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Showing posts from January 14, 2022


Anad Parakkal Mandapam Devi Temple – Festival – Thookam

Anad Parakkal Mandapam Devi temple is located at Anad – Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi or Devi. The 10-day annual festival in the temple is held in Kumbha Masam. The annual festival in the temple is famous for Thookam ritual. Other important rituals include urul, kuthiyottam, poomala and Thalappoli. The shrine has a square sanctum sanctorum – chathura sreekovil, kodimaram or flag post and a nalambalam. The shrine observes the annual Navratri, Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadashami. Thrikarthika is another important ritual in the temple.

Balaramapuram Thalayal Shiva Temple - Festival

Balaramapuram Thalayal Shiva temple, also known as Sri Bharadwaja Rishishwara Shiva Kshetram, is located at Thalayal near Balaramapuram in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The 10-day annual festival in the temple is held in Kumbha Masam and coincides with the Mahashivratri festival. The annual festival is famous for dance and music. Various rituals and pujas associated with Shiva temples are observed in the shrine on the occasion. Utsava bali, pushpabhishekam, 108 kalasabhishekam, Nagaroottu, pradosha puja, annadanam, ezhunnallathu atop caparisoned elephant and melam are part of the festival. The festival concludes with arattu ezhunellippu. The shrine observes the Thiruvathira festival in Dhanu Masam with 108 kalasam and sadhya. The last Monday in Vrischika Masam is auspicious in the temple and there is ezhunnallathu. This is a beautiful Kerala style temple with a vatta sreekovil – round sanctum sanctorum. There is a kodimaram, nalambalam and upa devata shrines. The local

Vellimadukunnu Nangolathu Meethal Bhagavathi Temple – Thira Festival

Vellimadukunnu Nangolathu Meethal Bhagavathi temple is located at Vellimadukunnu in Kozhikode district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi. The annual Thira festival in the temple is held in Kumbha Masam. The annual Thira Thalappoli is the most important annual ritual and festival in the temple. The temple is decorated with lamps and flowers on the occasion. Special pujas and rituals are held in the shrine. This is a typical Bhagavathy shrine that one comes across North Kerala. The shrine also observes annual Navratri and Thrikarthika festival.

Vastusar Prakaran – Ancient Text On Hindu And Jaina Architecture

Vastusar Prakaran is an ancient text on architecture written by Thakkura Fera in the 13 th century AD. The text is in Prakrit language and its Sanskrit version is not available. It was first published in 1946. The text has three chapters devoted to the construction of houses, murtis (vigraham) and temples. The first chapter includes soil testing, orientation, ground plants, dimensions, palaces, and houses of common men. It provides general rules regarding the precise laying of the plot as well as instructions on sound house building. The second chapter is on the making of linga murti and its retinue. The clarity of information is admirable, according to the editor. There is a description of Jaina iconography. The third chapter deals mostly with the construction of a Jaina shrine. This chapter consequently deals with the foundation, dimensions of plinth, walls, towers and flag pole.  The data covered in this chapter on foundation is of much relevance for present day

Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple Festival – January – February

Aranmula Parthasarathy temple is located at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district and is one of the most famous Sri Krishna temples in Kerala.  The 10-day annual festival at Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple is held in such a manner that it concludes on the Thiruvonam Nakshatra day in Makaram month. The festival begins on Atham nakshatram. The festival begins with the Kodiyettu ceremony or flag hoisting. The Kodiyettu ceremony commences with a ceremonial procession from the Vilakkumadom Temple at Edayaranmula, around 2 km away from Aranmula temple. Annadanam is performed during the annual festival. The auspicious Utsava Bali as part of the festival is performed after ucha pooja on all days except on the first day and the final day. Pancharatna Keerthanas is chanted on all days of the festival. Garuda Vahanam procession is held during the early morning hours on the fifth day of the festival. Pallivetta is held on the ninth day of the festival. The festival concludes with Arattu

Utkal School of Vaishnavism

Utkal Vaishnavites held that Jagannatha is the Purna Purusha, and Krishna or Rama are his amsha (parts). Utkal is a Vaishnava Sampradaya (school) believed to have originated at the time of Matara dynasty (400-500 CE). The most prominent Utkal Vaishnavites were Jagannatha Dasa, Balarama Dasa,  Yasovantra Dasa, Ananta dasa and Achyutananda Dasa who lived during the period of 1450 – 1560 CE. All these five thinkers (panchasakhas) wrote treatises in Odia which are the authentic sources of the Utkal School of Vaishnavism, jnana-mishra-bhaktivada. These thinkers not only tried to harmonize jnana and bhakti (knowledge and devotion) but also held the view that there could be a legitimate move from shunya to purusha, from formless to form, from non-recital of hymn to recital of hymn. This is not because these five were crypto-Buddhists (on account of their accepting shunya tattva), not because they were half-hearted Advaitins (on account of their acknowledging nirguna tattva), but because

Pallipram Pothiyil Narasimha Murti – Sri Krishna Swamy Temple Festival

Pallipram Pothiyil Narasimha Murti – Sri Krishna Swamy temple is located at Vadakke Vazhakulam in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Narasimha avatar of Bhagavan Vishnu and Sri Krishna. The 7-day annual festival in the temple in the festival concludes on Thiruvonam nakshatra day in Kumbha Masam. The annual festival is famous for various rituals including ezhinellippu of the murtis worshipped in the temple atop a caparisoned elephants. The thidambu of Bhagavan is carried to the accompaniment of temple drums and music. Various temple rituals and pujas performed in Vaishnava temples are held here. The festival ends with Arattu. The utsava murtis of Bhagavan Narasimhamoorthy and Sri Krishna are carried atop two separate elephants. Hundreds of people join in the procession.

Memury Bharatha Swamy Temple – Story – Festival

Memury - Bharathappilly Bharatha Swamy temple is located at Memmury in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Bharata of Ramayana, brother of Bhagavan Sri Rama. The 8-day annual festival in the temple is held in such a manner that it ends with Arattu on the Thiruvonam nakshatra day in Kumbha Masam. The annual festival is unique as it is mulayittu utsavam. The utsava bali is held in the temple on the fifth day of the festival. Valiya Vilakku and Pallivetta ritual is held on the seventh day of the festival. The temple festival concludes with the arattu procession on the eighth day. The origin of the temple is associated with exile period of Sri Rama in Ramana. Bhagavan Sri Rama left Ayodhya for Vanavasa. Bharata could not bear the separation from his elder brother and he set out with Sathrugnan in search of Rama. On the way they got separated and reached Memury – Bharathappilly. Bharatha stayed here and sat in meditation. The local people residing at this place cons

Mamalassery Sree Rama Swamy Temple Festival

Mamalassery Sree Rama Swamy temple is located at Mamalassery in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Ram. The 8-day annual festival in the temple ends with arattu on the Thiruvonam nakshatra day in Kumbha Masam. The annual festival is unique as it is mulayittu utsavam. The main ritual during the annual festival is held on the second day known as Vishakam vilakku. The other important rituals and pujas during the festival period include Nakshatra nama kalasabhishekam, seeveli and Annadanam. Utsava bali is held on the fifth day. The festival concludes on the eight day with arattu at the arattu kadavu of Ramamangalam perumthrikkovil appan. The temple is the starting point of Nalambalam darshan in Ernakulam district . Mamalassery Sree Rama Swamy temple is a traditional Kerala style temple with an east facing deity. The temple has vatta sreekovil or round sanctum sanctorum with a chuttambalam and kodimaram. Thulabharam ritual is held in the temple. The hu

Significance Of Makar Sankranti - What Is The Importance Of Makar Sankranti In Hindu Religion? - Why Is It Observed?

Makar Sankranti is of great significance to a devout Hindu and is one of the most important dates in the Hindu Calendar. Bhagavan Surya (Sun God) is worshiped on this day in Hindu religion. Every living and non-living being merges with the Brahman and Sun is the Pratyaksha-Brahman or the Brahman (God) that can be seen.  Makar Sankranti also heralds the arrival of spring and this is why it is mainly observed. The importance of Sun to earth and to the living beings was understood by Hindus from the very beginning. And the importance of it can be found in the Gayatri Mantra chanted to Sun (Surya) daily. Makar Sankranti signals the end of winter and the onset of spring throughout the northern hemisphere. The period is referred to as Uttarayana Punyakalam and is considered auspicious. For the next six months, the days are longer and warmer. Legend has it that the Devas wake up after a six-month long slumber during this period. There is also a symbolic meaning to Mak

Makar Sankranti Quotes and Thoughts from Hindu Blog

Makar Sankranti is all about light that removes darkness. Who is worshipped on Makar Sankranti – Sun (Surya)? Who is Surya? – Pratyaksha Brahman or the Visible God. We are offering prayers to that Sun whose physical presence is responsible for all life on earth. It is sort of a thanksgiving after the long and harsh winter. Throughout Hindu scriptures and thoughts, Surya is an important element. The ancient Hindus knew the importance of Surya in the life of living beings. Surya is considered to the most important Navagraha for this reason.  Makar Sankranti and Moksha By bathing on Makar Sankranti day in holy rivers we are not going to attain moksha. For attaining moksha we have to remove the darkness which is stopping us from realizing the truth in us – the truth present in all animate and inanimate. When we realize that there is only Truth we attain moksha. Liberation is not after death but it has to happen while living on earth. And it can only happen when we realize that

Maradu Subramanya Swami Temple – Festival

Maradu Subramanya Swami temple is located at Ponnithura in Maradu in Ernakulam, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Muruga or Subrahmanya. The annual festival in the temple is held in Makram masam. The festival begins with kodiyettam on Thaipooyam day. The annual festival is famous for Kavadiyattam. Various types of Kavadi are taken on the occasion. Floats, deepa alangaram and other rituals are part of the festival. This is a small but well maintained temple with a kodimaram, nalambalam and sreekovil. The chathura sreekovil or square sanctum sanctorum faces east. It has a murti of Subrahmanya in standing posture.

How To Overcome Misunderstanding Or False Knowledge?

How to overcome misunderstanding or false knowledge? – excerpts from Vedanta Kesari editorial May 2018. Error of perception is the very nature of life. We seem to be born conditioned to misperceive. As Sri Adi Sankaracharya points out, it is an innate human error to confuse the real and the non-real, to mistake one thing for another. The unreal appears to be real and the real appears unreal. We believe ‘something to be where there is nothing, and nothing to be where there is something.’ This confusion called Adhyasa, forces us to play the game of life almost blindfolded. Consequently, our everyday lives are filled with misunderstandings. Misunderstanding are the easiest thing in this world. We misunderstand ourselves—our feelings and intentions, we misinterpret the words and acts of others, and we regularly misread life situations. These errors throw us into a loop of suspicion, criticism, anger, hatred, jealousy, fear and the like. And many of us even fail to recognise our er

21 January 2022 Tithi – Panchang – Hindu Calendar – Good Time – Nakshatra – Rashi

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Friday, 21 January 2022 – It is Krishna Paksha Tritiya tithi or the third day during the waning or dark phase of moon in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Krishna Paksha Tritiya tithi or the third day during the waning or dark phase of moon till 7:25 AM on January 21. Then onward it is Krishna Paksha Chaturthi tithi or the fourth day during the waning or dark phase of moon till 7:23 AM on January 22. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on January 21, 2022 as per Hindu Calendar – There is no good and auspicious time on the entire day.  Nakshatra  – Magha or Makam nakshatra till 8:42 AM on January 21. Then onward it is Purva Phalguni or Pooram nakshatra till 9:11 AM on January 22 . (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karnataka and south Rajasthan), Ma