Pushkarini contd.

Gopurams contd.

Ther ,Chariot or Temple Car

Some intereting details about Puri Jagannath Rath http://orissagov.nic.in/e-magazine/orissaannualreference/ORA-2005/pdf/car_festival.pdf

sri vaishnava sculptures

let sleeping gods lie F.decorate(_ge(‘button_bar’), F._photo_button_bar).bar_go_go_go(406598917, 0); F.decorate(_ge(‘photo_notes’), F._photo_notes).notes_go_go_go(406598917, ‘http://farm1.static.flickr.com/170/406598917_90f7c530fa_t.jpg’, ‘3.1444′); View Ron Layters’ map   Taken in Bagmati, Central (See more photos here) 27°46′ 41″ N, 85°21′ 44″ E27.778185.3622 <!– let sleeping gods lie 2007 this is the statue of Sleeping Visnu at Budhanilkantha, just north of Kathmandu in Nepal. This incarnation of Vishnu is Narayan, resting on a bed made of the coils of the multi-headed snake, Anata Sesa (his 11 cobra heads protect the head of Visnu). This snake in turn is floating in the ocean of existance – which is all there was before the universe was created. From Vishnu’s navel will grow a lotus, and from the lotus will come Brahma, who in turn will create the world… Legend dicatates that he will awaken after every monsoon and stop the rains. If he does not wake from his sleep it will be disaster, and so he is regularly bathed, cleaned, perfumed, and left food and drink by the priests from the temple. Every day pilgrims come to worship and join in with this caring ritual. <a href="http://www.roblog.com/flickrfly.kml?range=200&amp;tilt=0">Fly to this location</a> (using <a href="http://earth.google.com/">Google Earth</a>) Ron Layters Ron Layters –> This is the statue of Sayana thirukkolam (sleeping Vishnu )at Budhanilkantha, just north of Kathmandu in Nepal. This incarnation of Vishnu is Narayan, resting on a bed made of the coils of the multi-headed snake, Anata Sesa (his 11 cobra heads protect the head of Visnu). This snake in turn is floating in the ocean of existance – which is all there was before the universe was created. From Vishnu’s navel will grow a lotus, and from the lotus will come Brahma, who in turn will create the world… Legend dicatates that he will awaken after every monsoon and stop the rains. If he does not wake from his sleep it will be disaster, and so he is regularly bathed, cleaned, perfumed, and left food and drink by the priests from the temple. Every day pilgrims come to worship and join in with this caring ritual.

Theerthams contd.

Gopurams contd.

Pushkarinis or Theerthams or Sacred water bodies

http://www.ukhap.nic.in/reports/SACTANKS.PDF is a neat compilation of many sacred water bodies in India

Some beautiful Divyadesa Pushkarini – pl identify

some beautiful Thaamaraik kulam-pl. identify

 

Dhwajasthambams

All the Maha Temples do have Dwaja Stambam (Kodimaram). Maha Temples are considered as human body. How important the Vertebra for man is like wise important Dwaja Stambam to the Temple. It is installed between Balithara and Anakkottil. It is usually located and installed as per Vastushilpies. Dwaja Sthambam’s bottom is “Brahma Bhagam”, Middle is “Vishnu Bhagam”  Dwaja Stambam represents God’s “Sukshmashariram” and Kundalini. Bottom side of the Dwaja Stambam is ” Mooladharam” and the top is “Sahasraram”. Ashtadikpalakar Idols must be installed around the Dwaja Stambam. At the top of the Dwaja Stambam the “Vahanam” (Vehicle) of the concern Lord, Garuda is installed. . What importance we give for the Idol, similar importance is given for the Dwaja Stambam. Flag hoisting is done on the Dwaja Stambam during year festival. Dwaja Stambam is very important as it reflects the prosperity and health of the surrounding place.If involved in the installation of the Dwaja Stambam, one gets “Moksham” to himself as well as generations of him.

Gopurams & Vimaanams

Rajagopuram,Sree Raajagopaalaswaamy Koil -Raajamannaargudi

Sthala Vruksham contd.

Pavazha malli is the Sthala vruksham of Sree vaikuntam

Nyctanthes Arbortristis
Botanical Name : NYCTANTHES ARBORTRISTIS

Family Name : OLEACEAE

Common Name : NIGHT JASMINE, CORAL JASMINE

Parts used : Flowers, Leaves, seeds,

Habitat : Cultivated in gardens in India

Uses : The leaves are antibacterial, antiinflammatory and anthelmintic. Further, a dye extracted from the corolla tube is used to lend colour to Tussore Silk. The flowers are bitter astringent, opthalmic, stomachic and carminative. It is an expectorant, bitter and tonic, febrifuge, and mild purgative. It is used in bilious and obstinate remittent fever, sciatica, and rheumatism. It is also very useful in constipation of children.

Parts offered : Flowers, Leaves, seeds,

Thazhampoo is the Sthala vruksham of Thiruvanbil Vadivazhagiya nambi thirukkoyil

Common name: Fragrant Screw Pine, Umbrella tree, Screw pine, Screw tree, केवड़ा Keora (Hindi), Mugali (Telugu), Ketuki (Bengali), Thazhampoo தாழம்பூ (Tamil), Mugali (Malayalam), Kevada (Marathi, Gujrati), केतकी Ketaki (Sanskrit)
Botanical name: Pandanus odoratissimus     Family: Pandanaceae (screw pine family)

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Fragrant Screw Pine is a shrub with fragrant flowers found wild in southern India, Burma and the Andamans. it is a small, slender, branching tree with a flexuous trunk supported by brace roots. With rosettes of long-pointed, stiffly leathery, spiny, bluish-green, fragrant leaves, it bears in summer very fragrant flowers. It is used as perfume. aromatic oil (kevda oil) and fragrant distillation (otto) called “keorra-ka-arak”. Used plant part – male flowers. They are almost exclusively used in the form of a watery distillate called kewra water. Flowers have a sweet, perfumed odor that has a pleasant quality similar to rose flowers, but kewra is more fruity. The distillate (kewra water, pandanus flower water) is quite diluted; it can be used by the teaspoon, often even by the tablespoon. Most delightful, richest, and powerful of perfumes even when dried.Vitex negundo commonly known as Nochi is the Sthala vruksham of Naachchiyaar koyil

Vitex  negundo a 5 leaved chaste tree known as Nirgundi or sephali in sanskrit is a large, aromatic shrub with quadrangular, densely   whitish, tomentose branchlets. Its principal constituents are casticin, isoorientin, chrysophenol
              D, luteolin,  hydroxybenzoic acid and D-fructose. The leaves
              possess discutient properties and are applied to rheumatic swellings
              of the joints and in sprains. It can be applied locally in rheumatic
              arthritis and sprains. The juice of the leaves is used for the treatment
              of fetid discharges. They show anti-inflammatory, antibacterial,
              antifungal and analgesic activities. It is useful in the treatment
              of superficial bruises, injuries, sores and skin infections.