SRIKANTESHWARA KSHETRAM, NANJANGUDU (KAR) 

Srikanteshwara is the biggest kshetram in Karnataka. The name of the town is derived from this kshetram dedicated to Shiva known here as Nanjundeshwara. The Dodda Yaathre festival here attracts thousands of devotees.


During samudra manthan, poison emerged from the ocean. To prevent the poison from spreading across the universe and to destroy it, Shiva came to the rescue and drank it. Devi Parvathi then held his throat tightly to prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of his body.

The poison remained in his throat, making it blue in color. So Shiva is also called Neelakantha (blue-throated). Nanjanagud literally means the place where Nanjundeshwara (Prabhu who drank poison) resides. Nanjundeswara is also described as one who cures diseases of his bhaktas.


The Shiva Linga is believed to have been installed by Rishi Gautam. This Shiva Linga was also worshipped by Maharishi Parashurama to get cleansed from the sin of beheading his mother. The confluence of rivers Kapila and Gundlu (Kaundinya) is called Parasurama Kshetra.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
SRI VARAHA NARSIMHA, SIMHACHALAM, VIZAG (AP)  One of the 32 Narsimha Kshetram of Andhra. It has a unique form of Narsimha, appearing like a shivlingam It is said that Narsimha’s fierce nature is soothed by worshipping him with Varaha, considered a peaceful deity The shrine is believed to have been constructed by Prahlada. With time, it crumbled. In Treta yuga, King Pururava was passing from here in his vimana. The vimana was attracted to this place by a mystic power. When the place was unearthed, the deity was found. Pururava’s wife, Urvashi, had a dream that the deity should remain covered in sandalwood paste for the whole year except on Akshaya Tritiya. This practice has continued till date. The mukhya mandap here, has a pillar kappam stambham believed to possess curative powers. Chandanotsava/ Chandan Yatra is the most important festival celebrated on Akshaya Tritiya. The sandalwood paste is removed from the moolavar deity and nijarupa darshan (original form of deity) for twelve hou
Read more
Image
HARIDWAAR: The Door to Hari One of the Sapta Puri, it was originally known as Kapila, after Kapil Muni who lived here. Other names of Haridwaar were Gangadwar and Mayapuri. The city finds mention in the Vana parva of the epic Mahabharata. It was here that the salvation of 60,000 ancestors of Bhagiratha took place when he brought Ganga river down from heaven.His ancestors were,thus,freed from the curse of Kapil Muni. Even now, devout Hindus bring here the ashes of their departed family members, in hope of salvation It was at Kankhal (in Haridwar) that Daksh Prajapati, the father of Devi Sati, performed yagya and the disrespect shown by him towards Mahadeva compelled Sati to burn herself in the yagya kund. The Daksheshwar Mahadev temple at Kankhal, built in 1810, is located in Kankhal. The Sati Kund in Kankhal is a dried up kund,which is believed to be the one where Mata Sati immolated herself. The kund is on the banks of Ganga and finds mention in Mahabharata. The Saptarishi Kund in Ha
Read more
Image
SRI CHENGALAMMA DEVI, SULLURPET, NELLORE (AP) Chengalamma Devi was, initially, called Tenkali (Dakshina Kali). The left portion of Devi depicts Parvati, right portion Saraswati and central portion Sri Mahalakshmi, hence called Trikale Chengali. During 10th C, few villagers found Devi murti while swimming in Kalangi river. They could not move the murti from its place. Next day, they noticed that the murti was positioned straight. After performing poojas, they could lift the murti and they carried it to the present place. While villagers were trying to build door for the shrine, Devi appeared in their dream and told them that she was there to bless her devotees at all times and hence they should not build any door. The next day, the villagers found that the doors has become a tree. So the villagers decided to keep the shrine open for 24 hours. The murti of Devi faces the sea. Devotees come to witness Chengalamma Jatara in huge numbers. ISRO scientists visit this shrine for the blessings
Read more