Jagannathpur Temple, Jharkhand

Restored Temple as on January 2008

Name : Jagannathpur Temple, Jharkhand

Location :

Jagannathpur Temple is located about 10 km from the main town, the temple is on top of a small hillock near to a place called Firayalal chowk (The temple is not located near Firayalal Chowk) or (Albert Ekka chowk) in Ranchi.

Description :

The Jagannathpur Temple was constructed by the king of Barkagarh Jagannathpur, Thakur Ani Nath Shahdeo. The Jagannathpur Temple at Ranchi was completed on 25th December, 1691.

This temple of Ranchi is placed over the top most point on a small hillock. To reach the top visitors can climb the stairs or take the vehicle route. There are many steps and the climber needs to rest intermittently before resuming. People also take the vehicle route leading directly to the top . To facilitate the arduous climb to the top the management of the temple have made provisions for fresh water and the shade of a huge tree that many tourists generally make use of once they reach the top. The view of the city from the top is breathtaking.

The temple resembles the Jagannath Temple of Puri  in the state of Orissa quite a lot with similar architectural style. It is however smaller in size than the Jagannath Temple in Orissa.

Festivals : At the Jagannathpur Temple, an annual fair is also held every year during the month of Aashaadha of Ratha Yatra. This fair is also quite similar to that of the Ratha Yatra at the Puri's Jagannath Temple. This is a major attraction in Ranchi as thousands of pilgrims flock to the Jagannathpur Temple including the tribal as well as the non tribal devotees not only from Ranchi but also from neighbouring villages and towns and is celebrated with much pomp and vigor.

The temple collapsed on 6 August 1990. With the active participation of the then State Government of Bihar, and some devoted patrons the reconstruction of the temple started on 8th February 1992 and has now been fully restored. The temple has regained back its former glory. And devotees and ardent worshippers make a beeline to the temple every year.

Website :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagannath_Temple,_Ranchi 

Manti Utah temple

Name : Manti Utah Temple

Location :

It is located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third LDS temple built west of the Mississippi River after the Mormons' great trek westward. (The St. George and Logan Utah temples preceded it.)

Description :

The Manti Utah Temple (formerly the Manti Temple) is the fifth constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). The Manti Utah Temple was designed by William Harrison Folsom, who moved to Manti while the temple was under construction. The temple dominates the Sanpete Valley, and can be seen from many miles. Like all LDS temples, only church members in good standing may enter. It is one of only two remaining LDS temples in the world where live actors are used in the endowment ceremonies (the other is the Salt Lake Temple); all other temples use films in their rituals.

History

The decision to build an LDS temple in Manti was announced on June 25, 1875 by Brigham Young. The Salt Lake Temple was announced years before in 1847, but construction was still underway and not finished until 1893. The Manti Temple was built, along with the St. George and Logan temples, to satisfy the church's immediate need for these structures. The site for the temple was the Manti Stone Quarry, a large hill immediately northeast of town. Early Mormon settlers in the area had prophesied that this would be the site of a temple. When Brigham Young announced the building of the temple, he also announced that the 27-acre (110,000 m2) plot would then be known as "Temple Hill."

The temple was completed in 1888, and a private dedication was held on May 17, 1888, with the prayer given by Wilford Woodruff. Three public dedications were held on May 21–23, 1888, and were directed by Lorenzo Snow.

The Manti Temple was the location of the Holy of Holies until the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated. The room was then used for sealings until it was closed in the late 1970s.

Renovations

The Manti Temple has undergone various remodeling and renovations. Construction of a great stone stairway leading up the hill to the west temple doors began in 1907. In 1935, the temple was fully lit at night for the first time. In 1940 the stone stairs were removed and work began to beautify the grounds. Between 1944 and 1945 the annex, chapel, kitchen, Garden Room, and men’s and women’s areas were remodeled. There was once a tunnel beneath the east tower of the temple through which wagons and cars could pass, but it was closed off in the 1960s.

In 1981 church officials decided that the interior of the temple needed extensive remodeling. The renovation took four years, during which murals and original furniture were restored, offices were enlarged and remodeled, a separate door was made to the baptistry, water and weather damage were repaired, an elevator was installed, and locker rooms were improved among many other projects. In June 1985, Gordon B. Hinckley directed the rededication ceremonies.
Style

The Manti Temple combines the Gothic Revival, French Renaissance Revival, French Second Empire, and Colonial architectural styles. The temple has 100,373 square feet (9,325.0 m2) of floor space, eight sealing rooms, four ordinance rooms, and a Celestial room. The exterior is made of fine-textured, cream-colored oolite limestone from quarries in the hill on which the temple now stands. The two towers of the temple are 179 feet (55 m) tall, and the open center spiral staircases inside the towers are marvels of pioneer ingenuity.

Website :

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

Nellitheertha Somanatheshwara Cave Temple

Name : Nellitheertha Somanatheshwara Cave Temple

Location :

There are several routes to reach Nellitheertha.
From Mangalore, take the route towards Moodabidri. Travel beyond Gurupura, Kaikamba and reach Yedapadavu. Here, take a deviation towards Muchur. Nellitheertha is 8 km away from Yedapadavu.

Reach Kateel from Mangalore. Nellitheertha is about 5 km away from Kateel.

While driving from Bangalore, one can take a deviation at B C Road and go through Polali and Kaikamba and reach Nellitheertha. This avoids having to travel through Mangalore.

Legends :

1) The history of the temple dates back to 1487. Inside the cave, water drops keep dripping down in the shape of gooseberries (amla) to form the lake and hence the name Nelli (Amla) Theertha (holy water)

2) There was an Asura named Arunasura who managed to get the blessing of Sage Jabali and got from him the sacred Gayathri Mantra. He started misusing the power of this Mantra and began to harass the world. Maharishi Jabali was not aware of this as he was performing meditation all the while. Learning from Narada Maharishi of Arunasura’s atrocities, Jabali decided that he had to set right a situation that he in a way helped create.

It is believed that the cave in Nellitheertha was used by Sage Jabali to perform a penance to appease Lord Durga Parameshwari. Lord Durga appeared in front of Sage Jabali and assured him that she would kill the demon Arunasura. She later took the shape of a wasp and killed Arunasura on the banks of the river Nandini. At that place today is a beautiful temple of Lord Durgaparameshwari and the place is very well known as Kateel.


Lord Durga also assured Sage Jabali that Shiva, Vishnu and Durga herself would grace that region and that there would be temples to worship all three of them in the vicinity. One can find a Vishnu temple near Nellitheertha at a place called Kompadavu. Lord Durga is worshipped in a place called Muchur, again near Nellitheertha. And Lord Shiva made Nellitheertha his abode.

Description :

Nellitheertha Cave Temple dates back to at least 1487 CE. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. To the right of the temple there is a natural cave which is about 200 metres (660 ft) long. As there is no proper gateway to the temple, the visitors are forced to crawl in on their knees to peep inside the sanctum. There is a lake and a Shiva Lingam inside it.

The main deity of the temple is Sri Somanatheshwara (Shiva). The temple also has MahaGanapati (Elephant - headed God) and Jabali Maharshi as deities here. In fact, the Jabali Maharshi Brindavana was recently constructed. In typical Tulu-naadu (Tulu is the native language in this part of the woods) tradition, the temple also has its set of "Bhootas". Bhootas are considered as the "Ganas" or warrior-assistants of the Gods. According to mythology, bhootas are appointees of Shiva and they administer the temple/village. The main bhootas of the Nellitheertha temple are Pili-Chamundi (Pili means Tiger in Tulu), Kshetrapala, Raktheshwari and Doomavathy.

The Lingam of Shri Somanatheshwara has been made out of pure Saligrama and is considered very sacred. The Lingam has been built as Ardhanareeshwara. There are other artifacts in and around the temple which are pointers to the past glory of this place. Among them are the “Arasule Mancha” (King’s seat), “Arasule Mantapa” (King’s abode) and the “Jina Vigraha” (Jain Statue). The temple of Shri Mahaganapati has been rebuilt recently and is splendid in itself.

The most beautiful aspect of the temple is the Cave. Apart from the cave, of course, there are numerous other places surrounding the temple which are worth visiting. To the east of the temple’s entrance is the Amblattapadavu hillock. This hillock is about 300-500 feet high and offers a splendid scenery from the top. One can spot places such as the Bajpe Airport, Mangalore, Panambur, the MRPL refinery and Suratkal. On a day with clear skies, one can even spot the Arabian Sea. Amblattapadavu offers a wonderful view of sunrise and sunset everyday.

The “Nagappa Kere” (Snake Pond) is a small pond situated to the north of the temple. This natural pond, along with its religious significance, is also a scenic spot. All devotees who want to enter the cave temple have to clean themselves by taking bath in this pond and only then are they allowed into the cave. The lake is at its best immediately after the monsoons (Oct—Dec) when its crystal clear water is a swimmer’s delight. There are plans to build a small herbal park around this pond as also a small deer park.

Nagappa Kere

The “Arasule Mancha” or King’s seat is situated near the main entrance of the temple towards the north. Historical evidence suggests that this seat was where the king of the land used to be seated when he visited the temple. It is believed that even today, the spirits of the former rulers visits the place at night and so it is prohibited to sit on the seat after dusk.

The Nellitheertha temple is a symbol of secularism. The temple and the cave is open to members of all beliefs and castes. Any person, above the age of 5, is allowed to enter the cave irrespective of gender. Truly, Nellitheertha is a special and model place.

Another unique feature of this cave is that it is closed for nearly 6 months a year. The cave is open only between October and April. Though there are religious reasons associated with this (it is said that the cave is open 6 months a year for humans and is meant for Gods and Rishis the remaining 6 months), the point is that the 6 month break each year helps the cave to "rejuvenate". The water freshens up and the animals inside enjoy the lack of disturbance. There are plenty of animals inside the cave. The cave houses snakes of all varieties, scorpions, porcupines and huge number of bats. Troubling or hurting the animals inside the cave is strictly prohibited.

Cave Entrance

The cave :

The main attraction of the temple is the cave. Situated right at the entrance of the temple towards the left of the main door, this huge cave is one of nature's wonders. Unspoilt by human indulgence, the cave is a nature lover's delight. A visit to the inside of the cave is considered a sacred and spiritual experience by devotees.

The entrance to the cave is huge and wide. Within a few feet, the trail narrows down and one is forced to bend and crawl forward. Subsequently, one has to fall flat on the tummy and crawl ahead. Finally, after about 300-400 metres, the cave widens again and we find a huge lake in there. There is a natural Shiva Lingam in front of the lake and devotees pray and worship the lingam. The most amazing part of the cave is the fine quality of the mud available inside.

It is said that the mud here has healing powers and is treated as prasadam by devotees. Right behind the Shiva Lingam, a second cave starts off. Not many people have ventured into this second cave till date. A few who have gone ahead vouch for the extreme terrain they have encountered. It surely will be challenging for the adventure lovers.

Festivals :

Calendar of Shri Nellitheertha Temple
Tula Sankramana	Cave Opens
Chathurdashi before Hunnime in Dhanur Masa (Dec—Jan)	5 day annual festival
Shivarathri	Shivarathri Utsava
Ganesha Chathurthi	Ganesha Utsave—Daiva Parva
Deepavali	Daiva Parva—Ranga Pooje

Websites :

 http://shivamandirs.blogspot.in/2009_07_01_archive.html

http://www.nellitheertha.com/

http://shivallibrahmins.com/tulunaadu-temples/mangalore-taluk/sri-somanatheshwara-cave-temple-nellitheertha/ 

Sri Karinjeshwara temple

Name : Sri Karinjeshwara temple

Location :

It is situated in the town of Karinja, in the Dakshin Kannada district, is one of the most honoured pilgrim spots in Karnataka. This temple is situated in the Bantwal taluka and is atop a hill in the Karinja village.

The Sri Karinjeshwara temple lies 14 kilometres away from Bantwal and 35 kilometres away from Mangalore. The nearest railhead and airport is located in the city of Mangalore. The temple is well connected by roads. The temple is just two kilometres away from Vegga on the Mangalore-Belthangady route.

History :

About 800 years ago, two brahmin youth Karinjattaya and Ichlattaya brothers arrived at Kumbla county from Uttara Kannada for publicising Sanatana belief. At that period Tulunadu was ruled by Taulava King. Bhoota worship was the ritual in practice at that time in this region. The place where Ichlattaya settled was called Ichlampady and the other by Karinjattaya was called Karinja. In the middle of Karinja and Ichlampady in a scenic beautiful area was built a Lord Shiva Temple. These brahmin without any decendants had given away their agricultural property along with the Temple to the Bunts who were helping them.

The Parvathi temple, the bigger of the two, situated halfway up the hill

Description :

The temple is split into two parts. Halfway up the mountain sits the temple of Parvathi. Also at this level is a temple of Ganapathi, the son of Shiva and Parvathi. At the top of the mountain is the temple of Shiva. For most of the year, daily rituals and religious festivities are held separately at each temple.

The Surya Sadashiva Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati. A devotee will have to climb ( only by foot ) as many as 555 steps in order to reach the Sri Karinjeshwara temple.

Situated halfway up the hill, this Parvathi temple is surrounded by a clean courtyard, at one end of which is a new, almost completed anna chathra - a dining hall. Another steeper flight of steps leads up to the peak of he hill on which is situated the Karinjeshwara temple. The peak of the hill provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the forested foothills of the western ghats. A troop of friendly monkeys have made their home here. The leader of the monkeys is called as Karinje Dhadda. Each morning, after the daily pooja, the naivedyam is ritually offered to the monkeys.


Theerthams :

The pond at bottom of the hill  known as "Gadha Theertha". According to the priest ,  the Gadha Theertha was carved out when Bhima knelt  down and threw his mace (Gadha) down.

The are other 3 ponds namely Handi (Pig) Theertha , Ungushta (Toe) Theertha and Jaanu (Knee) Theertha . Later, two ponds were formed when Bhima knelt down to throw his mace , according to the priest . The holy waters of the ponds are believed to contain special powers in the curing various diseases .

Ungushta Theertham

Jaanu Theertham

Gadha Theertham

Festivals : 

The most important festival celebrated in Sri Karinjeshwara temple is that of Shivaratri. This is a four day event.

During the wee hours of the morning, elaborate homas and pujas are conducted at all the temples on the first day of Shivaratri.

On the second and the most important day, the idol of Lord Shiva is carried down and united with that of Goddess Parvati. This is done amidst a lot of festivities and pujas.


The third day marks the Rathotsava or the Chariot Festival. In this day, both idols are paraded around; first at the Parvati temple and then at ground level by means of a chariot of ratha. On the later half of the third day both idols are carried back to the Parvati temple.

On the fourth and the last night of Shivratri, Lord Shiva is once again taken to Goddess Parvati.
Both idols are then taken for a stroll and after this; they are taken back to their respective temples.


Websites :

http://www.bantwal.com/karinjeshwara_temple.php

http://travel.sulekha.com/a-hill-with-a-view_mangalore-travelogue-1731.htm

http://teamgsquare.blogspot.in/2010/10/mt-karinja.html