Visit to Mukthinath

[Guest guest]

TRAVELOGUE TO MUKTHINATH KATHMANDU AYODHYA ALLHABAD NAIMISARANYAM CHITRAKOOT AND

VARANASI DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL 2009

 

 

 

When we finished our pilgrimage to Badrinath last Year, Sathyan, my second son

suggested whether we can make a visit to Mukthinath in Nepal next Year. One of

my close friends had gone there and returned in 5 days. They flew down to Delhi

and then to Kathmandu, Pokharan & Jamsom. I took it that Sathyan plans to make

the visit in the similar way.

 

Some time in Jan 2009, suddenly he conveyed that he has paid advance for all the

three of us (me, Mythili and Sathyan) and we are with a group of 30 people. The

tour would take around 15 days and cover all the important holy places in Nepal

and UP. When I hesitated for the reason that he has to take leave from his

office for 15 days and leave behind the children with Vidya for the entire

period, he was adamant and insisted that we take the pilgrimage. Seeing his

keen initiative, I couldn't say NO and agreed.

 

We left Chennai on the night of 14th April by train to Gorakhpur. The weather

during the entire journey would have been very tiresome unless for the fact that

we travelled by 3 tier AC coach or otherwise, the severe heat was unbearable.

We reached Gorakhpur on the evening of 16th and stay was arranged in the

Dharamasala run by the Gorekeshwar Trust. We visited the temple in the same

night.

 

The city of Gorakhpur has a rich history of culture and historical importance.

In ancient times the area of Gorakhpur included Basti, Deoria, Azamgarh, and

parts of Nepal. The city of Gorakhpur was an important center of Aryan

civilization. Gorakhpur dates back to 6th century in India. It is named after

the renowned Guru Gorakshnath who performed " Hath Yoga " where the Gorakhnath

Temple now exists which is one of the many historical sites in the city. It is

also the birth place of not only King Vikas Sankrityayan Ji but also of

Saraswati Shishu Mandir. Gorakhpur was part of the ancient empires of Shunga,

Kushana, Gupta, and Harsha dynasties. The Tharu King Mausen of Madan Singh ruled

over the great city of Gorakhpur and all of the adjacent areas.

 

The Great Lord Buddha who founded Buddhism renounced his costumes at the

confluence of rivers Rapti & Rohini during 600 B.C. in Gorakhpur making it the

center of religious worlds of Hinduism as well as Buddhism. Gorakhpur also has

the famous Gita Press, Hindu publisher of books making it a city rich in

culture and history.

 

Next day in the early morning we left for Pokharan in Nepal. The journey by the

bus took the entire day and we reached late in the evening. It was very

tiresome. Having travelled in Kerala many a times, the entire stretch to

Pokharan from the India- Nepal Border made me to feel as if I am travelling in

Kerala. The mountain range on one side and villages on the other side

replicated the Kerala scenes. Corruption is common everywhere and it is there

also in Nepal. Our bus bearing the Indian number plate, became the target for

the policemen to stop it on some flimsy reasons. Once the palm is greased, we

were allowed to proceed. At the border, we have to register the vehicle showing

the entire vehicle records and we are issued with a permit with a validity of

One week. Though we have been advised to carry our identity card- either the

passport or the electoral card, we have not been checked.

POKHARA

Pokhara lies on an important old trading route between Tibet and India. In the

17th. Century it was part of the influential Kingdom of Kaski which again was

one of the Chaubise Rajaya (24 Kingdoms of Nepal) ruled by a branch of the Shah

Dynasty. Many of the mountains around Pokhara still have medieval ruins from

this time. In 1752 the King of Kaski invited Newars from Bhaktapur to Pokhara to

promote trade. Their heritage can still be seen in the architecture along the

streets in Bhimshen Tol (Old Pokhara). Hindus, again, brought their culture and

customs from Kathmandu and settled in the whole Pokhara valley. In 1786 Prithvi

Narayan Shah added Pokhara into his kingdom. It had by then become an important

trading place on the routes from Kathmandu to Jumla and from India to Tibet.

From 1959 to 1962 some 300,000 refugees came to Nepal from neighboring Tibet,

which had been annexed by China. Four refugee camps were established in the

Pokhara valley: Tashipalkhel, Tashiling, Paljorling and Jambling. These camps

have evolved into settlements. Because of their different architecture, prayer

flags, gompas and chorten, these can easily be distinguished from the other

settlements. Until the end of the 1960s the town could only be reached by foot

and it was considered even more a mystical place than Kathmandu. The first road

was finished in 1968 after which tourist set in and the city grew rapidly. The

area along the Phewa Lake developed into one of the major tourism hubs of Nepal.

Pokhara is the gate way to the world's best trekking route " Round Annapurna " .

Which is usually a trek of 25 days? Pokhara Airport is a regional airport and

was established on July 4, 1958 and operated by the government (Civil Aviation

Authority of Nepal). It offers regular connections to Kathmandu and Jamsom

 

 

The plane ride from Pokhara to Jamsom keeps everyone on the edge of their seats.

The little plane flies in the gorges between huge Himalayan cliffs gaining

altitude steadily in order to reach high station Jamsom. On this ride you get to

see firsthand how really high the Himalayas cliffs are. Tiny villages rest on

hilltops of smaller cliffs. Each of the villages is so isolated that its atleast

three days walk to the nearest town that has a motorable road. The Himalayas

also trap the monsoon clouds from getting to Tibet. Here, you get a first hand

view of what that means. The Cliffs clearly raise much above the cloud cover. As

a result the lower Himalaya is green and water rich sending all the water back

to India while Tibet on the other side has eroded to be a dry plateau. From the

cockpit view is the Dhaulagiri, the seventh highest mountain in the world (8167m

or 26795 ft). For last minute fun the plane leaps over a gorge and a river that

runs very close to the edge of the runway. As soon as we got out, we immediately

noticed that the air is much cooler here. Dhaulagiri stands tall overlooking the

airport. There is an army camp nearby. The airstrip is shared both by the army

and commercial operators. Flights to Jamsom operate only in the morning as it

gets very windy in the afternoons.

Muktinath temple.

 

Water from the Glacier above flows down through these Gomukhs. There are 108 of

these behind the temple. Holy water from Gandaki River

Temple Location :

Muktinath is a pilgrimage shrine located 140 miles from Kathmandu in the snow

clad Himalayas and it is located near the Gandaki river famous for the Salagram

stones. Muktinath is also one of the 51 Sakthi Peethams of India. There is lots

of doubt, where this Divyadesam is located. Some says that Mukthinath, which is

found 170 miles from Katmandu, it is said the Salagram Kshetram which is found

on the banks of Gandaki river. Mukthinath is otherwise called as " Mukthi

Narayanan kshetram " . But, some say, about 65 miles away from Katmandu, there is

a place by named " Damodhara Kund " , which is found on the bank of Gandaki river

is said to be the Salagram sthalam. But, whatever it might be, we all the

bhaktas should consider that the stones (the Salagram) which is found on the

bank of Gandaki river is said to be considered as the Salagram sthalam.

Specials: 1. This sthalam is said to be one of Swayambhu sthalam (Swayambhu

means created (or) originated on its own) and to explain this specialty the

perumal is found as " Nithya Saanthiyam " (always (or) permanently found).

2. The Salagram is said to be having Jeewan within and considered to be one

among the precious stones. If this Salagram is kept in houses and done Poojas in

a proper way, all the Ashta Lakshmis stay in our house and we can get out from

all the burden.

3. Like how, the Thiruneeru (Vibhoodi) that is given in Lord Shiva temple

doesn't have any dhosham, irrespective of the body condition, this Salagram also

have the same character.

4. Since this Salagrama sthalam is said to be found on the bank of pure river

(Kandaki Nadhi) and this Salagramam is said to be the stone of purity, there is

no need to do the " Samprokshanam " .

(Samprokshanam is a custom which is done to a temple whenever any false thing

like anyone dies or bad issues happen in and around the Temple.)

Moolavar:

The Moolavar of this Salagrama sthalam is Sri Moorthy Perumal. He is found in

Nindra thirukkolam facing his thirumugham along North direction. Prathyaksham

for Brahma devan, Rudran and Kandaki.

 

Thaayar: The thaayar of this Divyadesam is Sri Devi Naachiyaar.

Mangalasasanam:Periyalwar - 2 Paasurams. Thirumangai Alwar - 10 Paasurams.

Pushkarani:Chakkara Theertham Kandaki Nadhi

Vimaanam:Kanaka Vimaanam. Sthalapuranam

This Divyadesam is found almost in our Indian Border line. There is lots of

doubt, where this Divyadesam is located. Mukthinath, which is found 170 miles

from Katmandu, it is said this Salagrama Kshetram is found on the banks of

Gandaki river. Mukthinath is otherwise called as " Mukthi Narayanan Kshetram " .

But, some say that Mukthinath is said that this divyadesam originated on the

River Gandaki. But, some say, about 65 miles away from Katmandu, there is a

place by named " Damodhara Kund " , which is found on the bank of Gandaki river is

said to be the Salagrama sthalam. But, whatever it might be, we all the bhaktas

should consider that the stones (the Salagramam) which is found on the bank of

Gandaki river is said to be considered as the Salagrama sthalam.

The Salagramam is said to be having Jeevan with in and considered to be one

among the precious stones. If this Salagramam is kept in houses and done Poojas

in a proper way, all the Ashta Lakshmis stay in our house and we can get out

from all the burden. To explain about this, this sthala perumal, Sri Moorthy

along with Sri Devi Naachiyaar is found facing along the direction of North,

which is said to be the direction of Guberan, the God of wealth.

The sthalapuranam of salagrama divyadesam is closely related to Gandaki river,

Thulasi and Radhai.

Story of Thulasi:

Once, there lived a Manukula king by named Kusadwajan, who had a wife by named

" Madhavi " . She did a strong tapas towards Sriman Narayanan. As the result of her

tapas, she earned a beautiful lady child and named her as " Thulasi " .

Thulasi did strong tapas and she had in her mind that she should marry Sri

Vishnu and attain him. Brahma appeared as a result of her tapas and gave her a

boon that she will marry Sriman Narayanan in her next birth. And at the same

time, Brahma said about her previous birth. He said that in the previous birth,

she was born as one among the Gopikashrees (Radhai) and Sudhamar, hamsam of Lord

Krishnar got attracted towards your beauty and further said that he will marry

you in your next birth, as Sankha Choodan.

Sriman Narayanan turned as Sankha Choodam and went to Thulasi's house and

Thulasi thinking that Sanka choodan has returned home, let her beauty to enjoy

by Emperumaan. But soon after, she realised that the person who has aquired her

beauty was not his husband but it is someone else and got rid from him. At that

time, Emperumaan showed his seva and explained all about the varam she got and

explained Sankha Choodan was also the hamsam of Sriman Narayanan. But, at the

same time, Thulasi was very much worried about the act of Sri Vishnu. Then

Sriman Narayanan, explained her that Sankha choodan was the Hamsam of him (Sri

Vishnu) and Thulasi is the Hamsam of Radhai and as per the Varam given by Brahma

devan, she married Sriman Narayanan.

After this, the perumal told her that her purity and her Aathma will flow like a

river named as Gandaki and the perumal he himself will originate from this pure

river as " Salagramam " , the precious and spiritual stone.

To explain more about Thulasi, the perumal in Paarkadal worn her as the Garland,

so that she is found on his body forever. Bhaktas who do pooja and explain her

fame in Kaarthigai pournami are said to attain good position and they are not

only blessed with Thulasi but also by Sriman Narayanan.

If any 12 Saligramams are found and the pooja is done in a proper way in a

house, the house is said to be treated as 108 Vaishnavite Divyadesam and this

implies how pure and precious is the Salagramam. When this 12 Salagram is done

with proper pooja, they should keep the thirunamams of Sriman Narayanan (ie).

• Om Sri Kesavaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Madhavaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Vishnuvaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Thirivikramaya Namaha :

• Om Sridharaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Padmanabhaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Narayanaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Govindaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Madhusoodhanaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Vamanaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Rishi Kesaya Namaha :

• Om Sri Damodharaya Namaha :

So, irrespective of the size and the numbers of Salagramams, it is believed that

if you worship in a proper way, Salagramam will lead us to a Good way and

Mukthi.

The building of the current main temple is initiated by Queen Subarna Prabha,

the second wife of Shah Rana Bahadur (1775-1806), King of Nepal, after she had a

dream. In 1815 AD - the year of the ending of the Anglo-Nepal war - the temple

at Mukthinath was built, as can be read on a bronze plaquette in the temple.

 

Later a purely Hindu temple was added nearby as well, the Shiva-Parvati Mandir.

 

The temple is built in the typical pagoda style of a Hindu temple in Kathmandu

Valley and is dedicated to the Lord of Salvation (to Mukti Nath), Lord Vishnu,

or Chenrezig as the Buddhists call him (or Avalokitesvara

 

).

 

Statue of one of the most influential philosophers of India, Srimad

Ramanujacarya Maharaja (1017-1137 AD) in a corner of the entrance building of

the Vishnu-Chenrezig temple.

 

After a long pilgrimage through India, Sri Ramanuja founded centres to spread

devotion to Vishnu and Lakshmi. He provided an intellectual basis for the

practice of bhakti (devotion) in major commentaries on the Vedas, the

Brahma-sutras, and the Bhagavadgita. He was a major figure in the school of

Visistadvaita, which emphasized the need for the soul to be united with a

personal god.

For half the distance to Muktinath, one has to travel on the Gantaki riverbed

after which the route branches off. From there the path slowly winds up dusty

mountain ridges with hardly a blade of grass. At the end of the 21 km route

there are three villages. As Ranipauwa village is close to the temple and as it

has boarding and lodging facilities, pilgrims can stay there.

There are different opinions about the actual Muktinath. While some say there is

no other place except this one, there are some who aver that Damodarkund by the

side of Gantaki river, 104 km from Kathmandu, is the real Muktishetra and others

who claim that Muktinath is another six days travel by foot, where pilgrims can

collect saligramams right from the river. Another six days of trekking! That too

in difficult terrain where oxygen is scarce! For those of us who cannot even

think of undertaking such a journey, it is better to return after worshipping

the Lord here — the place Saint Ramanujar visited. There is a minaret recording

the visit of Sri Ramanuja giving authenticity to the belief of scores of

devotees visiting Muktinath. Periazhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar have sung 12

Paasurams and glorified the deity.

Information about the visit to Mukthinath as detailed in the official web site

of Mukthinath Foundation are detailed here below for the benefit of those who

would like to make the pilgrimage to Mukthinath.

Can I travel to Muktinath safely by myself?

Yes, if you are physically and mentally healthy, both men and women alike, up

till quite a high age, can travel to Muktinath on their own and travel quite

comfortably and safely. Recently new roads have been made and it is even

possible now to go by motor bike from Jomsom to Muktinath.

 

What is the best time to travel?

When you are not familair with the local situation, we strongly recommend not to

travel to Muktinath during the raining season in June, July, August and the

beginning of September because of the possibility of landslides. Beside there is

a great change plains do not fly to Jomson due to bad weather. Waiting for days

to return from Jomsom to Pokhara by plain is not an exception. So all and all

there is a big chance during rain season it will not be the great trip it can

be.

In November and February it can be cold, but you can travel. December and

January are for the die hards.

 

Do I need a guide?

If people ask us if a guide is needed, the answer is a bit difficult to give. To

find your way you do not need a guide, but it is of course more safe to travel

together in mountains. Beside by hiring a guide you provide income for a

Nepalese family.

Do I need a permit to travel to Muktinath?

Yes, unless you are from Nepal or India you need an entry permit (actually it is

not a permit, but a kind of eco-tax entry fee).

 

 

 

 

How do I go to Muktinath?

Apart from walking to Muktinath all the way, there are many ways one can travel,

depending on time and budget.

Basically the trip can be divided in two parts: from Kathmandu to Jomsom, and

from Jomsom to Muktinath.

From Kathmandu to Jamsom you can:

1. Go by bus to Pokhara, then the next day by plane to Jomsom.

2. Go by plane to Jamsom.

3. Do the 6-day trek to Jamsom, starting from Pokhara.

Starting from Jamsom you can:

1. Walk to Kagbeni to Jhargot to Muktinath in about 7 hours total.

2. Go by a local rented horse in about the same time.

3. Go on the back seat of a local rented motor bike or by car plus driver.

The road is OK, and officials at government road blocks prevent the drivers of

trucks and buses from going too fast by noting down there arrival time at each

road block. The cheap local buses to Pokhara always have bad tires and are often

run by junior drivers. You can feel comfortable travelling with a tourist bus to

Pokhara though. Having said this, travelling by bus in Nepal is less save than

flying.

And how about the plane tickets for Jomsom?

The plane tickets to Jomsom cost about 130 USD for a single trip from Kathmandu

to Jamsom and about half of this amount from Pokhara to Jamsom. That is, if you

are not from Nepal. For locals the prices are much cheaper for good reasons.

Make sure you take an early flight. Every day, between 10 and 11 a.m., it

starts to be very windy in Jamsom. The planes need to arrive before that time.

If the departure of a plane is delayed, it can be cancelled for that reason. So

take the early flight at 7 or 8 a.m., and even with some delay the flight will

not be cancelled.

 

 

KATHMANDU

Kathmandu is situated in the heart of the Himalaya mountains, and has a rich

history. Considered by some to be among the most beautiful cities in the world,

the earliest known inscription in the Kathmandu Valley is dated 185 AD. The

oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is almost 1,992

years old. Four stupas around the city of Patan said to have been erected by

Charumati, attest to the ancient history present within are in Patan near kendra

Hiranyavarna Maha vihara (called " Patukodon " ). The Licchavi Dynasty whose

earliest inscriptions date back to 464 AD were the next rulers of the valley.

The Malla Dynasty consisted of Newar rulers, who ruled Kathmandu Valley and the

surrounding area from the 12th century till the 17th century when the Shah

Dynasty founder Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley as he created

present-day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepali Architecture present in Nepal today is

from the Malla/Newar era.

The city of Kathmandu is named after a structure in Durbar Square called

Kaasthamandap. In Sanskrit, Kaasth ( & #2325; & #2366; & #2359; & #2381; & #2336;) is

" wood " and Mandap

( & #2350; & #2306; & #2337; & #2346;/ & #2350; & #2339; & #2381; & #2337; & #2346;) is " covered

shelter. " This unique temple, also known as Maru Sattal, was built in 1596 A.D.

by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The entire structure contains no iron nails or

supports and is made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for

this two story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.

Kathmandu is also sometimes called " Kantipur " . " Kanti " is an alternate name of

the Goddess Laxmi, and " pur " means the place where such a goddess resides. Thus,

the name Kantipur demonstrates the ancient belief that it is the place where

Laxmi dwells[. Before the Newars there were lots of kings who ruled Kathmandu[

One of them was of the Kirati people Ancestors of the old Kirati know that many

history books of Kathmandu were deliberately burnt because they did not want

other people to know that the Kirati lived in Kathmandu before the Newars did.

Some people say that the Newars were the native people of Kathmandu because

there are many Newari speaking people, but this is only a myth.

We left Kathmandu in the early morning and reached Gorakhpur late in the evening

and stayed at Gorekeshwar Dharamasala. Next day in the early morning, we left

for Ayodhya and reached around 11 AM. We took our holy bath in the river Saryu

immediately on reaching Ayodhya and before settling down at Birla Dharamasala

AYODHYA

The city of Ayodhya is an important pilgrim place for Hindus in India. It is one

of the seven holiest cities of India. Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram, who

is an important deity in the Hindu pantheon. This small, quiet town attracts

pilgrims from all over the country. Hindu pilgrims visiting Ayodhya during

festivals and important religious functions consider a holy dip in the sacred

Saryu River very auspicious. Ayodhya city was the capital of the ancient kingdom

of Ayodhya, where Lord Ram was born. It is also mentioned in Hindu mythology and

the Ramayana. The ancient scripture of Atharvaveda describes Ayodhya as 'a city

built by gods' and compares its prosperity with the glory and splendor of the

paradise.

Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, constructed a mosque in

Ayodhya. It became the part of the great Mughal Empire and was ruled by them for

many years. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, it became a part of the

regional state of Awadh, which was later annexed by the British.

The main tourist attraction of Ayodhya was the Babri Masjid (Mosque), built by

the Mughal king Babur. Unfortunately, the traveler can no longer see this

monument as it was demolished in the riots that took place here in 1992. It is

said that Ayodhya has 7000 temples, but there are some 100 temples of relative

significance.

 

 

Near the remains of the Babri Masjid, the traveler can see the Ram Janmabhumi

(birthplace of Lord Ram) shrine. It is believed that Lord Ram spent much of his

childhood here. Visiting the Janmabhumi of Lord Rama is a nightmare as the

security is very severe and one has to cross more than 3 check-points. We

walked through winding railings and through few more check points. Then, we

could see the rubble that once was a mosque. Finally, there He was, at a

distance. It was difficult to get a good dharsan of the Lord. The closest the

line gets to the shrine is about 30 feet away. The priest was seated on a bench

close to the line. Pilgrims handed over their offerings to him. Chatting with

the guard standing nearby, the priest handed back some prasadam. A few seconds

later we were walking out. In all, it took about 15 minutes for us to walk

through the line, have darshan and exit. There are more than 200 security

personnel guarding the entire area- drawn from the local police force and Para

military troop. Other places to visit in Ayodhya are Lakshman Ghat, Kala Ram

temple and the Kanak Bhavan temple, which was built in the 19th century. One

kilometer east of the Ram Janmabhumi shrine is Hanumangadhi It is said that Lord

Hanuman lived in a cave nearby to protect the Ram Janmabhumi.

 

The main attraction at Ayodhya for the group was the visit to " Ammaji " temple.

This is a South Indian temple constructed by a devout Sri Vaishnava more than

100 years ago. The temple is located in one of the side streets and we almost

could not find it. Lord Rama is most majestic here. There is a small sannithi

for Lord Ranganatha and another sannithi for Acharyas including Sri Ramanuja and

Sri Manavalamaanunigal. The worship at this temple is like any temple in the

South.

 

After the lunch, we left for Naimisaranyam and reached in the mid night and stay

has been arranged at the Ahobila Mutt.

NAIMISARANYAM

1. This kshetram is said to be one of the 8 swayam Vyatka kshetram. The other

swayam Vyatka kshetram are Sri Rangam, Srimushnam, Salagram, Thotadri

(Vaanamamalai), Thirupathy, Pushkaram and Badri.

2. This Naimisaranya kshetram is said to be regarded as " Tapovanam " . There are 9

tapovams. They are Dandakaranyam, Saindhavaranyam, Jambhukaranyam,

Pushkararanyam, Utpalaranyam, Badrikaranyam, Gurujangalaranyam, Aruputharanyam

and Naimisaranayam. It is belived that the perumal is found in the form of

forest. And this Naimisaranyam is regarded as a holy forest.

Sthalapuranam

The Emperumaan of this sthalam is giving his seva as the entire form of the

Vanam (forest).

In the old age, all the Maha Rishis along with Sownakar went towards Brahma

devan and asked him which is the best place suited for doing Yagam and tapas. As

the answer, Brahma devan took a dharbai grass and made it as a wheel shape and

rolled the dharbai grass. Brahma devar said after he rolls the grass, the place

where it stopped is said to be the ideal place for doing tapas and yagam. He

rolled the wheel and it stops at a particular place in the Earth and that place

is said to the place which is called as " Naimisaranyam " .

Nemi means a Wheel and Naimisam means the place where the wheel landed. Aaranyam

means forest. Since Nemi, the Chakkaram which landed on Aaranya the forest, the

sthalam is called as " Naimisaranyam " . This Naimisaranyam is said to be the place

where most of the Rishis have done sacrifices, tapas and meditation and have

explained the meaning of old puranas and veda.

The Lord Emperumaan gives his seva as in the form of Nature. This sthala

emperumaan, gives his seva with the name as " Sri Hari " along with Sri Hari

Lakshmi and gave his audiance (prathyaksham) to Devendran, Sudharma, Devarishis,

Soodhapuranika and Vedavyasa.

Once, Balarama, the brother of Sri Krishna came to this kshetram. At that time,

Soodhar was very busy creating puranas. He didn't notice the arrival of

Balarama. On seeing this, Balarama got angry and hit him. He got into sin by

committing this. To get out the sin, he went to lots of Punya kshetras for an

year and finally he came back to this kshetram and help the rishis and yogis,

who were suffering from the frightening of a arakkan (Demon) by named

" Vilvalan " . All the rishis and yogis thanked Balarama for making them to perform

austerities, tapas in peace to reach the Emperumaan.

Gayasooran, an Asura did tapas in this sthalam. Sriman Narayanan gave His

audiance to him as he was fulfilled by his tapas. Sriman Narayanan asked him

what boon he wants as a result of complete tapas. But, Gayasooran answered the

Almighty, that he didn't want any boon from him and he was so strong powerful

than Sriman Narayana. On hearing this, Sriman Narayana sent his wheel (chakra)

to kill the asura and his body was cut into 3 parts. The three parts are the

Siro Gaya, (the head part), the Nambi Gaya (the middle part) and the Charana

Gaya (the foot part). This sthalam, the Naimisaranyam is said to be the Nabhi

Gaya. The Gaya Kshetram is said to be the Charana Gaya and Badri is said to be

Siro Gaya. Offering prayers to departed souls in all these three sthalams is

said to be so grateful.

The sthala viruksham, known as tree is Tapovanam and all the trees found in this

sthalam are said to be sthala viruksham and because of this, the sthala

viruksham is Tapovanam (Vanam means the entire forest).

The Pushkarani of this sthalam are Gomukhi Nadhi and Chakkara theertham. On the

shore of Chakkara theertham, separate sannadhis for Chakarathalwar, Vinayaka,

Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha Piratti is located. On the way to Gomukhi Nadhi,

a separate temple called as " Vyasa Ghat " is found. On the other side of this

sthalam, a temple for Suka maharishi is situated, where Suka Bhagavan's e bronze

statue lies.

Near to this Suka Maharishi temple, a temple for Hanuman on the top of the

mountains which is known as the " Hanuman Ghat " . He is in standing posture

holding Sri Rama and Lakshmana in his two shoulders, in Vishwaroopa Kolam.

One of Ahobila Mutt Jeeyar attained Paramapadham in this sthalam and as his

rememberance, his sannadhi and a mutt of Ahobilam is opened in this sthalam.

Ramanuja koodam, Vaanamamalai Jeeyar Mutt are also situated, helping the

devotees who come to this sthalam to get the seva of this sthalam Emperumaan.

Thirumangai Alwar who is the only alwar who has done the Mangalasasanam on this

sthala perumal explains about the life led by the human. The Moolavar of this

Naimisaranyam Divyadesam is Devarajan. He is also named as " Sri Hari " . Moolavar

in standing posture (Nindra thirukkolam) facing east direction. Prathyaksham

for Indiran, Sudharman, Devarishi, Soodhapuranikar and Vedavyasar.

 

ALLAHABAD

After lunch, hosted by the families of Gopal and Ramanathan, left for Allahabad

and reached in the night. Stay has been arranged in Bangur Charitable Trust

Dharamasala. Next day morning, all of us took our holy bath at Triveni

sangamam. Day happened to be Amavasya; some of us did our Tharpanam in the

triveni sangamam

Allahabad also known as Prayag, is believed to be the spot where Brahma offered

his first sacrifice after creating the world. It is one of four sites of the

Kumbh Mela, the others being Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. It has a position of

importance in Hinduism and Hindu mythology for it is situated at the confluence,

known as Triveni Sangam, of the holy rivers, Ganges and Yamuna, and Hindu belief

says that the invisible Sarasvati River joins here also.. The Puranas record

that Yayati left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu. His five sons

Yadu, Druhyu, Puru, Anu and Turvashu became the main tribes of the Rigveda. In

the times of the Ramayana, Prayag was made up of a few rishis' huts at the

confluence of the sacred rivers, and much of the Vatsa country was continuous

jungle. Lord Rama, the main protagonist in the Ramayana, spent some time here,

at the Ashram of Sage Bharadwaj, before proceeding to nearby Chitrakuta. When

Islamic rule came, Prayag became a part of the Delhi Sultanate when the town was

annexed by Muhammad of Ghor in 1193. Then the Mughals took over from the rulers

of Delhi and under them Prayag rose to prominence once again. It was from

Allahabad that Prince Salim, later to become emperor Jahangir, revolted against

his father, the Mughal emperor Akbar. In 1602, prince Salim held a parallel

imperial court in Akbar's fort here, ignoring the royal summons to leave

Allahabad and proceed to Agra. However, before his death in 1605, Akbar named

Salim his successor. The history repeated itself when in his (Muslim League)

presidential address on December 29, 1930 at Allahabad, Muhammad Iqbal outlined

a vision of an independent state for Muslim-majority provinces in northwestern

India named Pakistan.

CHITRAKOOT

From Allahabad, we reached Chithrakoot in the afternoon. Located in the Banda

district of modern Uttar Pradesh (U.P), on the banks of river Paisuni

(Mandakini), Chithrakoot is a tranquil retreat on the northern spur of the

Vindhyas. Just 6 km south of Karvi and 72 km south east of Banda district on the

road to Allahabad, Chithrakoot Dham is one of the most ancient holy pilgrim

places of India. Legends have it that it was the abode of Lord Rama, his wife

Sita and brother Lakshman for eleven years of their fourteen years of exile.

This is also the place, where they came in contact with sage Atri and sati

Anasuya. This abode of the gods is credited to have seen the incarnations of

Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Chithrakoot ,sacred with the touch of Lord's feet,

was where Goswami Tulsidas, the creator of the epic " Shri Ramcharitmanas " spent

many years of his life. forested hill of prime religious significance, this is

believed to be the original Chithrakoot. The Bharat Milap Temple is located

here. Pilgrims perform a ritual circumambulation of the hill to seek blessings.

Visit to Chitrakoot is not completed unless we go to the huge cave where Rama,

Sita and Lakshman spent their 13 Years of exile. The formation of the walls of

this cave, their layers spells to the fact that irt should be million Years old.

Small pond with full of water is still in exist and which was created by Lord

Rama for Sita to take her bath every day. The legend is that Rama brought the

river Godavari. The water on this pond is very pure and clean. Another pond in

a larger size is supposed to have been created for Rama and Lakshman to take

their bath everyday. The entire area of this cave is very cool and air

conditioned naturally,.

Sphatik Shila This picturesque spot is marked by two immense rocks. It is

believed to be the place where Lord Rama and Sita feasted their eyes on the

beauty of Chithrakoot. When Indra's son Jayanthan misbehaved with Sita Devi,

Rama punished him by throwing an arrow from this spot.

Hanuman Dhara Located on a steep hillside, it is approachable by a flight of 360

steps. Here, the waters of a natural spring cascade over an image of Lord

Hanuman.

Ram Ghat On the banks of the River Mandakini, and center of ritual activity,

this Ghat is the most frequented in Chithrakoot. The " Aarti " performed in the

evening is particularly beautiful.

Janki Kund An unusual cave over the Mandakini. Said to be the place where Rama

and Sita stayed with Lakshman. It is believed that Rama brought Godavari and

created a pond for Sita to take her bath every day. There is another one big

pond away from Janki Kund where Rama and Lakshman bathed. The entire cave is

splendid in its formation millions of Years back. One has to climb steep

granite steps to reach this wonderful cave. This is the place where Rama, Sita

and Lakshman spent their first eleven Years of Vanavasa,.

We left Chithrakoot in the evening, reached Varanasi in the mid night via

Allahabad. The stay was at the Sankara Mutt.

Varanasi

.. Varanasi - Benares - Kaasi is considered to be the holiest of all pilgrimage

sites in India. It is considered home to Shiva - Visweswara. Benares is also

known as Kaasi because it is believed that Supreme brilliance shines there, and

lights the way to salvation (Kas - to shine). Varanasi is located between two

rivers Varana and Asi, and hence the name Varanasi.

This place is said to give the greatest delight to God and hence the name

Anandakanana; the five elements lie in this great cremation ground as will all

dead bodies at the time of the final deluge and hence the name Mahasmasaanam.

 

Benares has been a pilgrimage center since time immemorial. It is believed that

the fifth head of Brahma which clung to Shiva's palms came unstuck only after he

reached Varanasi. Varanasi has been mentioned in the Tamil Tevaram hymns of the

first millennium CE. Kasi is mentioned repeatedly in the scriptures such as the

Brahmans, Upanishads, Kavyas and Puranas. It is the oldest center of learning,

and is vibrant with centuries of tradition.

Benares houses the Kaasi Visweswara (Viswanatha) temple, enshrining one of the

twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva. This temple was desecrated and rebuilt several

times. The latest structure dating back to the 18th century (thanks to the

efforts of Rani Ahilyabhai Holkar) is the center of attention of the millions of

pilgrims who converge here, to perform an abhishekam to the sacred Jyotirlingam,

with water from the Ganges.

Benares is also considered to be one of the Shakti Peethas of India. It is

believed that the left hand of Sati fell at Varanasi, and that Annapurna or

Visalakshi represent the Shakti Peethams here.

Apart from these temples, there are five other sacred spots in Benares. The

Asi-Ganga sangamam, at Lolarka houses a temple to the Sun God. The rivers Ganga

and Varana converge at a spot where there is a shrine to Kesava. The Panch ganga

Ghat houses a temple to Bindu-Madhava. It is believed that five rivers Kirana,

Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati and Dhuta-papa converge here. The DasVaranasi - Benares

- Kaasi is considered to be the holiest of all pilgrimage sites in India. It is

considered home to Shiva - Visweswara. Benares is also known as Kaasi because

it is beleived that Supreme brilliance shines there, and lights the way to

salvation (Kas - to shine). Varanasi is located between two rivers Varana and

Asi, and hence the name Varanasi.

Benares has been a pilgrimage center since time immemorial. It is believed that

the fifth head of Bhrama which clung to Shiva's palms came unstuck only after he

reached Varanasi. Varanasi has been mentioned in the Tamil Tevaram hymns of the

first millennium CE. Kasi is mentioned repeatedly in the scriptures such as the

Bhramanas, Upanishads, Kavyas and Puranas. It is the oldest center of learning,

and is vibrant with centuries of tradition.

Benares houses the Kaasi Visweswara (Viswanatha) temple, enshrining one of the

twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva. This temple was desecrated and rebuilt several

times. The latest structure dating back to the 18th century (thanks to the

efforts of Rani Ahilyabhai Holkar) is the center of attention of the millions of

pilgrims who converge here, to perform an abhishekam to the sacred Jyotirlingam,

with water from the Ganges.

Benares is also considered to be one of the Shakti Peethas of India. It is

believed that the left hand of Sati fell at Varanasi, and that Annapurna or

Visalakshi represent the Shakti Peetham here.

Apart from these temples, there are five other sacred spots in Benares. The

Asi-Ganga sangamam, at Lolarka houses a temple to the Sun God. The rivers Ganga

and Varana converge at a spot where there is a shrine to Kesava. The Panchaganga

Ghat houses a temple to Bindu-Madhava. It is believed that five rivers Kirana,

Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati and Dhuta-papa converge here. The Dasaswamedha Ghat

where it is believed that the ancient kings performed the aswamedha sacrifice

ten times and took a dip in the Ganga.

The last of the sacred spots is the Manikarnika Ghat. Legend has it that Vishnu

dug a pit with his chakra, and the sweat created during his meditation filled

the pit. Shiva shook his head and his jeweled earring fell into the pit, hence

the name Manikarnika. Tradition has it that those that die at Benares and get

cremated at the Manikarnika ghat, get liberated from the cycle of life and

death.

Hyuen Tsang, the Chinese traveler visited Varanasi in the 7th century. His

travel accounts speak of the grandeur of the city and of its temples. This

writer describes a hundred feet high statue of Shiva Maheshwara made of brass

that adorned the city.

Several other temples and shrines adorn the city of Benares. Virtually every

block houses a shrine here. Mention must be made of the modern shrine to Kaasi

Viswanatha elsewhere in the city. Shivaratri in the month of Aquarius is a

season of great festivity at Benares.

aswamedha Ghat where it is believed that the ancient kings performed the

aswamedha sacrifice ten times and took a dip in the Ganga.

The last of the sacred spots is the Manikarnika Ghat. Legend has it that Vishnu

dug a pit with his chakra, and the sweat created during his meditation filled

the pit. Shiva shook his head and his jeweled earring fell into the pit, hence

the name Manikarnika. Tradition has it that those that die at Benares and get

cremated at the Manikarnika ghat, get liberated from the cycle of life and

death.

Hyuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller visited Varanasi in the 7th century. His

travel accounts speak of the grandeur of the city and of its temples. This

writer describes a hundred feet high statue of Shiva Maheshwara made of brass

that adorned the city.

Several other temples and shrines adorn the city of Benares. Virtually every

block houses a shrine here. Mention must be made of the modern shrine to Kaasi

Viswanatha elsewhere in the city. Shivaratri in the month of Aquarius is a

season of great festivity at Benares.

The architecture is of Nagara Style, which is typical of North India. The temple

is accompanied by a rectangular tank of water called Durga Kund. ( " Kund " meaning

a pond or pool.) The temple has multi-tiered spires and is stained red with

ochre, signifying the red colour of Durga. The Kund was earlier connected to the

river itself thus refreshing the water. This channel was later closed, leading

to locked water which is replenished only by rain or drainage from the Temple.

Every year on the occasion of Nag panchami, the act of depicting Lord Vishnu

reclining on the coiled-up mystical snake or " Shesha " is repeated in the Kund.

Most of the temples that are located on the Ganga Ghats are old and date back to

the medieval period. According to legends the first Siva Jyotirlinga, the fiery

pillar of light, came through the earth here and flared into the sky. Therefore

Varanasi is also called Kashi, " the City of Light. " The Kashi Vishwanath temple,

hence has become the most famous and important temple of Varanasi. In this

temple resides the guardian of the holy city, Lord Shiva. RaThe Jyotirlinga of

Shiva, Visweswara or Vishwanath, is enshrined in the Kashi Vishwanath temple,

considered as one of the holiest temples of India. In Hindu religion it is

believed that a simple glimpse of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing experience

that transforms life and puts it on the path of knowledge and Bhakti (devotion).

A single darshan of Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga is considered to merit more than

the darshan of other Jyotirlingas, scattered in various parts of India. The

Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been a living picture of the timeless cultural

traditions and highest spiritual values. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts

Hindu devotees and other visitors not only from India but also the world over.

Lord Vishwanath is considered the supreme repository of the spiritual truth and

strengthens the bonds of universal brotherhood. Late Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar

of Indore built the temple in the present shape, way back in 1780. In the year

1785, a Naubatkhana was built up in front of the Temple at the instance of

Governor General, Warren Hastings. In 1839, two domes of the Temple were covered

by gold, donated by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the ruler of Punjab. The management

of the Kashi Vishwanath temple rests with a trust.

 

The Visalakshi Temple

Visalakshi is the second consort of Shiva in this holy city of Kashi. This

temple is one among the 52 Shakti peethams, and is part of the famous triad of

temples- Kanchi Kamakshi, Madurai Meenakshi and Kashi Visalakshi. This small

temple is situated in one of the narrow lanes around the Vishwanath temple, and

it is mainly south Indians who seek out this temple. Though the temple is quite

small, the idol of the goddess is very beautiful. Behind the main stone idol of

the goddess is another idol (some say it is a silver casting, others say it is

an idol), believed to be the idol prayed to in ancient times. One of our guides

told us that it was the swayambhu idol of the goddess, while another refuted

this claim. Whatever it is, it is certainly worth a look, so remember to look

behind the idol when you visit the temple. Adi Shankaracharya, when he visited

the temple, performed prayers to renew the powers of the temple and the goddess

which had borne the brunt of several invasions. He also installed a Sri Yantra

there, and it is to this Yantra that puja is done. Kumkumarchana to this Sri

Yantra is considered very special, and can be performed by asking the pujari

there.

 

The Kala Bhairav temple

 

Kala Bhairav is the guardian deity of Kashi. He occupies the position of a

guard/ watchman with a dog as his vehicle, and is regarded as one of the forms

of Shiva himself. In Kashi, there are 8 Bhairav temples, collectively called

Ashta Bhairav. These are - Kala Bhairav, Dhandapani, Veera Bhairav, Batuk

Bhairav, Aashu Bhairav, Aananda Bhairav, Rudra Bhairav and Ruru Bhairav. Among

these, Kala Bhairav is the most important one, visited by all those who visit

Kashi. Dhandapani, or the one who wields a stick, is the one who decides on the

punishment, while Kala Bhairav is the one who enforces his decision. Dhandapani

is the commissioner, while Kala Bhairav is the constable. As usual, it is the

constable who is more feared, than the commissioner himself! Your pilgrimage to

Varanasi is not considered completed unless you visit the Kalabairavar temple

and have his drashan.

 

The Bindu Madhava Temple

 

Among the ancient temples in the must-visit list of Kashi temples is the Bindu

Madhava Temple. This temple is also one of a trinity- Veni Madhava at Sangam in

Allahabad, Bindu Madhava at Kashi and Sethu Madhava at Rameswaram. All these

three temples are small, simple affairs, with similar idols which are rather

small in size.

 

The Bindu Madhava Temple is best approached from the Panch ganga Ghat. There is,

of course a road, but one which is rarely used by the pilgrims. The original

temple was apparently a big and important one, but was destroyed by Aurangzeb,

who (as usual) built a mosque over it. The mosque stands proudly till date,

though a couple of turrets have fallen recently, while the new temple is a small

one, practically invisible until we reach it. Collections of Salagram idols in

this temple are very old and worshipped. The temple is managed by a private

trust.

 

Annapoorni Temple

 

The temple is located beside the famous Kaasi Vishwanath temple. It is dedicated

to Goddess Annapoorni. The deity is the goddess of food and prosperity. She is

an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. It is believed that

the goddess even gave alms to Lord Shiva. It is said that the devotees who

worship at this temple will never suffer from hunger in their lives.

There are two idols of the deity in the temple. One idol made of gold is used

for worship on very ceremonial occasions once a year, while the other idol made

of brass is used for daily worship.

Banaras Hindu University (1916)

was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya with the cooperation of Dr Annie

Besant. Its 1350 acre (5.5 km²) campus was built on land donated by the Kashi

Naresh. Governor General Lord Cornwallis establish the Sanskrit College (1791),

which was the first college in Varanasi. The first principal of Sanskrit College

was Sanskrit Professor J. Myor, ICS followed by Dr. J.R. Ballentien, RTH

Griffith, Dr. G. Thevo, Dr. Aurthor Venice, Dr. Ganganath Jha, and Gopinath

Kaviraj among others. After independence this college became Sampurnanand

Sanskrit University.[43]

The new Vishwanath temple of Varanasi is located in the premises of the Banaras

Hindu University (BHU). It is also called the Birla temple as the famous

industrialist family of India, the Birlas, constructed it. The New Vishwanath

Temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and is a replica of the original Vishwanath

temple. The temple is built in white marbles, and was planned by Madan Mohan

Malviya, the founder of the Banaras Hindu University. The most important

characteristic of the new Vishwanath temple is that it is open to people from

all castes and religions. The huge campus of New Vishwanath Temple is a delight

to the eyes of visitor. The interior has a Siva lingam and verses from Hindu

scriptures are inscribed on the walls.

We left Varanasi on 27th night by Ganga Cauvery super fast train and reached

safely on 29th morning. Though the entire trip was tiresome, we had a heartfelt

satisfaction that we have completed this pilgrimage successfully-

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamin,

I am forwarding herewith a travelogue sent by a Swamin. This may help you in planning your visit to Mukthinath.

Dasan,S.S. Raghavan--- On Wed, 22/7/09, krishnan19402003 <krishnan1940 wrote:

krishnan19402003 <krishnan1940 Visit to Mukthinath Date: Wednesday, 22 July, 2009, 10:23 AM

TRAVELOGUE TO MUKTHINATH KATHMANDU AYODHYA ALLHABAD NAIMISARANYAM CHITRAKOOT AND VARANASI DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL 2009When we finished our pilgrimage to Badrinath last Year, Sathyan, my second son suggested whether we can make a visit to Mukthinath in Nepal next Year. One of my close friends had gone there and returned in 5 days. They flew down to Delhi and then to Kathmandu, Pokharan & Jamsom. I took it that Sathyan plans to make the visit in the similar way. Some time in Jan 2009, suddenly he conveyed that he has paid advance for all the three of us (me, Mythili and Sathyan) and we are with a group of 30 people. The tour would take around 15 days and cover all the important holy places in Nepal and UP. When I hesitated for the reason that he has to take leave from his office for 15 days and leave behind the children with Vidya for the entire period, he was adamant and insisted that we take the pilgrimage. Seeing his keen

initiative, I couldn't say NO and agreed.We left Chennai on the night of 14th April by train to Gorakhpur. The weather during the entire journey would have been very tiresome unless for the fact that we travelled by 3 tier AC coach or otherwise, the severe heat was unbearable. We reached Gorakhpur on the evening of 16th and stay was arranged in the Dharamasala run by the Gorekeshwar Trust. We visited the temple in the same night.The city of Gorakhpur has a rich history of culture and historical importance. In ancient times the area of Gorakhpur included Basti, Deoria, Azamgarh, and parts of Nepal. The city of Gorakhpur was an important center of Aryan civilization. Gorakhpur dates back to 6th century in India. It is named after the renowned Guru Gorakshnath who performed "Hath Yoga" where the Gorakhnath Temple now exists which is one of the many historical sites in the city. It is also the birth place of not only King Vikas

Sankrityayan Ji but also of Saraswati Shishu Mandir. Gorakhpur was part of the ancient empires of Shunga, Kushana, Gupta, and Harsha dynasties. The Tharu King Mausen of Madan Singh ruled over the great city of Gorakhpur and all of the adjacent areas. The Great Lord Buddha who founded Buddhism renounced his costumes at the confluence of rivers Rapti & Rohini during 600 B.C. in Gorakhpur making it the center of religious worlds of Hinduism as well as Buddhism. Gorakhpur also has the famous Gita Press, Hindu publisher of books making it a city rich in culture and history.Next day in the early morning we left for Pokharan in Nepal. The journey by the bus took the entire day and we reached late in the evening. It was very tiresome. Having travelled in Kerala many a times, the entire stretch to Pokharan from the India- Nepal Border made me to feel as if I am travelling in Kerala. The mountain range on one side and villages on the other

side replicated the Kerala scenes. Corruption is common everywhere and it is there also in Nepal. Our bus bearing the Indian number plate, became the target for the policemen to stop it on some flimsy reasons. Once the palm is greased, we were allowed to proceed. At the border, we have to register the vehicle showing the entire vehicle records and we are issued with a permit with a validity of One week. Though we have been advised to carry our identity card- either the passport or the electoral card, we have not been checked.POKHARAPokhara lies on an important old trading route between Tibet and India. In the 17th. Century it was part of the influential Kingdom of Kaski which again was one of the Chaubise Rajaya (24 Kingdoms of Nepal) ruled by a branch of the Shah Dynasty. Many of the mountains around Pokhara still have medieval ruins from this time. In 1752 the King of Kaski invited Newars from Bhaktapur to Pokhara to promote trade. Their

heritage can still be seen in the architecture along the streets in Bhimshen Tol (Old Pokhara). Hindus, again, brought their culture and customs from Kathmandu and settled in the whole Pokhara valley. In 1786 Prithvi Narayan Shah added Pokhara into his kingdom. It had by then become an important trading place on the routes from Kathmandu to Jumla and from India to Tibet.From 1959 to 1962 some 300,000 refugees came to Nepal from neighboring Tibet, which had been annexed by China. Four refugee camps were established in the Pokhara valley: Tashipalkhel, Tashiling, Paljorling and Jambling. These camps have evolved into settlements. Because of their different architecture, prayer flags, gompas and chorten, these can easily be distinguished from the other settlements. Until the end of the 1960s the town could only be reached by foot and it was considered even more a mystical place than Kathmandu. The first road was finished in 1968 after which tourist set

in and the city grew rapidly. The area along the Phewa Lake developed into one of the major tourism hubs of Nepal. Pokhara is the gate way to the world's best trekking route "Round Annapurna". Which is usually a trek of 25 days? Pokhara Airport is a regional airport and was established on July 4, 1958 and operated by the government (Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal). It offers regular connections to Kathmandu and JamsomThe plane ride from Pokhara to Jamsom keeps everyone on the edge of their seats. The little plane flies in the gorges between huge Himalayan cliffs gaining altitude steadily in order to reach high station Jamsom. On this ride you get to see firsthand how really high the Himalayas cliffs are. Tiny villages rest on hilltops of smaller cliffs. Each of the villages is so isolated that its atleast three days walk to the nearest town that has a motorable road. The Himalayas also trap the monsoon clouds from getting to Tibet. Here,

you get a first hand view of what that means. The Cliffs clearly raise much above the cloud cover. As a result the lower Himalaya is green and water rich sending all the water back to India while Tibet on the other side has eroded to be a dry plateau. From the cockpit view is the Dhaulagiri, the seventh highest mountain in the world (8167m or 26795 ft). For last minute fun the plane leaps over a gorge and a river that runs very close to the edge of the runway. As soon as we got out, we immediately noticed that the air is much cooler here. Dhaulagiri stands tall overlooking the airport. There is an army camp nearby. The airstrip is shared both by the army and commercial operators. Flights to Jamsom operate only in the morning as it gets very windy in the afternoons. Muktinath temple. Water from the Glacier above flows down through these Gomukhs. There are 108 of these behind the temple. Holy water from Gandaki RiverTemple Location :

Muktinath is a pilgrimage shrine located 140 miles from Kathmandu in the snow clad Himalayas and it is located near the Gandaki river famous for the Salagram stones. Muktinath is also one of the 51 Sakthi Peethams of India. There is lots of doubt, where this Divyadesam is located. Some says that Mukthinath, which is found 170 miles from Katmandu, it is said the Salagram Kshetram which is found on the banks of Gandaki river. Mukthinath is otherwise called as "Mukthi Narayanan kshetram". But, some say, about 65 miles away from Katmandu, there is a place by named "Damodhara Kund", which is found on the bank of Gandaki river is said to be the Salagram sthalam. But, whatever it might be, we all the bhaktas should consider that the stones (the Salagram) which is found on the bank of Gandaki river is said to be considered as the Salagram sthalam. Specials: 1. This sthalam is said to be one of Swayambhu sthalam (Swayambhu means created (or) originated on

its own) and to explain this specialty the perumal is found as "Nithya Saanthiyam" (always (or) permanently found). 2. The Salagram is said to be having Jeewan within and considered to be one among the precious stones. If this Salagram is kept in houses and done Poojas in a proper way, all the Ashta Lakshmis stay in our house and we can get out from all the burden. 3. Like how, the Thiruneeru (Vibhoodi) that is given in Lord Shiva temple doesn't have any dhosham, irrespective of the body condition, this Salagram also have the same character. 4. Since this Salagrama sthalam is said to be found on the bank of pure river (Kandaki Nadhi) and this Salagramam is said to be the stone of purity, there is no need to do the "Samprokshanam" . (Samprokshanam is a custom which is done to a temple whenever any false thing like anyone dies or bad issues happen in and around the Temple.) Moolavar:The Moolavar of this Salagrama sthalam is Sri

Moorthy Perumal. He is found in Nindra thirukkolam facing his thirumugham along North direction. Prathyaksham for Brahma devan, Rudran and Kandaki. Thaayar: The thaayar of this Divyadesam is Sri Devi Naachiyaar. Mangalasasanam: Periyalwar - 2 Paasurams. Thirumangai Alwar - 10 Paasurams. Pushkarani:Chakkara Theertham Kandaki Nadhi Vimaanam:Kanaka Vimaanam. SthalapuranamThis Divyadesam is found almost in our Indian Border line. There is lots of doubt, where this Divyadesam is located. Mukthinath, which is found 170 miles from Katmandu, it is said this Salagrama Kshetram is found on the banks of Gandaki river. Mukthinath is otherwise called as "Mukthi Narayanan Kshetram". But, some say that Mukthinath is said that this divyadesam originated on the River Gandaki. But, some say, about 65 miles away from Katmandu, there is a place by named "Damodhara Kund", which is found on the bank of Gandaki river is said to be the Salagrama

sthalam. But, whatever it might be, we all the bhaktas should consider that the stones (the Salagramam) which is found on the bank of Gandaki river is said to be considered as the Salagrama sthalam. The Salagramam is said to be having Jeevan with in and considered to be one among the precious stones. If this Salagramam is kept in houses and done Poojas in a proper way, all the Ashta Lakshmis stay in our house and we can get out from all the burden. To explain about this, this sthala perumal, Sri Moorthy along with Sri Devi Naachiyaar is found facing along the direction of North, which is said to be the direction of Guberan, the God of wealth. The sthalapuranam of salagrama divyadesam is closely related to Gandaki river, Thulasi and Radhai. Story of Thulasi: Once, there lived a Manukula king by named Kusadwajan, who had a wife by named "Madhavi". She did a strong tapas towards Sriman Narayanan. As the result of her tapas, she earned a

beautiful lady child and named her as "Thulasi". Thulasi did strong tapas and she had in her mind that she should marry Sri Vishnu and attain him. Brahma appeared as a result of her tapas and gave her a boon that she will marry Sriman Narayanan in her next birth. And at the same time, Brahma said about her previous birth. He said that in the previous birth, she was born as one among the Gopikashrees (Radhai) and Sudhamar, hamsam of Lord Krishnar got attracted towards your beauty and further said that he will marry you in your next birth, as Sankha Choodan. Sriman Narayanan turned as Sankha Choodam and went to Thulasi's house and Thulasi thinking that Sanka choodan has returned home, let her beauty to enjoy by Emperumaan. But soon after, she realised that the person who has aquired her beauty was not his husband but it is someone else and got rid from him. At that time, Emperumaan showed his seva and explained all about the varam she got and

explained Sankha Choodan was also the hamsam of Sriman Narayanan. But, at the same time, Thulasi was very much worried about the act of Sri Vishnu. Then Sriman Narayanan, explained her that Sankha choodan was the Hamsam of him (Sri Vishnu) and Thulasi is the Hamsam of Radhai and as per the Varam given by Brahma devan, she married Sriman Narayanan. After this, the perumal told her that her purity and her Aathma will flow like a river named as Gandaki and the perumal he himself will originate from this pure river as "Salagramam" , the precious and spiritual stone. To explain more about Thulasi, the perumal in Paarkadal worn her as the Garland, so that she is found on his body forever. Bhaktas who do pooja and explain her fame in Kaarthigai pournami are said to attain good position and they are not only blessed with Thulasi but also by Sriman Narayanan. If any 12 Saligramams are found and the pooja is done in a proper way in a house, the house

is said to be treated as 108 Vaishnavite Divyadesam and this implies how pure and precious is the Salagramam. When this 12 Salagram is done with proper pooja, they should keep the thirunamams of Sriman Narayanan (ie). • Om Sri Kesavaya Namaha : • Om Sri Madhavaya Namaha : • Om Sri Vishnuvaya Namaha : • Om Sri Thirivikramaya Namaha : • Om Sridharaya Namaha : • Om Sri Padmanabhaya Namaha : • Om Sri Narayanaya Namaha : • Om Sri Govindaya Namaha : • Om Sri Madhusoodhanaya Namaha : • Om Sri Vamanaya Namaha : • Om Sri Rishi Kesaya Namaha : • Om Sri Damodharaya Namaha : So, irrespective of the size and the numbers of Salagramams, it is believed that if you worship in a proper way, Salagramam will lead us to a Good way and Mukthi.The building of the current main temple is initiated by Queen Subarna Prabha, the second wife of Shah Rana Bahadur (1775-1806), King of Nepal, after she

had a dream. In 1815 AD - the year of the ending of the Anglo-Nepal war - the temple at Mukthinath was built, as can be read on a bronze plaquette in the temple. Later a purely Hindu temple was added nearby as well, the Shiva-Parvati Mandir. The temple is built in the typical pagoda style of a Hindu temple in Kathmandu Valley and is dedicated to the Lord of Salvation (to Mukti Nath), Lord Vishnu, or Chenrezig as the Buddhists call him (or Avalokitesvara). Statue of one of the most influential philosophers of India, Srimad Ramanujacarya Maharaja (1017-1137 AD) in a corner of the entrance building of the Vishnu-Chenrezig temple. After a long pilgrimage through India, Sri Ramanuja founded centres to spread devotion to Vishnu and Lakshmi. He provided an intellectual basis for the practice of bhakti (devotion) in major commentaries on the Vedas, the Brahma-sutras, and the Bhagavadgita. He was a major figure in the

school of Visistadvaita, which emphasized the need for the soul to be united with a personal god. For half the distance to Muktinath, one has to travel on the Gantaki riverbed after which the route branches off. From there the path slowly winds up dusty mountain ridges with hardly a blade of grass. At the end of the 21 km route there are three villages. As Ranipauwa village is close to the temple and as it has boarding and lodging facilities, pilgrims can stay there. There are different opinions about the actual Muktinath. While some say there is no other place except this one, there are some who aver that Damodarkund by the side of Gantaki river, 104 km from Kathmandu, is the real Muktishetra and others who claim that Muktinath is another six days travel by foot, where pilgrims can collect saligramams right from the river. Another six days of trekking! That too in difficult terrain where oxygen is scarce! For those of us who cannot even think

of undertaking such a journey, it is better to return after worshipping the Lord here — the place Saint Ramanujar visited. There is a minaret recording the visit of Sri Ramanuja giving authenticity to the belief of scores of devotees visiting Muktinath. Periazhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar have sung 12 Paasurams and glorified the deity. Information about the visit to Mukthinath as detailed in the official web site of Mukthinath Foundation are detailed here below for the benefit of those who would like to make the pilgrimage to Mukthinath.Can I travel to Muktinath safely by myself?Yes, if you are physically and mentally healthy, both men and women alike, up till quite a high age, can travel to Muktinath on their own and travel quite comfortably and safely. Recently new roads have been made and it is even possible now to go by motor bike from Jomsom to Muktinath.What is the best time to travel?When you are not familair with the

local situation, we strongly recommend not to travel to Muktinath during the raining season in June, July, August and the beginning of September because of the possibility of landslides. Beside there is a great change plains do not fly to Jomson due to bad weather. Waiting for days to return from Jomsom to Pokhara by plain is not an exception. So all and all there is a big chance during rain season it will not be the great trip it can be.In November and February it can be cold, but you can travel. December and January are for the die hards.Do I need a guide?If people ask us if a guide is needed, the answer is a bit difficult to give. To find your way you do not need a guide, but it is of course more safe to travel together in mountains. Beside by hiring a guide you provide income for a Nepalese family.Do I need a permit to travel to Muktinath? Yes, unless you are from Nepal or India you need an entry permit (actually it is not a

permit, but a kind of eco-tax entry fee).How do I go to Muktinath?Apart from walking to Muktinath all the way, there are many ways one can travel, depending on time and budget. Basically the trip can be divided in two parts: from Kathmandu to Jomsom, and from Jomsom to Muktinath. From Kathmandu to Jamsom you can: 1. Go by bus to Pokhara, then the next day by plane to Jomsom.2. Go by plane to Jamsom.3. Do the 6-day trek to Jamsom, starting from Pokhara.Starting from Jamsom you can:1. Walk to Kagbeni to Jhargot to Muktinath in about 7 hours total.2. Go by a local rented horse in about the same time.3. Go on the back seat of a local rented motor bike or by car plus driver.The road is OK, and officials at government road blocks prevent the drivers of trucks and buses from going too fast by noting down there arrival time at each road block. The cheap local buses to Pokhara always have bad tires and are

often run by junior drivers. You can feel comfortable travelling with a tourist bus to Pokhara though. Having said this, travelling by bus in Nepal is less save than flying.And how about the plane tickets for Jomsom?The plane tickets to Jomsom cost about 130 USD for a single trip from Kathmandu to Jamsom and about half of this amount from Pokhara to Jamsom. That is, if you are not from Nepal. For locals the prices are much cheaper for good reasons. Make sure you take an early flight. Every day, between 10 and 11 a.m., it starts to be very windy in Jamsom. The planes need to arrive before that time. If the departure of a plane is delayed, it can be cancelled for that reason. So take the early flight at 7 or 8 a.m., and even with some delay the flight will not be cancelled.KATHMANDUKathmandu is situated in the heart of the Himalaya mountains, and has a rich history. Considered by some to be among the most beautiful cities in the world,

the earliest known inscription in the Kathmandu Valley is dated 185 AD. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is almost 1,992 years old. Four stupas around the city of Patan said to have been erected by Charumati, attest to the ancient history present within are in Patan near kendra Hiranyavarna Maha vihara (called "Patukodon") . The Licchavi Dynasty whose earliest inscriptions date back to 464 AD were the next rulers of the valley. The Malla Dynasty consisted of Newar rulers, who ruled Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding area from the 12th century till the 17th century when the Shah Dynasty founder Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley as he created present-day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepali Architecture present in Nepal today is from the Malla/Newar era.The city of Kathmandu is named after a structure in Durbar Square called Kaasthamandap. In Sanskrit, Kaasth ( & #2325; & #2366; & #2359; & # 2381; & #2336;

) is "wood" and Mandap ( & #2350; & #2306; & #2337; & # 2346;/ & #2350; & #2339; & # 2381; & #2337; & #2346;) is "covered shelter." This unique temple, also known as Maru Sattal, was built in 1596 A.D. by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The entire structure contains no iron nails or supports and is made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this two story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.Kathmandu is also sometimes called "Kantipur". "Kanti" is an alternate name of the Goddess Laxmi, and "pur" means the place where such a goddess resides. Thus, the name Kantipur demonstrates the ancient belief that it is the place where Laxmi dwells[. Before the Newars there were lots of kings who ruled Kathmandu[ One of them was of the Kirati people Ancestors of the old Kirati know that many history books of Kathmandu were deliberately burnt because they did not want other people to know that the Kirati lived in Kathmandu

before the Newars did. Some people say that the Newars were the native people of Kathmandu because there are many Newari speaking people, but this is only a myth. We left Kathmandu in the early morning and reached Gorakhpur late in the evening and stayed at Gorekeshwar Dharamasala. Next day in the early morning, we left for Ayodhya and reached around 11 AM. We took our holy bath in the river Saryu immediately on reaching Ayodhya and before settling down at Birla DharamasalaAYODHYAThe city of Ayodhya is an important pilgrim place for Hindus in India. It is one of the seven holiest cities of India. Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram, who is an important deity in the Hindu pantheon. This small, quiet town attracts pilgrims from all over the country. Hindu pilgrims visiting Ayodhya during festivals and important religious functions consider a holy dip in the sacred Saryu River very auspicious. Ayodhya city was the capital of the ancient

kingdom of Ayodhya, where Lord Ram was born. It is also mentioned in Hindu mythology and the Ramayana. The ancient scripture of Atharvaveda describes Ayodhya as 'a city built by gods' and compares its prosperity with the glory and splendor of the paradise. Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, constructed a mosque in Ayodhya. It became the part of the great Mughal Empire and was ruled by them for many years. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, it became a part of the regional state of Awadh, which was later annexed by the British.The main tourist attraction of Ayodhya was the Babri Masjid (Mosque), built by the Mughal king Babur. Unfortunately, the traveler can no longer see this monument as it was demolished in the riots that took place here in 1992. It is said that Ayodhya has 7000 temples, but there are some 100 temples of relative significance. Near the remains of the Babri Masjid, the traveler can see the Ram

Janmabhumi (birthplace of Lord Ram) shrine. It is believed that Lord Ram spent much of his childhood here. Visiting the Janmabhumi of Lord Rama is a nightmare as the security is very severe and one has to cross more than 3 check-points. We walked through winding railings and through few more check points. Then, we could see the rubble that once was a mosque. Finally, there He was, at a distance. It was difficult to get a good dharsan of the Lord. The closest the line gets to the shrine is about 30 feet away. The priest was seated on a bench close to the line. Pilgrims handed over their offerings to him. Chatting with the guard standing nearby, the priest handed back some prasadam. A few seconds later we were walking out. In all, it took about 15 minutes for us to walk through the line, have darshan and exit. There are more than 200 security personnel guarding the entire area- drawn from the local police force and Para military troop. Other places to

visit in Ayodhya are Lakshman Ghat, Kala Ram temple and the Kanak Bhavan temple, which was built in the 19th century. One kilometer east of the Ram Janmabhumi shrine is Hanumangadhi It is said that Lord Hanuman lived in a cave nearby to protect the Ram Janmabhumi.The main attraction at Ayodhya for the group was the visit to "Ammaji" temple. This is a South Indian temple constructed by a devout Sri Vaishnava more than 100 years ago. The temple is located in one of the side streets and we almost could not find it. Lord Rama is most majestic here. There is a small sannithi for Lord Ranganatha and another sannithi for Acharyas including Sri Ramanuja and Sri Manavalamaanunigal. The worship at this temple is like any temple in the South. After the lunch, we left for Naimisaranyam and reached in the mid night and stay has been arranged at the Ahobila Mutt.NAIMISARANYAM1. This kshetram is said to be one of the 8 swayam Vyatka kshetram.

The other swayam Vyatka kshetram are Sri Rangam, Srimushnam, Salagram, Thotadri (Vaanamamalai) , Thirupathy, Pushkaram and Badri.2. This Naimisaranya kshetram is said to be regarded as "Tapovanam". There are 9 tapovams. They are Dandakaranyam, Saindhavaranyam, Jambhukaranyam, Pushkararanyam, Utpalaranyam, Badrikaranyam, Gurujangalaranyam, Aruputharanyam and Naimisaranayam. It is belived that the perumal is found in the form of forest. And this Naimisaranyam is regarded as a holy forest.Sthalapuranam The Emperumaan of this sthalam is giving his seva as the entire form of the Vanam (forest).In the old age, all the Maha Rishis along with Sownakar went towards Brahma devan and asked him which is the best place suited for doing Yagam and tapas. As the answer, Brahma devan took a dharbai grass and made it as a wheel shape and rolled the dharbai grass. Brahma devar said after he rolls the grass, the place where it stopped is said to be the

ideal place for doing tapas and yagam. He rolled the wheel and it stops at a particular place in the Earth and that place is said to the place which is called as "Naimisaranyam" .Nemi means a Wheel and Naimisam means the place where the wheel landed. Aaranyam means forest. Since Nemi, the Chakkaram which landed on Aaranya the forest, the sthalam is called as "Naimisaranyam" . This Naimisaranyam is said to be the place where most of the Rishis have done sacrifices, tapas and meditation and have explained the meaning of old puranas and veda.The Lord Emperumaan gives his seva as in the form of Nature. This sthala emperumaan, gives his seva with the name as "Sri Hari" along with Sri Hari Lakshmi and gave his audiance (prathyaksham) to Devendran, Sudharma, Devarishis, Soodhapuranika and Vedavyasa.Once, Balarama, the brother of Sri Krishna came to this kshetram. At that time, Soodhar was very busy creating puranas. He didn't notice the arrival of

Balarama. On seeing this, Balarama got angry and hit him. He got into sin by committing this. To get out the sin, he went to lots of Punya kshetras for an year and finally he came back to this kshetram and help the rishis and yogis, who were suffering from the frightening of a arakkan (Demon) by named "Vilvalan". All the rishis and yogis thanked Balarama for making them to perform austerities, tapas in peace to reach the Emperumaan.Gayasooran, an Asura did tapas in this sthalam. Sriman Narayanan gave His audiance to him as he was fulfilled by his tapas. Sriman Narayanan asked him what boon he wants as a result of complete tapas. But, Gayasooran answered the Almighty, that he didn't want any boon from him and he was so strong powerful than Sriman Narayana. On hearing this, Sriman Narayana sent his wheel (chakra) to kill the asura and his body was cut into 3 parts. The three parts are the Siro Gaya, (the head part), the Nambi Gaya (the middle part)

and the Charana Gaya (the foot part). This sthalam, the Naimisaranyam is said to be the Nabhi Gaya. The Gaya Kshetram is said to be the Charana Gaya and Badri is said to be Siro Gaya. Offering prayers to departed souls in all these three sthalams is said to be so grateful.The sthala viruksham, known as tree is Tapovanam and all the trees found in this sthalam are said to be sthala viruksham and because of this, the sthala viruksham is Tapovanam (Vanam means the entire forest).The Pushkarani of this sthalam are Gomukhi Nadhi and Chakkara theertham. On the shore of Chakkara theertham, separate sannadhis for Chakarathalwar, Vinayaka, Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha Piratti is located. On the way to Gomukhi Nadhi, a separate temple called as "Vyasa Ghat" is found. On the other side of this sthalam, a temple for Suka maharishi is situated, where Suka Bhagavan's e bronze statue lies.Near to this Suka Maharishi temple, a temple for Hanuman on the

top of the mountains which is known as the "Hanuman Ghat". He is in standing posture holding Sri Rama and Lakshmana in his two shoulders, in Vishwaroopa Kolam.One of Ahobila Mutt Jeeyar attained Paramapadham in this sthalam and as his rememberance, his sannadhi and a mutt of Ahobilam is opened in this sthalam. Ramanuja koodam, Vaanamamalai Jeeyar Mutt are also situated, helping the devotees who come to this sthalam to get the seva of this sthalam Emperumaan.Thirumangai Alwar who is the only alwar who has done the Mangalasasanam on this sthala perumal explains about the life led by the human. The Moolavar of this Naimisaranyam Divyadesam is Devarajan. He is also named as "Sri Hari". Moolavar in standing posture (Nindra thirukkolam) facing east direction. Prathyaksham for Indiran, Sudharman, Devarishi, Soodhapuranikar and Vedavyasar.ALLAHABADAfter lunch, hosted by the families of Gopal and Ramanathan, left for Allahabad and reached in

the night. Stay has been arranged in Bangur Charitable Trust Dharamasala. Next day morning, all of us took our holy bath at Triveni sangamam. Day happened to be Amavasya; some of us did our Tharpanam in the triveni sangamamAllahabad also known as Prayag, is believed to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice after creating the world. It is one of four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the others being Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. It has a position of importance in Hinduism and Hindu mythology for it is situated at the confluence, known as Triveni Sangam, of the holy rivers, Ganges and Yamuna, and Hindu belief says that the invisible Sarasvati River joins here also.. The Puranas record that Yayati left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu. His five sons Yadu, Druhyu, Puru, Anu and Turvashu became the main tribes of the Rigveda. In the times of the Ramayana, Prayag was made up of a few rishis' huts at the confluence of the sacred

rivers, and much of the Vatsa country was continuous jungle. Lord Rama, the main protagonist in the Ramayana, spent some time here, at the Ashram of Sage Bharadwaj, before proceeding to nearby Chitrakuta. When Islamic rule came, Prayag became a part of the Delhi Sultanate when the town was annexed by Muhammad of Ghor in 1193. Then the Mughals took over from the rulers of Delhi and under them Prayag rose to prominence once again. It was from Allahabad that Prince Salim, later to become emperor Jahangir, revolted against his father, the Mughal emperor Akbar. In 1602, prince Salim held a parallel imperial court in Akbar's fort here, ignoring the royal summons to leave Allahabad and proceed to Agra. However, before his death in 1605, Akbar named Salim his successor. The history repeated itself when in his (Muslim League) presidential address on December 29, 1930 at Allahabad, Muhammad Iqbal outlined a vision of an independent state for Muslim-majority

provinces in northwestern India named Pakistan.CHITRAKOOTFrom Allahabad, we reached Chithrakoot in the afternoon. Located in the Banda district of modern Uttar Pradesh (U.P), on the banks of river Paisuni (Mandakini), Chithrakoot is a tranquil retreat on the northern spur of the Vindhyas. Just 6 km south of Karvi and 72 km south east of Banda district on the road to Allahabad, Chithrakoot Dham is one of the most ancient holy pilgrim places of India. Legends have it that it was the abode of Lord Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshman for eleven years of their fourteen years of exile. This is also the place, where they came in contact with sage Atri and sati Anasuya. This abode of the gods is credited to have seen the incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Chithrakoot ,sacred with the touch of Lord's feet, was where Goswami Tulsidas, the creator of the epic "Shri Ramcharitmanas" spent many years of his life. forested hill of prime religious

significance, this is believed to be the original Chithrakoot. The Bharat Milap Temple is located here. Pilgrims perform a ritual circumambulation of the hill to seek blessings. Visit to Chitrakoot is not completed unless we go to the huge cave where Rama, Sita and Lakshman spent their 13 Years of exile. The formation of the walls of this cave, their layers spells to the fact that irt should be million Years old. Small pond with full of water is still in exist and which was created by Lord Rama for Sita to take her bath every day. The legend is that Rama brought the river Godavari. The water on this pond is very pure and clean. Another pond in a larger size is supposed to have been created for Rama and Lakshman to take their bath everyday. The entire area of this cave is very cool and air conditioned naturally,.Sphatik Shila This picturesque spot is marked by two immense rocks. It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama and Sita feasted their

eyes on the beauty of Chithrakoot. When Indra's son Jayanthan misbehaved with Sita Devi, Rama punished him by throwing an arrow from this spot.Hanuman Dhara Located on a steep hillside, it is approachable by a flight of 360 steps. Here, the waters of a natural spring cascade over an image of Lord Hanuman.Ram Ghat On the banks of the River Mandakini, and center of ritual activity, this Ghat is the most frequented in Chithrakoot. The "Aarti" performed in the evening is particularly beautiful.Janki Kund An unusual cave over the Mandakini. Said to be the place where Rama and Sita stayed with Lakshman. It is believed that Rama brought Godavari and created a pond for Sita to take her bath every day. There is another one big pond away from Janki Kund where Rama and Lakshman bathed. The entire cave is splendid in its formation millions of Years back. One has to climb steep granite steps to reach this wonderful cave. This is the place where Rama,

Sita and Lakshman spent their first eleven Years of Vanavasa,. We left Chithrakoot in the evening, reached Varanasi in the mid night via Allahabad. The stay was at the Sankara Mutt.Varanasi . Varanasi - Benares - Kaasi is considered to be the holiest of all pilgrimage sites in India. It is considered home to Shiva - Visweswara. Benares is also known as Kaasi because it is believed that Supreme brilliance shines there, and lights the way to salvation (Kas - to shine). Varanasi is located between two rivers Varana and Asi, and hence the name Varanasi. This place is said to give the greatest delight to God and hence the name Anandakanana; the five elements lie in this great cremation ground as will all dead bodies at the time of the final deluge and hence the name Mahasmasaanam.Benares has been a pilgrimage center since time immemorial. It is believed that the fifth head of Brahma which clung to Shiva's palms came unstuck only after

he reached Varanasi. Varanasi has been mentioned in the Tamil Tevaram hymns of the first millennium CE. Kasi is mentioned repeatedly in the scriptures such as the Brahmans, Upanishads, Kavyas and Puranas. It is the oldest center of learning, and is vibrant with centuries of tradition. Benares houses the Kaasi Visweswara (Viswanatha) temple, enshrining one of the twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva. This temple was desecrated and rebuilt several times. The latest structure dating back to the 18th century (thanks to the efforts of Rani Ahilyabhai Holkar) is the center of attention of the millions of pilgrims who converge here, to perform an abhishekam to the sacred Jyotirlingam, with water from the Ganges.Benares is also considered to be one of the Shakti Peethas of India. It is believed that the left hand of Sati fell at Varanasi, and that Annapurna or Visalakshi represent the Shakti Peethams here.Apart from these temples, there are five other

sacred spots in Benares. The Asi-Ganga sangamam, at Lolarka houses a temple to the Sun God. The rivers Ganga and Varana converge at a spot where there is a shrine to Kesava. The Panch ganga Ghat houses a temple to Bindu-Madhava. It is believed that five rivers Kirana, Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati and Dhuta-papa converge here. The DasVaranasi - Benares - Kaasi is considered to be the holiest of all pilgrimage sites in India. It is considered home to Shiva - Visweswara. Benares is also known as Kaasi because it is beleived that Supreme brilliance shines there, and lights the way to salvation (Kas - to shine). Varanasi is located between two rivers Varana and Asi, and hence the name Varanasi. Benares has been a pilgrimage center since time immemorial. It is believed that the fifth head of Bhrama which clung to Shiva's palms came unstuck only after he reached Varanasi. Varanasi has been mentioned in the Tamil Tevaram hymns of the first millennium CE. Kasi

is mentioned repeatedly in the scriptures such as the Bhramanas, Upanishads, Kavyas and Puranas. It is the oldest center of learning, and is vibrant with centuries of tradition. Benares houses the Kaasi Visweswara (Viswanatha) temple, enshrining one of the twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva. This temple was desecrated and rebuilt several times. The latest structure dating back to the 18th century (thanks to the efforts of Rani Ahilyabhai Holkar) is the center of attention of the millions of pilgrims who converge here, to perform an abhishekam to the sacred Jyotirlingam, with water from the Ganges.Benares is also considered to be one of the Shakti Peethas of India. It is believed that the left hand of Sati fell at Varanasi, and that Annapurna or Visalakshi represent the Shakti Peetham here.Apart from these temples, there are five other sacred spots in Benares. The Asi-Ganga sangamam, at Lolarka houses a temple to the Sun God. The rivers Ganga and

Varana converge at a spot where there is a shrine to Kesava. The Panchaganga Ghat houses a temple to Bindu-Madhava. It is believed that five rivers Kirana, Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati and Dhuta-papa converge here. The Dasaswamedha Ghat where it is believed that the ancient kings performed the aswamedha sacrifice ten times and took a dip in the Ganga. The last of the sacred spots is the Manikarnika Ghat. Legend has it that Vishnu dug a pit with his chakra, and the sweat created during his meditation filled the pit. Shiva shook his head and his jeweled earring fell into the pit, hence the name Manikarnika. Tradition has it that those that die at Benares and get cremated at the Manikarnika ghat, get liberated from the cycle of life and death.Hyuen Tsang, the Chinese traveler visited Varanasi in the 7th century. His travel accounts speak of the grandeur of the city and of its temples. This writer describes a hundred feet high statue of Shiva Maheshwara

made of brass that adorned the city. Several other temples and shrines adorn the city of Benares. Virtually every block houses a shrine here. Mention must be made of the modern shrine to Kaasi Viswanatha elsewhere in the city. Shivaratri in the month of Aquarius is a season of great festivity at Benares.aswamedha Ghat where it is believed that the ancient kings performed the aswamedha sacrifice ten times and took a dip in the Ganga. The last of the sacred spots is the Manikarnika Ghat. Legend has it that Vishnu dug a pit with his chakra, and the sweat created during his meditation filled the pit. Shiva shook his head and his jeweled earring fell into the pit, hence the name Manikarnika. Tradition has it that those that die at Benares and get cremated at the Manikarnika ghat, get liberated from the cycle of life and death.Hyuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller visited Varanasi in the 7th century. His travel accounts speak of the grandeur of

the city and of its temples. This writer describes a hundred feet high statue of Shiva Maheshwara made of brass that adorned the city. Several other temples and shrines adorn the city of Benares. Virtually every block houses a shrine here. Mention must be made of the modern shrine to Kaasi Viswanatha elsewhere in the city. Shivaratri in the month of Aquarius is a season of great festivity at Benares.The architecture is of Nagara Style, which is typical of North India. The temple is accompanied by a rectangular tank of water called Durga Kund. ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool.) The temple has multi-tiered spires and is stained red with ochre, signifying the red colour of Durga. The Kund was earlier connected to the river itself thus refreshing the water. This channel was later closed, leading to locked water which is replenished only by rain or drainage from the Temple. Every year on the occasion of Nag panchami, the act of depicting Lord Vishnu

reclining on the coiled-up mystical snake or "Shesha" is repeated in the Kund. Most of the temples that are located on the Ganga Ghats are old and date back to the medieval period. According to legends the first Siva Jyotirlinga, the fiery pillar of light, came through the earth here and flared into the sky. Therefore Varanasi is also called Kashi, "the City of Light." The Kashi Vishwanath temple, hence has become the most famous and important temple of Varanasi. In this temple resides the guardian of the holy city, Lord Shiva. RaThe Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Visweswara or Vishwanath, is enshrined in the Kashi Vishwanath temple, considered as one of the holiest temples of India. In Hindu religion it is believed that a simple glimpse of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing experience that transforms life and puts it on the path of knowledge and Bhakti (devotion). A single darshan of Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga is considered to merit more than the darshan of

other Jyotirlingas, scattered in various parts of India. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been a living picture of the timeless cultural traditions and highest spiritual values. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts Hindu devotees and other visitors not only from India but also the world over. Lord Vishwanath is considered the supreme repository of the spiritual truth and strengthens the bonds of universal brotherhood. Late Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore built the temple in the present shape, way back in 1780. In the year 1785, a Naubatkhana was built up in front of the Temple at the instance of Governor General, Warren Hastings. In 1839, two domes of the Temple were covered by gold, donated by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the ruler of Punjab. The management of the Kashi Vishwanath temple rests with a trust.The Visalakshi TempleVisalakshi is the second consort of Shiva in this holy city of Kashi. This temple is one among the 52 Shakti

peethams, and is part of the famous triad of temples- Kanchi Kamakshi, Madurai Meenakshi and Kashi Visalakshi. This small temple is situated in one of the narrow lanes around the Vishwanath temple, and it is mainly south Indians who seek out this temple. Though the temple is quite small, the idol of the goddess is very beautiful. Behind the main stone idol of the goddess is another idol (some say it is a silver casting, others say it is an idol), believed to be the idol prayed to in ancient times. One of our guides told us that it was the swayambhu idol of the goddess, while another refuted this claim. Whatever it is, it is certainly worth a look, so remember to look behind the idol when you visit the temple. Adi Shankaracharya, when he visited the temple, performed prayers to renew the powers of the temple and the goddess which had borne the brunt of several invasions. He also installed a Sri Yantra there, and it is to this Yantra that puja is done.

Kumkumarchana to this Sri Yantra is considered very special, and can be performed by asking the pujari there.The Kala Bhairav templeKala Bhairav is the guardian deity of Kashi. He occupies the position of a guard/ watchman with a dog as his vehicle, and is regarded as one of the forms of Shiva himself. In Kashi, there are 8 Bhairav temples, collectively called Ashta Bhairav. These are - Kala Bhairav, Dhandapani, Veera Bhairav, Batuk Bhairav, Aashu Bhairav, Aananda Bhairav, Rudra Bhairav and Ruru Bhairav. Among these, Kala Bhairav is the most important one, visited by all those who visit Kashi. Dhandapani, or the one who wields a stick, is the one who decides on the punishment, while Kala Bhairav is the one who enforces his decision. Dhandapani is the commissioner, while Kala Bhairav is the constable. As usual, it is the constable who is more feared, than the commissioner himself! Your pilgrimage to Varanasi is not considered completed

unless you visit the Kalabairavar temple and have his drashan.The Bindu Madhava TempleAmong the ancient temples in the must-visit list of Kashi temples is the Bindu Madhava Temple. This temple is also one of a trinity- Veni Madhava at Sangam in Allahabad, Bindu Madhava at Kashi and Sethu Madhava at Rameswaram. All these three temples are small, simple affairs, with similar idols which are rather small in size.The Bindu Madhava Temple is best approached from the Panch ganga Ghat. There is, of course a road, but one which is rarely used by the pilgrims. The original temple was apparently a big and important one, but was destroyed by Aurangzeb, who (as usual) built a mosque over it. The mosque stands proudly till date, though a couple of turrets have fallen recently, while the new temple is a small one, practically invisible until we reach it. Collections of Salagram idols in this temple are very old and worshipped. The temple is

managed by a private trust.Annapoorni TempleThe temple is located beside the famous Kaasi Vishwanath temple. It is dedicated to Goddess Annapoorni. The deity is the goddess of food and prosperity. She is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. It is believed that the goddess even gave alms to Lord Shiva. It is said that the devotees who worship at this temple will never suffer from hunger in their lives. There are two idols of the deity in the temple. One idol made of gold is used for worship on very ceremonial occasions once a year, while the other idol made of brass is used for daily worship. Banaras Hindu University (1916)was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya with the cooperation of Dr Annie Besant. Its 1350 acre (5.5 km²) campus was built on land donated by the Kashi Naresh. Governor General Lord Cornwallis establish the Sanskrit College (1791), which was the first college in Varanasi. The first

principal of Sanskrit College was Sanskrit Professor J. Myor, ICS followed by Dr. J.R. Ballentien, RTH Griffith, Dr. G. Thevo, Dr. Aurthor Venice, Dr. Ganganath Jha, and Gopinath Kaviraj among others. After independence this college became Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.[ 43] The new Vishwanath temple of Varanasi is located in the premises of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). It is also called the Birla temple as the famous industrialist family of India, the Birlas, constructed it. The New Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and is a replica of the original Vishwanath temple. The temple is built in white marbles, and was planned by Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of the Banaras Hindu University. The most important characteristic of the new Vishwanath temple is that it is open to people from all castes and religions. The huge campus of New Vishwanath Temple is a delight to the eyes of visitor. The interior has a Siva lingam and verses

from Hindu scriptures are inscribed on the walls.We left Varanasi on 27th night by Ganga Cauvery super fast train and reached safely on 29th morning. Though the entire trip was tiresome, we had a heartfelt satisfaction that we have completed this pilgrimage successfully-

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