1 THANJAVUR BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE
I am a frequent visitor to Thanjavur, one of the ancient cities in India, raising to prominence as the capital of the Chola empire and other dynasties like Pandyas, Nayaks, Marathas and British. Thanjavur is also known as the home of the Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region.The Poompuhar handicrafts is the famed shopping place and the Art gallery for its splendid statues in sculpture and stone dating back to the 9th century. The crown and glory of Thanjavur is the Brihadeeswarar Temple, built iby Raja Raja Chola 1000 years ago. This is the largest temple in India and one of India's most prized architectural sites. The 14-tier and pyramid-shaped vimanam or (temple tower) is 216 ft (66 m) high, rises from a square base and is topped by a huge monolithic cupola weighing 82 tonnes.The vimana is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kumbam (Kalasha or Chikharam) (apex or the bulb like structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single stone and it weighs around 80 tons. There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 feet long and 13 feet high. This is the chola dynasty's finest contribution to Dravidian art. The shadow of the cupola never falls on the ground.The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The entire temple structure is made out of granite, the nearest sources of which are close to Tiruchchirapalli, about 60 km to the west of Thanjavur, quite a feat of human endeavour equivallent to Egyptian pyramids. A European-like figure which is carved on the Vimana is believed to be an ancient warning of the arrival of the Europeans. I have seen marvelous work of sculpture like a moving, loose chain carved out of stone and a stone pillar from which five different sounds of metals emanate on striking therein.
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2 MADURAI MEENAKSHI TEMPLE
2 MADURAI MEENAKSHI TEMPLE
Madurai is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu located on Vaigai River and was the capital of Pandyan rulers. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous temple around which he created a lotus shaped city. It has been a center of learning and pilgrimage, for centuries. There are many Legends about this ancient city. Meenakshi Amman Kovil is a historic Hindu temple, dedicated to Parvati who is known as Meenakshi and her consort, Shiva, named here as Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai. The complex houses 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers, the tallest being the southern tower 170 ft high, including two golden Gopurams, over the sanctum of the main deities, that are elaborately sculptured and painted. Each gopuram is a multi-storeyed structure, covered with thousands of stone figures of animals, gods and demons painted in bright hues. The temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 during Fridays and gets an annual revenue of sixty million INR. There is an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple and it was in the list of top 30 nominees of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The annual 10 day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival celebrated during April–May attracts one million visitors.The sacred temple tank Porthamarai Kulam mentioned in the Tamil legends, is supposed to judge the worth of a new piece of literature. Authors place their works here and the poorly written works are supposed to sink and the scholastic ones are supposed to float, Tirukkural by Tiruvalluvar was one such work. Thirugnanasambandar, the famous Hindu saint of Saiva philosophy, mentioned this temple as early as the 7th century. The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai and one of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu. Many times, I got stranded in this sprawling temple and had to be escorted out of one of the many exit gates. The devotional music, Nadaswaram and rituals are to be experienced at least once in your life time.
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3. RAMESHWARAM TEMPLE
The famous Rameshwaram Temple or Ramanathaswamy Temple is regarded as one of the most sacred shrines of Hindus in India. It is an honoured pilgrimage destination, which represents the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. It is considered as holy as Banaras and is also referred to as the ‘Kashi of the South’. This famous Hindu temple is situated on the Rameshwaram island off the coast of Tamil Nadu. Rameshwaram temple is noted for its close association with Ramayana and the legendary victory of Rama over the demon king Rawana.
According to a legend, Rama worshiped Shiva in the form of a Shiva Lingam, while returning to Ayodhya. Hanuman was sent to bring an image of Viswanatha from Banares. Rama thought that Hanuman will be late in returning. Therefore, Rama is said to have offered worship at a pre-chosen auspicious moment to the Shivalingam made of sand by Rama's consort, Sita.. This lingam is referred to as Ramalingam.The other Shivlingam brought here by Hanuman from Banaras is known as Viswanathar. This Shivalingam is also called Kasilingam and Hanumalingam. The Viswanathar Shivalingam is worshiped before offering prayers to Ramanathaswamy. It is also believed that Rama worshiped Tilakeswarar at Devipatnam on the route to Sri Lanka. One can reach this temple via the Pamban bridge across the sea.-
Architectural Marvel
The Rameswaram Temple is sprawled over an area of 15 acres. It has huge gopurams, monolithic walls and a stupendous Nandi. There is a 4000 feet long pillar corridor with over 4000 pillars, considered the longest in the world. A unique feature about this corridor is that the rock used here is not found on the native island, it was brought in from elsewhere in Tamilnadu across the sea. The eastern Rajagopuram has a height of 126 feet and has nine levels whereas the western Rajagopuram is not as tall as the eastern one. The huge image of Nandi is about 18 feet tall and 22 feet in length.The temple of Rameswaram is as old as the Ramayana. The pride of places goes to the Sethupathis of Ramnad.
Rameswaram island was connected to the mainland by Rail alone. The Pamban bridge was built on Palk strait connecting Rameswaram on Pamban island to India. It is India's first sea bridge and India's second longest sea bridge constructed at a length of 2.3 km. It has both railway bridge and cantilever railway bridge. When I was a boy, it was a thrilling moment to sit in the window seat of the train passing through the famous Pamban bridge from Mandapam station to Rameshwaran, looking down at the sea. Now the Road bridge across the sea to connect it with main land is completed. The beach is shallow and you can walk into the sea quite far.
Kurusadi Island and a number of other islands are situated to the west of the Pamban Bridge. It is a paradise for biologists. There are number of other islands in the area. The adjoining islands and parallel rail bridge below can be viewed from the elevated two-lane road bridge.
Dhanushkodi is a strip of land about one km wide and 18 kms long on eastern end of Rameswaram.Dhanushkodi is situated in the South-East of Pamban and is about 18 miles West of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. Hindus consider it as a sacred place to perform religious rites. It is also place worth visiting for its scenic beauty and bird life.There are several temples associated with Lord Rama. I have visited this place as a boy many decades ago when the train Danushkodi Express [ BOAT-MAIL] used to terminate here.. Quite recently, I was staying in Rameshwaram for a week and visited this place, now damaged by cyclones and erosion. We went by Autorickshaw upto some distance and switched over to special vehicles carrying pilgrims and tourists to the end of Danushkodi. I could still see traces of railway tracks, damaged ruins of erstwhile Post office and a few temples. Legend says that it was here that Vibhishana arrived to seek refuge at Rama's feet. It is heartening to stand where the army of Rama built the bridge to Sri Lanka to rescue Sita. It is a place adorable for lovers of history, mythology, spirituality, Art, architecture, Geography, Biology and what not....
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4 SRIRANGAM RANGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE
The famous Rameshwaram Temple or Ramanathaswamy Temple is regarded as one of the most sacred shrines of Hindus in India. It is an honoured pilgrimage destination, which represents the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. It is considered as holy as Banaras and is also referred to as the ‘Kashi of the South’. This famous Hindu temple is situated on the Rameshwaram island off the coast of Tamil Nadu. Rameshwaram temple is noted for its close association with Ramayana and the legendary victory of Rama over the demon king Rawana.
According to a legend, Rama worshiped Shiva in the form of a Shiva Lingam, while returning to Ayodhya. Hanuman was sent to bring an image of Viswanatha from Banares. Rama thought that Hanuman will be late in returning. Therefore, Rama is said to have offered worship at a pre-chosen auspicious moment to the Shivalingam made of sand by Rama's consort, Sita.. This lingam is referred to as Ramalingam.The other Shivlingam brought here by Hanuman from Banaras is known as Viswanathar. This Shivalingam is also called Kasilingam and Hanumalingam. The Viswanathar Shivalingam is worshiped before offering prayers to Ramanathaswamy. It is also believed that Rama worshiped Tilakeswarar at Devipatnam on the route to Sri Lanka. One can reach this temple via the Pamban bridge across the sea.-
Architectural Marvel
The Rameswaram Temple is sprawled over an area of 15 acres. It has huge gopurams, monolithic walls and a stupendous Nandi. There is a 4000 feet long pillar corridor with over 4000 pillars, considered the longest in the world. A unique feature about this corridor is that the rock used here is not found on the native island, it was brought in from elsewhere in Tamilnadu across the sea. The eastern Rajagopuram has a height of 126 feet and has nine levels whereas the western Rajagopuram is not as tall as the eastern one. The huge image of Nandi is about 18 feet tall and 22 feet in length.The temple of Rameswaram is as old as the Ramayana. The pride of places goes to the Sethupathis of Ramnad.
Rameswaram island was connected to the mainland by Rail alone. The Pamban bridge was built on Palk strait connecting Rameswaram on Pamban island to India. It is India's first sea bridge and India's second longest sea bridge constructed at a length of 2.3 km. It has both railway bridge and cantilever railway bridge. When I was a boy, it was a thrilling moment to sit in the window seat of the train passing through the famous Pamban bridge from Mandapam station to Rameshwaran, looking down at the sea. Now the Road bridge across the sea to connect it with main land is completed. The beach is shallow and you can walk into the sea quite far.
Kurusadi Island and a number of other islands are situated to the west of the Pamban Bridge. It is a paradise for biologists. There are number of other islands in the area. The adjoining islands and parallel rail bridge below can be viewed from the elevated two-lane road bridge.
Dhanushkodi is a strip of land about one km wide and 18 kms long on eastern end of Rameswaram.Dhanushkodi is situated in the South-East of Pamban and is about 18 miles West of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. Hindus consider it as a sacred place to perform religious rites. It is also place worth visiting for its scenic beauty and bird life.There are several temples associated with Lord Rama. I have visited this place as a boy many decades ago when the train Danushkodi Express [ BOAT-MAIL] used to terminate here.. Quite recently, I was staying in Rameshwaram for a week and visited this place, now damaged by cyclones and erosion. We went by Autorickshaw upto some distance and switched over to special vehicles carrying pilgrims and tourists to the end of Danushkodi. I could still see traces of railway tracks, damaged ruins of erstwhile Post office and a few temples. Legend says that it was here that Vibhishana arrived to seek refuge at Rama's feet. It is heartening to stand where the army of Rama built the bridge to Sri Lanka to rescue Sita. It is a place adorable for lovers of history, mythology, spirituality, Art, architecture, Geography, Biology and what not....
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4 SRIRANGAM RANGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE
Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple is the first and foremost among the holy abodes of Lord Vishnu, and also considered as one among the eight Svayam Vyakta Ksetras (self-manifested shrines) of Lord Vishnu. According to Sri Vaishnava philosophy, the eight Svayam Vyakta Ksetras of Lord Vishnu are Srirangam, Srimushnam, Venkatadri, Saligram, Naimisaranyam, Totadri, Pushakara and Badrinath Temple.
LEGEND: King Itchvahu of Suryavans did penance and obtained from Brahma the idol of Vishnu worshipped by him and brought it to Ayodhya. The idol was worshipped by subsequent heirs of the dynasty to which Lord Ram of Ramayana belonged. After Ravana was killed and Ram returned to Ayodya, Vibhishana also accompanied to attend the coronation. As Vibhishana was reluctant to return to Lanka, Lord Ram gave the idol of Visdhnu to Vibishana as a gift of remembrance. While on the way to Lanka, Vibhshana was overtaken by stress and the idol of Vishnu landed in this Kshetra of Srirangam and become immobile. Vibhishana was overtaken by grief and was consoled to learn that the idol will be facing south towards Lanka. The King ruling the area constructed a temple for Vibhishan to visit and worship.
The origin of the temple Srirangam history is entirely mythological and its first architectural from is traditionally attributed to Chola kings . The main sanctum which houses Lord Ranganatha has a golden Ranga Vimana and is set at the center of the inner most prakaram. Ranganatha, who is seen reclining on the serpent Adisesha, is flanked by his consorts Bhoodevi and Sridevi. Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple occupies an area of 156 acres and is regarded as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, renowned for its architectural grandeur, features 7 walls, termed as prakarams [ representing the seven lokas for the soul to reach the Almighty in Satyalok ] and these walls are enclosed by 21 Gopurams. The 72m high 13-tiered gopuram called Rajagopuram stands majestically above all other towers and is one of the tallest towers in Asia. It is said that the shore of Sri Lanka can be seen from the top of this Rajagopuram. The tower was built in 1987 and the other 20 gopurams were built between the 14th and 17th centuries. Srirangam Temple constitutes of 24 Acres including the 5th enclosure and a total of 156 Acres including the 6th and 7th enclosures. Towards the South direction of the Srirangam temple stands the Rajagopuram ( royal tower) initially constructed by the Nayakar Kings 400 years ago and now completed by the Agobila abbey (cult of vishnuishm) built with 236 feet height, 13 tired and 13 Copper buds (kalasam) and carried out the kumbabishekam in year 1987. Srirangam has attained the status of Asia's first biggest tower.
Another awesome feature of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the Hall of 1000 Pillars which has beautifully carved stone pillars. The annual 21 day festival conducted during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January) attracts one million visitors. The Tamil classic "Ramayana" composed by Poet Kambar was presented for approval "arangetram" in the premises of this Temple. Saint Ramanujar worshiped in this Temple till the end came. Daughter of former Delhi Sultan was an ardent devotee Lord Sri Ranganatha, and every Yegadesi Swami will be wearing Lungi (Islamic cultural dress) to remember the daughter. There is a a separate temple for her near Srirenganathar temple and people worship Her. She is called "Thulukka Nachiyar"I visited this spacious temple manytimes when my sister was living in that town.
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5 TRICHY - ROCK FORT TEMPLE
One famous landmark in Tiruchirapalli is the Rock Fort, a huge outcrop of rock of 83 meters high, which is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city. The rock is one of the oldest in the world-approximately 3.800 million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. The sheer abruptness of its rise is a thrill in itself, but the actual centre of attraction is not the fort itself, of which very little remains, but the temple at the summit. 344 steps shewn out of rock lead to the top where there are inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century.B.C. Hardly anything remains of the ramparts but the Main Guard Gate is still intact. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars and according to an inscription, mainly contributed to lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. At the top of the rock is the Uchipillaiyar Koil, a temple dedicated to Lord Vinayaka from where one can enjoy a panoramic view of Tiruchirappalli. A flight of steps leads to the Mathrubutheswarar of Thayumanaswami temple, dedicated to Lord Siva where the lingam is a projection of the rock itself. Below the Siva temple are the two Pallava cave temples that have beautiful sculptures of the 6th and 7th centuries. During the Vinayaka Chathurthi ( birthday of the Lord) many carnatic musicians and stalwarts have given musical concerts over 70 years in this famous shrine. At the foot of the Rock Fort are a tank and a pavilion which are used during the float festival of the temples. Near the tank is the house where Robert Clive lived when he was in Tiruchirappalli and there is an 18th century Church built by Reverend Schwartz of Denmark.
Mythology of the Vinayaka temple relates to an episode in Ramayana, when Vibhishana, was carrying the sacred vigraham (idol for worship) of Lord Vishnu, gifted by Lord Ram, to Lanka, the Devas (who are arch rivals to Asuras as per Hindu mythology) wanted to stop this idea of an Asura taking Lord's supreme form to his Kingdom. They request the help of Lord Vinayaka to prevent the idol reaching Lanka.. While passing through Trichy, Vibhishana wanted to take his bath in the river Kaveri and do his daily rituals. As the deity, cannot be kept in land, Vibishana tries to find someone to hold the deity while he was taking bath. He finds the Lord Vinayaka under disguise of a cowherd boy. Vinayaka takes the deity and keeps it firmly in sand, in the banks of kaveri when Vibishana is fully into water,. On seeing this, the angry Vibhishana chases the boy, to punish him, and boy keeps running and climbs over the rock near the Kaveri bank. Vibhishana finally reaches the boy and hits him on the fore-head of little boy who then reveals himself to be Vinayaga. Vibishana immediately apologizes and the Lord gives him his blessings and sends him off to Lanka. This is similar to the story of Lord Ganesh in Gokarna with Ravana in the same Ramayana period
The Rock fort Hillock is said to be 230 crore years old. The materials like Quartz used in glass making and felspar used in ceramic are found in this Rock formation.
Rock Fort Temple Tiruchirapalli is home to many historic temples, monuments, churches and mosques. Uraiyur (also pronounced as Oraiyur) which is the Old name of Tiruchy has over 2,500 years of known history,and was the capital of the early Cholas. The oldest man made dam Kallanai was built by Karikala Cholan across the river Kaveri about 10 miles from Uraiyur. It was an important town in the days of the later Cholas, Nayaks as well as during the early days of the British East India Company. The Madurai Nayak rulers changed their capital from Madurai to Tiruchirapalli and back several times. The temple was also used as a military fort by the Nayaks for some time.The conquest of Tiruchirapalli by the British East India Company marked a major step in the British conquest of India.
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6 PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE
It is not possible to determine the origin of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy which is lost in antiquity. Lord Vishnu is enshrined here in the Anananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yognidra), lying on Sri Anantha, the hooded snake Adishesha.. Temple gave its name to Kerala’s state capital Thiruvananthapuram. ‘Thiru’ ‘Anantha’ ‘Puram’ means Sacred Abode of Lord AnanthaPadmanaba. The Maharajah of Travancore bears the title, "Sree Padmanabhadasa’ (Servant of Lord) The serpent has five hoods facing inwards, signifying contemplation. The Lord is seen in three parts – thirumukham, thiruvudal and thrippadam in the sanctum sanctorum. Sri Padmanabha reclines on the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha.The Lord's right hand is placed over a Shiva lingam. Sridevi, the Goddess of Prosperity and Bhudevi the Goddess of Earth, two consorts of Vishnu are by his side. Brahma emerges on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of the Lord. The deity is made from 12,000 saligramams. These saligrams are from the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal, and to commemorate this certain rituals used to be performed at the Pashupatinath Temple. The deity of Sri Padmanabha is covered with, "Katusarkara yogam", a special ayurvedic mix, to keep the deity clean. The Deity is visible through three doors – 1] the visage of the reclining Lord and Siva Linga underneath the hand is seen through the first door; 2] Sridevi and Divakara Muni, Brahma seated on a lotus emanating from the Lord's navel, through the second door; 3] the Lord's feet, and Bhudevi and Kaundinya Muni through the third door.
Only the King of Travancore may perform sashtanga namaskaram, or prostrate on the "Ottakkal Mandapam". It is traditionally held that anybody who prostrates on the mandapam has surrendered all that he possesses to the Deity. Since the ruler has already done that, he is permitted to prostrate on this mandapam major annual festival related to Padmanabha temple is the Navaratri festival. Only Hindus are permitted inside and men should wear Dhoti and be bare-chested (no shirts).
LEGEND:
The Temple has references in Epics and Puranas. Srimad Bhagavatha says that Balarama visited this Temple, bathed in Padmatheertham and made several offerings. Nammalwar, 9th century poet and saint of the Alvar tradition, has composed ten hymns in praise of Lord Padmanabha. Reputed scholars and historians have expressed the view that this Temple was established on the first day of Kali Yuga over 5000 years ago.The idol is made of highly complex amalgam known as Katusarkarayogam, containing 12008 Salagrams within it. It is recorded that 4000 sculptors, 6000 labourers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of what is seen today. The temple and its assets belong to Lord Padmanabhaswamy and are controlled by a trust run by the Royal family. Recently the Supreme Court directed the authorities from the archaeology department and fire services to open the 6 vaults (Kallaras) of the secret chambers of the temple for inspection of the items kept inside. Many legends were attached to the temple and that chamber B has a model of a snake on the main door and opening it could be a bad omen.
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7 TIRUPATHY VENKATESHWARA TEMPLE
The Tirumala hills at Chittor district, is having 7 peaks which are said to represent the heads of Adhisesha. This has also given the name of Seshachalam to the hills, also known as the "Temple of Seven Hills". The names of these seven heads are Neeladri, Seshadri, Garudadri, Vrushabhadri, Anjanadri, Venkatadri and Narayanadri. The balaji temple of Tirupati is located on the peak of Venkatdri or known as Venkata hill, which is the seventh peak, thus giving the name of temple of the seven hills to the Tirumala Venkateswara temple.It is the richest centre of pilgrimage, second to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, in any other faith also. It is said to have 50000 crores of property and is also the most visited worship place in the world as about 50,000 to 100,000 devotees visit the Balaji temple in Tirupati on a daily basis which is about 30 to 40 million people on an average in a year. During festivals or on special occasions like the Brahmotsavam, the number can increase to more than 500,000, which makes it further established as having the highest number of pilgrims in the world. The Lord wears a gold crown with a large emerald embedded in the front. On special occasions, he is adorned with a diamond crown. The Lord has a thick double tilaka drawn on his forehead, which screens his eyes. His ears are decorated with golden earrings. The right hand resting on his lap. His left hand is akimbo. His body is dressed with yellow clothing tied with gold string and a gold belt with gold bells. He has a yajnopavita (sacred thread) flowing down crosswise from his left shoulder. He bears Sri Lakshmi Devi on his right chest and Sri Padmavathi Devi on his left chest. His feet are covered with gold frames and decked with gold anklets. A curved gold belt encompasses his legs. The world famous Tirupati Laddu is given at Tirumala Temple as prasadam. Many devotees have their head tonsured as an offering to God. The daily amount of hair collected is over a ton.
LEGEND: It is believed that Lord Kubera credited money to the god Venkateswara (a form of the god Vishnu) for his marriage with Padmavati. Srinivasa sought a loan of one crore and 14 lakh (11,400,000) coins of gold from Kubera and had Viswakarma, the divine architect, create heavenly surroundings in the Seshadri hills. In remembrance of this, devotees go to Tirupati to donate money in Venkateswara's hundi (donation pot) so that he can pay it back to Kubera. The hundi collections in cash go as high as 22.5 million INR a day and the annual gold offering goes as high as 3000 kg.
During the invasion of Srirangam by Malik Kafur in 13th century, the Ranga Mandapam of the temple served as the shelter for the presiding deity of Srirangam, Ranganatha Swamy.
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The origin of the temple Srirangam history is entirely mythological and its first architectural from is traditionally attributed to Chola kings . The main sanctum which houses Lord Ranganatha has a golden Ranga Vimana and is set at the center of the inner most prakaram. Ranganatha, who is seen reclining on the serpent Adisesha, is flanked by his consorts Bhoodevi and Sridevi. Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple occupies an area of 156 acres and is regarded as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, renowned for its architectural grandeur, features 7 walls, termed as prakarams [ representing the seven lokas for the soul to reach the Almighty in Satyalok ] and these walls are enclosed by 21 Gopurams. The 72m high 13-tiered gopuram called Rajagopuram stands majestically above all other towers and is one of the tallest towers in Asia. It is said that the shore of Sri Lanka can be seen from the top of this Rajagopuram. The tower was built in 1987 and the other 20 gopurams were built between the 14th and 17th centuries. Srirangam Temple constitutes of 24 Acres including the 5th enclosure and a total of 156 Acres including the 6th and 7th enclosures. Towards the South direction of the Srirangam temple stands the Rajagopuram ( royal tower) initially constructed by the Nayakar Kings 400 years ago and now completed by the Agobila abbey (cult of vishnuishm) built with 236 feet height, 13 tired and 13 Copper buds (kalasam) and carried out the kumbabishekam in year 1987. Srirangam has attained the status of Asia's first biggest tower.
Another awesome feature of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the Hall of 1000 Pillars which has beautifully carved stone pillars. The annual 21 day festival conducted during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January) attracts one million visitors. The Tamil classic "Ramayana" composed by Poet Kambar was presented for approval "arangetram" in the premises of this Temple. Saint Ramanujar worshiped in this Temple till the end came. Daughter of former Delhi Sultan was an ardent devotee Lord Sri Ranganatha, and every Yegadesi Swami will be wearing Lungi (Islamic cultural dress) to remember the daughter. There is a a separate temple for her near Srirenganathar temple and people worship Her. She is called "Thulukka Nachiyar"I visited this spacious temple manytimes when my sister was living in that town.
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5 TRICHY - ROCK FORT TEMPLE
One famous landmark in Tiruchirapalli is the Rock Fort, a huge outcrop of rock of 83 meters high, which is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city. The rock is one of the oldest in the world-approximately 3.800 million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. The sheer abruptness of its rise is a thrill in itself, but the actual centre of attraction is not the fort itself, of which very little remains, but the temple at the summit. 344 steps shewn out of rock lead to the top where there are inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century.B.C. Hardly anything remains of the ramparts but the Main Guard Gate is still intact. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars and according to an inscription, mainly contributed to lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. At the top of the rock is the Uchipillaiyar Koil, a temple dedicated to Lord Vinayaka from where one can enjoy a panoramic view of Tiruchirappalli. A flight of steps leads to the Mathrubutheswarar of Thayumanaswami temple, dedicated to Lord Siva where the lingam is a projection of the rock itself. Below the Siva temple are the two Pallava cave temples that have beautiful sculptures of the 6th and 7th centuries. During the Vinayaka Chathurthi ( birthday of the Lord) many carnatic musicians and stalwarts have given musical concerts over 70 years in this famous shrine. At the foot of the Rock Fort are a tank and a pavilion which are used during the float festival of the temples. Near the tank is the house where Robert Clive lived when he was in Tiruchirappalli and there is an 18th century Church built by Reverend Schwartz of Denmark.
The Rock fort Hillock is said to be 230 crore years old. The materials like Quartz used in glass making and felspar used in ceramic are found in this Rock formation.
Rock Fort Temple Tiruchirapalli is home to many historic temples, monuments, churches and mosques. Uraiyur (also pronounced as Oraiyur) which is the Old name of Tiruchy has over 2,500 years of known history,and was the capital of the early Cholas. The oldest man made dam Kallanai was built by Karikala Cholan across the river Kaveri about 10 miles from Uraiyur. It was an important town in the days of the later Cholas, Nayaks as well as during the early days of the British East India Company. The Madurai Nayak rulers changed their capital from Madurai to Tiruchirapalli and back several times. The temple was also used as a military fort by the Nayaks for some time.The conquest of Tiruchirapalli by the British East India Company marked a major step in the British conquest of India.
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6 PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE
It is not possible to determine the origin of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy which is lost in antiquity. Lord Vishnu is enshrined here in the Anananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yognidra), lying on Sri Anantha, the hooded snake Adishesha.. Temple gave its name to Kerala’s state capital Thiruvananthapuram. ‘Thiru’ ‘Anantha’ ‘Puram’ means Sacred Abode of Lord AnanthaPadmanaba. The Maharajah of Travancore bears the title, "Sree Padmanabhadasa’ (Servant of Lord) The serpent has five hoods facing inwards, signifying contemplation. The Lord is seen in three parts – thirumukham, thiruvudal and thrippadam in the sanctum sanctorum. Sri Padmanabha reclines on the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha.The Lord's right hand is placed over a Shiva lingam. Sridevi, the Goddess of Prosperity and Bhudevi the Goddess of Earth, two consorts of Vishnu are by his side. Brahma emerges on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of the Lord. The deity is made from 12,000 saligramams. These saligrams are from the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal, and to commemorate this certain rituals used to be performed at the Pashupatinath Temple. The deity of Sri Padmanabha is covered with, "Katusarkara yogam", a special ayurvedic mix, to keep the deity clean. The Deity is visible through three doors – 1] the visage of the reclining Lord and Siva Linga underneath the hand is seen through the first door; 2] Sridevi and Divakara Muni, Brahma seated on a lotus emanating from the Lord's navel, through the second door; 3] the Lord's feet, and Bhudevi and Kaundinya Muni through the third door.
Only the King of Travancore may perform sashtanga namaskaram, or prostrate on the "Ottakkal Mandapam". It is traditionally held that anybody who prostrates on the mandapam has surrendered all that he possesses to the Deity. Since the ruler has already done that, he is permitted to prostrate on this mandapam major annual festival related to Padmanabha temple is the Navaratri festival. Only Hindus are permitted inside and men should wear Dhoti and be bare-chested (no shirts).
LEGEND:
The Temple has references in Epics and Puranas. Srimad Bhagavatha says that Balarama visited this Temple, bathed in Padmatheertham and made several offerings. Nammalwar, 9th century poet and saint of the Alvar tradition, has composed ten hymns in praise of Lord Padmanabha. Reputed scholars and historians have expressed the view that this Temple was established on the first day of Kali Yuga over 5000 years ago.The idol is made of highly complex amalgam known as Katusarkarayogam, containing 12008 Salagrams within it. It is recorded that 4000 sculptors, 6000 labourers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of what is seen today. The temple and its assets belong to Lord Padmanabhaswamy and are controlled by a trust run by the Royal family. Recently the Supreme Court directed the authorities from the archaeology department and fire services to open the 6 vaults (Kallaras) of the secret chambers of the temple for inspection of the items kept inside. Many legends were attached to the temple and that chamber B has a model of a snake on the main door and opening it could be a bad omen.
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7 TIRUPATHY VENKATESHWARA TEMPLE
The Tirumala hills at Chittor district, is having 7 peaks which are said to represent the heads of Adhisesha. This has also given the name of Seshachalam to the hills, also known as the "Temple of Seven Hills". The names of these seven heads are Neeladri, Seshadri, Garudadri, Vrushabhadri, Anjanadri, Venkatadri and Narayanadri. The balaji temple of Tirupati is located on the peak of Venkatdri or known as Venkata hill, which is the seventh peak, thus giving the name of temple of the seven hills to the Tirumala Venkateswara temple.It is the richest centre of pilgrimage, second to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, in any other faith also. It is said to have 50000 crores of property and is also the most visited worship place in the world as about 50,000 to 100,000 devotees visit the Balaji temple in Tirupati on a daily basis which is about 30 to 40 million people on an average in a year. During festivals or on special occasions like the Brahmotsavam, the number can increase to more than 500,000, which makes it further established as having the highest number of pilgrims in the world. The Lord wears a gold crown with a large emerald embedded in the front. On special occasions, he is adorned with a diamond crown. The Lord has a thick double tilaka drawn on his forehead, which screens his eyes. His ears are decorated with golden earrings. The right hand resting on his lap. His left hand is akimbo. His body is dressed with yellow clothing tied with gold string and a gold belt with gold bells. He has a yajnopavita (sacred thread) flowing down crosswise from his left shoulder. He bears Sri Lakshmi Devi on his right chest and Sri Padmavathi Devi on his left chest. His feet are covered with gold frames and decked with gold anklets. A curved gold belt encompasses his legs. The world famous Tirupati Laddu is given at Tirumala Temple as prasadam. Many devotees have their head tonsured as an offering to God. The daily amount of hair collected is over a ton.
LEGEND: It is believed that Lord Kubera credited money to the god Venkateswara (a form of the god Vishnu) for his marriage with Padmavati. Srinivasa sought a loan of one crore and 14 lakh (11,400,000) coins of gold from Kubera and had Viswakarma, the divine architect, create heavenly surroundings in the Seshadri hills. In remembrance of this, devotees go to Tirupati to donate money in Venkateswara's hundi (donation pot) so that he can pay it back to Kubera. The hundi collections in cash go as high as 22.5 million INR a day and the annual gold offering goes as high as 3000 kg.
During the invasion of Srirangam by Malik Kafur in 13th century, the Ranga Mandapam of the temple served as the shelter for the presiding deity of Srirangam, Ranganatha Swamy.
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