Temples of India

The gods always play where lakes are,...
where the sun’s rays are warded off by umbrellas of lotus leaf clusters,
and where clear waterpaths are made by swans
whose breasts toss the white lotus hither and thither,
where swans, ducks, curleys and paddy birds are heard,
and animals rest nearby in the shade of Nicula trees on the river banks.

The gods always play where rivers have for their braclets
the sound of curleys and the voice of swans for their speech,
water as their garment, carps for their zone,
the flowering trees on their banks as earrings,
the confluence of rivers as their hips,
raised sand banks as breasts and plumage of swans their mantle.
The gods always play where groves are near, rivers, mountains and springs, and in towns with pleasure gardens.
—Brhat Samhita 1.60.4-8, 6th Century CE
Major Hindu temples are recommended at sangams (confluence of rivers), river banks, lakes and seashore, Brhat Samhita and Puranas suggest temples may also be built where a natural source of water is not present. Here too, they recommend that a pond be built preferably in front or to the left of the temple with water gardens. If water is neither present naturally nor by design, water is symbolically present at the consecration of temple or the deity. Temples may also be built, suggests Visnudharmottara in Part III of Chapter 93, inside caves and carved stones, on hill tops affording peaceful views, mountain slopes overlooking beautiful valleys, inside forests and hermitages, next to gardens, or at the head of a town street
 

KRISHI PARASHARA ~ ANCIENT GUIDE TO FARMING BY VEDIC HINDUS

KRISHI PARASHARA ~ ANCIENT GUIDE TO FARMING BY VEDIC HINDUS !!!
Surprisingly mentioned EL NINO effect on farming also and remedies !!!!!!!
Krishi- Parashara: an Early Sanskrit Text on Agriculture . The book traces back the evolution of the agricultural science through the literary records to the time of Kautilya (c. 1800 BC), whose work, the Arthasastra, also imparts prominence to agriculture. The question of the identity of Parashara the author of Krishi Parashara is discussed in detail. The name of Parashara appears in the ancient texts as an individual, as also an institution at different periods of time and is related to different sciences like astronomy, astrology, medicine, agriculture, social rules and code etc. We are told that, ‘two more aspects must be taken into account while discussing the identity of the author:
(i) Parashara also is a gotranama; i.e., a family name, it can be shared by several individuals belonging to the Parashara clan; and

 (ii) in ancient India the followers of a certain school of thought used the same name which was usually the name of the founder of that school.
Kṛṣi-parāśara (KP), a Hindu manual on farming, that knowledge derived from such observations did survive in some form. For example, the KP23 gives a rough formula to determine the nature of the El Niño effects. KP24-25 describes clouds associated with the cycle and mentions the puṣkara (cirrus) clouds that appear to prognosticate droughts. KP33 indicates that the predictions were refined using wind-vanes to measure wind direction/speed and predict rain several months later.
The book is written for the benefit of farmers. Thus it is the theory of agriculture expounded in such a manner that the farmers would benefit by its application to their profession. It is in a way a farmer's almanac containing astronomical and meteorological data arranged according to the seasons and months of ancient India. It is the farmers' ready reckoner containing the basic data of geographical and climatic conditions, which can help him in planning and managing the activity of farming spread over several months.
To suit this purpose, the language used by the author is simple and clear. The embellishments and bombast which are so typical of the Sanskrit language are conspicuously absent here. But this lack of ornateness and ostentation does not make it prosaic. The language has the force of directness and the fervor of naturalness. The verse-form chosen by the author like several others, has its natural rhythm and fluency enabling him to convey the intended sense in an effective manner. Though most of the verses are composed in the simple anustubh (shloka) meter, more elaborate and longer meters such as vasantatilika, malini, shardulavikridita, upendravajra, indravajra, and upajati are occasionally used with considerable ease and skill.
On the whole it is a text, well conceived, neatly and properly worded and systematically presented. Being a book on a scientific subject, the importance of. Parashara lies more in the matter it has to offer 1 the manner in which it is presented. Even a cursory, of the contents of Krishi-Parashara will show Contains significant information on topics su meteorology, cattle-care, and most of the agric\J operations.
In meteorology, Parashara has laid down some Principles of studying the climatic and atmospheric conditions through careful observations. He has advanced several methods and theories of rain forecast. His main technique of rain forecast is based on the position he Moon and the Sun.
Sign of The Moon
Sign of the Sun
Predicted total rainfall of the year
Gemini, Aries, Taurus, or Pisces Cancer 100 adhakas
Gemini, Aries, Taurus, or Pisces Leo or Sagittarius 50 adhakas
Gemini, Aries, Taurus, or Pisces Virgo or Leo 80 adhakas
Gemini, Aries, Taurus, or Pisces Cancer, Aquarius, Scorpio, or Libra 96 adhakas
Balkundi (1998) has given Varahamihira's technique of forecasting rain. It is obvious that Parashara does not take into account the lunar mansion.
-Page 39-
Parashara's basic Unit of measuring rainfall is 'adhaka' which he has defined in verse 26 as thirty yojanas depth of water spread over an expanse of hundred yojanas. If yojana means (the width ot) 'a finger' (Apte, 1977) and if the word 'vistima' in the verse is interpreted as 'square', we get the three measurements required for fixing the gauge (10 x 10 x 30 cu. angulas). Balkundi (1998) has explained Parashara's 'adhaka' taking the third dimension (depth) to be 8 angulas. The end result of his calculations is:
1 drona = 4 adhakas = 6.4 cm.
This formula will be helpful in correlating Parashara's measurement to the modern units.
Varahamihira also defines 'adhaka' (Bhat, 1992). According to him, a pot of one hand expanse, containing 50 palas of water is an adhaka.
Here also the words 'hasta vishala' are open to different interpretations. It is rendered as a square, of one hand in length and one hand in breadth by Misra.
Kautilya's unit of measuring rainwater is 'drona' (4 adhakas). In his Artha-sastra, however, he discusses only the yearly distribution of rainfall in different parts of Ancient India in terms of 'dyana' without explaining as to how the unit itself is fixed.
An 'adhaka', a unit of measuring food grains also defined by Parashara in verse 238 is twelve human fingers in width. However, the depth of the vessel is not defined although 'twelve fingers' can be taken to mean a diameter of a circular vessel or a square of that measurement. This detailed discussion on 'adhaka' became necessary, as it forms the basis of Parashara's main theory of rainfall prediction. Other theories propounded by him are:
By determining the ruling planet of the year.

By determining the minister planet and the type of cloud pertaining to the year.
By observing every month the movement of winds by affixing a flag to a rod firmly planted in open place (danda pataka siddhanta).
By observing rainfall during months beginning from Pausha (January).
By observing other climatic conditions such as clouds, fog, storms, snowfall, gale, hailstorms, heat waves, and lightning in the months preceding the seasonal rains.
By observing the movements of the planets and their relative positions.
By noting down special planetary conjunctions.
By recording the Sun's transition to Aries with reference to the nakshatras for facilitating which the nakshatras are divided into four groups and put in a certain order to mark those groups (Meshasankramana siddhanta) (see figure on p. 50).
By noting the time at which the Sun crosses the Vishuva (equator) (the theory of Vishuvasankranti).

A. YASHODHARMAN

A. YASHODHARMAN ~ यशोधर्मा) was the Maharaja of Malwa, in central India, during the early part of the 6th century.
THE KING WHO DESTROYED THE MLECHHA AND HIS LANDS WERE NOT ATTACKED FOR 600 YEARS AFTER HIM ....Yasodharman defeated Huna Mihirkula around 515AD(Mihirkula came to Malwa throne in 510AD).
The Gupta empire had been weakened by the attacks of the Indo-Hephthalites, known in India as the Hunas, towards the end of the 5th century, which caused it to break up into smaller states. Yasodharman and the Gupta Emperor Narasimhagupta defeated a Huna army and their ruler Mihirakula in 528 AD and drove the Huns out of India. Legend has it that Yashodharman, originally a prince, had lost his kingdom and was saved by a girl while wandering in a forest.It is said that it was a message from this girl, whom he later considered a sister, that acted as a motivation behind his military endeavours. Twin monolithic pillars at Sondani in Mandsaur District were erected by Yasodharman as a record of his victory.
The victory of Yasodharman is mentioned in the sentence “Ajay Jarto Hunan” in the grammar of Chandra of the sixth century. This mention in the phrase sentence अजय जर्टो हुणान or “ Ajay Jarto Huṇān ”, refers to the defeat of Huns by the Jats under the leadership of Yasodharman.
Three inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsaur. One of these is of samvat 589 (532 AD). Yasodharman had acquired the title of Vikramaditya.The Kashmiri poet Kalhana has mentioned about three Kalidasas. The second Kalidasa, who wrote the books 'Raguvansha' and 'Jyotirvidabharan', was court poet of Yasodharman. According to some analysts, Kalidasa has mentioned the victories of Yasodharman as 'Raghu-digvijaya'. His pillars claim that his rule extended from Himalayas in the north to Travancore in south, although that seems rather unlikely. The ruler of Magadha had become his friend.
 

TADIPATRI SRI BUGGA RAMA LINGESGHWARA TEMPLE

TADIPATRI SRI BUGGA RAMA LINGESGHWARA TEMPLE
Tataki, a demon lady who tried to kill Sreeram on his way to save the yaga of Viswamitra but was killed by Sreeram at this very place and hence the name.
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Sri Bugga Rama Lingeswara Swamy temple: It is located on the northern end of the town, where the River Penna lies. Water oozes all the time from the pedestal of the Siva Lingam here and people treat this as holy water. Unlike other temples, this temple has main entrances on the south and west. In this temple there is a secret tunnel to Tirupathi, but the entrance of the tunnel is now sealed. At the river side of the temple there is a statue of goddess standing by steps. It is believed that when the water level of the river Penna reaches the navel point of that statue, the entire town Tadpatri will be sinking in the water and that leads to its end.
 

Chaturbhuj Temple Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, India

Chaturbhuj Temple (चतुर्भुज मंदिर), dedicated to Shree Vishnu, is situated at Orchha in Madhya Pradesh, India. Built in 875, during the reign of imperial Gurjar...a Pratihara dynasty, it is constructed within a later colonnade. The temple consists of a sanctum with pancha-ratha Shikhara, a vestibule and a porch. The temple also has a curved tower with a small porch
 

Badami Cave Temples

Badami Cave Temples
The cave temples date back to 600 and 700 CE. Their architecture is a blend of North Indian Nagara Style and South Indian Dravidian style. A...s described above each cave has a sanctum sanctorum , a mandapa , a verandah and pillars . The cave temples also bear exquisite carvings , sculptures and beautiful murals.
An inscription found here records the creation of the shrine by Mangalesha in 578. There are some paintings on the ceiling and the style indicates maturity but has lost its original dazzling colour. The bracket figures on thepiers here are some of the finest.
 

Sompura Mahavihara Buddhist Temple

Reconstructed model of Sompura
Mahavihara by Ali Naqi
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About Somapura Mahavihara, Mr. J.C. French says with grief: "For the research of the Pyramids of Egypt we spend millions of dollars every year. But had we spent only one percent of that money for the excavation of Somapura Mahavihara, who knows what extraordinary discoveries could have been made".
The site houses the architectural remains of a vast Buddhist monastery, Somapura Mahavihara,covering 27 acres (110,000 m 2 ). It was an important intellectual centre for Dharmic Traditions such as Buddhists (Buddha Dharma), Jains (Jaina Dharma) and Hindus (Sanatana Dharma) alike. The 21 acre (85,000 m²) complex has 177 cells, viharas , numerous stupas, temples and a number of other ancillary buildings. The outside walls with ornamental terracotta palques still display the influence of these three religions.
In terms of acreage, Somapura was the largest of the mahaviharas.
It was also quite unusual architecturally. As one scholar described, the complex was dominated by a temple, which was not typical, and further, the temple had "none of the characteristic features of Indian temple architecture{here it is wrongly interpreted that it has none of the features of Indian temple}, but is strongly reminiscent of Buddhist temples of Burma, Java and Cambodia, reproducing the cruciform basement, terraced structure with inset chambers and gradually dwindling pyramid form . . during the age of the Palas some sort of intercourse between eastern India and south-east Asia existed . . but how this temple type, represented in India by this solitary example, became the standard of Buddhist temple architecture is not known." Another commented, "there can be no doubt that this style of architecture has most profoundly influenced that of Burma, Java and Cambodia. The nearest approximation to the plan and the superstructure of the Paharpur temple is afforded by the temples known as Chandi Loro Jongrang and Chandi Sevu of Prambanam in Central Java."