Ramanisblog

Tag: Pilgrimage

  • Ahobila How Reach Stay Accommodation Food

    Ahobilam, the Temple of Lord Narasimha, an Avatar of Vishnu, is located in Andhra Pradesh.

    Vishnu Murthis in Ahobilam.
    Nine Murthis of Ahobilam

    Ahobilam is located in Karnool district of Andhra Pradesh in the hills of the eastern ghats, about 400 KM northwest of Chennai.

    The temple consists of nine shrines to Lord Nrisimha located around a 5 KM circle. In addition to the nine shrines, there is a temple for Prahaladavarada Varadhan in the foothills of the mountain. Due to security reasons and the difficulty in performing daily worship, many of the utsava vigrahasof the nine shrines are kept in this temple.

     

    Garuda wished for a vision of Lord Nrisimha in the form of the Avathara. To fulfill his wish, the Lord settled in the hills around Ahobilam in the midst of dense forests in nine different forms. For this reason this hill came to be known as Garudadri, Garudachalam, and Garudasailam.

    Ahobilam is the place where the Lord killed Hiranyakasipu and saved Prahalada. Mahalakshmi took avathar as Senjulakshmi among the Senju, tribal hunters of the hills, and married the Lord.

    Sri Ahobila Muth, one of the most important Sri Vaishnava religious institutions in India, was established by Sri Athivan Satakopan at the instructions of Lord Lakshmi Nrisimha of Ahobilam. In fact, the utsava moorthy of the Malola Nrisimha temple, one of the nine shrines of Ahobilam, is the presiding deity of Sri Ahobila Mutham. Sri Malolan accompanies Srimad Azhagiya Singar, the spiritual and titular head of Sri Ahobila Mutham, on his travels.

    Thirumangai Azhvaar has sung ten verses about this temple in Periya Thirumozhi.

    It can be reached from Nandyl,Cuddappah or Kurnool Andhra Pradesh.

    There is no railway link direct to Ahobilam.

    One can reach by reaching any of the places mentioned here or through Dhone from where one reach Ahobilam through Baganpalle and Koilkuntla.

    How To reach Ahobilam.

    By Train from Chennai to Ahobilam
    Bombay mail leaves Chennai at about 9:55 p.m. and reaches Kadappa at about 3:15 a.m. You can take Bombay mail going to Chennai for the return journey. Chennai bound Bombay mail arrives Kadappa at 10:25 p.m. and leaves at 10:30. It reaches Chennai at about 5:40 a.m. Reservations may be made for round trip from Chennai to Kadappa and back. Quota for Kadappa is available in Bombay mail.

    From Kadappa, Ahobilam is about 100 KM. If you can afford it you can hire a taxi for the day to go to Ahobilam and return. The approximate cost would be Rs. 1000 for the round trip. If you are a group you can hire a van for a day. In either of these two cases, you will be able to finish all the Dharshan and return to Kadappa at night in time to catch Bombay mail back to Chennai.

    If you are in a position to hire a taxi, you can take a bus to Ahobilam. There may be direct bus to Ahobilam, but frequency may be limited. In stead, take a bus to Allagadda, and then from Allagadda you can take another bus to Ahobilam. If you have to travel bus you may have difficulty covering all the temples in one day.

    By bus from Chennai to Ahobilam
    There is an overnight bus from Madras to Nandiyal leaving at about 8:00 p.m. Nandiyal is a big town past Allagadda. Buy your ticket to Allagadda. The bus will reach Allagadda at about 6 a.m. Get down at Allagadda. From Allagadda, Ahobilam is about 30 KM. Town busses ply between Allagadda and Ahobilam every 45 minutes. The last bus leaves Ahobilam to Allagadda at 9:45 p.m. You may also hire a taxi from Allagadda. The same bus returns to Chennai. It leaves Allagadda at about 7:00 a.m. Check locally for exact time. By car from Chennai to Ahobilam
    The drive from Chennai is through Renigunta, Kadappa, and Allagadda. It will take about 9 to 10 hours of hard driving. Avoid night driving if you can.

    Traveling to Ahobilam from Hyderabad
    The distance between Hyderabad and Ahobilam is about 380 KM. By train, take Thungabadra Express from Hyderabad (Kacheguda) to Kurnool. This train leaves Hyderabad (Kacheguda) at 7:00 p.m. and reaches Kurnool 10:30 p.m. From Karnool, Ahobilam is about 150 KM. You may hire a taxi or take a bus for this part of the journey. The approximate cost would be Rs. 1400 for the round trip. The return train arrives Kurnool at 1:15 a.m. and reaches Hyderabad at 5:20 a.m.

    You may also take a bus from Hyderabad to Allagadda. From Allagadda, Ahobilam is about 30 KM. Town busses ply between Allagadda and Ahobilam every 45 minutes. The last bus leaves Ahobilam to Allagadda at 9:45 p.m. You may also hire a taxi from Allagadda.

    Traveling to Ahobilam from Bangalore
    From Bangalore, Ahobilam is about 350 K.m. The train timing is not very convenient from Bangalore. Prasant Express leaves Bangalore at 2:00 p.m. and reaches Nandiyal at about 11:50 p.m. From Nandiyal, Ahobilam is about 60 KM via Allagadda. The return train to Bangalore leaves Nandiyal at about 11:10 p.m. and reaches Bangalore at 10 a.m.

    By road, the travel is via Madanapalli, Cuddapah, and Allagadda. The drive is about 7:30 hours.

    Facilities for Stay at Ahobilam.

    Sri Ahobila Mutt maintains a Guest House called Malola Guest House. There are a total of 14 rooms, 4 single rooms, 6 double rooms, and 4 triple rooms. Of these, two double rooms and two triple rooms are air conditioned. In addition, there are 10 dormitory type rooms.

    Normally reservations are not undertaken by the Ahobila Mutt authorities.

    But one can always try.

    Mr. Badri Narayanan
    PH:-08519-252045/252024
    9490515284.

    Food.

    A privately run canteen is located adjacent to Malola Guest House. Vegetarian food is sold at this canteen.

    In addition, Sri Ahobila Matam has established a trust called Annamacharya Nitya Annadanam Trust. The goal of this trust is to provide free food to devotees of Sri Lakshmi Nrisimha. Free prasadam is offered three time a day. Dadiyannam (Curd rice) is offered morning and evening. At noon time Tadiyaradhanam (full course meals) is offered.

    The monthly expense for this exceeds Rs. 20,000. Contributions to the trust is welcome. Please contact the Malola Guest House manager at 8519-232045 for detail.

    More details on accommodation.

    Hotel Haritha

    Source:

    http://www.ahobilamutt.org/us/information/visitingahobilam.asp

     

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  • Rare Teerthas Of Hindusim

    Tirtha means a Small pond or a Sanskrit: तीर्थ), which literally means “a ford, a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed” has come to connote places of pilgrimage associated with sacred water.

    Theertha at Bhimshankar
    Bhimshankar Theertha

    There are a lot of Sacred Tirthas according to Hinduism.

    Taking a dip in them relieves one of his and some Tirthas are reputed to relieve one of his specific problem.

    Teerthas are different from Holy rivers like Ganges, Yamuna or Sarasvati.

    Teertha may be small pond in the Temple precincts, or slightly away from it or may be found in a forest or a mountain, with a small temple nearby.

    It may be cold water or warm water spring, or a ford,pond or a rivulet.

    I am listing some rare Teertha, so rare that I am unable to find their location.

    Readers may help.

    Kumjaamraka Teertha.Kumjaamraka means ‘bent’

    This Theerthameans bent Mango Tree.

    This Teertha is for worshipping Lord Vishnu.

    Lord Vishnu is reported to have appeared before Sage Raivya in a Mango Tree.

    The tree bent because of His weight,

    Tirtha is located near this tree.

    Maya and Matsya are two more Theertha nearby.

    It is believed to relieve one of his sons and if one dies in this place he is never reborn.

    2.Sarva Kalika Tirtham.Those who do penance here will attain the feet of Lord Vishnu

    There is a hot water spring nearby, called Poorna Mukham.

    Those who take a dip here will reach the Chandra Loka, a stage of mental development)t and will be reborn as a Brahmin.

    * I am unable to find the locations of these.

    3.Kampilya Tirtham.

     

    Kampilya (कम्पिल्‍य) was the Capital of the Panchala Kingdom ruled by Drupada during Mahabharata period. It is mentioned in Mahabharata that when Pandavas were in exile and staying at place called Ekachakra (Etawah, Uttar Pradesh), they came to know that Drupada, King of Panchala, had announced the Swayamvara of his daughter Draupadi. Then they came to Kampilya (Kampil, Uttar Pradesh), the capital of Drupada. The historian Thakur Deshraj has mentioned that the people of Kampilya were later known as Koil. The Koīl people came from Kampilya and founded the city known asKampilgarh, situated south east of Ganges. The town of Kampilgarh later became popular as Koil which is now Aligarh. Shri Nagendranath Basu has mentioned in ‘Bangla vishva kosha’ that Jats seized Ramgarh in 1757 AD and named it Koil. This was later took by Marathas and appointed a French named Piran as administrator of this place. Koil is also mentioned in an old folk-song ‘Rag dhola’ which tells about Fool Singh Punjabi Jat as its ruler. This place was also ruled by Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur for some time. Literary significance of Kampilya In Kampil there have also been great poets. (1) Mathura Chaubey Mukatimani (Kaviraja). Aurangzeb gave him 500 bigha of free hold land that is still in the possession of the family. A descendent of this poet Ms. Neera Misra Chairperson of Draupadi Trust is working for Restoration of the historical and heritage value of this land.’
    This is reported to be the place where Varaha Avatar redeemed the world.
    Taking a dip here shall relieve one of his sins.
    4.Varaha Tirtha.
    The most prominent temples of Varaha is the Sri Varahaswami Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the shores of a temple pond, called the Swami Pushkarini, in Tirumala, near Tirupati; to the north of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple (another temple of Vishnu in the form ofVenkateswara). The region is called Adi-Varaha Kshestra, the abode of Varaha. The legend of the place is as follows: at the end of Satya Yuga (the first in the cycle of four aeons; the present one is the fourth aeon), devotees of Varaha requested him to stay on earth, so Varaha ordered his mount Garudato bring his divine garden Kridachala from his abode Vaikuntha to Venkata hills, Tirumala. Venkateswara is described as having taken the permission of Varaha to reside in these hills, where his chief temple, Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, stands. Hence, pilgrims are prescribed to worship Varaha first and then Venkateswara. In the Atri Samhita (Samurtarchanadhikara), Varaha is described to be worshipped in three forms here: Adi Varaha, Pralaya Varaha and Yajna Varaha. The image in the sanctum is of Adi Varaha..
    5.Chakra Tirtha.
    Chakra Theertham is also a famous pond in Tirumala, which is located next to Silathoranam and holds special importance. Visiting this site is considered as good as touching the Lotus Feet of the Lord, which will deliver the devotees from their travails.
    It is believed that when Lord Brahma observed grief at this site, Lord Vishnu plunged his Sudarshana Chakra for cleansing it. The Sudarshana Chakra then fell into a place, which later came to be known as Chakra Theertham. This pond is known for cleanse bathers of sins that would lead them to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu.
    Chakra Theertham is located about 2 Km from the temple, in the same complex as the Sila Thoranam is a rare natural rock arch. This place houses a Swayambu Lingam and is well-known for being a popular tourist spot in Tirupati.

    6.Bhimshankar Therrtha.

    Bhimashankar Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, is situated in Bhavagiri (Bhorgiri) village, 50 km north-west of Khed, in Maharashtra, India. Bhimashankar Shiva Mandir is about 110 km from Pune in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills (Sahayadri Ranges). The temple is situated on the banks of River Bhima, it is from here Bhima Rive flows south east and merges with the Krishna River near Raichur. Bhima Shankar Temple gives a beautiful view of the forts, the rivers and the hill stations nearby..

    Source.

    Varaha Purana.

     

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  • Free Pilgrimage For Senior Citizens IRCTC

    The IRCTC of Government of India’s Railway Travel Services  arm offers plans for Pilgrimage to Senior citizens, who have completed 65 years of Age.

    Government of Rajasthan,Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh has finalized plans with free Pilgrimage for Senior Citizens and the Government of Tamil Nadu is finalizing the arrangements.

    Features.

    IRCTC, India
    IRCTC

    1.Should have completed 65 years of age.

    2. Pilgrimage spots as of now.

    For the Hindus.

    Kasi, Gaya, Hardwar, Rishikesh, Allahabad, Somnath, Dwaraka, and Ayodhya.

    For the Christians.

    Goa and

    for the Muslims,it is Ajmer.

    3.One place of pilgrimage can be chosen.

    4.The  Collectors will be selecting the Pilgrims.

    5. Proof of Age and address . Aadhaar, Electoral ID ,Ration Card(any one of these)

    Why Buddhists and Sikhs have been left out?

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