The sacrosanct Braj Dham has four guardians namely Bhuteshwar Mahadev in Mathura, Chakleshwar Mahadev in Govardhan, Kameshwar Mahadev in Kaman and Gopeshwar Mahadev in Vrindavan. Gopeshwar Mahadev holds the distinction of being the only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in his female form built in the ancient times. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, on the... Continue Reading →
अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका । पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः॥ Kashi, a name that evokes a multitude of emotions ranging from bliss, joy, ecstasy, love and relief is the city that promises liberation. Since the dawn of time, Kashi has been considered to be the centre of learning, knowledge, wisdom and Advaita. Sages,... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1666 had taken refuge in the ancient city of Benares after his miraculous escape from captivity. He was most distressed on seeing the fear in the eyes of Hindus who had suffered immensely in the hands of the Mughals. Even though Raje desired to rebuild Kashi after the horrific desecration in... Continue Reading →
Kameshwar Mahadev located in the sacrosanct Kaman village also known as Adi Vrindavan is one of the four important Shivalayas on the Braj Chaurasi Kos Yatra. Along with Bhuteshwar Mahadev in Mathura, Gopeshwar Mahadev in Vrindavan and Chakleshwar Mahadev in Govardhan, Kameshwar Mahadev is deemed to be the fourth guardian of the Braj Dham. According to... Continue Reading →
Aurangzeb seized absolute control of the throne in 1661 after murdering Dara Shikoh, instigating the execution of Shah Shuja in the hands of local rulers of Burma, executing his younger brother Murad Bakhsh in jail and imprisoning his father, Shah Jahan. Memoirs and court records graphically describe his fanaticism and deep roots in Islamic... Continue Reading →
The revered town of Govardhan is barely 20 km from Mathurapuri and draws lakhs of devotees every year especially on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima. This sacred tirthasthala is a part of the Braj Mandala Parikrama that starts at the Vishram Ghat in Mathurapuri. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, when Lord Krishna saw the elaborate preparations for... Continue Reading →
It is difficult to ascertain the extent of damage inflicted by the Delhi Sultanate, but a fair number of mosques and tombs built on the sites of temples during this period using the stones of the temples demolished are still visible in the city. It has been documented that Razia Sultana had built a mosque... Continue Reading →
The fourth kotwal (guardian) of Mathurapuri located in the northern part is Gokarn Nath Mahadev. Gokarn Nath is considered to be the embodiment of Mahakal (Mahakaleshwar) and has existed since the Dwapura Yuga. According to the Hindu scriptures, a childless couple named Atmadev and Dhunduli were deeply troubled about the continuation of their lineage and... Continue Reading →
The second attack by the Muslim invader Qutb al-Din Aibak in 1197 - 98 effectively ended the golden period of the Gahadavalas and established a violent intolerant Muslim rule that was determined to destroy every trace of the glorious heritage of Kashi. Kashi, a city that has existed since the dawn of creation grew in... Continue Reading →
Rangeshwar Mahadev Mandir, located in the southern part of Mathurapuri is the third guardian of the sacred city. This temple along with Shree Pipleshwar Nath Mahadev, Bhuteshwar Mahadev and Gokarneshwar Mahadev are located in the four cardinal directions. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, Kamsa extended an invitation to Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama to visit... Continue Reading →
The stature of Benares as the seat of learning, knowledge and wisdom grew under the patronage of the Maukharis of Kannauj, Gurjara-Pratiharas and the mighty Kalachuris towards the end of the 10th century. The period of the Kalachuris is often referred to as the golden era in the city's history marked with the construction... Continue Reading →
Banaras, the golden city of knowledge, wisdom, spirituality and Advaita, has from the ancient times been considered to be one of the most sacrosanct places of Akhanda Bharat. This glorious city has a rich history that can be traced back to the time of creation. Archaeological excavations have uncovered rare artefacts from the Vedic Period... Continue Reading →
The fifth and final paṛāva (halt) of the divine Kashi Panchkroshi Yatra is the Kapildhara Temple also known as Kapileshwar Mahadev Mandir. After offering prayers at Kardameshwar Mahadev Mandir, Bhimchandi Mandir, Rameshwar Mandir and Shivpur Mandir, devotees take a dip in the three ancient ponds of Sona Talab, Saranga Talab and Kapildhara Talab that are at the final... Continue Reading →
The fourth paṛāva (halt) of the sacrosanct Kashi Panchkroshi Yatra is the Pancho Pandava Mandir (Pancha Pandeshwar Mandir) located in the bustling Shivpur village. After having darshan at Kardameshwar Mahadev Mandir, Bhimchandi Mandir and Rameshwar Mandir, pilgrims head to Draupadi Kund that is located near a huge tank known as Manasarovar tirth. According to the... Continue Reading →
The next stop on the sacrosanct Kashi Panchkroshi Yatra after Kardameshwar Mahadev Mandir and Bhimchandi Mandir is the ancient Rameshwar Mandir situated on the bank of the Varuna River in Rameshwar village. This temple of great antiquity is considered by many to be the most important kshetra or tirthasthala in the Panchkroshi Yatra. According to the Kashi Khanda... Continue Reading →
The Kashi Panchkroshi Yatra is considered to be one of the oldest pilgrimage routes of the world. According to the Hindu scriptures, Lord Rama along with Sita Mata and his brothers had visited the important tirthsthalas on this ancient route to liberate his father Raja Dasharatha from the curse of the parents of Shravana Kumar (Putrashoka).... Continue Reading →
One of the oldest surviving temples of Varanasi that holds the rare distinction of escaping the ruthless desecration by Muslim invaders especially the Mughals is the Kardameshwar Mahadev Mandir located near Kandwa Pokhra. This ancient Shiva Temple that forms a part of the sacrosanct Panchkroshi Yatra is one of the best preserved temples of Varanasi.... Continue Reading →
One of the most revered places in Mandla is Sahastradhara, located at a little distance from the heart of the town. Sahastradhara derives its name from the Sanskrit words sahastra which means thousand and dhārā which means streams or watercourses. According to the Puranas, Ravana, Lord of Lanka chanced upon the serene waters of the... Continue Reading →
One of the most unusual temples of Varanasi is the Pita Maheshwar Mandir located in Sheetla Gali. As the name suggests, this temple is dedicated to Parama Pita Maheshwar Mahadev, the Father of Lord Shiva! As astounding as it sounds, this temple has been described in detail in the Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana as... Continue Reading →
One of the most ancient Shiva temples on the banks of the sacrosanct Rewa River is the Gupteshwar Mahadev Mandir in Jabalpur. Jabalpur is a part of the Narmada Parikrama and thousands of devotees come here every year to have darshan of Maa Narmada and participate in the aarti. This temple has been mentioned in the Koti... Continue Reading →
One of the most ancient and lesser-known temples of Varanasi located in Vishwanath Gali is the Sri Tripura Bhairavi Mandir. As the name suggests, this form of Divine Mother is the fifth manifestation in the Dasha Mahavidya. This unique form of Divine Mother is written about in detail in the Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana as... Continue Reading →
One of the most revered Durga Mata temples in India is the Vindyavasini Beejasan Durga Devi Temple located in Salkanpur village at a little distance from Hoshangabad that lies on the Narmada Parikrama. This ancient temple is situated atop a hillock at an elevation of 800 feet and accessed by a flight of about 1000... Continue Reading →
Mata Annapurneshwari Temple, located near Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Vishwanath Gali area is one of the oldest temples of Kashi. This sacred temple is dedicated to Annapurna Devi also known as Bhavani Devi by the locals and is revered as the Goddess who bestows annam (food) or alms which in reality represents knowledge and dispassion.... Continue Reading →
Three temples that have existed since the ancient times in Varanasi are Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Maa Annapurna Devi Mandir and Durga Kund Mandir. A visit to Varanasi is deemed complete only after one offers prayers at the Durga Kund Mandir, better known as the Monkey Temple (because of the number of monkeys that reside here).... Continue Reading →
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