SRI MANGALADEVI KSHETRAM, MANGALORE (KAR)
#karnatakatemples

The presiding Devi of Mangalore, from whom the city has got its name.

In 10th C, when King Kundaverma of Alupa dynasty ruled over Tulanadu, two Rishis-Machhendranatha and Gorakanatha visited him.

They requested him to grant them land so that they could build their hermitage and make it a centre of their religious activities under his patronage.
They also told him about a place where Parashurama had prayed to Mangala Devi and built a shrine.

When the place was excavated under their guidance, the shrine of Mangaladevi was found. It was, then, re-established by Kundaverma.

It is said that unmarried women who worship Mangaladevi by observing Mangaladharavrata ( Swayamvara Parvathi) get a suitable match soon.

NAGARAJA MANDIR, NAGERCOIL (TN)

Dedicated to Naag Devta Vasuki. The five-headed Naga Devta is visited by devotees, especially on Sundays when special Pooja is performed offering milk and turmeric to the deity.
Two nagas- Darnendran and Padmavati are dwarapalaks here.
@twttdc

Once a village girl was cutting grass in the area when she noticed blood oozing out of her axe after accidentally hitting a stone. It was the stone murti of Naga devta. A hut was built around it. Later Raja Marthanda Verma visited here when he was suffering from skin problems.

His disease was cured and he built a huge mandir here.
The main sanctum still has mud walls and thatched roof with the stone murti of Nagaraja placed on the soil. The soil underneath it always remains wet. It is believed that blood is still oozing out of the murti till date.

It is said that this soil holds special powers and can cure any skin ailments; the soil is also given as prasadam to the visitors of the mandir.
Amazingly, the soil is black in dakshinayana punyakala and turns white in uttarayana punyakala of Surya.

A tortoise occupies the place (instead of Garuda) on the flagpost. This maybe because Garuda and Naga are natural enemies. Also, Sri Vishnu took kurma avatar during samudra manthan. Image of tortoise maybe to show respect to kurma avatar.

Nagalinga flowers also bloom here.

SRI NANDANAR AND MAHADEV

Nandanar, one of the 63 Nayanars, was a Shiva bhakt who was born in a lower caste.
Once, he went to Tiruppungur and stood outside to have darshan. However, he could not see the shivlingam as Nandi was blocking his view.

It is said that at Shiva’s command, Nandi moved a few feet to the right so that Nandanar could view the lingam. Even today, at Tiruppungur, Nandi sits to one side.
Nandanar longed to visit the Chidambaram Mandir but feared that due to his low birth, he would not get entry.

As he postponed his visit daily, he was called Tirrunalaipovvar (He who will go tomorrow). Finally, one day he went to Chidambaram. He kept circumambulating the mandir a number of times, in desperation to have Nataraja darshan.
Soon he was exhausted and dozed off.

It is said that Shiva appeared in his dream and told him to enter the Mandir through the yagna fire. Nandanar entered the yagna fire. He reappeared with matted hair and the sacred thread across his chest.
As he entered the garbhagriha, his form merged and became one with Shiva.

BEDI/DARIA HANUMAN AND SRI JAGANNATH

The Bedi Hanuman Mandir is near Chakratirth.
It so happened that Sri Jagannatha engaged Hanuman Ji to protect Puri from the ocean because sometimes the ocean waves would enter Puri and the people would suffer.
@Shawshanko

However, once Hanuman Ji left his post of guarding Puri and set out to visit Ayodhya to attend a festival and eat laddu there. As a result, the ocean
water entered the town and the people were in great distress.
Prabhu then brought Hanuman back from Ayodhya.
@arunbothra

Jagannath Ji bound him here with a rope(bedi), with laddu in one hand, and ordering him to never leave the place and guard Puri.

The Mandir here has two armed Hanuman with laddu in his left hand and a mace (gada) in his right hand.

Jai Jagannath🙏🏻

MA VINDHYAVASINI, MIRZAPUR (UP)
#bharatmandir

Vindhyachal is the only place in the world where all the three forms of Devi-Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati have specific mandirs dedicated to them.
All Shaktipeeth have body parts of Sati but in Vindhyachal, Devi resides herself.

When Sri Vishnu took birth as Krishna to Devaki- Vasudev, at the same time a girl was born to Yashoda-Nand.
The infants were inter-changed and Kansa tried to kill the girl. The girl escaped from his hands and took the form of Devi.
She, then, made Vindhyachal mountain her abode.

The war between Devi Durga and Mahishasur is said to have occurred at Vindhyachal. Ma Vindhyavasini is also called Mahishasur Mardini.
Vindhyachal is unique because Devi is worshipped as per tenets of Vaam maarg as also Dakshina Maarg of Shakti cult of our Dharma.
@GunduHuDuGa

Nearby, there is Ashtbhuja Mandir dedicated to Mahasaraswati and Kali Khoh Mandir dedicated to Ma Kali.
Bhaktas visit these three Mandirs in one journey to complete the ritual pilgrimage called Trilokan Parikrama.

ASHTAVAKRA AND MAHARAJ JANAK

The learned Rishi Uddalaka married off his daughter Sujata to his favourite disciple Kahoda. They continued to reside in his Ashram. Sujata used to hear their discussions when she became pregnant.
The unborn child,thus, acquired mastery on Vedas.

Kahoda was not as skilled as his Guru and made mistakes frequently. Unable to bear this, the unborn child started correcting him from his mother’s womb. Humiliated Kahoda cursed his child to be born with 8 bends in his body. Thus, Ashtavakra was born (meaning one with 8 bends).

Much later, a brahmin from varunlok challenged learned men in Janak’s court for a shastrartha (competition on shastra). Kahoda also participated but lost. So he was taken as captive by the brahmin. When Ashtavakra came to know this, he travelled to Janak’s court to meet him.

In the court, all men ridiculed him due to his twisted body. Ashtavakra told Janak that his court was full of shoemakers and not learned men. They see only skin. They do not see the atma. They have no realization of parmatma. For them, outer skin is what matters.
@GampaSD

All heads hung in shame. Janak bowed down to Ashtavakra and touched his lotus feet
Ashtavakra then challeged the brahmin to have shastraartha and defeated him. As per the rules of challenge the brahmin freed all captives, including Ashtavakra’s father Muni Kahoda.

Narayan Hari🙏🏻

ADI SHANKARACHARYA AND BHAJ GOVINDAM

Bhaja Govindam is written in Sanskrit by Adi Shankaracharya. It teaches the fundamentals of Vedanta in simple, musical verses. It is also called ‘Moha Mudgara’ (the hammer that strikes at delusion).
@RatanSharda55 @SriRamya21

It is said that Adi Shankaracharya and his disciples were walking along a street in Varanasi one day.
He came across an aged scholar trying to learn the rules of Sanskrit grammar on the street. At this age, he was wasting the remaining valuable time of his life.

So Adi Shankaracharya went up to the scholar and advised him not to waste his time on the rules of Grammar, instead turn his mind to Prabhu which would save him from the vicious cycle of life and death. The prayer “Bhaja Govindam” is said to have been composed on this occasion.

भजगोविन्दं भजगोविन्दं गोविन्दं भज मूढमते
संप्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृञ्करणे

O deluded minded friend, chant Govinda, worship Govinda, love Govinda as memorizing the rules of grammar cannot save one at the time of death.

Narayan Hari🙏🏻

SRI SHARADAMBA, SHRINGERI (KAR)
#bharatmandir #navratri2021

The Sharadamba kshetram in Shringeri was established by Adi Shankaracharya. The word Sringeri is derived from a Sanskrit word ‘Shrunga giri’ where Shrunga means the Peak or Summit.
@GunduHuDuGa

Once Adi Shankaracharya came to Shringa Giri having the ashram of Rishi Vibhandaka and his son Rishyashringa
He saw a strange scene – a cobra was providing shade from the hot sun to a pregnant toad by spreading its hood.
A sculpture called Kappe Shankara denotes this event here.

Saraswathi Devi who was with him in the form of Ubhaya Bharathi, decided to stay here. Adi Shankaracharya, then, built a shrine here and installed a sandalwood murti of her as Sharada Devi, in a standing posture.
It is said that the murti was destroyed when Malik Kafur came.

Later, Sri Vidyaranya installed a seated gold murti of Sri Sharadamba.
The ritual of Aksharabhyasa is performed here. The kids in the age of 2-5 are given a slate and chalk or a plate of rice on which they pray to Devi Saraswati and the Guru to impart knowledge to them.

TRIPRANGODE SIVA MANDIR, MALAPPURAM (Ker) AND RISHI MARKANDEYA

Once, Rishi Mrikandu n his wife Marudvati did extreme tapasya to please Shiva in the hope of getting a child
Shiva asked them to choose between an ordinary son with long life or a brilliant son with a short lifespan.

They chose a brilliant child and, thus, Markandeya was born. The exceptional child became famous specially for his mastery over Mahamritunjaya Jaap or Maha mantram.
At the age of 16, he came to know about his impending death. Then one day, Yama (Devta of death) came to take him.

Markandeya ran to Triprangode and clung to the Shivlingam. Yama threw his noose/rope at him to take away his atman. The rope not only encircled Markandeya but also the Shivlingam.
Shiva, who is beyond life and death, was enraged.
@GampaSD @SriRamya21

He erupted from the Shivalingam in a fiery incarnation, which is called the ‘Kaalakalayi’ or the ‘bringer of death to death itself’. He reduced Yama to ashes and saved Markandeya blessing him with eternal life. The pond in which Shiva washed his trident is considered sacred.

At the request of Devas, Shiva revived Yama.
The 3 steps Shiva took to destroy Yama gave the name-tri padam kode (now Tripangode). Three separate Mandirs here denote the 3 steps.
The fiery form of Shiva that appeared to save Markandeya is called Kalasamhara Murti.

SREE POORNATHRAYEESA MANDIR, KOCHI (KER)

First among 8 royal Mandirs of erstwhile Kochi Kingdom.
Sri Poornathrayeesa/ Vishnu is sitting under the shade of five hoods of Ananthan, whose folded body acts as the throne.
Also called Santhana Gopala Moorthy (Saviour of infants).

It is said that the murti of Sri Poornathrayeesa was given to Arjuna by Vishnu, when Arjun sought his help to give rebirth to the ten children of a brahmin. Arjuna along with the ten children and the murti returned in his chariot and handed over the children to the brahmin.

Arjun then sent Ganesh to search a place for installing the murti. He was attracted by the holiness of Poornavedapuram (now Tripunithura), and tried to occupy the place for himself. However, Arjuna moved him to the southern side of the Mandir and installed the murti.

He then plucked some mustard seeds from surrounding fields and lit a lamp in front of the murti. Devotees consider the evershining “Valia Vilakku” here as the oil lamp lighted by Arjuna. Burnt oil of this traditional lamp possesses great medicinal value. 
@JumbuTweeple

Poornathrayeesa is also known for his elephant love. More than 40 elephants participate in his Vrishchikotsavam and most of the elephants are sent for the utsavam without a money return expected by the elephant owners as Poornathrayeesa is considered to be elephant lover.

VISHNU AND MAHADEV: THE ETERNAL BOND

Once, the Asuras troubled Devas so much that they sought the help of Sri Vishnu in defeating them.

Vishnu told the Devas that he would need Shiva’s help to defeat the asuras.
He said that he required a special weapon to defeat asuras.

When Vishnu went to Shiva, he found Mahadev deep in meditation. So Vishnu started praying to Mahadev in the hope that one day Mahadev would answer his prayers.
This went on for years. Then, Vishnu started worshipping Mahadev by taking his 1000 names.
@SriramKannan77

For each name, Vishnu offered one lotus. One day, Mahadev decided to test him and secretly removed one lotus. Now only 999 lotus flowers were left.
When Vishnu started puja, he had to stop at 999th name of Shiva. Without waiting, he plucked one of his eye and offered to Shiva.

Such devotion made Shiva appear immediately. He, then, gifted Vishnu with the Sudarshan Chakra to end asuras.
The Sudarshana Chakra is not thrown. With will-power it is sent against the enemy. Nobody can stand against the Sudarshana Chakra of Sri Vishnu.

Narayan Hari🙏🏻

MA LAXMI AND SRIYA CHANDALANI

Once, on the day of Laxmi Narayan Vrat, Ma Laxmi wanted to see how the vrat was being observed by her devotees. So she left Jagannath Mandir and moved from house to house.
She was saddened to see people busy with their morning work.
@Shawshanko

This decline in devotion hurt her. As she was moving, she found the single hut of Sriya Chandalani- a lower cast woman.
The woman was cleaning her house and making pooja preparations. Mata entered her house and accepted her prasada.
Due to this, Ma was late in returning back.

Sri Balrama and Sri Jagannath decided to search for Mata. When they saw her come out of the hut of a low caste woman, Sri Balrama was furious. He asked Jagannath to tell Ma not to enter Mandir before purification.
Jagannath stood helpless. This angered Ma Laxmi.

She cursed them that they would live without food n shelter for years till they accept food from the low caste woman.
So the mandir became devoid of everything. Prabhu kept roaming hungry along with Balrama. Wherever they went, misfortune awaited them. In the end, they saw Sriya

They asked her for food and water. Sriya guided them to Ma Laxmi who finally gave them food and shelter. Ma also agreed to return to Sri Mandir.

With this leela, Sri Jagannath gave the message that a true bhakt is always upheld by Prabhu.

Jai Jagannath🙏🏻

CHAMPA SHASHTHI: TODAY

Khandoba or Khanderao is worshipped as the Prabhu of gatherers, hunters, warriors, herders, and farmers.
Champa Shashti is mostly celebrated in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
@RatanSharda55 @onlyonenetra

Khandobachi jejuri is the Mandir of Sri Khandoba in Pune. It is believed that Khandoba is the Prabhu of Sakamabhakti i.e. Prabhu who fulfils all the desires of his devotees.
The hilltop on which the Mandir stands is called Jejurigad and its history dates back to 1688.

Once there were 2 demon brothers Mani n Malla who troubled Devas, Rishis n human beings.
Hence, everyone sought help from Shiva. 
Shiva took the form of Khandoba who had an appearance like shining gold. As Khandoba, his face was covered with turmeric powder.
@RapperPandit

The fight went on for 6 days n Mani sought forgiveness from Shiva offering him his white horse. Mani expressed his wish that he wanted to live with Shiva.
Shiva,then,decided to place a Murti of Mani in all the Khandoba Mandirs to be created after the battle.

SHRI SIDDHIVINAYAK, MUMBAI
#bharatmandir

Siddhivinayak is called Navasacha Ganapati or Navasala Pavanara Ganapati (meaning- Ganapati bestows whenever one humbly and genuinely prays) among Bhaktas.

@RatanSharda55

The mandir was built by generous donations from Smt. Deubai Patil. She had the belief that Ganesha would answer the prayers of childless women.
Therefore it is a predominant belief that those without a child can get their prayers answered here.
@GunduHuDuGa

It is said that Ramakrishna Jambhekar Maharaj (follower of Akkalkot Swami Samarth) buried two murtis in front of Siddhivinayak as instructed by his guru.
As was foretold by Swami Samarth, 21 years later, a Mandar tree grew at the spot where these two murtis were buried.

The tree had an image of Svayambhu Ganesha on its branches.
Siddhivinayak Ganesha murti is chaturbhuj (with 4 hands) and carved out of a single black stone. Ganesha's trunk is to the right instead of left.
On his forehead, a third-eye is etched.

Siddhi and Riddhi, the two consorts of Ganesha are on either side of Ganapati.
It is believed that if anyone whispers their wish in the ears of the two huge silver mice installed within the mandir premises, the wish gets conveyed to Ganesha directly.

SHIVA BORN AS RISHI PIPPALAD

Pippalad was born as Mahadev’s incarnation to Rishi Dadhichi and Suvarcha.
Once, the Devas needed the bones of Rishi Dadhichi to end the menace of Vritrasur.
Dadhichi donated his bones readily and the Vajra created from his bones ended Vritrasur.

When his wife Suvarcha came to know this, she decided to be Sati but could not as she was pregnant. Later, she left her earthly body after giving birth to a child. He grew up feeding on pipal leaves and som(nectar) given my moon, so he came to be called Pippalad.

When he grew up, he came to know about his parent’s sacrifice. He was angered by the selfishness of the Devas and decided to destroy them. It is said that his angry glance at Shani made Shani fall and hurt his foot.
Only Mahadev was able to calm Pippalada and make him see reason

Pippalada wrote The Prashnopanishad which is embedded in Atharva Veda.
The Prashna Upanishad is a Mukhya Upanishad and contains six Prashna (questions). Each Prashna is assigned a chapter with a discussion of answers.

ADI SHANKARACHARYA AND MAHADEV

Once, Adi Shankaracharya was going to Kashi Vishwanath Mandir along with his disciples.
Suddenly, an untouchable/ chandala came in his way along with his wife and four dogs.
Adi Shankaracharya’s disciples shouted at him to make way.

The untouchable smiled and said, "According to your principle of Advaita, which you practice, all the Jivatma are same as Prabhu. How am I different from your Paramacharya? How should I go? My body or my Atman, the form or the formless, the limited or the limitless?”

Adi Shankaracharya understood that it was Shiva himself who had come along with Ma Parvati and the 4 Vedas. He prostrated before Mahadev and sang five slokas called "Manisha Panchakam". Shiva then presented himself along with Visalakshi and blessed Adi Shankaracharya.


Manisha means firm conviction and Panchak means five. The word manisha appears in the last line in all the five Verses.
Manisha Panchakam conveys the message that the Paramatman is same within all beings regardless of bodily distinctions of caste.

BHAKT PUNDALIK AND VITHOBA

Pundalik, son of Janudev n Satyavati, lived in Dandirvan. As Pundalik ill-treated his parents, they decided to leave for Kashi. Pundalik and his wife also went with them. While the old couple had to walk bare-foot, Pundalik rode on horse
@onlyonenetra

One night they halted at the ashram of Rishi Kukkutswami. Just before dawn, Pundalik got up n saw 3 beautiful women in soiled clothes entering the Ashram, cleaning, sweeping and washing clothes. They, then, went in the pooja room, came out spotlessly clean and vanished.
@GampaSD

Next night, same thing happened. So Pundalik went to them and asked their details. The 3 women were Ganga, Yamuna and other holy rivers. They were soiled as people washed their sins in them. They told Pundalik that he was the greatest sinner as he ill-treated his parents.

This changed Pundalik and he became a devoted son. Impressed, Sri Vishnu paid him a visit. At that time, he was tending to his parents. So, Pundalik gave a brick to waiting Vishnu and told him to stand on it till he was free. When he was free, he realised what he had done.

He begged for pardon but Vishnu was immensely pleased. Pundalik requested Vishnu to stay there always. Vishnu took the form of Vithoba and still stands there on a brick, along with Rukmini.
The divine place is Pandharpur, abode of Vithoba/ Vitthala 🙏🏻
@IndiaTales7

SIDDHI VINAYAK, HATTINGADI (KAR)
#bharatmandir

Hattiangadi was once Alupa capital and the shrine is believed to be of around 7th-8th c.
Ganesha vigrah is about 2.5 feet tall, carved out of Shaligram stone. It is the only Ganesha murti where His curly black hair is left loose.

This was the place of meditation of Sri Govindarama Yathivarya. He had predicted that the shrine would attain fame in next 300 years.
Ganesha is believed to grow in size each year and since it is believed that he grants all wishes so the title of Siddhi is conferred on Him.

The offering of singara (areca nut flower) is considered extremely sacred here.
If the flower falls from Ganesha’s crown during aarti, it signifies that wish will be fulfilled.
Sahasra Narikela Ganayaga (pooja with 1008 coconuts) is another special prayer conducted.

SOUTHADKA SRI MAHAGANPATI, BELTHANGADI TALUK (KAR)
#bharatmandir

Southe is cucumber and adka is meadow in Kannada.
Here, Maha Ganapathi is out in the open field without a Garbha gudi and shrine structure. The place is decorated with lot of bells offered for special wishes.

Once, a Ganapati shrine revered by a royal family was destroyed by enemies. To prevent enemies from destroying Ganapati murti, the cow herds of the place carried it along with them and installed it in a place where cucumber was grown in plenty.
@GunduHuDuGa

The farmers of the place reaped huge harvests of cucumber, offered it to Ganapati and wished to build a shrine there but Ganapati appeared in their dream and asked them not to build a shrine as that would mean restrictions on devotees visiting the place to seek his blessings.

So no shrine was built here.
The most popular seva offered here is avalakki panchakajjaya seva (a mixture of beaten rice, jiggery, til, coconut, honey and banana) performed on a regular basis.
Moodappa Seve is very prominent, which involves covering the Mahaganapathi with Appam