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Showing posts from March 11, 2022


Important 64 Yoginis Temples in India

The 64 yoginis are holy women with yogic powers or female attendants of Shiva or Durga. They are worshipped as Goddesses in Hindu religion. Here are some of the important 64 yoginis temple in India. Usually the yogini temples were situated in remote places for tantric rituals. Metaphorically they may suggest that the difficulty in finding out the remotely built temples indicate that the sadhaka, a spiritual aspirant, has to accept difficulties and obstacles in aiming for tantric sadhana. This desertion in and around the location sometimes gave rise to superstitions and wrong concepts regarding tantric sadhana. Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh; ninth century. Belongs to Chandel Dynasty. All shrine cells and murtis of Goddesses are ruined. Only Brahmani, Maheshwari, and Hingalaja or Mahishasuramardini are remaining. Morena, Mitawali, Madhya Pradesh; eleventh century. Belongs to the Kachhapaghata dynasty; built by King Devapala, vassal of the Chandelas. Badoh, Gadarmal Matru Mandir, Madhya P

Machel Dakshina Mookambika Temple – Navratri Festival – History

Machel Dakshina Mookambika temple is located at Kulangarakkonam – Machel in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Mookambika Devi. The Navratri, Prathishta Dinam and Vishu are important festivals in the temple. This a rare temple in which the Sree Chakra is worshipped. Goddess Mahamaya is worshipped in the shrine is three forms Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Maha Saraswathi. The temple is open on Tuesday and Friday and on the first day of every Malayalam month. Tuesday and Friday morning darshan timings are from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM Tuesday and Friday evening darshan timings are from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM First day of Malayalam month timings are from 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM As per history, the shrine is nearly 800 years old and Melamon Madom has been worshipping the deities here in the thevarappura as their kudumba paradevatha (family goddess). It is said that Bhagavathi arrived here with a Brahmin youth when he went for his 41 da

Thannithode Medappara Subrahmanya Temple – Festival

Thannithode Medappara Subrahmanya temple is located at Medappara - Thannithodu in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Murugan or Subrahmanya. Thaipooyam (January – February) and Vishu (April 14 or April 15) are important festivals in the temple. This is a very small temple with a chathura sreekovil. A standing murti of Muruga is worshipped in the temple. The festivals in the temple are noted for Tantric pujas, rituals, dhara and homams. Colorful kavadi and procession are part the annual festival. The shrine observes other auspicious days in a Hindu calendar including Sashti fasting days and Skanda Sashti in Thulam month.

Kuzhimathikad Sri Krishna Swami Temple – Festival

Kuzhimathikad Sri Krishna Swami temple is located at Arumurikkada-Nedumoncavu Road at Kuzhimathicadu near Kundara in Kollam district, Kerala. Vishu and Gokulashtami in Chingam Masam are important festival in the temple. The temple is dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Krishna. This is a beautiful Kerala style temple with a chathura sreekovil, chuttambalam, namaskara mandapam, and temple pond. There are also shrines of upa devatas and an dedicated small grove for Naga worship. The annual festival in the temple is famous for kettukazhcha and traditional temple art forms. Vaishnava temple rituals including niramala, homam, abhishekam and kalasham are part of the annual festival.

Goddess Parvati Standing On A Monitor Lizard

 In Hinduism, Gauri, one of the forms of Parvati, the consort of Mahadev Shiva, is said to have performed a penance while standing on a monitor lizard. She is described as ‘godhasana bhavet gauri’. It can be translated as, ‘Parvati is known as Gauri, when she performs penance standing on a monitor lizard, godha’. In Sanskrit, monitor lizard is called godha. Here the root verb is ‘gudha’, which means to wrap up, to envelope, or to conceal. In the sculptures at Rani Ki Vav, Patan, Gujarat — a unique and intricately carved step well from the Solanki dynasty of the eleventh century, originally constructed as a memorial to king Bhimdev I by Queen Udaymati — fifteen forms of Parvati are depicted. Among these sculptures there is one image of Parvati in penance standing on a beautifully carved monitor lizard. This form of Parvati or Gauri, who has engaged herself in a penance is known as panchagni-tapasya meaning penance in five types of fires. She is depicted as standing in the middle of fo

Two Types Of Meditation In Hinduism

Once, Sri Ramakrishna made a revealing statement at Dakshineswar. He said: ‘One can meditate even with eyes open. One can meditate even while talking.’ Similarly, on another occasion he said, closing his eyes: ‘Does God exist only when the eyes are closed, and cease to exist when the eyes are opened? The Lila belongs to Him to whom the Nitya belongs, and the Nitya belongs to Him to whom the Lila belongs.’ These statements open a new vista in the world of meditation. In the first place, Sri Ramakrishna gave a more comprehensive definition than the popular notion of meditation. There are two types of meditation: meditation as a technique and as a normal state of consciousness. The former is of a copybook type prescribing various steps from withdrawal to the final attainment, from the negative to the positive. At set times of the day and night one has to practise them. The intensity of meditation depends mostly on the factors of the body, the mind, surroundings, the state of the exter

18 March 2022 Tithi – Panchang – Hindu Calendar – Good Time – Nakshatra – Rashi

Tithi in Panchang – Hindu Calendar on Friday, 18 March 2022 – It is Purnima tithi or the full moon day in Hindu calendar and Panchang in most regions. It is Purnima tithi or the full moon day till 12:51 PM on March 18. Then onward it is Krishna Paksha Pratipada tithi or the first day during waning or dark phase of moon till 12:13 PM on March 19. (Time applicable in all north, south and eastern parts of India. All time based on India Standard Time.  Good – Auspicious time on March 18, 2022 as per Hindu Calendar – There is no good and auspicious time on the entire day.  Nakshatra  – Purva Phalguni or Pooram nakshatra till 12:29 AM on March 18 . Then onward it is Uttara Phalguni or Uthiram nakshatra till 12:43 AM on March 19 . (Time applicable in north, south and eastern parts of India).  In western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, north Karnataka and south Rajasthan), Purva Phalguni or Pooram nakshatra till 12:34 AM on March 18 . Then onward it is Uttara Phalguni or