Harsh Nath Temple

Name : Harsh Nath Temple

Location : located at 11 kms away from Sikar, Rajasthan.

Description : Harsh Nath Temple is the ancient shrine of 10th century located on the high hills of Aravali is famous for the ruins old Shiva Temple. The ruins of the temple are strewn all over the area.

Every year thousand of visitors made their way to Sikar just for gaining the history of structuring the Harsh Nath temple. As the temple locates on the hill it gives pleasure for worldwide adventurous tourists too. Harsh Nath Temple also provides an important evidence in making Sikar an ancient town of Rajasthan.

Surkhanda Devi

Name : Surkhanda Devi

Location : It is about 8 km. from Dhanolti on the motor road running from Mussoorie to Chamba and is connected with Narendra Nagar which is about 61 km. and with Tehri which is about 41 km. by motor roads in Uttaranchal. To reach the temple one has to leave the Mussoorie-Chamba road at Kadu Khal and climb a steep ascent of about 1.5 km. on foot.

Legend : The legend is that Sati, the wife of Siva, gave up her life in the yajna by her father. Siva passed through this place on his way back to Kailash with the dead body of Sati whose head fell at the spot where the temple of Surkhanda Devi stands.

Description : Surkhanda Devi temple is at an altitude of 2903 m and ringed by dense forests in a sanctified spot. People from all corners throng to this shrine. For reaching the temple, one has to walk 2 km from the motor road at Kaddulkhal.

Provides a panoramic view of the Himalayan peaks and the Bhagirathi river. It is placed in the midst of an apple growing region.

Festivals : Ganga Dussehra Fair held every year between May and June, attracts thousands of devotees.

Candi Ceto

Name : Candi Ceto

Location : High on the mountains near Solo in Central Java, the temple of Candi Ceto is sited. Candi Ceto is situated further up the Candi Sukuh temple in the mountains. The temple is at an elevation of five hundred meters or 1630 ft above the sea level. One can get a splendid view of the city from the temple. Located high up on the mountains one will certainly enjoy the trip.

Description : Inscriptions found here is evidence to the fact that the Candi Ceto temple dates back deep into history. Some of the dates found inscribed here are AD 1468, 1472 and 1475. The basic layout and design of the temple is similar to that of the Sukuh temple but the Candi Ceto temple has many more terraces. There are as many as 14 terraces. As at Candy sukuh the main deity portrayed here is Bima. Tattered fragments of narrative relics were found in one of the lower terraces. This apart there are large numbers of small stone turtles.

One of the most interesting remains found here at the Candi Ceto is a dilapidated figure lying flat on the ground. At the western end is a large linga similar to that found at Candi Sukuh , lying horizontally and pointing to the west. At its base is a composition representing a tortoise on the back of a huge bat. On the tortoise's back is a number of sea creatures pointed in various compass directions.

During the 1970s a new gateway was built. New structures were also added to the upper terraces which include stone walls and floors. 50 meters further up, there are slopes which are used for bathing purposes. Several statues and a wooden shrine are to be found here. Till the late 1970s high profile people used to come here to meditate. They believed that this place had supernatural powers. Local residents still continue to devote offerings for the deities.

Candi Barong

Name : Candi Barong

Location : Hamlet Candisari, Bokoharjo, Prambanan Bokoharjo, Prambanan

Description : Actually this temple complex is located on the ground berundak 3 with some buildings in the temple every terasnya. But on the highest terrace of the HILL there are 2 temples to worship the god Vishnu and the goddess Sri as a symbol of fertility. Each temple has a size of approximately 8 meters x 8 meters to 9 meters high.

Candi Barong have tense and decorations such as dragon-like BARONG on the entrance door is a temple of Hindu which is located not far from the temple of Queen Boko, namely in Candisari hamlets, villages Bokoharjo, Prambanan, Yogyakarta. This temple was built in the century to about 9-to-10 and at the time of Ancient Kingdom of Mataram.

Ratu Boko Temple in Boko Palace

Name : Ratu Boko Palace

Location : about three kilometres south of Lara Jonggrang Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta Indonesia

History :

Not many people know that this palace is witness of the initial triumph in Sumatera land. Balaputradewa once fled to this palace before leaving for Sumatra when he was struck by Rakai Pikatan. Balaputradewa rebelled because he felt to be second person in the reign of Old Mataram Kingdom because of Rakai Pikatan's marriage to Pramudhawardani (Balaputradewa's sister). After his defeat and escape to Sumatra, he became the king of Sriwijaya Kingdom.

Description : It was a well defended palace-fort, some kind of citadel. Situated up on the hill, the Ratu Boko complex consist of:  Series of Gates.

Protective wall,  Roofless temple for cremation ceremony, Some walled structure of living space (pendopo). The body and roof is made from decayed material like wood or clay roof, but the base of building (palace) remains.

Small miniature of temple for religious ceremony within living space (serve like home temple)

Bathplace (pemandian), series of pools encirceled with walls and series of gates.More foundations and floor of buildings, also walled enclosure with gates.

Aeschetic small cave for meditation At the northern part from pendopo, isolated from the rest of the site, lies two caves that were formed of sediment stones. The upper cave is called Gua Lanang (Male Cave) and the lower cave is called Gua Wadon (Female Cave). In front of Gua Lanang, there is a pond and three effigies. Based on the research, the effigy is known as Aksobya, one of Buddha Pantheons. The cave probably functioned as a meditation place.

This site is located 196 m above the sea level, on the highest point in the site, there is a small pavilion from which one will be able to see a panoramic view of Prambanan temple with Mount Merapi as the background.

 King Boko Palace was a glorious building that was constructed during the reign of Rakai Panangkaran, descendant of Sailendra dynasty. The palace that initially was named Abhayagiri Vihara (that means a monastery on a peaceful hill) was built for seclusion purpose and to focus on spiritual life. From this palace, you will feel peace and will be able to see Yogyakarta city and Prambanan temple with Merapi Mountain as the background.

This palace is located 196 meters above the sea level. The area of the palace as wide as 250,000 m2 is divided into four, namely center, west, southeast, and east parts. The center part consists of the main gateway, square, Combustion Temple (cremation place), pond, square terrace and assembly hall. Meanwhile, the southeast part includes hall, platform, three temples, pond, and a complex for princess. The caves, Buddha effigy, and a pond are in east part while the west part consists of hills only.

If you enter from the palace gateway, you will directly be guided to the center part. Two high gates will welcome you. The first gate has three entrances while the second one has five. If you look it in detail, you will read 'Panabwara' writing on the first gate. Based on Wanua Tengah III inscription, the word was written by Rakai Panabwara (the descendant of Rakai Panangkaran) who took over the palace. The intention of carving his name on the gate was to legitimate his authority, to give 'power' to the gate in order to look more glorious and to give sign that the building was the main building.

About 45 meters away from the second gate, you will see a temple made of white stones so that it was named Candi Batu Putih or Temple of White Stones.

Close to the place, you will also find Combustion Temple. The temple is of square form (measuring 26 meter x 26 meter) with two terraces. The function of the temple is to burn dead body as the name suggests. Around 10 meters away from the Combustion Temple, there are sacred terrace and a pond.

A mysterious well will be seen if you walk southeastward of the Combustion Temple. As the legend tells, the well was named Amerta Mantana that means sacred water treated with charms. At present time, the water of Amerta well is still used. The legend tells that the water brings luck for anyone who uses it. Hindu people use it in Tawur Agung ceremony, one day before the Nyepi day. Using water in the ceremony is believed to support the achievement of the objective, namely to self purify and to return the earth and its content to its initial harmony. IndonesiaTravelVisit.com suggests that you visit Prambanan temple one day before Nyepi day to see the ceremony process.

Moving to the eastern part of the palace, you will see two caves, big pond measuring 20 meters x 50 meters and Buddha effigy that sits quietly. Those two caves were formed of sediment stones. The upper cave is called Gua Lanang (Male Cave) and the lower cave is called Gua Wadon (Female Cave). Right in front of Gua Lanang, there is a pond and three effigies. Based on the research, the effigy is known as Aksobya, one of Buddha Pantheons.

Even though it was built by a Buddhist, there are Hindu elements in it. This can be seen from the presence of Lingga and Yoni, Ganesha statue, and golden plate with the writing "Om Rudra ya namah swaha" on it as form of worship to Rudra as the other name of Shiva. The Hindu elements proved religious tolerance that is reflected in architectural works. In fact, Rakai Panangkaran who embraced Buddhism lived side by side with Hindu people.

Websites :

http://indonesiatravelvisit.blogspot.in/2016/03/king-boko-palace-glory-on-peaceful-hill.html 

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.