The great place of S'ri Guhya Kali, well established in Nepal, and that of S'ri Minaksi Devi established in Chidamvaram. The great place named Vedaranya where the Sundari Devi is residing; then the place named Ekamvaram, and the place Bhuvanes'vara near Purusottama where I always dwell as Para S'akti Bhuvanes'vari.
Dakshin Kali is Nepal's principal shrine to the powerful and fearsome goddess Kali. It takes its name from its location in the south (dakshin) of the Kathmandu Valley. The temple stands on a point of land at the confluence of two rivers, the dark, wooded valley providing an apt setting for the bloody rituals enacted in the goddess's name.Kali prefers a life under open skies so the shrine is covered only by a baldachin of four gilded snakes. The devotional image, in black stone, shows the divinity crouched on a corpse, symbolizing her conquest of Time. Her six hands hold, among other things, a skull cup, a severed head and a sword.
Sri Meenakshi Devi, the legend has that Once Indra killed a demon, even though the demon did not harm anyone. This act brought a curse upon Indra that forced him to continue wandering until he was walking around looking for a way where noone would tell him which way to go will redeem him from his sin. After much wandering Indra was freed from his suffering through the power of ashivalingam in a forest, and so he built a small temple at that site.
It so happened that at that time in South India there was a Pandya king called Malayadhwaja Pandiyan ruling a small city by the name Manavur, which was quite near to this Shivalinga. He was the son of Kulashekara Pandyan. He came to know about the Shivalinga and decided to build a huge temple for Shiva in the forest Kadambavanam (vanam means forest). He also developed the region into a fine princely state called Madurai.
The king was childless and sought an heir for the kingdom. Shiva granted him his prayers through an Ayonija child (one born not from the womb). This child was three years old and actually the incarnation of goddess Parvati the wife of Shiva. She was born with three breasts and fish-shaped eyes. It was said that the extra breast would disappear when she met her future husband. She was named Meenatchi, (meaning fish eyed) from the words mīna (meaning fish) and akṣi (meaning eyes).She grew up to be a Shiva-Shakti personification. After the death of the king, she ruled the kingdom with skillful administration.
In one of her expeditions she went to theHimalaya mountains and there, on seeing Shiva, her extra breast disappeared. Many of the gods and goddesses came to witness their marriage.
At the wedding celebrations the gods refused to have the served food unless Shiva performed a majestic dance for everybody gathered at the place. At this there was the dance of chidambaram, the cosmic dance in front of his wife Minakshi. It epitomised and merged all life force and beauty into one whole. In the end Minakshi was merged with the shivalingam and became the representation of life and beauty.
There is another legend that talks about why the North Tower (called as "Mottai Gopuram") does not have that many sculptures. Bhootaganas were supposed to finish the construction of the temple towers during the night. Legend says that bhootaganas completed all three towers but while in the middle of building the north tower sunrise happened halting the completion of the north tower.
It so happened that at that time in South India there was a Pandya king called Malayadhwaja Pandiyan ruling a small city by the name Manavur, which was quite near to this Shivalinga. He was the son of Kulashekara Pandyan. He came to know about the Shivalinga and decided to build a huge temple for Shiva in the forest Kadambavanam (vanam means forest). He also developed the region into a fine princely state called Madurai.
The king was childless and sought an heir for the kingdom. Shiva granted him his prayers through an Ayonija child (one born not from the womb). This child was three years old and actually the incarnation of goddess Parvati the wife of Shiva. She was born with three breasts and fish-shaped eyes. It was said that the extra breast would disappear when she met her future husband. She was named Meenatchi, (meaning fish eyed) from the words mīna (meaning fish) and akṣi (meaning eyes).She grew up to be a Shiva-Shakti personification. After the death of the king, she ruled the kingdom with skillful administration.
In one of her expeditions she went to theHimalaya mountains and there, on seeing Shiva, her extra breast disappeared. Many of the gods and goddesses came to witness their marriage.
At the wedding celebrations the gods refused to have the served food unless Shiva performed a majestic dance for everybody gathered at the place. At this there was the dance of chidambaram, the cosmic dance in front of his wife Minakshi. It epitomised and merged all life force and beauty into one whole. In the end Minakshi was merged with the shivalingam and became the representation of life and beauty.
There is another legend that talks about why the North Tower (called as "Mottai Gopuram") does not have that many sculptures. Bhootaganas were supposed to finish the construction of the temple towers during the night. Legend says that bhootaganas completed all three towers but while in the middle of building the north tower sunrise happened halting the completion of the north tower.
Vedaranyam is situated about 58-km from Nagappattinam near Tiruvarur. It is one of the 64 Sakti Peethas ("Sundara Peetha") of India and it is also one of the 7 Saptavitanka Shrines special to Tyagarajar - associated with the Mucukunda Chola legend.
According to The Legend prevailing it is believed that Lord Rama attempted to build a bridge to Sri Lanka from Vedaranyam but he was directed by Lord Shiva to proceed to Rameshwaram and build a bridge. It is also believed that Lord Rama bathed here and worshipped Shiva on his victorious return to Ayodhya. The doors of the temple, which had remained, shut for ages, reopened when Appar composed his Patikam and shut themselves upon Sambandar's request with a Patikam. Vishwamitra worshipped Shiva to work his way towards the status of Bhrammarishi.
Bhuvanesvara, the capital of Orissa, renowned in ancient Sanskrit literature, as Ekamra, has the largest concentrative anywhere in the India of temples numbering some five hundred, in various stages of preservation or decay, from the great Linga Raja to a plethora of miniature shrines.
The fore-armed Bhuvaneswari is seated in vajraparyanka on a lotus cushion.Her front right hand shows varada while the left hand displays abhaya. The uplifted backhands hold ankusha (goad) and nagapasa. She has three eyes and has a crescent moon in her crown. The four-armed Lakshmi assumes a similar vajraparyanka pose and likewise displays varada and abhaya with her front set of hands. Both uplifted back hands hold a lotus. Within the bhogamandapa of Jagannath temple itself is an image of Mahisamardini.Mahisamardini or Kanaka Durga is also the
palace deity, the personal deity of the king of Puri and her image plays a major role in the
Durga Puja festival.
palace deity, the personal deity of the king of Puri and her image plays a major role in the
Durga Puja festival.
To be continued......
