JAKHU TEMPLE

Jakhu Temple

At

Shimla

At the top of the famous Jakhu hill is located the famous Jakhu Temple of Shimla. It is hardly 2 kilometers from the Ridge and is an uphill climb through the beautiful deodar trees. 

The Jakhu Temple of Simla is dedicated to the monkey God, Hanuman.  The scenic view that surrounds this beautiful temple of India is absolutely breath taking and splendid.

This temple of lord Hanumanji is situated at the height of about 8500 ft. in the east of historical ridge ground in Shimla city. 

This temple is very easily approachable and is one of the most sought after site to be visited not only by the devotees and pilgrims but also by the tourists of all age groups visiting Shimla, the Hill capital of Himachal Pradesh.

The highest point of the city is Jakhoo Hill Shimla that is covered with Alpine trees. At the top of the flat hill is the colourful Jakhoo Temple and the newly constructed Hanuman statue. 

Jakhoo Hill Shimla is a favourite escape for visitors wanting peace and calm from the city far below. The walk up to the hill takes approximately 30 minutes and follows a pleasant route, just beware of the criminal minded monkeys that are waiting to rob tourist of food and shiny objects!

The summit of Jakhoo Hill Shimla is 2,455m and approximately 200m higher than the central ridge of Shimla. The route to the summit follows a 2.5 km footpath with long sections of steps this walk is invigorating in the clean and crisp mountain air of spring and autumn but challenging during the height of summer.

In Hindi mythology the flat summit of Jakhoo Hill Shimla was caused by lord Hanuman's sudden arrival while hunting for a special herb to save a Lakshmana priest during the battle of Ramayana. 

Legend tells that the monkey god flew from the sky from such a height and speed that the top of the mountain was obliterated and only a huge foot print remained. On top of the foot print the Jakhoo temple was constructed and the start of Shimla’s close religious following of Hanuman.

The Temple itself is colourfully painted with images of Hanuman adorned to the outer walls of the temple. Inside the temple there is a statue of the monkey god along the religious smell of burning incense. 

On the outer wall of the temple is a lucky religious bell, if a visitor to the temple rings the bell the ringer will have good luck for the following 3 days.

IceSkatingCarnivalShimla

Shimla is India's favorite winter destination and what makes it truly special is the snowfall that it receives during the winters. Most tourists visit Shimla during the months of December, January and February to indulge in the lively ice sports like skiing, ice-skating or simple throwing snowballs!

RhyaliFestivalShimla

Celebrated during the rainy season in Shimla, Rhyali festival is of much importance over here. Since most people here depend on agriculture to earn their livelihood, the rains are an absolute must. Rhyali festival is celebrated to keep the rain Gods happy so that the agricultural produce does not get affected.

ShimlaSummerFestival

The best reason to visit Shimla during summers has to be the famous Summer Festival that is held every year in the month of May. This famous festival is a riot of colors and festivity and is celebrated on a grand scale. The Summer Festival in Simla is a beautiful amalgamation of various talented people of India who make it an event that is remembered for a long time to come.

Baisakhi

One of the most important festivals celebrated in Shimla is Baisakhi. It is celebrated on the first day of the month of Baisakh (mid - April). Baisakhi is called as Bissu or Bisha in Shimla. It is celebrated just before the onset of the harvest season.

Bhoj Fair

This fair is held in the month of November for three days in Shimla. This fair attracts thousands of people from Shimla who come to pay respect to the presiding deity known as Devta Bansor.

ByAir

Shimla can be easily reached by air. The place has its own airport at a place called Jubbarhatti, which is located at a distance of 23 kilometers from the main city center. Flights from New Delhi, Chandigarh and Kullu (another hill station) operate on a daily basis. Jagson Airlines is the flight that operates from these places on a regular basis.

ByRail/ Train

The nearest railway station that connects Shimla to neighboring states is at Kalka. This place is located at a distance of 96 kilometers from Shimla. From Kalka, it takes around 6 hours to reach Shimla. The frequency of trains that ply from Kalka to Shimla is pretty good, with atleast 4 trains plying to and fro from Shimla. The journey from Delhi to Kalka is an overnight journey and reaches Kalka early morning. There are many tunnels en route with the longest being 1.2 kilometers long!

ByRoad

Shimla is well connected to neighboring places like New Delhi and Chandigarh through national highways. The journey from Delhi to Shimla by road takes approximately 8 hours. The highways are well maintained by the authorities and are a pleasure to drive on. There are many tourist buses that ply from neighboring places to take tourists to this beautiful hill station.

Train Basic Info

Name            Kalka – Simla             Distance             59miles/95km

Number         52457                        Running Time      5 Hours 20 Min

Sachedule      Daily                          Stops                 16

Type            Hill Train                    Avg.speed          18kmph

LAKSHMI NARAYANAN TEMPLE (BIRLA MANDIR)

Birla Mandir

At

New Delhi

Laxmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, is one of Delhi's major temples and a major tourist attraction.

The Laxminarayan Tempel is a Hindu temple dedicated to Laxminarayan in Delhi, India. Laxminarayan usually refers to Vishnu, Preserver in the Trimurti, also known as Narayan, when he is with his consort Lakshmi. The side temples are dedicated to Shiva, Krishna and Buddha.

The construction of temple dedicated to Laxmi Narayana started in 1933, built by industrialist and philanthropist, Baldeo Das Birlaand his son Jugal Kishore Birla of Birla family, thus, the temple is also known as Birla Temple.

The foundation stone of temple was laid by Maharaj Udaybhanu Singh. The temple was built under guidance of Pandit Vishwanath Shastri. The concluding ceremony and Yagna was performed by Swami Keshwa Nandji. 

The famous temple is accredited to have been inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1939. At that time, Mahatma Gandhi kept a condition that the temple would not be restricted to the Hindus and people from every caste would be allowed inside.

The city is well connected by air, rail and road. One can reach the temple by taxi, auto-rickshaw or buses run by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

Delhi Railway Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin are two major railway stations.Nearest Metro Station is Central Secretariat station from the Birla Mandir Delhi Or Lakshmi Narayan Temple Delhi.

Palam Domestic Airport connects Delhi to the major cities in India. Some of the domestic airlines operating regular flights to and from Delhi are Alliance Air

All days of the week

4:30 AM - 1:30 PM
2:30 PM - 9:00 PM

GATEWAY OF INDIA

Gateway Of India

The Gateway of India is one of India's most unique landmarks situated in the city of Mumbai. The colossal structure was constructed in 1924. Located at the tip of Apollo Bunder, the gateway overlooks the Mumbai harbor, bordered by the Arabian Sea in the Colaba district. The Gateway of India is a monument that marks India's chief ports and is a major tourist attraction for visitors who arrive in India for the first time. At one point of time, this monument represented the grandeur of the British Raj in India. The total construction cost of this monument was approximately 21 lakhs and the whole expense was borne by the Indian government. A favourite spot for tourists, nowadays, this monument attracts vendors, food stalls and photographers. The passing of the 'First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry' was recorded as the first main event that took place at the Gateway of India. This ceremony was conducted on February 28, 1948, when the last set of British troops and divisions left India, post-independence.

Visiting Hours

People can visit the monument at any time of the day. The best time to visit the Gateway of India is during the period of November to March, as the post-monsoon climate is very pleasant and there are very less chances for downpours at this time.

2.5 km from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal and 2.4 km from Churchgate

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

AT

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