Manimahesh Kailash

The Manimahesh Kailash , also known as Chamba Kailash, stands towering high over the Manimahesh Lake, is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. It is located in the Bharmour subdivision of the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The peak is 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Bharmour in the Budhil valley. It is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Himachal Pradesh. The Manimahesh Lake is at the base of the Kailash peak at 5,653 metres (18,547 ft) and both are held in deep veneration by people of Himachal Pradesh, particularly the Gaddi tribes of the region, as the abode of Lord Shiva
Legend

There are several mythical legends narrated on the sanctity of this peak and the lake at its base.Locals  believe that Lord Shiva created Manimahesh after he married Goddess Parvati.

They believe, Lord Shiva  resides in Manimahesh Kailash. A rock formation in the form of a Shivling on this mountain is considered as the manifestation of Lord Shiva. The snow field at the base of the mountain is called by the local people as Shiva's Chaugan (play field)

Kinnaur Kailsh (Himachal Pradesh)

The Kinnaur Kailash ( Kinner Kailash) is a mountain in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. The Kinnaur Kailash has a height of 6050 meters and is considered as sacred by both Hindu and Buddhist Kinnauris. This mountain is sometimes confused with the Mount Kailash in Tibet.  'Kinner Kailash' is considered winter residence of Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva conduct a meeting of all Devi-Devtas on Kinner Kailash top.
Kinner Kailash is among Panch Kailashes, Shri Khand Kailash,  Mani Mahesh Lake,  Kailash Mansarover, Aadi Kailash.

source of info:http://allaboutkinnaur.blogspot.in/2012/04/all-about-kinner-kailash.html

KAILASH MANSAROVAR (Part-3)

Secrets of Mansarovar Lake and Rakshas Tal

 Manasarovar Lake is one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world, very sacred for Hindus and is round like the sun. The other lake Rakshas Tal (one of the highest salt-water lakes) is the devil’s lake and has the shape of the crescent moon. The two lakes represent solar and lunar forces, good and negative energies respectively.
Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal – are located next to each other and divided by a thin isthmus of the mountains. However, Lake Manasarovar remains calm irrespective of the weather conditions whereas Rakshas Tal stays constantly stormy. A single circumambulation of Mount Kailash equals one turn of the Wheel of Life and will wipe away the sins of one’s life.
According to Hindu mythology, Shiva resides at the summit of the Kailasha. It is regarded in Hinduism as Paradise, the ultimate destination of souls and the spiritual center of the world.According to a description in the Puranas, Mount Kailash's four faces are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli; it is the pillar of the world; and is located at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a lotus. From it flow four rivers.
.Gauri Kund, can be seen while going  downwards from Dolma Pass. The lake is also famous as “Parvati Sarovar” as this was the place where goddess Parvati had acquired her son Ganesha. Goddess Parvati had formed Ganesh from the soap lather on her body and breathed life into it.
Yam Dwar is situated approximately 30 minutes drive from Darchen. The exact meaning of the Yam Dwar  is “the gateway of the God of Death”. It is the initial point of circumambulation of Mount Kailash. 
concluded 
source of info :http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/the-mystery-and-secret-of-mount-kailash
                      http://www.speakingtree.in/blog/kailash-manasarovar-home-of-god-shiva-mount-kailash          

KAILASH MANSAROVAR (Part-2)

Kailash Mansarovar- The abode of God Shiva- Mount Kailash

The Word Kailash manasarovar is derived from Two words Kailash + Manasarovar where Kailash refers  to Mountain (Parvat) -  home of God Shiva, where as Manasarovar refers to Lake near Kailash Parvat .It is described in Skanda Puran,that Kailash manasarovar is supreme mountains where God Shiva dwells. Manasarovar or Lake manasarovar is described as Supreme Holy Lake where God Shiva and Indra swimmed as Swan.
According to Hindu religion, the Mansarovar lake was first created in the mind of the Lord Brahma. Hence, in Sanskrit it is called "Manasarovar", which is a combination of the words Manas and Sarovar. It is  believed the Devas descend to bathe in the lake between 3 and 5 am the time of the day known as Brahma Muhurta,
Mount Kailash is the abode of lord  Shiva  and his divine consort Parvati-SHIVA and SHAKTI.The radiant SILVERY summit is the throne of TRUTH, WISDOM and BLISS-SACHIDANANDAM.
 The silvery mount is the apex where the sound and the lights merges and the true Yogi transcends both these and merges into OM. 
Mansarovar lake lies below Holy Kailash in Western Tibet 4560 Meters above sea level with an approximate area of 320 Sq. Kms. It is  one of the holiest & most revered lake in the Universe for Hindus. The circumference of Lake is 90 Kms. A ritual Bath at Mansarovar is considered to attain Moksha and a drink of its water relinquishes the sins of lifetime.
( To be continued...)

KAILASH MANSAROVAR

The secrets of Mount Kailash

 Mount Kailash is acclaimed to be the holiest place on earth. It happens to be supremely sacred site of four religions and billions of people. However only few thousand pilgrims are able to go there each year, because of extremely difficult terrain and remote location in far western Tibet.
Mt. Kailash is regarded as the Hindus’ mythological Mount Meru, or Sumeru, the spiritual center of the universe, the axis mundi in Buddhism, Jainism as well as Hindu cosmology. The Axis mundi is literally the axis of the world. The axis provides a connection between the physical world and spiritual worlds.
This holy mountain rises to an altitude of 6714 meters in the Himalayan range, and its grandeur lies not in height but in its distinct shape – four sheer faces marking the cardinal points of the compass – and its solitary location, free of neighboring mountains.
The area around this great mountain is the source of four life-giving rivers; the Indus, Brahmaputra, Surlej and Karnali, which is a major tributary of India’s sacred Ganges. To further enhance the symbolic mysticism, two lakes are situated at the base of the mountain – Manasarovar lake and Rakhshas Tal.
According to the writings in the Puranas, Mount Kailash's four faces are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli; it is the pillar of the world; rises 84,000 leagues high; is the center of the world mandala; and is located at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a lotus. From it flow four rivers, which stretch to the four quarters of the world and divide the world into four regions

ISKCON temple Udhampur (J&K)

ISKCON temple Udhampur, also known as  “Udhampur Dham”. is located In the middle of  Udhampur city in state of Jammu & Kahmir.
 ISKCON Udhampur was a vision of Srila Bhaktividhanta Prabhupada which was fulfilled by Srila Nava Yogendra Swami Ji Maharaj with blessings of his spiritual master Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ISKCON Udhampur happens to be the biggest Radha Krishna Temple of J&K.This is one of the best architectural temples in ISKCON history.
On Feb 21 1987 Srila Nava Yogendra Swami Ji Maharaj laid the foundation stone for small temple on land gifted by his father. A small temple was constructed with time. In the year 1998 foundation stone was laid for main temple which was completed in year 2005. He has single handily arranged financial support from all over the world for this glorious temple. It was inaugurated in presence of His Excellency Lt. Gen (Retd) S. K Sinha PVSM, Governor of Jammu & Kashmir on the 108th year of auspicious appearance day of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada on Aug 19, 2005.

Source of info: http://iskconudhampur.com/iskcon-udhampur/

Shantadurga Temple Ponda Goa

Shri Shantadurga Temple is a large temple complex 33 km from Panaji,   in Ponda Taluka, Goa. Initially, mud shrine was built and the deity was installed here. This mud-shrine was converted into a beautiful temple whose foundation stone was laid in 1730 and the temple was completed in 1738 and renovated in 1966.

The temple is dedicated to Shantadurga, the goddess who mediates between Vishnu and Shiva. Local legends tell of a battle between Shiva and Vishnu The battle was so fierce that the god Brahma prayed to Goddess Parvati to intervene, which she did in the form of Shantadurga. Shantadurga placed Vishnu on her right hand and Shiva on her left hand and settled the fight.

Shantadurga is shown as holding two serpents, one in each hand, representing Vishnu and Shiva. Apart from this battle, local legends often say that Shantadurga had gone to Sankhwal, a village in Salcette Taluka to kill a demon named Kalantak that was harassing the Brahmins. As a reward, she was given the name of Vijaya.

Shri Shantadurga is the Kuldevi (family deity) of many Goud Saraswat Brahmins (Konkan region of Maharashtra and Goa).Temple is Private.

Mangueshi Temple Ponda Goa

Shri Mangeshi temple  is located at Mangeshi Village in Ponda taluk, Goa. It is at a distance of  21 km from Panaji the capital of Goa, and 26 km from Margao. This temple is one of the largest and most frequently visited temples in Goa.

The temple has been rebuilt and renovated twice during the reign of the Marathas and yet another time in the year 1890. The final renovation occurred in the year 1973 when a golden kalasha was fitted atop the tallest dome of the temple.

The main temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Manguesh, an incarnation of Shiva. Bhagavan Mangesh is worshipped here as Shiva linga. According to the legend, Lord Shiva had manifested into a tiger to scare his wife Parvati. Paravati, who was frightened at the sight of the tiger, went in search of Lord Shiva and cried out, "Trahi Mam girisha!" (Oh Lord of Mountains, save me!). Upon hearing the words, Lord Shiva turned himself back to his normal form. The words "mam girisha" became associated with Lord Shiva and over time the words got abbreviated to Manguirisha or Manguesh.

The complex also has shrines of Goddess Parvati and God Ganesha. 

ISKCON Chicago (US)

ISKCON Temple Chicago
 is a hindu temple located at 1716 W Lunt Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626, United States.This temple was initially known as  Sri Radhe Shyamasundar temple.
ISKCON Chicago strives to give you the genuine Hare Krishna experience, based on the principle of selfless loving service.Temple is open from 4 am to 1pm and then 4pm to 8pm.
Krishana fest is hosted every Sunday at 5pm. Krishna fest hosts keynotes including regular theatrical performances, interactive exercises, and occasional workshops demonstrating how spiritual life can be practically applied to enhance one’s quality of life. Chanting of Hare Krishana Hare Rama mantra and dancing is carried out. Lively kirtan (call-and-response chanting) , sumptuous vegetarian feast,thought-provoking keynotes by eminent Bhakti Yogis, Mantra meditation and children’s activities. are also carried out.

Hare Krishana Movement

The Hare Krishna movement 
has its roots 5000 years ago in the teachings of Lord Krishna, the supreme personality of Godhead.  The movement was introduced to the western world by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1965 and it rapidly spread all over the world in a matter of 12 years The Hare Krishna movement includes mantra meditation (japa), music (kirtan), food (prasadam), philosophy and festivals.

Basic Philosophy

The Bhagavad Gita focuses on the spiritual nourishment of the soul thereby guaranteeing inner happiness and contentment. The simple process is to connect our daily lives with the supreme spiritual personality, Lord Krishna. So the food we eat, the music we hear, the object of our meditation and the basis of our relationships with one another are all centered around the same focal point.

The basic philosophy begins with the understanding that we are not this body, rather we are the conscious spiritual beings residing in these material bodies resembling humans.

Moreover the spiritual beings residing in all these varieties of life-forms are parts and parcels of the supreme personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. So on the spiritual platform we are all equal and we experience real happiness when connected to our source.  

source of info:http://www.iskconchicago.com/hare-krishna-movement-history/

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hares

Iskcon NVCC Pune

ISKCON New Vedic Cultural Center (NVCC) is a temple of Radha-Krishna located in Kondhwa,area  of Pune. Temple was  inaugurated on 23 February 2013 by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.Vedic Cultural Centre of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was inaugurated on February 24, at Pune.
"ISKCON NVCC will  serve as cultural, educational, religious, and spiritual home in Pune and could soon become Pune’s most prominent icon.
The old and small ISKCON temple known as "Sri Sri RadhaKunjbihari Temple" started first in camp area Pune.Since , space available here was short to serve the large crowds on festivals, grand satsanga programs, and for holding cultural and educational outreach programs for newcomers,a bigger temple was proposed that could serve expanding activities of ISKCON Pune.

ISKCON temple Juhu Mumbai

ISKCON temple, Mumbai also known as Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari ji Temple is a temple in Juhu area in Mumbai . Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON inspired the construction of one of India’s most beautiful temple of Lord Krishna in Mumbai. The presiding Deities at the temple, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari and Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman were personally installed by the founder of ISKCON.

The temple complex opened in 1978 

SABRIMALA TEMPLE KERALA

Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha temples in Kerala. The temple is situated on a hilltop (about 3000 feet above sea level) named Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district, which is unique in many respects. The uniqueness of this temple- It is open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. There is a place near the temple; east to Sannidhanam, dedicated to the Vavar (a sufi and friend of Lord Ayyappa) which is called 'Vavarunada', an epitome of religious harmony. Another interesting fact is that it is not open throughout the year. It is open for worship only during the days of Mandalapooja.
 It is said that the pilgrims have to follow fasting for 41 days to cleanse their minds before going to Sabarimala. The journey to the temple is to be taken through difficult paths in the forest as the vehicles can go only up to Pampa.
Legend
 It is believed that the deity of the temple was consecrated by Lord Parasurama at the foot of Sabari hills. It is believed that the deity of the temple was consecrated by Lord Parasurama at the foot of Sabari hills.Another significant aspect of the pilgrimage is that all the pilgrims whether rich or poor, literate or illiterate are all equal before Lord Ayyapa and all of them address each other as Ayyappa or Swamy.Sabarimala is believed to be the place where Lord Ayyapa meditated soon after killing the powerful demon, Mahishi. Another mythology says that its 'Parasurama Maharshi' who uplifted Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe and installed the idol of Ayyappa at Sabarimala.
To enter the Sabarimala temple, the pilgrim has to pass Pathinettampadi (holy eighteen steps). The holly eighteen steps that lead to the shrine have been figuratively called Ponnu Pathinettampadi, 'Ponnu' being an epithet to denote the holy touch of lord's feet. But now 'Ponnu' has become literally true because the steps have been covered with Panchaloham. Each of these eighteen holy steps represents a desire one must conquer in life, it is believed. Only those who observe 41 day's of austerity as ritual can only carry erumudi and can climb these steps

.

Birla Mandir Jaipur

Birla Mandir, Jaipur also known as Laxmi Narayan Temple is a Hindu temple  in Jaipur. The grand temple is located on an elevated ground at the base of Moti Dungari hill in Rajasthan. Temple looks stunning, when it is brightly lit in the night. The temple was built during the year 1988, by Birla Group of Industries. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Narayan), the preserver and his consort Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. Birla Mandir is constructed using the finest quality of white marble. The beautiful white marble temple mesmerizes the onlookers, when it glows at night. Stained glass windows depict the scenes from Hindu scriptures. Ganesh the protector of households, is above the lintel, and the fine quality of marble is evident when you enter the temple and look back at the entrance way. The images of Lakshmi and Narayan attract the attention, being made out from one piece of marble. The Laxmi Narayan Mandir is a modern architectural marvel, surrounded by lush green gardens. The fascinating exteriors of the temple are carved splendidly with beautiful sculptures based on mythological themes, while the interiors have a large marble panel portraying mythological events.
source of information; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Mandir,_Jaipur

BIRLA MANDIR SECUNDERABAD

Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple, built on a 280 feet (85 m) high hillock called Naubath Pahadt. The construction took 10 years and was constructed in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. The temple was constructed by Birla Foundation..The granite idol of presiding deity Lord Venkateswara is about 11 ft (3.4 m) tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella on the top. There is a brass flagstaff in the temple premises which rises to a height of 42 ft (13 m).
Apart from the main shrine, the consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati and Andal are housed in separate shrines. The temple also has separate shrines for various Hindu gods and goddess including Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman,Brahma, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Saibaba. Selected teachings of holy men and Gurbani are engraved on temple walls. Birla temples are open to all, as identified by Mahatma Gandhi and other Hindu leaders.