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Yamunotri : Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand

Yamunotri
Yamunotri is situated at an altitude of 3,235 m above the sea level in the district of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand in northern India. It is a full day's journey from Uttarakhand's main towns — Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun.

The source of the river Yamuna lies about 1 km further ahead at an altitude of about 4,421 m. It is the seat of the goddess Yamuna, and one of the four sites in India's Char Dham  pilgrimage. The sacred river of Yamuna originates from Yamunotri glaciers on the western edge of the Bandarpoochh peak (6,315 m).

Yamunotri can be reached by a 13 km trek from Hanuman Chatti. Maharani Gularia of Jaipur constructed the temple of Goddess Yamuna in the 19th century AD by Maharani Guleria of Jaipur. The temple remains closed from November to May because of heavy rainfall and snow.

There is quite a few thermal springs in the vicinity of the temple, which flow into several pools. The most important of these springs is the Surya Kund. Divya Shila is a rock pillar which is worshipped before entering the Yamunotri Temple.

   

The current temple is of recent origin, as past iterations have been destroyed by the weather. Ritual duties such as the making and distribution of prasad (sanctified offerings) and the supervision of pujas (ritual venerations) are performed by the Uniyal family of pujaris (priests). Unique aspects of ritual practice at the site include hot springs where raw rice is cooked and made into prasad.

 

Mythologically Yamuna is the daughter of the Sun just like Yama who is also considered his son. It is believed that Yama would not torment any person at the time of death who bathe in Yamuna that is his sister. Near freezing Yamunotri glaciers there are steaming hot spring known as Kunds. All this present divinely control over the entire setting. Surya Kund is the most important Kund. A pinch of rice or some potatoes tied loosely in a cloth and dipped in it and after few minutes is taken out gets completely cooked which is normally taken as 'Prashad' back home by the pilgrims. Near 'Surya Kund' there is 'Shila' called 'Dibya Shila' which is worshipped before Puja is offered to Yamuna ji. Nearby, there is Jamuna Bai Kund built about 100 years ago which is used for the holy bath. The water is pleasantly warm and relaxing. The 'Pandas' or the Pujari of Yamnotri come from the village of Kharsala which is on the other bank of Yamuna near Janki Bai Chatti.

Suriya Kund
There are a number of thermal springs in the vicinity of the temple that flows into numerous pools.  The most important of these is Surya Kund.

Divya Shila
A rock pillar, worshipped before entering the Yamunotri Temple.
Janki Chatti
0.5 km from Yamunotri, it is noted for its thermal springs, where tourists can enjoy a refreshing bath.
Hanuman Chatti
13 km from Yamunotri. The confluence of Hanuman Ganga and Yamuna rivers, from where the trek to Dodi Tal (3,307 m) starts.
Ayana Chatti
27 km from Barkot and 18 km from Yamunotri is a scenic spot on the banks of river Yamuna.

Chamba
Situated at an elevation of 1,524 mtrs, it is a picturesque place with a panoramic view of the Himalayas. The road from here bifurcates for Mussorie, New Tehri and Rishikesh.
en Route
The shrine of Yamunotri and the source of the Yamuna river is situated in the direction opposite to Gangotri. The road bifurcates and goes to Yamunotri from Dharasu, a place between Rishikesh and Uttarkashi. Another 55 km away is Barkot, giving a fabulous view of the Banderpunch range. Barkot is also approachable by road directly from Delhi (334 km ) via Saharanpur, Harbartpur, Nainbagh and Naugaon. 8 km from Barkot is Gangani, a place of pilgrimage, on the left bank of Yamuna. The holy tank here is called Gangayan Kund. Water from the tank is taken for puja purposes to the opposite village of Than, housing the imposing temple of Rishi Jamdagni. 2 kms. from Gangani is Kharadi a place known for its roaring waterfall.

The motorable road continues till Phulchatti via Syanachatti, Ranachatti and Hanumanchatti, 42 km from Barkot. From here to Yamunotri is 8 km trek via Janakichatti for which ponies, dandies and kandies (baskets for carrying children) are available. Janakichatti is also known as 'Beef' in the revenue records The village has a small temple dedicated to Narain Bhagwan. From Janakichatti to Yamunotri  is a steep, continuous climb of 5 km.

The temple of Yamunotri lies on the left bank and was originally constructed by Maharaj Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. Near the temple  are three hot springs. The most important, Surya Kund, is a tank full of boiling water into which rice and potatoes are dipped to be cooked and taken as "prasad". Near the Kund, a rock slab, the 'Divya Shila' is worshipped before puja is offered to the black marble idol of Yamuna. The shrine of Yamunotri is one of the 'four dhams' of Uttarakhand. The source of Yamuna lies above 1 kms. ahead at an altitude of about 4421 meters. The approach is extremely difficult and pilgrims usually offer puja at the temple itself.

General Information

Season - May to November
Temperatures   

Summer : Max.     20 deg. C.
              Min.     06 deg. C .     

Winter :   Max.    Sub-Zero
               Min.    Snowbound

Clothing
May to July - Light woollen
September to November - Heavy woolens.

Langauage/Dialects:- Hindi, English and Garhwali.

Accessability:
Airport :   Nearest airport is  Jolly Grant, 196 kms. from Yamunotri via Dehradun , 240 kms. via Rishikesh.
Railhead:    Nearest railheads are Rishikesh (213 kms.), Dehradun and Haridwar.
Road :   Dharasu 107 kms. ,Tehri 149 kms. , Rishikesh 213 kms., Dehradun: 172 kms.
Bus Services:   Regular Bus Services to Yamunotri operate from Rishikesh.

Other Facilities:
STD Booths -: Matali, Dunda, Dharasu Band, Brahmkhal, Ranachatti, Syanachatti.
Bank -   S.B.I. has a Branch at Barkot.
Post Office-  Post Office at Hanumanchatti.

A temporary Post Office is set up at Jankichatti during the Yatra Season.

Accomodation
Lodging at the Yamunotri temple itself is limited to a few small ashrams and guesthouses.

Pilgrims can find accommodation in the houses belonging to the 'Pandas' or the sole Dharamshala. On the way one can stay at Janaki Chatti 8 kms. from Hanuman Chatti. There are tourist bangalow, PWD and Forest Rest Houses and Dharamshalas.

Accomodation en route
Tourist Rest Houses
Barkot - Type of room: Deluxe, Dormitory
Syanachatti - Type of room: Ordinary
Hanumanchatti - Type of room: Executive, Dormitory
Janakichatti - Type of room: Executive, Ordinary, Dormitory
Yamunotri - Type of room: Dormitory

Supplementary accomodation
P.W.D. Inspection Bungalow at Barkot, Hanumanchatti.
Forest Rest Houses at  Dharasu, Janakichatti, Barkot, HanumanChatti.
Ashrams and Dharamshalas At Yamunotri -  Kali Kamli Dharamshala, Mandir Samiti Dharamshala.

Hotels
At Barkot: Shiva, Raturi, Rawat, Chauhan, Mishrwan, Agarwal Lodge, Rain Basera.
At Syanachatti: Kalindi, Dipin Tourist Lodge,  Jai,  Himalayan.
At Ranachatti: Krishn Lok, Chauhan, Ganga Yamuna, Sandeep.
At Hanumanchatti: Chauhan Tourist Lodge ,Anand Bhawan
At JanakiChatti: Himalaya Darshan,  Ganga Yamuna , Kalindi Mangal, Arvind Ashram.

 

Badrinath : Uttarakhand, India

 Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m. The town lies between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges and in the shadow of Nilkantha peak (6,560m). Badrinath is located 301km north of Rishikesh. From Gaurikund (near Kedarnath) to Badrinath by road is 233km.

Badrinath temple
 
Badrinath templeMain article: Badrinath temple
The Badrinath temple is the main attraction in the town. According to legend Shankara discovered a black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan made of Saligram stone in the Alaknanda River. He originally enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs.[2][4] In the sixteenth century, the King of Garhwal moved the murti to the present temple.[2]

The temple has undergone several major renovations because of age and damage by avalanche.[4] In the 17th century, the temple was expanded by the kings of Garhwal. After significant damage in the great 1803 Himalayan earthquake, it was rebuilt by the King of Jaipur.[5][6]

The temple is approximately 50 ft (15 metres) tall with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof.[2] The facade is built of stone, with arched windows. A broad stairway leads up to a tall arched gateway, which is the main entrance. The architecture resembles a Buddhist vihara (temple), with the brightly painted facade also more typical of Buddhist temples.[6] Just inside is the mandapa, a large pillared hall that leads to the garbha grha, or main shrine area. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with intricate carvings.[6]

History and legend
The Badrinath area is referred to as Badari or Badarikasram (बद्रीकाश्रम) in Hindu scriptures. It is a place sacred to Vishnu, particularly in Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana. Thus, in the Mahabharata, Siva, addressing Arjuna, says, "Thou wast Nara in a former body, and, with Narayana for thy companion, didst perform dreadful austerity at Badari for many myriads of years. "[7]

One legend has it that when the goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore the mighty Ganga was split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda one of them. It later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.

The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are said to have ended their life by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini - literally, the 'Ascent to Heaven'. Local legend has it that the Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to Swargarohini. There is also a cave in Mana where Vyas, according to legend, wrote the Mahabharata.[2]

According to the Skanda Purana: "There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath."

The area around Badrinath was celebrated in Padma Purana as abounding in spiritual treasures.[2]

Badrinath has also been eulogised as Bhu Vaikunta or earthly abode of Lord Vishnu. Many religious scholars such as Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika visited Badrinath and wrote sacred texts, such as commentaries on Brahmasutras and other Upanishads.

Pilgrimage
 
The sacred mountains of BadrinathLocated only a few kilometers from the Indo-China (Tibet) border, Badrinath is generally a two-day-long journey from either Kedarnath, the site that precedes it in the Char Dham circuit, or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, is on the way to Badrinath, so the road is especially crowded during the summer pilgrimage season. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road.

The northern math established by Adi Sankara is nearby at Jyotirmath.

In the area around the Badri-Narayana temple, there is Trikut Parvata mountain and Triveni Sangam, which is the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati.

Other places in the area are Haridwar, Har Ki Pauri, Rishikesh, Laksman Jhula, and Nara Narayan Parvata. These are all places that are found in the Himalayas between Haridwar and Badrinath.

The best time to visit Badrinath is between June and September. Warm clothes are recommended all year.

Transport
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, (317 km). The nearest railway stations are at Haridwar (310 km) and Rishikesh(297 km) and Kotdwar, (327 km) respectively. There are regular buses operating to Badrinath, from New Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. As the roads are very narrow, for your safety it is recommeded to travel by all terrain vehicles. Until recently you could not drive here, but now you can drive right up next to the temple.

Demographics
As of 2001 India census[8], Badrinathpuri had a population of 841. Males constitute 65% of the population and females 35%. Badrinathpuri has an average literacy rate of 85%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 70% of the males and 30% of females literate. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

 

Nathdwara Temple : Rajasthan

Nathdwara :  Shri Nathji Temple :: Nathdwara  : Shri Nathji - The almightly Lord Krishna :Nathdwara      

Nathdwara, means the gate of God. It is the most renowned pilgrim of India. Nathdwara is located on the banks of Benas river just 48 kms ahead of Udaipur. Nathdwara is also famous for the Pichhwai paintings - the most famous Rajasthani art. This art portrays the Lord Shrinathji & their activities.
 

How to reach Nathdwara

Nathdwara is only 48 kms from Udaipur, which well connected to all major cities through buses, trains and flights.
 
Distance from major cities
Udaipur     -     New Delhi     597 Kms
Udaipur     -     Mumbai     1051 Kms
Udaipur     -     Jaipur     336 Kms
Udaipur     -     Jodhpur     260 Kms
Udaipur     -     Jaisalmer     285 Kms
           

Places to see

Shri Nathji Temple :: This temple is the only major attraction Nathdwara. This 17th century temple house the original statue of Shrinathji or Lord Krishna. According to history, the statue was brought to Mewar kingdom for the sake of safety in the period of Aurangazeb the Moghul monarch. The chariot shipping the statue was jammed here, and consequently a shrine was established with the permission of the then Rana of Mewar at Nathdwara.

Darshans or glimpses of Srinathji can be sought 8 times in the day. individually known as Ashtaya, the 8 darshans are Mangala, Shrungar, Gwal, Rajbhog, Uthhapan, Bhog, Sandhaya Aarti and Shayan. In each of them the leelas (divine manifestations) of the Lord are described and harmonized with His daily routine. Millions of devotees come here every year, to make there wish and pray to the almighty Lord Krishna.

Lal Bagh :: The Lag bagh is a beautiful garden outside the city. There you can find lot of rare plants & trees.
 

Useful Information

During the Darshan in the Shrinathji Temple, please be careful:

Rameswaram Temple History

HISTORY OF RAMESWARAM TEMPLE:

          
 Rameswaram means 'Lord of Rama'. The worditself is a conjunction of 'Rama' and 'Ishwara' which refers to Rama's worship of Lord Shiva. This temple town has developed entirely around the grand Ramanathaswamy Temple, though fishing communities have probably also lived here for centuries. The temple evolved from a thatched shed to its present majestic, imposing structure due to the generosity of wealthy devotees, the most famous ones being successive generations of Sethupathis, who ruled the area around. The lingams contained in the temple predate the present Ramanthaswamy temple, but no evidence exists of their actual age. Construction of the temple was first begun by the Cholas in the 12th century, with many additions made over the centuries. Existing records show that in the twelfth century, King Parakrama Bahu of Sri Lanka constructed the sanctum sanctorum around the Ramanathaswamy shrine, at a time when the Sinhalas controlled Rameswaram. In the fifteenth century, Udayan Sethupathi, a chieftain from Ramnad had the western stone tower and compound wall built. In the sixteenth century, Tirumalai Sethupathi built a portion of the southern second corridor. Later, Udayan Sethupathi katta Thevar, a feudatory under Viswanatha Naicker of Madurai made some additions including the Nandi Mandapam. Dalavai Sethupathi had a portion of the main eastern Gopuram built a century later and the world famous third corridor was constructed by Muthuramalinga Sethupathi during the eighteenth century. Statues of him and his two ministers are found at the entrance to the third corridor. Late in the nineteenth century, the Alar family of Devikottai completed the imposing eastern tower with its nine tiers. Renovations to the second and third corridors have continued well into the twentieth century. Rameswaram developed into a pilgrimage centre and one of the most important Hindu shrines. In addition, its proximity to Sri Lanka (20 km) and a regular steamer service to Talaimannar, made it an important and bustling transit town. But the steamer service has been closed down for more than a decade, because of the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka. This has returned Rameswaram to its original pace: an unhurried pilgrimage centre.

Culture
A 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. 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. 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.

Climate & Geogaphical Location
The climate of Madurai is warm throughout, even during the winters. Rameshwaram(Ramnathapuram District ) in Tamilnadu , is a sacred island town ,at the extreme south-eastern limit of the Indian Peninsula.

How to Reach
Rail, road and air connect Rameshwaram. Although it does not have an airport of its own, the nearest airport is at Madurai (173 Km) connecting to cities like Chennai, Bangalore and Tiruchirappalli that have connecting flights to destinations across the nation. By rail, Rameshwaram is the nearest railhead and is well connected to other railway junctions of South India like Madras, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy and Tanjavur. There are good motorable roads connecting Rameshwaram with other parts of the state as well as other places in India. Regular bus services from Kodaikkanal to Madurai, Tiruchirappally, Bangalore and Coimbatore are available.

Tourist Places

Ramanathaswamy Temple
A fine example of late Dravidian architecture, the town's most famous monument, is the Ramanathaswamy Temple. Its most renowned feature, is its magnificent corridors lined with massive sculptured pillars, noted for their elaborate design, style and rich carving. Legend has it, that Rama sanctified this place, by worshipping Lord Siva here, after the battle of Srilanka. Construction of the temple began in the 12th century AD, and additions were made to the building over the succeeding centuries ,by various rulers, so that today its gopuram is 53.6 metres high. Only Hindus may enter the inner sanctum. The temple is open from 4 am to 1 pm and 3 to 9 pm. Like Kanyakumari, excessively loud and distorted temple music is blasted out from the temple, from about 4.30 am onwards - just in case you had any ideas about sleeping in. Its torture for anyone, who is not totally deaf, but, as usual, the locals seem to be totally oblivious to it.

Tiruchendur
On the coast, south of Tuticorin, Tiruchendur is an impressive shore temple and is one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan and very popular with pilgrims. You may be able to enter the inner sanctums here and watch the enthusiastic proceedings. Just be careful, if they offer you a gulp of the holy water - Pouring it over hands and rubbing them together joyously, is an acceptable substitute for drinking it!

Others

ADAMS BRIDGE - Adams Bridge, is the name given to the chain of reefs, sandbanks and islets, that almost connects Sri Lanka with India. According to legend, this is the series of stepping-stones used by Hanuman to follow Ravana, in his bid to rescue Sita.

KOTHANDRASWAMY TEMPLE & DHANUSHKODI - This is another famous temple, about three km from the extreme tip of the island. Twelve km from town, this temple was the only structure to survive the 1964 cyclone, which washed the rest of the village away.

THE GANDAMADANA PARVATHAM - The Gandamadana Parvatham, on a hill, 3 kms northwest of town, is a shrine containing Ramas footprints. Devotees generally visit here at sunrise and sunset. For a beach, Dhanushkodi is best closer to town. 

The temple remain open from 5 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 9 pm. The Elaborate pujas are offered six times daily.
Timings     Pujas
5.00 am     Palliyarai (Sayanagruha) Deeparadhana
5.10 am     Saptika linga Deeparadhana
5.45 am     Thiruvananthal Deeparadhana
7.00 am     Vila Puja
10.00 am     Kaalasanthi Puja
12.00 noon     Uchikala Puja
6.00 pm     Saayaraksha Puja
8.30 pm     Ardhajaama Puja
8.45 pm     Palliyarai Puja

Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple

History of Madurai Meenakshi Amman Koil :

Madurai is one of the oldest cities of India. Pre Christian Sangam literature originated in Madurai. The Sangam period poet Nakkeerar is associated with some of the Tiruvilayaadal episodes of Sundareswarar  - that are enacted as a part of temple festival traditions even today.

Nakkeerar's Tirumurugaatruppadai sings of the glory of Tirupparamkunram nearby.

The hymns of the Nayanmaars (Saivite Saint Poets) of the 7th century CE  and beyond are full of praises of Aalavai (Madurai). The well known Tevaram verse 'Mantiramaavadu Neeru' is dedicated to Sundareswarar – or Chokkar.

The Sundareswarar shrine is believed to be more ancient than the shrine to Meenakshi.

The original temple was razed to the ground by the invading armies of Malik Kafur, the general of Allauddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty of Delhi, in early 14th century. All of the temple, along with the surrounding streets were completely brought down, with the exception of the twin shrines of Meenakshi and Sundareswara. It is believed that the shrines were spared, thanks to infighting between the invaders.

With amazing resilience the temple came back to shape. Viswanatha Nayak of the Nayak dynasty – successors to the Vijayanagar Empire, commenced the task of reconstruction in 1510 CE, sticking meticulously to the original plan of the temple. It is believed to have taken over a hundred years to complete the temple. The temple itself is a celebration of art; it is believed that over 30 million pieces of sculpture and stucco images adorn the 14 acre temple complex.

The 1000 feet by 950 feet Vandiyur Maariyamman Teppakkulam was built in mid 17th century by Tirumalai Nayakar, for the purpose of celebrating Meenakshi Teppotsavam. (This festival is celebrated today in the Tamil month of Thai).

It is believed that in recent times (of the later Nayak royalty of Madurai), the annual festival of the temple was moved from the tamil month of Maasi to the month of Chittirai. (The festival streets surrounding the temple are named after the month Maasi and not Chittirai when the festival happens).

This change in tradition apparently was carried out with socio-political motives; i.e. to time the festival to synchronize with the annual festival at the Kallazhagar Temple revered by the Kallar tribe living outside of Madurai. Even today, Kallazhagar is brought in procession to the outskirts of Madurai, a day or two after the Royal/Divine Wedding.

The popular belief associated with this trip is that Kallazhagar (Maha Vishnu) the brother of Meenakshi proceeds to Madurai to give his sister in marriage to Sundareswarar – and returns disappointed that he is late and that he has missed the ceremony. During the annual festival season in Madurai, the entire region spanning the city and the outskirts transforms into a sea of celebration of life.

Scholars from abroad have spoken thus, of Madurai, 'It is in Madurai that one discovers the heart and soul of the Indian faith, thought systems and culture – dating back over several centuries. The mysticism that surrounds India takes on a real meaning in Madurai'.
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