SRI UCHI VINAYAGAR TEMPLE

Name : Sri Uchi Vinayagar Temple

Location : Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Description : This hilltop temple is the pride and joy of Hindu residents in Kajang town. It is engraved on the temple structure that the temple was initially built in the year 1937. The history of this temple is unique as it was originally a Muneeswaran temple. The main deity was Lord Muneeswaran, and there was also a shrine for Goddess Mariamman, Lord Vinayagar and Lord Murugan.

After being taken over by the new temple committee, the management team decided they wanted to establish Lord Vinayagar as the principal deity of this temple. At that time, an auction was being held at a warehouse in Port Klang. The warehouse owner was selling scrap material which included an abandoned container. This mysterious container had an immense statue of Lord Vinayagar which originated from Tamil Nadu, India. The scrap metal businessman who came to purchase scrap metal was anxious when he discovered the statue of Lord Vinayagar. He did not want the statue to fall into the wrong hands and accordingly purchased the enormous statue. Immediately after the business was concluded, the businessman contacted all Hindu temples in the vicinity to inquire if any temple required a statue of Lord Ganesha. When it became known that a temple in Kajang was looking for a statue of Lord Ganesha, the businessman immediately donated the statue to this temple. Now Lord Ganesha reigns supreme on this hilltop spiritual haven.

Experiences of Devotees : Opposite the temple is the town’s fireman building. These firemen have witnessed a 20 feet tall apparition of Lord Muneeswaran guarding the temple. Also many devotees have experienced visions of Lord Muneeswaran giving spiritual advice. A devotee who was experiencing financial difficulties had a beautiful dream of Lord Muneeswaran. In the dream, Lord Muneeswaran guided the devotee to partake in the temple puja and offer flowers, fruits, milk and other spiritual offerings to Lord Ganesha and Lord Muneeswaran. After participating in several puja’s, the devotee’s financial woes had reduced. Now he prays regularly at this temple, and has a satisfying life due to his spiritual dedication. As the devotee benefitted from this temple, he contributed a silver kavasam to adorn Lord Vinayagar as a sign of gratitude.

SRI GANESAR COURT HILL TEMPLE

Name : Sri Ganesar Court Hill Temple

Location : Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Legend : In 1897, an Indian gardener started a shrine for Lord Ganesha in an orchard of a British official's residence. Wagner Durai, as he was popularly known initially served in Malaya as a senior police official, and later as a lawyer. As the shrine started becoming more popular with its surrounding inhabitants, the Indian gardener decided to install a bell to announce auspicious timings. The sound emitting from the bell annoyed Wagner. He boldly informed his worker to remove the bells, or he would have to demolish the shrine. As soon as he had uttered this sentence, he had become paralysed. Soon after, the gardener had a dream in which Lord Ganesha instructed him to conduct a prayer for Wagner Durai and smear vibuthi (holy ash) onto Wagner's legs and hands. The gardener did as he was instructed, and Wagner soon recovered. Wagner subsequently started praying at this benevolent shrine and contributed towards the construction of the temple.

Description : This holy site is considered one of the foremost Hindu temples in Malaysia. The temple is built on a sloping ‘moona muchandi’ (3 adjoining corners) thereby making it extremely powerful.

Significance : This is the only temple in the world that conducts ‘sankha puja’ (conch shell puja) twice daily throughout the year. This propitious puja was initiated in the year 1939 at this temple. The twisting formation of a ‘sankhu’ enables tirtham (holy scented water) to flow spirally before bathing Lord Ganesha. As the ‘tirtham’ is infused with the chanting of Hindu mantras, together with the hydraulic push through the ‘sankhu’, this facilitates the potency of this ceremony. The conch-shell is said to be the abode of ‘devas’ (celestial beings). Therefore ‘sankha puja’ is considered most auspicious in Hindu rituals, and will promote the health, wealth and happiness of its participants. The glory of this temple is further enhanced by the gold 'garba graham' (entrance)at the main sanctum. Gold has the highest spiritual vibration according to Hindu scriptures, therefore this metal is used to channel 'shakti' (divine energy).

The temple had acquired its name, Court Hill Ganesar as the previous high court was adjacent to the temple. Most lawyers who had represented clients at this court would pray at this temple for a favourable outcome. If the verdict was favourable, the lawyers would contribute towards the upkeep of the temple in gratitude.

Sthala Viruksham : There is a ‘veppalai’ (Neem) tree in the temple itself. The ‘veppalai’ tree has been in the temple since inception and is also a focal point in the temple. Devotees who circumbulate the temple will stroke the bark of the tree, and then proceed to prostrate before Lord Ganesha.

HEMAKUTA HILL & HAMPI TEMPLES

Name : Hemakuta Hill

Location : Hampi is located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara empire

Significance : Listed as World Heritage site

Legend : Myth have it that it’s on this hill that Lord Siva (the god of destruction) did penance before marrying a local girl Pampa. Siva was impressed by her dedication for him and consent to marry her. On this it rained gold on this hill. Hema in Sanskrit language means gold. The name of the hill thus connects with this legend.

Also this is the place where Siva burnt Kama (the god of lust) with his third (fire) eye. In helping Pampa to marry Shiva, Kama distracted Shiva from his penance. This attracted the wrath of Siva and eventually killed Kama by fire. Later Rathi (goddess of passion and Kama’s wife) pleaded for the life of Kama. Siva brought him back to life but only in character not as a physical being.

Hence a number of temples in this area are dedicated to Lord Siva, the major one being the Virupaksha temple at the north of this hill. This place packed with the largest number of pre Vijayanagara temples.

Description : This hill is sprinkled generously with a large number of temples, archways and pavilions. The whole of the hill was fortified with tall wide stonewalls, the ruined remains of which can be still be seen. Once you have reached (about 15 minutes climb) the top, it’s almost a flat expanse of rocky sheet with occasional ups and downs.

Hemakuta Hill is one among the best places in Hampi to see the sunrise and sunset; and not as tedious to reach the top say compared to the Matanga Hill nearby. Good news for the ones who find it difficult for a steep climb.

The chain of temples on Hemakuta Hill You can access it mainly through two ways. The first is through the tower located close to the Virupaksha temple’s main entrance. From the very end of the Hampi Bazaar that terminates in front of the Virupaksha temple, take the left (southward) alley. You can see the giant but topless tower to the hilltop.

The second access point is through the twin storied archway located near the Sasivekalu Ganesha & Kadalekalu Ganesha shrines. The top locations near this archway is a great place to get an aerial view of the Krishna Temple campus just south of it; and the Lakshmi Narasimha & Badivilinga shrines located beyond the Krishna temple.

Thanks to its architecture these temples are mistaken for Jain Temples. In fact most of them are dedicated to Siva worship. These smart looking compact temples with pyramid-like roofs resemble that of the Jain temples.

A number of temples located on the northern end of the hills are made in what is called the Trikutachala style. That is, three shrines positioned perpendicular to the next face a common central hall. The outer walls of the temples are plane but for the horizontal chain of floral motifs carved around. The fluted foundation and the curvy eaves overhanging are other typical features on the exterior.

You can find a series of such temple complexes scattered all over the hill top. One can easily count at least three dozen structures in the vicinity. The largest and the most elaborate ones are located on the northern slop of the hill facing the Virupaksha temple campus. These are in fact one of the oldest clusters of temples in Hampi, much older than the empire itself. The chain of temples on Hemakuta Hill (northern side) You would be first visiting this locale if you reach the hilltop from the Virupaksha temple. The whole area looks more like a gigantic sheet of rock with undulation.

Further up and a bit south you can spot a pond in the courtyard of a shrine. This shrine called the Mula (the original) Virupaksha temple is older than the grand Virupaksha temple. The front hall of this whitewashed shrine spots a series of cubical pillars of pre-Vijayanagara style. Interestingly, the porch faces the water body and the steps from the porch lands into the water. This is one of the few shrines in this are that are under active worship.

Just behind this is a tiny chamber like shrine with a pyramid roof. A Hanuman image is installed inside the shrine. This is one of the finest spots to witness a Hampi sunrise/sunset.

When you move further south, you practically get an aerial view of the Krishna Temple, Sasivekalu Ganesha, the twin monuments of Lakshminarashiha and Badavilinga shrine. At this point you can spot the two storied southern gateway to the hilltop. This area too has a number of temples built in the pre-Vijayanagara style architecture. Some of them even spots tall monolithic lamp posts inform of it. The exit through the gateway leads you to a short flight of steps carved on the rock surface. This flight of steps brings you to the Sasivekalu Ganesha statue.

The whole of Hemakuta Hill area is encircled with an ancient fortification. Though broken at many places, you can still make out the boundary line circling the hill.

One can easily spend a couple of hours hang around and check out various movements on this hill top. Though located at the very core of Hampi, the relative calm of the place is a pleasant surprise.

Website : http://www.worldisround.com/articles/352237/text.html

GARUDA WISNU KENCANA

Name : Garuda Wisnu Kencana

Location : Unggasan Hill, Jimbaran Bali

Description : The Garuda Wisnu Kencana is a statue that was built with the height 140 metre. This statue is located in the Unggasan Hill, Jimbaran Bali. The work masterpiece Balinese I Nyoman Nuarta. This statue is in the form of the God Wisnu that in the Hindu religion is the God Of The Patron, drove Garuda birds. Around The Garuda Wisnu Kencana area, at this time was developed as the cultural garden and into Landmark for Balinese tourism and Indonesia. This The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue is the symbol of the rescue mission of the environment and the world. From The Garuda Wisnu Kencana area, the exactly from Unggasan Hill, we can see Kuta Beach, Benoa Port, Jimbaran in the distance, Ngurah Rai Airport. The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, exist in hills area with spell view.

BESAKIH TEMPLE - Indonesia

Name : Besakih Temple ( Mother's temple )

Location :
The temple was built on the south slopes of Mount Agung, the principal volcano of Bali.
Perched on the slopes of Mount Agung, at a lofty 1,000 meters (3,000 feet).

Description : Over a thousand years old, Besakih Temple is known as the "Mother Temple of Bali" Besakih is the biggest and holiest of all the Balinese temples. Bali's mother temple stands against a stupendous mountain backdrop on the southeastern slopes of Mount Agung. Named after the Dragon God believed to inhabit the mountain, it's said to be the only temple where a Hindu of any caste can worship.

Perched nearly 1000 meters up the side of Gunung Agung, it is an extensive complex of 23 separate but related temples with the largest and most important being Pura Penataran Agung. The temple is built on six levels, terraced up the slope. The entrance is marked by a candi bentar (split gateway), and beyond it the Kori Agung is the gateway to the second courtyard.

Architecture :

Pura Besakih is a complex made up of twenty-three temples that sit on parallel ridges. It has stepped terraces and flights of stairs which ascend to a number of courtyards and brick gateways that in turn lead up to the main spire or Meru structure, which is called Pura Penataran Agung. All this is aligned along a single axis and designed to lead the spiritual person upward and closer to the mountain which is considered sacred.

The main sanctuary of the complex is the Pura Penataran Agung. The symbolic center of the main sanctuary is the lotus throne or padmasana, which is therefore the ritual focus of the entire complex. It dates to around the seventeenth century.

A series of eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, which killed approximately 1,700 people also threatened Pura Besakih. The lava flows missed the temple complex by mere meters. The saving of the temple is regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous, and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected.

Festivals :

Each year there are at least seventy festivals held at the complex, since almost every shrine celebrates a yearly anniversary. This cycle is based on the 210-day Balinese Pawukon calendar year.

It had been nominated as a World Heritage Site as early as 1995, but remains unvested.

Visitors to this temple should exercise caution as there is a syndicate operating in and around the premise of this temple. They target tourists by offering a compulsory "tour guide" at exorbitant charges. They also perform "prayers" and request for tips at the end of the "tour". Visitors who decline their "services" are dealt with rather aggressively.

Problems :

Illegal forced donations which are actually extortions were committed by local youths from surrounding villages on visiting tourists. Foreign tourists are asked for an additional 50 US dollars to visit, while Indonesians are asked for 200,000 rupiah (~$15 USD). Despite this, the local authorities have done little to stop such acts.

Websites :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pura_Besakih 

ULUWATU - BALI

Name : Uluwatu

Location : On the southern tip of Bali, Uluwatu is also high on a surfer's destination list. The road to the beach is pretty well-hidden, off the road to the temple of Uluwatu

Description : The temple is an amazing three-court temple on top of a few hundred feet cliff. You can't reach it by car - rent a motorcycle or walk for about two miles to get there. The site is very popular among serious surfers.