TravelStream™ news feed for member kulyash.sharma on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kulyash.sharma en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 21 May 2009 15:11:57 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/1/1209325620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/1/1209325620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/1/1209325620/tpod.html Thu, 21 May 2009 15:11:57 -0400 Ganga sagar ( West Bengal )

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Gangasagar, Dist. 24 Pg. (S), India

&nbsp;<i>Hail to You, O Mother Ganga, the River Goddess ... You are the Holy Mother, giver of all happiness In Your lap, the mind attains peace You are verily the Brahman! O Mother, by virtue of Your graciousness, Your devotees find the right path in life and life beyond Those who chant your name regularly are relieved of misery and win liberation. Aum Jaya Gange Maataa!
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Bubneshwar, India

Rath Yatra ( Jagannath Puri)Jagannath Puri, a town of 75,000, is one of the most important pilgrimage centers and one of the four holiest cities in India. These four cities are Badrinatha in the north, Dvaraka in the west, Ramesvaram in the south, and Puri in the east. Badrinarayan in Badrinatha was especially worshiped in Satya-yuga, Rama in Ramesvaram in Treta-yuga, Dvarakanatha in Dvaraka was especially worshiped in Dvapara-yuga, but Lord Jagannath in Puri can be worshiped by everyone in Kali-yuga. In fact, the importance of Jagannath Puri, sometimes called Purushottama-Ksetra, is explained in chapters 52 through 57 of the Uttarabhaga section of the Narada Purana. There we find it stated that simply by visiting Puri, which is rarely achieved except for thos<img height="308" src="http://orientalindiatours.com/orissa-tourism/jaggarnathyagra.jpg" width="290" border="0">e who have performed many pious acts, and by seeing the Deity of Jagannath (Krishna), one can easily attain freedom from future births and reach the spiritual abode. In the middle of this city is the large temple dedicated to Lord Krishna as Jagannath, meaning "Lord of the Universe." From the <i>Skanda Purana we get information that the original construction of the first Jagannath temple was in Satya-yuga, millions of years ago. It is related that Lord Jagannath told Maharaja Indradyumna that He first appeared in the Svayambhuva <i>manvantara of the first part of Satya-yuga, on the full moon day, after being pleased by devotion. This is about 153 million years ago. Then Brahma installed the Deities in the temple. This appearance is celebrated by the Snana Purnima, or Snana-Yatra, which is the public bathing of Lord Jagannath, His brother Balarama, and His sister Subhadra. The celebrated Ratha-Yatra festival is said to have started in the time of Svarochisha Manu, or the second <i>manvantara period, and is predicted to continue until the end of the second half of Lord Brahma's lifetime. Even in the <i>Ramayana by Valmiki Muni (Uttara Khanda 108.30) it is related that when Lord Rama was getting ready to leave this world he told Vibhishan, Ravana's younger brother, that in His absence he should worship Lord Jagannath, the Lord of the Iksvaku dynasty. The <i>Skanda Purana also fixes the date of the Ratha-Yatra festival, which should be celebrated on the second day of the bright fortnight if the month of Ashadha, a day called Pushyami Nakshatra by astrological calculations. The <i>Padma Purana describes (as related in Sanatana Goswami's <i>Dig Darshini Tika to his <i>Brihad-Bhagavatamrita, 2.1.159) that in Purushottama-kshetra, or Jagannath Puri, the supremely blissful Personality of Godhead pretends to be made of wood. In this way, although the Lord takes on what appears to be a material form, it is completely spiritual by the causeless mercy of the Lord for the conditioned souls who cannot perceive the transcendental domain. The main temple building, called Sri Mandir, was built in the 12th century by King Chodaganga Deva, though the site goes back much farther as described above. This is a huge complex where buildings house as many as 5,000 priests and assistants. The whole compound is surrounded by a thick stone wall 20 feet tall that encloses an area 665 feet by 640 feet. The wall has four large gates, one on each side. The additional smaller buildings were added after the 16th century. The main temple, which reaches 215 feet in height, is where we find the six foot tall Deities of Jagannath, Balarama, and the shorter Subhadra. They stand on a five foot high throne facing the pilgrims as they enter the temple room. Outside the main temple hall are over 100 smaller shrines dedicated to the various demigods. There is an <i>arati ceremony six times a day from 4 AM to 9 PM when devotees come in for <i>darshan of the Deities, in which they sing, chant, or worship the Deities in ecstasy. As many as 50,000 people come to the Jagannath temple in a day. Unfortunately, foreigners are not allowed into the temple grounds, but you can get a look at the temple from the roof of the Raghunandan Library across the street for a donation. The temple compound also has a huge kitchen, employing over 650 cooks and helpers who make hundreds of vegetarian preparations for the 54 separate offerings that are given to the Deities every day. After the food is given to the Deities it becomes <i>prasada, or the Lord's mercy. By taking such spiritually powerful food it is said that one becomes more and more spiritually surcharged and free from past <i>karma. Much of the <i>prasada is sold or given to people who depend on the temple. When I had my ricksha driver buy some for me, I got a basket with several clay pots filled with a variety of rice, vegetable, dahl, and sweet preparations. It was absolutely delicious and was enough for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two days. Taking this <i>prasada at Puri is to partake in a tradition that goes back thousands of years and is considered especially purifying. It is said that only by Krishna's grace does one get the opportunity to receive the remnants of food offered to Him.&nbsp;The Appearance of Lord Jagannath&nbsp;The significance of Jagannath Puri and the story of how the Deities first appeared goes back many hundreds of years to the time of King Indradyumna, who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. It is related that one time in his court the King heard from a devotee about an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, named Nila-madhava. (Nila-madhava is the Deity form of Lord Vishnu.) The King very much wanted to see this form of the Supreme and sent many Brahmanas to search for Nila-madhava. All came back unsuccessful except for Vidyapati, who did not come back at all. He had wandered to a distant town which was populated by a tribe of people known as Shabaras of non-Aryan heritage. He had stayed in the house of Visvasu, and later, at Visvasu's request, married his daughter, Lalita.After some time Vidyapati noticed that Visvasu would leave t<img height="276" src="http://orientalindiatours.com/orissa-tourism/jaggarnathyatra1.jpg" width="357" border="0">he house every night and return at noon the next day. Vidyapati asked his wife about this. Though her father had ordered her not to tell anyone, she told Vidyapati that Visvasu would go in secret to worship Nila-madhava. After repeated requests, Vidyapati finally got permission to go see Nila-madhava, only if he went blindfolded. But Vidyapati's wife had bound some mustard seeds in his cloth so that a trail could be left to follow later. When they reached the shrine, Vidyapati saw the Deity Nila-madhava after the Shabara took off the blindfold, and he felt great ecstasy. The story continues to relate that while Visvasu was out collecting items for worship, Vidyapati saw a bird fall into the nearby lake and drown. The soul of the bird suddenly took a spiritual form and ascended back to the spiritual world. Vidyapati wanted to do the same and climbed the tree to jump in the lake. Then a voice from the sky declared that before he jumped he should tell Indradyumna that he had found Nila-madhava. When Visvasu returned to worship the Deity, Nila-madhava spoke and said that He had accepted the simple worship from him for so many days, but now He wanted to accept the opulent worship that would be offered by King Indradyumna. When Vidyapati went back to tell the King, Indradyumna immediately went to find Nila-madhava but could not locate Him. So the King arrested Visvasu, but a voice told him to release the Shabara and that he should build a temple on top of Nila Hill where the King would see the Lord as Daru-brahman, the wooden manifestation of the Absolute. After great endeavor, King Indradyumna built the temple at Sri Kshetra, now known as Jagannath Puri, and later prayed to Lord Brahma to consecrate it. However, Lord Brahma said that it was not within his power to consecrate the temple since Sri Kshetra is manifested by the Supreme's own internal potency and is where the Lord manifests Himself. So Brahma simply put a flag on top of the temple and blessed it, saying that anyone who from a distance saw the flag and offered obeisances would easily be liberated from the material world. Nonetheless, after much waiting the King became anxious since Nila-madhava had not manifested Himself. Thinking his life was useless, the King decided he should end his life by fasting. But in a dream the Lord said that He would appear floating in from the sea in His form as Daru-brahman. The King went to the shore and found a huge piece of wood that had the markings of a conch, disc, club, and lotus. This was Daru-brahman. But try as they might, the men could not budge the wood. In a dream the Lord spoke to the King and instructed him to get Visvasu and put a golden chariot in front of Daru-brahman. After doing this and forming a <i>kirtana party to chant the holy names, and praying for Daru-brahman to mount the chariot, Daru-brahman was easily moved. Lord Brahma performed a sacrifice where the present temple now stands and installed a Deity of Lord Narasimhadeva, the Deity that is now on the western side of the temple. From the wooden Daru-brahman, the King requested many expert carvers to carve the form of the Deity, but none could do so for their chisels immediately broke when they touched the wood. Finally the architect of the demigods, Visvakarma, (some say the Lord Himself) arrived as an old artist, Ananta Maharana, and promised that he would carve the Deity form of the Lord inside the temple in three weeks if the King would allow him to work behind closed doors. But after 14 days the King became very anxious because he could no longer hear the sounds of the carving. Finally he could stand it no more. On the advice of the queen he personally opened the doors of the temple to see what was happening. Then he saw the forms of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balarama, and Lady Subhadra. But because the King had opened the doors sooner than he was supposed to, the Deities were not completed; Their feet and hands had not yet been carved. Thus, the Supreme manifested Himself in this form. The King felt he had committed a great offense for having opened the doors before the allotted three weeks had passed, so he decided to end his life. But in a dream Lord Jagannath told the King that though he had broken his promise, this was just a part of the Supreme's pastimes to display this particular form. The King was told that this form, even though it appeared to be incomplete, was actually the form of the Lord that was meant to be worshiped in this age of Kali-yuga. Occasionally the King could decorate the Deity with golden hands and feet. Yet those devotees filled with love would always see the form of Lord Jagannath as the threefold bending form of Syamasundara, Krishna, holding a flute. Thus, the Supreme appeared in this form so that people could approach and see Him, especially as He rides through town on the huge carts during the Ratha-Yatra festival.&nbsp;The Ratha-Yatra Festival&nbsp;During the Ratha-Yatra festival is the most popular time to go to Jagannath Puri. This is usually in July when it is very hot. But thousands upon thousands of pilgrims flock to Puri to take part in this auspicious event, which is said to have been celebrated for thousands of years, making it one of the oldest and one of the biggest religious festivals in the world. This is the time when the Deities come out of the temple for all to see. It is also the time when as many as a million people gather in this small city with one purpose: to show their faith and devotion to God in the form of Lord Jagannath.As big as this festival is, it can be quite expensive. The only festival in the world that is bigger than this is the Kumbha Mela festival that draws many more millions of people. The Ratha-Yatra festival is financed primarily by the Orissan government with an annual budget of $50,000, which is a very large sum for India. But with the number of pilgrims that come to Puri each year, the temple and surrounding businesses also are benefitted with the extra financial income. The actual construction of the carts b<img height="288" src="http://orientalindiatours.com/orissa-tourism/jaggarnathyatra2.jpg" width="370" border="0">egins two months before the festival day, on the third day of the bright fortnight of Vaisakha (April-May). More than 600 trees, or 400 cubic meters of wood, are needed for the construction, taken from the local forests along the banks of the Mahanadi River. Using the same simple tools and procedures as they have for the past hundreds of years, once the basic elements are made, such as the wheels, then the actual construction begins only a few weeks before the festival. When I saw the carts a few days prior to the festival, I doubted that they would be finished in time. However, the construction crew works on them night and day, and everything was ready the day before the festival. In the main road in front of the temple huge stacks of wood are used to assemble the three chariots which will reach up to three storeys tall and will roll on wheels, each eight feet high. The chariots are painted with bright colors and the tops are covered with red, black, yellow, or green canopies. The colors signify which chariot is for which Deity. Lord Jagannath uses red and yellow, Lord Balarama uses red and green, while Subhadra uses red and black. The Deities are also painted with particular colors that mean something. Jagannath's blackish color represents faultless qualities; Balarama's white color signifies enlightenment; and Subhadra's yellow color signifies goodness. Each cart is different. The cart of Lord Jagannath is called Cakradhvaja or Nandigosha, which means tumultuous and blissful sound. Using 16 wheels, it rises 45 feet tall, and weighs 65 tons. It also carries a figure of Garuda on its crest, and is drawn by four white wooden horses. Balarama's cart is called Taladhvaja, meaning the sound of significantly powerful rhythm. It has 14 wheels, and is drawn by four black wooden horses. It carries Hanuman on its crest. Subhadra's cart is called Padmadhvaja or Darpadalan, which means destroyer of pride. It has a lotus on its crest, uses 12 wheels, and is drawn by four red wooden horses. After the Ratha-Yatra festival the wood from the carts is used as fuel for the big kitchen in the temple, which can last up to nine months. About two weeks before the festival, the Deities of Jagannath, Balarama, and Subhadra are given a ritual bath, which is performed on the front main wall of the temple, which allows everyone to observe it from the street below, or one of the surrounding buildings. This is called the Snana-Yatra. After this They play the pastime of getting a cold. They are then taken to a designated area and given special treatments and offerings. They may also be repainted at this time. About every 12 or 19 years the bodies of the Deities are replaced with new ones carved from a ritualistically selected Daru-Brahman in the form of a <i>nima tree. This is known as the Nava-Kalevarna festival. It occurs when there is a leap (additional) month in the Vedic calendar that appears between Snana-Yatra and Ratha-Yatra. This was last performed in 1996, 1977, and 1969. After such an occurrence, the crowd that attends the Ratha-Yatra in Puri expands from the usual 700,000 or so to as many as two-and-a-half million. As the Ratha-Yatra festival draws near, thousands of pilgrims come to Jagannath Puri, but as many as a million or more people may be in town on the day of the festival. Some are top officials in the Indian government or other VIPs. Many people begin arriving in front of the temple near the carts on the morning of the festival. At first it is very interesting to wander about looking at the nicely decorated carts and all the pilgrims who have attended. But then the police begin cordoning off the area around the carts. Then there are only certain areas where people can get between the carts and the buildings. This creates bottlenecks which can be very dangerous when too many people are pushing on each other trying to get through. I saw people begin to panic at times because of the pressure on them, and worried mothers had to hold their babies above the crowd to make sure they did not get crushed. The Ratha-Yatra festival can be both spiritually ecstatic and physically exhausting. Though July is in the monsoon season, if the rains have not arrived yet, it gets very hot. When it is hot, you will be soaked with sweat a few hours after the sun comes up. In fact, from where I was, I saw dozens of Indian people who had collapsed from the heat and had to be carried away from the crowd on stretchers. The heat can take a lot out of you, especially when in a crowd of many thousands. So it is best to have a source of water with you, like a canteen. A good place to be during the festival, if you do not want to be on the street amongst the people, is on a rooftop. But you have to make reservations and pay for your seats several days in advance. Even then there may not be any guarantee that you will get the seats you want. I have been at Jagannath Puri to attend two Ratha-Yatra festivals, once in 1991, and another in 2001. At each one things happened at different times of the day. In 1991 it was around eleven in the morning when the temple priests came out to sanctify the carts. In 2001, everything got started much earlier, and the priests came out before 9 AM. They walk up the gangplanks to the platform on the cart and sprinkle holy water around while circumambulating it three times and chanting specific mantras for purification. Later, the priests bring out the small Deities that will also ride on the cart. When the big Deities are brought out, first there is Lord Balarama, then Lady Subhadra, and then Lord Jagannath. Each time excitement suddenly fills the air and many men blow conch shells and bang on drums and cymbals to announce the arrival of the Deities at the main gate of the temple complex. Then the smiling face of Lord Balarama appears through the doorway and the crowd shouts and chants, "Jai Balarama. Baladeva ki jai!" Generally, however, unless you are situated on a tall building, you cannot see the faces of the Deities because there are so many assistants that help move Them. But you can easily see the huge headdress They wear. Once the Deity is on the cart, the headdress is torn off and distributed amongst the people as <i>prasada. Daityas, strongly built men who lift the Deity, carry Lord Balarama. It is described that they move Him from one large cotton pillow to another, however, I couldn't see any. Lord Balarama is five feet and five inches tall and has an arm span of 12 feet. When carried, there are five men on each arm, with up to 50 men pulling in front and 20 offering support in the back. All of these carriers are Daityas, members of the Dayitapati family who are descendants of Visvavasu. Gradually, taking about a half hour or so, Lord Balarama moves from the temple gate to the chariot and is placed on it so everyone in the crowd can see Him. Then Subhadra, who is less than five feet tall, is also carried from the temple to Her chariot. And finally Lord Jagannath is brought out. He is five feet and seven inches tall with an arm span of 12 feet, and also needs many assistants to be moved. In 1991 it was around two o'clock, when the King of Puri arrived in a procession, walked up the planks to the platform and swept the cart with a gold handled broom, and then sprinkles sandalwood scented water on them. He circumambulates the platform three times and is assisted by the priests. He does this to each of the carts. In 2001, however, this took place around 10 AM, and everything that year happened in a much more timely manner. It should be pointed out here that the way the King sweeps the carts is an example of how the festival has changed over the years. If you read accounts of the Ratha-Yatra festival as described in the <i>Caitanya-caritamrta, there are some major differences in the festival we find today compared to 500 years ago. The King used to sweep the street in front of the carts as they paraded down through the town. The reason he no longer does this is related in a story I was told. It seems that at one time years ago a King of Puri, Purusottama Dev, was to marry a princess who was the daughter of a king, Maharaja Sallwo Narasingha, from the district of Kanchi. When the Ratha-Yatra festival was to take place, the father of the princess was invited, but sent his minister Chinnubhatta Godaranga instead. When he attended, the King of Puri performed the devotional tradition of sweeping the road in front of the carts. The visiting minister, however, rather than being impressed with the devotion of the King for Lord Jagannath, did not approve of him sweeping the road, even if it was for the Lord. When he reported this to King Sallwo Narasingha, the king objected to the idea of his daughter marrying the King of Puri since he was merely a street sweeper. Purusottama Dev was extremely angry that he, as the servant of Lord Jagannath, would be insulted for his service like that. So he gathered his troupes and went to Kanchi to teach King Sallwo a lesson. Unfortunately, King Purusottama Dev was badly defeated. On returning to Puri in such a downcast mood, he stopped at the simple cottage of Saikatacharya, a great ascetic, householder devotee of Lord Jagannath. This devotee pointed out that the King had forgotten to ask permission from Lord Jagannath before he went to attack King Sallwo. With this realization, the King returned to Puri and visited the temple of the Lord, crying over his defeat, asking why the Lord had let this happen. He spent the night in the temple, and with doors closed, before the night came to an end, the King heard a voice asking why he was so distraught over such a simple thing. The voice said to go gather his troupes again, and that we two brothers, Jagannath and Balarama, would go along to fight on the King's behalf. As the news spread, many people, both old and young, joined the King's forces to fight with Their Lordships. However, as they went, the King was filled with some doubts whether Their Lordships were really going with him. While the King and his army went onward, far ahead were two soldiers that rode on one black horse and one white horse. They stopped to quench Their thirst at a small village near Chilika Lake by buying some yogurt from a devotee named Manika. She offered Them yogurt, but when she asked for payment, they said They had no money. Instead They gave her a jeweled ring and told her to give it to King Purusottama Dev, who would then give her payment. After some time, the King caught up to the lady, who flagged him down to give him the ring and asked for payment for the soldiers' drink. The king was shocked to see the <i>ratnamudrika ring of Lord Jagannath and then regained his confidence that, indeed, Their Lordships had certainly come with him. In payment for the ring, the king gave her the whole village, which is still named Manikapatna. After this the king and his troupes were victorious over King Sallwo, and he also took King Sallwo's daughter as well. However, he did not marry her after the insult her father had given him. He instructed his minister to see that she get married to a qualified sweeper. After one year, at the next Ratha-Yatra, the King again performed his sweeping ceremony. At that time, the king's minister announced that the king was the most qualified sweeper, since he swept for Lord Jagannath, and that the princess, Padmavati, should marry him. Then Maharaja Purusottama Dev married the princess and she later gave birth to a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, who became known as King Prataparudra. Anyway, at some point after this, the King of Puri discontinued sweeping the streets and now sweeps the carts. The festival parade also used to start in the morning and then stop at noon near the Jagannath Vallabha Gardens where the Deities would get offerings of food, worship, etc., from the many devotees. There would also be many groups of people singing devotional songs, and though you will still see some people in <i>kirtana groups, there were very few in 1991, while there were several big <i>kirtana parties in 2001, including a large one consisting of the devotees from the Iskcon temple in Mumbai (Bombay). After the King has swept the carts, they quickly begin to disassemble the gangplanks that lead up to the cart and begin to fasten the wooden horses that point the direction. Many thousands of devotees surround the carts and the people in the front take up the long, thick ropes to pull the chariots down the main road to the Gundicha temple, where the Deities stay for a week. Then the leaders on the carts that ride near the wooden horses direct those who are pulling the ropes to take up the slack. When everything is ready, a whistle is blown by the chariot driver and a hundred people on each of four ropes begin to pull. Then the numerous priests and assistants on the carts that ride along begin to bang on the gongs and cymbals, and suddenly the cart lurches forward and begins to move. Once the carts get going, you mostly hear the spectators simply shout out, "Jayo, Jai Jagannath," and raise their hands in the air and watch the cart go by. Many police have to guard the chariot wheels to make sure no one gets too close and is crushed under them. In 1991 it was after five o'clock before Lord Balarama's cart got started and loudly rumbled down the road and soon reached the Gundicha temple. In 2001 it started by about 10:30 AM or so. Subhadra's cart began to move a while later. Lord Jagannath's cart did not get started until after six o'clock in 1991, which was quite late, but got started by 11 AM in 2001. However, both times it did not make it to the Gundicha temple until the next day. The people pulled it about two-thirds of the way before it almost ran into some shops on the side of the road. So Lord Jagannath spent the night wherever the cart had stopped. The following morning the people redirect the cart and continued with the Ratha-Yatra to finish pulling it to the Gundicha temple about two miles down the road from the main temple where the Deities stay for a week before returning to the temple in a similar parade. Sometimes the chariots mysteriously stop, though everyone is pulling hard. In fact, it is not unusual, as in the case of this festival, that a chariot may stop completely and stay there overnight and then continue the next day. Sometimes if there is difficulty, the local government minister will pray to Lord Jagannath for forgiveness from whatever offenses the residents of the town may have committed. Then the chariots begin to move again as if they move only by the will of Jagannath. The parade is a fascinating event in which to participate and see. But when the chariots get rolling, the crowd gets very intense. You either have to get out of the way to let them by, or struggle, as you get pushed this way and that, to move with the crowd as it goes with the cart. Many people try to pull the ropes and it is not easy, and can be dangerous, to get a place nearby. The Deities spend the first two nights on the carts outside the Gundicha temple, or wherever else They may be if They do not make it there the first night. During this time, pilgrims can climb up on the carts and see the Deities very closely and even embrace Them. But the priests are quick to charge everyone a certain number of rupees for this opportunity, which makes for a very good business for the priests. When I climbed a cart and was about to give a "donation," as many as five of the attendants grabbed the money at once before I let go of it. And when I did not let go of it right away, they started to get very angry. This was after I had been assured that I could climb the cart to see the Deity of Lady Subhadra and there would be no charge, and I would also be allowed to take a photograph. I indeed was allowed to see Lady Subhadra and even embrace Her, which is a rare event for any pilgrim, what to speak of a Westerner. But after I had given my donation, I took out my camera to take a photograph and a guard immediately came over and objected and ordered me to get down off the cart. So that brought an abrupt end to the episode. Nonetheless, if one can overcome this businesslike atmosphere, it can still be a very devotional and memorable event. And you can also go up on the carts of Lord Jagannath and Lord Balarama as well, if you can handle the crowds and the many priests who ask for donations, or who want to direct people, sometimes forcefully with the use of sticks. Some people simply stay on the ground and offer prayers and small ghee lamps from a distance. Others climb all three carts to get the personal <i>darshan of all three Deities. The Deities are then taken inside the Gundicha temple only on the third night. After the Deities' stay at the Gundicha temple, They return a week later to the main temple in a similar parade that is attended by fewer people. This can be a time when you can get much closer to the carts and walk more easily with the parade, providing you have time to stay in Puri for this event. Again, the Deities come out of the Gundicha temple as before and are placed on the carts with much fanfare from the devotees. Then again the King of Puri comes to cleanse the carts, and shortly thereafter the carts are ready to be pulled in a most festive parade back to the main temple. The return trip usually happens all in one day. However, again the Deities stay outside on the carts for two nights, allowing everyone who wants to climb up on the cart for a close <i>darshan. Then on the third night there is the Suna Vesa festival in which the Deities are dressed in gold outfits. Again, the city becomes extremely crowded as people want to see the Deities in the golden ornaments. These include gold crowns, hands and feet, golden peacock feather, gold earrings, different golden necklaces, and ornaments such as a silver conch and gold disk for Lord Jagannath and golden club and plow for Lord Balarama. These are all solid gold, and all together weigh up to one ton. No one is allowed on the carts for the gold festival except for the intimate servants of the Deities. The way the crowd works for this festival is that they approach the carts from the main road. The closer to the carts you get, the thicker the crowd becomes. You are then directed by numerous police to walk with the crowd around the front of the carts and then down a side street. The police will also not let you stop along the lanes, but make sure everyone keeps moving. As you walk, you can then look toward the Deities to see Them in Their unique gold ornaments. They look especially powerful dressed as They are like this. Your <i>darshan is only as long as it takes for the crowd to move, and then you must continue on, or come back around again, all of which can take an hour to make it through the crowds. Then as you come back around, the street is divided into two lanes, one for those approaching the carts and the other for those leaving. So you have to continue a ways away before you can begin to come back around. Getting directly in front of each of the carts is the only way you can have a direct line of sight toward the Deity during this event. After this, the Deities stay on the carts one more day and are then taken into the main temple the following evening, as They were when taken into the Gundich temple. Then the Ratha-Yatra festival is completely finished until next year.&nbsp;The Internal Meaning of the Ratha-Yatra Festival&nbsp;The meaning of the Ratha-Yatra parade is steeped in religious sentiment. The form that Lord Krishna takes as Jagannath is the manifestation of His ecstasy that He feels when He leaves the opulence of His palaces in Dwaraka, represented by the Puri temple, to return to the town of Vrindavan and the simple and pure spontaneous love the residents there have for Him. Thus, there is no difference between Lord Krishna and Lord Jagannath. So in the mood of separation from His loving devotees, Jagannath mounts His chariot and returns to Vrindavan, which is symbolically represented by the Gundicha temple. In this way, the esoteric meaning of the Ratha-Yatra parade is that we pull the Lord back into our hearts and rekindle the loving relationship we have with Him. Many great poems and songs, such as <i>Jagannath-astakam, have been composed describing the event and the highly ecstatic devotional mood one can enter while participating. Many verses are also written in the <i>Caitanya-caritamrita that describe the pastimes Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had during these Ratha-Yatra festivals 500 years ago.To explain the internal meaning of Ratha-Yatra further, Lord Jagannath is the embodiment of Lord Krishna's love for Srimate Radharani. While Lord Krishna was living in Dwaraka, he felt great separation from Radharani and the residents of Vrindavana. On the day of one solar eclipse, He traveled to Kuruksetra with His brother Balarama and His sister Subhadra on His chariot. There He met Srimate Radharani and other residents of Vrindavana, all of which wanted to take the Lord back to Vrindavana. While traveling and thinking of this meeting, He entered <i>mahabhava, the highest sentiments of loving exchange. In that state, His eyes dilated like fully bloomed lotuses, and His hands and legs retreated into His body. In this way, the form of Lord Jagannath is called <i>radha-viraha-vidhura, the separation from Radharani, and also <i>mahabhava-prakasha, the manifestation of <i>mahabhava for Radharani. Lord Caitanya was the embodiment of Srimate Radharani's love for Lord Krishna. So Lord Caitanya taking Lord Jagannath from the main temple to the Gundicha corresponds to Srimate Radharani's wanting to take Lord Krishna from Dwaraka back to Vrindavana, the place of spontaneous and ecstatic love of God. It is also explained that by participating in this festival, chanting and dancing, or helping pull the ropes of the chariots, one becomes free of many lifetimes of <i>karma. One can even become liberated due to the spiritual potency of Lord Jagannath's presence. One of the ways this happens is explained as follows: at the very end of one's life when the memories of his activities pass through the mind, when he remembers the amazing Ratha-Yatra festival his mind stops and focuses on that event. Thus, he dies thinking of Lord Jagannath and is liberated from material existence and returns to the spiritual world, just like a yogi is transferred to the spiritual strata when his mind is fixed on the Supersoul at the time of death. This is why thousands of pilgrims come to Jagannath Puri every year for Ratha-Yatra.&nbsp;Other Places of Spiritual Importance in Jagannath Puri&nbsp;While in Jagannath Puri, there are many other places of interest that pilgrims come to see, so I will describe a few of these. About a quarter mile from the Jagannath temple, walking toward the beach, is Siddha Bakula. This is where, 500 years ago, the great saint Haridas Thakur used to live and chant the Hare Krishna <i>mantra 300,000 times a day and where Sri Caitanya would visit him. Since Haridas could not enter the Jagannath Temple, being of a Muslim family, Lord Caitanya took the stick He had used as His toothbrush and stuck it in the ground. It immediately grew into a beautiful shade tree, under which Haridas Thakur lived. Sanatana Gosvami had also stayed here for a time as well.Haridas attained such an elevated position of ecstasy from chanting the Hare Krishna <i>mantra that even though a beautiful prostitute came to tempt him with sex, he was not interested. Thus, he is called the <i>namacarya: the master of chanting the holy names. In 1991, a small shrine was found here, along with the old and bent tree under which Haridas would chant. However, since then, as found in 2001, there is a nice temple and plenty of walled protection for the tree at this place. The tomb of Haridas Thakur, where you'll also see beautiful Radha Krishna Deities as well as an image of Haridas, is located next to Purusottama Gaudiya Math near the beach. This is an important place of pilgrimage. A 15 minute walk from here is the temple of Tota-Gopinatha. The Radha Krishna Deities here are especially beautiful, and it is accepted that Sri Caitanya ended his life by entering into the Deity of Tota-Gopinatha. Also near this area is the old house of Kashi Mishra. It is now used as part of a temple and has nice diorama exhibits of Sri Caitanya's life. It is here we find the Gambhira room, which is where Sri Caitanya lived for 12 years. Through a small window you can see Sri Caitanya's original wooden sandals, water pot, and bed. A short walk to the east of the Jagannath temple is the Gaudiya Math temple and the place where Srila Bhaktisiddhanta took birth. A little farther east is the Jagannath Vallabha Garden, which is almost across from the Balagandhi temple which used to be where Lord Jagannath would stop during His Ratha-Yatra parade to accept food offerings from all the devotees. At this garden, Sri Caitanya had many pastimes and is where He saw Lord Krishna manifest Himself. A little ways away from the garden is Narendra Sarovara, a small lake where many festivals have taken place with Sri Caitanya and his associates. Even now many pilgrims will visit and take a holy bath in this lake. The Govinda Deity from the Jagannath temple is brought here for festivals where He is given boat rides. There is also a little temple with Lord Jagannath Deities located here. So if foreigners want to see Lord Jagannath they can usually come here for <i>darshan, unless it is during the Ratha-Yatra festival. Farther down the main road of town near the Gundicha Mandir is the very old temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha, which we can enter to view the Deity. This is also where Sri Caitanya engaged in many <i>kirtanas with his close associates. Not far away is Indradyumna Lake where Sri Caitanya once manifested His Mahavishnu form showing His associates His supernatural qualities as an incarnation of God. About 14 miles from Jagannath Puri is the Alarnatha temple at Brahmagiri. Lord Alarnatha is a four-handed form of Lord Vishnu. Whenever the Jagannath Deities in Puri would be removed from the altar before the Ratha-Yatra festival for two weeks, Sri Caitanya would stay here. This is a temple where, at the end of the <i>kirtana hall in front of a Deity of Sadbhuja, there is a large stone slab with the imprint of Sri Caitanya's body. Once when He fell onto the stone in an ecstatic trance, the stone melted leaving the imprint of Sri Caitanya's body as we find it today. Across from the Alarnatha temple is another Gaudiya-Math temple that was established by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. It is also here where we find the small Alarnatha Deity that was uncovered during excavations around the main Alarnatha temple. However, once when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was staying at his temple, the priest at the Alarnatha shrine had a dream in which the Lord came to him and said that He wanted to accept the worship of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. Then the priest brought the small Alarnatha Deity to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta who worshiped Him, and where the Deity has remained since then. Also in this town of Bentapur we can see the birthplace of Ramananda Raya, a close associate of Sri Caitanya. Nineteen miles north of Jagannath Puri is Konarka, a most interesting temple to Surya, the sun-god. Although it is very old and no longer used for worship, many people come here every day. A Surya temple was here as long ago as the 9th century, but the present temple was built in the 13th century to resemble a huge chariot and has 24 gigantic stone wheels all around it. There are also carvings of seven strong horses who pull the chariot, and the temple is covered with many panels of stone figures depicting many aspects of life, such as scenes with hunters, soldiers, ascetics, maidens, birds, elephants, etc. There are also three green chlorite deities of Surya in niches on the outside of the temple, reached by ascending flights of stairs. The interior has been filled in and blocked up to help support it. Outside the temple grounds are many shops who sell food or the usual gamut of nick-nacks. About six miles from Puri is the Saksi-gopala temple, located between the Jagannath Puri and Khurda Road Junction railway stations. A new station called Saksi-gopala is there where people get off to visit the temple. The Saksi-gopala Deity is the Gopala Deity who walked from Vrindavan to Vidyanagara, a town located 20 to 25 miles from Rajahmundry on the banks of the Godavari River. How this happened was that two brahmanas were traveling and visiting the holy places. One was poor and young and was serving the older and richer brahmana. The older one was so satisfied with the charitable service of the younger brahmana that he vowed in front of the Gopala Deity that he would give his daughter to the younger brahmana to be his wife. Later, when they returned home, the older brahmana hesitated to fulfill his promise due to pressure from his family. There was some controversy about this between the two brahmanas and in a meeting with the people of the town it was agreed that if the Deity Gopala would come to testify as a witness, the older brahmana would give his daughter as promised. The younger brahmana went back to Vrindavan and related the situation to the Gopala Deity who finally agreed to walk. He told the brahmana that He would follow him and that the sound of His ankle bells would indicate He was there, but if the brahmana turned around to look, He would walk no farther. So for 100 days they walked toward Vidyanagara, then the sound of the Deity's ankle bells ceased to sound. The brahmana looked back and the Deity was standing there smiling. The brahmana went to gather the people of the town who were amazed to see the Deity. Then the older brahmana agreed to give his daughter in marriage as promised and a temple was built for the Deity. Later the King of Orissa, Purusottama, was insulted by the King of Kataka (Cuttack). So Purusottama fought and defeated the King of Kataka and took charge of the city. He then brought the Gopalaji Deity from Vidyanagara to Kataka and built a temple there. The Deity also stayed in the Jagannath Temple for some time, but then was moved to a village about six miles from Puri, called Satyavadi. Some time after that a new temple was constructed where we find the Saksi-gopala Deity today. Though the temple does not allow foreigners inside, many people visit this temple with the understanding that whether the Supreme is in the spiritual realm or expands Himself in the material realm in the form of a stone Deity, He can change what is spiritual into material and vice versa whenever He wants. This is why a stone Deity can do what is considered
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/8/1236523620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/8/1236523620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/8/1236523620/tpod.html Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:48:45 -0400 Lord buddha

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Nalanda, India

GAYA: <img alt="Budha" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/budha.jpg"> <img alt="Up Map" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/UP_map.jpg"> Gaya derives its name from the mythological demon Gayasur (which literally means Gaya the holy demon), demon (asur, a Sanskrit word) and Gaya. Lord Vishnu killed Gayasur, the holy demon by using the pressure of his foot over him. This incident transformed Gayasur into the series of rocky hills that make up the landscape of the Gaya city. Gaya was so holy that he had the power to absolve the sins of those who touched him or looked at him; after his death many people have flocked to Gaya to perform shraddha sacrifices on his body to absolve the sins of their ancestors. The most popular temple today is Vishnupad Temple, a place along the Falgu River, marked by a footprint of Vishnu incised into a block of basalt that marks the act of Lord Vishnu subduing Gayasur by placing his foot on Gayasurs chest. Buddhist tradition regards the footstep in the Vishnupad Temple as a footstep of Buddha. For Buddhists, Gaya is an important pilgrimage place because it was at Brahmayoni hill that Buddha preached the Fire Sermon (Adittapariyaya Sutta) to one thousand former fire-worshipping ascetics, who all became enlightened while listening to this discourse. At that time, the hill was called Gayasisa. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> BODHGAYA <img height="200" alt="Bodhgaya" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/bodhgaya.jpg" width="150"> <img alt="Up Map" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/UP_map.jpg"> According to Buddhist traditions, 500 BC Prince Gautama Siddhartha, wandering as a monk, reached the sylvan banks of Falgu River, near the city of Gaya. There he sat in meditation under a bodhi tree. After three days and three nights of meditation, Siddhartha attained enlightenment and insight, and the answers that he had sought. He then spent seven weeks at seven different spots in the vicinity meditating and considering his experience. After seven weeks, he traveled to Sarnath, where he began teaching Buddhism.Disciples of Gautama Siddhartha began to visit the place where he had gained enlightenment during the full moon in the month of Vaisakh (April-May), as per the Hindu calendar. Over time, the place became known as Bodhgaya, the day of enlightenment as Buddha Purnima, and the tree as the Bodhi Tree.As the place of the Buddhas Enlightenment, Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of Buddhists. Located in Bihar, 115 kms from Patna, the land is rich and fertile, dotted with green fields and watered by the river Phalgu - the same ancient Nairanjana River where the Buddha bathed after attaining enlightenment. A range of low forested hills silhouette the small hamlets flanking the glistening, sandy banks of the river. Monks and nuns rub shoulders with tourists and believers from all over the world. An all-pervading calm envelops the town, giving visitors a sense of peace. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> RAJGIR <img height="200" alt="Rajgir" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/RAJGIR.jpg" width="150"> <img height="200" alt="Rajgir Map" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/RAJGIR_map.jpg" width="348"> The meandering river Banganga and five hills ensconce picturesque Rajgir, ancient Rajgriha (literally, the abode of kings). During the lifetime of the Buddha this was the capital of the powerful Magadhan kingdom, ruled by the virtuous king Bimbisara. Like many others in search of Truth, Prince Siddhartha, after he renounced his royal heritage came to this city to seek the path of salvation. Later, he overwhelmed the citizens of Rajagriha with his serenity and grace and converted King Bimbisara of Magadha and countless others to his religion. The hills and caves surrounding Rajagriha were home to spiritual teachers, ranging from the materialism of the early Charavaka School to the metaphysics of Upanishadic philosophers. In fact the first Buddhist council after the Buddha was hosted here at the Saptaparni caves. It was Rajgir which saw Gautam Buddha spending several months meditating, and preaching at Griddhkuta, ('Hill of the Vultures'). He also delivered some of his famous sermons. The rich merchant community here soon became the Buddhas followers and built many structures of typical Buddhist architecture. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> NALANDA <img height="200" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/nalanda.jpg" width="150"> <img height="200" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/nalanda_map.jpg" width="293"> Nalanda -the most renowned university in ancient India derived its name from Na-alam-da, meaning Insatiable in Giving, one of the names by which the Lord Buddha was known. Nalanda was one of the worlds first residential universities, i.e., it had dormitories for students. In its heyday it accommodated over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. The university was considered an architectural masterpiece, and was marked by a lofty wall and one gate. The subjects taught at Nalanda University covered every field of learning, and it attracted pupils and scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey. The Buddha is mentioned as having several times stayed at Nalanda. When he visited Nalanda he would usually reside in Pavarikas mango grove, and while there he had discussions with Upali-Gahapati and Dighatapassi[, with Kevatta, and also several conversations with Asibandhakaputta. The Buddha visited Nalanda during his last tour through Magadha, and it was there that Sariputta uttered his "lions roar, affirming his faith in the Buddha, shortly before his death. Also, Nalanda was the residence of Sonnadinna. Mahavira is several times mentioned as staying at Nalanda, which was evidently a centre of activity of the Jains.<img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> VARANASI <img height="200" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/Varanasi.jpg" width="150"> <img height="200" alt="Varanasi Map" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/varanasi-1.jpg" width="348"> The city of Varanasi is situated along the west bank of the Ganges in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Called Benaras by the British, Varanasi is a holy city in Hinduism, being one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for Hindus of all denominations. More than 1,000,000 pilgrims visit the city each year. The city finds mention in the great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The renowned American novelist Mark Twain once wrote, " Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together." It has the holy shrine of Lord Kashi Vishwanath (a manifestation of Lord Shiva), and also one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. According to mythology, Lord Shiva once in fact lived in Kashi ( Varanasi ). Hindus believe that bathing in Ganga remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a persons soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Varanasi is one of the holiest places in Buddhism too. It was believed that over twenty-five centuries ago, a sage travelled 200 kms from Bodhgaya, where he had attained Nirvana to reach the ghats of Varanasi of Kashi as it was then called. The city had seen saffron clad spiritual teachers before him, who came here, drawn by its magnetic, inexplicable spiritual power. The Sage was looking for five Hindu ascetics, old companions from whom he had parted, because they had insisted that the only path to salvation was through self-mortification. The Buddha found them at Rishipattana, the Deer park near Kashi, and gave them the gift of the spiritual knowledge which he had attained since he parted with them, and they became his first followers, and the first members of the Sangha. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> SARNATH <img height="200" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/SARNATH.jpg" width="150"> <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/SARNATH-1.jpg"> Sarnath is located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, India . It Sarnath (also Mrigadava, Migadaya, Rishipattana, Isipatana) is the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Gautama Buddha started teaching not to debate but for the advantage of and out of compassion for human beings. He explained the middle way which avoids extremes, the Four Noble Truths, and prescribed the Eight-fold path. There are remains dating as far back as the 3rd century B.C. when Emperor Ashoka founded various institutions, stupas, monasteries and pillar edicts. The runs at Sarnath and the art collection in the Archaeological Museum are representations/ examples of the glorious past of Sarnath. Archaeological remains are open from Sunrise to Sunset. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> GORAKHPUR <img height="148" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/GORAKHPUR.jpg" width="150"> <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/GORAKHPUR-1.jpg"> Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is famous as a religious centre: the city was home to Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Sikh saints and is named after the medieval saint Gorakshanath. The city is also home to many historic Buddhist sites. Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism, renounced his princely clothing at the confluence of the rivers Rapti and Rohini, near Gorakhpur , before setting out on his quest of truth in 600 BC. The city is also associated with the travels of Lord Buddhas contemporary Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> KUSHINAGAR <img height="148" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/KUSHINAGAR.jpg" width="150"> <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/KUSHINAGAR-1.jpg"> At this location, near the Hiranyavati River, Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana (or Final Nirvana) after falling ill from eating a meal of a species of mushroom. It is said that the Buddha had three reasons for coming to Kusinárá to die:1. Because it was the proper venue for the preaching of the Mahá-Sudassana Sutta; 2. Because Subhadda would visit him there and, after listening to his sermon, would develop meditation and become an arahant while the Buddha was still alive; and 3. Because the brahman Doha would be there, after the Buddhas death, to solve the problem of the distribution of his relics.As the scene of his death, Kusinara became one of the four holy places declared by the Buddha (in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta) to be fit places of pilgrimage for the pious, the other three being Kapilavatthu, Buddhagaya and Isipatana. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> LUMBINI (NEPAL) <img height="148" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/LUMBINI.jpg" width="150"> <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/LUMBINI-1.jpg"> Lumbini (meaning "the lovely") is a Buddhist pilgrimage site located in Rupandehi District, Lumbini Zone of Nepal, near the Indian border. It is the place where Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who later became a Buddha (Gautama Buddha), and founded the religion of Buddhism. Gautama Buddha lived between approximately 563 BCE and 483 BCE. For Buddhists, this is one of the four main pilgrimage sites based around the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Bodhgaya, and Sarnath.Lumbini is located 25 km east of the municipality of Kapilavastu, the place where the Buddha grew up and lived up to the age of 29. Kapilvastu is the name of place as well as the neighbouring district. Lumbini has various Buddhist temples including the Mayadevi temple. There is also the Puskarini pond and remains of Kapilvastu palace in Lumbini. There are other sites near Lumbini where, according to Buddhist tradition, previous Buddhas were born and achieved enlightenment and died. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> SRAVASTI <img height="148" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/SRAVASTI.jpg" width="150"> <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/SRAVASTI-1.jpg"> Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala , has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens . The city believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, has age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here.This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the one, said to have been planted by Buddhas main disciple. Another famous incident in Sravasti was - during the time of Sakyamuni, Sudatta, a rich and pious merchant, lived in Sravasti. While on a visit to Rajgir, he heard the Buddhas sermon and decided to become the Lords disciple. But he was caught in dilemma and asked the Lord whether he could become a follower without forsaking worldly life. To his query, the Master replied that it was enough that he followed his vocation in a righteous manner. <img alt="Top" src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/top_icon.gif" border="0"> AGRA <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/TAJ.jpg"> <img src="http://www.railtourismindia.com/ttrs/buddha/images/AGRA.jpg"> Agras Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of Shah Jahans favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New 7 Wonders of the world, and one of three World Heritage Sites in Agra, the others being Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Completed in 1653 A.D., the Taj Mahal is believed to be built by the Mughal Badshah (king) Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumtaz. Finished in marble, it is perhaps Indias most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewellers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa, the Taj Mahal is on the bank of the Yamuna River . It can be observed like a mirage from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is a masterpiece of symmetry, seeming to be floating in the air from a distance, and each revealed as an illusion experienced as one enters through the main gate. Verses of the Holy Koran are inscribed on it and at the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to build. The Taj Mahal was built on a marble platform that stands above a sandstone one. The most elegant dome of the Taj, with a diameter of 60 feet, rises 80 feet over the building and directly under the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahans tomb was erected next to hers by his son Aurangzeb. Fantastic inlay works using semi-precious stones decorate the interiors.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/13/1236273660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/13/1236273660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/13/1236273660/tpod.html Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:23:07 -0500 Khatu shyam

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khatu, India

In Hinduism, Khatushyamji is a name and manifestation of Barbarika, son of Ghatotkacha. This manifestation is especially popular in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The original Sanskrit name <i>Barbarîka is often replaced in Rajasthan by the Hindi version, <i>Barbarîk, often written as <i>Barbareek.Barbarika had obtained a boon from Krishna to the effect that he would be known by Krishna's own name (<i>Shyam) in the Kaliyuga era (presently ongoing) and worshipped. Krishna had declared that Barbarika's devotees would be blessed just by pronouncing his name from the bottom of their hearts. Their wishes would be granted and troubles removed if they worship Shyamji (Barbarika) with a true piety.The saga of BarbarikaThe saga of Shyam Baba begins with the Mahâbhârata. Barbarika was a grandson of Bhima, Second of the Pandava brothers. He was the son of Ghatotkacha, son of Bhima, by his wife Nagakanya Ahilawati. Even in his childhood, Barbarika was very brave warrior. He learnt the art of warfare from his mother. { Matha Siddambika gave the three arrows to Barbarika } Shiva, pleased with him, gave him the three infallible arrows (<i>Teen Baan). Hence, Barbarika came to be known by the appellation <i>Teen Baandhaari, the 'Bearer of Three Arrows.' Later, Agni (the God of Fire) gave him the Bow that would make him victorious in the three worlds.When Barbarika learnt that battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas had become inevitable, he wanted to witness what was to be the Mahâbhârata War. He promised his mother that if he felt the urge to participate in the battle, he would join the side which would be losing. He rode to the field on his Blue Horse (<i>Neela Ghoda) equipped with his three arrows and bow.Krishna tests BarbarikaThe omnipresent Krishna, disguised as a Brahmin, stopped Barbarika to examine his strength. He baited Barbarika by mocking him for going to the great battle with only three arrows. On this, Barbarika replied that a single arrow was enough to destroy all his opponents in the war, and it would then return to his quiver. He stated that, the first arrow is used to mark all the things that he wants to destroy. On releasing the third arrow, it would destroy all the things that are marked and will then return to his quiver. If he uses the second arrow, then the second arrow will mark all the things that he wants to save. On using the third arrow, it will destroy all the things that are not marked. Hence, he had such a phenomenal power that with first (second) arrow, he can mark all the things that he wants to destroy (save) and with the third arrow, he can destroy all that are marked (unmarked) in a fraction of a second.Krishna then challenges him to tie all the leaves of the peepal tree under which he was standing, with these arrows. Barbarika accepts the challenge and meditates to release his arrow by closing his eyes. Then, Krishna without the knowledge of Barbarik, plucks one of the leaf of the tree and puts it under his foot. When, Barbarik releases his first arrow, it marks all the leaves of the tree and finally starts revolving around the leg of Krishna. For this Krishna asks Barbarik, "why is your arrow revolving around my foot?" For this Barbareek replies that there must be a leaf under his foot and the arrow was targetting his foot to mark the leaf that is hidden under him. Barbareek advises Krishna to lift his leg, since, otherwise the arrow will mark the leaf by pricking Krishna's leg. Thus, Krishna lifts his foot and to his surprise, finds that the first arrow also marks the leaf that was hidden under his foot. Of course, the 3rd arrow does collect all the leaves (including the one under Krishna's foot) and ties them together. By this Krishna concludes that the arrows are so infallible (never miss their target), that even if Barbarik is not aware of his targets, the arrows have such an intrinsic magical power that they can still navigate and trace all his intended targets. The moral of this incident is that, in a real battle field, if Krishna wants to isolate some one, to avoid them from being Barbareek's victim, then Krishna will not be successful as the arrows can still trace the target and destroy them. Thus Krishna gets a deeper insight about Barbarik's phenomenal power.Krishna then asks the boy, "whom will you favour in the war?" Barbarika reveals that he intends to fight for the side whichever is weak. As Pandavas have only 7 Akshouni army, when compared to Kauravas 11, he considers that Pandavas are weak and hence wants to support them so that Pandavas will become victrious. But Krishna asks him, "Did you seriously think of the consequence before giving such a word to your mother?". Barbarik guesses that his support to the weaker side will make them victorious. Then, Krishna reveals the actual consequence of his word to his mother: Krishna tells that whichever side he supports will only make the other side weak due to his phenomenal power. Noboday will be able to defeat him. Hence, he is forced to change the side that has become weaker due to his word to his mother. Thus, in an actual war, he will keep oscillating between the two sides, there by destroying the entire army of both sides and eventually only he remains. Subsequently, none of the side is victrious as he is the only lone survivor. Further the arrows don't even spare Krishna himself. Hence, Krishna avoids his participation from the war by seeking his head as Gurudakshina (See below).Recurrence relationBarbareek's word to support the weak side with his enormous power actually leads to what is called Recurrence_relation in Mathematics. The fact that this leads to destruction of the entire army of both sides in an oscillatory way is called iteration in mathematics. Hence, Krishna who discovers the serious flaw in Barbareek's word is simply a genius.&nbsp;Barbarika's act of charityThe Brahmin (Krishna) then sought charity from the warrior. Barbarika promised him anything he wished. Krishna asked him to give his head in charity. Barbarika was shocked. Perceiving that all was not as it appeared, he requested the Brahmin to disclose his real identity. Krishna showed Barbarika a vision of His Divine Form and Barbarika was thus graced. Krishna then explained to him that before a battle, the head of the bravest Kshatriya needs to be sacrificed, in order to worship/sanctify the battlefield. Krishna said that he considered Barbarika to be the bravest among Kshatriyas, and was hence asking for his head in charity. In fulfilment of his promise, and in compliance with the Lord's command, Barbarika gave his head to Krishna in charity. This happened on the 12th day of the <i>Shukla Paksha (bright half) of the month of Phalguna.Krishna, pleased with Barbarika's great sacrifice, granted him the boon that when Kaliyuga descends, he would be worshipped by the name of Shyam in his form. His devotees would be blessed just by pronouncing his name from the bottom of their hearts.This act of donating his head to Krishna was similar to Karna giving his Kavacha kundal to Lord Indira; It is similar to Ekalavya giving his right hand thumb to Dronacharya. Krishna seeks this from Barbarik as guru dakshina, as it was Krishna who first guided him to a guru named Vijay sindh from whom he attained this phenomenal power.Bearing witness to the warBefore decapitating himself, Barbarika told Krishna of his great desire to view the forthcoming battle, and requested him to facilitate it. Krishna agreed, and placed the head atop a hill overlooking the battlefield. From the hill, the head of Barbarika watched the whole battle.At the end of the battle, the victorious Pandava brothers argued amongst themselves as to who was responsible for the victory. Krishna suggested that Barbarika's head, which had watched the whole battle, should be allowed to judge. Barbarika's head suggested that it was Krishna alone who was responsible for the victory: his advice, his presence, his gameplan had been crucial. Barbarika's head said that he had seen the <i>Sudarshana Chakra revolving around the battlefield, hacking the Kaurava army to pieces; and Draupadi, assuming the fearful form of Mahakali Durga, drinking bowl after bowl of blood without allowing even one drop of blood to fall on the earth.Barbareek and BhishmaBarbareek and Bhishma are the two interesting personalities with the following parallels:Barbareek without thinking about the consequence, gives a word to his mother (or guru vijay sindh) to support the side that is weak. This gives an ambiguity of whether to support good or bad. Similarly, Bhishma without thinking makes a vow (pratigna) that he will serve anyone who sits on his father's throne. This means he will continue to be loyal even if a bad guy sits on his father's throne. Thus in the end of Mahabharath war, Krishna points to Barbareek and Bhishma and states that without thinking about the consequence one should not give a word to someone; without thinking one should not make a vow.Hence, the purpose of Barbareek's birth was to convey the message to the world that "too much of anything is too bad." He had such a power that he can single handedly defeat an army of any size. But the power he possesed was not helping the rules of nature. Hence, to protect the nature, he had to get rid of that power himself. Nevertheless, Barbareek and Bhishma both were great devotees of Lord Krishna and Dharma. Hence, to make Pandavas victorious, Barbareek gives up his head in charity; Bhishma openly declears to Duryodhana that he will not kill any of the Pandavas.Other names of the deity

Barbarika: Khatushyamji's childhood name was Barbarika. His mother and relatives used to call him by this name before the name Khatushyamji was given by Shri Krishna. Sheesh Ke Daani: Literally: "Donor of Head"; As per the legend related above. Haare Ka Sahara: Literally: "Support of the defeated"; Upon his mother's advise, Barbarika resolved to support whoever has less power and is losing. Hence he is known by this name. Teen BaaN Dhaari: Literally: "Bearer of three arrows"; Reference is to the three infallible arrows that he received as boon from God Shiva. These arrows were sufficient to destroy the whole world. The title written below these three arrows is <i>Maam Sevyam Parajitah. Lakha-datari: Literally: "The Munificent Giver"; One who never hesitates to give his devotees whatever they need and ask for. Leela ke Aswaar: Literally: "Rider of Leela"; Being the name of his blue-coloured horse. Many call it <i>Neela Ghoda or "blue horse." Khatu Naresh: Literally: "The King of Khatu"; One who rules Khatu and the whole universe. The templeAfter the Mahâbhârata battle, Barbarika's head was buried in the village of Khatu in present-day Rajasthan. The location was obscured until well after the <i>Kaliyuga period began. Then, on one occasion, milk started flowing spontaneously out of a cow's udder when she neared the burial spot. Amazed at this incident, the local villagers dug the place up and the buried head was revealed. The head was handed over to a Brahmin who worshipped it for many days, awaiting divine revelations as to what was to be done next. Roopsingh Chauhan, king of Khatu, then had a dream where he was inspired to build a temple and install the head therein. Subsequently, a temple was built and the idol was installed on the 11th day of the <i>Shukla Paksha (bright half) of the month of Kartik.There is another, only slightly different version of this legend. Roopsingh Chauhan was the ruler of Khatu. His wife, Narmada Kanwar, once had a dream in which the deity instructed her to take his image out of the earth. The indicated place (now known as <i>Shyam Kund) when then dug up. Sure enough, it yielded the idol, which was duly enshrined in the temple.The original temple was built in 1027 AD by Roopsingh Chauhan and his wife Narmada Kanwar. In 1720 AD, a nobleman known as Diwan Abhaisingh renovated the old temple, at the behest of the then ruler of Marwar. The temple took its present shape at this time and the idol was enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum. The idol is made of rare stone. Khatushyam is the family deity of a large number of families.Architectural featuresThe temple is architecturally rich. Lime mortar, marble and tiles have been used in constructing the structure. The shutters of the sanctum sanctorum are beautifully covered with silver sheet. Outside is the prayer hall, named <i>Jagmohan. The hall is large in size (measuring 12.3 m x 4.7 m) and its walls are elaborately painted, depicting mythological scenes. The entrance gate and exit gate are made of marble; their brackets are also of marble and feature ornamental floral designs.PrecinctsThere is an open space in front of the entrance gate of the temple. The <i>Shyam Bagicha is a garden near the temple from where flowers are picked to be offered to the deity. The Samadhi of Aloo Singh, a great devotee, is located within the garden.The Gopinath temple lies to the south-east of the main temple. The Gaurishankar temple also lies nearby. There is an interesting tale associated with the Gaurishankar temple. It is said that some soldiers of the mughal emperor Aurangzeb wanted to destroy this temple. They attacked the Shiva lingam enshrined within this temple with their spears. Immediately, fountains of blood appeared from the Shiva Linga. The soldiers ran away, terrified. One can still see the mark of the spear on the Lingam.Observances and festivalsBarbarika is worshipped as Shyam, being Krishna himself. Therefore, the flavour of the festivities reflects the playful and vibrant nature of Krishna. The festivals of Krishna Janmaashtami, <i>Jhool Jhulani Ekadashi, Holi and <i>Vasant Panchami are celebrated with gusto in the temple. The <i>Phalguna Mela detailed below is the principal annual festival.Hundreds of devotees visit the temple everyday. Newly married couples come to pay homage and newly born babies are brought to the temple for their <i>mundan (the first hair-shaving) ceremony. An elaborate Aarti is performed at the temple five times a day. These are:
Mangala Aarti: performed in the early morning, when temple is open. Shringaar Aarti: performed at the time of make-up of Baba Shyam. The idol is grandly ornamented for this Aarti. Bhog Aarti: performed at noon when <i>bhog (Prasadam) is served to the Lord. Sandhya Aarti: performed in the evening, at sunset. Sayana Aarti: performed in the night, when temple is closed. Two special hymns, the <i>Shri Shyam Aarti and the <i>Shri Shyam Vinati, are chanted on all these occasions. The <i>Shri Shyam mantra is another litany of the Lord's names that is chanted by devotees.Shukla Ekadashi &amp; Dwadashi: The 11th &amp; 12th days of the bright half of every month in the Hindu calendar is of special significance to the temple. This is because Barbarika was born on the 11th day of the bright half of the month of Kartika, and he donated his head (<i>"Sheesh") to Krishna on the 12th day of the bright half of the month of Phalguna. <i>Darshan on these two days is therefore considered auspicious and devotees come in their thousands every month. The temple remains open throughout the night that falls between these days. Night-long <i>Bhajan sessions are organised since devotees traditionally pass the night in singing the praises of the Lord. Devotees organise Bhajan programmes and invite Bhajan singers to sing devotional songs.Bathing in the Shyam Kund: This is the holy pond near the temple from which the idol was retrieved. It is believed that a dip in this pond cures a person from ailments and brings good health. Filled with devotional fervor, people take ritual dips in the <i>Shyam Kund. They believe that this will relieve them of diseases and contagion. Bathing during the annual Falgun Mela festival is deemed specially salutary.Nishan Yatra: It is believed that your wishes are granted if you offer a <i>Nishan at the temple. A <i>Nishan is a triangular flag of a particular size, made of cloth, which is hoisted on a bamboo stick. It is carried in one's hands while covering the route from the town of Ringas to Khatu (17 km) on foot. <i>Nishans are offered in their millions during the <i>Phalgun Mela.Phalguna Mela: The most important festival associated with the temple is the Phalguna Mela which occurs just 3-4 days before from the festival of Holi. Barbarika's head appeared on <i>Phalguna Shuddha Ekadashi, the 11th day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Phalguna. Therefore, the fair is held from the 9th to the 12th of that month.An estimated one million devotees visit the temple during these four days from all corners of the country. There is virtually no vacant space in the town during this period. There is celebration and festivity in the moods of the devotees who wait for hours in long serpentine queues for a moment's glance of the deity. The whole town, along with the temple, is illuminated. Singers across all over the country come here to perform Bhajans on this holy occasion. Special arrangements are made for feeding the devotees in almost all the <i>Dharamshalas and rest-houses. Special trains &amp; buses also ply during the mela. The government of Rajasthan takes care of the law and order during the fair.Administration and amenitiesThe Public Trust that has charge of the temple is registered under registration No. 3/86. A 7-member committee oversees the management of the temple. A number of <i>Dharmashalas (charity lodges) are available for their comfortable stay. The temple timings are as follows:
In winter (Ashvin bahula 1st to Chaitra shuddha 15th): 5.30 am - 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm - 9.00 pm. In summer (Vaishakha bahula 1st to Bhadrapada shuddha 15th): 4.30 am - 12.30 pm and 4.00 pm - 10.00 pm. The temple is open 24 hours a day on every <i>Shukla Paksha Ekadasi, ie., on the 11th day of the bright half of every month in the Hindu calendar. The temple is also open throughout the 3-day Phalgun Mela.&nbsp;
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Nalanda, India

NALANDANALANDA&nbsp;&nbsp;Another trip from Rajgir is to Nalanda. This small village and its surrounding area have numerous associations with the Buddha and his disciples. Sailo 3 kilometres south-west of Nalanda is where the Buddha met and converted Maha Kassapa, the man who was later to become his successor. A large statue of Kassapa with an inscription on it was found in the village in the early 1900's but unfortunately its whereabouts is now unknown. The village of Kul some 1.5 kilometres south-east of Nalanda is the Kolita of old and the birthplace of Moggalana, the second of the Buddha's two chief disciples. Nalanda itself was often visited by the Buddha during his numerous sojourns through Magadha and he taught several important discourses there.Established in the 5th century B.C. it remained a live center of learning till the 12th century A.D. when it was destroyed by the invader Bakhtiar Khilji. Lord Mahavira and the Buddha both taught here for years. Hsuan Tsang. the Chinese traveler studied here in the 7th century A.D. and there is a monument in his memory. He was one amongst many of those from East and Southeast Asia who came here to study logic, meta-physics, medicine, prose composition and rhetoric. The university of Nalanda offered free educational and residential facilities to as many as 10,000 students and 2000 teachers, for it was supported by a number of villages. Its library, Ratna Sagar, is believed to have contained nine million volumes. It is not surprising, then, that the destruction of this university dealt a crippling blow to Buddhist education in India.The Archaeological Survey of India maintains the Nalanda Museum across the road which houses some exquisite bronzes of the 9th and 10th centuries, Pala dynasty, and other remains excavated at the site. The beautiful Thai Temple and the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a centre for research in Pali and Buddhist studies, are 2 kms from the main site.Silence reigns supreme, gradually the early morning sun lifts the mantle of darkness in its golden light, the scores of ruined red brick buildings set amongst lush green lawns appear almost ethereal, These is no sign of life today except for a few curious visitors. But once the place throbbed with life, its corridors reverberated with eager voices engrossed in the pursuit of knowledge.Nalanda, the most renowned university in ancient India:It derived its name from Na-alam-da, meaning Insatiable in Giving, one of the names by which the Lord Buddha was known. Today it is identified with modern Baragaon village and is 90kms southeast of Patna and only 11kms from Rajgir. It is 80kms from Bodh Gaya and is easily accessible by well-maintained highways.The monastic university, Nalanda Mahavihara, was a magnificent architectural structure. An inscription of King Yashovarman of 7th century AD describes Nalanda as "rows of monasteries with their series of turrets licking the clouds."Sariputra - The disciple:The Buddha came to Nalanda often and stayed at Setthi Pavarika's mango grove. Two of Sakyamuni's chief disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, came from the vicinity of Nalanda. Sariputra, who was considered the foremost in wisdom and had a very important place in the Sangha, attained Nirvana here. Emperor Ashoka came to Nalanda to worship at the chaitya of Sariputra and built another temple over the existing shrine. Fa Hien mentions having seen this stupa.Nalanda - A world Heritage site:Excavations in the 1860s by Alexander Cunningham led to the discovery of the official seal with the inscriptions Sri Nalanda Magavihara Arya Bhikshu Sanghasya (Venerable Community of Monks in the Great Vihara of Sri Nalanda.)Nalanda is spread out over an area of 14 hectares and has the ruins of 11 monasteries and 5 temples. Stone paved pathways criss-cross the entire site. Sariputra's Stupa is the most imposing structure standing in the south, a few minutes walk from the main gate. This large stupa was built over the mortal remains of Sariputra. Its corner towers display niches holding well modelled stucco figures of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. A flight of steps leads to the shrine chamber which once housed a colossal image of Lord Buddha.The monastic remains show a number of small cells with wide verandahs in the front, set around open quadrangular courts. Each complex had a main shrine housing a large figure of the Buddha. Huge ovens were also excavated suggesting that there was a common kitchen for students.The Archaeological Survey of India maintains the Nalanda Museum across the road which houses some exquisite bronzes of the 9th and 10th centuries, Pala dynasty, and other remains excavated at the site.The beautiful Thai temple and the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a centre for research in Pali and Buddhist studies , are 2kms form the main site.&nbsp;VARANASI&nbsp;The city of Varanasi is situated along the west bank of the Ganges in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Called Benaras by the British, Varanasi is an important pilgrimage centre for the Hindus. The city finds mention in the great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. It was a flourishing trade center when Buddha came to Sarnath, about 10 kilometres away, to preach his first sermon in 500 BC. The renowned American novelist Mark Twain once wrote, "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together."Right from the ancient times, Varanasi has stood as a symbol of Hindu renaissance and preserved the rituals and traditions of Hindu philosophy. Down the ages, pilgrims from distant lands have come to Varanasi in search of divine blessings.Summers can be quite harsh in Varanasi with the temperatures going up to 45°C. The monsoon season, which starts by late June or early July, brings in the torrential rains and high humidity. Winters are quite pleasant with temperatures remaining at around 20°C in the day. However, the early part of the day can remain enveloped in the fog.Temples form the major source of attraction in this ancient city. The banks of the Ganges, considered to be a sacred river by the Hindus, are the centre of much of the religious activity that occurs in the city. The ghats built along the banks of the river for such religious activity also form a major source of attraction here. Some of the other interesting places to visit around the city are Alamgir Mosque, Durga Temple, Vishwanat Temple, Bharat Mata temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, Banaras Hindu University and the Archaeological Museum.Excursions around Varanasi get you further acquainted with the mystic religion of Hinduism besides presenting an insight into the Buddhism. A visit to Sarnath, Bodhgaya and Kushinagar puts you on the trail of Buddha from the period of his attaining enlightenment to his passing away. Allahabad and Ramnagar Fort are the other places around Varanasi that are worth a visit.&nbsp;&nbsp;SARNATH&nbsp;&nbsp;Sarnath, 10 km from Varanasi, where the Buddha preached his first sermon in the Deer Park, contains the most impressive remains, as well as a modem temple.The Dharmarajika, Chaukhandi and Dharnek stupas are outstanding. There are also the remains of a monastery, and the beautifully polished Lion Capital of Ashoka. Sarnath contains a rich library and at the Mula gandha Kutir Vihara there are excellent frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu. The Sarnath Museum, not far from the site, contains some of the finest specimens of Buddhist sculpture.At all centers of Buddhist worship, the Vaisakha (April-May) full moon is observed as the anniversary of three important events - the Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and death, while the Asadh (July - August) full moon is observed as the anniversary of his first sermon.All the 1,000 buddhas of this aeon, after demonstrating the attainment of enlightenment at Vajrasana, proceed to Sarnath to give the first turning of the wheel of Dharma. In like manner, Shakyamuni walked from Bodhgaya to Sarnath in order to meet the five ascetics who had left him earlier. Coming to the Ganges, he crossed it in one step, where King Ashoka later made Pataliputra his capital city. He entered Benares early one morning, made his alms round, bathed, ate his meal and, leaving by the east gate of the city, walked northwards to Rishipatana Mrigadava, the rishi's Deer Park.There are many legends about the origin of this name. Fa Hien says that the rishi was a pratyeka buddha who had dwelt there but, on hearing that the son of King Suddhodana was about to become a supreme buddha, entered nirvana. Others mention 500 pratyeka buddhas and Hsuan Chwang mentions a stupa marking the site of their nirvana.The name Deer Park derives from an occasion in one of Shakyamuni's former lives as a bodhisattva, when he was leading a herd of deer. After much indiscriminate plundering of the herd by a local king, an agreement was made with him that one of their number would be offered only when necessary. The turn came of a doe, who was shortly to give birth and wished to delay until then. The bodhisattva offered himself in her stead, which so impressed the king that he not only resolved to refrain from killing deer in future but gave the park to them as their own.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At this place the five ascetics had resumed their austere practices. When they saw the Buddha approaching, thinking him still to be the Gautama who had forsaken their path, they decided not to welcome him. Yet, as he neared they found themselves involuntarily rising and paying respect. Proclaiming that he was the Buddha, Shakyamuni assured them that the goal had been attained. Hsuan Chwang saw a large, dome-shaped stupa on this spot, where a large mound, probably its remains, surmounted by a muslim monument now, stands a short distance south of the park.During the first watch of the night the Buddha was silent, during the second he made a little conversation and at the third began the teaching. At the spot where all the buddhas first turn the wheel, 1,000 thrones appeared. Shakyamuni circumambulated those of the three previous buddhas and sat upon the fourth. Light radiated from his body, illuminating the 3,000 worlds, and the earth trembled. Brahma offered him a 1,000-spoked golden wheel, and Indra and other gods also made offerings, all imploring the Buddha to teach.Thus, inviting the gods and all who wished to hear, and saying that he spoke not for the purpose of debate but in order to help living beings gain control of their minds, Shakyamuni began the first turning of the wheel of Dharma. He taught the middle way, that avoids the extremes of pleasure and austerity, the four noble truths, and the eightfold path. Kaundmya was the first of the five ascetics to understand and realize the teaching; Ashvajit was the last. All eventually became arhants.The teachings included in the collection known as the first turning of the wheel, which began here, extended over a period of seven years. Other teachings, such as those on the Vinaya and on the practice of close placement of mindfulness, were given elsewhere, but the wheel was turned twelve times at Sarnath.From the time of the Buddha, monastic tradition flourished for over 1,500 years on the site of the Deer Park. Amongst the many ruins, archaeologists have found traces dating from as early as the third century B.C., and the existing inscription of Ashoka's pillar, dating from that time, implies that a monastery was already established during Ashoka's reign. Fa Hien speaks of two monasteries with monks in residence, while two centuries later Hsuan Chwang describes a mahavihara encompassing eight divisions. This contained a great temple with ornate balconies, over one hundred niches containing gilt images in its walls, and a statue of the Buddha in the teaching posture.The last monastery constructed before the muslim invasion, the Dharmachakra-jina vihara, was the largest of all. It was built by Kumaradevi, queen of King Govindachandra, who ruled in Benares from 1114-1154. Here a surviving fragment of stone inscription records that in 1058 a monk presented a gift copy of the Prajna-paramita Sutra to the monastery: evidence of mahayana activity at that time. The discovery in the area of ancient statues of Heruka and Arya Tara shows that vajrayana was also practised there.Formerly, two great stupas adorned the site. Only the Dhamekha remains, assigned by its inscription to the sixth century. The Dharmarajika stupa built by Ashoka, some say upon the very place of the teaching, was pulled down in the eighteenth century by Jagat Singh, who consigned the casket of relics contained within it to the Ganges river. Hsuan Chwang describes that Ashoka's pillar, which stood in front of the stupa, was so highly polished that it constantly reflected the stupa's statue of the Buddha.Benares, which was the second city to reappear following the last destruction of the world, was also a site of the previous buddha's manifestations. Kashyapa, the third buddha of this aeon, built a monastery near Deer Park, where he ordained the brahmin boy, Jotipala, an earlier incarnation of Shakyamuni. Hsuan Chwang records stupas and an artificial platform at the places where several previous buddhas had walked and sat in meditation.Deer Park was also the location of Shakyamuni's deeds as a bodhisattva in former lives. Hsuan Chwang mentions a number of stupas commemorating these near the monastery: one where the bodhisattva offered himself as the deer; another where, as a six-tusked elephant, he offered his tusks to a deceitful hunter; and a third where the bodhisattva had been a bird, with Maudgalyayana and Sariputra as a monkey and an elephant.Another stupa commemorated the occasion when Indra manifested as a hungry old man and asked a fox, an ape and a hare (the Buddha in a former life) for food. The fox brought fish, the ape brought fruit, but the bodhisattva hare, having nothing else to offer, threw himself on a fire and offered his roasted body. Indra was so moved by this act that he took the hare and placed him in the moon. Many people in central Asia still refer to the moon as the hare sign, or worship the hare in the moon.Today the actual site of the Buddha's teaching at Sarnath and the several ruins in the area have been enclosed in a pleasant park. Nearby, a well-planned museum houses a number of unearthed statues, many barely damaged, as well as several other findings from the site. The museum's entrance is dominated by the famous lion capital from Ashoka's pillar (an indication of the Indian Government's renewed interest in Buddhism), has been adopted as the national emblem. The wheel design on its base has become the central figure of India's flag.Adjacent to the park is the Mahabodhi Society's Mulaghandaluti Temple, an imposing building containing certain relics of the Buddha. Close by is the Society's sangharama and a library possessing a rare collection of buddhist literature. Also in the vicinity are Burmese, Chinese and Tibetan temples, as well as a Tibetan monastery and the Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, where two hundred young monks practise and study the many aspects of the Buddha's teaching, aspiring to qualify for the degree of acharya. There is also a Tibetan printing press, The Pleasure of Elegant Sayings, which over the last decade has published more than thirty Tibetan texts of buddhist treatises, otherwise hard to find. Thus the wheel of Dharma that Shakyamuni first turned at Sarnath continues to revolve.&nbsp;&nbsp;KUSHINAGAR&nbsp;Last of the places of pilgrimage is Kushinagar, where Shakyamuni entered mahaparinirvana. This was the furthest he had reached on his final journey, which retraced much of the road he had walked when many years before he had left Kapilavastu. When he reached his eighty-first year, Buddha gave his last major teaching - the subject was the thirty-seven wings of enlightenment - and left Vulture's Peak with Ananda to journey north. After sleeping at Nalanda he crossed the Ganges for the last time at the place where Patna now stands and came to the village of Beluva. Here the Buddha was taken ill, but he suppressed the sickness and continued to Vaisali. This was a city where Shakyamuni had often stayed in the beautiful parks that had been offered to him. It was also the principal location of the third turning of the wheel of Dharma.While staying at Vaisali, Buddha thrice mentioned to Ananda a buddha's ability to remain alive until the end of the aeon. Failing to understand the significance of this Ananda said nothing and went to meditate nearby. Shakyamuni then rejected prolonging his own life-span. When Ananda learned of this later he implored the Buddha to live longer but he was refused, for his request had come too late.Coming to Pava, the blacksmith's son Kunda offered him a meal which included meat. It is said that all the buddhas of this world eat a meal containing meat on the eve of their passing away. Buddha accepted, but directed that no one else should partake of the food. Later it was learned that the meat was bad. He told Ananda that the merit created by offering an enlightened one his last meal is equal to that of offering food to him just prior to his enlightenment.Between Pava and Kushinagar the Buddha rested near a village through which a caravan had just passed. The owner of the caravan, a Malla nobleman, came and talked to the Buddha. Deeply moved by Shakyamuni's teachings, he offered the Buddha two pieces of shining gold cloth. However, their lustre was completely outshone by Shakyamuni's radiance. It is said that a buddha's complexion becomes prodigiously brilliant on both the eve of his enlightenment and the eve of his decease.The next day, when they arrived at the banks of the Hiranyavati river south of Kushinagar, the Buddha suggested that they should go to the caravan leader's sala grove. There, between two pairs of unusually tall trees, Shakyamuni lay down on his right side in the lion posture with his head to the north. Ananda asked if Rajgir or Shravasti, both great cities, would perhaps be more fitting places for his passing. The Buddha replied that in an earlier life as a bodhisattva king this had been Kushavati his capital, and at that time there had been no fairer nor more glorious city.The noblemen of Kushinagar, informed of the Buddha's impending death, came to pay him respect. Among them was Subhadra, an 120-year-old brahmin who was much respected, but whom Ananda had turned away from the monkhood three times. However, the Buddha called the brahmin to his side, answered his questions concerning the six erroneous doctrines, and revealed to him the truth of the buddhist teaching. Subhadra asked to join the Sangha and was thus the last monk to be ordained by Shakyamuni. Subhadra then sat nearby in meditation, swiftly attained arhantship and entered parinirvana shortly before Shakyamuni.As the third watch of the night approached, the Buddha asked his disciples thrice if there were any remaining perplexities concerning the doctrine or the discipline. Receiving silence, he gave them the famous exhortation: "Impermanence is inherent in all things. Work out your own salvation with diligence." Then, passing through the meditative absorptions, Shakyamuni Buddha entered mahaparinirvana. The earth shook, stars shot from the heavens, the sky in the ten directions burst forth in flames and the air was filled with celestial music. The master's body was washed and robed once more, then wrapped in a thousand shrouds and placed in a casket of precious substances.For seven days, offerings were made by gods and men, after which, amidst flowers and incense, the casket was carried to the place of cremation in great procession. Some legends say that the Mallas offered their cremation hall for the purpose. A pyre of sweetly scented wood and fragrant oils had been built but, as had been foretold, it would not burn until Mahakashyapa arrived. When the great disciple eventually arrived, made prostrations and paid his respects, the pyre burst into flames spontaneously.After the cremation had been completed the ashes were examined for relics. Only a skull bone, teeth and the inner and outer shrouds remained. The Mallas of Kushinagar first thought themselves most fortunate to have received all the relics of the Buddha's body. However, representatives of the other eight countries that constituted ancient India also came forth to claim them. To avert a conflict, the brahmin Drona suggested an equal, eightfold division of the relics between them. Some accounts state that in fact Shakyamuni's remains were first divided into three portions - one each for the gods, nagas and men - and that the portion given to humans was then subdivided into eight. The eight peoples each took their share to their own countries and the eight great stupas were built over them. In time these relics were again subdivided after Ashoka had decided to build 84,000 stupas. Today they are contained in various stupas scattered across Asia.In later times Fa Hien found monasteries at Kushinagar, but when Hsuan Chwang came, the site was almost deserted. Hsuan Chwang did see an Ashoka stupa marking Kunda's house, the site of Buddha's last meal. Commemorating the mahaparinirvana was a large brick temple containing a recumbent statue of Buddha. Beside this was a partly ruined Ashoka stupa and a pillar with an inscription describing the event. Two more stupas commemorated former lives of the Buddha at the place. Both Chinese pilgrims mention a stupa where Shakyamuni's protector Vajrapani threw down his sceptre in dismay after Buddha's death, and some distance away a stupa at the place of cremation and another built by Ashoka where the relics were divided.Kushinagar was rediscovered and identified before the end of the last century. Excavations have revealed that a monastic tradition flourished here for a long time. The remains of ten different monasteries dating from the fourth to the eleventh centuries have been found. Most of these ruins are now enclosed in a park, in the midst of which stands a modern shrine housing a large recumbent figure of the Buddha. This statue was originally made in Mathura and installed at Kushinagar by the monk Haribhadra during the reign of King Kumaragupta (415-56 CE), the alleged founder of Nalanda Monastery. When discovered late in the last century the statue was broken but it has now been restored. Behind this shrine is a large stupa dating from the Gupta age. This was restored early in this century by the Burmese. Not far away a small temple built on the Buddha's last resting place in front of the sala grove has also been restored. Some distance east a large stupa, now called Ramabhar, remains at the place of the cremation.On one side of the park a former Chinese temple has been reopened as an international meditation centre. Next to it stands a large Burmese temple. On the south side of the park is a small Tibetan monastery with stupas in the Tibetan style beside it. Thus also at Kushinagar one can see dharmic activities alive even today. His last meal:From Vaishali the Lord went to Pava, where a humble metalsmith, Chunda, invited the Sangha for a meal. Having tasted the food, the Master immediately realised that there was something wrong with it and asked Chunda to burry the rest so that others would not be harmed by it. Chunda was overcome with grief and guilt when he realised that his offering was the cause of the Master's fatal illness. But the Buddha consoled him saying that one who donates the Buddha's last meal acquires great merit.The Buddha desired to leave his corporeal body at the Sal grove on the banks of the Hiranyavati river in Kushinagar. The Master asked the Sangha, whether anyone had any queries. Sakyamuni then uttered the last words, "Now, bhikshus, I declare to you: all conditioned things are of a nature to decay - strive on untiringly." On a bed which Ananda had prepared under two Sal (shorea robusta) trees, the Lord entered the sphere of No Nothingness then the sphere of Infinite Consciousness, then the sphere of Neither Perception, nor Non-Perception.Paying homage:King and commoner, villager and townsman from far and near flocked to pay obeisance to the earthly remains of the Lord for the next six days. On the seventh day the Lord's person was bedecked with garlands and taken in a procession to the accompaniment of music. The revered bhikshu, Mahakashyapa lit the funeral pyre at Mukutabandha Vihara (Rambhar Stupa) in Kushinagar. Today not much remains of this stupa expect a large brick mound rising to a height of almost 15 metres set within a well-kept park.Thereafter there ensued a war among eight great powers of north India for the possession of the holy relics. Finally the sacred relics were divided and encased in eight stupas in different parts of the country.The Mahaparinirvana temple: In 7th century AD, the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang lamented on the desolation of this sacred site. However he mentions the Mahaparinirvana Stupa. Thereafter Kushinagar sank into near oblivion, almost forgotten by the world until early this century.The Mahaparinirvana temple enshrines a 6 metre long statue of the Buddha in the Parinirvana posture. Carved from black stone, the statue now looks metallic gold because of the application of gold leaves by pilgrims.The best time to visit this temple is in the early hours of the evening, when the mellow light from the candles and the chanting of mantras render a sacred aura to the temple.About 366 metres from the Mahaparinirvana temple is the small Mathakuar shrine, built on the spot where the Buddha delivered his last sermon. Here there is a black stone image of the Buddha in the bhumisparsha mudra built in the 5th century AD.Monasteries and temples:There are several new monasteries and temples. The Sri Lanka -Japan monastery has an Ashta Dhatu (eight metals) statue of the Buddha flanked by Japanese - style portraits of his ten principal bhikshus. The oldest monastery in Kushinagar is the large Burmese Chandramani Bhikshu Bharamasala which is nes to the Chinese Temple with its marble images of the Buddha and the White Tara. &nbsp;TOP&nbsp;Lumbini was the birthplace of the Buddha and is now located near the Nepal-India border north of Gorakpur.Immediately before his birth, the bodhisattva was lord of Tushita deva realm. There he had resolved to be reborn for the last time and show the attainment of enlightenment to the world. He had made the five investigations and determined that this southern continent, where men lived for one hundred years, was the most suitable place and, as the royal caste was then most respected and the lineages of King Suddhodana and his Queen Mayadevi were pure, he would be born as their son, a prince of the Shakya dynasty. Placing his crown upon the head of his successor Maitreya, the bodhisattva descended from Tushita to the world of man.During the night of his conception, Queen Mayadevi, who is to be the mother of all the thousand buddhas of this aeon, dreamt of a great white elephant entering her womb. The earth trembled six times. It is said that in the manner of all bodhisattvas in their final birth, he remained sitting cross-legged for the whole time within the womb. Furthermore, all buddhas are born in a forest grove while their mother remains standing.At the appointed time Queen Mayadevi was visiting the Lumbini Garden some ten miles from the Shakya city of Kapilavastu. Emerging from a bath with her face to the east, she leant her right arm on a sala tree. The bodhisattva was then born from her right side and immediately took seven steps - from which lotus flowers sprang up - in each of the four directions. To each direction he proclaimed as with a lion's roar: "I am the first, the best of all beings, this is my last birth.'' He looked down to predict the defeat of Mara and the benefiting of beings in the lower realms through the power of his teachings. He then looked up to indicate that all the world would come to respect and appreciate his deeds.The gods Brahma and Indra then received him and together with the four guardian protectors bathed him. At the same time two nagas, Nanda and Upananda, caused water to cascade over him. Later a well was found to have formed there, from which even in Fa Hien's time monks continued to draw water to drink. The young prince was next wrapped in fine muslin and carried with great rejoicing to the king's palace in Kapilavastu.Many auspicious signs accompanied the bodhisattva's birth. Also, many beings who would play major parts in his life are said to have been born on the same day: Yasodhara, his future wife; Chandaka, the groom who would later help him leave the palace; Kanthaka, the horse that would bear him; the future kings Bimbisara of Magadha and Prasenajit of Koshala; and his protector Vajrapani. The bodhi tree is also said to have sprouted on the day of Buddha's birth.When Ashoka visited Lumbini two centuries later, his advisor, the sage Upagata, perceived by clairvoyance and described all these events, pointing out their sites to the emperor. Ashoka made many offerings, built an elaborate stupa and erected a pillar surmounted by a horse capital. When Hsuan Chwang saw it, the pillar had already been destroyed by lightning. Nevertheless, when discovered at the end of the last century the inscription which remained on the present ruin was sufficiently legible to clearly identify the site as Lumbini.The prince, now named Siddhartha, spent his first twenty-nine years in Kapilavastu. There he performed three more of the twelve principal deeds of a buddha. Surpassing all the Shakya youths and even his teachers in all fields of learning, skill and sport, he showed that he had already mastered all the worldly arts.One day while still a child he was left unattended beneath a tree as his father performed the ceremonial first ploughing of the season. He sat and engaged in his first meditation, attaining such a degree of absorption that five sages flying overhead were halted in mid-flight by the power of it.Later he was married to Yasodhara and experienced a life of pleasure in the palace amongst the women of the court. Yet despite King Suddhodana's efforts to protect him from unpleasant sights, one day when riding in his chariot through Kapilavastu he happened to see a man feeble with age, another struck down with sickness, and a corpse. He immediately realised the suffering nature of men's lives. Then he saw a monk of holy countenance, and recognized his path and vocation. &nbsp;&nbsp;It is said that a buddha renounces the world only after seeing these four signs and when a son has been born to him. Accordingly, seven days before Siddhartha would have been crowned as his father's heir, a son, Rahula, was born to Yasodhara. Without further delay Siddhartha told his father of his resolve to leave the transient luxury of worldly life and live as a renunciate in order to discover the causes of true happiness and the end of misery.Suddhodana was reluctant to let him go. Therefore, riding the horse Kanthaka and accompanied by the groom Chandaka, Prince Siddhartha left Kapilavastu with the aid of the gods. Some distance away he performed the great renunciation, cutting off his hair and donning the robes of an ascetic. He sent Chandaka back to the palace with his jewels and horse, and entered into the homeless life.Some years later, after attaining enlightenment, Buddha returned briefly to Kapilavastu at his father's invitation. The Buddha and his followers were welcomed and treated well by the king and the people, who listened to his teachings. Five hundred Shakya youths became monks at this time, including Rahula, the Buddha's own son, Nanda, his half brother, and Upali, the barber, who was to later become one of the Buddha's most important disciples.The splendour of Kapilavastu did not last for long, for the city and many of the Shakya clan were destroyed by the rival king Vaidraka even within the Buddha's lifetime. When the Chinese pilgrims visited the area they found nothing but ruin and desolation and merely a handful of people and monks dwelling there. Yet all the sites of the events mentioned in the early scriptures were pointed out to them, and several of these were still marked by stupas. After this, the area was lost in jungle and earlier in this century, was still only accessible by elephant. Now only Lumbini, the birthplace itself, has been identified with certainty. Kapilavastu has been but tentatively located. At present these sites are still being explored and some ruins have been unearthed. The remains of Ashoka's pillar can be seen, as well as a shrine of indeterminate age dedicated to Queen Mayadevi. A Nepalese buddhist temple was built in 1956 and a Tibetan monastery of the sakya order was completed in 1975, which, as well as possessing a beautiful and elaborate shrine, is well illustrated within by traditional murals. Here many young monks are studying and practising the Buddha's teachings, thereby both aiding the revival of Lumbini as a place of buddhist practice and preserving the great traditions lost in Tibet.The Nepalese temple, which is cared for by a monk of the theravada tradition, also has rest houses within its grounds, provided by buddhists from Japan and the former U.N. General Secretary U Thant. In cooperation with the Nepalese Government, UNESCO is also helping to improve and develop this first of the eight pilgrimage places.Lumbini grove, the sacred site of Lord Buddha's birth is today a small village in Nepal, 27kms from Sonauli on the Indo-Nepal border.The Rummendei pillar: Three hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana, Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and erected a pillar there. This pillar, though broken, still remains at the site. It is known as the Rummendei pillar after the earlier name of the place (modern name Rupandhei) in Nepal.The Chinese traveller, Fa Hien, in the 5th century AD and other travellers and pilgrims were aghast to see that jungles had swsllowed the entire place, and nothing existed of the scenic pleasure garden. Excavations beginning in the 19th century have once again drawn attention to this holy place.The heavens filled with light and the devas (Gods), showered flowers on the young Prince Siddhartha who descended from his mother's womb on a lotus pedestal. The prince took seven strides in all the four directions and announced that this would be his last birth. Queen Mahamaya departed to the heavenly abode soon after giving birth. Asita's prophesy:An old sage, Asita, prophesied that the prince would become a world renouncer if he ever experienced suffering. To ward off this possibility, King Suddhodana ensconced the prince in the royal luxuries of his palace at Kapilavastu, but to no avail. Destiny took its course and Prince Siddhartha renounced his royal heritage and set off on the course to find a solution to end human misery.The Mayadevi temple: The Mayadevi temple and the tank nearby are part of the sacred complex. There are two beautiful panels in the temple, the older one in stone and the other in marble. Both panels show Mayadevi holding the Sal tree and the young prince emerging out of her right side. Just outside the temple is a tank whose water glistens in the faint sun, the gentle breeze creating endless ripples. Here Queen Mahamaya had her bath before the delivery and it was also here that prince Siddhartha had his first purificatory bath.The sacred site of the Buddha's birth is at the southern end of Lumbini grove. Excavations have revealed a series of rooms and a stone slab which is now believed to mark the exact location at which the Buddha was born.The place where the miraculous birth took place is today a mound that has been cordoned off for further excavations. The whole place has an air of remoteness except when the occasional busload of pilgrims from different corners of the Buddhist universe arrives.Lumbini Dharmodaya Samiti Dharmashala, a Theravada Buddhist Vihara, established in 1956, is just outside the complex. Built in the style of modern Nepalese temples, it has intricately carved woodwork in the doorways and windows, and colourful murals depicting events from the life of the lord in its spacious interiors.Dharmaswami Maharaja Buddha Vihara:This Tibetan gompa belonging to the Sakyapa order, is also outside the complex. His Eminence Chogya the complex. His Eminence Chogya Trichen Rinpoche and the Raja of Mustang established it. Every morning around sixty monks who reside here conduct the Tara Puja. At the end of September, two thousand monks congregate for the ten-day peace puja and on 13th December each year for the Mahakala Puja, which lasts for 10 days.A couple of kilometres away, a complex of monasteries is being constructed on a grand scale. Monasteries in the respective national styles of Myanmar (Burma) China, Japan Korea and Thailand are among those that are being built. Also in the vicinity are the Lumbini Research Institute, which has an impressive collection of Buddhist literature, and a Museum.Both are open from Sunday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm (10 am to 4 pm in winter)Getting ThereLumbini is in Nepal, 27 kms from the Indian border at Sonauli. To enter Nepal, people from India and Bhutan do not need any visa but foreign nationals do. For details contact the nearest Royal Nepal Embassy in your country or in India.&nbsp;&nbsp;SRAVASTI &nbsp;Sravasti (ancient Savatthi), the capital of Kosala Mahajanapada , was the biggest town in the Gangetic plains during the Buddha's lifetime. Sravasti was host to the Master for 25 years during the annual vassavasa (rain retreat) when the Sangha congregated at one place.Location:Situated in Gonda district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, called Sahet-Mahet. The most convenient way to reach Sravasti is via Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, which is well connected by air and rail to all parts of India.During the time of Sakyamuni, Sudatta, a rich and pious merchant, lived in Sravasti. While on a visit to Rajgir, he heard the Buddha's sermon and decided to become the Lord's disciple. But he was caught in dilemma and asked the Lord whether he could become a follower without forsaking worldly life. To his query, the Master replied that it was enough that he followed his vocation in a righteous manner.Jetavana Vihara: Sudatta invited the Lord to Sravasti and began to look for a suitable place to blind a vihara. A beautiful park at the southern edge of Sravasti attracted his attention. The park belonged to Jeta, son of the king of Sravati, Prasenjit. Jeta demanded that Sudatta cover the entire park with gold coins. Sudatta painstakingly paved every inch of the land with gold. Then Jeta said that since the trees were left uncovered they belonged to him. But finally, he had a change of heart and donated valuable wood to build the Vihara. The park came to be known as Jetavana Vihara after Prince Jeta's donations to the Sangha.One of the most beautiful spots in Jetavana is under the Anandabodhi tree. An eternal witness to the vicissitudes of history, this sacred tree was brought as a cutting from the Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, which itself grew from a sapling of the original Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya.Sudatta came to be known as Anathapindika (the incomparable alms giver). He built a magnificent, seven-storied vihara whose grandeur was commented upon by Chinese travellers several centuries later. Jetavana continues to attract pilgrims from all over the world who come here to pray and meditate in its serene atmosphere. The ruins of Anandakuti and Gandhakuti exude an aure of sacredness because it was here that the Lord stayed during his many visits to Jetavana Vihara. In Sravasti, the Master expounded a major part of the Tripitakas.It was also in Sravasti that the Lord performed the only miracle of his life in response to a challenge from six non-believers. The Lord levitated on a thousand petalled lotus, causing fire and water to leap out of his body and multiplied his person in the air.Close to Jetavana are the Sri Lanka, Chinese, Myanmarese (Burmese) and Thai monasteries and temples. Also worth seeing is the park with a large bell donated by Japanese pilgrims.Mahet, to the north of Jetavana, was once a heavily fortified city. All that remains are two stupas known locally as Pakki Kuti and Kachchi Kuti; the latter identified as Sudatta's Stupa.Angulimala:Pakki Kuti is said to be Angulimala's Stupa. Angulimala (literally, necklace of fingers) was a dreaded dacoit who wore a necklace of fingers that were chopped from his victims. One day in a fit of brutal rage he tried to kill his own mother. It was at this moment that the Lord met Angulimala and Sakyamuni's enlightening words had a calming effect on his stone heart. Angulimala decided to give up his evil ways and follow the path of the Lord.Less than a kilometre away are the ruins of a medieval Jain temple, revered by the Jains as the birthplace of the third Jain Tirthankara, Swayambunatha.Excursions:Sankissa is identified with the present village of Basantpur in Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Situated on the banks of river Kali, Sankissa is most easily accessible form Agra which 175 kms away on the Agra-Mainpuri road. The nearest railhead is Pakhna which is 11.5kms away.Sankissa is the place where the Buddha descended from heaven along with Lord Brahma and Devraj Indra after giving a discourse his mother, Mayadevi. Emperor Ashoka erected a pillar with an elephant capital to mark this holy spot. &nbsp;
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PLACES OF BUDDHA, India

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM--&gt;--&gt;2.1 HISTORY OF BUDDHISM--&gt;--&gt;--&gt;HISTORY OF BUDDHISM &nbsp;Historians, religious scholars, and various Buddhist sects debate the actual year of the Buddha's birth; it may have been as early as 644 BC or as late as 540 BC. It is however, relatively certain that he was born Prince Gautama Siddhartha, the son of Suddhodana, king of the Shakya tribe. His birthplace was the forest grove of Lumbini in the hilly regions of what is today northeastern India and Nepal. His parents gave him the name Siddhartha and there were many wonderful predicitions about his future. In his early years he lived as a prince in his royal palace but when he was 29 years old he retired to the forest where he followed a spiritual life of meditation. After six years he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, India. &nbsp;Buddha then rose from meditation and taught the first Wheel of Dharma. These teachings which include the Sutra of the Four Noble Truths and other discourses, are the principal source of the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism. Later, Buddha taught the second and third Wheels of Dharma, which include the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras and the Sutra Discriminating the Intention respectively. These teachings are the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism. In the Hinayana teachings Buddha explains how to attain liberation from suffering for oneself alone, and in the Mahayana teachings he explains how to attain full enlightenment, or Buddhahood, for the sake of others. Both traditions flourished in Asia, at first in India and then gradually in other surrounding countries, including Tibet. &nbsp;In all Buddha Shakyamuni gave eighty-four thousand teachings. His intention in founding Buddhism was to lead living beings to permanent liberation from suffering. He realized temporary liberation from suffering and difficulties is not enough. Motivated by love and compassion his aim was to help living beings find lasting peace or nirvana.&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2 BUDDHIST RELIGIONBUDDHIST RELIGION &nbsp;Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to ones insight into the true nature of life. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. Buddhism is not about teaching or learning but its all about experiencing.Buddhist ideology does not advocate the practice of worshipping a creator God. Hence, quite often it is not really seen as a religion in the normal sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straight forward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. It teaches practical methods (such as meditation) which enable people to realise and utilise its teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives and to develop the qualities of Wisdom and Compassion.There are over 360 million buddhists followers from all parts of the world. They follow many different forms of Buddhism, but all traditions are characterised by non-violence, lack of dogma, tolerance of differences, and, usually, by the practice of meditation. &nbsp;MEDITATION:Meditation is at the heart of the Buddhist way of life. It is basically a method for understanding and working on our own mind. We first learn to identify our different negative mental states known as 'delusions', and learn how to develop peaceful and positive mental states or 'virtuous minds'.Then in meditation we overcome our delusions by becoming familiar with virtuous minds. Out of meditation we try to maintain the virtuous minds we have developed and use our wisdom to solve the problems of daily life. As our mind becomes more positive our actions become more constructive, and our experience of life becomes more satisfying and beneficial to others.Anyone can learn basic meditation techniques and experience great benefits, but to progress beyond basic meditation requires faith in the Three Jewels - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Usually people find this develops naturally as they experience the benefits of their meditation practice. &nbsp;THE SPIRITUAL PATH:The teachings of Buddha reveal a step by step path to lasting happiness. By following this path anyone can gradually transform his or her mind from its present confused and self-centered state into the blissful mind of a Buddha.It is said that: "Every living being has the potential to become a Buddha, someone who has completely purified his or her mind of all faults and limitations and has brought all good qualities to perfection. Our mind is like a cloudy sky, in essence clear and pure but overcast by the clouds of delusions. "Just as the thickest clouds eventually disperse, so too even the heaviest delusions can be removed from our mind. Delusions such as hatred, greed, and ignorance are not an intrinsic part of the mind. If we apply the appropriate methods they can be completely eliminated, and we shall experience the supreme happiness of full enlightenment.Having attained enlightenment we shall have all the necessary qualities - universal love and compassion, omniscient wisdom and boundless spiritual power - to lead all living beings to the same exalted state. This is the ultimate aim of Mahayana Buddhism.India being the country of birth for Gautam Buddha, figures as one of the most important place in buddhism.&nbsp;&nbsp;GAUTAM BUDDHA - THE ORIGINATOR OF BUDDHISM &nbsp;The word 'Buddha' is a title and not a name. It means 'one who is awake' in the sense of having 'woken up to reality'. It was first given to a man who was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal 2,500 years ago. He did not claim to be a God and he has never been regarded as such by Buddhists. He was a human being who became Enlightened, understanding life in the deepest way possible.Siddharta was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian-Nepalese border. According to the traditional story he had a cloistered upbringing, but was jolted out of complacency on understanding that life includes the harsh facts of old age, sickness, and death. He left home to follow the traditional Indian path of the wandering holy man, a seeker after Truth. He practised meditation under various teachers and then took to asceticism. Eventually he practised austerities so severe that he was on the point of death - but true understanding seemed as far away as ever. He decided to abandon this path and to look into his own heart and mind. He sat down beneath the pipal tree and vowed that 'flesh may wither, blood may dry up, but I shall not rise from this spot until Enlightenment has been won.' After forty days, the Buddha finally attained Enlightenment.Buddhists believe that he attained a state of being that goes beyond anything else in the world. If normal experience is based on conditions - upbringing, psychology, opinions, perceptions, and so on - Enlightenment is Unconditioned. It was a state in which the Buddha gained Insight into the deepest workings of life and therefore into the cause of human suffering, the problem that had set him on his spiritual quest in the first place.&nbsp;&nbsp;2.4 THE LEGACY OF LORD BUDDHATHE LEGACY OF LORD BUDDHA&nbsp;&nbsp;During the remaining 45 years of his life he travelled through much of northern India, spreading his teaching of the way to Enlightenment. The teaching is known in the East as the Buddha-dharma - 'the teaching of the Enlightened One'. Travelling from place to place, the Buddha taught numerous disciples, many of whom gained Enlightenment in their own right. They, in turn, taught others and in this way an unbroken chain of teaching has continued, right down to the present day.The Buddha was not a God and he made no claim to divinity. He was a human being who, through tremendous efforts, transformed himself. Buddhists see him as an ideal and a guide who can lead one to Enlightenment oneself.There are four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites where most of the buddhist temples and shrines are located. The most important of these are located primarily in the Ganges Valley of India. GAYA:Where the Buddha preached his famous Fire SermonBODHGAYA:Bodh Gaya is where Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha as he sat in meditation on the diamond seat under the Bodhi (Ficus Religiosa) tree.Located in Bodhgaya in Gaya District of Bihar. Constructed of brick, the temple is surrounded on all four sides by stone railings, about two metres high. The railings reveal two distinct types, both in style as well as the materials used. Is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment. Buddhist Emperor Asoka visited Bodh Gaya with the intention of establishing a monastery and shrine. As part of the temple he built, the diamond throne (called the Vajrasana), attempting to mark the exact spot of the Buddha`s enlightenment, was established. It is one of the oldest brick structures to have survived in eastern India. RAJGIR:Rajgir is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site since the Buddha spent 12 years here, and the first Buddhist council after the Buddha was hosted here at the Saptaparni caves. Lord Buddha often went into retreat at the Jivkamaravana monastery in a beautiful orchard. One of his most devoted and prosperous devotees, surgeon Jivaka also lived here. The rich merchant community here soon became the Buddha's followers and built many structures of typical Buddhist architecture. NALANDA:Nalanda, the most renowned university in ancient India It derived its name from Na-alam-da, meaning Insatiable in Giving, one of the names by which the Lord Buddha was known. Today it is identified with modern Baragaon village and is 90kms southeast of Patna and only 11kms from Rajgir. It is 80kms from Bodh Gaya and is easily accessible by well-maintained highways.VARANASI:The city of Varanasi is situated along the west bank of the Ganges in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Called Benaras by the British, Varanasi is an important pilgrimage centre for the Hindus. The city finds mention in the great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. It was a flourishing trade center when Buddha came to Sarnath, about 10 kilometres away, to preach his first sermon in 500 BC. The renowned American novelist Mark Twain once wrote, "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together."SARNATH:It was in the Deer Park at Sarnath that the Buddha gave his first significant sermons on the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to his five fellow seekers who became the first monks of the order.KUSHINAGA:The Buddha died in a Saal forest in Kushinagar and attained mahaparinirvana at the age of 80.LUMBINI:In the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal lies Lumbini, the SRAVASTI: Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens.The city believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, has age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here.This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the one, said to have been planted by Buddha's main disciple gave birth to the prince under a tree.SRAVASTI: Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens.The city believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, has age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here.This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the one, said to have been planted by Buddha's main disciple
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/12/1228490160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/12/1228490160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/12/1228490160/tpod.html Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:19:13 -0500 Rameshwaram Temple
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Rameshwaram, India

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rameshwaram Temple &nbsp;¤ The Ramanathaswamy TempleThe famous Ramanathaswamy Temple is regarded as one of the most sacred shrines of Hindus in India. It is an honoured pilgrimage destination, which represents the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. It is considered as holy as Banaras. This famous Hindu temple situated on the Rameshwaram island is located off the Sethu coast of Tamil Nadu. The temple is noted for its close association with Ramayana and the legendary victory of Rama over the demon king Ravana.This temple is a pious temple, keeping in mind its association with Lord Rama, a great Hindu legend and its grand structure. This huge temple on the island of Rameswaram can be reached via the Pamban bridge across the sea, it is famous for its long ornate corridors, towers and remarkable 36 Theerthams.¤ Legend Related To The TempleAccording to a legend, Rama worshiped Shiva in the form of a Shiva Lingam, while returning to Ayodhya. This lingam was made of earth by Rama's consort, Sita. It is also said that Hanuman was sent to bring an image of Viswanathar from Banares. Rama thought that Hanuman will be late in returning. Therefore, Rama is said to have offered worship at a pre-chosen auspicious moment to the Shivalingam. This lingam is referred to as Ramalingam. The other Shivlingam brought here by Hanuman from Banaras is known as Viswanathar . This Shivalingam is also called Kasilingam and Hanumalingam. The Viswanathar Shivalingam is worshiped before offering prayers to Ramanathaswamy. It is also believed that Rama worshiped Tilakeswarar at Devipatnam on the route to Sri Lanka.¤ The History of The TempleIt is said that the ancient shrine was placed in a thatched hut until the 12th century. Parakrama Bahu of Sri Lanka built the first ever masonry structure here. The Setupathy rulers of Ramanathapuram completed the rest of the temple. Some of the temple vimaanams are similar to the Vimaanams of the Pallava period. Much more was added to the temple between the 12th and the 16th centuries. The long corridor (3rd prakaram) dates back only to the 18th century. The Gandhamadhana Parvatam (hill) offers a panoramic view of the temple. Travancore, Ramanathapuram, Mysore and Pudukkottai kingdoms provided royal patronage to this famous Hindu temple.¤ The Temple Architecture The temple is sprawled over an area of 15 acres. It has huge gopurams, monolithic walls and a stupendous Nandi. There is a 4000 feet long pillar corridor with over 4000 pillars, considered the longest in the world. A unique feature about this corridor is that the rock used here is not found on the native island, it was brought in from elsewhere in Tamilnadu across the sea. The eastern Rajagopuram has a height of 126 feet and has nine levels whereas the western Rajagopuram is not as tall as the eastern one. The huge image of Nandi is about 18 feet tall and 22 feet in length.¤ The Gandamadana Parvatham This hill on the Rameshwaram island, has a small shrine, consisting of imprints of Lord Rama's feet, which is worshiped here. A worth visiting site.¤ Theertham(Water Springs) There almost 36 Theerthams here out of which 22 are in the temple. The water of these Theerthams are said to be therapeutic. A bath in these is regarded significant. The Agni Theertham refers to the ocean while the Koti theertham is located within the temple itself.¤ Festivals The famous temple festivals of Hindus are celebrated here include two annual Bhrammotsavams, celebrated in the Tamil months of Aadi and Maasi. Another festival is celebrated to celebrate Rama's worship in the month of Aani (June15 - July15).HistorySri Ramanathaswamy temple is situated close to the sea on the eastern side of the island, which is in the shape of a conch. The island is connected with the main land at Mandapam by an awe-inspiring rail bridge and a road bridge. In ancient days, the shrine was only a thatched hut. Over the centuries, the small shrine was gradually developed into what it stands today as a massive and magnificent structure.Different dynasties were ruling the Ramanathapuram region in different periods. Pandya Kings were ruling up to the 15 century. Later, the region came under the reign of Nayaks of the Vijayanagar empire, who ruled till around the 1 7 century. Then the Sethupathis, who were the earliest chieftains of the region, came to power. They lavished their funds for art and architecture of the Rameswaram shrine. Notable among them were Udayan Sethupathy, Thirumalai Sethupathy, Raghunatha Sethupathy and Muthuramalinga Sethupathy, whose statues are housed in the temple.MythologyThe temple of Lord Ramanathaswamy dates back to the period of Ramayana. The epic begins with the birth of the four princes in Ayodhya, but its subsequent scenes change in quick succession from the banks of the Sarayu River to this southernmost part of our land - the confluence of Mahodathi and Ratnakara. In Rameswaram, one can capture glimpses of scenes from Sundara Kaandam, the epic's fifth canto, unfolding.Sri Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya, is an embodiment of love, virtue and Dharma. He undergoes a 14-year-long exile on the eve of his coronation to fulfill a promise of his father Dasharata. His wife Sita and his most caring brother Lakshmana accompany him to the forest. In his quest for Dharma, Rama vanquishes thousands of Rakshasas in the forests during the exile and brings peace and happiness among the Rishis and other inhabitants.The exile passes off peacefully till the abduction of Sita by Ravana, the Asura king of Lanka, at Panchavati on the banks of Godavari. Rama is grief-stricken. He along with Lakshmana wanders through the forests in search of Sita. One day they meet Sugriva, an exiled monkey king from Kishkindha, and Hanuman, his minister, who vow to help Rama trace Sita. After regaining his kingdom, Sugriva dispatches search parties in all directions. Hanuman, Angada, Nala and others travel southwards and land on the Gandhamadhana Parvatha along the south-eastern coast. This is the present Rameswaram.The famous Sundara Kaandam begins here with the unbelievable act of Hanuman taking Vishwa Roopam and leaping across the ocean from this hill to reach Lanka. After a frenzied search, Hanuman finally succeeds in locating Sita, held captive in Ravana's Ashoka Vana. He hands over to Sita a ring from Rama as proof of his being Rama's messenger. Assuring Sita that Rama will come soon, wage a battle against Ravana and end her agony, Hanuman takes leave of Sita after accepting with reverence her Choodamani (head ornament) as a token for Rama. Later Hanuman destroys Ashoka Vana and gets himself captured by Ravana's son Indrajit. When Ravana orders setting fire to the tail of Hanuman, he sets the whole of Lanka ablaze with his burning tail.Hanuman takes the air route back to Gandhamadhana Parvatha, where the search party has set up camp. They all rejoice the glad tidings. Soon they reach Kishkindha. Hanuman meets Rama and gives him the Choodamani with the news that Sita is safe. Rama is immensely pleased with Hanuman and embraces him warmly. Sugriva organizes a big retinue of monkeys and bears from all over the land to proceed on the mission to rescue Sita. Headed by Rama and Lakshmana, they traverse the eastern coast.Following tradition, Rama first invokes Lord Vinayaka (Veyil Ugandha Vinayaka) at Uppoor seeking to remove obstacles on his mission. He offers puja to Navagrahas at the present Devipattinam or Navapaashaanam by installing nine stones in the sea. He then reaches a marshy land known as Dharbaaranyam (because the place was full of dharba grass). He worships Adi Jagannatha, the presiding deity, and receives Divya astras and the Lord's blessings for his mission.In a battle that follows, Rama, accompanied by Lakshmana and the Vanara Sena, vanquishes the ten- headed Ravana to the great relief of everyone. And, how all these happened within the time requested by Sita to rescue her is brought out beautifully by sage Valmiki in his epic. With the battle over, Rama, accompanied by Sita, Lakshmana and the army, returns to the shores of what is Rameswaram now.Here, as advised by Rishis, Rama decides to consecrate a shrine for Shiva to wash off the Brahmahatti dosha - the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahmin and great grandson of Brahma. A time for the auspicious ceremony is fixed. Rama rushes Hanuman to Mount Kailas to fetch a Linga. As the auspicious time for the installation has neared, but since Hanuman has still not reached, Sita makes a Linga out of sand and the puja is performed within the stipulated time. It is consecrated as Ramalinga. Meanwhile, Hanuman returns from Shiva's abode with two Lingas. He is disappointed that the ceremony is already over. In anger, he tries to uproot the sand Linga with his tail, but in vain. Rama pacifies Hanuman and installs a Linga brought by Hanuman from Kailas to the left of Ramalinga, and ordered that all pujas be first performed for this Linga, called Vishwalinga. This priority in puja is followed even today. Rama then performs abhisheka with holy water from the Ganga. He aims an arrow at a point to create a spring and takes the purifacatory bath. This is the much-revered Kodi Theertha, situated in the first corridor of the Rameswaram temple.This holy Theertha and several other sacred waters, mostly in the form of wells within the temple precincts in Rameswaram thus have a special sanctity attached to them with the touch of Rama's holy feet.The people of Rameswaram consider it sacrilegious to plough the land or use heavy stone crushers to produce oil since Sita made Ramalinga out of earth&nbsp;.&nbsp;Rameshwaram (also spelt as Rameswaram) is a pilgrimage centre of nationwide importance, as Rama is said to have worshipped Shiva here on his way back from SriLanka. The temple is in the island of Rameshwaram, the Banares of the South, connected to the mainland by a bridge. The deity here constitutes one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India.&nbsp;The Sacred Pilgrimage To RameshwaramA pilgrimage to Rameshwaram is among the important injunctions laid on the Hindu from time immemorial. The great temple of Sri Ramanatha is connected by tradition with Kashi. A pilgrimage to Kashi is not considered complete without a pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. In olden days groups of pilgrims, many of them quite old, walked huge distances to the two temples, taking months and years, and some failing to survive the rigours and dangers of such incredibly long journeys. Men and women knew this cost might be exacted of them, but they repaid it cheerfully. &nbsp;The Rameshwaram pilgrimage has long been a tradition in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, and has passed into folklore. Many kings of old prided themselves on having planted columns of victory in Rameshwaram-Krishna III the Rashtrakuta, in the 10th century; the Hoysala, Vishnuvardhana, in the 12th century. &nbsp;Everything in and near Rameshwaram is traditionally connected with incidents in the "Ramayana". The Kashi pilgrimage is considered complete not only after worship in the Sri Ramanatha temple but also after a bath in Dhanushkodi, a tip of the island where the Bay of Bengal, called the "Mahodadhi" in ancient times, joins the Indian Ocean, or Ratnakaram, its beautiful old name "Dhanushkodi", in Tamil the "end of the bow", takes its name from a tradition that Sri Rama, at the request of Vibishana, his friend, destroyed the bridge to Sri Lanka with the end of His bow. Dhanushkodi was affected in a cyclone a few years ago. &nbsp;The Great Temple Of Sri RamanathaThe temple of Sri Ramanatha, which has over the centuries grown into its present gigantic dimensions, stands on the eastern shore of an island, which is shaped like a conch, which Lord Vishnu bears in one of His hands. No field is ploughed or oil presses any where in the island. A magnificent railway bridge, over a kilometre long and constructed at the beginning of the twentieth century, connects it with the mainland. &nbsp;To help the pilgrims walking incredible distances, philanthropists used to construct rest houses at intervals along the way. The last of them before Rameshwaram was Thangachimadam, a few kilometres away on the island. Modern means of transport have made these rest houses superfluous. But in their time they were most useful, even vital. The Sethupathis of Ramanathapuram, of which the district Rameshwaram is an administrative part, were called the "guardians of the Sethu", the bridge which, according to tradition, was built for Sri Rama to cross over into Sri Lanka when He set out to recover Sita. &nbsp;About The TempleSince it was Sri Rama Himself who, in time honoured tradition, built the temple, it is held in particular reverence. After killing Ravana, He returned to India and, in Rameshwaram, offered worship to Lord Shiva to expiate the sin incurred in destroying him. Intending to set up a Linga, He directed Hanuman to bring one from Kailasa within a certain time. Hanuman was delayed. Meanwhile, the propitious hour for the installation having arrived, Sita Herself prepared one of sand, and offered it worship. This is the Linga of Sri Ramanatha in the temple. &nbsp;When Hanuman returned with a Linga, He found that it was too late. He was angry and attempted to uproot the Ramalinga. But He failed. To pacify Him Sri Rama directed that his Linga, the "Visvalinga", should also be set up and that worship should first be offered to it. This is the second Linga under worship in the temple. &nbsp;Shrines Within The TempleIn the principal sanctum there is the Linga of Sri Ranganatha. This is the one, which Sita made and Sri Rama sanctified. There is much delicate artistry in many parts of the sanctum. The Vimana, of three storeys, contains images of Hanuman, the Gandhamadhana Linga, and the Agastya Linga. The Linga of Visvanatha (also spelt as Vishvanatha), which Hanuman brought, is enshrined in another sanctum to the north. Worship is offered to it first. &nbsp;In yet another shrine there is an image of Visalakshi, the Consort of Visvanatha, Ramanatha's Consort, Parvathavardhani, is enshrined in a sanctum to the right of His. Usually, in Shiva temples, the Goddess is enshrined to the left of the Lord. But here, as in Madurai, this location has not been followed. &nbsp;Behind the Sri Ramanatha shrine, and between the second and third prakaras, there is a sanctum for Lord Vishnu as "Sethumadhava". Strictly speaking, the name should be "Svetha Madhava". The first word is Sanskrit for "white". The name derives from the fact that the image is of white marble. &nbsp;&nbsp;Thirthas Within The TempleThere are no less than twenty-two "thirthas" (also spelt as Teertha or Tirtha), or bathing places, mainly within, but a few also outside, the temple. According to time-honoured tradition, the pilgrim bathes first in Agni Tirtha (also spelt Theertham), as the sea to the east of the temple is called (nearby there is a Shankara Matha), and finally in the Kodi tirtha, which is within the temple. The importance of bathing in these "thirthas" derives from the tradition that Sri Krishna Himself did so. &nbsp;Temple Architecture The temple 264m east to west and 200m north to south, and with three Prakaras, two big Gopuras and two more unfinished ones, faces east, a few metres from the sea. It contains two Lingas under worship. There are innumerable other shrines and twenty-two "Tirthas" (also spelt as Teerthas), or sacred bathing places. &nbsp;At the main eastern entrance stands a huge Gopura of nine storeys and 38.4m high. The outermost, or third, corridor, 196m long and 120.4 wide, is one of the achievements of the Hindu artist down the ages. There are about four thousand pillars, each 3.7m high. All are located on a platform 1.5m high. They look like an orderly, petrified forest. &nbsp;What is truly remarkable, apart from the sheer artistry of it which has so magnificently conquered problems of proportions, height and such like, is that all these stones must have been transported here over long distances and across the sea by a causeway. In Nayak times there was a kind of ford. How the huge stones could have been carried across a turbulent sea is a question the answer to which proves that old Indian engineers were quite advanced in technology. &nbsp;A huge Nandi, 6.7m long and 5m high, stands beyond the second Prakara. It is made of 'Sudai', a material used for sculptures on Gopuras. On either side of it there are portraits of two of the Nayaks, Visvanatha and Krishnappa. &nbsp;The western Gopura is smaller than the eastern, but still impressive, being 24m high. On the northern and southern sides there are unfinished Gopuras. &nbsp;An Interesting Story Is Told Of The Origin Of The ShrineA Pandya of Madurai, Punyanadhi, once came to Rameshwaram on pilgrimage and performed a sacrifice to propitiate Lord Vishnu. The Lord, in order to test his faith, sent Goddess Lakshmi as an orphan girl. &nbsp;The Pandya, having no daughter of his own, adopted her and lavished affection on her. One day Lord Vishnu, in the guise of an old ascetic, made his way into her apartment. When the king heard of this, he loaded him with chains and had him imprisoned in the Rameshwaram temple. That night he dreamt that the old man appeared as Lord Vishnu and the girl as Goddess Lakshmi. When he went to the princess apartment, he saw the same sight. On coming to the Rameshwaram temple, he found an image of Vishnu in shackles. Then he realised the enormity of what he had done. But the Lord consoled him and said that He, with Goddess Lakshmi would remain in the temple in shackles. The tradition is that he who bathes in a tank near the shrine and offers worship in that shrine will receive all the benefits of the Kashi pilgrimage. &nbsp;&nbsp;Sacred sites outside the Temple§ Sethu : 5-km south of the temple is Sethu, where there is a celebrated temple of Sri Anjaneya, and where, tradition holds, Sri Rama built a bridge to Sri Lanka. In Devipatnam, or Navapashanam, also by the sea, there are nine stones visible at low tide. It is believed that they were set up by Sri Rama to represent the nine planets, the Navagrahas. &nbsp;§ Gandamadhana Parvata : Outside the temple, on the island, there are a few sites also held sacred. About 2.5-km west of the temple, on a hillock, stands the Gandamadhana Parvata. In this Mandapa footprints of Sri Rama are enshrined. From the top of the Mandapa there is a fine view of parts of the island. 8-km from the temple, on the way to Dhanushkodi, there is a beautiful temple of Sri Kodandarama where, tradition says, Vibishana was crowned when he joined Sri Rama. &nbsp;§ Uttarakosamangai : 16-km southwest of Ramanathapuram stands the renowed Shiva temple of Uttarakosamangai. Manikkavachagar has sung of it. The Lord is Mangaleshvara and the Goddess Mangalesvari. The temple has inspired many Tamil works of devotion. So, of course, has the Ramanatha temple in Rameshwaram. &nbsp;To the making, expansion and preservation of these and many other temples in the district, the Setupathis of Ramanathapuram contributed magnificiently. Originally a ruling power in these parts, they were made zamindars by the British. The Sethupathi's proud boast was that he was the guardian of the Sethu. The family is closely connected with the temples in Rameshwaram, Tiruppullani, and Uttarakosamangai. &nbsp;§ Tiruppullani : Outside the island, there are three other sites traditionally connected with Sri Rama's expedition to Sri Lanka. A big temple in Tiruppullani commemorates the tradition that there the Lord obtained a bow and arrows to use in the impending war from its presiding Deity and also that the Lord of the Ocean who had refused to help Him finally submitted. &nbsp;&nbsp;Places to stay in RameshwaramAccommodation is available at the moderate and economy class hotels, devasthanam cottages and choultries in Rameshwaram.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/11/1229960160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/11/1229960160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/11/1229960160/tpod.html Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:38:02 -0400 Mehandipur Balaji Temple
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mendhi pur, India

Thousands of devotees of Lord Shri Balaji comes every day to Mehandipur Balaji to pay homage. It is the belief that lord Shri Balaji not only cure the "sankat" but also provide "riddi and Siddi".As the legend goes, around 1000 years ago the images of lord Shri Balaji, Shri Pretraj Sarkar and Shri Bhairav dev appeared in the valley of the hills of Arawali range. The appearance of Lord Shri Balaji in Arawali hills is chamatkar of this saga. Shri Ganesh Puri ji Maharaj was 11th Mahant of this temple. Earlier this area was thick and dense forest, full of wild animals. The ancestor of Shri Mahantji saw the lila of Shri Balaji in dreams indicating three divine deity and magnificent temple. He also heared divine voice ordering "get up and be prepared for my duty". But he was unable to see any one. Ultimately Lord Shri Balaji appeared before him and ordered "Take duty of serving me".
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/10/1222283400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/10/1222283400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/10/1222283400/tpod.html Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:11:39 -0400 Shirdi
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Shirdi, Maharashtra, India

Directions To Shirdi Temple In India<img height="420" alt="Sai Baba" src="http://www.vishvarupa.com/images/shirdi2.jpg" width="284" border="1">How to get to Shirdi:Nearest airports are Mumbai (260 km), Pune (185 km), and Aurangabad (125 km). Flights for all the major cities in India and abroad can be taken from Mumbai. The nearest railway station is Manmad (60 km) on the Central Railway, which is connected to many parts of the country with express trains. Most of the trains touching Nasik Road railway station also touch Manmad. Shirdi has railway reservation office for trains from Manmad. Taxis and buses are easily available at Manmad railway station for transfer to Shirdi. Regular taxi service also operates between Manmad railway station and bus stand. State Transport Corporation and private operators run coaches to Shirdi from Mumbai. The easiest way to get to Shirdi is by bus. If you fly into the Mumbai airport, hire a taxi (the ones that are in lines at the very front of the airport) to take you to the Dadar Bus Stand. The cost is about Rs.-150 to Rs.-175 (make sure they turn the meter on). There are also people who will try to redirect you to their own "private" taxis. These "private" taxis charge between Rs. 400 to Rs. 600 to take you to the Dadar Bus Stand. At the Dadar Bus Stand, there are long lines of small ticket counters that sell bus tickets to Shirdi. Preferably, try to get an A/C direct bus (Rs.-300). If you are not able to get an A/C direct bus, get a non-A/C direct bus (Rs.-150). Buses leave almost every 3 hours from Mumbai to Shirdi. So your wait will not be long. The buses make about 2 stops for food. The restaurants are non-vegetarian. So make sure you pack some snacks and bottled water for the trip. Keep an eye on your luggage! Try to get a bus that departs before 11am so you will not arrive too late at Shirdi.Where to stay and eat:I would personally recommend (for foreigners) to stay at <i>Hotel Neeta. Hotel Neeta is directly across from the Shirdi Temple Complex. Hotel Neeta is also easy to find, close to bus-booking agencies and gift shops. The best vegetarian restaurant I found was a restaurant called <i>Sai Sagar, which happens to be located on the ground floor to Hotel Neeta. I tried various vegetarian restaurants and found Sai Sagar to be the best. Their prices are very reasonable and the food portions are generous. Hotel Neeta costs between Rs.-700 to Rs.-1200 per night (depending on whether you want A/C or Non-A/C rooms or single or double beds). That is approximately $20 US Dollars per night. If you would like to make reservations at Hotel Neeta, you can call them at: 952423-255802 / 255801. For your information, I do not have any sort of relations or contacts with Hotel Neeta. I am simply recommending them from my own personal experiences with them. I also stayed at Sai Leela, which is also a very nice hotel, but I did not like their food and thought it was very expensive for the portion size and quality. Sai Leela is similarly priced as Hotel Neeta. Sai Leela has a swimming pool and is about a 10 minute walk to the Shirdi Temple Complex. On the way to Shirdi, there are many billboards advertising the Sai Leela Hotel, saying the cost for rooms is around Rs.-500. Those billboards are old and the prices are incorrect. If you want a swimming pool, you can stay at Sai Leela and eat at Sai Sagar.Things to know: A majority of the people do not speak English inside or outside of the Temple Complex at Shirdi. Most of the people who speak English are the ones who run the larger hotels. Purchase anti-diarrheal medications before you leave to Shirdi. The Temple Complex has two main places for you to keep your shoes (cost is 1 rupee). If you are wearing chappals or sandals, you have to store them at a separate shoe counter. This is perhaps the most confusing part of the ashram. I would suggest you buy some cheap sandals, mark you name on them and find a place to put them in case you get confused about the shoe counters. Just remember where you put your sandals, because when you come out of from the Darshan area, you are on the opposite side of the Temple Complex. I was not able to find any sort of public internet facilities when I was at Shirdi. Shirdi does have telephone services for local, state and international calls. When booking a return bus ticket to Bombay, make sure you get the earliest bus (it takes 7 hours to get to Bombay) and make sure the bus is A/C (costs around Rs.-300). Try to sit on the left hand side of the bus so you can keep an eye on your luggage, which is stored in a compartment below the bus. The boys who sell flowers, pictures and statues can be very stubborn and will literally follow your for hours. If you would like to help them out (most are very poor), make your purchases a few hours prior to leaving Shirdi. Otherwise, you will attract large groups of sellers. A small bundle of roses (about 3-4 roses tied together) costs Rs.-3, if you would like to offer flowers in the temple. Inside The Temple: Once you go inside the Temple for Darshan, you can expect long lines if it is a Holy Day. Otherwise, you will not have to wait long at all. Avoid Holy Days (the lines are extremely long and the wait can easily exceed 5 hours). You can expect police officers and Temple workers to be screaming loudly at people to hurry up and move forward. I would suggest you get in the furthest left-hand side line. In that line, you can touch Sai Baba's actual samadhi and the silver chappals that are located there. You can offer flowers and there are places where you can offer money. As soon as you offer your flowers and touch his samadhi, kindly leave the area. Winters are the best season to visit Shirdi. The months from September to April being the ideal period. The daytime temperature is pleasant during this period, making the days excellent for visiting the tourist attractions of the town. The summers can get very hot (May-August). Make sure you drink bottled water. Quotes From Sai Baba<i>"Be wherever you like, do whatever you choose, remember this well that all what you do is known to Me. I am the Inner Ruler of all and seated in their hearts. I envelope all the creatures, the movable and immovable world. I am the Controller - the wire-puller of the show of this Universe. I am the mother - origin of all beings - the Harmony of three Gunas, the propeller of all senses, the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. Nothing will harm him, who turns his attention towards Me, but Maya will lash or whip him who forgets Me. All the insects, ants, the visible, movable and immovable world, is My Body or Form..." ~Sai Baba<i>"If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion. And if he sings earnestly My life and My deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides. Those devotees, who are attached to Me, heart and soul, will naturally feel happiness, when they hear these stories. Believe Me that if anybody sings My Leelas, I will give him infinite joy and everlasting contentment. It is My special characteristic to free any person, who surrenders completely to Me, and who does worship Me faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly. How can they be conscious of worldly objects and sensations, who utter My name, who worship Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me? I shall draw out My devotees from the jaws of Death. If My stories are listened to, all the diseases will be got rid of. So, hear My stories with respect; and think and meditate on them, assimilate them. This is the way of happiness and contentment. The pride and egoism of My devotees will vanish, the mind of the hearers will be set at rest; and if it has wholehearted and complete faith, it will be one with Supreme Consciousness. The simple remembrance of My name as 'Sai, Sai' will do away with sins of speech and hearing..." ~Sai Baba<i>"Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings will come to an end. The wretched and miserable will rise into plenty of joy and happiness, as soon as they climb the steps of my Mosque. I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body. My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees. I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb. I am Ever living to help and guide all, who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me. If you look at me I look at you. If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it. If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once. There shall be no want in the house of my devotees...." ~Sai Baba<img height="420" alt="Shirdi Sai Baba" src="http://www.vishvarupa.com/images/shirdi3.jpg" width="298" border="1">Places To Visit In Shirdi:Sai Baba's place Shirdi (Maharashtra State) is a very sacred, powerful and important place of pilgrimage in India. Khandoba Mandir: This place is near Shirsainath Hospital. Baba stepped here in Shirdi at the foot of banyan tree near Khandoba Temple along with Chand Patil's wife's nephew's marriage party. The then Pujari Mhalsapati welcome Him by calling "Ya Sai".Gurusthan Mandir: This is the place where Baba first appeared to the world as a boy of 16 years &amp; this place is supposed to be Baba's Gurusthan. the famous Margosa (Neem) tree is here. it has a reference in Shri Sai Sat-charita. Devotees claim that their ailments are cured by burning incense here on Thursday &amp; Friday.Sai Baba's Samadhi Mandir: This is the place where Sacred Body of Baba is resting in Samadhi. The articles handled by Baba are preserved &amp; displayed here in a special showroom. All rituals consisting of Pooja. Abhishek &amp; daily four Aratis are performed here. The Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur and a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao, also known as 'Butti Wada'. He wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar there. However, according to the legends, Sai Baba manifested himself as Murlidhar and the temple became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Samadhi of Baba is built with white marble stones. The railings around it are full of ornamental decorations. The idol of Baba is a marvelous statue made up of Italian marble built by Late Balaji Vasant in 1954. The temple has an assembly hall for about 600 devotees. The first floor of the temple has the pictures depicting the life of the saint. The temple opens on 5 AM with morning prayers and close down at 10 PM with night prayers.Dwarkamai (Masjid): Baba stayed at this place continuously for 60 years. Innumerable devotees got blessing of Baba here. The Shila (Stone) on which Baba used to sit is located nearby. Also Sacred Fire (Dhuni) lit by Baba is ever burning here. Baba used to give Sacred Udi (Ash) to the devotees to solve their problems in life. Udi distributed to the devotees now is only from this Dhuni. Baba used to cook food here for distribution to devotees. Main attraction of the site is the oil paintings of the sage.Chawdi Mandir: On every alternate day Baba used to proceed in procession from Dwarkamai to this place at night &amp; halt &amp; sleep here. Now also on every Thursday Palanquin procession of Baba's Photo. Holy Padukas &amp; Satka is taken to this place between 9.15 p.m. &amp; 10.00 p.m. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One part of the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden bed and a white chair belonging to him. Lendi Baug: At some distance from Gurusthan, there is the Lendi Baug. This garden was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from a nullah (a drain), which used to flow there. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and take rest under a neem tree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the neem tree and kept a deep (a lighting object) lit in that pit. An octagonal deepgriha (lighthouse) called Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantly burns in a glass box. On one side of the deepgriha is a pipal tree and on the other side is a neem tree.Other Places: The Samadhis of Shri Tatya Patil Kote, Shri Bhau Maharaj Kumbhar, Shri V.Padmanabha Iyer, Shri Nanawali &amp; Shri Abdul Baba who were ardent Bhaktas closely associated with Shri Sai Baba during His life time are located in Sansthan premises near lendhi Baug.Lendi Baug: This is the place where Shri Sai Baba used to go for stroll. Nandapeep is kept constantly burning near the Pimple tree planted by shri sai Baba Himself. There is also Datta Mandir in this garden &amp; Shri Sai Baba's deloyed Horse 'Shamkarna'(Shamsunder) is taking Eternal Rest here. There is also a well here called as 'Baba's Shivdi'.In addition 3 other Temples are in Temples premises complex : 1) Shri Ganesh Temple, 2) Shri Shani Temple &amp; 3) Shri Mahadev TempleFairs And Festivals:The most important festivals and events that are celebrated in Shirdi are Guru Poornima, Dussehra, and Ram Navami. These are the only days when the Samadhi Mandir of Shirdi opens for the whole night. Every Thursday, a palakhi bearing a photograph of the sage is taken out from the temple.Nearby Sites:Situated around 5 km from Shirdi is Sakori. The place is home to the Upasini Maharaj. Shanisinghnapur is 70 km from Shirdi. A temple devoted to Shani is located there.&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/9/1219412340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/9/1219412340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kulyash.sharma/9/1219412340/tpod.html Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:45:17 -0400 Ajmer shariff
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<img height="320" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Nizam%20gate.jpg" width="244" border="0">Nizam Gate<img height="320" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Buland%20Darwaza.jpg" width="244" border="0">Buland DarwazaNizam GateMir Osman Ali Khan, The Nizam of Hyderabad Deccan,erected the main gate of the Dargah Sharif in 1911 A.D.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Buland DarwazaHigh entrance that was erected by Sultan Mahmood Khilji . Before the commencement of Urs Sharif a flag is hoisted on top of this gatewith grand ceremony on the 25th Jamadiulsaani for ushering the 'Urs' of Khwaja Saheb, which starts from 1st of Rajab(The 7th month of lunar Calendar).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp;&nbsp;<img height="218" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/badi%20deg.jpg" width="278" border="0">Badi Degh<img height="218" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Choti%20Deg.jpg" width="278" border="0">Choti DeghBadi DegOn either side of the second gate i.e Buland Darwaza in front of Sahan Chiragh (courtyard lamp),there are two huge Degs (cauldrons for cooking food)fixed into solid masonryin which a palatable mixture of rice sugar, ghee (butter) and dried fruits are cooked for distribution to the public as tabarruk.The pilgrims cook this Deg Individually.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Choti DegThe circumference at the edge of the larger cauldron is 10-1/4 feet.It cooks 70 mounds of rice,while the smaller Deg takes 28 mounds. One of them was presented by Akbar in 1567 A.D. The well-to-do pilgrims Individually make these Degs to be cooked.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="170" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Mehfil%20Khana.jpg" width="278" border="0">Mehfil Khana<img height="172" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Begami%20Dalaan.jpg" width="229" border="0">Begami DalaanMehfil KhanaOn the west of the Saham Chiragh stands the magnificent building of Samakhana or Mahfilkhana (auditorium with darbar hall) which was built by Nawab Bashir-ud-Dowla Sir Asmaan Jah of Hyderabad Deccan in 1888-91 A.D. This spacious hall is 46 feet square with a gallery of 14 feet running around it.It is used for 6 days only during the annual Urs for religious 'Mahfils' in which Qawwali is the chief item of programme commencing at 11 P.M. and ending with Fatiha in the early hours of morning at 4 A.M.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Begami DalaanOverhanging the principal eastern to the Shrine or Mausoleum, there is a handsome porch known as Begami Daalaan which was built in 1643 AD by Princess Jahan Ara Begam, the favorite daughter of Emperor Shah Jahan. The walls and the beautiful marble pillars of the Begami Daalaan were done in colorful gold in 1888 AD. Later on, the ceiling of this Daalaan was also embellished in gold with the money donated by a Muslim merchant of Bombay. This beautiful portico was used by the Begams or ladies of the Moghul harem during their frequent visits to the shrine.There are two simultaneous entrances to the Shrine through the Begami Daalaan. The doors of both of them are mounted with heavy silverplate carved in ornamental details. The tomb is of white marble inlaid with pieces of precious stones and is daily bestrewed with sandal-paste and Itars (perfumes). It is always covered with very costly 'Ghilaafs' (coverings made of velvet and silk) embroidered with pleasing gold and silver tracings.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="230" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Gumbad.jpg" width="219" border="0">Gumbad Mubarik<img height="230" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Bibi%20Hafiza%20Jamal.jpg" width="278" border="0">Hazrat Bibi Hafiza JamalGumbad Mubarak (Dome)Inside the gumbad mubarak, there is a silver 'Chaparkhat' (canopy) inlaid with pieces of mother-of-pearl presented by Emperor Jahangir. Between the four poles supporting this `chaparkhat', there is silver `katehra' (railing) with an arch towards the south. There is another outer silver katehra running around the tomb at a distance of about 2 feet. The devotees are led into this space to offer flowers and prayers over the tomb. The ceiling of the dome is covered by a costly velvet chatgiri. A peculiar kind of fascinating aroma prevails in the shrine which inspires the visitors with a spontaneous and irresistible urge for devotion and homage towards the asleep saint. As soon as one enters the interior of the shrine, he feels as if he is in the presence of some exalted soul or mighty spiritual king.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shrine of Hazrat Bibi Hafiza Jamal (R.A)Hazrat Bibi Hafiza Jamal was the only daughter of Huzoor Gharib Nawaz (R.A) she was of great religious personality. she guided thousand of women to the righteous path her mazar-e-mubarak(holy shrine) is located just near the mazar of Huzoor Gharib Nawaz (R.A.).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="190" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Sandali%20Masjid.jpg" width="252" border="0">Sandali Masjid<img height="190" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Auliya%20Masjid.jpg" width="300" border="0">Aulia MasjidSandali MasjidThis Mosque was built by the Empror Aurangzeb the elder son of Shah Jahan who build the Taj Mahal.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Aulia MasjidThe place where Khawaja Sahib stayed for a few days, when he came to Ajmer for the first time,has now been turned into a mosque called Aulia Masjid.It is made of white marble. Devotees use it only for recitation of Holy Quran and thanks giving prayers.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="177" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Arcot%20Dalaan.jpg" width="278" border="0">Arcot Dalaan<img height="177" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Chilla%20of%20baba%20Farid.jpg" width="273" border="0">Chilla of Baba FaridArcot DalaanThis small hall on the southern side of the Shrine was erected by Nawab Muhammad Ali of Arcot around 1800 for the comfort of the devotees. It is also used for the death rituals by Khuddam-e-Khwaja.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chilla of Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganj-e-Shakar, Pak Pattan Sharif, Pakistan.Situated between Jama Masjid and Sandali Masjid in the premises of Hazrat khwaja Muinuddin's Dargah at Ajmer. Along the left-hand wall, in the background of the Sandali Masjid there is a small gate which leads down to the under-ground cell in which Hazrat Baba Farid remained in a chilla (secluded prayers) for 40 days in spiritual communion with the Holy Saint of Ajmer.This gate is opened for public Ziarat (visit) on the night of the 5th of Moharram (the date of Baba farid's death)every year when thousands of pilgrims visit the place from all over India to seek his spiritual benediction.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="209" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Shahjehani%20Mosque.jpg" width="278" border="0">Shahjehani Masjid<img height="209" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/A%20king%20of%20the%20day.jpg" width="157" border="0">Nizam, the water-carriers GraveShahjehani MasjidOn the south wing of the Mahfil khana stands the Jama Masjid or Shah Jahani Mosque, which is a fine piece of Moghul architecture. All the 99 sacred names of Allah with 33 Quranic verses are beautifully inscribed in the mosque.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nizam the water-carriers Grave (A king of the day)This man was a water man who use to supply water in the Goat skin. He was filling water in his water bags suddenly he saw a man is drowning in River Jamuna. He just throw himself and saved that man.That man was Mughal Emperor Humayun, Father of Akbar. He was drowning during his war with Sher Shah Suri. After winning the battle he called that water man (Nizam Sikka) and asked what reward he wants&nbsp;for saving a life of king. The Water man asked that he wants the throne of India for one day. He wants to rule India for One day. King allowed to give him the throne for one day. He ruled on India for One day, His name was Nizam Sikka. This is the Grave of Nizam Sikka.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="183" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Victoria%20tank.jpg" width="278" border="0">Victoria tank<img height="183" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Bibi%20saheba.jpg" width="264" border="0">Bibi sahebaVictoria tankIn memory of Queen Mary's visit to the Shrine, the roof of the tank was constructed by the British Government for the convenience of the worshippers.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bibi sahebaThis is the Shrine of the Wife of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty (R.A) .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------&nbsp; <img height="300" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/khwajagharibnawaz.com%20announcements%20(8).jpg" width="213" border="0">Jannati Darwaza<img height="300" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Akbari%20mosque.jpg" width="297" border="0">Akbari MasjidJannati Darwaza<img height="51" src="http://www.khwajagharibnawaz.com/Jannati%20Darwaza%20Inscription.jpg" width="415" border="0">This gate too is situated on the western side of the Shrine adjacent to the tomb of Gaiti Ara.The doors of the gate are covered with&nbsp;silver metal. It is opened only four times during the year, viz. Twice on Eid's (for one day) during the annual Urs (for six days) and on the 6th of Shawwal, the Urs of Khawaja Saheb's Pir.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Akbari MasjidThis Mosque was constructed by Emperor Akbar as a token of his Devotion and Gratitude on the occasion of the birth of prince Salim (Jahangir) in the year 1455 A.D. It is a Square of 140x140x2 feet and its central area is 56 (feets) high. In the centre, there had been a hauz (tank) for wazoo (ablution).Owing to certain resons, the hauz was closed and covered. Now the Mosque is known as Akbari Mosque. At present this place also houses a Quranic Educational Institution to provide religious education to the children.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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