AMARNATH TEMPLE (CAVE)

 AMARNATH TEMPLE (CAVE)

AT

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Amarnath cave is a Hindu shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m, about 141 km from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town

Shiva is a living God. The most Sacred and  ancient books of India, the Rig Veda narrates His presence in the hymns. Vedic myths, rituals and even astronomy testifies to His existence from the dawn of time .The Mohindaro and Harapa findings confirm Shiva worship in the ancient India. According to the older scriptures, He has three places  of His residence. One is  Kailash Parvat another  is Lohit Giri under which Brahamputra flows and third is Muzwan Parvat .

Inside the main Amarnath cave is an ice stalagmite resembling the Shiva Linga, which waxes during May to August and gradually wanes thereafter. This lingam is said to grow and shrink with the phases of the moon, reaching its height during the summer festival. According to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort Parvati. There are two other ice formations representing Parvati and Shiva’s son, Ganesha. Devotees generally take the 42 km (26 mi) pilgrimage on foot from the town of Pahalgam, about 96 km (60 mi) from Srinagar, and cover the journey in four to five days. There are two alternate routes to the temple: the longer and more traditional path from Srinagar, and the shorter route from the town of Baltal. Some devotees, particularly the elderly, also ride on horses to make the journey.

Devotees visit Amarnath Cave close to the festival of Shravani Mela that is held between July-August.

From Pahalgam–A traditional route

To reach Amarnath Cave, one has to reach Pahalgam either from Jammu (315 Km) or from Srinagar (96km). Take a bus or taxi from Jammu to reach Pahalgam or reach Srinagar by air and from there take a car, bus or taxi.

From Pahalgam, devotees have to reach Chandanwari (16 km)and this distance can also be covered by using road transport. Pilgrims can either camp at Pahalgam or Chandanwari.

From Chandanwari, pilgrims climb the height to reach Pissu Top that is believed to be formed by the dead bodies of Rakshas who were killed by Lord Shiva.

To reach at Sheshnag, pilgrims follow a steep incline. The entire route has untouched wild scenery with cascading stream on one side. The place got its name from the Seven Peaks. The shape of the peaks resemble that of the head of the mythical snake.

From Sheshnag one has to cover the steep height of 4.6 km to reach Panchtarni. This is the last camp to the Holy Amarnath Cave. Cold winds might lead to cracks on skin. Also at such an altitude one feels short of oxygen.

From Panchtarni, the Amarnath Cave is located at a distance of just 6 km. As there is no place to stay, so pilgrims have to start their journey early in the morning so that you can come back to the base camp on time. The entire route is very beautiful.

From Baltal–Anewroute

There is another route to Amarnath cave from Baltal that is located at 14 km from the Amarnath caves. The distance of Baltal from Jammu is 400 km that can be covered by taxi or bus. From there, pilgrims can either take ponies or travel by foot to cover the route from Baltal to Amarnath. Though this route is much narrower and steeper than from Pahalgam, it can be completed in one day with Baltal as base camp. If you want to complete the journey in one day then you can hire a helicopter from Pahalgam to Panchtarni.

All in all, Amarnath Yatra is an experience in itself and one must visit this holy place at least once during his or her lifetime.

 During the past fifty years, the ice Shivlingam has shrunk in size. While weather does affect its shape and size, many environmentalists blame global warming for the condition.

By Air

Srinagar, the nearest aerodrome, has world famous sights to see, such as Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Shankaracharya Temple and Mughal gardens like Shalimar, Nishat and Cheshma-shahi.  Known as "Paradise on earth" and being the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, the city is well connected by air and road. There are daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi and Jammu. On certain weekdays flights also pickup passengers from Chandigarh and Leh.

By Rail

Jammu is the nearest Railway Station. Jammu is the  winter Capital of Jammu & Kashmir. Also known as "CITY OF TEMPLES", one may visit old temples such as Raghunath Temple, Mahadev Mandir and other temples. Railway station is very well connected and there are lots of express trains to various towns in India.

By Road

Jammu and Srinagar are also connected through road. Buses and Taxies are  available for this part of the journey. These can be hired on daily as well as on full tour basis.

RAMANATHASWAMY TEMPLE

RAMANATHASWAMY TEMPLE

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RAMESHWARAM

The temple and the island of Rameswaram have acquired this name because, Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva, the God of Gods here on return from Sri Lanka. According to legend, after killing Ravana Lord Rama returned with his consort Goddess Seetha to India first stepping on the shores of Rameswaram. To expiate the "dosha" of killing a brahmin, Lord Rama wanted to offer worship to Lord Shiva. Since there was no shrine in the island had despatched Sri Hauman to Kailash to bring an idol of Lord Shiva.

Located in the district of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, Rameshwaram is one of the renowned pilgrim centers in India. The place has great religious value in the heart of every devotee therefore a number of people come here throughout the year to worship their God. Rameshwaram is amongst the Char Dham pilgrimages in the country.

Nestled on the Rameshwaram Island, the religious city has a unique historical backdrop. According to Hindu Mythology, the place has one of the 12 Jyothirlingas of Lord Shiva. The medieval Dravidian architecture is something which will surely grab your attention. Rameshwaram temple which is seen as the major attraction of this holy place is believed to have been built by Lord Rama. The city had also witnessed many dynasties.

Besides the Rameshawarm temple, there are many ancient temples such as Agnitheertham, Gandamadana Parvatham, Dhanushkodi, and Kothandaraswamy Temple. The tranquil beauty of these temples will surely provide great pleasure to mind. The place also has various markets where you can go and buy different types of local and famous things of this religious place. This information and more can be taken from Rameshwaram travel guide. The place is also seen as ‘Varanasi of South’.

The religious city celebrates some of the common festivals such as Dussehra, Pongal and Diwali with high spirit. But, the major festival of the place is Arudhra Darshanam which is celebrated in the month of December every year. Many people come here during this period to be a part of the festival

The city does not have an airport of its own but tourists from different parts of the country can land at the approaching airport at Madurai. The Madurai airport is approximately 170 km away from the heart of Rameshwaram city. From the airport, one can easily hire private cabs as well as taxis to reach this religious city.

The Rameshwaram railway station is directly connected via rail to all major stations of Coimbatore, Trichy, Madurai, Thanjavur and Chennai. Major cities of Tamil Nadu are connected directly to Rameshwaram via railway networks. There are various types of trains that arrive and depart from the city such as super fast, express and mail trains.

Workship Timing :

S.no	Period	Opening Timing
1)	Morning	05:00 A.M to 01:00 P.M
2)	Evening	03:00 P.M to 09:00 P.M

Pooja Timing :

S.no	Poojai	Timing
1)	Palliyarai Deepa Arathana	05:00 A.M
2)	Spadigalinga Deepa Arathana	05:10 A.M
3)	Thiruvananthal Deepa Arathana	05:45 A.M
4)	Vila Pooja	07:00 A.M
5)	Kalasanthi Pooja	10:00A.M
6)	Uchikala Pooja	12:00 NOON
7)	Sayaratcha Pooja	06:00 P.M
8)	Arthajama Pooja	08.30 P.M
9)	Palliyarai Pooja	08:45 P.M

FESTIVALS

S.No	Festival	Beginning	Ending	Durations
1	Mahasivarathri (To be seen) i. Rishaba Vaahana Dharshan ii. Mahasivarathri Abishekam iii. Silver Chariot	Mahasashti krishnapatcham Maasi (February, March)	Mahakrishna Amavasai	10 days
2	Vasanthotsavam	Vaikasa Sukkila Sashti Vaikasi (May - June)	Vaisaka Paurnami	10 days
3	Ramalinga Prathishtai	Jeshta Sukkila Suddha Sashti Aani (May - June)	Ashata Paurnami	3 days
4	Thirukkalyanam (To be seen) i. Rishaba Vaahanam ii. Silver Chariot iii. Thabasu Day iv. Sayanasevai on Golden Pallakku v. Thirukkalyana Day	Aashada Pagula Krishnashtami (July - August )	Siravana - suddham	17 days
5	Navarathri Festival Dasara (Vijayadasami Day)	Bathrabatha Suddha Sukkila Pradhami Purattaasi (September - October)	Dasami	10 days
6	Kantha Sashti	Aasveeja Suddha Sukkila Aippasi (october - November)	Aasveeja Suddha Sashti	6 days
7	Aarudhira Dharshna	Maarkka Seerisha Sudda Sashti Sadhaya Natchatram Maargazhi (December - January)	Maarkka Seerisha Sudda Paurnami	10 days

AKSHARDHAM MANDIR

AKSHARDHAM MANDIR

'Akshardham' means the divine abode of God. It is hailed as an eternal place of devotion, purity and peace. Swaminarayan Akshardham at New Delhi is a Mandir – an abode of God, a Hindu house of worship, and a spiritual and cultural campus dedicated to devotion, learning and harmony.

 Timeless Hindu spiritual messages, vibrant devotional traditions and ancient architecture all are echoed in its art and architecture.The mandir is a humble tribute to Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781- 1830), the avatars, devas and great sages of Hinduism. 

The traditionally-styled complex was inaugurated on 6 November 2005 with the blessings of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj and through the devoted efforts of skilled artisans and volunteers.

Opened 6th November 2005

Constructed by Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS)

Inspired by HH Yogiji Maharaj (1892-1971 CE)

Created by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj

More than 300,000,000 volunteer hours went into making the complex

Over 8,000 volunteers from across the world participated in building it

Mandir built from intricately carved sandstone and marble

Exhibitions on Hinduism, including Bhagwan Swaminarayan's life and teachings such as prayer, compassion, and non-violence.

Open gardens, water bodies and step-well styled courtyard

Abhishek Donation:

₹ 50 per person.

Timings: 9:30am to 8:00pm.

Aarti Time: 6:30pm.

Time to See:

10 to 25 minutes

Ritual Duration:

10 to 15 minutes

The heart of the Swaminarayan Akshardham complex is the Akshardham mandir. 

Inaugurated on 6 November 2005, the mandir is an effort to offer a home to God that honors . His glory and divinity –- a timeless, beautiful and peaceful home for God here on Earth. It is a temporal abode of God and the devotion, values and culture He inspires.
 
Architecturally, the mandir is an homage to traditional Indian Hindu architecture. It is designed with an eye to The ancient and middle-agemedieval Indian treatises on architectural science, - the shilpa shastras, have guided the mandir’s design and construction from its distinctive style of carving and its proportions to its avoidance of . 
Accordingly, the mandir is made without the use of ferrous metal in construction.

The Akshardham mandir consists of 234 intricately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangled spires and 20,000 statues of India’s Hinduism’s spiritual personalities. 

The mandir reaches 141.3 feet into the sky, spans 316 feet in width,and is 356 feet long. Inside the mandir, each worshipfully carved pillar, ceiling and dome shares a story of devotion, offers darshan of a deity, or captures an incident from the life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Entry: Free and open to all.

Timings:

9:30am to 8:00pm.

Aarti:

10:00am and 6:00pm.

Time to See: 45 minutes

Note:

This water show is very powerful show to watch

The Sahaj Anand Water Show is a breathtaking 24-minute presentation which unites a variety of intriguing media to bring to life a story from the Kena Upanishad. Multi-color lasers, video projections, underwater flames, water jets and surround sound in symphony with lights and live actors produce a captivating and inspiring presentation. International experts contributed their expertise with BAPS volunteers and sadhus to produce this one-of-a-kind presentation.

Tickets:

Adults (Age 12+): ₹ 80
Seniors (Age 60+): ₹ 80
Children (Age 4 – 11): ₹ 50
Children (Below Age 4): Free

Timings: First show starts soon after sunset.
Multiple shows may be held during weekends or public holidays. (Currently : 7:15 pm Tues-Sun)

Time to See:

24 minutes

How to reach:

Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) - 21 Km

Railway Stations: 

Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM) - 6 Km
New Delhi (NDLS) - 11 Km
Old Delhi (DLI) - 10 Km
Metro Station: Akshardham Metro - 350 meters (walk) FROM 

AKSHARDHAM METRO STATION

1.   Exit Station and Turn Right

2.   Walk 100 meters and Turn Right

3.   Walk 250 meters & Enter Akshardham - Gate 1

FROM AIRPORT (1HR 30 MINS)

1.   Take Orange Line to New Delhi Metro Station

2.   Disembark at New Delhi Metro Station

3.   Take Yellow Line (toward HUDA City Centre)

4.   Disembark at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station

5.   Take Blue Line (Towards Noida City Centre)

6.   Disembark at Akshardham Metro Station

FROM NEW DELHI RAILWAY STATION (40 MINS)

1.   Walk towards Ajmeri Gate Exit

2.   Walk towards New Delhi Metro Station

3.   Take Yellow Line (toward HUDA City Centre)

4.   Disembark at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station

5.   Take Blue Line (Towards Noida City Centre)

6.   Disembark at Akshardham Metro Station

FROM OLD DELHI RAILWAY STATION (45 MINS)

1.   Walk towards Chandani Chowk Metro Station (350 Meters)

2.   Take Yellow Line (toward HUDA City Centre)

3.   Disembark at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station

4.   Take Blue Line (Towards Noida City Centre)

5.   Disembark at Akshardham Metro Station