customs are to be strictly observed if one has to undertake a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. A pilgrim attending the Mandalapooja should observe austerities for 41 days. During this period, the pilgrim should abstain himself from non vegetarian food and carnal pleasures.

Pilgrims set out in groups under a leader, and each carry a cloth bundle called Irumudi kettu containing traditional offerings. Unlike certain Hindu temples, Sabarimala temple has no restrictions of caste or creed. The temple is open to males of all age groups and to women who have either passed their fertility age and those before reaching the stage of puberty.

The easiest route is via Chalakkayam, by which one can reach the banks of the river Pamba by vehicle. Pamba is the main halting point on the way to Sabarimala. From here one has to trek 4 to 5 kms to reach the temple.

 
Swami Ayyappan

Sacred 18 Steps

Temple

Chennakesava Swamy Temple

Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy Temple is located at Markapur in Prakasam District. It was built by the Vijayanagar rulers during the 15th century.

The temple houses a 40-pillered mandapam with carvings of Lord Krishna, Hanuman , Garuda, Lakshmi, and Vigneshwara with their relevant vahanas. The temple has a Kalyana Mandapam with 6 musical pillars and it produces musical notes when tapped. Sri Lakshmi Chennakesava Swamy Temple is the only one of its kind where the sun’s rays enter the sanctum sanctorum through specially placed windows at dawn. The sun’s rays falls at the feet of the deity and this happens from the 16th December to 14th January of every year.

Markapur is situated on the banks of the Gundlakamma River and is about 94 km from Ongole. Frequent buses are available from Ongole.

Gunupudi Someswara Temple

Gunupudi Bheemavaram is well known for the temple Soma Rama which is considered as one of the Pancharama temples. The temple here is called Sri Someshwara Janardhana swamy. Tributary of Godavari called Vasishta Godavari meeting the sea called Antarvedi. The face of Shiva lingam in this Pancharama temple is called Sadyojathamukha Swaroopam. Mass marriages (especially during Shivarathri) are being conducted at this temple premesis. The local people say that couple getting married at this Pancharama place have a peaceful understanding life.

Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Sri Someswara Janardhana swamy considered as one of the Pancharama Kshetras is situated here. The main contribution for temple construction was made by the King Chalukya Bheema during 4th century. The Shiva lingam is called someshwara as it is believed that this lingam has been installed by Lord Chandra. The colour of the linga is believed to change during full moon day and Amavasya.

Above the Garbhalayam, Goddess Annapurna temple is situated, which is the speciality of this temple and cannot be seen anywhere else in India. This resembles the fact that Lord Shiva holds the Goddess Ganga on his head.

To the South of the Garbha Gruham, Goddess Adilakshmi can be seen and wedding hall at ground and first floor are constructed. Marriages are conducted both in the new hall and also in Goddess Annapurna mantapam.

In the East side of this temple, there is a Pushkarini pond which is also called Soma Gundam. Inside the temple, Lord Anjaneya Swamy, God Kumara Swamy, Navagraha, Sun God, Lord Ganesha can also be seen. In front of the main entrance, 15ft pillar is constructed. The temple timings are from 5.00am to 11.00am and 4.00pm to 8.00pm.

In the center of the city, the temple of Rain Goddess (Varala Thalli) Maullamma is situated. The statue is 8ft hight. Each Fridays special poojas are performed at this temple. Yearly grand celebrations are held during Maha Shivarathri festival.

Bhimavaram is an important commercial centre in West Godavari District and has road connections to all the nearby rural villages . It is located 455 km from Hyderabad, 270 km from Visakhapatnam and 103km from Vijayawada. National Highway Np.214(a) (Kattipudi to Pamarru)passes through this town.

Additional places of interest around Bhimavaram include Palakollu, Draksharama, Annavaram, Thalupulamma Thalli, Rajahmundry, Antarvedi, Ryali and Vadapalli. Very good South Indian food is available in the town. Narsapur is 45Kms palakolu 20kms.

Lord Malleshwara Temple - Vijayawada

Andhra Pradesh is known for its beautiful temples. The exquisite architecture of these temples adds to the beauty rich cultural heritage of the state. The temples are spread all over the state. Lord Malleshwara Temple – Vijayawada is one among the various temples in the state.

Lord Shiva, in the form of Linga is the presiding deity of Lord Malleshwara Temple – Vijayawada. Devotees call the linga by various names like Jayasena, Mallikarjuna and Malleshwara. The sculptures engraved on the walls of the temple portray various incidents of the famous Indian Mythology, Mahabharata and the legend of Lord Shiva conferring Arjuna with the Paasupata Astra. The Vijayesvara temple and Malleshvaraswamy temple established by Arjuna and Yudhishtira respectively are located near to this temple.

Several legends are associated with Lord Malleshwara Temple – Vijayawada. According to one legend at the opening of Kali Yuga (Saka year 117), Madhava Varma was the ruler of the area. The king’s son accidentally killed a poor woman’s child. When the mother pleaded for justice at the court of the king, he ordered death sentence to his son. Satisfied with the king’s justice, Lord Shiva felicitated the ruler with gold and both the prince and the boy were gifted with life. It is believed that the great sage Agastya, worshipped the shivlingam as Jayasena, whereas Arjuna worshipped him as Malleswara at the Lord Malleshwara Temple – Vijayawada.

Jain Mandir - Warangal

The Jain Temple-Warangal is a beautiful Jain temple in Kolanupaka, a place in Warangal in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The Jain temples are as it is very beautiful and the Jain Temple in Warangal is a classic example of this beauty in its own uniqueness.

Warangal is a place that is situated at about one hundred and forty kilometers from the city of Hyderabad. It was the capital of the glorious ancient Kingdom of Kakatiya. The place still contains the relics of the exemplary works in the spheres of architecture and engineering. The place is peaceful and somber. Amidst the serene surroundings, the temple of Saint Mahaveera stands with its own enormity and solemnity.

The Jain Temple in Warangal is the proud owner of marvelous images of Thirthankaras. One witnesses a wonderful work of art in this temple. The images of Saint Mahaveera are entirely engraved out of a special kind of jade.

This Jain Temple is an ancient temple of the great Saint Mahaveera. In Kolanupaka, it stands pretty for over two thousand years now. It has been a spectator to the history of the place. The Jain Temple also speaks volume about the Jain culture and ways of life.

The Jain Community is a peace-loving one. They are meticulous about maintaining the principles of life and they strictly avoid violence. Jains are great lovers of calmness and the only thing they seek is enlightenment. This two thousand year old Jain temple of Saint Mahaveera is a very popular place of worship for Jains in the country.

Mukhalingam Temple

The town of Mukhalingam is located in the north eastern corner of the state of Andhra Pradesh, near Orissa - 56 km north of Srikakulam, a major railhead on the railroad between Vishakapatnam and Howrah. The ornate temple of Mukhalingeswara (Madhukeswara) , and the Aniyanka Bhimeswara and Someswara temples built in the Orissa style of architecture   adorn this village.

Mukhalingam - then known as Kalinganagara was the capital of the early eastern Gangas (of Orissa). The eastern Gangas are said to have ruled Andhra Desa in the second half of the 1st millennium CE. Anantavarman Chodaganga of the Imperial Gangas, moved the capital to Cuttack, on the banks of the river Mahanadi. Several grand temples in Bhubaneswar are attributed to the Gangas.

The Mukhalingeswara temple: A massive gateway flanked by lions marks the entrance to the outer prakara of the Mukhalingeswara temple. A Nandi Mandapa is situated in front of the sanctum in the outer prakara. The entrance to the innter prakara contains beautiful friezes. There are eleven shrines in the inner prakara, each of them being a temple in itself. The entrance to the main temple from the south and from the east in the inner prakara are acclaimed to be artistic marvels. The niches in the outer wall of the temple contain beautifully sculpted images and perforated windows, all these features making this temple a veritable art gallery of sorts. It is believed to have been built during the period of the King Kamarnava (941-976 CE). 

Birla Mandir Hyderabad

An enchanting temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, the Birla Mandir of Hyderabad, India stands in its entire splendor on the hilltop of Kala Pahad. Made of pure white marble from Rajasthan, the Birla Mandir overlooks the serene and placid waters of the Hussain Sagar Lake. The famous Birla industrialist who had built a large number of temples all over India built the Birla temple of Hyderabad. They finished building the Birla Mandir of Hyderabad within a time span of ten years. The magnificent shrine offers a wonderfully breath-taking view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

The intricate carvings of the temple, the ceiling and the mythological figures are a standing testimony to the dexterity and sculptural excellence of the craftsmen. Beautiful scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are finely sculpted in pure white marble. The temple is devoted to Lord Venkateswara who is also known as Balaji, though the temple is known as Birla Mandir. It is a wonderful blend of the architectural style of northern and southern temples.

As you enter the temple you can see the 'Gopuram' or the pyramid shaped temple top, which is a characteristic feature of South Indian temples. The tower situated at the top of the principal deity called the Jagadananda vimanam is again built in the Orissan style. The flagstaff of the temple is made up of brass, and reaches to a staggering height of 42 feet.

The granite stone, out of which the idol of Lord Venkateswara has been carved, is about 11 feet tall. A Lotus shaped canopy at the top of the idol is again done in marble and looks stunning. Along the winding path that leads to the main worship place, are many marble statues of Gods and Goddesses of Hindu mythology that look almost real. In case you visit the temple in the early hours of the day, you can hear some very melodious South Indian music in the praise of the Lord. The Birla Mandir of Hyderabad becomes a spectacular sight in the evening when it is illuminated with hundreds of bright lights.