Kiriteswari temple, Bangladesh

Kiriteswari temple

Ruins of original Kiriteswari Temple. It is one of the 52 Piths, as one part of “Kirit” (means Fore head) of Sati was dropped here. Beside the new temple is this the old Kiriteswari temple named as adi mandir. Kiriteswari Temple was rebuilt by Rani Bhabani of Natore ( now in Bangladesh). Kiriteswari Temple situated in kiritkona village. Devi/deities's name is Devi Vimala & Bhairav is Samvarta. The construction of the the temple is more than 1000 years old and this place was considered to be the sleeping place of Mahamaya. Local people call this temple as "Mahish Mardini" and this is the oldest mark of Architecture.

Sri Rajadi Raja Srinivasa Govinda temple

ISKCON Bangalore has initiated the construction of Sri Rajadi Raja Srinivasa Govinda temple on Vaikuntha Hill. The total built area of the temple is 70000 square feet and it is estimated that the rate per square feet is approximately Rs. 5000/- You can also be part of this glorious project by contributing towards as many square feet as possible. Visit www.iskconbangalore.org/bricksevaslist

Thanrhondrishwarar-The temple in Kokkattichcholai in Tamil Nadu,India

Kokkattichcholai

The temple in Kokkattichcholai is a so called Tamil "Thanrhondrishwarar". This means a Shiva-Lingam "self manifested deity". It is therefore a "Swayambhu-Lingam". Hindus believe this Shiva-Lingam to be more than 10,000 years old. Kokkattichalai likes to be counted as the 5th Ishwaram temple of Sri Lanka. But the real 5th Ishvaram temple was located at the southern shores of the island and destroyed be the Portuguese. 

Lord Sri Venkateshwara

Tirumala Srivari Brahmotsava 

Lord Sri Venkateshwara enjoys festivals (utsavams), and therefore, every moment in Tirumala is considered a festive occasion. The most important festival is the Brahmotsavam. This year the nine day Annual Brahmotsava of Srivari Temple Tirumala is being conducted from September 26th to October 4th, 2014. 

Srivari Brahmotsava is the grandest, and the annual festival celebrated in Tirumala during the Navaratri/Dusshera Festival (beginning of Ashwina Month) and is one of the most important and auspicious festivals celebrated in this ancient shrine. The origin of this festival is traced to the time when Lord Brahma himself worshiped Lord Venkateshwara on the banks of the river Pushkarini. Brahmotsava literally means the festival of Lord Brahma. 


As the festival approaches, the whole temple is bedecked with colorful decorations of flowers and lights. The temple is thoroughly cleaned and all the streets on which the Lord would go in procession also get a festive look. Paste made of sandalwood, refined camphor, saffron and other spices is smeared all over the temple. Lakhs of devotees from all over the world visit the temple during the Srivari Brahmotsava. 

Isurumuniya Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Isurumuniya Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

The Isurumuniya Viharaya, a rock temple in the southern outskirts of Anuradhapura, probably was a place of worship already before the advent of Buddhism on the island. Isurumuniya is well-known for its variety of stone carvings and their quality. One enigmatic rock-cut sculpture depicts a resting person with the head of a horse behind his shoulder, a unique subject in Sri Lanka's art. It is commonly called "Man and Horse" because of the uncertainty of its interpretation. Some regard it as the South Indian god Ayanar, others as Parjanya, a personification of the rain cloud. The Ramayana Trail interpretation of this rock carving identifies the depicted man as Ravana's father, Rishi Visravasmuni with his white horse, and Isurumuniya as a temple built by Ravana in commemoration of his beloved parents.

Sri Sivalokanathar temple (Mundeeswaram)

Sri Sivalokanathar temple (Mundeeswaram)

A temple which is 1000-2000 years old. Situated in Gramam, Tamil Nadu. Dwarapalakas of Lord Shiva (securities) Thindi and Mundi had worshipped Lord in this temple, hence named Mundeeswaram., which later changed as Tirumundeeswaram. A king Chokkalingam by name came here in Dwapara Yuga for hunting and found a strange lotus flower in a tank. His men were not able to pick up the flower. It began to circle around the tank. The king shot an arrow on the flower. The tank became red. The king fainted. Then, he found a Shivalinga in the flower which still has the scar on the head. He immediately built a temple on the banks of the tank installing the Shivalinga. Hence, the Lord is praised as Mudeeswarar. Based on this event, the name of the place is shown in the epigraphy details as Mouli Gramam – Mouli-Head and also crown. In the days followed, Mouli disappeared and Gramam stayed.

 

Sri Sita Amman Temple and Ashoka Vatica, Sita Eliya

Sri Sita Amman Temple and Ashoka Vatica, Sita Eliya

The Sita Amman Temple, located halfway between the highland village Sita Eliya and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, has become the most venerated of all Ramayana Trail sites in Sri Lanka, because it is believed to be the place where Sita lived most of the time of her captivity on the island of Lanka. After she refused to stay in Ravana's magnificent palace she was transferred to Ashoka Vatika or Ashoka Vana where she lived under Ashoka trees. It was here that Ravana's wife Mandodarim visited her and that Hanuman met her for the first time, identifying himself with the finger ring of Rama. Sita is said to have bathed in the nearby stream. There are remarkable holes in the rocks at the river bank believed to be footprints of Lord Hanuman