NO1 TOURIST PLACE

PUDUCHERRY/PONDICHERRY-KARAIKAL

2011-05-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple , THIRUNALLAR SANEESWARAN TEMPLE, BEACH, THIRMANIALAZAGAR TEMPLE,

Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple
Karaikal Ammaiyar temple is located in Barathiar Street, in the center of Karaikal. Malaiperumal Pillai constructed it in the year 1929. The main Goddess is Punithavati, also known as "Karaikal Ammaiyar". There is also a sanctum for Vinayaka (also spelt as Vinayak) inside this temple..

Festival
The Mangani Tirunal festival (the festival of the mango fruit) is observed in the month of Aani (June-July) on Pournami (full-moon) day. The belief is that Karaikal Ammaiyar gave Annam (food) to Bhikshatanar (Shiva) during his tour round the world begging alms, with curd rice and mangoes. To commemorate this incident, curd rice with mango is distributed on this festival day, in a big hall adjacent to the temple.

Legend Connected With the Temple
Karaikal Ammaiyar was the wife of a rich merchant of Karaikal named Paramadatta, endowed with heavenly gifts. Her own name was Punitavatiyar (the pure lady). She was very devout and especially careful to entertain all devotees of Lord Shiva that came to her door. One day, her husband received from some persons who had come to him on business, a present of two mangoes of a very superior kind, which he sent home to his wife. Soon after-wards, a holy devotee arrived at the house as a mendicant guest. She had nothing ready to offer him except some boiled rice. She offered him boiled rice and as there was no other side dish, she gave him one of the mangoes. At noon, her husband returned and took his meal with the other mango. He was so pleased with the mango that he told his wife to give him the second mango of the two that he gave to her, His wife was perplexed, as she had already given the other mango to the mendicant. Immediately she offered fervent prayers to God, who never deserts those who serve Him. God heard her prayers and straightaway a mango was found in her hands. She served it to her husband.

As the mango was a divine gift, it was of wonderful sweetness. Tasting it, her husband asked her how she got the mango. At first she hesitated, but at last revealed what had happened.

Her husband did not give much credence to her words and asked her to get another mango in the same way. She went away and prayed to God and immediately she found another fruit, still lovelier, in her hands. When she carried this to her husband he took it in astonishment. But, behold! It forthwith vanished.

Utterly confounded by these wonderful happenings, he came to the conclusion that his wife was a supernatural being whom he dared not touch with carnal thoughts, and resolved to go away from her.

Her husband did not reveal his decision to anybody, but quietly equipped a ship in which he put in a great part of his wealth, and then, on an auspicious day, worshipping the God of the sea, with sailors and a skilful captain, set sail to another country, where he accumulated a fortune, and after some time, came back to India to another city in the Pandyan land. There he married a merchant's daughter and lived in great luxury. A daughter was born to him. To her, he gave the name of the wife with whom he dared not live, but had great reverence.

His friends in Karaikal, who resolved to compel him to receive his first wife again, knew his return and prosperity. Accordingly they proceeded to the new residence of the merchant, taking his saintly wife in a litter.

When her husband heard that his first wife was staying in a grove outside the town, he proceeded with his second wife and daughter, to the place where his first wife was camping.

Reaching there, the husband at once prostrated with profoundest reverence before her and said that he was her slave and that he was happy and prosperous through her benediction.

His first wife Punitavatiyar became confounded by the salutation and worship and took refuge among her kinswomen, who all cried out, "why is this mad man worshipping his own wife?"

To this Paramadatta replied that his wife is not an ordinary lady, but a supernatural being. So, he ceased to look upon her as his wife and worshipped her as their tutelary deity and also dedicated his daughter to her.

From Beauty To Demoness
Punitavatiyar pondered over the matter and prayed within herself to Lord Shiva to take away her beauty that she cherished up till now for the sake of her husband and give her the form and features of one of the demon-hosts ('Bhutaganas') who are attendants of Lord Shiva.

That very instant, by the grace of God her flesh dried up and she became a demoness, one of Lord Shiva's hosts. Then the Gods rained flowers on her. Heavenly minstrels sang her praises and her relatives, in fear and awe, paid her adoration and departed. So, she had now become a demoness and her abode was the wild jungle of Alangadu (forest of Banyan trees). Through inspiration from God, she sang several sacred hymns, which are preserved to the present day. Alangadu is 40 miles from Thanjavur.

Afterwards, she got an irresistible desire to see the sacred hill of Kailas. With inconceivable speed she fled northwards till she arrived at the foot of the mountain and realizing that it was not right to climb the heavenly mountain with her feet, she threw herself down and measured the distance with her head. Uma, the consort of Lord Shiva, beheld her thus ascending and enquired her husband about the demoness.

To this, Lord Shiva replied that the mighty demon-form was the Mother, who obtained this form by her prayers. When she drew near, Lord Shiva addressed her with the words of love calling her by the name of Mother ("Ammaiyar"), which she forever bears. As soon as she heard the word, she fell at his feet worshipping and ejaculating, "Father!"

She worshipped Lord Shiva to grant her a boon that she should no more be born on earth and if she did, then she should be born as a devotee of the Lord who in any form, at any time, will not forget The Lord and that when the Lord performs the sacred mystic dance, she should stand beneath the Lord's feet and sing in His praise.

Lord Shiva granted her the boon and asked her to stay at Alangadu. Then, the sacred Mother of Karaikal returned, measuring the distance still on her head, to holy Alangadu where she beheld her God's sacred dance and sang her renowned lyrics in His praise.

Thirunallar saneeswaran temple

Thirunallar is one of the most famous holy places in South India located in Karaikal which is 160 km south of Pondicherry (Pudhucherry). Thirunallar is famous for Lord Saneeshwara's (Saturn) temple. The only temple where Lord Saneeshwara lost all his power to Lord Shiva (Dharbaranyeshwarar) which saved his devotee Nalan from Saturn's curses. That's the story about the temple. A lot of People visit the place every Saturday to get similar blessings.

THIRUNALLAR is the only temple that is dedicated to Lord Saneeswaran Bahavan. The legendary King Nala is said to have been relieved of his afflictions, which were due to the malefic influence of Saturn, after worship in this temple. Of the numerous tanks of theertams, the Nala theertam is the most important one. One have to take bath in this nala theertam inorder to get relived for Lord Saneeswara bahavan. If we did that, then the effectes of Sani will be reduced as we can good results in our life. Its a belief form ancient time.

Karaikal is the main place to reach Thirunallar as it will take just 15 min travel by road.

Hope you will get some details about Thirunallar Lord Saneeswaran Temple.

Temple Pooja Timings

Day	Timings	Pooja Name	Permission to see
Saturday	5:30 AM to 6:30 AM	Usha kaalam	Yes
Saturday	9:00 AM to 10:00 AM	Kaalasandhi	Yes
Saturday	12:00 PM to 1:00 PM	Uchi kaalam	Yes
Saturday	5:30 PM to 6:30 PM	Saayaratchai	Yes
Saturday	7:30 PM to 8:30 PM	Irandaam kaalam	Yes
Saturday	8:30 PM Onwards	Artha jaamam	No
Sun to Fri	6:00 AM to 1:00 PM	Nadai thirappu	Yes
Sun to Fri	4:00 PM to 9:00 PM	Nadai thirappu	Yes

To Reach Thirunallar

Karaikal (5 KM)
Nagore (19 KM)
Nagapattinam (23 KM)
Mayiladudhurai(38 KM)
Thiruvarur (40 KM)

Saneeswaran is reputed to be both, a giver and destroyer. A person who prays to Saneeswaran will be blessed with not only riddance from the problems and worries faced,

NALA THEERTHAM

KARAIKAL BEACH

PUDUCHERRY/PONDICHERRY

2011-05-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

The Union Territory of Puducherry(PONDICHERRY) comprises four coastal regions viz- Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Puducherry is the Capital of this Union Territory and one of the most popular tourist destinations in South India. Puducherry has been described by National Geographic as "a glowing highlight of subcontinental sojourn". The city has many beautiful colonial buildings, churches, temples, and statues, which, combined with the systematic town planning and the well planned French style avenues, still preserve much of the colonial ambience.

The Matrimandir, a golden metallic sphere in auroville, Puducherry

MANAKULA VINAYAGAR TEMPLE

Petting an elephant

Seafront

St. John's church

Immaculate conception
cathedral

Pondicherry war memorial

Beach

Place de la Republique

Sri Aurobindo ashram

GOA(Carnival)

2011-05-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Carnival is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade

Goan Christians participating at the Goan Carnival, late 20th century

Revellers at the modern Goan Carniva

GOA(Basilica of Bom Jesus)

2011-05-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

The Basilica of Bom Jesus or Basilica of Good Jesus is located in Goa, India, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. The church is located in Old Goa, which was the capital of Goa in the early days of Portuguese rule.
'Bom Jesus' (literally, 'Good (or Holy) Jesus') is the name used for the infant Jesus. The Jesuit church is India’s first minor basilica, and is considered to be one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India.

SIDE VIEW

CHURCH INSIDE

GOA(Dudhsagar Falls)

2011-05-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

Dudhsagar Falls (literally meaning The Sea of Milk in marathi and konkani) is a tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River in the state of Karnataka, India, on Goa's border with the state of Karnataka. It is 60 km from Panaji

GOA Mangueshi Temple

2011-05-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

Shri Mangueshi temple Devanagari: is located at Mangeshim in Priol, Ponda Taluka,1 kilometer from Mardol close to Nagueshi, 22 km from Panaji the capital of Goa and 26 km from Margao.

Shri Mangeshi Devasthan.

This temple is one of the largest, most enchanting, serene and most frequently visited temples in Goa.

Mangueshi Temple, Priol, Goa

GOA

2011-05-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Goa is one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. A former colony of Portugal, Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, Portuguese churches, Hindu temples, and wildlife sanctuaries. The Basilica of Bom Jesus, Mangueshi Temple, Dudhsagar Falls, and Shantadurga are famous attractions in Goa. Recently a Wax Museum (Wax World) has also opened in Old Goa housing a number of wax personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage.
The Goa Carnival is a world famous event, with colorful masks and floats, drums and reverberating music, and dance performances.

Goa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast. Goa is India's richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole. It was ranked the best placed state by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure and ranked on top for the best quality of life in India by the National Commission on Population based on the 12 Indicators.
Panaji is the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is the largest city. The historic city of Margao still exhibits the cultural influence of the Portuguese, who first landed in the early 16th century as merchants, and conquered it soon thereafter. The Portuguese overseas territory of Portuguese India existed for about 450 years, until it was annexed by India in 1961.
Renowned for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture, Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year. It also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.

INDIA DELHI-Purana Qila ramparts

2011-05-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

Purana Qila ramparts, and lake outside it, Delhi

Purana Qila (Hindi: पुराना क़िला, Urdu: پُرانا قلعہ, translation: Old Fort), is the inner citadel of the city of Dina-panah, founded by the second Mughal Emperor, Humayun in 1533 and completed five years later.Purana Qila and its environs flourished as the sixth city of Delhi.
Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in 1540, and renamed the fort as Shergarh, and also added several more structures in the complex, during his reign that lasted for the next five years until his death in 1545.
Subsequently Islam Shah took over the reigns of North India from this fort, but later shifted his capital to Gwalior, as it was supposed to be a safer capital in that period. After Islam Shah's death in 1553, Adil Shah took the charge of North India, and this fort remained neglected. Adil Shah shifted his capital to further east to Chunar in present day Uttar Pradesh. Humayun, who was based in Kabul got an opportunity to re-capture the citadel and the seat of Delhi in 1555, fifteen year after he had to leave it, though his reign didn't last long, he died only a year later in Jan. 1556, due to a tragic accident, within the fort complex at Sher Mandal.
Hearing about re-capture of Delhi by Humanyun, Hemu, the Hindu Prime Minister - cum - Chief of Army of Adil Shah Suri rushed towards Delhi from Bengal, where he had just quelled a rebellion, defeating and killing Muhhamad Shah, the ruler of Bengal. After capturing Agra, Itawah, Kanpur easily, the battle for Delhi took place in Tuglaqabad area on 6th Oct. 1556, and Hemu, who had won 22 battles spanning entire north India, defeated the forces of Akbar which were led by Tardi Beg Khan. Hemu had his 'Rajyabhishake' or Coronation at Purana Quila on 7th Oct. 1556, declared 'Hindu Raj' in North India, and was bestowed the title of Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya. Hemu, who was slain and killed at the Second battle of Panipat in Nov. 1556 had his torso hung outside this fort to create terror among Hindus.
The walls of the Fort rise to a height of 18 mtrs., and run on for about 1.5 km, and has three arched gateways, the Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) facing West, which is still used today, the south gate, the 'Humayun Gate' probably called so because it was constructed by Humayun or that Humayun's Tomb is visible from there, and lastly, the 'Talaqi Gate' or forbidden gate. All the gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures flanked by two huge semi-circular bastion towers, and decorated with white and coloured-marble inlays and blue tiles, and replete with detailing, like ornate overhanging balconies, jharokhas, pillared pavilions chhatris on top, reminiscent of Rajasthani architecture as seen in the North and South Gates, and which were amply seen in future Mughal architecture. Despite the grandeurs of the exterior, few of interior structures have survived except the Qila-i Kuhna Mosque and the Shermandal, both credited to Sher Shah.
Today, it is also the venue of daily sound and light shows after sunset, entailing history of seven cities of Delhi, from Indraprastha to New Delhi.

Indraprastha
Delhi is thought to be located at the site of the legendary city of Indraprastha founded by the Pandavas from Mahabharata period, which is consequently considered the 'First City of Delhi', In support of this, until 1913, a village called Indrapat existed with the fort walls,.

Laxmi Narayan Temple
The temple was built in 1622 by Vir Singh Deo, and renovated by Prithvi Singh in 1793. During 1933-39, Laxmi Narayan Temple was built by Baldeo Das Birla of Birla family. Thus, the temple is also known as Birla Temple. The famous temple is accredited to have been inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1939. At that time, Mahatma Gandhi kept a condition that the temple would not be restricted to the Hindus and people from every caste would be allowed inside. Since then, funds for further renovations and support have come from the Birla family.

The Laxminarayan Temple (Hindi: श्री लक्ष्मीनारायण मन्दिर, also known as the Birla Mandir) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Laxminarayan in Delhi, India. The temple is built in honour of Lakshmi (Hindu goddess of wealth), and her consort Narayana (Vishnu, Preserver in the Trimurti).
The temple is adorned with many shrines, fountains, and a large garden. The temple is one of the major attractions of Delhi and attracts thousands of devotees on the Hindu festivals of Janmashtami and Diwali

India Gate

The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it is a prominent landmark in Delhi and commemorates the 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives while fighting for the British Indian Empire, or more correctly the British Raj in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. It is composed of red sand stone and granite.

Originally, a Statue of King George V had stood under the now-vacant canopy in front of the India Gate, and was removed to Coronation Park with other statues. Following India's independence, India Gate became the site of the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti (The flame of the immortal soldier).

INDIA -NEW DELHI

2011-05-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI

the capital of the country is undoubtedly the heart of the country. From time immemorial, Delhi has been the pride of India and consequently the target of invasions over the centuries. While New Delhi is the administrative heart of the country, Delhi or Old Delhi represents a different world altogether.

Tourists from around the world flock here to click photos of its splendid monuments, wide tree-lined streets and architectural marvels. Presenting a section where we features different photos of Delhi, all in one section. These pictures of Delhi capture the various moods of this city. The pictures of New Delhi also provide you an opportunity to marvel at the wonder that is Delhi.

Spice Route

vista fachada principal

kutub minar