Moti Dungri Temple, Jaipur

Name :  Moti Dungri Temple, Jaipur

Location :

Situated in the heart of Jaipur of Rajasthan, the Moti Dungri temple is perched on a small hill, and is surrounded by an exotic palace.

Description :

The Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple was constructed by Seth Jai Ram Paliwal in the early eighteenth century, and continues to be one the most popular tourist destinations in Jaipur. The temple is nestled by the beautiful palace, called the Moti Dungri palace, which is an imitation of a popular Scottish castle. In the recent past, the palace was home to Rajmata Gaytri Devi, but now, the palace is locked to public.

History Of The Temple :

According to the priests of the temple, the King of 'Mewar' was returning back to his palace from a long journey and was carting a colossal 'Ganesh' idol on a bullock cart. It is said, that the king wanted to build a temple, and had decided to consecrate the idol of Lord Ganesh wherever the bullock cart halted the first time. Legend states that the bullock cart stopped at the foot of the Moti Dungri hills, which is where the temple is situated today.

It is said that the construction and the design of the temple was commissioned to Seth Jai Ram Paliwal, who supervised the construction of this magnificent structure, on the inspiration of 'Mahant' (chief priest) Shiv Narain Ji. The temple was originally built to house the 'Ganesh' idol, with only the 'Shaiva' (Lord Shiva followers) visiting the temple. Thereafter, the palace complex was built, encompassing the Moti Dungri Ganesh temple within it, making it a popular religious and tourist center in Jaipur.

Layout Of The Temple :

The temple itself spans 2 kilometers and is carved out of stone. Apart from the intricate stone carving, the temple is known for its exquisite lattice work on marble with mythological images engraved on the marble, which offer a splendid view for art-lovers. The idol of Lord Ganesh is located in the heart of the temple, and is hidden from view. Only at certain timings in a day are visitors allowed to have a glimpse of the feted idol.

Time to visit : 

The best time to visit Moti Dungri temple is between the 5.30 am to 1.30 pm noon in morning and 4.30 pm to 9.00 pm in evening, every day.


Other Tourist Attractions :

    The ‘Hawa Mahal'
    Statue Circle
    The City Palace
    Nahargarh Fort

Festivals :

From 'Ganesh Chathurthi' to 'Paush Bada', the temple is always bustling with the preparations of festivities and is a landmark destination in Jaipur. The mela (fair) held on the temple grounds every Budhwar (Wednesday), Ganapati’s day.

Everything is big in Jaipur, from its palaces and hotels to its temples and laddoos. Yes, laddoos! Locals, tourists and devotees visit the Moti Doongri temple during Ganesh Chaturti in huge numbers. Among the many offerings made by them, the most fascinating is the motichoor laddoos, some weighing even a kilo.


Websites :

http://www.jaipur.org.uk/temples/moti-dungri.html

Pura Tanah Lot Temple - Indonesia

Name :  Pura Tanah Lot

Location :

Located in Tabanan, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Denpasar, the temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide.

Description :

Tanah Lot means "Land [sic: in the] Sea" in the Balinese language. Tanah Lot is a rock formation off the Indonesian island of Bali. It is home to the pilgrimage temple Pura Tanah Lot.

Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 16th-century Dang Hyang Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock, for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods.

Legend :

At the base of the rocky island, venomous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. The temple is purportedly protected by a giant snake, which was created from Nirartha's selendang (a type of sash) when he established the island.

The Tanah Lot temple was built and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. Each of the sea temples was established within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast. In addition to Balinese mythology, the temple was significantly influenced by Hinduism.


Restoration :

In 1980, the temple's rock face was starting to crumble and the area around and inside the temple started to become dangerous. The Japanese government then provided a loan to the Indonesian government to conserve the historic temple

The area leading to Tanah Lot is highly commercialized and people are required to pay to enter the area. To reach the temple, visitors must walk through a set of Balinese market-format souvenir shops which cover each side of the path down to the sea. On the mainland clifftops, restaurants have also been provided for tourists.

Website :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanah_Lot

Lankeshwar Temple, Assam

Name : Lankeshwar Temple

Location :


Lankeshwar Temple is an ancient Shiva temple on top of a hillock in the western part of the Guwahati city near Gauhati University campus.

Description :

The Lankeshwar Temple of Assam is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is placed atop a hill amidst a picturesque location. Lankeshwar is one of the many forms of Lord Shiva. The followers of Lord Shiva considered the temple as one of the most sacred one. Devotees all around the year visit this temple and seek divine blessings.

The Staircase to Lankeshwar

The Lankeshwar Temple in Guwahati is not only popular with the religiously inclined people but with the general tourists also. Most common visitors are amongst the couples of Guwahati city, students of Gauhati University, and that of Assam Engineering College. The wonderful location of the temple is a major reason for this. Since it is situated in a convenient location in the city, it is very easily accessible. Guwahati City Bus Number 6 provides with direct public transportation. This is an added advantage for the place and one of the reasons behind its popularity. Moreover the temple is believed to be very sacred to the pilgrims who visit here.

Websites :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lankeshwar_Temple

Mahabhairav Mandir, Tezpur

Name : Mahabhairav Mandir

Location :


The ancient Mahabhairav Temple is located at a hillock on the northern part of Tezpur town, Assam.

Legend :

The temple was built for worshiping Lord Shiva by King Banasura. The Shiva linga of this temple is said to be made of 'Living Stone' which grows over slowly by the years.Some people believe that Bana obtained his boon while worshipping in this temple.

History :

The archeologists believe that the temple was built during 8th to 10th century A.D. by the kings of the Salasthamba dynasty. That originally there was a stone temple is evident from the huge pillars scattered all around the temple. But the original temple was destroyed during the Islamic invasions of the Middle Ages. It was however, rebuilt by successive kings and rulers, until it was heavily damaged by the catastrophic earthquake of 1897.

The present structure of the temple was built sometime in the early part of the present century by a devotee and monk Sri Swayambar Bharati, popularly known as Naga Baba. After a few years, another monk Sri Mahadeo Bharati built the “Nat Mandir” close to the temple. After a few years another devotee built the cement-concrete idols of Ganesh and Hanuman as “Dwarpaals” in front of the temple. Since then the developmental works of the temple had been somewhat sluggish although not completely stopped, one major work being the exquisitely curved ornamental frontispiece of the main entrance gate of the temple by a local artist, Sri Joy Das.

Description :

During the Ahom rule, the kings especially of the Tungkhungiya dynasty donated large area of Devottar land to the Temple and pujaris and Paiks were appointed to look after the temple. The responsibility of management was in the hands of a Borthakur. The temple is now managed by the Government through a managing committee headed by the District Deputy Commissioner. Shivaratri is celebrated in the temple with big festivity and people from all over the country visit it.

Festivals :

The Shivratri mela (Carnival ) during the Shivratri week is very famous all over Assam. Bhang (an Indian drug) laddoos, sold as prasad (offerings of the Lord ) are in very much demand. The mela is smaller than that in Sivsagar, but is nevertheless famous.This temple also conducts marriage ceremonies. People usually free pigeons in this temple as an offering, it is a wonderful sight to see hundreds of pigeons in this place.

Websites:

http://mahabhairab.org/

Navagraha Temple, Assam

Name : Navagraha Temple

Location :

The Navagraha Temple is found on the top of Chitrasal Hill (or Navagraha Hill), in Guwahati city, Assam, India.

Description :

The Navagraha temple was built by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in the late 18th century. The temple tower was destroyed by an earthquake. It has been renovated in recent times during the late 1923-45. Enshrined in this temple are nine Shivalingams, representing the nine Celestial bodies, each covered with a colored garment symbolic of each of the celestial bodies, with a Shivaligam in the centre symbolising the Sun. It is also known as 'abode of Surya'. Surya Pooja (or) Sun worship is ancient practise among the Assamese people. There is no Lights insode the Temple and is lit only by Oil lamps.

The Navagraha Temple (or) the temple of the nine celestial bodies is located in the south eastern part of Guwahati in Assam, on a hill by name Chitrachal. As the name indicates, this temple is dedicated to the nine planets in the solar system. Navagraha Temple at Guwahati Assam is a center of astrological and astronomical research.

Enshrined in this temple are nine Shivalingams, representing the nine Celestial bodies, each covered with a colored garment symbolic of each of the celestial bodies. The nine planetary gods, namely area - Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Sukra (Venus), Sani (Saturn), Rahu and Ketu. There is Surya Mandir near Guwahati on the Surya Pahar hill.
Being on the Top of this Navagraha hill, one can enjoy the Beautiful sunset view of Brahmaputra. There is also a Spring and Waterfall situated near the temple which makes it a perfect picnic spot.

Websites :

http://www.travelspeak.in/navagraha-temple/

Negheriting Shiva Doul, Assam

Name : The Negheriting Shiva Doul Temple

Location :

This ancient Shaivite temple reciting the fascinating tales of its presiding deity Lord Shiva, is located in Dergaon in the Indian state of Assam. The pilgrimage centre situated atop a hillock is at a distance of almost one and half kms away on the northern side from the National Highway 37 in the Golaghat district.

History of Negheriting Shiva Doul :

As per the historical records Negheriting Shiva Doul was first built by the Kacharis in the 8th - 9th century A.D. Due to natural calamities the temple was destroyed and the remains were found in deep forest called Gajapanemara. Knowing somehow about the ruined temple and the Shiva linga, Ahom king Susenphaa (1439–1488) then built the temple right on that foundation and established the linga.

However, as the Dihing river changed the course, the temple was again destroyed and merged into the river water. A devotee of lord Shiva found the ruined temple and the linga in the shallow water of river Dihing,[2] now this place is known as Sheetal Negheri.[2][3] Ahom king Rajeswar Singha (1751–1769) brought the linga from the river and reconstructed the present temple and established the linga in it..

Architecture of Negheriting Shiva Doul :

Negheriting Shiva Doul is enclosed on its sides by other four temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha, Lord Surya and Goddess Durga. The main temple houses a Banalinga measuring 3 feet in diameter. As per a legend a sage by the name Urba wished to establish a second Kashi at this location. Hence he collected several Shivalingas and established them here.

It is said that the location where the temple is situated earlier served as the habitat of a unique bird known as Negheri. It is from this name that the place came to be known as Negheriting.

Earlier king Rajeswar Singha had appointed a priest named Bhudhar Agamacharji for the maintenance and protection of the temple and to carry out the daily rituals of the temple. Even today the maintenance and worship of the temple is undertaken by the members of the Agamacharji family. Earlier the ritual of execution of dances and songs known as Deonati were prominent in the temple.

One of the attractions of the temple is the monkeys. The temple is the house of the rhesus monkeys where a sizeable population of this species is there

Websites :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negheriting_Shiva_Doul