Omkareshwara Temple - King Lingarajendra 2nd Built This Temple For His Mental Peace In 18th Century

OMKARESHWAR TEMPLE

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MADIKERI

Omkareshwara Temple is situated in the middle town of Madikeri of Kodagu district in the Karnataka State of India. It is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shive.The speciality of the temple is that its construction reflects a mix of Gothic and Islamic styles, It is a popular religious destination of Coorg. The temple draws a large number of tourists and devotees regularly.

The Omkareshwara Temple was constructed by King Lingarajendra II in the 18th century. Legend has it that the temple was built by the king as a form of penance.The story goes around that the king had killed a Brahmin to fulfil his political ambitions. However, the king started to have nightmares for his cruel deed. In order to free himself from the nightmares, the King sought the advice of a few wise men. They asked the king to build a temple of Lord Shiva to regain his mental peace.

The king followed their advice and brought a Shivalingam from the holy town of Kashi and installed it at a newly constructed temple. It is said that the stopped having the nightmares king after the temple was built. This Shivalingam is worshipped as Omkareshwara.

The Omkareshwara Temple displays a unique style of architecture. The temple has a design that is quite similar to the ones seen in Muslim dargah. The structure of the temple comprises of a large central dome with four minarets standing at the four corners.

The interesting thing to note is that the temple lacks a pillared hall as is common in most temples of India. The Shivalingam is installed near the entrance door. The history of the temple has been inscribed on a copper plate and fixed on the entrance door frame.

The Omkareshwara Temple is a large and simple structure with a peaceful ambiance. A water tank exists inside the temple premises. The tank has a mantapa built in the centre. This mantapa is connected by a walkway. A large number of fishes can be seen playing in the water of the tank at any time. As such, the tank attracts the attention of the tourists and devotees who visit the temple.

Timings: 6:30 AM to 12:00 Noon; 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Best time to visit: between the months of October to March

Entry Fee: Free

Duration of Visit: 1 hour (approximately)

Temple Info

Abhisheka – 6:30 AM to 6:45 AM

Ganga Pooja – 7:00 AM

Maha Pooja – 12:00 noon

Maha Pooja – 8:00 PM

Every Full moon day – Mass Sathyanarayana Pooja

Every 1st Tuesday of the month – Mass Ganahoma at Kote Ganapathi temple

By Air

The Mysore airport is the nearest one to Madikeri as the small town has no airport. Mysore is connected to Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hubli, and Dubai via Bangalore. The Mangalore International Airport at Mangalore can also be assessed to reach the town of Madikeri.

By Train

Madikeri does not have a railway station of its own. The nearest rail stations are located at Hassan, Kasaragod, and Kannur (each of which approximately 115 km away from Madikeri).Mysore and Mangalore are at a distance of 140 km from Madikeri and can be good alternatives to reach Madikeri through the train route.

By Bus

Madikeri is located near the Karnataka State Highway 88 that connects Mysore to Mangalore. This makes Madikeri a well-connected place by the road network.There are several public buses that ply from Madikeri to a number of places in Karnataka and Kerala. There are frequent KSRTC buses that connect Madikeri to Bangalore, Mysore, Virajpet, etc. The town can also be reached by private cars and hired cabs.

Mandarmani Beach - It Is A Popular Honeymoon Destination For Luxury Resorts

MANDARMANI BEACH

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KOLKATTA

Source: kolkatta

Mandarmani is a beach resort in Purba Medinipur district of South Bengal , one of the southern districts of West Bengal . It is almost 180km from Kolkata Airport on the Kolkata - Digha route and just 14km from Chaulkhola .Mandarmani is one of Bengal’s recently developed tourist destination that lies close to ever-popular Digha and Shankarpur. With sun and surf, pristine sea beach and untrammeled silt coloured sand, this beach is slowly becoming popular among the tourists.

Mandarmani Beach is a home to luxury resorts and villas that offer privacy to the lovers. Being recently commercialized the beach is famous for water sports. With the clear blue water of the Bay of Bengal and the dazzling sunsets, the beach makes you fall in love all over again.

Mandarmani boasts of a 13 km long motorable beach, probably the longest motorable beach road in India. On the beach you will undoubtedly get the chance to feel the divinity and tranquility. If that is not enough to please your senses, then try to loll on the sand and listen to the waves crashing upon the shore, which will surely drive away your bustling pressure.Relax, swim and enjoy the beach. You are not likely to have many visitors around and that's the beauty of this beach. Activities include table tennis, carrom, beach cricket, beach volleyball, and boat cruises.

Pack your bag with light cotton clothes to avoid the summer heat; 

Don’t miss out to carry sunscreen lotion, as it will help you to minimise the risks of excessive tanning; Before you set out for a drive on the motorable beach, gather information on high tides, because during high tides the water might reach up to the beach level, which can be dangerous.

Mandarmani is best reached by road. The nearest train station is at Contai and the nearest airport is at Kolkata. The road route from Kolkata is: Esplanade - 63km - Kolaghat - 3km - Mecheda - 80km - Contai - 12.3km - Chawalkhola - 4km - Kalindi - 4km - Dadan Patra Bar - 6km -Mandarmoni -Total 163km

From Kolkata, catch a bus at Esplanade or at Howrah headed for Chawalkhola. You can avail any bus service headed towards Digha. State Transport Buses are available , fare is as cheap as 76 INR per head. A number of Deluxe coaches run daily having fares between 100 to 110 INR. Whiteliners in Kolkata - Digha route (Rs 160/- per head) from Esplanade starts at 7.30 am

As you travel from Kolkata, after crossing the VidyaSagar Setu take the Kona Express Way. After driving a while turn left to get the Mumbai Road. Drive till you reach Kolaghat. From here take left for the Digha Route. 2km before reaching Contai Town you get Contai By-Pass road. This road is around 3km long and would give you relief from the crowded city drive. It is a short-cut and again falls onto the Kolkata-Digha road. You drive another 10 km to reach Chawalkhola. If you come by bus get down at Chawalkhola and you can hire private vehicles from here to take you to your destination.

Behdienkhlam Festival - A Type Of Football Is Playing With A Wooden Ball In This Festival Days

BEHDIENKHLAM FESTIVAL

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MEGHALAYA

Source: flicker

Most popular festival of the Jaintia tribe, Behdienkhlam is celebrated in the month of July for good health, property and bumper harvest. Although Behdienkhlam is celebrated all over the Jaintia hills, the main spectacle happens in the town of Jowai, about 64 km away from Shillong. The ceremony and ritual was carried out for three days and on the last day, in the afternoon people gathered in a place called Aitnar and both young and old danced to the tunes of the pipes and drums.

The dancers are highly emotional when tall-decorated structures called rots and a wooden post-called khnongs were brought into the pool. As part of the celebration, a game similar to football called dat la wakor was held between the residents of the northern side of Jowai and the southern side each team trying to score a goal with a wooden ball. The one to score first is the winner and it is also believed that the winner would have a bumper harvest.

The non-Christian 'Pnar' people who believe either in the traditional faith of 'Niamtre' or Hinduism observe this festival. According to folktales, Jowai town was once covered by thick forest, without any human habitation. It was home of five deities, four stones and a river nymph. The four huge stones can still be seen at the four corners of Jowai town. 

The five deities wished that god would send humans to settle in this region, and thus a wandering Mongolian tribe arrived in this forest. To celebrate the presence of humans, 'U-Mokhai' the eldest of the deities began a ceremonial dance. Upon seeing the thunder and noise from the dance, the tribes got scared and began to flee. U-Mokhai then stopped and addressed them that they are safe and are meant to inhabit this forest. 

The festival begins with sacrificing pig to 'Knia Pyrthat' (Thunder) followed by the 'Wasan' (Priest) ringing the brass bell along the main road of the town to the point where the forest begins. Rounded, polished and tall trunks of tree are felled in the sacred forest and are left in the woods for couple of days. The trunks are then brought to the town with great fanfare, dancing and singing. On the fourth day, the youth of the town led by the priest visit each and every home, climb to the roof and beat it with a bamboo stick to chase away any evil spirits. 

The people also display their artistic skills by erecting 'rots' (tall bamboo structures decorated with colour paper and tinsel). The rots are then carried to the 'Aitnar site', where women and men gather. The rots arrive and the polished, rounded logs are thrown into the river. The dancing men rush and try to balance themselves on the rolling and slippery logs. At the end, 'Dad-Lawakor', a type of football is played with a wooden ball.

Borra Caves - It Is Naturally Formed Cave And Believed To Be 150 Million Years Old

BORRA CAVES 

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VISHAKAPATNAM

Borra caves are located 1,400 metres above sea level.The caves are famous for their beautiful stalagmite and stalactite formations. Borra Caves have both religious and historical significance. The locals flock to the caves to worship a Shivalinga and an idol of Kamadenu, the divine bovine goddess of Hindu mythology. 

This idol is located deep inside caves. The rock formations inside the caves look like udders of a cow and hence, these caves also are called Gosthani William King George belonging to the Geological Survey of India was instrumental in discovering Paleolithic implements in 1807. It is believed that these implements were about 1 million years old.

Borra Caves are located about 90 kms. north of Vishakapatnam in the Ananthgiri Hill Ranges of Eastern Ghats of India. It falls in the State of Andhra Pradesh. William King, the British geologist discovered the cave in 1807. It is a naturally formed cave believed to be 150 million years old. The Humic acid in the water reacts with the Calcium Carbonate in the limestone and dissolves the minerals breaking the rock gradually. 

Breathtaking hilly terrain, beautiful landscape, semi-evergreen moist deciduous forests, and wild fauna of the area are a visual feast. This cave is the biggest in India considering the area it has spread geographically. Breathtaking hilly terrain, beautiful landscape, semi-evergreen moist deciduous forests, and wild fauna of the area are a visual feast. This cave is the biggest in India considering the area it has spread geographically. 

The humic acid in the water reacts with calcium carbonate in the limestone and dissolves the minerals breaking the rock gradually. The perennial water flow over a period of time results in the formation of caves. Stalagmites are formed due water percolating from the roof containing calcium bicarbonate and other minerals from mounds. Same way stalactites are also formed and because of their different shapes tourist and locals have given different names to them. One can see different formations of the stalactites and stalagmites as Shiv-Parvati, Mother-Child, Rishi's Beard, Human Brain, Crocodile, Tiger and Cows udder. 

Borra Caves - Entry Fee, Timing, Address, Official Website
Address	Anantagiri Hills, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Entry Fee :	Entry Fee for Per Person : 25 Rs.
Timings :	Visiting Hours - 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Official Website	www.aptdc.gov.in
Photography allowed or not	Allowed
Nearest Airport	Visakhapatnam Airport

Njangattiri Aanayoottu - A Special Feast To Elephents In Kerala

NJANGATTIRI AANAYOOTTU

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PALAKKAD

Festival Date - 21-7-2017

Venue - Njangattiri Bhagavathi Temple

Location - Pattambi

District - Palakkad

Elephants are usually seen decorated and paraded around during temple festivals in Kerala. However, during this elephant feeding ritual, they remain unadorned. The elephants are taken inside the temple premises and given a delicious feast of sugarcane leaves, coconut, jaggery and other local produce by people who come to worship them. The ritual aims to please Lord Ganesha, for the removal of obstacles and fulfillment of wishes.

A grand ceremony wherein a special feast is prepared for the elephants, the Njangattiri Aanayoottu ritual is held in the Njangattiri Bhagavathi Temple at Pattambi in the Palakkad district. In the Aanayoottu (Aanayoottu meaning feeding of elephants) ceremony, the elephants are fed specially medicated food. The ceremony is based on the principles of Ayurveda which consider the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam as a month of rejuvenation. Accordingly, this Ayurvedic tradition of rejuvenation is extended towards Elephants as well.

During this festival, the elephants are lined up in a row in the temple premises and are offered delicious and healthy food.  The special feast of elephants is prepared by following ayurvedic principles. Being a sacred animal, feeding elephants is also considered auspicious according to Hindu mythology and culture. Scores of people throng the temple premises to feed the elephants. 

Nearest railway station: Shoranur, about 18 km

Nearest airport: Coimbatore International Airport (Tamil Nadu), about 55 km from Palakkad