CHOTTANKKARA BAGAVATHY TEMPLE

CHOTTANIKKARA BAGAVATHY TEMPLE

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KERALA

This is the most famous temple in the state of Kerala. It is situated on outskirts of Kochi. The two main deities here are Rajarajeswari and Badrakali. People believe that these Goddesses are very powerful. It is located in a serene atmosphere. Whatever your belief might be, you could still visit the place, which is one of the most important tourist destinations and offers you tranquil moments.

 it is one of the most visited Hindu shrines in South India and is dedicated to the Goddess Bhagavathy who is worshipped as Saraswati in the morning, Lakshmi during the day, and Durga in the evening.

The Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple is believed to be about 1500 years old. Legend has it that the temple was built in the midst of a dense jungle by a forest-dweller called Kannappan. Kannappan was a doting father who loved his young daughter. 

He sacrificed a beast to the Goddess Bhagavathy each day and one occasion could not find any animals to slaughter. He asked his daughter for her pet calf but the daughter preferred to give up her own life for the goddess. The calf spoke to Kannappan and revealed that it was the Goddess in animal form.

 A transformed Kannappan started to worship her at the place where the 

sacrifices were made by him. The shrine fell into disuse and was eventually discovered by a grass cutter.

Timings

                  

Opening of the Nada	4 am
Lord Shiva’s Dhaara	5 am
Ethruthu pooja	5.30 am
Morning Seeveli	6 am
Guruthi pooja at Keezhu kaavu Temple	7.30 am
Pantheeradi Pooja	7.45 am
Lord Shiva’s Dhaara	11 am
Uchapooja or noon pooja	12 noon
Noon Seeveli	12.10 pm
Evening Nada Opening	4.00 pm
Deeparadhana	6.30 pm
Athazhapooja	7.30 pm
Evening Seeveli	8 pm
Evening Guruthi at Keezhu kaavu Temple	8.45pm

Air

 International Air Port is at Nedumbassery, near Aluva, about 22 kms away from Ernakulam, Kochi.

Rail

The nearest station is at Ernakulam about 17km away from Chottanikkara. The two railway stations in Kochi are Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town. Trains from the Northern cities/Southern parts of India stop at Ernakulam Junction.
Ernakulam Junction, D.H. Rd, Ernakulam South, Phone: 131
Ernakulam Town, Near North Bridge
Phone : 0484-2390920

Road

 KSRTC Central Bus station is near the Ernakulam Junction railway station. It runs Express and Fast services from Ernakulam to other major cities within Kerala and into the neighbouring states. Reciprocal services from other States are also available. There are plenty of private buses available for travel from Ernakulam to other cities. They operate from High Court Junction, Railway Station and Kaloor Junction.

BRINDAVAN GARDENS

BRINDAVAN GARDENS

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 MYSORE

Brindavan Gardens  is located at a distance of 19 kms from Mysore City Center and has rows-of colourful fountains.. The gardens are built across river Cauvery and below Krishnaraja Sagar Dam (also known as Kannambadi) which is in itself a magnificent example of engineering and a major tourist attractions. The dam was built by Sir M. Vishweshwariah in 1924 whereas the Brindavan Gardens were built by Sir Mirza Ismail.

Though Brindavan garden belongs to Mandya district, it is very nearer to Mysore.There is a boating pond to cross the dam from the south bank to the north bank and at the northern edge are the dancing fountains. Using advanced lighting techniques, the fountains are made to jump and dance to the tune of music. The dam is over 3 Kms long and is constructed at the junction of three rivers - Kaveri, Hemavati and Lakshmanathirtha. This site has been popularised over the years by the large number of Indian/foreign films shot at this location.

One can enter the garden from steps down from the middle of the dam. Laid out in three terrace formation, the garden has decorated steps where water flows in-between these ornate steps. The major attraction of the park is the musical fountains that leaps in rhythm with music and light.visitors can enjoy a boat ride around the beautiful statue of the Goddess Cauvery at the foot of the dam.

Entry Fee

Adult: Rs.15/-, Children: Rs.10/-, School Discount: Rs.5/- to Rs.10/- per head.

 Timings

10.30 am to 9.30 pm. Musical Fountain: Monday to Friday: 6.55 pm to 7.55 pm and Saturday & Sunday: 6.55 pm to 8.55 pm.

By Air 

The Mysore Airport also called as the Mandakalli Airport serves the city. The newly upgraded airport began flights from Bangalore to Mysore via the SpiceJet airlines on 14th January 2013. As of now SpiceJet is the only airline connecting to Mysore. Apart from this the major airport close by to Mysore is in Bangalore i.e. the Bengaluru International Airport.

By Train 

Mysore has a railway station with in the city. It is linked by rail to Bangalore and many other cities in south India. Prestigious luxury trains and many other mails and express trains service this station regularly. The Mysore railway station is located in the proximity of the city and is well linked with buses and taxis. 

By Road 

Mysore has a convenient network of roads which connects to important cities in Karnataka. Mysore is connected by National Highway number 212 and other State Highway 17, 33 and 88. 

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and other private operators run regular bus services both within the city and inter-cities. Within the Mysore city, buses and auto-rickshaws are a cheap means of transportation.

VIVEKANANDA ROCK

VIVEKANANDA ROCK

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KANYAKUMARI

Located at the southern most tip of the Indian Peninsula where the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet, is Kanyakumari, the place famous for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

Located in the midst of the ocean, just 400 meters from Kanyakumari, is the magnificent Vivekananda Rock Memorial. This colossal structure was built in the year 1970, under the guidance of Shri Eknath Ranade. The Vivekananda rock temple is dedicated to one of the greatest spiritual philosophers of India, Swami Vivekananda.

 It is said that Swami Vivekananda meditated here before setting out on one of the most crucial religious campaigns in India in 1892. The idea of building Vivekananda Memorial Rock temple was conceptualized on his birth centenary in the year 1962.

Vivekananda Mandapam with a dimension of 534' x 426',consists of a Meditation Hall ( Dhyana Mandapam) with six adjacent rooms where visitors can meditate peacefully and an Assembly hall (Sabha Mandapam) with two rooms and a corridor. A statue of Swami Vivekananda in a standing posture, has also been installed in the Assembly hall, with its vision directed towards the 'Sripadam'. 

The sacred Hindu Symbol 'aum' or 'om' is written above the main entrance of the memorial, in Tamil. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. Wide entrance steps lead to the main entrance. The cost of construction of the memorial came up to 1 crore 35 lakhs. The rock on which the memorial stands measures about 164 mtrs. x 130 mtrs. at the water level and has a spacious level top at an altitude of 17 mtrs.

Swami Vivekanada (1863-1902),  the spiritual genius renounced the world and traveled widely as a wandering monk after the death of his guru Sri Ramakrishna. 

He came to Kanyakumari in 1892, swam in the ocean up to the 'Sripada' rock, and spent the whole night there meditating. It is believed that he received enlightenment here which transformed him into one of the most charismatic spiritual leaders of this century.

Air

The nearest airport is at Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), 86 kms away, with regular flights to Bangalore, Mumbai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa and Madras.

Rail

Kanyakumari railway station on broad gauge line is situated at a distance of 1km from the port and is connected to Trivandrum. Tirunelvelli (83 km) is the other nearest railway junction.

Road

Kanyakumari is connected by Road to Nagarcoil ( 19 kms), Trivandrum (86 km), Tirunelvelli (83 km), Tiruchendur (95 km), Tuticorin (129 km), Rameshwaram (300 km), Courtallam (130 km), Tenkasi (138 km), Madurai (242 km), Thekkady (358 km), Kodaikanal (362 km), Ootacamund (576 km), Chennai (679 km), Cochin (309 km) and Coimbatore (478 km).

CHITHIRAI FESTIVAL

CHITHIRAI FESTIVAL

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MADURAI

The Chitrai festival celebrations begin with the hoisting of the flag in the temple. The celestial wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwarar is celebrated every year in Madurai during the Chithirai Festival. Devotees on this auspicious day celebrate by riding a golden chariot with the idols of the god and the goddess.

The journey around the city is accompanied with drum beats, flowers incense sticks and camphor. The spiritual ambience is heightened with the offerings made by the devotees like sweets and coconut.

A fair is organized on this day. Devotees traveling from different parts of the country visit the fair after the festival. The ten day festivity is a time of the year when devotees from different social and regional background gather together to celebrate and worship

Madurai is a popular festival in southern India. Madurai is popularly known as the City of Festivals. The festivals of Madurai are well known for their color and vivaciousness. Devotees gather in large numbers and worship the gods and goddesses. 

Chithirai Festival, Madurai includes a procession of Lord Vishnu, locally known as Lord Kallazhagar. The brother of Goddess Meenakshi, Lord Vishnu travels from his abode in Azhagarmalai to get his sister married to Lord Sundareshwarar. This journey from his abode to his sister’s wedding, on a golden chariot, is the legend behind celebrating the Chithirai Festival, Madurai.

   

April 10th 2016	Sunday	chitrai Thiruvizla kodiyetram (Flag Hosting) karpaga virutsha simha vahanam
April 11th	Monday	Bootha anna vahanam
April 12th	Tues day	Kailasa parvadham,kamadhenu vahanam
April 13th	Wednesday	Thanga pallauku
April 14th	Thursday	Vedar pari leelai   thanga kuthirai vahanam
April 15th	Friday	Saiva samayasthibitha varalaru leelai  rishbha vahanam
April16th	Saturday	Nanthikeshwarar , yaali vahanam
April17th	Sunday	Sree meenakshi pattabishekam, veli simhasana ula
April18th	Monday	Sree meenakshi dikvijayam, indra vimna ula
April19th	Tuesday	Sree meenakshi sundareshwarar thirukalyanam, (celestial wedding) yanai vahanam, pushpa pallaku
April20th	Wednesday	Thiru ther –therotam  chariot car festival
April 21th	Thursday	Theertham,velli virurtchaba sevai
April 21th	Thursday	Kallazhagar, thallakulathil ethir sevai
April 22th	Friday	Sri kallazhagar vaigai atril erunguthal
April23th	Saturday	Kallazhagar shsha vahanam in vandiyur,garudha vahanam in afternoon,dasavatharam katchi in ramarayar mandapam at night.
April24th	Sunday	Kallazhagar thirukolam in pushpa pallaku at mysore mandapam.
April25th	Monday	Sri kallahagar thirumalai eluntharulal.

By Air

Madurai airport is just 10 km away from the main city and it is well connected to all major cities of India. Nearest international airport is Chennai. There are daily flights from Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru and Coimbatore. Taxis are available from the airport to the city.

By Train

Direct trains are available from many cities of India. From Chennai it takes seven hours to reach Madurai and trains run daily. The fastest train on the route is the Vaigai Express, a super-fast day train between Chennai Egmore and Madurai.

By Bus

The city of Madurai is well connected by all southern parts of India. The bus terminus is at a distance of 6kms from the city. One can book AC as well as Non AC buses as per the need. Good connectivity leads to a good frequency of transport facilities for the travellers. So distances should not be a concern

GOLDEN TEMPLE

GOLDEN TEMPLE 

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AMRITSAR

 

The Golden temple is also known as Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib. It is a significant Sikh temple, which is located in the city of Amritsar. It is the central Gurdwara or Sikh place of worship the world over. Thousands of people visit the Golden Temple every year and is one of the most visited places in Punjab. The proper name is Harmandir which means "temple of God", while some refer it to as darbar, which means "court". The Golden Temple has some unique features.

The temple is overlaid in the center of a sarovar or pool. The pilgrims bathe in the pool. People believe that the water has healing properties that can cure many diseases.

People gather here to listen to hymns, and also pay respect to the Guru Granth Sahib Holy Scripture being read here. Langar - a meal provided to all the pilgrims who visit is a free meal which is prepared in the Golden Temple. The preparations are carried out by worshipers and pilgrims and volunteers. Donations are made by people, which is used for the cost of the meal and maintenance of the temple.

The lessons taught here are of egalitarianism and humility. The four entrances symbolize the unity of people from all walks of life.

The main building of the Golden Temple is surrounded by a lake. People of all religions come here in huge numbers to offer prayers and take a dip in this supposedly holy lake.

The long path in the lake is the approach to the main temple. Inspite of round the clock devotees, discipline prevails.

The Golden Temple can be visited anytime. The time of festivals can be the best time to visit the temple. However, this period attracts huge crowds. Summer is too hot and winter too cold. So the best time to visit is October and March

Golden temple is located in Amritsar, in Punjab, India. It is situated in the Majha region of the state of Punjab.

 By Road

The Golden Temple can be reached by road, train and air. While in Amritsar, one can easily reach by taking a taxi to the Golden temple. Other forms of local transport here are cycle rickshaws and city buses. Other cities are also well connected to the Golden Temple. Delhi is 435 km and Chandigarh is 235 km from the Golden Temple.

By Train

Amritsar is well connected by rail with Mumbai, Varanasi, Delhi, Kolkata and other major places in India.

By Air

Amritsar is also well connected by air to other parts of the country. One can easily fly from Delhi and Srinagar to Amritsar. Most of the flights are from Delhi, which is an hour away. There are international connections as well.