Tag: Hindu Temple

  • Sex Education Hindu Pyramid Temple Sukuh Java

    That Hinduism spread far is one fact, another fact is that Hinduism considers Sex as neither a Sin nor something to be abhorred.

    It advises Moderation, more specifically controlled enjoyment of pleasures.

    An ancient Temple , intended for ancestor worship primarily has Sex education as it theme in the Reliefs in the Temple,.

    This Temple is in Sukuh,Java,Indonesia.

    As is normal it was vandalised by Islam in the fourteenth century.

    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AKeris_Relief_at_Sukuh_Temple.jpg
    English: The scene in bas relief of Sukuh Temple in Central Java dated from 15th century Majapahit era shows the workshop of a Javanese keris blacksmith. The scene depicted Bhima as the blacksmith in the left forging the metal, Ganesha in the center, and Arjuna in the right operating the tube blower to pump air into the furnace. The wall behind the blacksmith displays various items manufactured in the forge, including keris. These representations of the keris in Candi Sukuh established the fact that by the year 1437 the keris had already gained an important place within Javanese culture.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Keris_Relief_at_Sukuh_Temple.jpg.By Gunawan Kartapranata (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

    Sukuh (Indonesian: Candi Sukuh Indonesian pronunciation: [ˈtʃandi ˈsukʊh]) is a 15th-century Javanese-Hindu temple (candi) that is located on the western slope of Mount Lawu (elevation 910 metres (2,990 ft)) on the border between Central and East Java provinces.

    Sukuh temple has a distinctive thematic reliefs from other candi where life before birth and sexual education are its main theme. Its main monument is a simple pyramid structure with reliefs and statues in front of it, including three tortoises with flattened shells and a male figure grasping his penis. A giant 1.82 m (6 ft) high of lingga (phallus) with four balls, representingpenile incisions, was one of the statues that has been relocated to the National Museum of Indonesia.

    Candi Sukuh in eastern Central Java.jpg
    Sukuh Temple.Candi Sukuh in eastern Central Java.By Merbabu (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

    Sukuh is one of several temples built on the northwest slopes of Mount Lawu in the 15th century. By this time, Javanese religion and art had diverged from Indian precepts that had been so influential on temples styles during the 8th–10th centuries. This was the last significant area of temple building in Java before the island’s courts were converted to Islam in the 16th century. It is difficult for historians to interpret the significance of these antiquities due to the temple’s distinctiveness and the lack of records of Javanese ceremonies and beliefs of the era.

     

    The founder of Candi Sukuh thought that the slope of Mount Lawu was a sacred place for worshiping the ancestors and nature spirits and for observance of the fertility cults.[3]The monument was built around 1437, as written as a chronogram date on the western gate, meaning that the area was under the rule of the Majapahit Kingdom during its end (1293–1500). Some archaeologists believe the founder had cast the fall of Majapahit, based on the reliefs that displaying the feud between two aristocratic houses, symbolizing two internal conflicts in the kingdom.

    In 1815, Sir Thomas Raffles, the ruler of Java during 1811–1816, visited the temple and found it in bad condition.In his account, many statues had been thrown down on the ground and most of the figures had been decapitated. Raffles also found the giant lingga statue broken into two pieces, which was then glued together. This vandalism of traditional culture (especially where sexuality is not suppressed, as in the statues) is likely to be an effect of the Islamic invasion of Java during the 16th century, based upon the identical patterns found in all other Islamic and monotheistic invasions generally.

    The central pyramid of the complex sits at the rear of the highest of three terraces. Originally, worshippers would have accessed the complex through a gateway at the western or lowest terrace. To the left of the gate is a carving of a monster eating a man, birds in a tree, and a dog, which is thought to be a chronogram representing 1437 CE, the likely date of the temple’s consecration. There is an obvious depiction of sexual intercourse in a relief on the floor at the entrance where it shows a paired lingam which is represented physiologically by the (phallus) and yoni, which is represented bodily by the (vagina). Genitalia are portrayed on several statues from the site, which is unique among Javanese classical monuments.

    The wall of the main monument has a relief portraying two men forging a weapon in a smithy with a dancing figure of Ganesha, the most important Tantric deity, having a human body and the head of an elephant. In Hindu-Java mythology, the smith is thought to possess not only the skill to alter metals, but also the key to spiritual transcendence.Smiths drew their powers to forge a kris from the god of fire; and a smithy is considered as a shrine. Hindu-Javanese kingship was sometimes legitimated and empowered by the possession of a kris

    The elephant head figure with a crown in the smithy relief depicts Ganesha, the god who removes obstacles in Hinduism. The Ganesha figure, however, differs in some small respects with other usual depictions. Instead of sitting, the Ganesha figure in Candi Sukuh’s relief is shown dancing and it has distinctive features including the exposed genitalia, the demonic physiognomy, the strangely awkward dancing posture, the rosary bones on its neck and holding a small animal, probably a dog. The Ganesha relief in Candi Sukuh has a similarity with the Tantric ritual found in the history of Buddhism in Tibet written by Taranatha.[5] The Tantric ritual is associated with several figures, one of whom is described as the “King of Dogs” (Sanskrit: Kukuraja), who taught his disciples by day, and by night performed Ganacakra in a burial ground or charnel ground.

    Other statues in Candi Sukuh include a life-sized male figure with his hand grasping his own penis and three flattened shells of tortoises. Two large tortoise statues guard the pyramid entrance and the third one lies at some distance in front of the monument. All of their heads point to the west and their flattened shells may provide altars for purification rituals and ancestor worship.In Hindu mythology, the tortoise symbolizes the base or support of the World and is an avatar of Vishnu, i.e. Kurma refer: Ocean of Milk.

    Citation.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukuh

  • Shiva Temple Prime Land Chennai Rent .001 Paise A Year

    There are 34,401 public religious institutions in Tamil Nadu. The following are the classifications based on the income of the temples:

    	I.	Religious institutions having an 
    		income of Rs.200/- or less per annum 		 8,368
    
    	II. 	Religious institutions having an income 
    		of less than Rs.2000/- but above Rs.200/- 	17,687		
    
    	III.	Religious institutions having an income 
    		of less than Rs.10,000/- but above Rs.2000/-	 6,509
    
    	IV.	Religious institutions having an income of 
    		less than Rs.50,000/- but above Rs.10,000/-	 1,469
    
    	V.	Religious institutions having an income of 
    		less than Rs.1 lakh but above Rs.50,000/-	   166	VI.	Religious institutions having an income of 
    		Rs.1 lakh and above.				   202
    							       ----------
    						Total	:	34,401
    							       ----------
    

     

    Only the last four categories of institutions are assessable institutions and that works out to 8,346.

     

     

    While other Religions zealously guard their Mosques and Churches, The Secular Government of India,has a department to take care of Hindu Temples(?).

     

    Lands were donated by the ancient Kings to the Temples and the Brahmins who maintain the Temples.as far back as during the Mahabharata period for which records exist, Chera King Perunchotru Udiyan Neduncheralaathan donated 100 Velis of Land, a Veli in 100 acres to Brahmins with the condition that he should see that the Tempes are maintained well and that he should see the smoke from the Homa being performed by the Brahmins daily.

     

    The State Governments in India have taken over the administration of the Temples.

     

    Details about Tamil Nadu are provided above.

     

    The advent of Dravidian Parties saw a surge towards the systematic destruction of Hindu Temples in Tamil Nadu.

     

    The overt move was made by the DMK Government by appointing Trustees for the temples, most of them DMK Party Members and Atheists,their Atheism is restricted to only to Hinduism.

     

    MGR, in his later years turned a Theist and tried to restore the Status quo.

     

    When Karunanidhi came  to power, he tried his best undermine the sanctity of the Temples by introducing measures to appoint Priests through a Government training Institution, under the impression that the Temples were controlled only by the Brahmins.

     

    DMK men were allotted temple lands on rent at a pittance.

     

     

    A) In 1979, the HR & CE authorities had proposed to sell 116 grounds of the Kapaleeswarar temple in Madras for Rs.3.5 lakhs and 147 grounds of the Gangadeeswar temple, Purasawalkam, Madras for Rs.4.5 lakhs. This move was opposed by the State Temple Protection Committee.

    B) Akshyalingeswar Temple at Kiwalur in Nagapatnam Taluk has 950 acres of land. 300 acress of land are cultivated by the co-operative tenants. The total arrears of rent was 5,000 bags of paddy per year and there was a total arrears of 36,000 bags of paddy in 8 years.

    C) At Kodambakkam, Madras a 40 ground plot belonging to a temple was leased out on a rent of Rs.4 per year.

    At Saidapet, a 40 ground plot was leased out for a pittance and the occupants had built beautiful houses. But the temple languishes for want of income.

    D) With the abolition of minor Inams, the Governmnet took a decision to confer ownership rights to the tenants who were in occupation for 60 years. Later it was decided to reduce this period of enjoyment, to 30 years, with the proviso that rent for 12 years should have been paid. In such a way, 13,825 acres of temple inam lands woth Rs.2.5 crores were distributed to 5,000 persons. The Government should have collected the amount and handed it over to the temples. But the Government took the decision to write off this amount. The Government has not compensated it to the temples. A total of 2,600 religious institutions had suffered because of this decision.

    E) King Raja Raja Chola had endowed lands to the Brihadeeshwara temple to fetch 80,000 bags of paddy every year. But the lands are not with the temple’s control now. On October20, 1983 the priests of the Big Temple, Thanjavur stopped performing pujas as they had not been receiving their salary for several months and there was no rice or oil for “Naivedyam”.

    F) On 7th April, 1985 the Endowments Minister told a press conference at Madurai that the leader of a political party was occupying premises belonging to Madurai Meenakshi temple which had been sub-let to him by the original lessee. He said that when he visited Thanjavur and Trichi Districts, he found that the archakas and temple staff had not been paid their salary for several months.

    G) On 26th November, 1979 the Conference of Temple Employees Association was told that out of 1,87,712 tenants of temple lands only 20% were genuine lessees and the rest were bogus intermediaries. The Association urged the Government of exempt all temple lands from lands laws, Tenancy Acts, particularly from the Fair Rent Act which reduced the temples share from 40% to 25%.

    H) Kalpati temple car was sold for Rs.20,000/- to maintain the pujas.

    I) On 09-03-1992, addressing a Press Conference the Kanchi Acharya commented on the increasing number of burning of temple cars, murders inside temples and thefts. The Acharya felt that the motive of all these crimials was not merely the lust for money and jewels. A new force seemed to be working from behind to check the growing “bakthi cult” in Tamil Nadu.

     

    The Government led by J.Jayalalithaa, has been trying to correct this, by initiating various measures.

    The website http://tnhrce.org/ provides information, though not exhaustively on the Temples in Tamil Nadu.

     

    There is a provision for RTI.

     

    News reports claim that details regarding the Lands of temples are available at the site, though I am unable to find it.

     

    Instead of building new temples, Hindus must concentrate on reclaiming the Lands belonging to the temples, by obtaining the relevant information from the Portal under RTI and move the Courts.

     

    Not only the Rents are ridiculous but the Temple premises are encroached and used for Illegal and Immoral activities.

     

    The lands are being sold ad Plots by the party-men.

    The web site url is provided in the post.

     

    Citation.

    http://www.shaivam.org/articles/art-tn-temples-few-facts.htm

     

     

     

     

  • Dwajasthambam Significance Hinduism

    Dwajasthamba,a,Flagpole is erected in the Hindu temple before the Sanctum and after the room immediately,Thirukkadavur. .

    In some temples it is situated outside the main hall where the Deity is.,Palani

    The Devatas are believed to follow us in the temples.

    The Dwajasthamba is believed to carry the power of the God in the temple.

    The Dwajasthamba is very Holy and all festivals are conducted only after performing Pooja for the Dwajasthamba and a flag is hoisted.

    The flagpole temple Dwajasthamba.jpg
    Dwajasthamba Hindu Temple.
    Image credit.www.multiverse.org

    One has to prostrate before the Dwajasthmba and never in between the Dwajasthamba and the Idol.

    The number of prostrations also varies and depends on the main deity or custom of the temple architecture. Before visiting the main deity (moolavar) inside generally pradakshina is done with number varying from 1, 3 5, etc. The broad significance of pradakshina in a clock wise direction is: By doing the pradakshina main deity is always in the center and we maintain equidistant from the center. The energy and grace which enters inside the human soul is immeasurable. When you do pradakshina you are faithfully and sincerely winding divinity around you. We are supposed to do the pradakshina of desired numbers and then enter inside to be with main deity. Of course all this is not possible in a temple like Tirupathi or in other crowded temples. In such case one has to be satisfied by doing atmapradakshina.

    The top portion of the flag staff has three horizontal perches or three branches pointing towards the Sanctum. It symbolizes righteousness, reputation and propriety or the Trimurtis – Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva.

    Initially, it was temporary and was primarily used to indicate the beginning of a festival or other auspicious days and occasions.

    • Dwajastambham which also symbolizes the spine or Back-Bone. Near the Dwajastambham in case of South Indian temples is the Bali Peetam. Rice and other anointments are offered here by the priests, who then progress to all other presiding deities around the temple and subsequently to the main deity. The significance of Garuda in the Dwajastambham is, that he is waiting eagerly to guide us to the lord.Garuda also removes any sarpadoshas in the body.

    The Construction of Dwajasthamba.

     

    “”Garba Gruha Sirahapoktam antaraalam Galamthatha
    Ardha Mandapam Hridayasthanam Kuchisthanam Mandapomahan
    Medhrasthaneshu Dwajasthambam Praakaram Janjuangeecha
    Gopuram Paadayosketha Paadasya Angula Pokthaha
    Gopuram Sthupasthatha Yevam Devaalayam angamuchyathe”

    Viswakaramyam Vaasthu Sastra.

    The Ancient scriptures mention that the Temple is not only a home of God but stunningly the form of God Himself, by comparing the structure of the Temple to God as perceived in human form. For this, the Girba-Griha (or womb chamber) is considered to be the Head of God, Mahamandapa the stomach and Gopuram the feet. (Medhrasthaneshu Dwajasthambam – Dwajasthambam is male organ)

    2) Dwajasthambam parts and residing devatas:

    Panjaratra Agama based:

    From top to bottom

    Yashti – Indra
    Rajju – Anandan

    Dwajam – Vihakesanan
    Valayam – Vasuki.

    Bhedika – Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra

    Mani – Lakshmi
    Mala – Saraswathi

    Padma Madhyam – East (Garuda), South (Pakshirajan), West (Suparnan), North (Vinatasutan)

    Pradamavaranam – Sankam, Chakram, Musalam, Katkam, Gadha, Sarngam, Padmam, Vajram

    Dwitiyavaranam – Lokabalakas

    Mekalai – Mandalatrayam
    Dhandakre – Vinatasudam

    Reference.
    Sripadmatantra Prayokaadharsah, Azhisur T Srinivasachariyar, Sri Raghavasimham Press, Mylapore, Chennai, Page 86, Total Pages 184 + 44, Year of Publication 2002.
    https://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110605202750AAEdJRS

  • Lord Shiva’s Foot Prints Photo Essay

    Lord Shiva never takes Avatars, He is called Ayonija, who never stays in he womb.

     

    However there are a number of instances when He appeared and vanished.

     

    I had assumed, such being the case there could be no footprints of Lord Shiva as such.

     

    How wrong could I be?

     

    There are a number of places where it is believed that Lord Shiva had left His foot prints, mostly on Rocks.

     

    One is in Sri Lanka, which, as usual named as Adam’s feet by the Westerners!

     

    Another one is in Thiruvannamalai,Tamil Nadu.

     

    Some locations where Lord Shiva’s footprints are found are here in Photos.

     

    Lord Shiva's Footprints.Adam's Peak, Lanka.jpg.
    Lord Shiva’s Footprints.Adam’s Peak, Lanka. The giant footprint (5 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 6 inches)
    Shiva's Footprints,Thiruvannamalai,Tamil Nadu,India.jpg
    Shiva’s Footprints,Thiruvannamalai,Tamil Nadu,India.
    Rudrapada, Shiva's feet.jpg
    Rudrapada, Shiva’s feet. Rudrapada Temple The Rudrapada Temple is situated on the bank of the River Brahmaputra, to the east of Tezpur, Assam. Lord Shiva (Rudra) is said to have left the print of his left food (thus the name, ‘Rudra-pada) in a stone in the temple. It is said that Mahadeva revealed himself to King Bana here. Rudrapada Temple was later built on the spot by Siva Singha, in 1730 A.D. The main temple was destroyed due to erosion of the Brahmaputra.
    Footprints of Lord Shiva.jpg
    Footprints of Lord Shiva. Just in the nose room of the Shiva temple there situated the Naag Mandir. In the month of Shravana monks draws attention of the devotees by keeping snake with themselves. Here lies the footprint of Lord Shiva which is the main place of attraction for the pilgrims and visitors.Pahari Mandir,Ranchi.
  • Two Shiva One Vishnu Temple One Spot Puthia Bangladesh

    Two Shiva Temples and one dedicated to Lord Jagannath is in Puthia, Bangladesh.

     

    Puthia Temple Complex consists of a cluster of notable old Hindu temples in Puthia UpazilaRajshahi DivisionBangladesh. Located 23 km to the east of Rajshahi city, it has the largest number of historic temples in Bangladesh.

    Shiva Temple,Puhia,Bangladesh.jpg
    Shiva Temple,Puhia,Bangladesh.

     

    Panharatna Govida Temple,Puthia.jpg.
    Panharatna Govida Temple,Puthia. This grand temple of Puthia, the Govinda Temple was erected in mid-nineteenth century by the queen of Puthia. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, as the Puthia royal family were converted to Vaishnavism by Radhamohana Thakura. The temple has exquisite terracotta ornamentation depicting the divine romance between Krishna and Radha. The temple’s survival is threatened by the newly established college nearby and the lack of conservation efforts

     

    Jagnnath Temple,Puthia.jpg
    Jagnnath Temple,Puthia.

     

    The temples were built by Hindu Zamindars Rajas of the Puthia Raj family who were noted philanthropists of Rajshahi. The temples have been built in terracotta in a variety of styles combining the typical Jor-bangla architecture with other influences.

    The Rajbari orPalace of the Raja of Puthia and the Dol Mancha are part of the complex.

    The temples are laid out around a lake with a sprawling lawn.

    The Puthia Raj family was established by a holy man named Bhatsacharya, who lived in the 16th century.

    Raja Man Singh, governor of the Mughal emperor Akbar, confiscated the Jagir of the refractory pathan jagirdar of Rajshahi named Lashker Khan and bestowed the Zamindary on the saintly Bhatsacharya for his learning, but he declined.

    However, his son Pitambar was granted the Lashkarpur estate permanently.

    On his death, his son Nilambar received the title of Raja from EmperorJahangir.

    The Puthia Royal Family estate was the second largest zamindary and the wealthiest in British Bengal. After India’s partition, the then Pakistani government abolished the zamindary system and confiscated all Hindu properties.

    The Royal Family migrated to India shortly afterwards.

     

    How to reach.

    Puthia is located 23km east of the city of Rajshahi, and 16km west of Natore. The village itself is about 1km south of the major highway. A number of buses ply the 30 minute route between the two towns for Tk 20; it is possible to simply ask to get off at Puthia, and walk the short distance into town. Another option is to catch a CNG auto-rickshaw to Puthia from one of the major towns.