Vaishno Devi

Name : Vaishno Devi

Location : It is nestled in the mighty Trikuta mountain 61 kilometers north of Jammu at a height of 5,200 feet above the sea level in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The shrine is visited all through the year, but the path is difficult during the winters due to snowfall.

The Legend : As the legend goes, more than 700 years ago Vaishno Devi a devotee of Lord Vishnu, used to pray to Lord Rama and had taken vow of celibacy. Bhairon Nath, a tantric (demon-God) tried to behold Her. Making use of his tantric powers, Bhairon Nath was able to see Her going towards the Trikuta mountains and gave chase. It took Bhairon Nath nine months to locate Her, the reason why the cave is known as Garbh Joon. Mata Vaishno Devi blasted an opening at the other end of the cave with Her Trident when the demon-God located Her.
On arriving at the Holy Cave at Darbar, she assumed the form of Maha Kali and cut off Bhairon Nath's head which was flung up the mountain by the force of the blow and fell at the place where the Bhairon Temple is now located. The boulder at the mouth of the Holy Cave according to the legend is the petrified torso of Bhairon Nath who was granted divine forgiveness by the benevolent Mata in his dying moments.

The Yatra : The Yatra begins at Katra and pilgrims have to cover 13 km. of terrain on foot to reach the Darbar. One kilometer away from Katra, is a place known as Banganga, where Mata quenched her thirst and at 6 km., the holy cave at Adhkawari. After 6 km. of trekking, the yatries reach Adhkawari, the holy cave where Mata meditated for nine months.

Darshan : The journey amidst snow capped mountains and sprawling forests arise from within the holy shrine of Maa Vaishno Devi. There is a common faith among the folk that Goddess-Vaishno sends a 'Call' to her devotees and that once a person receives it, wherever he or she is, marches towards the holy shrine of the great Goddess. A supernatural power seems to draw them through the mountain and they climb up those great heights step by step, chanting 'Prem se bolo, Jai Mata Di'. There are images of three deities - The Mahakali, Maa Saraswati and Maha Lakshmi. They appear in the form of Pindis.

Puruhutika Devi and Manikyambha Devi Temple

Name : Puruhutika Devi and Manikyambha Devi Temple

Location : Ratnagiri Hills.
Annavaram temple is located at a distance of 125 KM from Visakhapatnam and 80 KM from Rajahmundry.

Deity : Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy. The name of the Goddess is Ananta-lakshmi Satyavathi Ammavaru.

Legend : According to the puranas, the presiding deity of the place blesses the devotees with Anina Varam (Wanted Boon) the place is called Annavaram.

The hillock by the side of the village is considered to be very sacred. Meruvu the Lord of the hills and his consort Menaka did great penance and begot two sons by the grace of Lord Vishnu. One was named Bhadra and the other Ratnakara. Bhadra pleased Lord Vishnu with his devotion and penance and with his grace became Bhadrachalam on which Lord Sri Rama had permanently settled. Ratnakara desired to emulate his brother and succeeded in pleasing Lord Vishnu by his penance to settle on him as Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy, Ratnakara remaining as Ratnagiri hill.

The temple of Sri Veera Venkata Satya-narayana Swamy is the main temple on the Ratnagiri hill. There is also a temple of Sri Rama and the shrines of Vanadurga and Kanaka Durga nearby. The temple of grama-devatha (village deity) is in the village at the foot of the hill. The presiding deity installed along with Shiva represents the oneness of Shiva and Vishnu.

Architecture : The Akriti of any temple is, according to the Agni Purana, merely a manifestation of the Prakriti. According to this the chariot of the temple is intended as a symbol of the Seven Lokas and the seven Lokhas above with, the garbhalaya of the Lord, at the heart’s center ruling over the entire Universe.

The temple at Annavaram has been constructed to depict this idea concretely. The front side of the temple depicts the chariot. The Meru on the floor with the pillar at the center, and the idols at the top are intended to bring forth the idea that the Lord not only remains at the heart’s center but also permeates the entire universe. The wheels depicting the Sun and the Moon serve to remind us that this Juggernaut moves on the wheels of time, and goes on for ever and ever, Thus the Annavaram temple satisfies both the ritualistic values and the spiritual aspirations of the devotees.”

Festivals : Kalyanam festival in May, Devi Navaratri festival in September, the Swayamvara Vardhanti of Sraavana Suddha Ekadashi Day, Srirama Kalyana, Kanakadurga Yatra, Prabha Utsavam, Teppa Utsavam and Jalatoranam.

Bhadrakali Temple, Warangal

Name : Bhadrakali Temple

Location : Warangal, Andhra Pradesh

Description : Set on a hilltop between Hanumakonda and Warangal, the Bhadrakali temple is noted for its stone image of the Goddess Kali. She is depicted with eight arms and carries a weapon in each hand. Bhadrakali Cheruvu is adjacent to this temple.

Major Attractions of Bhadrakali Temple : High point of Bhadrakali Temple is an artificial lake of 2 ½ kms radius in the vicinity of the temple. Number of natural rock formations in the surroundings add to the spiritual charm of the temple and are the most dominant feature of the temple. Some of the unique shaped rocks are said to carry immense spiritual powers. The structure of the temple is said to be 250 years old. Though the image of the deity is called the Bhadrakali, the goddess is said to have been transformed by the mantras into a very rare form called the Tripura Sundari, which includes the Kali form. Tripura Sundari is regarded as the supreme manifestation of Prakriti - the feminine power which is the vital energy of the universe. Literal meaning of Tripura Sundari is 'The Beauty of the Three Worlds' or more precisely the three Cites or 'Pura'.

Best Time to Visit Bhadrakali Temple : The best time to visit the famous Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal is the Telegu month of ‘Sravana’ which corresponds to the month of August - September according to Gregorian Calendar. At this time a festival is organised and the deity is aesthetically decorated in various forms. Housing about 8 major and 12 minor temples surrounding mountains of Bhadrakali Temple exude a sacred aura when a large number of devotees gather to offer prayers.

People who visit Bhadrakali Temple also visit Hanamkonda Fort which is just a kilometer away from the another well known thousand pillared Hanamkonda Temple. Inside the fort is the Siddeshwara Temple housing a small Linga shrine.

Simhachalam - Germany

Name : Simhachalam

Location : Zielberg, Jandelsbrunn, Germany

Deity : Prahlada-Narsimhadeva

Description : Whilst in India there are many temples (especially in the state of Andhra Pradesh) that exclusively worship Laxmi-Narsimhadeva, this ISKCON Hill temple worships Prahlada-Narsimhadeva and hence directs the mind to the relationship between Bhakta and Bhakta-Pala, the devotee and the Protector of the devotee. In attempting to meditate on, and better understand that relationship, there are many lessons for those of us who wish to more fully enter into our own personal relationship with God.

For an onlooker the form of Narsimhadeva does not seem to be the image of grace, beauty and loving kindness one would expect of any manifestation of God. But appearances - even those of a loving God - must be understood through the Veda; not with a mind grasping vainly for comprehension.

That, of course, is one aspect underlying the avatara of Narasimha: that His startling lionesque appearance was entirely new; that neither man nor demigod had set eyes upon such a form before. The hate-filled antagonists at the heart of the lila didn’t know what to make of Him. And when he roared, even the battle-hardened trembled.

The Shikoku Pilgrimage

Name : The Shikoku Pilgrimage

Location : Shikoku Island Japan

Description : This is a pilgrimage of 88 temples on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is believed all 88 temples were visited by the famous Buddhist monk Kūkai, who was born in Zentsūji, Shikoku in 774. However, Kukai only mentions visiting two of them in his own extant writings.

In addition to the 88 "official" temples of the pilgrimage, there are over 200 bangai — temples not considered part of the official 88. To complete the pilgrimage, it is not necessary to visit the temples in order; in some cases it is even considered lucky to travel in reverse order. The pilgrimage is traditionally completed on foot, but modern pilgrims use cars, taxis, buses, bicycles, or motorcycles. The walking course is approximately 1,200km long and can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days to complete. "Henro" is the Japanese word for pilgrim, but the inhabitants of Shikoku call the pilgrims o-henro-san. They are often recognizable by their white clothing, sedge hats, and walking sticks. Many pilgrims begin and complete the journey by visiting Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, which was settled by Kukai and remains the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The 21km walking trail up to Koya-san still exists, but most pilgrims use the train.

In addition to the main pilgrimage on the island of Shikoku, there are miniature versions of the pilgrimage north of Takamatsu on the island of Shōdoshima, and on the grounds of Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto. A much larger scale imitation of the Shikoku pilgrimage is located on Chita peninsula, near Nagoya.

Stages :

Shikoku literally means "four provinces", those of Awa, Tosa, Iyo, and Sanuki, reorganised during the Meiji period into the prefectures of Tokushima, Kōchi, Ehime, and Kagawa. The pilgrim's journey through these four provinces is likened to a symbolic path to enlightenment, with temples 1–23 representing the idea of awakening (発心 hosshin?), 24–39 austerity and discipline (修行 shugyō?), 40–65 attaining enlightenment (菩提 bodai?), and 66–88 entering nirvana (涅槃 nehan?).

Equipment :

The pilgrim's traditional costume comprises a white shirt (白衣 oizuru?), conical Asian hat (すげ笠 suge-kasa?), and kongō-zue (金剛杖?). This may be supplemented by a wagesa (輪袈裟?). The henro also carries a bag (ずだ袋 zuda-bukuro?) containing name slips (納札 osame-fuda?), prayer beads (数珠 juzu?) (also known as nenju (念珠?)), a nōkyō-chō (納経帳?) to collect shuin (朱印?), incense sticks (線香 senkō?), and coins used as offerings (お賽銭 o-saisen?). The more religiously-minded henro may also carry a book of sutras (経本 kyōbon?) and go-eika (ご詠歌?) set with a bell.

Rites :

Upon arrival at each temple the henro washes before proceeding to the Hondō. After offering coins, incense, and the osame-fuda, the Heart Sutra (般若心経 Hannya Shingyō?) is chanted along with repetition of the Mantra of the main image (本尊 honzon?) and the Mantra of Light (光明真言 Kōmyō Shingon?). After kigan and ekō prayers, the henro proceeds to the secondary temple (大師堂 Daishidō?). Coins and a fuda are similarly offered, and again the Heart Sutra is chanted, along with repetition of the Gohōgō Mantra, namu-Daishi-henjō-kongō.

Website :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku_Pilgrimage
http://johnblog.mountainhikingholidays.com/2013/04/day-1-mountain-hiking-holidays-shikoku.html

Cycle Trip to 88 Shikoku Temples

Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu

Name : Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu

Location :

This temple is located on Doi Kong Mu hill to the west of Mae Hong Son city in Thailand.

Description :

Standing on top of Doi Kong Mu hill and visible from most places in Mae Hong Son town is the Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, a Burmese style temple founded in 1860. The temple comprises of several structures including two chedis and two viharns. The atmosphere atop the hill is one of tranquility and serenity.

Two large chedis

The oldest structures of the temple are two large whitewashed chedis (stupas). The largest chedi was built in 1860. Its lower section comprises of several octagonal shaped tiers of receding size. Around the base are niches enshrining images of the Buddha. The chedi is topped with a golden spire. It enshrines the ashes of Phra Moggallana, one of the chief disciples of the Buddha.

The smaller chedi enshrines the ashes of the first governor of Mae Hong Son, who built the structure in 1872. The lower section comprises of several square shaped tiers of diminishing size. At each of its four corners is a Chinthe, a lion standing guard accompanied by a Naga, the mythological snake. Niches standing in front of the chedi enshrine Burmese style Buddha images. The chedi is topped with a golden spire.

Burmese style assembly halls

Attached to the larger of the two chedis is a small, simple viharn, an assembly hall with a very ornate, multi tiered Burmese style roof comprising of several sections. Attached to the roofs ends are delicate Burmese style ornamental work metal sheets.

Away from the two chedis stands a larger Burmese style viharn. As opposed to the Lanna temples of the North and the Rattanakosin temples of Central Thailand, the floor plan of the viharn is on an horizontal axis, allowing a wide view of the building when approached from the front. The roof comprises of several sections. At the center is a Pyatthat, a very ornate Burmese style structure consisting of multiple tiers of receding size. The Pyatthat is topped with a hti, a Burmese style finial. The fairly simple interior enshrines the principal Buddha image in subduing Mara posture, as well as several other images.


Other structures

Higher up the hill overlooking Mae Hong Son is a Buddha image in subduing Mara posture, seated on a high pedestal. The image is guarded by a pair of white and gold guardian Chinthe lions. On top of the hill is another small temple building topped with a Pyatthat roof. The stairs are guarded by mythological Naga serpents. In front of it is a large standing Buddha image wearing a golden robe.

Panoramic views of Mae Hong Son and Burma

The top of Doi Kong Mu hill provides 360 degree views of Chong Kham Lake, Mae Hong Son, the Pai valley and the airport to one side and the forested hills of Burma to the other side. The hill is a popular place to watch the sunrise and sunset. At sunrise the valley is often covered in early morning mist. At sunset the sun disappears behind the Burmese mountains. Near the carpark is a small coffee shop.

How to get to the Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu

The temple is located on top of Doi Kong Mu hill, almost one kilometer West of Chom Kham Lake and Mae Hong Son town. The easiest and most comfortable way to get there is by tuk tuk from town. Alternatively, walk to the top. Two paths lead up the 250 meter high hill. One starts at the Wat Phra Non, the other at the Wat Muo Taw.

Entrance fee & opening hours

The temple opens daily during daylight hours. Admission is free, donations are highly appreciated.

Website : 

http://thailandforvisitors.com/north/maehongson/kongmu/index.html

https://www.renown-travel.com/temples/wat-phra-that-doi-kong-mu.html