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  Udupi Whatever an individual does in his lifetime impacts his present as well as future and some philosophical and spiritual schools would tell about the next birth as well. The foundation of this philosophy is as old as the Hindu religion itself but Bhagavad Gita carves it in the grounds of history forever. Lord Krishna has uttered those divine words about 'Karma Yog' long back but the reverberations are still there, felt strongly in place like Udupi, Karnataka. The name 'Udupi' might refer to a type of popular south Indian cuisine but that also takes its name from the place it has originated. The other popular names by which Udupi is reputed amongst its pilgrims are Rajata Peetha and Shivalli (also pronounced as Shivabelli). Temple festivals organized here keep the tourists and pilgrims coming here interested besides adding to their quotient of devotion and taste. With the presence of several Ashrams and Matts (also pronounced as Muth), the Udupi, better known as ...

  Ujjain Ever found lost in spirituality of senses and depths of devotion or ventured in subjects like history of religion, geography of astrology, mathematics of zero and so on, so forth? The answer might not come in one easy guess or grasp, unless one is researching about Ujjain - a city where all merge to give it the meaning it stands for. Flourishing on the banks of River Kshipra, this city in Madhya Pradesh is associated with best of everything since the day it came into existence, be it the presence of one of the Jyotirlinga - Shri Mahakaleshwar Mandir, or being one of the four place where mythological nectar fell for Kumbha Melas to happen or its identity for being a home to individuals like Brahmagupta, Varahamihira, Kalidas, Ashoka, etc, and this could be continued for long; so strong is the significance of the place to limit in few words. Known by many different names as Avanti, Avantika, Ujjaini, Avantikapuri, Arin, Ozein and Aryn, depending upon the cause it was needed ...

  Swami Ayyappan Saranam, Sabarimala The world of Gods and Goddesses has always been a there to set examples and guide the lost souls of earth, but myths and legends are not always able to elucidate the purpose they have been present in the religious scriptures. One such story might be the mysterious coupling of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu as Mohini creating Lord Ayyappan - the deity of fertility as a consequence of this divine act. Nevertheless, the faith of devotees in the works of Gods has always remained intact. The proof stands in the form of Sabarimala, a Hindu pilgrimage place associated with Lord Ayyappan which has only become more popular. Its location in Western Ghats of Pathanamthitta district has only augmented its tourism value, as is perpetually professed by its state Kerala, rightly tagged as 'God's Own Country. The Ayyappan Temple for which Sabarimala is so well known is surrounded by 18 hills, all having several temples on them. Another interesting facet of the ...

  Thrissur Rituals worshiping gods are bound to be associated with all kinds of pilgrimage, but when consequently taking form of huge festivals, they erode the boundaries of nationalities and religions. A resplendent example of this logical flow of events makes Thrissur in Kerala shine on the religious as well as tourism world map. Who would be able to deny one memorable day spent in watching the activities of Thrissur Pooram? But this is not all one of the largest city of this southern state has on display. The city has religious and cultural roots that bind the history of the place so strongly that it is not easy to separate the two. Temples, museums, churches, art centers and the lush Nature for which Kerala is world renowned are some of the aspects of this cultural and spiritual capital of this southern state of India. One of these aspects is related with festival of Thrissur Pooram, celebrated in the Vadakkunnathan temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Around this sacred space of 64...

  Thanjavur A dive in the historical depths of religious significances that is spread around the whole Indian landscape is as refreshing as the satisfaction of completing a heavy book of obscure religious texts. The two references might seem to confluence at some point, the holy places they point to all the time stand as a testimony to the past and promises of the future with the divine gratification of being on the right path. Thanjavur is no different in providing that very thing. The resplendence of place located in Tamil Nadu could be easily imagined, ornamented with the three tributaries of River Kaveri (Pudhaaru, Vadavaaru and Vennaaru), Chola Temples with the characteristic architecture (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site), vast Paddy fields along with the laboring farmers, remnants of history left behind by Pandyas, Nayaks, Marathas and British and many such things. And when it comes to taking a souvenir, nothing better than Tanjore Painting can come as immediate suggestion i...

  Trimbakeshwar Every time a sin is committed, there must be penance, one way or the other. While laying down rules of a mortal life, Gods ensured that pilgrimage become a way to ease the burden of sins on conscience. Pilgrims repent their wrongdoing even though not consciously being aware of them all the while until they reach under the refuge of the deity they worship. Trimbakeshwar temple of Trimbak, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, is among the destinations where devotees of Lord Shiva can rest shedding their burden of guilt on God's feet. The renowned city of Nashik in Maharashtra is said to be one of the place where Gods came together to make it worshiped as a sacred destination and this is where the story of Ganga coming down to earth in the form of Godavari is being told followed by the reason of manifestation of Lord Trimbakeshwar, embodying the holy triad- Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh. Godavari River also referred to as River Gautami after the name of the Sage Gautama is one of th...