Sharavanabelagola is the most important pilgrim centers of Jain  comunity in Karnataka, is located 12 km to the south-east of Channarayapatna in the Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district. In Kannada language, ‘Shravana’ means a Jain austere, ‘Bel’ means white and ‘kola’ means the pond, the reference to the beautiful pond in the middle of the town. The name ‘Belagola’ is been found in an inscription belonging to 650 AD and 800 AD. Hence the word Shravanabelagola means the place  of  white pond where the Jain ascetics live.

The Shravanabelagola temple is a holy place for the Jains and is world renowned for the majesty of Lord Gomatheeswara towering over everything around. It is one of the holiest places for the Jain community attracting millions of devotees yearly.

Shravanabelagola is popular for its scenic beauty as well as for its religious sanctity. It reached a high point in architectural and sculptural activity under the patronage of the Gangas of Talakad. Shravanabelagola is wedged between two rocky hills – the Vindyagiri and the Chandragiri.

The Vindyagiri

The Vindyagiri hill is about 470 feet in height . The 17.38 meter (58 ft) high monolithic stone statue of the Gomateshwara or Bahubali is loacted at the Vindhyagiri hill. This is said to be one of the tallest huge statues in the world.

The statue of Bahubali was installed by a Ganga minister and scholar Chavundaraya. This statue is carved beautifully with accurate sense expression and there are curly hairs over the head.

The stone sculpture of Bahubali represents repudiation, self-control and suppression of ego as the first steps towards salvation. The digambara (nude) form of Bahubali represents the complete victory over whatsoever desires and needs that hamper spiritual ascent towards holiness.

The Chandragiri                  

Chandragiri is a small hill, located just opposite to the Vindhyagiri. Chandragiri has memorials to numerous monks and shravakas who have meditated there. Chndragiri also has famous Jain temples and the tomb of Chandragupta Maurya, famous patron of Jainism can be seen.

Mahamastakabhisheka

Mahamastakabhisheka is the great head anointing ceremony of Bahubali  which is performed once in every 12 years. The enormous statue of Lord Gommateshwara is suffused with thousands of pots of Milk, Ghee, Sandal, Saffron, Flowers etc.

The huge number of devotees from all over the world presents here to witness The Mahamasthakabisheka  The last  Mahamasthakabhisheka was held here in February 2006. The next Mahamastakabhisheka will be held in 2018 A.D.

Shravanabelagola is the seat of the antique Bhattaraka Math, belonging to the Desiya Gana ancestry of Mula Sangha of  Digambar monistic tradition. The Bhattarakas are all named Charukeerthi.

Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swami Temple situtated in Dharmapuri , Karimnagar dist , Andhra Pradesh , India . Dharmapuri is on 60 kms from Karimnagar, 250 kms from Hyderabad and 40 kms from Manchirial  Rly station on Nagpur Chennai Rly root .

The Lord Narasimha is Lord of Dharmapuri. Daily 1,000 on an average pligrims, visit the sacred temple of Lord Narasimha for prayer. Hindus believes Lakshmi Narasimha to be a half man, half lion form of Vishnu. The story behind this   a local being, named Hiranya kashyapa had obtained from God Bramha , protection against attack from “man or beast”. This person then began abusing his powers and began forcing others to worship himself, as if he is a God. Among those abused was his own son, Prahlada a great worshiper of Vishnu. In order to surmount Bramha’s condition, Vishnu unspecified form of that was neither man nor beast, but a combination of both, and then went on to finish off this person with his nails. That time Narsimha  was very angry and called as UGRA NARASIMHA and subsequently the saints and Gods prayed him to be cool . Narasimha came to Dharmapuri and undergone a deep meditation with yoga mudra and was called Yoga Narasimha. At the same place a shrine was constructed by then king of Dharmapuri, Dharma Varma by which the town is came to known as DHARMAPURI.

The town is well located on the banks of Holy River Godavari and by virtue of this it is called as Dakshin Kashi. The trishataka kartha Kavi Sheshappa hailed from this place only. A Vedic school and Sasnskrit college are the boosting sanathana dharma and Vedic culture and transmitting in its surrounding area.

Lord Narasimha in the temple appears in the Yogic Mudra, in Padmasana (seated form) with His palms bending on His knees. The unique features of this temple are   there is an Idol of Lord Brahma, about 6 feet tall, with four faces.

All  around  the temple, There are  eight idols of Lord Hanuman, a big idol of Lord Yama (God of death) at the gate, idols of Lord Krishna and Balarama (elder brother of Sri Krishna). The river Godavari that flows by the side also has many prominent spots having a historic significance. There is a small stream called Bhadra, which joins the river Godavari near the temple. It is believed that a lady who was an enthusiastic devotee of Lord Vishnu wanted to marry with Him. Finally, when she could not, she turned into a small stream and merged into the river  Godavari in order to be with the Lord all the time. There are many such spots; some of them have a mention in the puranas while some dont.

Here in the Bramhotsva is celebrated every year, For the year 2012 the Devotional programs are as follows

Bramhotsva celebrations 2012 ,  (04-03-2012 TO 16-03-2012)

05-03-2012 – 6.00 P.M Sri Swamu Vari Kalyanotsavam

08-03-2012 – 3.00 P.M Sri Laxmi (Yoga) Narasimha Swamy Vari Dolotsavam & Tepotsavam

09-03-2012 – 3.00 P.M Sri Laxmi (Ugra) Narasimha Swamy Vari Dolotsavam & Tepotsavam .

10-03-2012 – 3.00 P.M Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Vari Dolotsavam & Tepotsavam.

13-03-2012 – 3.00 P.M – Rathotsavam .

14-03-2012 To 16-03-2012 – 9.00 P.M – Ekanthotsavams .

The Yadagirigutta Temple is situated at a height of about 300 feet on a small hill in the Nalgonda district , Andhra Pradesh,  69 kilometers away from Hyderabad. It is near Warangal. The temple is a well-known tourist place  as well as a devotee  location, attracting  both in a   huge number  on a regular basis. From the egend, the five forms of Narasimha have been finely sculpted into idols and these are placed here in the temple. The devotees are used to be  worshipped here  and are known as  Pancha  Narasimha Kshetram.

The principal shrine and main attraction of the temple is the Lord  Lakshmiranasimha, who devotees supposed to be  able to cure many terminal illnesses, and even mental or disturbing  problems. The locals  believes that by worshipping in this holy place for 40 days will cure anyone of any ancient illness.

Legend here is like ,  Lord Narasimha was satisfied with the hermit’s devotion and materialized in five different forms. The five different forms are Jwala, Yogananda, Lakshminarasimha, Gandabherunda and Ugra. As legend goes, the first form of Narasimha was so fiery that the yogi wanted him to appear him in a peaceful form. He then appeared in the form of Yoganarasimha, but the yogi was not satisfied and he requested  to see him with his counterpart i.e. Goddess Lakshmi. So Narasimha appeared with goddess Lakshmi on his lap. It is said that these three Narasimha forms were so fiery that the hermit could not endure it. Hence, they are worshipped inside the cave.

Legends aside,

At the innermost sanctum of the temple, at top the Sikharam, the golden Sudarshana Chakra of Lord Vishnu glows. The decoration (as well as weapon) is about 3 feet by 3 feet in dimension and it is the symbol by which the temple is recognized by, from as far as 6 kilometers away. A legend about the chakra is that many years ago, it moved in the direction from  where  the devotees came, very much like a compass that guided them to the temple.

Lepakshi is a small village situated fourteen(14) KMs to the east of Hindupur, Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh. We may  reach here  by bus from Hindupur. It is well-known for its temple of Veerabhadra and the mural paintings of the Vijayanagara period. There is a popular legend about this temple which is as follows:

This sculpture, perhaps the most magnificent in the temple, is a classic depiction of Shiva as Kankala -murti (Kankala means skeleton & murti means icon). His feet are clad in wooden sandals, the right leg slightly bent forward in a gesture of movement. In one of his hands he holds the kankala- danda (Danda is a staff/stick), placed horizontally on his shoulders. Another hand is in the kataka- mudra (A classical posture of the hand seen in many Indian statues and also illustrated in Classical Indian dance) held near the mouth of a deer that rears up to it. Other hands hold a Trisula (trident) and a damaru (small Indian thumping instrument). Above his head is an elaborate makara-torana (gateway). His flowing jata (hair-locks) spreads on either side of his mukuta (crown). To his left is a bhuta-gana (Shiva’s follower), carrying on his head a large bowl of rice. At the right edge of the pier is an image of a woman (probably Parvati – Shiva’s wife) serving him rice with a ladle. The woman’s dress is shown slipping down. Figures of Gandharvas (Gandharvas were spirits of the air, forests, and mountains) and rishis (sages) blessing Siva are above and to the right.

The main shrine of Virabhadra is situated in the center of the second enclosure, faces the north and consists of the grabhagriha and antarala surrounded by a pradakshina, mukha mandapa, a pillared corridor outside the mukhamandapa and the natyamandapa. At right angles to the mukhamandapa is the shrine of Vishnu facing the east (fig 9). There is a shrine dedicated to shiva under the name of Papavinasesvara facing the Vishnu shrine. To south of  papavinasesvara there is  Sayanagara and to south of its the parvathi shrine both facing the west. In the western wing of the pradakshina surrounding the garbhagriha and antarala of the Virabhadra shrine are three shrines known respectively as the Ramalinga shrine, Bhadrakali shrine and Hanumalinga shrine all facing the east. In the north east corner of the mukhamandapa there is a Navagrahas vedi . Right of the Main shrine, on pillar Siva standing with left leg on the prostrate body of Apasmarapurusha and the right leg swung across to the left in the Bhujangalalita  pose, the deity holds damaru ,in the upper right arm and flames in upper left arm .he wears a jatamukuta with jatas flowing to the sides.

The hanging pillar is one of the 70 pillars – is hanging well almost on its edge .There is a story about it – a British engineer who wanted to know how the temple was supported by the pillars tried to displace one of it, and it caused the movement of as many as 10 pillars around to maintain the balance. The temple as well as the pillars in the temple was designed to withstand even earthquakes.

There is another story about the pillars – the pillars  was originally hanging, but the Britishers thought it may fall  down and tried to pull it down. But they could succeed only partially on one side, which caused the roof to bend to that side. This is indeed an architectural marvel.

The towel can be moved from one end to another on the floor below the pillar.

Vemulawada,is  located 150 km from Hyderabad is known for Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple. It is one of the very few temples dedicated to Lord Siva. traditionally known as Dakshana Kashi (Benaras of South India) , Lakhs of devotees visit this temple from all over the country.

The Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple is a fine example of mutual synchronization of both Hindus and Muslims offer Prayers  to Lord Siva and Allah.

Special arrangements are made for the pilgrims during the festival. Several cultural and social activities are also organized by the authorities. Free meals  and Accommodation  is provided to the students. Besides, the temple also pays donations for other small temples.

Vemulawada temple  is next only to Tirupati in terms of its revenues in Andhra Pradesh . The temple contributes Rs. 8 lakhs anually to the Gram Panchayat for developmental activities in the pilgrim city.

On the Sivaratri day, a record three to four lakh pilgrims crowds there in  sacred temple at Vemulawada to worship . Special poojas and darshans are held to mark the festivity. Mahalingarchana  is performed by about hundred  priests . At midnight Ekadasa Rudrabhishekham is performed to the god. The temple is brightly illuminated in the night, presenting an visual look.

LEGEND

The puranic version are  that Lord Siva after having stayed at Kashi, Chidambaram, Srisailam and Kedareswaram chose to reside at Vemulawada. History records that Vemulawada was ruled by successive dynasties – the Ikshwakus, the  Satavahanas  and later by the Chalukyas who made it their state capital.

The presiding god is Sri Raja Rajeswara Swamy, also called  Rajanna. To the right of the presiding god is the statue of Sri Raja Rajeswari Devi and to the left is the idol of Sri Laxmi Sahitha Siddi Vinayaka.

In the temple building there is a holy tank called the Dharma Gundam. Three mandapas were constructed on it and the statue of Lord Eshwara resides in the middle. The Lord is seen in a meditation position with five Lingas surrounding the holy tank.

The illumination of the holy lamp or Ganda Deepam is also considered fortunate by the devotees visiting the temple.

Although devotees make offerings to the presiding diety in different ways, the most important one is Kode Mokku (offering of bull to God). The devotees who bring the bull take them round the temple and tie it somewhere in the temple complex. The significance of this ritual is that devotees will be cleansed of their sins and they can be get children.

This temple attracts followers of both Vaishnavism (worshippers of Vishnu), and Saivism (worshippers of Siva), and is also being frequented by Jains and Buddists. The sculptures on the temples  describe the cultures of Jainism and Buddhism also .

In the temple at Vemulawada it consists of  a 400 years old  Mosque  which is the unique

Feature of this   temple.  It is believed that the mosque was built as a tribute to a Muslim devotee of Lord Siva who lived in for many years  and breathed his last here .

Mangalagiri means The fortunate Hill. This place is one of the 8 important Mahakshetrams (sacred places) in India. The eight places where Lord Vishnu manifested himself are (1) Sri Rangam (2) Srimushnam (3) Naimisam (4) Pushkaram (5) Salagamadri (6) Thothadri (7) Narayanasramam (8) Venkatadri.

Thotadri is the present Mangalagiri hills . Lakshmi Devi has done tapas on this hill. That’s why it got this name (The auspicious hill). There are three Narasimha Swamy temples in Mangalagiri. One is Panakala Narasimha Swamy on the hill. Another  is Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at the foot of the temple. Third one is Gandala Narasimha Swamy at the top of the hill.

The temple of Sri Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy is located on the hill. On the right side of the steps are  provided to reach the temple, there is a stone dedication by Sri Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar and a little further up, the foot prints of Mahaprabhu Chaitanya are  seen. Midway on the steps there is a temple of Lord Panakala Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy there we see only the face of Narasimhaswamy with widely opened  mouth . A dhwajasthambham was installed in front of the temple in 1955. Behind the temple there is the temple of Sri Lakshmi, to the west of which there is a tunnel which is believed to lead to Vundavalli caves on the banks of the Krishna. The stone inscription of the kings of Vijayanagar relate besides to the conquest of Rayalu over Kondapalli etc., that Siddhiraju Thimmarajayya Devara granted a total of 200 kunchams (10 kunchams make one acre) land in 28 villages of which Mangalagiri was one and gift of 40 kunchams by China Thirumalayya to Ramanujakutam.

Mangalgiri is  in existance since the beginning of the universe. In kritayugam, when there were less sinners, Yamadarmaraja asked all the sinners to wash off  their sins in Mangalgiri, by doing penance on the hill. In  thretayugam, people who enjoyed in heaven, refused to come back to this world. They  prayed to lord Indra to help them for attaining heaven again.Tthen lord Indra advised them to spend their time on the Mangalgiri  hill to go back to heaven. Even Lakshmi devi did severe penance on this hill. So on the whole, it is  said that Mangaliri hill is the place for all gods.

Have you  heard about  a place without ants, even when the place is for Jaggery in india? The answer is Mangalgiri  Panakala  Narasimha Swamy Temple. For Narasimha Swamy , Jaggery water is poured into the wide opened mouth of the god.

Mangalgiri means auspicious hill. Here it is supposed that god is self existant. This temple is opened for  morning to afternoon. It is understood that gods perform their pooja to god in the night. In the temple, there is no Idol of god, only we can see  wide opened mouth of nearly 15cms. This mouth is covered with the metal face of Narasimha  Swamy. Here god is offered with sweet Jaggery water. The priest will pour the Jaggery water with a counch  into the wide opened mouth. while  pouring, we can hear the sound , like some one is drinking water. When the sound stops, the celebrant will stop pouring. Even the priest showed us that the counch was not emptied, even when poured into mouth. This means that god is satisfied with the specified Jaggery water.

Annavaram is one of the most famous Holy Shrines in East Godavari Dist. Andhra Pradesh, India and enjoying the pilgrims second larger place after Tirupati . The temple is in the Dravidian style. The glory and richness of Lord SATYADEVA was widely described in Revakhanda of  Skandapuranam. The presiding god Lord Satyadeva with his consort Sri Anantha Lakshmi on one Side and Lord Siva on the other side took his abode on Ratnagiri, which is named after Ratnakara, son of Meru the king of holy mountains.

A unique Yantra based on Tripad Vibhuti Narayan Upanishad exists here. The temple is constructed in two storey, the lower one containing the Yantra and upper one accommodation for Vigrahas of  the Lord.

Like in all Divyakshetrams as surrounded and followed by holy rivers, Sri Satyanarayana Swamy at Annavaram is also followed by sacred Pampa River touching the feet of the hill. Lord Satyadeva the god of truth is showering his everlasting blessings on mankind in his beautiful manifested form of the DIVINE TRINITY namely Hari Hara Hiranya Garbha Thrimurtyatmaka. Hence this temple is attracting the Pilgrims of  both Vishanava and Saiva . Thousands of pilgrims from all over the Country are worshiping Lord Satyadeva every day for getting all sectional differences.

It is thought that this  place was known for constant food giving out (free feeding) by the kind  people of the locality . So this place was called by the name Annavaram(annam means food in Telugu). Another version is like the presiding deity of the temple blesses the devotees with anina varam (pronounced or wanted boon), the place is called Annavaram.

It is expected on an average about one lakh Vratas are performed here every year by couples generally. Marriages, thread marriages (upanayanam) are performed in large number. Chief festival days are Bhishma Ekadasi (Jan/Feb) and Kalyanotsavam, Vysakha Ekadasi (Apr/May) are important.

Hindus perform Sri Satyanarayana Vratham throughout India for weath, education, prosperity, off spring, relief from troubles and sickness and success in business. When it cames  famous that Lord Satyanarayana had manifested Himself on the Ratnagiri hills at Annavaram in exclusive form of combining the Trimurthis i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva the number of pilgrims from far and near swelled to hundreds and thousands. The verage turnout daily is about five thousand now a-days. As Ekadasi is considered to be very promising for the Vratham, the individual devotees perform  it  even on other convenient days. The great popularity behind the  Vratham springs from the experiences narrated in stories and legends and also from the  faith gained by observances in daily life.

The Hindu New Year day is celebrated as a  Gudi Padwa-in Maharashtra, Ugaadi-in Andhra Pradesh. This festival of Gudi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the month of Chaitra, according to the lunisolar calendar,it  not only marks just the advent of a new year, but  the victory of the ancient Satvahana king Shalivahana over his enemies also. The ruler’s victory is commemorated by erecting the ‘Gudi’ – a symbol of victory, and performing ritualistic worship. As per the Brahma Puran, Lord Brahma created the universe on this day; therefore, this day carries special importance for the Hindus. The festival is known as Sansar Padvo or Samsar Padwo amongst the Konkanis.

It is also said that Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya on this day after vanquishing Ravana, and the people of Ayodhya celebrated this occasion.

Ugadi is the New Year’s Day for the people of Andhra Pradesh and also for the Telugu people all over the world. Those who live north of the Vindhya hills observe it as “Barhaspatyamana”. People living to the south of the

Vindhya hills observe it as “Sauramana” or “Chandramana”.

Promising days like Ugadi should be used for making resolutions to change our way of life and to purify our behavior by giving up all bad characters. Ugadi is a festival that teaches lessons in selfless service. It is not intended for feasting. It is a sacred day when whole some wisdom should dawn and enlightenment should blossom in the hearts of the people. Ugadi teaches man the lesson that he should perfect himself as an embodiment of divinity.

Agricultural

India is a  principally  agricultural society. Thus celebrations and festivals are usually linked to the turn of the season and to the sowing and reaping of crops. This day is  marked as  the end of one agricultural harvest season and the beginning of a new one. In this context, the Gudhi Padwa is celebrated at the end of the Rabi season.

Astrological

Gudhi Padwa is one of the Sade-Teen Muhurtas (translation from Marathi: 3 and a half favorable dates) in the Indian planetary calendar. The full list is as follows

     Gudi Padwa –         1st Tithi of Chaitra (Bright Half)   

    Vijayadashami -    10th Tithi of Ashwin

    Balipratipada -       1st Tithi of Kartika (Bright Half)

   Akshaya Tritiya     3rd Tithi of Vaishakha

 Festivities

On this  festival day, courtyards in village houses are swept clean and plastered with fresh cow-dung. Even in the city, people use to take the time to  spring cleaning. Women and children work on involved rangoli designs on their doorsteps, the vibrant colours mirroring the burst of colour connected with spring. Everyone dresses up in new clothes and it is a time for family gatherings.

Traditionally, families are supposed to begin the festivities by eating the bittersweet leaves of the neem tree. Sometimes, a paste of neem leaves is prepared and mixed with dhane, gul/gur (known as jaggery in English), and tamarind. All the members of the family consume this paste, which is supposed to purify the blood and  build up the body’s resistant system against diseases.

Maharashtrian families also make shrikhand and Poori on this day. Konkanis make Kanangachi Kheer, a variety of Kheer made of sweet potato, coconut milk, jaggery, rice flour, etc. and Sannas.