May 4, 2017 by anilrajput

Yatra Chardham for Senior Citizens

The Yatra Chardham which is the devout wish of an any Sanatan Hindu , Shivaite or Vishnuite is done in the Gharwal region of Uttrakhand state of North India, since 1980 we are making the travel arrangements for pilgrims in this area, I have seen the Senior Citizens accompanying their families and trying to keep a pace with the youngsters to make their pilgrimage to these holy places, not knowing about the difficulties, unpredictable weather and the high altitude sickness because of thin air and less oxygen, in travel and quite often it is the high emotional feeling of doing it by foot as a devotional duty towards the God.

Puja at Hardwar

The entire journey which is performed by the people from all over India gathers at Haridwar or Rishikesh starts the 12 -14 days journey within the Himalayas with almost every day travelling around 200-250 kms. on single road which are prone to land slides, falling rocks, heavy rains or may be simply the heavy traffic in both directions on road and once we reach the destination may be one is to wait in a queue to have a pooja or just a darshan of few minutes, choice of food is the major problem, fresh vegetables and milk are rare, one is to compromise on whatever is available and most important the good comfortable place where one can have full rest at night and facilities of daily use.

Sri Badrinath Ji Temple at night

Quite often, Senior Citizens are unable to travel because someone from their family is not accompanying them, the entire journey is comfortable and our experienced representative is with the Seniors, hiring of a vehicle with good ground clearance and comfortable seats, there are breaks in the journey at places where there are good facilities and good refreshments available, a prior information about the medical needs of person travelling, contacts of medical facilities available on the route which may be helpful in case of any emergencies. Food served on this route is vegetarian, the accommodations are arranged on ground floor with hot water in the bathrooms, beds are soft and warm, places are at high altitude, heaters and fire in the rooms are not allowed, providing guests with hot water bottles to keep the body warm in the bed. Accommodations are selected close to the roads .

Palki being carried by the porters at Yamunotri

At Yamunotri, arrangements of Palki it is carried by four porters, Phata to Kedarnath is by helicopter and if desired the distance from helipad to the main shrine is arranged by a porter carrying a person in a basket chair, Gangotri and Badrinath are at comfortable walking distance, at all shrines arrangement of priority darshan.
Good warm clothes, woolen socks, woolen cap and gloves are must, before starting for the pilgrimage. Good water-proof shoes should be worn and one must start using them at least 15 days before starting the journey, sandals and slippers should not be used for walking ( Treking) , wind cheater or rain coat is always recommended, one must drink a lot of water because most of pilgrims fall ill due to dehydration and Cold .

Sri Gangotri Temple

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April 20, 2016 by anilrajput

Chausath Yogini Temple , Morena ,Gwalior

Built by the Pratihara ruler Maharaj Devapal in the year 1323 AD as per the inscription found here , circular temple, built over a rock hill , using red and brown-colored sandstone found abundantly in this area . the British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker who designed the Parliament House in 1927, found his inspiration in the temple. Once a well-known tantric center and some people still perform tantric rituals , this place is situated in dry rocky region , located in Rithora area of Morena Distt. about 45 km from Gwalior ,

Chaushath Yogini Mandir , Morena , Gwalior

A circular structure of 170 ft radius atop a 100 ft mount, One needs to trek by about 200 steps to reach the temple, the path is very well maintained. The temple has 64 (Chausath) rooms and a big courtyard. There is only one small entrance from East , after entering there is a corridor on left and right side , to reach the central platform there is flight of stairs again on the East direction.

Central Platform Chaushath Yogini Mandir , Gwalior

In the circular courtyard there is a corridor supported by stone pillars one side open space and other side is a row of small 64 rooms with a flat roof , in the center there is a pillared stage with a flat roof , it appears that there were shikhars over all the rooms and the central stage , there are four pedestals found with the names of the Yoginis mentioned on them which confirms it is a Yogini Temple.

Corridor Chaushath Yogini Temple , Gwalior

There was a time when each chamber had an idol of Yogini accompanying Shiva. While some Yogini idols were stolen, some others are adorning Indian museums.

Fossil Rock , Chaushath Yogini Temple Gwalior

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March 31, 2016 by anilrajput

Char Dham Yatra, Holiest Pilgrimage in Himalayas

Char Dham Yatra is the holiest of journey for Hindus in Uttarakhand Himalayas, this pilgrimage starts with the opening of the doors (Kapat) of four temples, are closed during the winters due to heavy snow , normally opening of doors is announced on Shivaratri. This year 2016 journey starts from 8th May with opening of Kapats (Doors) 09 May Sri Yamunotri, Sri Gangotri 09 May, Sri Kedarnath and Sri Badrinath on 11May.
The Starting point Yamunotri
The journey starts from Rishikesh full day road journey passing through Dharsu, Sayanachatti and Barkot, entire route is full of beautiful view of snow capped Banderpunch Range, Pine forests and water falls, pilgrims stay at Hanuman Chatti or Barkot, where most of the hotels, guest houses and dharamshalas are situated, it is also confluence of river Hanuman Ganga and river Yamuna . Next day one is to cover 6 Kms by Jeeps/SUVs up to Janki Chatti , there are guest houses with basic facilities at Janki Chatti the trek 6 Kms . to the Yamunotri Temple starts from here , it is on the left bank of the river, a hot water spring is near the temple the “Surya Kund” , pilgrims tie potatoes and rice in cloth dip in boiling hot water of Surya Kund , so cooked rice is taken as prasad back home, pilgrims take bath at “Gauri Kund“ which has hot water suitable for bathing. Prayers are offered first at the “Divya Shila“ a Black stone slab then in the Temple. The actual source of river is further ahead 1 Km at Champasar Glacier on Kalind Mountain, it is very difficult to reach there, people offer the prayers at the temple situated at the foot hill . Pilgrims return same day and take rest for the next day onward journey to the Gangotri.

The next stop Gangotri
To reach Gangotri we have to returned to Dharsu and then drive to Uttarkashi to reach Harsil a 250 Kms drive, it is a small town famous for its natural beauty, apple orchards, trekking routes to lakes and undiscovered stretches of grassy meadows. One can reach Gangotri by road from here distance 23 Kms passing through pine forests , transport is available till the Temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga, on the banks of River Bhagirathi, the glacier mouth is further ahead 18 kms trek, towards Gaumukh, The Ganges is known as Bhagirathi here, it unites with Alaknanda at Devprayag to form Ganges. Temple is at a very picturesque location amidst high mountains , towards east is the Gaumukh Glacier. It is here the Bhagirath shila where King Bhagirath performed the tapasya to bring Ganga from the heavens to earth, water is ice cold here , it is difficult to stay in water for even half a minute. This place is at a height of 3142 meters . Those who want to trek to Gaumukh can spend two more days, which needs clearance from the local authorities, the trek passes through Chirwasa and Bhojwasa, Gaumukh is one of the Largest Glacier in the World, on the way one can find the Ibexes(Snow Goat) grazing on high mountains, the opening of glacier to from where it releases water to form Bhagirathi is a shape of Cows mouth that is why it is called Gaumukh. From here one can have a panoramic view of mountains, Shivaling (6540 meters), Meru (6660 meters) and Bhagirathi (6500 meters).

Ma Gangotri Temple

Sri Kedarnath – Lord Shiva’s Abode

Next place in Chardham Yatra is Sri Kedarnath, Harsil to Uttarkashi is 69 Kms, then to Guptkashi is 230 kms, Total journey time is about 10 hrs. Passing through Srinagar, Uttarakhand, This route is followed by River Mandakini. Hotels, camps and guest houses at Guptkashi are available at a very reasonable price. Morning starts by a travel upto Gauri Kund , a motor able road or to Phata from where Helicopter Service is available to Kedarnath. Gauri Kund the starting point of Kedarnath trek is a hot water spring, here the Goddess Parvathi lived and performed sadhna to please Lord Shiva to finally got married to him. It is also the place where Lord Ganesha acquired the elephant head. 15 kms trek from here is very tough and takes about 4-5 hours. Rambara . From Rambara the Yatris cross the River Mandakini to reach Limchuli and then to Kedarnath temple . It is at the height of 3585 meters situated near the head of river Mandakini, surrounded by snow capped mountains, it’s name is derived from the King Kedar in the Satya Yuga, his daughter Vrinda who is also an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, this temple existed in the Mahabharata period, when Pandavas performed tapasya (prayers) to please Lord Shiva. It was here the Adi Shankaracharya took samadhi at the age of 32 years, soon after establishing the four sacred dhams, it is considered a must visit place, there is a small hot water spring which gives relief to the pilgrims from the tiredness of hard journey, there are dharamsalas, camps and small guest houses, the temple opens at 6 o’clock in the morning and closes in the evening, Kedarnath is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlings, it is built of massive stone slabs over a rectangular platform, here Lord Shiva who was evading the Pandavas hide himself as a bull, on being followed, he dived in the ground leaving behind the hump, the conical rock inside the temple is worshiped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form, outside the temple there is a large statue of Nandi Bull as a guard. After the floods of year 2013 a big boulder named as Divya Shila is also worshiped as it saved the temple by obstructing the flow of flood water to cause any damage to the temple.
One has to be careful while staying at night here because of low oxygen concentration at this altitude. Pilgrims are advised not to exert themselves too much and breathe normal.
Staying overnight and performing poojas in the morning one returns to Gauri Kund and drive to Joshimath, there are two routes, one is which normally pilgrims take is driving through Rudrapryag, second is through Chopta which is the most beautiful, passing through dense forests of Mandal and Gopeshwar, from Chopta one can take a trek to Tungnath, it is Lord Shiva’s temple situated at about 4 kms trek from Chopta. Drive to Joshimath is about 7 hrs. It is better to stay night in Joshimath and take a morning drive to Sri Badrinath a 44 kms distance is very rough and takes about 4 hrs drive , on the way is Gobind Ghat from where trek for The Hemkund Sahib, Laxman Temple and Valley of Flowers starts.

Sri Badrinath The Lord Vishnu Dham

Shri Badrinath Dham is the temple dedicated to lord Vishnu’s dual form Nara-Naryana, the temple is 15 meters tall with top covered with gold gilt roof, it is built of stone with arched windows, the main entrance is a arched gate, inside is mandapa a large pillared hall leading to the Garbha Griha. It is surrounded by Nara-Narayan peaks and in the backdrop is the Neelkanth peak. Legends says that to reduce the impact of Ganga on earth it was split into twelve rivers and one of them is river Alaknanda, the other legend is that the Pandavas passed through Badridham and to Mana village to ended their life by climbing the heights of peak Swargarohini, there is a cave near the village Mana where the Vyas Rishi complied the Mahabharata. Before entering the temple, pilgrims must take bath in hot water spring at the Tapta Kund and Surya Kund fed by thermal sulphar springs, the boiling hot water falls into ice cold water of Alaknanda creates the steam over the water surface. North of the temple is a Bharama Kapal where Lord Bharama is said to reside, here the last rites of departed souls are performed. There are lots of other places around like foot prints of Lord Narayana on rock is about 3 kms called Charan Paduka, over a kilometer on the other side of river is Shesh Netra, the eye of Shesh Nag on which the Lord Vishnu rests is seen on a rock, about 8 km. is the source of Alaknanda the Bhagirath Kharak and Satopantha Glaciers this place is called Alka Puri. One can return same day to Joshimath or stay one night to visit all these places. Sri Badri Dham is also referred as Badri Vishal thus giving the supreme status among the all Dhams.

Sri Badrinath Ji Temple

Returning Home

One may stay a full day at Joshimath , take an excursion to Auli which is at the height of 3050 meters, there are Taxis available to reach a famous winter sports destination for Skiing, there is a rare medicinal plants nursery and little above one can trek to Gorson, Tali, Kauri Pass, Khulara and Tapovan. One can have a panoramic view of Himalayan mountain range of Nanda Devi (7818 meters), Mana (7272 meters), Kamet (7728 meters), Mount Neelkanth, Mount Chaukhamba (6874 meters), Mount Hathi Ghora Palki. One can also visit Vishnu Pryag, the confluence of River Alaknanda and Dhauli Ganga from Joshimath .
Return journey starts from Joshimath passing through Rudraprayag and Srinagar, Dev Prayag and reaching Rishikesh/Hardwar a 250/275 km. journey for a night stay, participating at Aarti at Ganga Ghats and to leave for home next day.
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January 2, 2016 by anilrajput

Ghantiyali Mata Temple Tanot Jaisalmer Rajasthan

Ghantiyali Mata temple is situated on main Jaisalmer – Ramgarh – Tanot highway , 110 km from Jaisalmer , just 09 Km. before Tanot , situated between the beautiful yellow Sand Dunes .

Sand Dunes at Gantiyali Mata Temple Tanot Jaisalmer

It is considered must to visit this temple first before Ma Tanot Temple . Ma Ghantiyali is sister of Ma Tanot and showed miracles at the same place before the temple was established and then in 1965 AD war with Pakistan.

Ghantiyali Mata Mandir , Tanot , Jaisalmer

How did the temple come at this place? According to a legend , a village nearby was overrun by a rival community and every one was killed except for one pregnant lady who was away at her mother’s village , this lady gave birth to a son , after few years when this boy grew up, started inquiring about his family and father , mother narrated the whole story to his son. This young boy was full of anger and pledged to take a revenge. One day this young boy took his sword and left his house to take his revenge , after few days, thirsty and tired, when he reached this spot, he saw a little girl who served him with a pot of water , the boy thanked her and asked her who she was, as there was no village nearby. The little girl told him that she knew about his arrival and blessed him ” his mission will be successful “. The boy said she is not aware of for what mission he has left his home , the little girl replied that “she knows every thing “ she also instructed him that he will kill only one person . The boy reached his destined village where he saw a marriage celebrations was on , he quietly killed one of the guest and went in hiding , when guests saw one of their member is killed , in the confusion they accused the host villagers and in fighting killed each other . This boy’s mission got accomplished and returned to the place in search of the same little girl , not finding her there he wanted to kill himself as a gratitude , little girl who was Ma Ghantiyali appeared and instructed the boy to make a temple and let the people know about her.

Broken Idols by Pakistani Army in 1965 War

Second miracle happened in 1965 AD during India’s war with Pakistan. The Pakistani army had invaded and captured the temple , they left a few soldiers here , and then proceeded to capture Ramgarh further ahead , few of the Pakistani soldiers at temple started vandalizing the temple and the idols. Some of there fellow soldiers objected and they killed many of their fellow comrades , it is said when some soldiers who tried steal the gold and silver ornaments from the temple, they somehow became blind. The remainder soldiers marched towards Ramgarh to join their army, nearing Ramgarh the Pakistani soldiers who were already there misunderstood their men as Indian soldiers and approaching soldiers misunderstood that there are Indian soldiers at Ramgarh and in firing from both side killed each other .

Ghantiyali Mata Temple Tanot Jaisalmer

The management to look after for day to day affairs , Aarti and other arrangements are with the Border Security Force (BSF) of India , there no villages or shops nearby , one can spend a night here only after the permission from the BSF .
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January 1, 2016 by anilrajput

Tanot Rai Mata Temple Jaisalmer Rajasthan

Tanot Rai Mata Temple is situated very close to the India Pakistan border about 120 km from Jaisalmer . In Vikram Samvat 847 (792 AD) the City and Fort of Tanot was made capital by the Bhati King Tanu Rao and the Goddess Mata Tanot Rai , the incarnation of The Mata Hinglaj whose main temple is in Baluchistan now in Pakistan, was established as a Siddha Peetha in Vikram Samvat 888 ( 832AD) , since then the generations of Bhati Rajputs , people of Jaisalmer and surrounding areas pay respect to Mata Tanot Rai as their Kul – Devi . In 12th Centenary the Bhati King Maha Rawal Jaisal, shifted their capital to Loduvra, Jaisalmer for strategic reasons but the temple of Mata Tanot Rai remained here .

Mata Tanot Rai , Tanot , Jaisalmer

The main Idol is the yellow mud colored rectangular slab, it is a Siddha Sthanm established in Vikram Samvat 888 (832 AD) , the Idol of Mata ji which we see in front is installed by the Border Security Force of India (BSF) , this temple has earned a undisputed respect and special place from the Armed Forces and the BSF because of the miracles in 1965 AD and then in 1971 AD war with Pakistan . There are temples of Lord Hanuman Ji , Lord Shiva , Ma Mansa Devi where pilgrims tie their handkerchief as a prayer to get the wishes fulfilled , Bhairo and a Mazar of a Pir Baba
The legend is that the Hinglaj Mata is a Shakti Peetha of Ma Sati worshiped in the form of Ma Durga or Devi , the main temple is in Baluchistan now in Pakistan , pleased with the worship of a person name Mamadia from village Chelak in Jaisalmer , gave him a Boon that she will take birth as his daughter, in the year Vikram Samvat 808 Chaitra Sudi 9th day on a Tuesday ( 752 AD) took birth , daughter was named as Avad Devi and then the other six sisters named Ashi , Seti , Gehli , Hol , Roop and Lang were born , Mata Avad Devi showed her miracles in due course of time and also came to be known as Nagrenchi , Kale Dungar Rai , Bhojaseri , Deg Rai , Tebher Rai and then the Tanot Rai .
The miracles shown during the war with Pakistan , in October 1965 the Pakistani Army entered into Indian territory from two places Kishen Garh and Sadewala but could not reach this place in spite of heavy Artillery Shelling and fierce gun battle . Locals claimed that Ma Tanot Rai appeared in the dreams of few Indian Soldiers and said she will protect them until they remain in the temple area. It is said that out of more than Three Thousand bombs fired , Four hundred and Fifty bombs fell within the temple complex but either went blind or could not explode, encouraged by this miracle , Indian soldiers retaliated with Two Companies of BSF and One Battalion of Grenadiers with the blessings of Ma Tanot Rai repulsed and broke the backbone of One Brigade of Pakistani Army who retreated back leaving behind hundreds of their dead soldiers , Tanks and trucks .

Unexploded bombs fired by Pakistan army at Ma Tanot Rai Temple

After the 1965 War the Border Security Force established a regular post and took over the management and perform the daily two time Aarti at Mata Tanot Rai Temple . Mata Tanot Rai is considered to be the guardian of all the sons of the motherland who are posted in this sector. Any armed Forces personal, who joins for duty in this sector, irrespective of his religion he belongs to, first pays respects at this holy shrine.
Again on the night of 4th December 1971 Pakistan army attacked from Longewala side with One Infantry Brigade and one Armour Regiment , the Indian army of One Company strength of Punjab Regiment and One Company of BSF with small weapons repulsed the attack with the blessings of Ma Tanot Rai , Pakistani army retreated , leaving behind the 34 destroyed tanks and over 100 other vehicles many killed soldiers , only two of the Indian soldiers got martyrdom in this battle.

War Victory Memorial at the entrance of Ma Tanot Rai Temple

Every year on 16 December Vijay Divas is celebrated at the Memorial Pillar at entrance of Ma Tanot Temple to remember the heroic deeds of our soldiers . Twice a year during the Navratras ( April and September ) nine days Langar (community free kitchen ) and celebrations are organised by the Border Security Force .
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December 23, 2015 by anilrajput

Somnath Temple , Gujarat

The Somnath Temple , Gujarat also mentioned as Deo Pattan, Prabhas Pattan, or Somnath Pattan is situated in Prabhas Kshetra , of Viraval town on the South – West cost of Gujarat state of India , is one of the twelve Jotirlings Shrine of Lord Shiva , the location of this temple, Strange but fact , it lies in a straight line to South Pole, in between there is only water. no land mass other than the Antarctica ice in between .

Somnath Temple Gujarat

The research done by the Vadic Shodh Sanatan Varanasi on ancient Hindu Puranas (classical text) Prabhas Khand of Skandh Puran. The first Jyotirling Pran Pratistha at Somnath Temple was performed on the third day of Shukla Paksha of Shravan month of the 10^th Treta Yug of Vaivaswati Manvantar i.e. over 70 million years ago .

Somnath Temple at night

The present temple structure was constructed over the ruins of the old temple, the reconstruction, the pran pratishtha was done on 11 May 1951 by the then President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad, it was completed and dedicated to the worshipers on 1^st December 1995 by the then President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma .
According to legends the first temple was built by Lord Chandra (Moon God) to be relieved from the curse of his father-in-law, Dakasha Prajapati, whose 27 daughter was married to Chandra. Because of curse, Lord Chandra had lost its luster. Then advice from Lord Brahma, Chandra worship Lord Shiva at this place (Prabhas Tirtha). Pleased with the devotion and (penance) Tapasya Lord blessed him to be partly relieved from the curse , which resulted in fifteen days of reducing shine (Krishna Paksha) and fifteen days for increase in shine ( Shulka Paksha ) In praise , Lord Chandra built a temple in gold. It is said Ravana the king of Lanka and devotee of Lord Shiva built it in silver followed by Lord Krishna built the temple in sandalwood and in the 10th century it was rebuilt in stone by King Bhimdev Solanki.

Somnath Temple in the morning

This temple Somnath (the protector of Moon God) and “The shrine eternal” although the temple has been destroyed six times, it has been rebuilt every time. “The Somnath temple signifies that the power of reconstruction is always greater than the power of destruction”
It is said Lord Brahama installed a Bharama Shila and paved way for the construction of the temple. It is also said the Lord Chandra and the other Deva’s requested Lord Shiva to be known as Somchandra and reside in the form of Jotirlinga here eternally.
There are other significant places as per Hindu mythology to visit are Bhalka Tirath , here Lord Krishna was shot by an arrow in his foot, this place have a temple and a legendary tree under which Lord Krishna was taking rest .

Hiran , Kapila and Saraswati Triveni Ghat

Triveni Ghat where three rivers Hiran , Kapila and legendry Saraswati meets . The temple built by Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore , The cave dedicated to Lord Krishna’s brother Balram , where he transformed into a snake and went to Patal Lok. A cave and a temple dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya where he meditated more than thousand years ago .
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November 10, 2015 by anilrajput

Lakshmana Temple of Love Khajuraho Madhya Pradesh

Lakshmana Temple of Love Khajuraho Madhya Pradesh dedicated to Lord Vaikuntha Vishnu,it is a Vaishnava temple, built by the Chandela King Yashovarman . Inscriptions on a slab excavated here installed in the passage confirms its construction during 900 AD to 950 AD. It is the first temple in the Eastern Group of Temples The UNESCO World Heritage Site

Laxmana Temple Khajuraho

The Temple is raised in the center of a high rectangular platform Jagati with four small temples one on each corner hence called a Panchyatana Plan construction , the temple structure is built consisting of all the elements of a Hindu Temple Architecture , The Lakshman Temple stands like a giant mountain of stone at the center. The East facing temple , the porch has a pretty Toran or stone garland above the entrance leading to the Mandapa and then to the assembly area the Maha Mandapa , the main deity is installed in the Garbhagriha , the small area between the Mahamandapa and the Garbhagriha is the Antrayalya , the devotees seek blessings standing in the Antrayalaya . Its Shikhara ( the top) is clustered with small Urushringha . The main image Idol of Vaikantha Vishnu in the Garbahgriha is with four arms and having three faces , front is of a human , one side is Boar the third incarnation ( the Varaha) and the other side is of a Lion the forth incarnation of the Lord Vishnu ( the Narsinmha ).

Dancing Lord Ganesha , Row of Elephants holding the entire weight of temple on their shoulders , Lakshmana temple Khajuraho

There is an abundance of sculptured masterpieces on its outer walls on the south side the exterior temple wall is divided into several bands , the lowest is the base of the temple , a row of elephants that peep out of the base as if they are carrying the weight of the stone on their stable shoulders, between the elephants are warriors protecting the temple , panel depicts a bearded Fire God( Agni Dev) beneath is the figure of the divine bridegroom walking in procession accompanied by musicians. It is only here out of all the temples in Khajuraho the Camels are carved.

Two Camels at Laxmana Temple Khajuraho

On the north side one of the elephant naughtily gazes at a couple making love .

Elephant forgets to crush the person , laughing at couple in love act Lakshmana Temple Khajuraho

Above the elephants there are carved flowers and leaf motifs, a narrow panel depicting court life and erotic scenes , tall base of the temple is decorated with ornamental niches, with an adorable figure of dancing Lord Ganesh in the first followed by images of the seven principal male deities of the Hindu Gods . There are images of the Dikhpalas placed at and facing the directions that they Protect . Beside the deities are the gorgeous figures of women, each engaged in some worldly activity before she realizes the presence of the divine surrounding her .

Love making Couple with helpers playing music

portrayals of women attired in traditional costume, flimsy fine textiles wound around the waist while the torso and arms and neck are adorned only in jewelry. There are ladies applying make-up, taking off their clothes, gazing into a mirror , a seductive woman scrubbing her arched back an elegant young woman who has lifted up her foot is being inspected by an attendant carrying a satchel.
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September 17, 2015 by anilrajput

Abhaneri Step-Well: Architectural Wonder of 8th century

Abhaneri – A Small Village near Jaipur, Rajasthan

Abhaneri is a small village in Rajasthan near Jaipur, while driving on National Highway 11A towards Agra, after crossing Dausa at Sikandara take a left turn on a State Highway 25 to Bandikui, then turn right at Gular Chauraha for Abhaneri, total distance from Jaipur is 96 Kms, upon entering into the Abhaneri, first visible structure is a ruins of a Hindu temple of Goddess Harshat Mata built in 7-8th century AD, considered to be Goddess of Joy and Happiness, it is built on a double platform, on the walls are the statues & sculptures of Gods and Goddesses which depict images from daily life, built by King Chand, ruins of the temple still boasts the architectural and sculptural richness of medieval India, this city was known as “Abha Nagari“.
The Harshad Mata Temple built around 7-8 century AD
The Harshat Mata Temple built around 7-8 century AD

The walls of the temple carved with images and sculptures of Gods and Goddesses depicting images from daily life
Chand Baori, A Step-Well
Just next to the temple is a enclosed rectangular courtyard type of structure, upon entering one reaches a Jharokha and coming down stairs on left one can see, the Baori (Step-Well) on right, something which is unique to India, it is a water reservoir which not only has water also respite from heat in dry summers it is about 64 ft deep narrowing towards the bottom criss-crossing steps provided with double flight of steps on three sides reach the the water surface, it is one of the deepest and the largest step-well in India, the geometrical pattern of stairs gives the different magical images of the stairs, the light and shadow makes one spell bound, the stairs are on the three sides while on the one side are the three storied pavilion with beautiful carved jharokhas, the galleries supported on Pillars and two projecting balconies enshrining beautiful sculptures. This surrounding area is semi desert, shrubs and small trees mainly the Kikar and Ber (Ber Berry), Amla (Goose berry) are found, there are only two seasonal rivers Banganga and Morle, agriculture is totally dependent on rains and ground water. Chand Raja was from the Gujara Pratihara clan claiming to be the descendant of Lord Ram’s younger brother Laxman, they were at their peak during 6-10th century AD, almost North of India, founder of this dynasty was Raja Hari Chandra and once dominated the Rajasthan, their capital city was Mandore near Jodhpur, during this period open pavilion temples were built the best examples are the temples are at Khajuraho in Madhya Paradesh and Osian in Rajasthan.

The beautiful arched hallway in front of the step-well adds to the beauty of Abhaneri Step-Well

[quote]The front view of the Abhaneri Step-Well, A Marvelous piece of Architecture[/quote]

Full view of the stairs of the Abhaneri Step-Well, which gives a sense of magical touch

A closer look on the double flight stairs of the Abhaneri Step-Well

The magical look of the stairs in the Step-Well

Anil Kumar Rajput – Managing Director at Promark Travel, is in the travel trade since 1980, Hes has worked in India and abroad. A boxer, a Rifle Shooter and a Para Jumper in his college days, as a Boy Scout and NCC cadet, attended camps at many places which developed his interest in traveling and to explore new places, trekking and photography, loves driving to adventurous places , owns a business (promarktravels.com) which caters all the travel needs of it’s clients. Connect with him on Facebook (htttp://www.facebook.com/anil.k.rajput) and Twitter (@PromarkTravels)

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June 23, 2015 by anilrajput

Hemkund Sahib Trek opens

Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara

The famous pilgrimage in Himalayas Chardham opened from May , the Hemkund Sahib and Lokpal Temple 10 km trek is open from Gobind Ghat to Ghangharia and then 5 km steep climb to the main shrine . Each year Advance party a team of Indian Army soldiers first climb up this trek and declare its condition to open the route ,
Group of priests and pilgrims then follows to reach the valley with a Lake called Hemkund ( Pool of Ice ) a high-altitude lake (4329 m) surrounded by seven snow caped mountains collectively called Hemkund Parvat. According to the Dasham Granth , Bichitra Natak ( Authored by 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji) he meditated at this place in his previous birth . This place has a high regards among the Sikh Community . There is a Star shaped Gurudwara where pilgrims pay their respect .
According to the Hindu mythology Rishi Medhasa of the Markandeya Purana and Lakshman, the brother of Lord Ram also meditated here .
Pilgrims are not allowed to stay overnight here , they have to return for a night stay at Ghangharia where there are many guest house and camps, also there is a Gurudwara one can stay in dormitories with common private facilities.
From Govind Ghat palkis , Mules and helicopter service is also available till Ghangharia .
For more information please contact + 91 9810506646
Callers from outside India contact + 44 7700093414
Email: promark@promarktravels.com
Blog: www.promarktravels.com/blog

January 22, 2015 by anilrajput

Shani Dev, Yamuna Temple at Kharsali, Uttarakhand

The beginning point of Chardham Yatra is Yamunotri which lies at an 3293 meters from the sea level, there is a good road till Barkot and then up to Janki Chatti, from here one goes for 6 km uphill difficult trek to Yamunotri, this temple is closed during the winters and the main idol of Maa Yamuna or Yamunotri is kept at Lord Shani Dev temple at Kharsali which lies at 2675 metres from the sea level , till the winter ends. This place is also known as Khushimath is one kilometer from Janki Chatti across the River Yamuna.

Shani Dev Temple at Someshwar

The History and Story
Yamuna, The daughter of the Sun God (Surya) and consciousness Chhaya (the Shadow) she has one sister Sangya, brother Shani Dev, Yamraj and Gangotri are also called her cousin and sister. Every year in the first week of May on “Akshya Tritiya”, Lord Shani Dev accompanies his sister Yamuna to Yamunotri and returns back to Kharsali and again meets to bring her back on the “Bhai Dooj” or “Yam Dwetiya” two days after dipawali it is also a day for Yamuna to meet her brother Yamraj.
Architecture
Who built this temple here at Kharsali, an inscription on stone on its wall could not be translated till now, locals believe it is constructed by the Pandavas, looks more like fort, it is a stone and wooden four story structure. The main structure is constructed in a way by using stones, wood the Urad dal or Vigna mungo (botanical name Lens culinaris) is used as a part of mortar to fix the stones together. It has faced the mighty earthquakes and floods with no damage to the building since immortal time. One can climb up through a narrow stairs, the main Bronze idol of Lord Shani Dev is kept here along with the Chaaya (the Shadow), the Sangya (the conciseness) and the Nag Devta, there are two urns one big and one small are kept and no one touches them because of any unforeseen danger to self or family, there is a belief that these Urns change their position themselves on Purnima (Full moon night) and Amawasya (Dark night) the Yamuna Idol is kept during the winters on the first floor.

The Wall Supports of the Temple

Importance
The importance of this temple is that it is the oldest temple of Lord Shani Dev, he particularly treats the people bad who are habitual betrayals, Back stabbers or into unjust revenges in other words Lord Shani punishes the guilty ones, he is a trouble maker for bad but rewards the good people, any one affected with Shani Sadsati and Shani Dhaiya, if performs pooja here the bad effect of Sadsati and Dhaiya is reduced, anyone if having a fear of Black Magic takes blessings from here is never attacked by its ill effects. Lord Shani Dev rides on a black vulture, carrying arrow, sword and two daggers, always wears black cloths, he has a limp in his one leg.
This photograph of the footbridge across the Yamuna River between Jānkīchaṭṭī and Kharsali was taken from the Jānkīchaṭṭī side of the river

Footbridge to Harsil across the Yamuna at Jankichatti

Religious Beliefs & Practices
During the months of July, August (Sawan and Bhadon) a date is announced by the priest when a Pandava Nritya (dance) is performed by the special people in the courtyard to please the Nag Devta (Snake God), this dance starts after midnight witnessed by the locals from the surrounding villages, it is believed that any one who performs fast on this day and recites the Mahamritunjay Mantra is protected from having unnatural death, this place is also believed to be place where the Nag Devta shows his presence once a year .
Significance of this temple is that after having darshan and pooja at Yamunotri one must pay a respectful visit at this place to make the darshan as complete. One can have a beautiful panaromic view of river Yamuna, Janki Chatti and the snow capped Himalyan Mountain Range.
For more information and packages +91 9810506646
Office Contact 011 – 45725562, 63, 64
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Email : promark@promarktravels.com
Website : yatrachardham.com
Blog : promarktravels.com/blog

About the Author

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[author_image timthumb=’on’]wp-content/uploads/sites/2/authors/anil-rajput.jpg[/author_image]

Anil Kumar Rajput – Managing Director at Promark Travel, is in the Travel Industry since 1980. He travels to write articles and blogs frequently. For more Info Do Visit (promarktravels.com) which caters all the travel needs of it’s clients. Connect with him on Facebook (htttp://www.facebook.com/anil.k.rajput) and Twitter (@PromarkTravels)

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