Agastya Mala

Name : Agastya Mala (also known as Agastyarkoodam or Agasthyakoodam)

Location : It is a 1,868 metres (6,129 ft) peak within Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of South India. The mountain lies on the border between the Indian states of Kerala (in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram District) and Tamil Nadu (in Tirunelveli). The perennial Thamarabarani River originates from this hill and flows into the Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu.

Description : Agastya Mala is a pilgrimage centre for devotees of the Hindu sage Agastya, who is considered to be one of the seven rishis (Saptarishi) of Hindu Puranas.

There is a full-sized statue of Agastya at the top of the peak and the devotees can offer pujas themselves. Agasthyar was a sage of Dravidians and is considered to be one of the seven Rishis (Saptharshis) of Hindu mythology. Tamil language is considered to be a boon from Agasthyar.

Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple

Name : Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BR Hills)

Location : The hills are in the Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of Chamarajanagar District of Karnataka. The hills are contiguos with the Satyamangalam range southwards, in the Erode District of Tamil Nadu. The hills that give the range its name are situated 90 km from Mysore and 220 km from Bangalore.

Importance of the Hills : The BR hills links the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this forms Biligirirangaswamy sanctuary which serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.

Description : The BR hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name.

The local form of the deity is called Biligiriranga and is depicted in a unique standing position. This is the only place in the country where it is depicted as being in this position. Devotees flock to the place in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the deity. The local tribes present a large pair of sleepers measuring 1 foot and 9 inches, made up of skin, to the Ranganathaswamy once in two years.

Festivals : The Annual Car festival of the deity held during “Vaishakha “in the month of April, is famous in the region and attracts thousands of pilgrims from far and wide., the ratha festival is celebrated at Biligiriranga Hills.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta

Name : Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta

Location : It is located in the Chamarajanagar district of the state of Karnataka,at a height of 1454mt. and is extensively wooded. It is approximately 220 km from Bangalore and 75 km from Mysore on the Mysore Ooty road -10 km away from Gundlupet.

Legend : Legend says that sage Agastya, performed intense penance and as a result lord Vishnu blessed this place and promised to reside here. As this was a place of worship and penance, it used to be called as 'Hamsatheertha', which means the lake of swans in Sanskrit. Swan acquires a mythological significance in Hinduism, symbolizing knowledge, tranquility and salvation.

Temple : This temple was built by the King Chola Ballala during AD 1315. Later the Wodeyars of Mysore who were ardent devotees of Lord Venugopala displayed keen interest in maintaining the hill temple. The temple is dedicated to Gopalaswamy, which is one of the names of the Hindu God Krishna. The gopuram of the temple is single-tiered and rests on the compound wall of the enclosure. A dhwajastambha (flag-pillar) and a bali-peetam (sacrificial altar) is present in the mukha mantapa (inner-porch). The parapet wall of the facade of the mukha mantapa contains the sculpture of dashavatara (the avatars of the Hindu God Vishnu) with the centre portion of the sculpture depicting Krishnavatara (the avatar of Vishnu in which he appeared as Krishna). There is a shikhara tower over the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum).

The garbha griha contains an idol of Krishna holding a flute under a tree. Krishna is flanked by his friends and the posture is that of a dance with the left big toe resting on the right one. The panel also features several characters and icons from Krishna's avatar.

Lord Gopalaswamy's idol is flanked by his consorts, Rukmini and Satyabhama. Cows and cowherds are featured towards the right side of the panel.

Access : There is a motorable road all the way to the top of the hill. Entry fee is collected at the forest depeartment checkpost at foot of the hill. Visitors are allowed from around 6am till 5pm. Overnight stay on top is not allowed. Trekking and videography in the surrounding hills are allowed only with prior permission and to be accompanied by the forest department guides.

There is a forest department guest house at the top of the picturesque hill, which can be reserved in advance through the forest office in Mysore or Bandipur. The guest house provides basic accommodation, food and other essentials should be brought along by visitors.

Website : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himavad_Gopalaswamy_Betta

Kiyomizu - Japan

Name : Kiyomizu (full name Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera). It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water.

Location : Eastern Kyoto, Japan

Description : It was founded as early as 798 by the Hosso sect of Buddhism, as one of the six virtually extinct schools of Nara Buddhism. The present buildings were reconstructed in 1633 and some were recently restored.

The Veranda : The main hall has a veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. The popular expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression "to take the plunge". This refers to an Edo period tradition that held that, if one were to survive a 13m jump from the stage, one's wish would be granted. Two hundred thirty-four jumps were recorded in the Edo period and, of those, 85.4% survived. The practice is now prohibited.

The Waterfall : Beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water drop into a pond. Visitors to the temple collect the water, which is believed to have therapeutic properties, from the waterfall. It is said that drinking the water of the three streams confers wisdom, health, and longevity.[5] However, some Japanese believe that you must choose only two — if you are greedy and drink from all three, you invite misfortune upon yourself.

The complex also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji (paper fortunes).

Festivals : The site is particularly popular during New Year's and obon (Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed spirits of one's ancestors in the summer)

Paro Taktsang - Bhutan

Name : Paro Taktsang (or) Tiger's Nest

Location : The temple hangs on a cliff at 3,120 metres (10,200 feet), some 700 meters (2,300 feet) above the bottom of Paro valley, some 10 km from the district town of Paro (Bhutan).

Legend : The name Taktsang (stag tshang) means "Tiger's lair", the legend being that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew there on the back of a tiger.

In the 8th Century CE Guru Rinpoche visited Bhutan and blessed it as the second Kailash. At that time malignant spirits abounded and, in order to subdue them, he assumed the terrifying form of Guru Dorje Dröllo one of the Eight Manifistations of Guru Rinpoche (gu ru mtshan brgyad) and consecrated Paro Taksang as a sacred site to protect the Dharma and subdue harmful forces.

Description : It is one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries in Bhutan. It was built around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated in the 8th Century. Completed in 1692, today it is the most well known as thirteen taktsang or "tiger lair" caves.

Famous visitors include Milarepa, Machig Labdrön, Thang Tong Gyalpo, and in the 17th century Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

The monastery includes seven temples which can all be visited. The monastery suffered several blazes and is a recent restoration. It has survived four catastrophic fires and an earthquake. Visitors ascend the slope to the monastery on foot or on mule-back.

Hiking Adventure : Start the day with a short drive to Sartsam Chorten. From here you hike (1 ½ hours) to the viewpoint of the monastery. The trail climbs through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. Stop for a rest and light refreshments at the Taktsang Jakhang (cafeteria) and then walk a short distance until you can see, clearly and seemingly within reach, the Taktsang monastery.

Pilgrimage to Paro Taktsang : Those who wish to go on pilgrimage to Paro Taktsang and nearby sacred sites, should obtain a special permit from the Department of Culture, Ministry of Home & Cultural Affairs, Thimphu. In order to maintain the sanctity of the place, ordinary tourists without a permit may not be allowed to go beyond Tsogyal Pangchung (meadow of Yeshe Tsogyal) before the Shelkarchu waterfall. At that place there is however an excellent view of Taktsang and a place to offer butterlamps.

The complete pilgrimage to Taktsang consists of an outer (), middle () and inner() pilgrimage ( explained clearly in the website : http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Paro_Taktsang

KUNTHALGIRI - Maharashtra

Name : Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra Kunthalgiri.

Location : Kunthalgiri, Taluka – Bhoom, Dist. – Osmanabad (Maharashtra)

Legend : Once upon a time while Ram – Lakshmana with Seeta were in nearby forest during their 14 years period of living in forest, they heard uproar and many terrible sounds on the hill. They came to know that a god of heaven (enemy of previous life) troubling to both saints. Ram – Lakshmana then went to hill and freed them from trouble (Upsarga). Simultaneously both the ascetic saints attained Kevalgyan (Super natural knowledge) and also salvation from there.

Description : Kunthalgiri is the only sacred place of southern India from where two ascetic saints named Shri Kul Bhushan & Desh Bhushan achieved salvation and went to Moksha in the period of Lord Munisuvratnath (20th Teerthankar).

This Kshetra is situated on 175 feet high hill. Two ancient images of foot pairs of Kul Bhushan & Desh Bhushan are installed here in the main temple. It is said that a celibaty of village Babavar Shri Metashah saw a dream in a night that where a cow allows her milk to suckle by her calf, at that place there are lying the feet images of Lord Kul Bhushan – Desh Bhushan. According the dream, Shri Metashah searched that place and dig there to get ancient feet images. Thus these feet images were recovered. All the public present there viewed the images with worship full of devotion and enthusiasm. They took the images and installed them on a high rock.

Shri Kul Bhushan & Desh Bhushan were prince of a state, due to some unexpected event both were inspired to accept asceticism, thus they put off their clothes & ornaments and became ascetic saints and started Tup (Penance) to purify soul from affection, spiritual ignorance and so many ailments and to achieve salvation.

Atishaya : It is said that in the main temple of Kunthalgiri. The Kul Bhushan Desh Bhushan Temple, about 50 years ago sound of bells were heard in night and consecration took place. In the morning water of consecration was found in temple.

Website : http://www.jainteerth.com/teerth/kunthalGiri.asp