Ananthapuram Sree Krishna Swamy temple is located near Thammanam, Kochi (Ernakulam) in Kerala. The 8-day annual festival in the shrine is observed in Medam month in such a manner that the Arattu festival is observed on Thiruvonam Nakshatra day. It is believed that the murti consecration or prathishta was performed by Vilwamangalam Swamiyar. The deity faces east. The temple has a beautiful murti of Sri Narayana Guru. The temple is also famous for its mural paintings. The festival in the temple is noted for traditional dance and folk performances.

Elavumthitta Devi temple is located on the Chengannur – Pathanamthitta route on the Mezhuveli village in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala. The annual festival begins on the Aswathy Nakshatra in Kumbha month and ends with arattu on Pooyam nakshatra day. The annual festival in the temple is famous for Kettukazhcha. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga who faces east. A specialty of the murti worshipped here is that it only has one eye. As the murti is without an eye it is also known as ‘Pottakanni.’ The murti in the temple was installed by Rishishwaran. The temple originally belonged to the Pandalam kovilakam. The subsidiary deities worshipped in the temple are Ganapati, Shiva, Sastha, Rakshas and Nagas.

Udiyanoor Shiva Temple, or Udiyanoor Mahadeva temple, is located at Nalanchira on the Kesavadasapuram – Vembayam route in Thiruvananthapuram. The annual festival in the temple is observed for six days in such a manner that the festival ends with arattu on the Mahashivratri day. Udiyanoor Shiva Temple is unique because the shrine has two temples worshipping diametrically opposite forms of Shiva. The temple below or thazhe kshetram has the fierce Aghora Shiva. The upper temple or mele kshetram has Shanta Shivan or peaceful form of Shiva. Both the deities face east and the Sreekovil is round. The temples belonged to two brothers of Edayanathu Madam. It is believed that the elder brother propitiated peaceful Shiva and got darshan of him here. The fierce young brother worshipped Aghora Shiva and got darshan of him here. It is said that the younger brother died soon after having darshan and puja of Aghora Shiva. There was chitchat that the elder brother might have killed the younger br

Pamba Ganapathy Temple , also known as Pampa Ganapathi Kovil, is dedicated to Ganesha. This is the first temple and holy spot on the way from Pamba to Sannidhanam – the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple . Prayers are offered here for a safe trek to Sannidhanam. The main offering at Pampa Ganapathi Temple is coconut. Devotees break a coconut here before climbing the mountain. Devotees visiting the Ayyappa Temple should carry an extra coconut to break it at this shrine. The temple also has subsidiary shrines dedicated to Nagarajavu (Serpent deity), Goddess Parvati Devi, Adimoola Ganapati, Hanuman Swami, and Bhagvan Sri Ram. The river bank or arat kadavu in front of the Ganapathi Temple at Pampa is the spot where the utsava murti of Ayyappa from Sannidhanam is taken for ceremonial purification at the end of 10-day Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple festival (March – April). On the same day after the purification ritual, the utsava murti or procession idol of Lord Ayyappa is

Arakkulam Sastha Temple, also known as Arakkulam Dharmasastha Temple, is located on the Thodupuzha-Muttom-Idukki route and is around 17 km from Thodupuzha. The shrine is dedicated to Sastha or Ayyappa and Shiva. The annual festival in the temple is held from the 11 th to 18 th day of Makaram month. Arakkulam Dharmasastha Temple History This is an important Hindu temple in Idukki District. As per local history, on the priests of famous Sabarimala Temple was from Karott madam. When the priest became old, he could not trek the hill to reach the Sabarimala temple and perform the poojas. So he ardently prayed for the blessings of Ayyappa. Sabarimala Ayyappa blessed him in his dream saying that His presence will always be there at the courtyard of his illam. Next day when the priest woke up, he saw an arrow secured firmly on the ground in upright position and vibrating in the courtyard. The priest thus felt the presence of Ayyappa and installed the murti at that point and started worship

Kaula in Hindu religion is a person who performs one of the forms of Tantric worship. The Kaula sect is a highly specialized group of advanced seekers of Tantra. They belong to Shakta School and worship one or numerous forms of Mother Goddess Shakti. Kularnava Tantra describes Kulachara as the highest form of Tantric Worship. Kulachara means the traditional religious observances peculiar to a family. It has a mysterious meaning in Tantric worship. A Kaula uses as means of worship those very things which are usually considered most dangerous for spiritual seekers. They are called Pancha Tattva or Pancha Makaras. There are two divisions of Kaula worshippers namely, Purva Kaulas and Uttara Kaulas. Purva Kaula worship Mother Goddess in the form of Sri Chakra. This form of worship is known as Sri Vidya. The Uttara Kaula does not practice his worship alone in Tantra, but he practices it with a young woman as his partner. The female partner is called Shakti or Va

Chhath Puja dedicated to Lord Surya (the sun god) is a 4-day puja which begins on the fourth day after Diwali in the month of Kartik (October – November) in Shak Samvat calendar. Millions of Hindus who live along Ganga River and Kosi River mainly (chiefly Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh) or trace their roots to the region observe Chhath. Worship of Surya – the Sun God – goes back to the Vedic age, where he is the creator and nourisher. Hymns dedicated to Surya are scattered across the Vedas and the most popular being the Gayatri Mantra. The origin of Chhath Puja is lost in the obscure misty millennia of ages past. Perhaps the worship might have begun the day man realized the value of Sun (Surya) and how his survival is dependent on this massive fireball that appears without fail each morning and disappears in the evening. There is a popular belief that Chhath worship was started by the great warrior Karna of the Mahabharata. Karna is the son of Lord Surya and Kunti.

Pandav Panchami is observed on the fifth day of the waxing phase of moon (Shukla Paksha) in Kartik month as per traditional Hindu calendar. Pandava Panchami is believed to be the day when Pandavas completed the thirteen year exile. Pandav Panchami 2023 date is November 18. After having lost the game of dice in the Mahabharata to Shakuni and Duryodhana, Pandavas had to go on a 13-year exile. Arjun appeared before the Kaurava Army to defend the kingdom of Virat on this day. Bhishma reminded Duryodhana that the Pandavas had completed the 12-year exile in forest and one year of disguise among people on the Kartik Shukla Panchami day. The day is observed as Labh Pancham in Gujarat .

Call it superstition or foolishness; there are many people who still search for Vashikaran mantra out of desperation and as a last resort. There is a widespread belief that Shiva Vashikaran mantra for love will help in getting the desired boy or girl. Here is the Shiva Vashikaran Mantra for love. Shiva Vashikaran Mantra ॐ नमो आदेश गुरु को , यतिनाथ अर्बुदाचल पर्वत पर रहेने वाले , पुरब से आवो पच्छिम से आवो उत्तर से आवो दक्षिण से आवो , आवो बाबा यतिनाथ मेरा कारज सिद्ध करो , दुहाई।। How to Chant Shiva Vashikaran Mantra? To mantra should be chanted for 21 days starting on a Monday. After taking bath before sunrise offer prayers to Ganesha in mind. Wear white color cloth and sit facing east. Make a Shivling using turmeric powder and offer puja and worship. Chant the mantra 108 times keep count on a Rudraksha mala. Please note that there is a big difference between love and lust. Try to attain mental purity before attempting any mantras.

Swami Yuktatmananda answers the question how to become free from desire. Very few people are even aware that they are in bondage, that they are enslaved by their senses and mind. The only freedom they know is freedom for the mind and the senses.  Only by God's grace do we become aware of bondage, and begin to strive for freedom from the mind and the senses. This happens at the right time. We do not begin to seek God until we are through with desire for enjoyment. When we are disgusted with worldly pleasure, we begin to truly seek God and He responds to us. Till then, God does not forcibly wean us from worldly pleasure. He lets us play with the objects of the world as long as we like. According to the Bhagavad Gita (7.3), only very few among thousands strive for perfection; among such rare ones only one perhaps knows God in Reality. How to Become Free from Desire? Disciplining the senses: Sri Krishna prescribes sense control as the first discipline to free one