Lord Vishnu being one of the main Trinities, his temples are situated in most of the indian cities and villages, either as Vishnu temples or as any of his dasa avataras like Rama, Krishna etc. Divya desam Temples are the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars or saints. Several scriptures also mention about several of them. Out of these 106 temples are in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu (84), Kerala (11), Uttar Pradesh (4), Uttarakhand (3), Andhra Pradesh (2) and Gujarat (1), and Nepal(1)- Muktinath. The two others are said to be outside the earthly realms.
The idols of Lord Vishnu in these Divyadesams can be found in 3 positions:
• Sleeping Position – 27 Temples
• Sitting Position – 21 Temples
• Standing Position – 60 Temples

Out of these Lord Vishnu can be seen facing one of the four directions. So we have:
• East facing – 79 Temples
• West facing – 19 Temples
• North facing – 3 Temples
• South facing – 7 Temples

Following is the list of the 108 Divya Desams. There are a couple of them about which there is some confusion so added them also.

Other famous Vishnu temples:

Simhachalam Narasimha Temple, Andhra Pradesh, Believed to be where HE appeared.

The Garuda Purana says:

अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥

Meaning:

Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya or Mayapuri or Haridwar, Kashi or Varanasi, Kanchi or Kanchipuram, Avantika or Ujjain and Dwaravati or Dwaraka are the seven cities which give Moksha or Liberation and hence are called Mokshapuris.

Lord Ganesha, also called Ganapati, Vinayaka and Vighneswara, is the great son of Shiva and Parvati, and undoubtedly the most worshiped God in India. Before doing any auspicious work Ganesha must be worshiped. According to the Hindu scriptures before doing any pooja Ganesha pooja must be performed. He is the God who removes your obstacles. He is the embodiment of wisdom and worshiped by those seeking knowledge. In his various forms he is worshiped as Buddhi Ganapati for better knowledge, Vidya Ganapati for studies, Siddhi Ishwarya Ganapati for wealth, Sankata Nashana Ganapati to remove obstacles and difficulties etc. He is also the presiding Deity of Astrology.

Most of the cities and villages have a ganesha temple. Most of the Shiva temples and Devi temples also have a Ganesha temple in the temple complex. We are listing here only the ones mentioned in the scriptures and some which are antique and popular. Following are the ones:

Sakshi Ganapati: At the ancient holy place Srisailam wh is one of the Dwadas Jyotirlings and also one of the 18 Shakti Peethas.

Jambukeswara Temple also known as Thiruvanaikaval / Thiruvanaikal / Jambukeswaram is a famous Pancha Maha Bhuta Shiva temples in the Tiruchirapalli of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of river Caveri. It represents the Water element.

The beautifully carved huge temple was built by Kochenga Cholain the 3rd century. The Garbha Sthalam where the Shivalinga can be is under ground and the an underground stream called Sreemath Theertham of the Narmada river keeps dripping water on the Shivalingam.

According to legend, Once Devi Parvati mocked Shiva for His Tapasya ( penance) for the betterment of the world. As a punishment Shiva asked her to go to the earth and to do penance. Parvathi went to the Jambu forest (Thiruvanaikoil) to do penance. She made a Shivalinga out of the water of river Cauvery and started her worship under the Venn Naaval tree. Pleased with Her worship Siva appeared and taught her Siva Gyana. Parvati is worshipped here as Akilandeshwari.

Festivals:

Maha Shivaratri is a major festival.

Vaikasi – Vasantha Urchavam (10 days)

Aadi – Aadipuram festival (10 days),Aadi Friday is celebrated.

Purattasi – Navarathiri festival (10 days)

Thai – Thai Poosam, Thai theppam (Float) festival Special poojas are performed during Fridays of Thai month.

Panguni – Brahmotchavam (40 days)

Timings: 5.30 am to 1pm and 3pm to 9pm.

Things to visit nearby.

The Sri Ranganatha Swami temple 1.5 km away is a very famous ancient Vishnu temple.

How to Reach:

By Air: The Trichy Airport is 15 km from the temple.

By Train: The Trichy railway station 8 km from the temple is well connected with most major cities.

By Bus: The temple is located at a distance of 8 km from the central bus stand and at a distance of about 3 km from the Chathiram bus stand of trichy. Many regular buses from most of the cities of Tamil Nadu are available.

Accommodation: Trichi nearby has all types of accommodation from budget to 5 star hotels.

Arunachalesvara Temple or Annamalaiyar Temple in the town of Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, is at the base of Arunachala hill. It is a famous Shiva temple and one of the the Pancha Bhoota Temples representing the element of fire, or Agni.

The towering temple and its huge complex covers 10 hectares – one of the largest in India. The temple was built during the 9th century by the Chola dynasty and later expanded by to Vijayanagara rulers – 1336–1485 CE.

According to mythology, once Parvati playfully closed the eyes of Shiva and the universe and the earth were in darkness for years. To atone for her sin Parvati performed Tapasya (penance). Then Lord Shiva appeared as a column of fire at the top of the Annamalai hills and the world was once again illuminated. Then Shiva and Parvati merged and formed Ardhanarishvara – the half male half female form of Shiva and Devi.

Here Shiva is called Arunachalesvara and Parvati is called Unnamalai Amman.

Timings: 5.30 am to 12.30 pm and 3.30 to 9.30 pm

Poojas: Several poojas are performed by the priests and you can get your pooja also done by them.

Major Festivals

Tamil Month – Festival Details
Chithirai (April – May) – Chithirai Vasantha Urchavam 10 days.

Vaikasi (May – June) – Vaikasi Urchavam 1 day.

Aani (June – July) – Aani Bramorchavam 10 days. Aani Thirumanjanam (Lord Nataraja Urchavam 1 day).

Aadi (July – August) – Aadi Pooram Bramorchavam 10 days.

Avani (August – Sept.) – Avani Moolam Urchavam 1 day.

Puratasi (Sept. – Oct.) – Navarathri Urchavam 9 days.

Aippasi (Oct. – Nov.) – Annabishekam Urchavam 1 day. Kanda Sashti urchavam 6 days.

Karthigai (Nov. – Dec.) – Karthigai Deepa Bramorchavam 17 days.

Margazhi (Dec. – Jan.) – Vaikunda Ekadasi Urchavam 1 day. Arudra Darisanam (Lord Nataraja Urchavam) 1 day.

Thai (Jan. – Feb.) – Vaikasi Urchavam 1 day. Uttarayana Punyakalam Bramorchavam 10 days. Thiruvoodal Urchavam 1 day. Manalurpettai Theerthavari Urchavam 1 day. Kalasapakkam (Rathasapthami). Theerthavari Urchavam 1 day.

Masi (Feb. – March) – Maha Shivaratri Urchavam. Masi Makam Pallikond Pattu Theerthavari Urchavam.

Panguni (March – April) – Panguni Uthiram Thirukalyana Urchavam 6 days.

How to Reach:
By Air:

The nearest is Chennai 185 kms away.

By Rail:

The nearest railway stations are Villupuram (76 km) and Katpadi (65 km). There are frequent trains available from all parts of the country to these two stations.

By Road:

Tiruvannamalai is well connected by road and by bus to all major cities in South India.

Accommodation: Budget to 3 star hotels are available.

Srikalahasti is in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh on the banks of the River Swarnamukhi.
It is one of the Pancha Bhoota Temples, where Lord Shiva is worshipped as Air or Vaayu Lingam. Shiva is worshiped here as Kalahastiswara and Devi as Gyanaprasunambika.

The inner temple was built in the 5th century by the Rajendra Chola I and later by the the Vijayanagara kings in the 11th century .

Srikalahasti is named after Sri (spider), Kala (snake) and Hasti (elephant) as legend has it that that the 3 of them once worshiped the Shiva lingam here and attained Moksham or Salvation. Srikalahasti is also known as a Rahu-Ketu ( The 2 shadowy planet North node and South node) kshetra and also called Dakshina Kailasam.

The Swarnamukhi river here is also called Dakshina Ganga. The stones found in this river are called Swarnamukhi Shilas. It contains traces of silver and gold. It represents the Agni or Fire element and Devi and kept in Pachayatana Pooja and hence is highly recommended for worship in the scriptures.

Timings: From 6:00 in the morning to 9:30 in the evening.

Poojas: It is famous for Rahu Ketu Shanti Pooja.

How to Reach:

By Airs: The nearest airport is the Tirupati Airport 30 km away.

By Rail: There is a railway station at Sri Kalahasti. It is well connected to all the cities in the Southern India

By Road: Regular buses from Tirupati 30 km away and other cities of Andhra.

To see near by:

Tirupati temple is one of the most famous Venkateswara / Balaji temple 30 km away

Sahasra Linga Temple: There are thousand carved Lingas here. 9.5 km away.

Talakona Waterfall: 97 km away it is a beautiful two hundred and seventy feet tall waterfall.

Chidambaram Nataraja temple or the Thillai Nataraja temple, is one of the famous Pancha Bhuta Shiva Lingas representing Akasha Tatwa or element of ether. Here Lard Shiva is Called Nataraja meaning the lord of dance. The temple walls have all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni which are the foundation of the famous classical Indian dance style Bharatanatyam.

The huge temple complex is over 50 acres. It is an ancient and historic temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Shiva here is not in the traditional Shivalinga form but is presented as the Nataraja performing the Ananda Tandava or the “Dance of Delight”. The sculptures in the temple showing the Thillai trees are of the 2nd century CE. The present temple was built the Chola dynasty in the 10th century.

The temple complex has the earliest known Devi temple in South India, a pre-13th-century Surya shrine with chariot, shrines for Ganesha, Kartikeya and Lord Vishnu as Govindaraja Perumal, one of the few temples where both the Shiva and Vaishnue deities are in one place.

Some rare facts about Chdambaram:

1. This temple is located at the Center Point of world ‘s Magnetic Equator. Western scientists have proved that at Lord Nataraja ‘s big toe is the Centre Point of World ‘s Magnetic Equator.
2. amoung the “Pancha bootha” temples, Chidambaram denotes the Skies. Kalahasthi denotes Wind. Kanchi Ekambareswar denotes land. All these 3 temples are located in a straight line at 79 degrees 41 minutes Longitude. This can be verified. An amazing fact & astronomical miracle !
3. Chidambaram temple is based on the Human having 9 Entrances denoting 9 Entrances or Openings of the body.
4. Temple roof is made of 21600 gold sheets which denotes the 21600 breaths taken by a human being every day (15 x 60 x 24 = 21600)
5. These 21600 gold sheets are fixed on the “Vimanam” (Roof) using 72000 gold nails which denote the total no. of Nadis (Nerves) in the human body.
6. Thirumoolar states that man represents the shape of Shivalingam, which represents Chidambaram which represents Sadashivam which represents Lord SHIVA’s dance!
7. “Ponnambalam ” is placed slightly tilted towards the left. This represents our Heart. To reach this, we need to climb 5 steps called “Panchatshara padi ” “Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma ” are the 5 Panchatshara mantras. There are 4 pillars holding the Kanagasabha representing the 4 Vedas.
8. Ponnambalam has 28 pillars denoting the 28 “Ahamas “as well as the 28 methods to worship Lord Shiva. These 28 pillars support 64 +64 Roof Beams which denote the 64 Arts. The cross beams represent the Blood Vessels running across the Human body.
9. Kalasas on the Golden Roof represent the 9 types of Sakthi or Energies.The 6 pillars at the Artha Mantapa represent the 6 types of Sashtras.The 18 pillars in the adjacant Mantapa represents 18 Puranams.
10. The dance of Lord Nataraja is described as Cosmic Dance by Western Scientists.

Where we now find this beautiful and ancient temple, was once an impenetrable forest of Tillai trees, which is a kind of mangrove. This forest gave Chidambaram its firs and most ancient name, Tillai. Within this sprawling forest was a lotus pond, and at the southern bank of this pond existed a Svayambhu Linga. A linga is a representation of Lord Shiva which unites both the concepts of Form as well as of Formless in itself. In modern terms this formless-form might be called an abstraction.

Svayambhu means ‘self existent’, signifying that the linga was not made by human beings, but came into existence by itself, from nature. To this lotus pond in the Tillai forest came two saints, named Vyagrapada and Patanjali. They came from very different backgrounds and from very different directions, but they came for the same reason: to witness Shiva’s Cosmic Dance. It had been foretold to them that if they would worship the linga on the bank of the lotus pond in the forest, Lord Shiva would come to perform His Dance.

Eventually this great event took place. Nataraja came to perform His Dance on a Thursday, when the moon was in the asterism Pushan, in the Tamil month of Tai, long before the Christian era. This dance is called the Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss. The saints achieved liberation, and on their special request Shiva promised to perform His Dance for all time at that place. For the full narration of the myth the reader is referred to chapter III.

The story of the origin of the worship of Shiva Nataraja in Chidambaram is told in the Chidambaram Mahatmyam. The Sacred History of Chidambaram, which is part of the Skanda Purana, one of the 18 great Puranas or collections of mythology. From one of the saints, Vyagrapada, which means Tiger Footed, Chidambaram received its second name, Puliyur, meaning ‘City of the Tiger’.

Its third name, Chidambaram, refers to the philosophy and doctrine of the temple. Cit means consciousness or wisdom. Ambaram signifies ether in Sanskrit, but in Tamil the ambalam means hall. The name unifies two aspects of the doctrine. Meaning both Hall of Wisdom, as well as the place of the Ether of Consciousness.

The edifice which now includes within its garbhagriha or sanctum this Svayambhu linga form of Shiva, situated on the southern bank of the sacred pound, is called Mulasthana. This Sanskrit term means ‘place of origin’ or ‘root place’. It can be found in the third courtyard, within the Nataraja temple proper. Facing east, it is a conventional temple with a garbha-griha or sanctum containing the linga, and an ardha-mandapa, a hall in front of the sanctum.

In this ardha-mandapam we find the images of the two saints, Vyagrapada and Patanjali. They stand with their hands folded, worshipping. A sanctum placed at an angle to the linga shrine, facing south, houses the consort of Shiva, the goddess Uma-Parvati. On the western wall of the shrine we find a relief sculptured of the Kalpa Vriksha or Wishing Tree of Paradise. This shrine achieved its present form probably under the middle and later Cholas in the 11th and 12th century.

The main edifices of the temple are the five Sabhas or Halls: the Cit Sabha, Kanaka Sabha, Deva Sabha, Nritta Sabha, and the Raja Sabha.

At the centre of the temple is situated the sanctum sanctorum or holy of holiest, called the Cit Sabha or Cit Ambalam. This means the ‘Hall of Wisdom’. It is the main shrine where Lord Shiva Nataraja accompanied by his consort Parvati performs His Cosmic Dance, the Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss.

The world is the embodiment of the Virat Purusha, the colossal human form. Chidambaram is the centre of this form, the place of the heart, where Shiva performs the Cosmic Dance.

The Chidambaram temple is laid out as a Purusha. For this reason the devotees may approach the central shrine from two sides. As blood flows to and from the heart. The nine stupas topping the golden roof represent the nine orifices of the human body, and also symbolize the nine Matrikas or goddesses. The roof is made of 21.600 tiles, representing inhalations and exhalations of breath. The links and side joints symbolize the connecting veins.

The five main steps at the entrance to the shrine stand between the devotees and the image of Shiva, covered in silver. They are the five seed words or syllables of the mantra.

By chanting these syllables, the devotee can cross the ocean of bondage and attain to the Lord. The granite plinth of the shrine is called Parvadam, because it does duty for Mount Kailasa in providing a support for Lord Shiva. On all special occasions puja or worship is performed to this plinth.

The name, Hall of Consciousness or Hall of Wisdom, refers to the quality of wisdom which pervades the atmosphere, bestowed upon the worshippers by the Dance of the Lord. His boon is the experience of the Cosmic Dance.

A unique feature is that the structure of the actual Sabha is made of wood, which has so far not been botanically classified. It is rectangular in form and here Shiva is worshipped in his three aspects:

As Form Nataraja the murti or image of Shiva

As Formless-Form The crystal linga called Chandramaulishvara

As Formless The yantra which is the Akasha Linga

From the platform opposite the Sabha one can see the image of the Dancing Shiva, situated in the middle of the Sabha. Shiva is facing south, unlike most other Hindu deities. This signifies he is the Conqueror of Death, dispelling the fear of death for the humanity.

The Crystal Linga called Chandramaulishvara is Shiva as Formless-Form. This Crystal Linga was formed from the essence of the crescent moon in Shiva’s matted hair, for the purpose of daily worship. This murti is taken from its keeping place at the feet of the Nataraja six times a day, and abhishekam of holy ablution is performed to him in the hall called Kanaka Sabha in front of the Cit Sabha.

Immediately to the proper right of the Nataraja is the Chidambaram Rahasyam, the ‘mystery’ of Chidambaram. Here, behind a silk curtain which is black on the outside and red on the inside, is the Akasha Linga, in the form of a yantra. An abstract geometrical design, on which the deity is invoked. Behind the curtain, before the yantra, hang a few strands of golden vilva leaves. This signifies the act of creation. One moment nothing exists, the next instant the All has been brought into existence. At regular timings the curtain is removed to allow the devotees to worship the Akasha. he Ether which is the vehicle of the Absolute and Consciousness.

The Cit Sabha houses one more unique form of Shiva. This is the Ratna Sabha Pati, the Ruby Lord of the Sabha: a replica of the Nataraja murti in ruby form. This murti appeared out of the fire of the sacrifice in response to the devotion of the Deekshithars.

Once a day, as part of the 10.00 o’clock morning puja ritual, after the abhishekam of the Crystal Linga, abhishekam is also performed to the Ruby Shiva. As conclusion of this ceremony the Ruby Nataraja is placed on the edge of the Parvadam of the Kanaka Sabha and Mangala Arati is offered. This is the burning of camphor on a special plate which is shown both in front and behind the Ruby Nataraja. This brings out the special quality of translucence of this murti, creating a mystical spectacle for the onlookers.

Nobody knows when the worship of Nataraja was established here, or when the Cit Sabha was build. The original wooden structure is doubtless the oldest structure in the temple complex, as the shrine of the Mulasthana Linga is a later construction under the Chola Kings. The Sabha has no features that could help to date it. It is unique and no other structure is known like it anywhere else in Indian architecture. Analysis by the C 14 method would be unreliable because it is known to have been regularly renovated during the centuries. But the origins of the temple of Shiva Nataraja in Chidambaram definitely lie back in prehistoric times.

According to the mythology the temple was first constructed by a king called Shveta Varman. This king was healed of leprosy by bathing in the sacred pond in the Tillai forest and witnessed the Cosmic Dance. The first gilding of the roof of the Cit Sabha and the instituting of the temple and the formal worship of the Nataraja are all attributed to this King.

The first historical references can be found in the Skanda Purana, especially in the Suta Samhita part. Here Shanmukha, the six-faced son of Shiva and Parvati, is described as worshipping his parents in Chidambaram, before going to do battle with a demon called Surapadma. This text can be dated to the second century BCE.

The Cit Sabha, Shiva’s dance and Chidambaram are also prominently mentioned in the Tirumantiram of Tirumular, an important religious and philosophical text in ancient Tamil, dating from the beginning of the Christian era. A few centuries later the temple and its Lord are often mentioned by poets of the Tevaram, especially Appar and Sambandar (7th century) and by Manikavasakar (8th century).

The first historical kings to claim having gilded the roof of the Cit Sabha are the Chola Aditya I (871-907) and his son Parantaka I (907-955). By this time the temple had already become important. The place where kings were crowned, and where they came
to worship and receive counsel. How the gilding of the roof was done is a knowledge that was sadly lost with time. But it is without doubt one of the great technical achievements of ancient times.

Immediately in front of the Cit Sabha is the Kanaka Sabha, or golden hall. Its roof is made of copper, although Kanaka means gold. This is the gold of spiritual treasure: to experience Shiva’s dance from so near.

In this Sabha are most of the daily rituals of worship for Nataraja performed. The Yagna of the morning rituals. The rituals with lamps and ritual objects. And the abhishekam of the Crystal Linga and Ruby Nataraja. The public can enter certain areas of the
Kanaka Sabha for worship of the Nataraja and the Akasha Linga at specified hours of the day.

It is a controversy whether this Sabha was originally constructed together with the Cit Sabha, or some time later.

The Nritta Sabha is the shrine in the form of a ratha or chariot, pulled by two stone horses. It is situated opposite the Cit Sabha, in the third courtyard. It is the place of the dance contest between Nataraja and the goddess Kali.

Shiva conquered the goddess, who would not calm down after she destroyed a powerful demon, by lifting his right leg straight up towards the sky. This dance is called the Urdhva Tandava. Then and there Kali suddenly remembered who she really was, the peaceful Parvati, consort of Shiva, and she was able to leave her furious mood and returned to her peaceful self. This scene is depicted in the sanctum inside the Sabha. We see Shiva performing his Urdhva Tandava, his leg lifted straight above his head, Kali calmed down in one corner, both accompanied by Vishnu playing the talam, the
instrument which is used to accompany dance.

The chariot form of the Sabha commemorates Shiva as Tripurasamhara murti, the Destroyer of the Three Demon Cities. Several divine powers joined together to create Shiva’s chariot. Thus the sun and moon became the wheels, the Vedas the horses etc.
After destroying the Three Cities he descended from his chariot, having landed opposite the Cit Sabha, and ascended into the Sabha to commence His Dance. From this the Nritta Sabha is also called Edir Amabalam or opposite hall.

This Sabha has several distinguishing features aside from its shape and its function. Its columns are unique to the chariot hall. They are square, and although carved from the hardest granite they are covered with exquisite miniature relief’s, depicting dancers,
musicians and all kinds of mythological figures.

One other feature sets this edifice apart from any other hall within the temple complex and from all other temple halls in India. This Sabha is mysteriously connected to the Sphinx. Just under the floor surface of the raised platform which is the body of the Sabha is a belt or pattika, surrounding the whole Sabha. Here we see lions and sphinxes alternating in pairs, girdling the Sabha.

Also the pillars of the two pavilions on the western side of the Sabha are supported by four sphinxes which function as caryatids.

The Nritta Sabha is considered by tradition the second oldest building in the complex, without any real indication of its age. It is reported in inscriptions as having been renovated by the Chola King Kulottunga I in the 11th century.

The Deva Sabha can be found in the third prakara or courtyard. The festival deities are kept during the year, and worship is performed for them daily. This is done inside the Sabha, and is not open to the public. The age and history of this Sabha is also hidden in the mists of time. There is some evidence the Deva Sabha was once used as an audience hall by visiting kings of the different governing dynasties of the Cholas, Pandyas and others during the several phases of history. No other information is
available.

The Raja Sabha is the Thousand Pillar Hall in the second courtyard. It is the architectural representation of the Sahasradara, or Crown Chakra. Which is the seventh spiritual energy point in the astral body. The Nataraja and the goddess Sivakamasundari, his consort, dance here on the 9th and 10th day of the Chariot Festival.

About this Sabha too, we have very little historical information. It is first mentioned as the place where the medieval poet Sekkilar premiered his great work on the lives of the 63 Nayanmars or Saiva saints, the Periya Purana, before the Chola king Kulottunga II or III, in the 12th century.

Its base is encircled by relief’s of dancers and musicians, as it were participating in a procession.

The most imposing feature of chidambaram natraja temple, which can be seen soaring above the plain from miles away, are the four temple gateways or gopurams, located in the second wall of enclosure at the cardinal points. They are considered among the earliest examples of
such structures and are in their present form dated to the 12th and 13th century. Scholars disagree about the dates of individual gopurams, or about which one was build first. Some consider the west gopuram as oldest, some the east gopuram.

In between the sculptures decorating the inside of the west gopuram we find a musician playing a standing double drum. This could point to an early date for this gopuram.

On the outside of the granite bases of the gopurams are found sculptures of many important as well as less well known deities in niches in a particular order. The inside walls of passages through all the four gopurams are decorated with the 108 karanas, the dance movements of Shiva, from the Natya Shastra, the world’s most ancient treatise on dance, drama and theatre. Besides in Chidambaram these karanas are depicted in only four other temples, all in Tamil Nadu.

The four gopurams, together with the golden dome of the central shrine are the five towers which represent the five faces of Shiva, with the Cit Sabha symbolizing the masterful face.

In the innermost courtyard, at a right angle with the golden Sabha, we find the shrine of Vishnu, as Govinda Raja. Reclining on the Cosmic Snake, he is in the yogic state of consciousness, enjoying the vision of Shiva’s dance. The coexistence of the worship
of both Vishnu and Shiva within one temple is unique. The worship of Vishnu was established in the earliest times and was originally performed by the Deekshithars themselves. In the later medieval period, with a shifting political situation under pressure of Muslim invasions, there was possibly a discontinuation of the worship for a
long period, after which it re-instated by the king Achyuta Raya (1539) of the Vijayanangara empire. The worship of Vishnu Govinda Raja has since then been in the hands of Vaishnava priests, and was no longer performed by the Deekshithars.

Within the inner courtyard, to the east of the Sabha, we find a small shrine which houses the murtis of both the Creator god Brahma, of the Hindy Trinity, and Chandikeshvara, a deified saint. The presence of Brahma (a deity almost never worshipped) establishes the worship of all three deities of the Hindu Trinity with-in the
one complex.

The temple of goddess Shivakamasundari, consort of Shiva, is situated on the west side of the Shivaganga tank. A flight of steps leads down into its courtyard. The goddess
is worshipped here as the Jñana Shakti: the energy and power of wisdom. On the frontal portion of the pillared hall, on the ceiling of the right and left wings, the finest eye-capturing fresco paintings of approximately a thousand years old, illustrate the Leelas or Sacred Deeds of Shiva. The galleries surrounding the temple are decorated with a procession of dancers and musicians, sculptured in relief. This temple was possibly build in the 11th century under the Chola king Kulottunga I.

The Shiva Ganga is the sacred water place or tank. It is famous for healing the ancient king Sveta Varman of his skin disease. His skin became golden after which he was called Hiranya Varman.

In this tank we find a stone representation of the Linga of Tiruvanaikaval, which represents the Element Water. In the dry season it becomes visible as the water level in the tank is reduced.

The Pandya Nayaka temple is dedicated to Murugan, the second son of Shivan and Parvati. This shrine is also shaped as a chariot, pulled by horses and elephants. This temple was according to tradition build by a king of the Pandya dynasty from Madurai, which superceded the rule of the Cholas in the 13th century. His name was Sundarar Pandya, and the temple is named after him.

In the middle of the 18th century this temple was renovated with the support of Dutch merchants, who had a trading post in nearby Porto Nuovo. According to an inscription on copper plates they donated a share of their profit for this purpose.

Festivals: Apart from the usual Shiva festival like Maha Shivaratri, Pradosha Pooja and Kartika Poojas, two Bhrammotsavams or annual festivals at Chidambaram are of great significance, as they involve colorful processions of festival deities in the car streets. The grandest of these occurs in the month of Margazhi (Dec 15 – Jan 15), concluding on the full moon day corresponding to the Arudra Darisanam festival. Arudra Darisanam is celebrated in Saivite temples all over Tamilnadu.

How to reach:

By Air
Nearest is Tiruchirapalli Airport 168 Kms

By Train
Nearest Train Station: Chidambaram Railway Station 1 KM, well connected to other cities.

By Bus
Chidambaram Central Bus Station 1 KM and well connected to other cities.

Haridwar in Uttarakhand is on the right bank of the Ganges river, at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges.Haridwar is regarded as a holy place for Hindus, hosting important religious events and serving as a gateway to several prominent places of worship. Most significant of the events is the Kumbha Mela, which is celebrated every 12 years in Haridwar. During the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate in Haridwar to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the Ganges to wash away their sins to attain moksha.

According to the scriptures Haridwar is one of the four places where drops of amrita, the elixir of immortality, fell during the samudra manthan, or churning of the ocean.. The other three are Ujjain, Nashik and Prayagraj (Allahabad). The Brahma Kund, the spot where the amrita fell, is located at Har ki Pauri meaning the “footsteps of Hari and is considered to be the most sacred ghat of Haridwar. People take home the sacred water from the Ganges.

Being a great Holy place with Ganges flowing through Haridwar is a popular place where people from all over India come to perform Shradh ceremonies (Last rites) of their departed relatives and submerge ashes in Ganga.

Things to see at Haridwar:
Mansa Devi Temple
Mansa Devi Temple is famous here dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi. She a form of Shakti who emerged from Lord Shiva’s mind. She is said to fulfills your wishes if you pray with devotion.

Bharat Mata Mandir
This temple is one of a kind as it is one of the very few temples dedicated to Mother India. The temple was built by great Adi Shankaracharya, and its presiding deity is Lord Vishnu but idols of Bharat Mata and several other Gods are also there. It finds mention in Mahabharata and Vishnu Purana.

Maya Devi Temple
Believed to have been constructed in the 11-century, the Maya Devi Temple is one of the important holy places to visit in Haridwar. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Maya, who is a form of Adi Shakti so in ancient times, Haridwar was called Mayapuri. The temple also has idols of Goddess Kamakhya and Goddess Kali.

Nearest Airport : Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun

By Rail
Haridwar railway station is well connected to all major cities and towns of India.

By Road
Haridwar is well connected by roads to all major cities and towns in northern India.

Accommodation: Plenty of budget to 5 star hotels are available.

Mathura was the birth place of Lord Krishnadistrict in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. which is located at the Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex.

It is one of the Sapta Puris, the seven cities considered holy by Hindus.

Archaeological excavations at Mathura show it was as old as 1100–500 BC

Mathura was the capital of the kingdom of Surasena, ruled by Kansa, the maternal uncle of Krishna. To prevent the child Krishna being killed by his evil uncle Kansa, He was secretly transported to Brindavan where he spent most of His childhood.

The temples were destroyed multiple times throughout history, most recently by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1670. He erected a mosque Eidgah there which still stands.

Shri Dwarkadheesh Mandir built in 1814 where Krishna is worshipped as Dwarakanath along with Radha.

Other things to see at Mathura:

Bhagavata Bhavan
Construction of the temple started on 11 February 1965 and completed on 12 February 1982. It has five shrines:

The main shrine has six-feet tall idols of Radha and Krishna

Temple of Balarama, Subhadra and Jagannatha

Temple of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita

Garuda Stambha (pillar) and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in front of Jagannatha shrine

Hanuman in front of Ram shrine

Temple of Durga

Temple with Shivalinga.

ISCON TEMPLE

Festivals: Janmashtami is grandly celebrated in Mathura every year.

How to reach:

Things to see nearby:
Agra 57.6 KM away is famous for Taj Mahal
Vrindavan 14.5 KM away is where Krishna spent his childhood.
Govardhan 22 KM away is another holy place associated with Lord Krishna.

How to reach:

By Air: The nearest airport is Agra 60 km away
By Rail: Mathura Junction railway station is well connected to other major cities.
By Road: Many busses from near by cities. It is located 57.6 KM from Agra, and 166 KM from Delhi; about 14.5 KM from the town of Vrindavan and 22 KM from Govardhan.

Accommodation: Budget to 5 star many hotels are available.

The famous Lepakshi temple is situated in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Veerabhadra. It was built during the Vijayanagara Empire of 1336–1646.

Just at the entrance to the village of Lepakshi, there is the carving of a huge granite Nandi (bull), 20 feet in height and 30 feet in length, which is carved out of a single block stone. It faces the carved serpent in the temple complex.

The story of Veerabhadra: Once Brahma and Vishnu started fighting about who is greater. Lord Shiva appeared there in the form of a huge Shivalinga extending from top to bottom and told them that whosoever finds the beginning or end of the linga will be considered greater. Vishnu went upwards but could not find the end. Brahma went down and failed to too. But on returning he lied Shiva that that his Linga starts at way bellow at the Patala. Shiva was enraged that Brahma lied to him and out of Himself created Veerabhadra and asked him to kill brahma. Brahma apolized and prayed to be forgiven. Shiva withdrew Veerabhadra but cursed that because of the sin of telling a lie, Brahma will not be worshiped anywhere.

Legend behind the name Lepakshi: It is also believed that during the Ramayana time the great eagle Jatayu fell at this spot after his losing battle with Ravana to rescue Mata Sita. When Lord Rama came searching for Sita, the bird tells him which was Ravana took Sita. Pleased with him Lord Rama is gave liberation to the brave bird by saying “Le Pakshi” meaning ‘rise, bird’ in Telugu.

This temple complex houses the carved idols of a large Ganesha.

There is also a carving of a huge hooded snake in the outer courtyard.

There is also a large footprint that is believed to be of Lord Hanuman and it is always wet and no one could find the source of water.

Inside the temple there is an idol of Devi Durga.

Within the teple to the left there are idols of the Navagrahas.

The huge temple and the complex surrounding it is full of beautiful carvings and the specialty of the large number of carved pillars is that no two pillars are carved alike!

One of the miracles of the Lepakshi temple is the “Hanging pillar”. It is hanging from the roof without touching the ground and you can pass through a cloth under it!

The art and architecture of Lepakshi is one of the best in India and reflects the glory of the Vijayanagara empire, whose kings were great patrons of art in every form – music, dance and sculpture.

Thingas to see nearby: Veerapuram bird Sanctuary in on the way to Lepakshi. It is on the way to Lepakshi from the National Highway NH7. You have to take a diversion and Veerapuram is about 10 kms from this diversion. You can see hundreds of birds — the “painted Storks” on almost all trees in the village. The birds migrate every year to this village from Siberia and stay here from March to August to To lay and hatch the eggas and then go back to Siberia with the newly born siblings.

How to reach:

By Air: Nearest airport is Bangalore airport 99 km.

By train: Puttaparti 63 km

By Road: Bangalore is 123 km, Puttaparti 63 km. On National Highway NH7 to Bangalore to Hyderabad take turn from Penukonda junction and it is 35 KM.

Accommodation: None worth mentioning at this village so you have to stay at Puttaparthi or Bangalore.

Mukundamala Stotra was composed by Saint Kulasekhara

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Kaupina Panchakam stotra was composed by Adi Shankaracharya

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Kaupeena Panchakam is a short Stotra with just five stanzas glorifying the life of a Sannyasi. A Sadhu wears only a kaupina – loincloth – and renounces all other material possessions.

वेदान्तवाक्येषु सदा रमन्तो
भिक्षान्नमात्रेण च तुष्टिमन्तः ।
विशोकमन्तःकरणे चरन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥

Vedantha Vakhyeshu Sada ramantho,
Bhikshannamathrena trishtimantha,
Vishokamantha karane charantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha -1

Who is revelling in the thoughts of Vedantic declarations,
Whom does a meagre portion of begged-food satisfy,
Who is walking around without a trace of sorrow
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -1

मूलं तरोः केवलमाश्रयन्तः
पाणिद्वयं भोक्तुममन्त्रयन्तः ।
कन्थामिव श्रीमपि कुत्सयन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥

Moolam tharo kevalam ashrayantha,
Panidhvayam bhokthuma manthrayantha,
Kandhamiva sreemapi kuthsayantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha -2

Who rests (sleeps) at the roots of a tree,
Taking only two hands-full of food
Who is disregarding wealth as a torn piece of cloth
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -2

स्वानन्दभावे परितुष्टिमन्तः
सुशान्तसर्वेन्द्रियवृत्तिमन्तः ।
अहर्निशं ब्रह्मसुखे रमन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥

Swananda bhava pari thushti mantha,
Sushantha sarvendriya vruthi mantha,
Aharnisam brahma sukhe ramantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 3

Always contented in the joy of ones own self
Who is peaceful by curbing desires his senses
Who is immersed day and night in the bliss of Brahman
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -3

देहादिभावं परिवर्तयन्तः
स्वात्मानमात्मन्यवलोकयन्तः ।
नान्तं न मध्यं न बहिः स्मरन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥

Dehadhi bhavam parivarthayantha,
Swathmana athmanyavalokayantha,
Naantha na Madhyam na bahi smarantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 4

Always witnessing the changes of his own body,
Who is seeing himself as the Self, the changeless,
And who never bothers to think about the end, middle and outside (of the world),
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -4

ब्रह्माक्षरं पावनमुच्चरन्तो
ब्रह्माहमस्मीति विभावयन्तः ।
भिक्षाशिनो दिक्षु परिभ्रमन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥

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The Ardhanarishwara Stotram was composed by Adishankaracharya.

अर्धनारीश्वर  स्तोत्रम 

Shri Ardhanarishwara Stotram. 

चाम्पेयगौरार्धा  शरीरकायै  कर्पूरगौरार्धा  शररकय  |
धम्मिल्लकायै i च   जटाधराय  नमः  शिवाय i च  नमः  शिवाय  || 

Champeya gowrardha sareerakayai,
Karpoora gourardha sareerakaya,
Dhamillakayai cha jatadaraya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya.

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva
To Her whose body shines similar to molten gold,
To Him whose body shines like the burning camphor,
To Her who has a well made up hair,
And to Him who has the matted lock. 

कस्तूरिका  कुंकुमचर्चितायै  चितरजःपुंजा  विचर्चिताया  |
कृतस्मरायै  विकृतस्मराय  नमः  शिवायै  च  नमः  शिवाय  || 

Kasthurika kumkuma charchithayai,
Chitharaja puncha vicharchithayai,
Kruthasmarayai vikrutha smaraya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva,
To Her whose body is smeared with musk and saffron,
To Him whose body is smeared with ashes of a burning ghat,
To Her whose prettiness radiates love,
And to Him who destroyed the God of love. 

झणत्क्वणत्कंकणा  नूपुरायै  पादब्जराजत्फणिन  उपरया  |
हेमंगदायै  भुजगन  गदया  नमः  शिवायै  च  नमः  शिवाय  || 

Jhanath kvanath kankana noopurayai,
Padabja Rajat phani noopuraya,
Hemangadhayai bhujagangadhaya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya. 

My salutations to both Prvathi and Shiva,
To Her who has tinkling pretty anklets,
To Him who has the king of snakes as anklet,
To Her who shines with golden anklets,
And to Him who has snakes as anklets. 

विशालनीलोत्पललोचनायै  विकसिपा  नकेरुहलोचनाया  |
समेसनयै  विषमेक्षणाय  नमः  शिवायै  च  नमः  शिवाय  || 

Visala nilothphala lochanayai,
Vikasi pangeruha lochanaya,
Samekshanayai vishamekshanaya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya. 

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva,
To Her who has eyes as wide as the blue lotus,
To Him who has eyes as wide as a fully opened lotus,
To Her who has even number of eyes,
And to Him who has odd number of eyes. 

मन्दरमलाकलितलकायै  कपलमलाङ्कितकन्धराय  |
दिव्याम्बरायै  च  दिगम्बराय  नमः  शिवायै  च  नमः  शिवाय  || 

Mandhara mala kalithalakayai,
Kapalamalankitha kandharaya,
Divyambarayai cha Digambaraya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya. 

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva,
To Her whose hair is decorated with divine flowers,
To Him who wears a garland of skulls,
To Her who dresses in great silks,
And to Him wearing the eight directions. 

अम्भोधरश्यामलकुन्तलायै   ताती  त्प्रभातंरजा  तधरया  |
निर्लश्वरायै  निखिलेश्वराय  नमः  शिवायै  च  नमः  शिवाय  || 

Ambhodara syamala kunthalayai,
Thadithprabha thamra jatadharaya,
Nireeswarayai nikhileeswaraya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya. 

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva,
To Her who has black hair like the swollen cloud,
To Him who has copper matted locks like lightning,
To Her who is the goddess of the mountains,
And to Him who is the Lord of the universe. 

प्रपञ्चसृष्  ट्युन्मुखला  सयकायी  समस्तसा  महारकताण्डवाया  |
जगज्जनन्यै  जगदेकपित्रे  नमः  शिवायै  च   नमः  शिवाय  || 

Prapancha srushtyun muka lasyakayai,
Samastha samharaka thandavaya,
Jagat jananyai Jagatheka pithre,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya. 

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva,
To Her whose dance marks the creation of the world,
To Him whose dance destroys everything,
To Her who is the mother of the universe,
To Him who is the father of the universe. 

प्रदीप्तरत्नोज्ज्वलकुण्डलायै स्फुरन्महापन्नगभूषणाय ।
शिवान्वितायै च शिवान्विताय नमः शिवायै च नमः शिवाय ||

Pradeeptha rathnojjwala kundalaayai,
Sphuran mahapannaga bhooshanayai,
Shivanvithaayai cha Shivanvithaya,
Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya. 

My salutations to both Parvathi and Shiva,
To Her with glittering earrings of gems,
To Him who wears a great serpent as an ornament,
To Her who is divinely merged with Shiva,
And to Him who is divinely merged with Parvathi.

एतत्पठेदश  तकमीश  तडम  यो  भक्त्या  सा  मान्यो   भुवि  डलरघजलवी  |
प्राप्नोति  सौभाग्यमनन्तकालम  भूयात  सदा  तस्य  समस्तसिद्दिः  || 

Ethath pateth astaka mistatham yo,
Bhakthyaa sa maanyo bhuvi deerghajeevi,
Praapnothi saubhagyam ananthakaalam,
Bhooyaath sadha thasya samastha sidhdhi

Those who chant this Ardhanarishwara Stotram with bhakthi will be blessed long respectful life and will be blessed with all they wish to to have in their lifetime. 

इत्ति श्री आदिशंकर भगवत्पदा विरचितम अर्धनारीश्वर स्तोत्रम सम्पूरणम् |

Iti Shri Adishankara bhagavatpada virachitam Ardhanarishwara stotram Sampooranam ||

Here ends Sri Adi Shankara bhagavatpada composed Ardhanarishwara stotram

he following are some of the other famous Devi temples, though not part of the famous 51 Shaki Peethas but none the less they are great centers of the Divine Mother.

Lingadharini Shakti, a very ancient Devi temple at Naimisharanya, Uttar Pradesh

Vaishnava Devi, Katra, Jammu Kashmir

Kanaka Durga, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

Kanya Kumari Devi, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu

The The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam is considered one of the most important Vishnu temple s in India. It is a huge – 236 feet height with its 13 tiers – and is considered the tallest temple tower in the world. It covers an area of 155 acres with 81 shrines, 21 towers and 39 pavilions. The temple has a huge hall which was built during the Vijayanagara period (1336-1565) and has 953 beautifully carved pillars.

According to archaeological evidence it belongs to late 1st millennium CE. However it was built and rebuilt many times. The temple complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Srirangam is an island surrounded by the river Cauvery. Apart from the Sri Ranganatha swamy temple the complex has Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, Sri Gangadereshwara temples also. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu.

Festivals: The annual 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margashira Month (December–January) attracts more than 1 million visitors. Apart from this many of the festivals of Vishnu are also observed.

Timings: 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Places to visit nearby: Jambukeshwarar Temple, 1.5 km away is a very famous Pancha Maha Bhuta Shiva temple

By Air: The Trichy Airport is 15 km from the temple.

By Train: The Trichy railway station 8 km from the temple is well connected with most major cities.

By Bus: The temple is located at a distance of 8 km from the central bus stand and at a distance of about 3 km from the Chathiram bus stand of trichy. Many regular buses from most of the cities of Tamil Nadu are available.

Accommodation: Trichi nearby has all types of accommodation from budget to 5 star hotels.

The Pundarikakshan Temple or Thiruvellarai Temple in Thiruvellarai, a village 27 km away from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, is a very ancient temple, considered older than Srirangam temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and it is one of the 108 DivyadesamVishnu. Vishnu, who is worshiped as Pundarikaksha and his consort Lakshmi as Pankajavalli.

According to legend, Sibi Chakravarthy, king of Ayodhya in Treta Yuga used to stay here and one day a white boar crossed his path. When he chased it and the boar hid inside a hole. A sage called Markandeya was doing tapasya there and the king told him what happened. The Rishi asked the king to fill the hole with milk. When he did so, Lord Vishnu appeared before them. The Rishi Markandeya asked the king to bring 3700 Vaishnavites from the north and build a temple there for Lord Vishnu. So the king took 3700 Vaishnavites and started building the temple but one of the Vaishnavites was killed on the way by accident. Vishnu came in the guise as a Vaishnavite – Pundarikaksha and joined the 3700 workers to build the temple.

The present temple structure is credited to Nandivarman II (732–796 AD) and Dantivarman (796–847). The Pallava kings also constructed sculpturs of Narasimha and Varaha. The Rajagopuram of the Pundarikaksha is still unfinished. According available history, it was being built by the Vijayanagar Kings but work stopped after Vijayanagar kings lost the battle to the Deccan Sultanate. Many attempts were made to complete the Rajagopuram but it could not be completed.

Daily SIX rituals are performed and yearly three festivals are held. The chariot festival, celebrated during the month of Chaitra (March–April), is the most prominent.

Places to visit nearby: Ranganathaswamy temple in Trichi is a very famous Vishnu temple and Jambukeshwarar Temple, in Trichi is a very famous Pancha Maha Bhuta Shiva temple

How to reach: Trichi 27km away is well connected by bus and taxi……

By Air: The Trichy Airport is 27 km from the temple.

By Train: The Trichy railway station 27 km from the temple is well connected with most major cities.

By Bus: Trichy has many regular buses from most of the cities of Tamil Nadu are available.

Accommodation: Trichi nearby has all types of accommodation from budget to 5 star hotels.

Timings: 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm

The Varadaraja Perumal Temple Kanchipuram is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu. Varadaraja is considered a boon-giver. The present temple was built by the Chola kings in 1053 A.D and it was expanded by theVijayanagar Kings in the 12th century A.D. The temple is built in 25 acres and the tower is 96 ft in height. The main 100 pillared hall has beautiful sculptures.

According to the legend, once Lord Brahma was performing a Yajna to purify himself. He ignored his consort Goddess Saraswathi and was performing with Gayatri and Savitri. Enraged by this, Goddess Saraswathi tried to tried to flood the area by taking the form of a fast-flowing river Vegavathi . Lord Brahma prayed Lord Vishnu and blocked the floods by laying himself in a reclining position and Lord Brahma could finish the Yajna.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple is also famous for its Golden and Silver Lizards. The two disciples of Rishi Gautham incurred his curse and came to Kanchipuran in the form of lizards. Later the Disciples were freed of the curse but their lizard bodies remained here. It is said that whosoever prays Lord Varadaja here and touches these two lizards will be relieved from all sins of touching the lizards and freed from all chronic diseases.

Temple timings: Morning: 6 am – 12 pm, Evening: 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm
The entry fee for 100 pillared hall is: Rs.5/-
Photography fees: Rs.50/-
Video fees: Rs.100/-

Other things to see:

Kamakshi temple is a great Shakti Peetha

Ekambareswar Shiva Temple is one of the famous Pancha Tatwa temples,

Kailasanatha Temple is a beautiful ancient 8th century temple.

Panduranga Temple

Mahabalipuram 68 km ayay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Shiva temple. It is one of the famous tourist sites in India with abeautiful beach.

Kanchipuram is world famous for its silk sarees.

How to reach

By Air: Chennai International Airport located approximately 62.5 kilometres from Kanchipuram provides a very good air connectivity with rest of the world.

By Rail: Both New and Old Kanchipuram Railway Stations are located about 1 kilometre away from the Kamakshi Amman Temple. The Chengalpattu – Arakkonam Railway Line passes through Kanchipuram and daily trains link Kanchipuram with Pondicherry, Tirupati, Chengalpattu and Arakkonam.

Four major trains namely Nagercoil Express, Madurai Express, LokmanyaTilak Express and Nagercoil Mumbai Express can be boarded to reach Kanchipuram. However, the trains might be late than their scheduled times. A faster and more convenient alternative to reach Kanchipuram by train is to take a train to Chennai and travel by road from Chennai to Kanchipuram via taxi or bus.

By Road: Road Transport is the most suitable mode of transport to reach Kanchipuram. From Chennai city it is 74 km. From Chennai airport it is 62.5 km. The Chennai Bangalore National Highway No. 4 passes the outskirts of the city. State Highways No 58 and 116 also pass through Kanchipuram. Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation operates daily bus services those connect Kanchipuram to a number of important cities.

Hotel accommodation: Several fairly good hotels with ac and non ac rooms are available.

The Kailasanathar Shiva temple is the oldest ancient temple in Kanchipuram. The architecture is partly damaged but still beautiful and reflects its past glory.

The ancient 8th century temple was built by a Rajasimha or Narasimhavarman II who was the ruler of the Pallava Dynasty. He established Kanchipuram as his capital.. The huge compound has a large number of beautiful carvings. The temple complex has 58 small shrines depicting various forms of Shiva. The temple and its atmosphere are very serine and peace inducing.

The temple has a rare 16 sided granite stone Shivalinga. There is a very elegantly carved Nandi, said to be guarding the deity. Most of the walls of the temple have many beautifully carved deities.

The priest here is very goos ad dose the pooja with great faith.

Festivals: Maha Shivaratri festival is celebrated in a grand fashion here..
Timings: 6 AM to 12 PM and then from 4 PM to 7 PM.

Other things to see:

Ekambareswar Shiva Temple is one of the famous Pancha Tatwa temples,

Varadharaja Perumal Temple is a beautiful Vishnu temple. It has a golden lizard and touching it is believed to rid you of Balli Dosha or sin of touching a lizard.

Panduranga Temple

Mahabalipuram 68 km ayay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Shiva temple. It is one of the famous tourist sites in India with abeautiful beach.

Kanchipuram is world famous for its silk sarees.

How to reach

By Air: Chennai International Airport is 62.5 km away.

By Rail: Both New and Old Kanchipuram Railway Stations are located about 5 kilometre away from the Temple.

By Road: Kanchipuram is well connected by road.

The famous Venkateswara Temple is situated on the hill at Tirumala / Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. It is also called Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple. Venkateswara is also called Balaji, Govinda, Srinivasa and Edukondala Swami (Lord of 7 hills).

It is situated on the Tirumala hills which are part of the Seshachalam Hills range. The 2,799 ft high hills have seven peaks, said to represent the seven heads of the holy snake Adisesha. The Venkateswara temple is on the seventh peak known as Venkatadri.

The temple construction is reported to have started sometime in 300 AD. It was patronised and developed by The Pallava dynasty, the Chola dynasty, and finally the most by the Vijayanagara Empire of Andhra Pradesh. More than 100000 pilgrims visit the temple daily. Donations in cash and gold by the kings, celebrities and millions of devotees have made it the richest temple in the world. The temple’s gold reserves are over 9,000 kg, it has over Rs 12,000 crore in fixed deposits in various banks – earning around Rs 850 crore as interest. Its annual cash donations are Rs 1,000-1,200 crores.

There are many legends connected with the manifestation of Venkateswara. It is believed that the deity of Lord Venkateswara will be there till the end present Kali Yuga.

During Dvapara Yuga, Adisesha resided on earth as Seshachalam Hills after losing a contest with Vayu. According to Puranas, Tirumala is regarded as Adivaraha Kshetra. After killing Hiranyaksha, Adivaraha resided on this hill. Sri Venkatachala Mahatyam is the widely accepted legend over Tirumala Temple.

It is said that once Rishi Bhrigu got angry with Lord Vishnu and kiked Him on the chest. kicked Vishnu in the chest and Vishnu apologised and massaged his feet. Goddess Lakshmi who is said to reside at the chest of Lord Vishnu, felt insulted by this and left Vaikuntam and came to Earth to Kolhapur and started meditating.

After that Vishnu also left Vaikuntam in search of Lakshmi and came in human form as Srinivasa to Tirumala Hills and started meditating. Lakshmi came to know about the condition of Srinivasa and prayed to Shiva and Brahma. Shiva and Brahma then converted themselves into Cow and Calf and Goddess Lakshmi had handed over the cow and calf to Chola king ruling over Tirumala Hills at that time. The Cow would provide milk to Srinivasa daily while it was taken for grazing. One day Cowherd saw this and tried to beat the Cow with staff but Srinivasa had borne the injury. Getting angered by this Srinivasa had cursed the Chola king to become a Demon as dharma says Servants sin should be borne by Kings. The king prayed for mercy after which Srinivasa said to him, that the King should take next birth as Akasaraja and should perform marriage of his daughter Padmavati with Srinivasa.[11]

Srinivasa went to his mother Vakula Devi on Tirumala hills and stayed there for a while. After curse Chola king took rebirth as Akasaraja and he had a daughter named Padmavati who was born in the Padmapushkarini situated at present day Tiruchanur in Andhra Pradesh. Srinivasa married Padmavati at present day Narayanavanam in Andhra Pradesh and will return to Tirumala Hills. After few months Goddess Lakshmi had come to know about the marriage of Srinivasa with Padamavati and went to Tirumala hills to question Srinivasa. It is said that the srinivasa turns into Stone right when he was encountered by Lakshmi and Padmavathi. Brahma and Shiva appear before the confused queens and explain the main purpose behind all this – The Lord’s desire to be on the 7 hills for the emancipation of mankind from the perpetual troubles of Kali Yuga. Goddesses Lakshmi and Padmavathi also turn into stone deities expressing their wish to be with their always. Lakshmi stays with Him on His Chest on the left side while Padmavathi rests on His Chest’s right side.

The presiding deity, Venkateswara, is in standing posture and faces east in the Garbha gruha. The temple follows Vaikhanasa Agama tradition of worship. The temple is one of the eight Vishnu Swayambhu Kshetras and is listed as 106th and the last earthly Divya Desam.

Along with Venkateswara the garbha griha also has panchaloha deities of Sita, Rama, Lakshmana, Rukmini, Sri Krishna swamy, Chakratalwar. The temple has the deities of Garuda, Yoga Narasimha, Varadaraja, Kubera, Bedi Anjaneya Anantha, Garuda, Viswaksena, Sugriva and Ramanuja. in their respective sub-shrines in the temple complex.

Poojas and festivals: The temple follows “Vaikhanasa Agama” Vaishnava tradition of worship. This ancient texts recommends six times puja every day for Vishnu, of which minimum one puja is mandatory. Rituals are classified as daily, weekly and periodical. The daily sevas in Temple (in order of occurrence) include Suprabhata Seva, Thomala Seva, Archana, Kalyanotsavam, Dolotsavam (Unjal Seva), Arjita Brahmotsavam, Arjita Vasantotsavam, Sahasra Dipalankarana Seva, Ekanta Seva. Weekly sevas of the Temple include Vishesha Pooja on Monday, Ashtadala Pada Padmaradhana on Tuesday, Sahasra Kalasabhishekam on Wednesday, Tiruppavada Seva on Thursday, Abhishekam and Nijapada Darshanam on Friday. There are no weekly sevas on Saturday and Sunday. Periodical rituals include Jyesthabhishekam, Aaniwara Asthanam, Pavithrotsavam, Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam.

Tirupati Laddu

A lot of other prasadams and free meals are offered at the temple. The Tirupati Laddu given as prasadam is a very tasty one and is very famous. The man who makes the Tirupati laddu has become a multi millionaire!

Hair tonsuring
Many devotees have their head tonsured as “Mokku” or vow, , an offering to God. The daily amount of hair collected is over a ton. The hair is collected and is sold internationally creating a substantial profit for the temple.

3550 Steps
Many Devotees take a Vow to Lord Venkateswara to climb the Tirupati by foot. It consists of a total 3550 Steps which makes a distance of 12 km.

Darshan and visits and Poojas can be booked online in advance from www.ttdsevaonline.com

Timings: Here are the different kind of Darshans and their respective timings:

General Darshan (Sarva Darshanam) – This Darshan is open for the general public. The timings are different each day of the week.
Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday – The Darshan starts from 7:30 AM – 7 PM in the evening. It resumes from 8 PM till 1 AM the next morning.
Wednesday and Friday – The Darshan starts from 9 AM till 7 PM in the evening and again from 8 PM till 1 AM the next morning.
Thursday – The Darshan starts early from 8 AM till 7 PM and then again from 8 PM till 1 AM the next morning.
VIP Darshan (Sheeghra Darshan) – It is for immediate Darshan by paying a fees. Pilgrims can also make an advance booking on the official website at www.ttdsevaonline.com. This Darshan starts from 9 AM daily till 3 PM.

Places to visit near by: Kalahasti temple 37 km away, is a famous Pancha Maha Bhuta Shiva temple. Regular buses are available from Tirupati.

How to reach: Being one of the most visited temple it is well connected by air, train and bus.

Accommodation: Many budget to 5 star hotels are available. At the temple on the hill also you can book rooms online.