Satgarah Temples - Pakistan

Name : Satgarah Temples. Other temples in this complex include Mallot Temple and Katasraj temple. Among this Satgarah and mallot are Hill temples.

Location : KatasRaj is a Hindu temple situated are located 40 kilometres from Chakwal District in Katas village of Punjab in Pakistan.

Legends : Many legends are associated with the temples, some of them involving Shiva himself.

1. Legend says that the five Pandava brothers, heroes of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, stayed here for four out of the 14 years that they spent in exile.

2. Another legend involves the death of Shiva's wife Satti; the story goes that when she died he cried so much and for so long that his tears created two holy ponds - one at Pushkara in Ajmer and the other at Ketaksha, which literally means "raining eyes" in Sanskrit. It is from this name that the word Ketas is derived. Another version of the legend mentions the two pools at Katasraj and Nainital.

3. Another legend involves the death of Shiva's horse Katas; the story goes that when that horse died he cried so much and for so long that his tears created two holy ponds - one at Pushkara in Ajmer and the other at Ketaksha, which literally means "raining eyes" in Sanskrit. It is from this name that the word Ketas is derived.

Another version of the legend mentions the two pools at Katasraj and Nainital.People bathe in that holy pond and seek forgiveness as Hindu belief holds that bathing in the pond (especially on certain occasions) causes the forgiveness of sins and helps attain salvation. Many people believe that this will come from bathing in the pond at any time. Depth of this holy pond is still a mystery.

Description : Dedicated to Shiva, the temple has existed since the days of Mahabharata and the Pandava brothers spent a substantial part of their exile at the site.

The Ramachandra temple is situated to the east of the Hari Singh Haveli and is closed from all sides except for an entrance on the east.

The Hanuman temple is on the western extreme of a high rectangular enclosure with entrances on the south and the north. The temple's ceiling is undecorated, and lime-plastered. The Shiva temple is also built on a square platform. Its entrance is a recessed round arch with faint cusps and a rectangular opening to the north.

The lake in the complex is believed to have magical powers and supposed to be where Yudhisthira defeated the Yaksha with his wisdom to bring his brothers back to life.
With the major temple complex and the pond on the right. It is a picturesque sight.
Even nowadays, worshippers from all faiths perform pilgrimages to the temple every year and bathe in the sacred pool around which Katasraj is built.

Kbal Spean

Name : Kbal Spean ("Head Bridge")

Location : It is an Angkorian era site on the southwest slopes of the Kulen Hills in Cambodia, 25 km from the main Angkor group.

Description : It is commonly known as the valley of a 1000 Lingas. It consists of a series of stone carvings in and around the Stung Kbal Spean river. The motifs for the stone carvings are roughly three: myriads of lingams, depicted as neatly arranged bumps that cover the surface of a rock; lingam - yoni designs; and various Hindu mythological motifs, including depictions of gods and animals.

The majority of Kbal Spean's archaeological vestiges date to the 11th to 13th centuries. Construction of Kbal Spean was started by King Suryavarman I and later completed by King Udayadityavarman II.



It is commonly known as the valley of a 1000 Lingas due to the presence of the estimated one thousand lingas, which are sculptures dug in the Siem Reap riverbeds. Lingas were believed to fertilize the water of the East Baray and irrigate the rice fields in Cambodia.

Penang Hill - Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan

Name : Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan Temple, or better known as the Penang Hill Hindu Temple.

Location : Until the hill train is in operation again, the only two ways to reach Bellevue Hotel is by either jeep or by hiking. Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan is located at Gun Hill, a small hillock in Penang Hill, Malaysia.

Description : This is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. It started off in the 1800's as a small shrine to the Hindu deity Murugan - the deity associated with Thaipusam - by the Indian sepoys and sedan chair carriers, and is located at a mount within Penang Hill called Gun Hill. A trident, or Murugan Vel, was installed there by the devotees. Over the years, it was enlarged and rebuilt. The present-day incarnation of the Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan is a very ornate Hindu temple in the Dravidian architectural style of South India.

The Dravidian style of constructing Hindu temples calls for four principal parts. The temple proper, or vimana, is the shrine with a tower, a mandapa, or porch, gopurams, or gate towers, and chawadis, or pillar halls. In addition, there would usually be a tank of water for use in sacred rituals or for cleansing.

The sculptures on the gopuram and vimana are exquisitely ornate and colorful. Photography enthusiasts should enjoy capturing every small detail of the temple. From the location of this temple, one can get good views of the surroundings.

Mullayanagiri Shiva Temple

Name : Mullayanagiri

Location : Mullayanagiri, the tallest peak in the vicinity (and also the tallest in Karnataka @ 1930m)

Trekking : The trek continues mainly through the grass lands for abt 2-3 more hrs. There are about 3-4 intermediate small hills before reaching the top. On the hill, just before Mullayanagiri, one has to take the path to the left, along the hill and the path becomes rocky here. Avoid the temptation to continue straight ahead at this point and find a way along the shola forest and then had to climb up a reasonably steep part of the hill to get to the top.

Temple : There is a small temple on top of the hill, where we camped. This is a small hillock in the temple compound, which is the highest point in Karnataka. U r not supposed to wear footwears inside the compound and be careful abt that. The priests stay in the temple compound and they may even make coffee / tea. One more thing to note is that, there is not water source all the way till the hilltop and be sure u have enuf water with you.

Website : http://www.indiareviewsblog.com/2007/06/27/very-scenic-mullayanagiri-to-baba-budangiri-hills-trek-karnataka/

Baba Budan Giri

Name : BABA BUDAN

Location : North Of Chikmagalur, Karnataka

Highest Point : Mullaiyanagari

Altitude : 1926 m Above Sea Level

Description : To the north of Chikmaglur town is the Baba Budan Range or Chandra Drona Parvatha as it was known in the ancient times, which has one of the highest mountain peaks between the Himalayas and the Nilgiris.

The loftiest point of the range is Mullaiyanagari, which is 1926 m above sea level. A beacon lighted here during Deepavali can be seen at Chikmagalur.

The peak takes its name from the Muslim saint, Baba Budan, who resided here more than 150 years ago and reared coffee from the seeds he had secured from Yemen.
Bababudangiri mountain boasts of the Dattatreya peeta (a Hindu temple) and a Muslim dargah in the same premises. They are present side-by-side in the same underground cave.

Caves : Three large caves here said to have been sanctified by 3 siddhas contain their icons and gaddiges (tomb) and an annual 'jatra' is held here in their honour.

The enthralling scenery around makes this a much frequented pilgrim centre. Seethala contains a 'matha' and the dual shrine temple of 'Seethala-Mallikarjuna'.

Waterfalls : A short distance from here are the three waterfalls with epic associations, namely Gada Theertha, Nallikayi Theertha and Kamana Theertha.

Gada Theertha, according to a myth was created by the pandava prince, Bheema with his 'gada', the club, to quench the thirst of his mother during their exile.

The Ritual : Pilgrims who bathe here in the Nellikayi Theertha formed by Manikya Dhara waterfall, leave behind one item of their clothing as per a local belief.

Kedareshwar Cave

Name : Kedareshwar Cave

Location : Harishchandragad, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

Legend : It seems that the Shivalinga had Four pillars around it. One pillar was entirely damaged and cannot seen now. Two pillars have their remains stuck to the cave roof. Only one pillar is fully seen. Local legend holds that when the fourth pillar breaks, the world will come to an end.

Description : Going rightwards of Harishchandreshwar temple, we come across a huge cave. This is the cave of Kedareshwar, in which there is a big Shivlinga, which is totally surrounded by water. The total height from its base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep.

It is quite difficult to reach the Shivlinga, as the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out here. In monsoon it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way.

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