Kondagattu

Name : Kondagattu

Location : Kondagattu is located on the Karimnagar-Jagityal-Nizamabad State Highway at around 35 Kms from Karimnagar and 15 Kms before Jagityal.

Deity : Lord Anjaneya Swamy (Hanuman)

Legend : According to the folklore, the temple was constructed by a cowherd some 300 years ago.

Description : This breathtaking temple of Lord Anjaneya Swamy. Situated amidst hills, valleys & water springs Kondagattu is blessed by nature and very scenic. The present day temple has been built 160 years ago by Krishna Rao Deshmukh. It is believed that if a women offers puja for 40 days at this temple then she will be blessed with a child.

Apart from the temple, the fort of Kondalaraya & Bojjapotana caves are worth seeing at Kondagattu.

Lord Hanuman : Lord Hanuman was born in Anjaneri (now a hilltop temple). Anjaneri is near Triambakeshwar, Nasik - a pilgrim village in Maharashtra State. He is the son of Anjani and Maruti, born with the blessings of 'Vayu', the wind god (also called Pavan). He is considered to be an avatar (incarnation) of Lord Shiva.

Sukuh temple

Name : Candi Sukuh temple

Location : It is located in Berjo Village, Argoyoso district, in the slope of mount Lawu 35 Km east of Solo at a height about 910 m above sea level.

Description : The temple stretches from the east to the west with the main gate in the west. Sukuh Temple is decorated with wayang stone carvings of Hindu origin, the only erotic temple in Java. The stepped pyramid is like the ones in South America of the Maya culture. The temples are distinctive compared with other ancient temples in Central Java such as Borobudur and Prambanan, and its uniqueness lies in the landscaping, statuettes, and relief. The temples occupy an 11,000m2 area and consist of three terraces, each connected with an ascending alley. The most influential part is the last terrace, at the very back of the compound. At this very sacred area, once erected a homogenous phallic statue, which is now displayed at the National Museum, Jakarta.

Another interesting and controversial factor of this historical site is the artistic relief on its floor, which depict male and female organs symbolizing the birth of life. This kind of construction is common in prehistoric time, especially in the megalithic era of pundan berundak (terrace grave). The temple consist of three terraces, the first terrace is the lowest level, followed by the second and the third above it. The terrace are connected with stairs to each other, each of it has an entrance gate. The temple has believed to be constructed in the 15th century during the declining years of Majapahit Empire. The relief found beside the first gate are believed had mean (sengkalan) reads Gapura Buta Aban Wong and Gapura Buta Anahut Bubut, meaning the year of 1359 saka or 1437 AD.

Johnson, the resident of Surakarta, first discovered the temple in 1815 in a very poor condition during the period of Raffles government.

At Sukuh, sex is neither porn nor erotica; Rather it is spiritual, transcendental. At Sukuh, sex is the blending of male and female energies to create a new energy of rebirth.

Other Hill Temple nearby : CHETO TEMPLE




Cheto Temple is located about 5 km north and 500 m above Sukuh Temple.The layout of temple is similar to Sukuh except that it comprises many more (14) terraces.
The most interesting that still remain is a complicated figures composed of stones laid flat on the ground.

Borobudur - Indonesia

Name : Borobudur

Location : Borobudur temple located in the Jogjakarta city on central Java.

Borobudur is the biggest Buddhist temple in the ninth century. It was built by King Samaratungga from the Syailendra Dynasty. Borobudur temple is the one of the best-preserved ancient monument in Indonesia that are most frequently visited by over a million domestic as well as foreign visitors. It also had been acclaimed by the world as a cultural heritage. The architectural style has no equal through out the world. It was completed centuries before Angkor Wat in Kamboja. Borobudur is one of the world's most famous temples; it stands majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields and distant hills.

Legend : It is believed to have been derived from the Sanskrit words "Vihara Buddha Uhr" Means "the Buddhist Monastery on the hill". Borobudur is a terraced temple surmounted by stupas, or stone towers; the terraces resemble Indonesian burial foundations, indicating that Borobudur was regarded as the symbol of the final resting place of its founder, a Syailendra, who was united after his death with the Buddha.

Temple Architecture : Borobudur is built of gray Andesite stone. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome is located at the center of the top platform, and is surrounded by seventy-two Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely, Kamadhatu (the world of desire); Rupadhatu (the world of forms); and Arupadhatu (the world of formless). During the journey, the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

The walls of the Borobudur are sculptured in bas-reliefs extending over a total length of six kilometers. It has been hailed as the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist relieves in the world, unsurpassed in artistic merit and each scene an individual masterpiece.

Gedong Songo Temple

Name : Gedong Songo Temple (Nine Temples)

Location : This is a resort on the slope of mount Ungaran, about 900 meters above sea level in Indonesia.

Legend : Queen Simha of the Kalingga Kingdom was in power when the Gedong Sanga complex was built. She was known for her fair and respectable reign.

The Queen taught her people to worship Sang Hyang Widi, the Powerful God, and in order to accomplish this, she ordered that a temple devoted to Sang Hyang Widi be built.

According to the belief, human beings must be able to control their desires to live a peaceful life. The desires were said to come from the nine orifices of the body, called Babahan Hawa Sanga in Javanese. The erection of the Candi Gedong Sanga could be thus considered a symbol of controlling these origins of desire.

Description : Gedong Songo (nine buildings), a group of small 8th century Hindu Javanese temples was built during the Syailendra Dynasty. It can be reached either by car or on horseback from the town. Built at about the same time as the temples of the Dieng complex, Gedong Songo is one of the most beautifully sited temple complexes in Central Java and the views alone are worth the trip.

Gedung Songo ('Nine Buildings') belong to the earliest antiquities of Java, they follow up the temples on the Dieng Plateau directly, for what about time. They were also built high in the mountains in an area full with volcanic activity; and they were also from Hinduist origin. But where the temples on Dieng Plateau are somewhat squeezed into a foggy valley, Gedung Songo are spread over the higher parts of the mountains, which guarantee a splendid view. On clear days, the horizon is one long row of volcanoes, from mount Lawu in the east, towards mount Sumbing, mount Sundoro and Dieng Plateau in the west.

The Nine temples were built between 730 and 780 AD, the first temple excepted, which could have been built some 30 years later. Gunung Songo is not the original name and also doesn't point at the number of structures. The number nine has a special meaning in the Javanese culture, in which there is a strong attachment to numbers. The temples are located at about the same distance from each other (100 meters, 200 meters) on a naturally formed terrace of edge of a mountain.

Trekking attraction : A number of sulfur springs exist inside the complex, where simple bathing facilities are available — at a small fee — for those wanting to bathe or wade in the hot water. It is said the sulfur hot springs can cure minor dermatological ailments.

A complete trip through the complex is roughly a 2-km hike. The journey, which ascends and descends through groves of pine trees, ravines and sulfur springs, surely requires a good deal of energy.

Website : http://www.planetmole.org/indonesian-news/gedong-songo-temple-complex-central-java.html

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple - Kaligiri hills

Name : Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple

Location : Kaligiri hills near Puthalapattu is at distance of about 5kms from district centre chitoor

History : This is claimed to be the original spot where Lord Venkateswara first stepped on earth, before proceeding to Tirumala.

Apart from here foot prints of Srivari Padaalu still exist on the top of Narayanagiri Hill - Tirumala Tirupathi.

PALANI

Name : Arulmigu Dandayudhapani Swami Temple - Palani

Location : Palani is located about 60km from the District centre of Dindigul.

Legend : Sage Agastya wanted to take two hills—Sivagiri and Sakthigiri—to his abode in the South and commissioned his disciple Idumban to carry them. Idumban bore the hills slung across his shoulders, in the form of a kavadi one on either side. When he was fatigued, he placed the kavadi near Palani to take rest.

At this stage, Subrahmanya or Muruga had been outwitted in a contest for going round the world. Ganapati had won the prized fruit (pomegranate or mango) by simply going round His parents. Long after, this, Subrahmanya came sweating on His peacock to find that the prize had already been given away. In anger, the frustrated child left the divine parents and came down to Tiru Avinankudi at the Adivaram (pronounced Adivâram. It means foot of the Sivagiri Hill). Siva pacified Him by saying that He (Subrahmanya) Himself was the fruit (pazham) of all wisdom and knowledge; nee —you. Hence the place was called ‘Pazham Nee’ or Palani. Later, He withdrew to the hill and settled there as a recluse in peace and solitude.

When Idumban resumed his journey, he could not lift the hill. Muruga had made it impossible for Idumban to make it. In the fierce battle that ensued, Idumban was killed but was later on restored to life. Idumban prayed that:whosoever carried on his shoulders the Kavadi, signifying the two hills and visited the temple on a vow, should be blessed and he should be given the privilege of standing sentinel at the entrance to the hill.

Temple & Deity : Palani (Tiru Avinankudi) is the third Padai Veedu of lord muruga situated on palani hill

The deity of Palani is known as Dandayudhapani Swami, the Lord having the Staff in his Hand. The deity at the sanctum sanctorum is made out of an amalgam of nine minerals popularly called Navabashana. The deity is in a standing position with a baton in his hand. He has the look of a person who has renounced all worldly pomp. He has just a loincloth besides the baton. He is a mute messenger of the great precept ‘Renounce all to reach Me’. The icon is unique in the whole world. It was made by siddha Bhogar by combining nine poisonous substances (navabashana).

Rituals & ceremonies :

Vilaa Pooja (6.30 a.m.)
Siru Kall Pooja (8.00 a.m.)
Kaala Santhi (9.00 a.m.)
Utchikkala Pooja (12.00 noon)
Raja Alankaram (5.30 p.m.)
Iraakkaala Puja (8.00 p.m.)
Golden Car Darshan (6.30 p.m.)

Fairs & Festivals :

The major festivals at the temple are
Thai Pusam
Pankuni Uttiram
Agni Nakshatram
Kanda Sashti
Vaikasi Visakam
Tiru Karthikai

Official website : http://palani.org/

Blogsite : http://shanthiraju.wordpress.com/page/21/