Ranjus . pilgrimage . blogspot . com

Last year on Akshaya thrithaya our tour organizer took us on a trip to Lakshmi Kuberar temple. It’s in Ratnamangalam near Vandalur . Being Akshaya thrithaya it was overcrowded with devotees. This temple is open by 5 am to 1pm again by 4 pm to 8 pm daily . We paid Rs. 100 for a special archanai on that day . They gave us a nellikai (Amla) a small akshaya bowl along with prasadham and a green sacred thread they tied in our hands . We bought a green lamp with the Kubera enthiram numbers when added any sides sums upto 9 . There were seperate shrines to Lakshmi Ganapathy, Muthukumaran ( lord muruga) lord vishnu, Swarnaakarshana Bhairavar , lord Hanuman and navagrahas. Near this temple is a Saibaba mandir and Chakrakali temple . Both temples are maintained by the same trustee . From the street end a narrow passage leads to Araikaasu Amman temple . In this temple the main deity being Arai Kaasu Amman . It is believed the lost things if we pray keeping a rupee coin to this Amman it will be fou...

This temple we went during our grand daughters aksharaabhyasam (Aksharaabhyasam or Akshara abhyaasam or Vidyaarambham is a traditional religious function in which the child is given initiation of education so that the child is ready to receive formal education) in Koothanoor Saraswathy temple . Swarnavalli sametha Mukthiswarar temple is located at Thilatharpanapuri 2.6kms from Koothanur. Koothanoor is near Poonthottam which is on Mayavaram — Tiruvarur Road. Here you can see a Vinayakar with a Human face. This temple is one among the 276 Paadal petra Shivalayam. Thirugnanasambandar has sung the glory of this Lord . This temple has a vast area in front with koshala and horses .The Adi Vinayagar temple is outside the main temple usually Lord Vinayagar will be the first shrine within any temple. The priest while telling the sthalapurana told us as sun and moon together came and worshipped the Lord Shiva here , so it is considered as Amavasai on all days and pitru sradham can be done any da...

Suvasini priya matha sowmangalya vivarthini mangalyam dehime nithyam Sri Abirami namosthuthe . Which means  Salutations to Goddess Abirami, who is the mother who lives in the forehead of all married women  Please give us happy married life daily and bless us . Thirukadaiyur is 17 kms from Mayiladuthurai . The famous Lord Shiva temple named Amrithagadeswarar with his consort Abirami is in Thirukadaiyur.  This temple is famous for 60th birthday functions (Sastiapthapoorthi) Ayush homam for one year kids (apthapoorthi) 70 to 75 years (Bimaratha santhi) 80 and above years (Sadabhishegam). The temple consists of a long corridor in which the temple elephant and cow for Ko pooja are kept adjacent to it is the Goddess Abirami sannidi . Opposite to the Abirami sannidi is the temple garden . Straight to the corridor is the Lord Amithagadeswar sannidhi .  Kalasamharamurthy is to the side of the main diety . Straight opposite to it is Lord Yaman . As per legend near the temple o...

Akshaya Tritiya is being celebrated across the country today. The word Akshaya means “never diminishing” as the festival is associated with wealth, prosperity and happiness. It is also known as ‘Akha Teej’, an annual spring festival of Hindus and Jains. It is celebrated on the third day of Vaishakh month. It is considered to be the most auspicious day to start a new venture. Akshaya Tritiya has lot of religious significance: 1. It is the birthday of Lord Parashurama, one of the ten Dashavataras of Lord Vishnu. 2. It is the starting day of Treta Yuga after Satya Yuga. 3. It is the day when Sudama offered Aval to Lord Krishna, who in turn blessed him with bountiful wealth and happiness. 4. Lord Krishna gave the Akshaya Patra to Draupadi when the Pandavas started for the Vanavasa, so that they always has food in abundance. 5. Veda Vyasa started writing the epic Mahabharata. 6. The Holy Ganges descended upon the Earth. 7. The annual Rath Yatra in Puri Jagannath begins on this day. 8. Adisa...

Located 35kms West of Chidambaram in the Kattu Mannar Koil Taluk is the historical Boo Varaha Swamy temple in Sri Mushnum. Unlike typical moolavar deities in Vishnu temples, the Lord here is in the form of a small vigraham signifying the Varaha Avataaram. A visit even once to this temple and sincere prayers to Lord Boo Varahaswamy is said to help attain moksham in this lifetime, such is the power of Boo Varahar. Srimushnum is one of the 8 Swayambu Kshetrams in India. The others are Srirangam, Tirupathi and Vanamaamalai in South India and Saligramam, Naimisarinyam, Pushkaram and Badri in North India. Boo Varaha Perumal is a Saligrama moorthy and the speciality of the temple is that there is a Thirumanjanam every day for the Lord. Hiranyaksha, the brother of Hiranyakashipu, wanted to be a dominant force. To achieve this, he rolled over the earth and took it into the nether world, from where he ruled. Boo Devi undertook penance seeking help from Lord Narayana to protect her from the Asura...

Sri Vanjiyam is about 35 kms south east away from Kumbakonam after Nachiyar koil on the road to Tiruvarur . It is about 5 kms before Nannilam . It can also be reached from Tiruvarur the road to Mayavaram . Legends Of the Temple: Lord Yama was tired that he was being cursed by all for taking lives he wanted a break and to be regarded with love not hate he complained to Shiva at Tiruvarur and was directed here to pray to Lord Shiva who being pleased with him absolved him of curses and built a temple here for him . The honour of first seeing him before seeing the lord is also afforded to him here . Ganga was feeling very dirty after washing all the sins of people hence she sought refuge in the lord who  directed here to the pond where she was rejuvenated the pond is called Guptha Ganga as she is still believed to be in hiding here . Lord Surya lost his lustre after attending Daksha’s yagna he prayed to Shiva here to regain his lustre . There is a seperate Shani sannidhi and sannidhi f...

During our Kulu Manali trip we visited Hanogi Mata Temple on the Chandigarh Manali highway . The vehicles that pass through that way stops and all passengers pray to this Mata then continue their travel. At a distance of 41 km from Kullu, 30 km from Mandi and 80 km from Manali, Hanogi Mata Temple is a well known religious centre of Kullu that lies on the Mandi-Manali National Highway 3. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Hango Mata. The location of this temple is quite picturesque as it is positioned on the top of a small peak; green mountains serve as a backdrop for the temple and a stream flowing below makes this temple a stunning attraction. Not only religious belief allures the tourists to this place but its great location is also one of the reasons for catching the attention of visitors. The view from temple is really very scenic and marvelous. Their is a stream of lake flowing besides this temple and free boating facilities are there to take to Kali and Sa...

Ever year we visit Shirdi Saibaba Mandir to get His blessings. During this visit we combine some other temples which we have not yet seen. In 2018 we visited Shirdi along with Panchavati and the temples near by Godavari ghat . This year it happened to visit twice once being in March and during our 5 Jyothirlingam trip of Maharashtra in November. During our Shirdi visit in March we combined Ellora caves and Bhadra maruthi temple . One of the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, Ellora caves are also known as Verul. These stunning man-made monolithic cave temples were carved during the rule of Kalachuri, Rashtrakuta and Chalukya dynasties The Ellora Caves comprise Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples and over a 100 caves with only 34 open to the public . The Kailasa Temple or Cave 16 is one of the 34 cave temples and monasteries collectively known as the Ellora Caves, one among the most visited tourist destinations in Maharashtra Dedicated to L...