Hiranyakeshi Temple

Name : Hiranyakeshi Uppam (temple) is a place from where the Hiranyakeshi River springs originated from the mouth of caves.

Location :

Hiranyakeshi Temple is located at Amboli in Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra. It lies at the origin of Hiranyakeshi River.

Description :



The river Hiranyakeshi originates from a cave adjacent to the temple of Goddess Parvati at the foot of a mountain. Water rushes out with tremendous force to fall into a squarish tank or ‘Kund’, from where it flows out. Hiranyakeshi temple houses a Shivling, Ganapati idol and of course the Hiranyakeshi Devi idol. Hiranyakeshi is name of Mata Parvati, the one with Golden hair, Hiryana being Gold and Kesh means hair. The temple is said to house a natuarally created shivlingam (Swayambhu)made of red stone. However this lingam cannot be seen as it is covered by another Shivlingam which is used for daily offerings and prayers. There is also a statue of Mata Parvati with golden colour hair.

This River came from DEER like Statchue. In Sanscrit DEER called as HIRAN. So name Hiranyakeshi.



The nearby Maruti Mandir was built by a holy baba from Goa. The Hiranyakeshi is a Purvamukhi River means east facing,the river Hiranyakeshi flows eastwards. Fishing can be enjoyed at the river. Its flow around 80Km and then joins the Ghataprabha River.

Cave Temple :

Next to this temple, there is an entrance to a cave which is not safe to enter in the monsoons when it becomes a safe harbour for a lot of creepy crawlies.



Local people say that an expeditiation was held in 1981 a seven member team from Pune which revealed that there are seven water Kunda (pond)behind the temple and after that there is also a cave which can accomodate 200 people. The place is a delight for natural beauty lovers. The area is covered by dense forests and you can even spot some rare breed of birds in this area.



Website :

http://www.oktatabyebye.com/travel-blog/1582-travel-blog-rambling-around-4579.html

http://chiksunny.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/01/spectacular-sindhudurg.htm

Maruthuva Malai

Name : Maruthuva Malai or Marunthuvazh Malai

Location : It is about 2 km from Swamithoppe and 11 km from Nagercoil.

Legend :

According to tradition, the Maruthuva Malai is a fragment of the Sanjeevani Mountain, a piece of which fell down here, and it was carried by Lord Hanuman from Mahendragiri to Srilanka for healing the fatal wounds of Lakshmana, the brother of Lord Rama.

Description :

The Maruthuva Malai also known as the Marunthu Vazhum Malai – the abode of medicinal herbs, forms from part of the western ghats.

This hill is also believed to be noted in Ayyavazhi mythology as Parvatha Ucchi Malai. Apart from the Mythology, this hill is historically related to the life of Vaikundar. So few theologians consider this hill as sacred and consider it one among the Ayyavazhi holy sites. Backing some quotes from Arul Nool and Akilam some even argue that Marunthuvazh Malai is one among the Pathis. It was nearly 2 kms. walk from the bus stop. It stretches for more than a km, reaching a height of 800 feet at the highest point.

After climbing for a while there were no stairs, simply bushes. When we were about to reach to the top again there were stairs.



Then there is a Temple at the Top.



But this wasn’t the top of the hill there was a path on the right side to go up. We continued on that path and we found carvings on the hill.

Website : http://admirableindia.com/tamil-nadu/trip-to-kanyakumari-chapter-12-maruthuva-malai-or-marunthuvazh-malai-part-1

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

Harishchandreshwar

Name : Harishchandreshwar

Location : Harishchandragad is a hill fort in the Ahmednagar region of Maharashtra.

Description : This temple is marvelous example of the fine art of carving sculptures out of stones that prevailed in ancient India. It is about 16 m high from its base. Around this temple there a few caves & ancient water tanks. The river Mangal Ganga is said to originate from one of the tanks located close to the temple. The top of the temple resembles construction with the north-Indian temples. Harishchandragad is necessarily a two day trek , one can do the overnight stay in the caves, which are clean and well maintained

A similar temple is situated in Buddha-Gaya. Here we can see many tombs, in which a typical construction is seen. These are built by well-finished arranging stones one on top of the other. There are three main caves near the temple. The cisterns near the temple provide drinking water. A short distance away, another temple called Kashitirtha is located. The fascinating thing about this temple is that it has been carved out from a single huge rock. There are entrances from all four sides. On the main entrance there are sculptures of faces. These are faces of guards of the temple. On the left side of the entrance is a Devnagri inscription, which is about saint Changdev.

The various Puranas (ancient scriptures) like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad.

Fascinating Spots :
Saptatirtha Pushkarni : To the east of the temple is a well-built lake called “Saptatirtha”. On its bank are temple-like constructions in which there are idols of Lord Vishnu. Recently these idols have been shifted in the caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar. These days many trekkers have been responsible for the sad plight of this beautiful place, as they throw plastic wastes and other things in the pond. 7 years back the water was potable, and now it isn’t suitable even to swim.



Kedareshwar Cave : 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.

Taramati peak : This is the topmost point on the fort. It is the second highest peak in Maharashtra after Kalsubai. Leopards are seen in the forests beyond this peak. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat and the forts near Murbad.

Caves on Harishchandragad : These caves are situated all over the fort. Many of these are situated at the foot of Taramati peak & are the place of accommodation. A few are near the temple, whereas some are near the citadel and some far away in the forests. A 30 feet deep natural cave is on the northwestern side of the fort, to the right of Kokan Kada. Many other caves are still said to remain undiscovered.

Nageshwar temple near Khireshwar : This is a great antique construction, and diverse artistic works are seen on this. On the ceiling of the temple are beautiful carvings.

Konkan Kada :

The major attraction of Harishchandragad is Kokan Kada . Its beyond description, one should actually see it to experience the nature's architecture. Konkan kada should be visited in the evening as well as morning. In evening one is enchanted by the sunset where as in the morning one can experience the divine feeling of being in the heavens. Taramati and Rohidas , the two peaks atop Harishchandragad, are also worth visiting as they offer beautiful views of the sahyadri ranges. The ancient temple of Lord Shiva atop Harishchandragad is also good sight for observing. An ancient temple and the caves present at the base village Khireshwar are also worth seeing.



Please follow the link to download the map of Harishchandragad. This map has been provided by courtesy of Mr. Mahesh Chengalva.

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


http://deepabhi.tripod.com/harishchandragad.html

Agastya Mala

Name : Agastya Mala (also known as Agastyarkoodam or Agasthyakoodam)

Location : It is a 1,868 metres (6,129 ft) peak within Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of South India. The mountain lies on the border between the Indian states of Kerala (in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram District) and Tamil Nadu (in Tirunelveli). The perennial Thamarabarani River originates from this hill and flows into the Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu.

Description : Agastya Mala is a pilgrimage centre for devotees of the Hindu sage Agastya, who is considered to be one of the seven rishis (Saptarishi) of Hindu Puranas.

There is a full-sized statue of Agastya at the top of the peak and the devotees can offer pujas themselves. Agasthyar was a sage of Dravidians and is considered to be one of the seven Rishis (Saptharshis) of Hindu mythology. Tamil language is considered to be a boon from Agasthyar.

Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple

Name : Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BR Hills)

Location : The hills are in the Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of Chamarajanagar District of Karnataka. The hills are contiguos with the Satyamangalam range southwards, in the Erode District of Tamil Nadu. The hills that give the range its name are situated 90 km from Mysore and 220 km from Bangalore.

Importance of the Hills : The BR hills links the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this forms Biligirirangaswamy sanctuary which serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.

Description : The BR hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range, on the 'white cliff' which gives the hill its name.

The local form of the deity is called Biligiriranga and is depicted in a unique standing position. This is the only place in the country where it is depicted as being in this position. Devotees flock to the place in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the deity. The local tribes present a large pair of sleepers measuring 1 foot and 9 inches, made up of skin, to the Ranganathaswamy once in two years.

Festivals : The Annual Car festival of the deity held during “Vaishakha “in the month of April, is famous in the region and attracts thousands of pilgrims from far and wide., the ratha festival is celebrated at Biligiriranga Hills.

KUMARAR KOIL - TiruMalai

Description: Sri Kumarar Koyil is located in Ilanji near Tenkasi. Nearby, in the village of Panpoli is the hill temple of Tirumalai Kumarar. Ilanji is located at a distance of 5 km from Tenkasi and 3 km from Kutralam.

The name ilanji stems from the stala vriksham magizha maram and also from the richness of the land abounding in water resources. Arunagirinathar has revered this shrine in his tiruppugazh hymns. Ilanjimurugan Ulaa, and the Kutralanathar Puranam speak of the glory of this temple. Several other literary works also speak of the glory of this shrine.

Legends: This temple is closely linked to Kutralam, in terms of the legends associated. Both these temples are associated with the legend of Agastya muni, proceding to the southern lands from the Himalayas, following Shiva's command - to balance the tilt of the earth with his weight; the earth had tilted dangerously following the assembly of all living beings at the Himalayas to witness the divine marriage between Shiva and Parvati.

Following Shiva's bid, Agastyar is believed to have reached Kutralam, the site of the present day temple to Kutralanathar, which then was a Vaishnava temple, into which he was refused entry.

Agastyar is then believed to have worshipped Murugan at Ilanji, and then proceded to Kutralam in the guise of a Vaishnava devotee and by a miracle converted the image of Vishnu to that of a Shivalingam. The name Kutralam comes from the legend that the image was shrunk (kurukkudal) into that of a Shivalingam.

The Temple: This east facing temple has 2 entrances, 2 prakarams, an ardhamandapam, mani mandapam and mahamandapam. Also here are shrines to Surya, Dakshinamurthy, Saptamatas, Jwarahareswarar, 63var, Venugopalar, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakashi, Kutrala Nathar, Shanmukhar.

Iruvaalukanathar's shrine is to the left of Skanda's shrine. This temple was renewed in early 15th century.

The presiding deity here is Kumaran, enshrined in the central sanctum, flanked by his consorts Valli and Deivayanai. There are also major shrines to Iruvaluga eesar (believed to have been worshipped by Agasthyar) and Iruvaluga Eesarkiniyaal. There are also shrines to Kanni Vinayakar, Shenbaga Vinayakar, Kuzhal Vaimozhiamman, Chandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Venugopalar, Suryan, Saneeswaran, Agasthyar, the Saptamatas, the 63 Nayanmars and Ayyanar.

This temple with 2 prakarams has two entrances. The sanctum faces the east; there are the Ardha mandapam, the mani mandapam and the maha mandapam in front of the sanctum. A three tiered gopuram covers the entrance to the innerprakaram. Shiva's shrine faces east while Ambal's shrine faces south. Much of the current structure of the temple dates back to the 15th century.

The name Iru valuga Eesar arises from the fact that Agasthyar made a two Shivalingams out of the white sands (valugam) of the Chitra nadi flowing nearby and then combined the two into one Shivalingam, which now adorns the sanctum. Since the Shivalingam is fashioned out of white sand, no abhishekam is performed. Offerings of Shenbaga flowers to Shiva are considered to be very special here.

Stala Theertham : Idumban Sunai and Kuvalai Poonchunai are the theerthams here. The Kuvalai Poonchunai consists of the Soma, Surya and the Agni theerthams.
No of Steps : 540

Festivals: Six worship services are offered each day here.The procession bearing Skanda stops at the Kutralanathar shrine to receive offerings during the annual Bhramotsavams.

Skanda Sashti is celebrated in great splendour here. During this festival, Subramanyar is portrayed as Bhrama, Vishnu, Shiva, Maheshwara, Sadasiva and finally again on Shiva on the 6 days of this festival. The final day of this festival involves the enactment of Surasamharam.

This portrayal is tied to the legend that Subramanya here manifested himself as the trinity Bhrama, Vishnu and Shiva - when asked by the sages Kapila, Kashyapa and Durvasa the question as to who was the greatest among the trinity. Chittirai Vishu (Tamil new years day) and Kartikai asterism in the month of Aadi are also celebrated here.