Saturday 9 May 2015

Srikalahasti

Srikalahasti
శ్రీకాళహస్తి




Srikalahasti
Srikalahasti
Location in Andhra Pradesh, India
Coordinates: 13.76°N 79.70°ECoordinates13.76°N 79.70°E
CountryIndia
StateAndhra Pradesh
DistrictChittoor
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total80,056
Languages
 • OfficialTelugu
Time zoneIST (UTC+5:30)


Srikalahasti is a holy town and a municipality in the Chittoor district of Andhra PradeshIndia. It is located on the banks of the river Swarnamukhi. It is covered under the Tirupati Urban Development Authority region.[2] The Srikalahasti Temple is one of the important ancient Shiva Temples of Southern India and it is one of the panchabootha lingas which is vayu linga remaining four lingas of nilam, neer, neruppu in Tamil Nadu,This temple is opened during the times of Solar and Lunar Eclipses also unlike other temples. It occupies the area between the river bank and the foot of the hills and is popularly known as Dakshina Kailasam. It is also the origin of the popular textile painting art called kalamkari. Srikalahasti is popularly known as "Dakshina Kaashi".

History


Srikalahasti Gopuram
The temple was originally built during Tamil Pallava period and current structures are built by Tamil Chola king Kulothunga Cholan I, II and III during the 11th century.
It is one of the ancient temples included in the Saiva pilgrimages and is fairly close to the famous hill temple of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirupati. A huge hundred pillared mantapamwas built by Sri Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara dynasty during the 16th century, an important feature of this shrine. The historical reference to this temple occur in the works of Nakkeerar, a Tamil poet in the 3rd century BC during the Tamil Sangam Dynasty. He called it as Southern Kailash. Nakkeera composed hundreds of Tamil stanzas to praise Srikalahasteeswara. Dhoorjati a Telugu poet native of this place and one among the ashtadiggajas of Sri Krishnadevaraya’s court composed hundred stanzas on Sri Kalahasteeswara.

Geography

Srikalahasti is located at 13°45′N 79°42′E on the bank of river Swarnamukhi. It is located 38 km north of Tirupati central. It is one of the assembly constituencies in Chittor District.

Demographics

As of 2011 Census of India, the town had a population of 80,056. The total population constitute, 38,995 males and 41,061 females—a sex ratio of 1053 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 940 per 1000.[1][3] 8,224 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 4,227 are boys and 3,997 are girls—a ratio of 946 per 1000. The average literacy rate stands at 78.66% (male 85.15%; female 72.57%) with 56,501 literates, significantly higher than the national average of 73.00%.[1][4]

Education

Srikalahasthi has educational institutions ranging from Elementary schools to Engineering & Degree Colleges. Srikalahasteeswara Institute of Technology is an engineering college organized by Srikalahasteeswara Trust board. It is affiliated to J.N.T.U, Anantapur.It offers various Bachelor of Technology courses (B.Tech) & various Master of Technology courses (M.Tech) Srikalahasteeswara Institute of Technology Polytechnicis also organized by Srikalahasteeswara Trust board. It is affiliated State Board of Technical Education, Govt of Andhrapradesh.It offers various Polytechnic courses. Sri Vidya Prakasananda Degree college offers various bachelor courses like Bachelor of Science (B.Sc), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Bachelor of Arts (B.A) etc. This college is affiliated to Sri Venkateswara UniversityTirupati. In recent years, the Srikalahasteeswara temple trust board started a nursing college also in Kasa Gardens.
For Intermediate education, there are separate Government junior colleges for Boys and Girls. Government boys junior college is near to Panagal, and the girls junior college is located at Ayyala Nayudu Lake, near to the Government Hospital and the APSRTC Bus station.
Government High Schools
  1. R.P.B.S Z.P. Boys High School, B.P. Agraharam
  2. Z.P. High School for Girls, Near Government Hospital
  3. Government High School, Panagal
  4. Municipal High School, Bhaskarpet,
  5. A.P. Welfare Residential High School for Girls, Kasa Gardens

Economy

The town depends mainly on agriculture and tourism. The main crops are paddy, sugar cane and ground nuts. Hundreds of Kalamkari artists also bring some revenue. Pilgrims visiting the Tirumala temple also visit the SriKalaHasti temple, rendering it many footsteps each day and thereby making it the second famous temple in the state of Andhra Pradesh.[citation needed]

Industries

In the last few years some large scale plants and factories have started in & around the town like Srikalahasti Pipes Ltd. (Formerly called as Lanco Industries), Hindustan coca-cola pvt ltd, Vishnu solvay Barium ( Chemical Plant). In 2012 Prakash Group started their long products rolling mill adjacent to Urandoor Village in Srikalahasti by the name of Prakash Ferrous Industries Pvt. Ltd.

Government

It is located under the administration of Chittoor district. The Srikalahasti mandal headquarters are located here.

Transport

The nearest airport is about 20 km from here at Renigunta, the Tirupati Airport. It is reachable by road from Tirupati, Chennai or Gudur. It is on the Renigunta-Gudur section of Guntakal (GTL) Division of the South Central Railway (SCR). All trains from Vijayawada to Tirupati halt at Kalahasti. The local transport is by taxis or autorickshaws and city buses. Andhra Pradesh State owned Bus services (APSRTC) operators buses in Srikalahasti from the Tirupati.

Thursday 7 May 2015

Thiruthani Murugan Temple

    
Thiruthani Murugan Temple
 
Thiruthani Murugan Temple
Thiruthani MuruganTemple
Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Proper nameThiruthani murugan Koil
Geography
Coordinates13°10′18.6″N 79°36′13.57″E
CountryIndia
StateTamil Nadu
LocationTiruthani
Culture
Primary deityMurugan
Architecture
Architectural stylesDravidian architecture
Tiruthani Murugan temple is a Hindu temple, on the hill of Thiruttani, Tamil Nadu,India, dedicated to Lord Muruga. The hill has 365 steps indicating 365 days of the year.It is one of the Arupadaiveedu, the six holy abodes of Lord Muruga. The other five are: Palani(56 km west of Dindigul), Swamimalai (5 km east of Kumbakonam), Tirupparangunram (5 km from Madurai), Pazhamudircholai(25 km north of Madurai) and Thiruchendur (165 km south of Madurai).

History

The origins of this temple, like most Hindu temples, are buried in antiquity. This temple has been mentioned in the Sangam period work Tirumurugaatruppadai composed by Nakkeerar. It has been patronized by the Vijayanagar rulers and local chieftains and zamindars.

Mythology

Legend also has it that Indra the king of the Gods gave his daughter Deivayanai in marriage to Skanda, and along with her presented his elephant Airavatam as part of his dowry offering. Upon Airavatam's departure Indra found his wealth waning. Subramanyar is said to have offered to return the white elephant, however Indra bound by protocol refused to accept a gift that he had made, and insisted that the elephant face his direction, hence the image of the elephant in this temple also faces the east.

Another legend has it that Indra presented a sandal stone as a part of his daughters dowry. The sandal paste made on this stone is applied to the image of Subramanya and the applied paste is said to acquire medicinal value. Legend also has it that Skanda bore the discus thrown by the demon Tarakasuran on his chest, and hence there is a hollow in the chest region of the image of Subramanya in this temple. Legend also has it that Skanda gifted the discus to Vishnu (Please also see Tiruveezhimizhalai and Tirumalper). Skanda is also believed to have imparted knowledge of Tamil to the sage Agasthyar and he is regarded as Veeramurthy, Gnanamurthy and Acharyamurthy in this shrine.
Lord Rama, after putting an end to Ravana, worshipped Lord Siva at Rameswaram and then came to Tiruttani to find perfect peace of mind by worshipping Lord Subrahmanya here. In Dwapara Yuga, Arjuna got the blessings of our Lord here by offering prayers to Him on his way to the South for Teertha Yatra (pilgrimage to take sacred immersion). Lord Vishnu prayed to the Lord and got back His powerful Chakra (sacred wheel), Shanku (sacred conch), which were forcibly seized from Him by Tarakasura, brother of Soorapadma. Lord Brahma propitiated the Lord here at the holy spring known as Brahmasonai after his imprisonment by our Lord for his failure to explain the Pranava ('Om' mantra) and got back his creative function of which he was deprived by our Lord due to his egotistic impudence in neglecting to worship Lord Subrahmanya on his way to Mount Kailasa to worship Lord Siva. The final steps to the eastern entrance.
On worshipping our Lord at Thanikai, the king of snakes Vasuki got his bodily wounds healed, which had been caused during the churning process in the Milky Ocean to secure the Amrita (nectar of immortality) by the devas and asuras when the Mantotra Mountain was used as the churning base and the snake king Vasuki as the rope. Sage Agasthyar Muni (of Potikai Hill) worshipped Lord Muruga at Tanikai when he was blessed with the divine gift of the Tamil language.

Religious significance

Apart from its puranic greatness, Saint Arunagirinathar has praised this hill as the chosen place for worship by devas and the favorite abode of saints performing prolonged tapas. He also compared this hill to Sivaloka (Bhuloka) and as the very soul of the world. Sri Muttuswami Deekshitar, who lived 200 years ago (one of the trinity of Carnatic music) had his inspiration in Tiruttani when the Lord (in the guise of an old man) met him on the steps and sweetened his tongue with the prasadam of this temple, which impelled him to compose and render his first krithi "Shri Nathadhi Guruguho Jayathi Jayathi"(song) on Lord Murugan of Tanikai. The temple vimanam was covered by gold

Timings

Tiruttani Temple located in Tamil Nadu is one of famous temples dedicated to Lord Muruga. Detail Tiruttani Temple Timing is given below. Thousands of people visit the temple daily to have the darshan of the murti of Muruga who alleviates all difficulties. Visiting time is from 5:45 AM in the morning to 9:00 PM. On special day, the temple is open till midnight.
Daily Darshan Timings
First Darshan – 6:00 AM – Vishwaroopa Darshan
Kala Shanti Puja – 8:00 AM
Noon puja – 12:00 PM
Evening Puja – 5:00 PM
Arthajama Puja – 8:00 PM
Last Puja (palliyari puja) – 9:00 PM
The puja timings are as provided by the Government endowment board.

Festivals

Besides the monthly Krittikais which attract a large number of devotees to this shrine, the two outstanding annual festivals are the Aadi Krittikai and 31 December New Year Step Festival. The float festival is celebrated in the month of Aadi, Bhramotsavam in the month of Maasi, during which Valli Kalyanam is celebrated on the 8th day, and the Skanda Sashti is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aippasi.

Aadi Krittikai

Aadi Krittikai festival (in July–August) lasts for three days with Float Festival when hundreds of thousands of devotees come to this holy place from far and near. The streets are thronged to the full. About one fifty thousand flower kavadis (which increase with each year) are offered to the deity. The sight of the devotees who carry them, uttering the sacred and inspiring "Haro Hara!" as they march and dance in long rows touches the very core of devotees' hearts and makes them spellbound.
2015 Aadi Krittikai will start Aug 8

December 31st Step Festival

When the new year srikes on 31st dec midnight, hundreds of thousands of devotees are present on the sacred Tanikai hill to have the darshan of their Lord. They come to Tiruttani to offer their heart-felt prayers to our Lord on that day and night to be blessed with peace and plenty during the New Year. This festival came into vogue during the British Raj when the famous Vallimalai Swamigal persuaded his followers to offer their homage first to Lord Tanigesan, the giver of all good, and only then to their official bosses. On this day, numerous bhajana parties gather and ascend the hill, singing the melodious Tiruppugazh songs and burning camphor on each of the hill's 365 steps, one for each day of the New Year.