Religion
I came across the Family Tree of Bharata, after whom India is named as Bharata Varsha.
Click on the Image to Enlarge.
Source:. http://scrollsofaryavart.deviantart.com/art/The-Genealogy-of-Bharata-278694963
Ravana Worshiped Shiva here,
Patanjali wrote The Yoga Sutra was born in this place.
The Town is referred to in Ramayana and The Mahabharata.
This is where Ravana Dropped his sword.
This temple is in the same Longitude as that of Mount of Kailash;hence called the Dakshina Kailash.
This city is one of the oldest in Asia.
All the ancient tamil Kings visited and improved the temple .
This is Koneswaram Shiva temple, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
“Heralded as “Dakshina Kailasam”/”Then Kailasam” (Kailash of the South) because it lies on exactly the same longitude as the Tibetan mountain Mount Kailash (the primary abode of Shiva), Trincomalee’s traditional history and legends were compiled into the Sanskrit treatises Dakshina Kailasa Puranam — Sthala Puranam of Koneswaram, written in 1380 by Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan, and the Dakshina Kailasa Manmiam — three chapters of the Skanda Puranam of unknown antiquity — manuscripts of which have been discovered and dated from the 5th — 7th century.[13][14] It was in the Puranas that the shrine first found reference as Koneiswara Parwatia, motivating Kullakottan Chola who learnt of its sanctity to sail to Trincomalee and develop the three Hindu temples of the Koneswaram compound.[15][16][17] The compiler of the Yoga Sutras, Patañjali‘s place of birth at the temple corroborates Tirumular‘s Tirumandhiram, which describes him as hailing from Then Kailasam and his self description as a “Gonardiya” from Gonarda, “a country in the southern and eastern division” of the Indian continent.[18][19] Both men were ardent disciples of Nandi.[20] The Konesar Kalvettu uses the term Tiri Kayilai, meaning “three Kailasams”, Tiri Kutam and Tiri Konam for Trincomalee, in a number of places, referring to the three pagodas on the promontory of Trincomalee..
Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbour has attracted seafarers, trader and pilgrims from Europe, Middle East, Africa, China, East Asia and Australasia since ancient times. Trinco, as it is commonly called, has been a seaport and Hindu pilgrimage centre since 400 BCE. The earliest epigraphical inscriptions found in Trincomalee city are in the Tamil language. The Tamil settlement at the port of Trincomalee was one of the oldest settlements on the island.[22] One inscription from 900-1000 CE belonging to the Chola Dynasty excavated near where the promontory’s first temple stood is from a sluice and also concerns Koneswaram, as do the 10th century Nilaveli inscriptions.[23][24][25] The Siva-worshipping Siddhar Patanjali’s birth at the city in 180 BCE and its connections to another Siddhar Agastya from the 5th-4th century BCE suggests that Yoga Sun Salutation originated on the promontory of Trincomalee.[13][14][26][27]
The earliest known literary reference to the Siva temple of Gokarna bay is found in the Mahabharata, the Hindu epic written between 400—100 BCE, noting that Koneswaram is at Gokarna bay, in the middle of the ocean and is the island shrine of Uma’s consort Shiva, known in the three worlds and worshiped by all peoples from the subcontinent, the rivers, ocean and mountains..
The Trincomalee Harbour, a circular natural harbour which the temple crowns towards the north, is referred to as Ko-Kannam or “Lord’s Cheek”, alluding to the cheek shape of Shiva’s bull Nandi. The Sanskrit equivalent of the port town’s harbour bay is Go-Karna, meaning “Cow’s Ear” or Gokarna Pattana and the deity’s name Gokarneswara or Go—Natha in Sanskrit. Pathmanathan offers the etymological link Thiru-Gokarna-Malai or Thiru-Gona-Malai based on this connection.[9] The ethnographer Megasthenes writing in his Indica from 350 — 290 BCE, describes the island as being divided by a long river, productive of a large number of gold and pearls in one half and that the inhabitants of this country are called Paleogoni, meaning Old Goni in Tamil and Greek, who Pliny adds worshipped Hercules and Dionysus (Bacchus) like the Pandyans of Tamilakam. The Vayu Purana, written in 300 CE specifically mentions the tallest mountain peak of the great gold and silver rich mountain range Malaya on the island, and that “to the east of this island at the shore of the sea lies a great Siva temple in a holy place called Gokarna.”[10] The bay is also referred to as Gokaranna according to a Sanskrit inscription in Grantha script excavated on a door jamb at the Hindu temple dated to Tamil New Years Day 1223 CE.[11] Gokarna is also a place name in Karnartaka, India, Kalinga, Tamil Nadu and Nepal all associated with ancient Shiva temples. The associated Bhadrakali Amman Temple of Trincomalee, significantly expanded by Rajendra Chola I, stands on Konesar Road before the entrance to Swami Rock”
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trincomalee
This place also served as the Sentry Post of Ravana.
Ravana’s Palace is found nearby.
Most of us are aware of the Swaymbu Linga obtained by Ravana from Lord Shiva and how Lord Ganesha made sure that he does not get away with it.
There is another version that states it is the Atma Linga.
In what may be called as additional proof for the Ramayana being real, the Swayumbu Linga worshipped by Ravana has been found in Trincomalee.
He explained, “Then again 1962 I was shooting the movie Ran Muthu Duwa at the same site and decided to go for a dive during a break when I perceived a perfectly circular pillar lying amidst a jumble of carved pillars. On closer scrutiny I knew right then and there that this was the sacred linga.”
When asked how the Brahmins reacted to his discovery, he said with regret, “I’m afraid they had mixed feelings. They finally stated that this wasn’t the genuine linga. Naturally I was outraged but later delivered it to the Koneswarar Temple.” On the history of the linga, Swami Siva Kalki said, “The Swayambhu Linga has been described in the Kamillagama as one which rose up and came into existence by itself from time immemorial. This stone was among 69 others, most of which have been destroyed by idol breakers. It was originally found on a Tibetan mountain and later brought to Sri Lanka reportedly by King Ravana.”
Source:
http://xlweb.com/heritage/skanda/sivakalki.htm
There are different versions of the Sakti Peetas.
Please read my Post’Is kanchi Kamakshia Satkti Peeta?’
I plan to post first on Shankaracharya version of the 18 Peetas.
One Shakti Peeta, according to Adi Shankaracharya, is in Tricomalee or Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
The part of Sati Devi which fell on this place is the groin.
“The temple of Shankari Devi supposed to be in Sri Lanka at Trimkomali.
At present there is no temple available at this place and it is said that the temple was destroyed by Portugese people between 16th to 17th century.
As per the priest’s account, the Portuguese who invaded the island in the 17th century completely cannon balled from their ship and demolished the cliff top Devi temple. In its site stands a lone pillar, as a mute spectator.
The temple of Sankari devi which was exactly on the peak of a hill was ruined by foreign invaders.
However, it is believed that the idol of amma has been preserved in the present temple which is by the side of the place where the idol originally used to be…
The temple is said to be in the famed town of Trincomalee on the eastern coast.
The Temple of Sri Shankari Devi according to the priest’s in Trincomalee, say that the Portuguese who invaded the island in the 17th century completely cannon balled from their ship and demolished the cliff top Devi temple. In its site stands a lone pillar, as a mute spectator.
There is also a more famous Kali temple in the heart of the town to which devotees can make a visit en-route from the Shankari Temple.”
The present Shiva temple which is quite well known locally than the Shankari Temple was a recent construction.
The Shiva is called as TRIKONESHVARA (Probably because it is in Trincomalee which is truly TRI CONA MALAI- meaning triangle-shaped hill).
There is a small Devi Shrine built adjacent the Shiva temple.
The famed Bilva tree which is perched right on the edge of the hill some hundred meters above the Indian ocean.
It is an exhilarating and spectacular sight to behold. All round, silence reflects which is needed most in this war-torn nation rightfully called as a paradise.
Source:
http://www.srinithyakalyani.org/sankari.html
http://ramanisblog.in/2013/10/15/eighteen-shakti-peeetams-by-adi-shankaracharya/
Most of us are aware that the Christian Groups are engaged in Religious conversion in India with more focus on the Tribal and the North East.
It was news to me when I received an email with a link from the North East Reader that the Evangelists are engaged in Child trafficking, moving children way from North east India to the Southern States of India, to get Grants from the Churches!
The Churches in turn get Grants from the Vatican and other Christian Groups Funds marked for religious conversion.
Please read my posts on this under Christianity.
The phenomenon may be new to India.
But it is rampant in Africa and I am providing a Link towards the end of this post.
“New Delhi, Aug 6 : Promising proper education, pastors are trafficking children from the north-eastern states to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with an oblique motive to get grants from churches and abroad, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights said in a damning report to the Supreme Court.
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