Vedas Resources

CBSE Class 6 Science: Structure and Functions of Parts of Plants

2026-06-20T11:23:00.000+05:30

📖 Main Parts of a Plant

1. Roots
2. Stem
3. Leaves
4. Flowers
5. Fruits

Parts of Plants (Parts of Flowering Plants)

Parts of a Plant

Plants mainly have root system and shoot system.
Root system grows under the grows. It contains the primary, secondary and teritiary roots.
The shoot system grows above the soil. It contains stem, leaves, flowers and fruits.

Roots

Roots grow under the soil in most of the plants.
They fix the plant firmly into the soil and helps the plant to stand erect (or upright) above the soil.
Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil.
In some plants roots store food. Such roots are called modified roots.

Stem

Stem grows upright (or erect) above the soil and it grows branches.
Stem and branches support all the other parts of the plant.
It conducts (or carries) water and minerals from the roots to leaves.
It also conducts the prepared food from the leaves to other parts of the plant.
In some plants, stems perform additional functions. Such stems are called modified stems.

Leaves

Leaves are the most important part of the plant.
In most of the plants, leaves are green in color due to the present of chlorophyll.
Leaves prepare food through a process called photosynthesis.
In some plants, leaves change their structure to perform other functions. Such leaves are called modified leaves.
A leaf has mainly three parts: lamina, petiole and leaf base.

Parts of a Leaf

Parts of a Leaf:

Lamina (Blade): The broad, flat green part of the leaf.
Petiole: The stalk that connects the leaf blade to the stem
Midrib: The thick middle line on the leaf blade that divides it into two halves.

Flowers

Flower is the most colorful and attractive part of the plant.
They are the reproductive part of the plant.
A flower has four main parts: Sepal, Petal, Stamen and Carpel (or Pistil)

Parts of a flower

Parts of a Flower:

Sepal: The green leaf-like structure at the base of the flower. It protects the flowers in its bud stage.
Petal: The brightly coloured fragrant part of the flower. It attracts birds and insects which help in pollination.
Stamen: The male reproductive part that consists of a filament with an anther on top. The anther contains pollen grains.
Carpel: The female reproductive part that consists of a top part called stigma, a tubular middle part called style and a swollen base called ovary. The ovary contains ovules.

Fruits

A fruit is a ripened or a mature ovary.
It is the fleshy and juicy edible (eatable) part that stores food.
It contains seeds inside. A seed has three main parts: a seed coat, an embryo (a baby plant) and cotyledons.
Parts of a Seed:

Parts of a seed
- Seed Coat: The outer covering that protects the seed.
- Embryo: The future baby plant that contains a radicle and a plumule. The radicle which grows downward into the soil and forms the roots. The plumule grows upwards and forms the shoot system.

Insights into Learning by Sobha Kalyani

Telugu Brahmin Upanayanam (Odugu) - Procedure and Importance

2026-05-30T15:17:07.889+05:30

Synopsis

Among the Telugu Brahmin families, Upanayanam (known as Odugu in Telugu) is one of the most important Samskaras. The ceremony marks the spiritual initiation of a young boy into Vedic learning and lead a disciplined life. It enables the boy to learn the nature of Brahma: the Ultimate Truth and the path towards God-Realisation.

A sacred thread called Yajnopavitam (also spelled Yagnopavitam or Yajnopaveetam) is worn around the boy's left shoulder symbolising his acceptance for the spiritual / Vedic responsibilities. The boy is called a Vatuvu after the ceremony.

Upanayanam is regarded as the 2nd birth of the young boy who then becomes a 'Dwija' i.e. the twice-born. He learns to live a spiritually disciplined life by regularly performing Sandhyavandanam and chanting Gayatri Mantra.

Also Read: Seemantham: The South Indian Traditional Baby Shower Ceremony

The young boy becomes spiritually responsible towards his family, society and the environment and leads a righteous life.

Vatuvu - Challa Abhinava Shankar

Upanayanam: Meaning and Significance

Upanayanam is a highly sacred Samskara in Hindu Dharma. It is one of the most important ceremonies esp. for Brahmins.

Kshatriyas and Vaishyas also perform the ceremony.

The Sanskrit word Upanayanam means 'getting closer'. Upanayanam enables the boy to get closer to his Guru for gaining Vedic knowledge and spiritual wisdom. The ceremony marks the beginning of the boy's Brahmacharya stage (the spiritually elevated stage) when he starts following the Vedic duties as per the Dharma Sastras mentioned in Manusmriti

In the ancient times, after Upanayanam, the child was sent to the Guru's house (Gurukula) for education where he stayed till the completion of his education. Even today, there are Veda Pathasalas (traditional Vedic schools) where still this practice is followed.

Importance of Upanayanam

Spiritual Knowledge / Wisdom
Upanayanam enables the boy to acquire Vedic / spiritual knowledge and wisdom. Through Brahmopadesam, the boy becomes spiritually mature and learns the true nature of Brahma: the Ultimate Truth or God-Realisation.

Spiritual Discipline
The boy enters the path of Brahmacharya (celibacy stage of life). He becomes spiritually self-disciplined, learns self-control, esp. control of mind and follows celibacy. He learns to respect elders.

Spiritual Responsibility
The boy wears the sacred yajnopavitam and is initiated with the powerful and sacred formula i.e. Gayatri Mantra which makes him spiritually responsible to regularly perform Sandhyavandanam. He becomes responsible towards his family, society and the environment.

Spiritual Protection
As the boy starts leading a righteous life, he is spiritually energised with positivity and is spiritually protected from all the negativities.

When to Perform Upanayanam?

As per Sastras, the specified age for a Brahmin boy is around 8 years, around 11 years for Kshatriyas and around 12 years for Vaishyas.

And Uttarayanam (Sun's northerly movement) is the right period to perform Upanayanam. A Subha Muhurtam (auspicious time) is fixed on an auspicious date based on the boy's Janma Nakshtram and his parents' as well.

Pre-Ceremonial Preparations

Upanayanam preparations begin with fixing an auspicious time and date. Thereafter, proper planning and organisation of the ceremony and also spiritual readiness of the child. The boy undergoes a period of purification (special sattvic diet, prayers etc) few days before the function.

General preparations

Inviting guests, venue booking, food-caterers' booking and purchase of all required items. The list of items required is provided by the priest who will perform the function. Besides general items like pasupu (turmeric)- kumkuma, etc., there are other necessary items like darbha (grass), Yajnopavitam, moduga / peepal tree twig, homam material etc.

Telugu Brahmin Upanayanam (Odugu) Procedure

The procedure slightly varies from one sect to the other, however the general procedure is same for all.

Kalasa Pooja and Udakasanti

The word 'Udakam' means water. This is an ancient Vedic ritual performed for purification in Vedic practices. Udakasanti Mantra, a part of Krishna Yajurveda, is a series of mantras for purifying Udakam. Water in the Kalasam is thus, sanctified by invoking the Devatas through Vedic chants. This sacred water is then poured on the boy to protect him from negative energies and to purify his body and mind. The water is also sprinkled on everyone present.

Ankurarpana

The mother of the boy and other married women in the family sow seeds in earthen bowls (palikalu) and place them as per the directions of the priest. These are kept for 4 days and are watered regularly so that the seeds sprout signifying growth.

Rakshabandhanam

As a protection, a yellow thread is tied around the boy's right hand wrist by chanting mantras and performing a pooja.

The above rituals are normally performed a day before the Upanayanam day. Or these can be performed on the Upanayanam day also as per one's convenience.

The Upanayanam ceremony begins with Ganapati Puja to seek blessings.

Kalasa Sthapana and Kalasa Puja

This is the invocation ritual, a pre-requisite for all the ceremonies. The Kalasam is traditionally decorated and filled with sanctified water. The decorated Kalasam which represents Siva, Vishnu and Gauri Devi is placed at the Puja Sthalam (worship place) in the Mandapam. The priests then worship the Kalasam with Veda mantras.

Ganapati Puja

Worship of Vighneswara - the remover of obstacles is a pre-requisite puja for all ceremonies. This is followed by the worship of Adhishthana Devatas (designated gods).

Homam

Homam during Upanayanam ceremony

A red / yellow thread (raksha) is tied to the wrists of the persons performing the ritual. Then fire is ignited for homam. The yagnam is performed amidst Vedic chants while the father of the boy offers cow ghee and navadhanyalu (9 cereals) to Agni Deva. Panchabhootalu - the five elements of nature are also worshipped.

During the homam, prayer is offered to Agni Devi wishing for the child's overall well-being.

Panchasikha: Symbolic Importance

The maternal uncle of the boy, as per the directions of the priest, places darbha on the head of the child and cuts darbha alongwith a strand of hair.

Maternal uncle cutting a strand of hair

Next the father also repeats the same. And then the boy is taken to the barber for hair cut leaving Panchasikha i.e. tuft of hair at 5 places on the cleanly shaven head - 4 around the head and 1 on top centre.

The four tufts of hair around the head signify the four cardinal directions - North, South, East, West and the top centre tuft of hair represents the Cosmos.

Panchasikha ritual before Yajnopavita Dharana

The Panchasikha ritual is a pre-requisite for the young boy before Yajnopavita dharana. It signifies that the boy is ready to lead a simple life without any distraction for physical appearance and worldly pleasures. It also signifies the boy's determination to obtain Vedic knowledge with purity of mind.

Yajnopavita Dharana

Yajnopavita Dharana by Abhishek Challa (father) and Bindu Challa (mother)

Upanayanam consists of two important rituals:

Yajnopavita Dharana: Wearing of the 3-stranded sacred thread.
Brahmopadesam: reciting Gayatri Mantram by his 1st guru (father), into his right ear.

After the boy is done with Panchasikha, he takes bath. The boy then wears the customary attire with a tilakam on his forehead. He walks to the mandapam and sits with his parents to continue with the rituals.

While the priest chants Vedic Mantras, the father and mother place the Yajnopavitam on the boy's left shoulder and hang it diagonally under his right arm as per the directions of the priest. Once the Yajnopavitam is worn, the boy is eligible for performing rituals and studying Vedas. This is also a pre-requisite for marriage.

Also Read: Traditional Telugu Brahmin Marriage Procedure

Yajnopavitam: Symbol of Spiritual Responsibility

Yajnopavitam is the investiture of the sacred thread consisting of three strands (for a Brahmin boy). These three strands represent various aspects:

The animate, inanimate and the Brahma
Tridevi: Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati
Trimurti: Brahma, Vishnu, Siva
Gayatri Devi, Saraswati, Savitr Devi
Purity of thought, word and deed (manasa, vacha, karmana)
Trigunas (physical nature) - satva, rajo, tamo
Srishti, sthiti, laya
Debt to gurus for imparting knowledge, debt to parents for giving life and debt to Brahma for the existence.
Bhoota (past), Vartamana (present) and Bhavishya (future)
Ida, Pingala, Sushmna nadi through which the Kundalini sakti generates.

After Yajnopaveeta Dharana, the boy has to wear it lifelong. It continuously reminds him of his responsibilities and strictly adhere to the vows undertaken to lead a disciplined / celibate life in the righteous path.

The three strands of the Yajnopavitam are joined with a knot in the middle representing the all-pervading pure form of energy i.e. the formless Brahma. This knot is called the Brahmagranthi i.e. the Knot of Brahma interpreting that the entire Universe emerges from Brahma and finally merges with Brahma which is the Ultimate Truth.

Kumara Bhojanam

The Vatuvu is then served with specially prepared Sattvic Bhojanam (diet) in the specified manner. He sits with other young children and food is served in a traditional way.

Vatuvu having Kumara Bhojanam in the specified manner

Sattvic food trains his mind to have a control over his sense of taste. Sattvic food keeps the mind calm and controlled and it stops craving for worldly pleasures.

After bhojanam, the boy is brought to the mandapam and is made to wear a short cotton vastram / dhoti which should be knee-length as per Sastras.

Vastradharana: Customary Attire

Next, the father ties a belt made of Darbha round the waist of the boy as a safeguard from all negativities.

Brahmopadesam: Spiritual Rebirth of the Child

Brahmopadesam is the secret of life that reveals the nature of Brahma, the Ultimate Truth. After Yajnopavita Dharana, the boy called Vatuvu gets into Brahmacharya stage and is eligible to receive Vedic knowledge from the guru.

The priest then explains the importance of sacred duties, significance of Brahmacharya and the need for Sandhyavandanam to the Vatuvu and prepares him for Brahmopadesam - the most important ritual of the ceremony.

The boy and his father sit face to face and the priest sits beside them. They are covered with a white cloth over them. The priest then gives Brahmopadesam to the Vatuvu. He utters the all-powerful Gayatri Mantram into the Vatuvu's ear in a very low voice. Then the boy's father who hears it, initiates the Vatuvu with Brahmopadesam by whispering the same into the boy's right ear. The father, the boy's first guru, makes him repeat Gayatri Mantra.

Abhishek Challa (father) giving Brahmopadesam to the Vatuvu

Gayatri Mantropadesam by 1st guru i.e. his father marks the spiritual rebirth of the boy and Gayatri Devi becomes his Spiritual mother. Thus, he becomes a Dwija i.e. the twice-born. Henceforth, the boy has to take care of his spiritual mother by regular chanting of Gayatri Mantra and performing Sandhyavandanam thrice a day.

For a Brahmachari who performs his duty towards his spiritual mother sincerely and selflessly, the grace and blessings bestowed by Vedamata Gayatri Devi is infinite, boundless and immeasurable. And one who experiences the Mother's grace, enjoys Cosmic Bliss in his limitless journey of divine connection.

Gayatri Mantra: Benefits and Significance

This Supreme Mantra is the most precious and sacred possession of the boy in the ceremony.

The Gayatri Mantra is chanted for spiritual enlightenment, but not for temporary worldly gains. Chanting the mantra with a pure mind and complete devotion brings Divine Knowledge and boundless Cosmic Bliss. Once engrossed in this Bliss, one finds worldly pleasures entirely meaningless.

After Upanayanam, the Brahmachari is supposed to daily practice it in a prescribed manner. It becomes his basic religious duty to perform Sandhyavandanam thrice a day and chant Gayatri Mantra in the proper manner.

The benefits of this sacred performance are countless. Some of them are:

Generates positive energy
Protects from negative energies
Improves concentration and focus of mind
Keeps the mind balanced
Improves the purity of mind
Gives inner peace
Spiritual awakening and spiritual growth
Divine wisdom and enlightenment
Finally understanding of the core concept of human existence and the Ultimate Truth / God-Realisation

Gayatri Mantra is religiously / traditionally chanted by the Brahmins for the welfare and harmony of the Universe.

After the Brahmopadesam ritual, in some Brahmin sects, amidst Mangala Vaidyam as the priest chants Veda Mantram, the Vatuvu's parents place jeelakarra, bellam (paste made of cumin seeds and jaggery) on his head during the sumuhurtham. The elders, then bless the child with akshintalu.

Upanayana Homam

Upanayana Homam

This ritual is an important part of the ceremony in which the very meaning of Upanayam underlies. 'Upa' + 'nayana' which in Sanskrit means getting closer to the guru.

The father takes his son (vatuvu) in his lap and places both his hands around his son. The father then makes the child perform homam by offering ghee.

Danda Dharana and Surya Darsanam

The boy is then holds a peepal tree twig in his right hand as a dandam. The father then takes the son outside for Surya darsanam and seeks his blessings as he is the Pratyaksha Sakshi (eye witness) of the ceremony. A peepal twig is taken as Brahma, Vishnu and Siva reside in it.

Bhiskha

Bhikshakaranam

At the end of the ceremony, the student who is newly admitted into the spiritual world i.e. the Vatuvu in the customary attire with knee-length cotton dhoti, panchasikha, dandam, new yajnopavitam and darbha belt round his waist walks for begging alms i.e. Bhiksha. He first walks to his mother, bows before her and seek alms. He tells his gotra namalu and seeks first bhiksha from her saying, "Bhavathi Bhikshan Dehi".

As per Sastras, the Vatuvu should get his first Bhiksha from his mother only.

The mother, then pours handful of rice grains, three times in his begging bag. And with her permission, he then walks to other elders to beg alms and seek their blessings. This rituals makes the boy humble and helps him to control his ego and helps him respect his elders.

The ceremony concludes with Mangala Harati by the married women of the family.

Daily Duties After Upanayanam

The boy should perform Sandhyavandanam thrice a day - morning, noon and evening and do Gayatri Japam. He is encouraged to respect elders, follow Sanatana Dharma, learn the scriptures and lead a disciplined life.

Modern-Day Upanayanam Celebrations

Today many families perform Vodugu in temples, community halls and very few perform at home.

The modern-day celebrations of Upanayanam have become grander, yet the spiritual essence remains unaltered. Parents are encouraging their children to understand the meaning of Gayatri Mantram, the importance of Sandhyavandanam and the value of spirituality and discipline.

Each and every ritual of the entire Upanayam procedure symbolises spiritual awakening, attaining Divine knowledge and finally understanding the purpose of human existence.

Conclusion

Telugu Brahmin Upanayanam or Vodugu is not just a family function but a sacred spiritual milestone. It connects the child to ancient Vedic traditions, divine knowledge, and disciplined living.

The ceremony teaches humility, devotion, responsibility and spiritual awareness. Even in modern times, Upanayanam continues to preserve the timeless wisdom of Sanatana Dharma and Telugu Brahmin culture.

For every Telugu Brahmin family, Vodugu remains a cherished and unforgettable sacred occasion filled with blessings, tradition, and divine grace.

On 20th April 2026, we attended the Upanayanam function of my co-sister-in-law's grandson Chy. Abhinava Shankar Challa. The ceremony was held at Hari Hara Hall, Ananta Padmanabha Swamy temple in Adyar, Chennai. It was a deeply memorable and spiritually enriching experience to witness and understand each ritual of the Upanayanam ceremony in detail.

Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani Chivukula

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Our Rameswaram Pilgrimage: Teertha Snanams and Darshan

2026-05-24T17:27:46.416+05:30

Our Experience: Early Morning Sphatikalinga Darshan at Rameswaram Temple

On 19th April 2026, we (myself, my husband and daughter) experienced one of the most memorable spiritual journeys of our lives - 'the early morning 'Sphatikalinga Darshan' at Sri Ramanatha Swamy temple, Rameswaram.

It was dark all around, when we had bath in the hotel room and started for early morning Sphatikalinga Darshan. We took an auto-richshaw from Hotel Rameswaram Grand to the South Gopuram of the temple carrying a pair of clothes with us for changing after the sacred Teertha snanams (also known as Theertha Snan).

The temple surrounding was lively with pilgrims moving around. I saw some devotees returning in wet clothes from Agni Teertha Snanam. Most of the devotees first have Agniteertha Snanam and then go for Sphatikalinga Darshan.

East Gopuram / Entrance of Rameswaram Temple

By the time we reached the East Gopuram at 4.20 a.m, there was already a big queue at Entry Point. Mobiles and cameras are strictly not allowed inside the temple for Sphatikalinga Darshan. Devotees in the queue can deposit their mobiles at the counter just opposite the East Gopuram.

Many devotees in the queue were enquiring about Sphatikalinga Darshan ticket counter. On inquiry, we came to know that tickets are sold inside the temple premises near the sanctorum. There is no advance booking of the tickets. The queue was long, yet it moved fast silently. As we were nearing the santorum, we took tickets which costed Rs.50/- per person.

We then moved silently chanting Siva Panchakshari (Om Namah Shivaya). And the moment we stepped into the sanctorum, we went into a trance for a moment on having the very first sight of the enchanting Sphatikalingam. We completely forgot the surroundings and the materialistic world for a while. Our minds fully focussed on the Divine Sphatikalingam that was glowing in the deepam lights.

The Sphatikalingam that was placed in the middle with two oil-lit lamps behind and two one either side, looked crystal clear. We truly felt the Divine blessings of Sri Ramanatha Swamy and moved forward. It was a Sunday and queue was too long. However, by the grace of Sri Ramanatha Swamy, we had a wonderful and satisfying darshan that filled our hearts with devotion.

After Sphatikalinga Darshan we spent some time at the North Gopuram listening to the reverberating morning mantras. A divine and fresh feeling crept within us energising our body and mind. We took few pics and walked towards Agniteertham which is situated in front of the East Gopuram of the temple.

📌 Rameswaram Sphatikalinga Darshan Information:

Also Known as: Mani Darshan
Ticket Price: ₹50 per person (Counter booking and online booking)
Darshan Timing: Daily 5:00 a.m to 6:00 a.m
Entry Point:East Gopuram (Gate)
Mobiles phones and Cameras: Not allowed. Mobile deposit counter just opposite the East Gopuram.
Important Rule: Neat and clean traditional dress. Darshan with wet clothes after Agniteertha snanam is strictly not allowed inside the sanctum.

What is Sphatikalingam

Sphatika (also spelled as Sphatikam) is a naturally occuring quartz mineral stone that is glass-like, transparent, crystal clear and very shiny.

The Sphatikalingam at Rameswaram temple was originally in Sringeri Matham (or Math. It was worshipped by Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankaracharya. In 2021, on request by the authorities of Sri Ramanatha Swamy temple, the Sphatikalingam was handed over to the temple authorities by the Sringeri Matham. From then onwards, daily pujas and abhishekams are performed to the Sphatikalingam in the Garbha Griha and is open for darshan.

Made of pure crystal, the Sphatikalingam symbolizes purity, divine energy and spiritual enlightenment. During the early morning ritual, the lingam is worshipped with sacred chants and abhishekam. Sphatikalinga darshan purifies the mind and gives inner peace. Truly, we experienced inner peace after the Sphatikalinga Darshan.

Experiencing Agniteertha Snanam at Sunrise

Entrance of Agniteertham, Rameswaram

After a blissful Sphatikalinga Darshan, we walked to Agniteertham located opposite to East Gopuram. The place was heavily crowded and the surroundings are not so clean.

Pilgrims are showing much interest in rituals and sacred dip in the Teertham and not bothered about maintaining the sanctity of the place. That was a bit digusting. There is no proper maintenance of the place. Many devotees are polluting the sea waters by throwing all kinds of trash into the sea including Darbha (grass), black sesame (til) and other tarpanam items used for their ancestral rituals on the seashore.

'Sacred teerthams deserve reverence and preserving their is also a devotion'.

We could hardly find a better place at Agniteertham for a sacred dip. So, I tightly held my husband's hand and precariously stepped into the shallow waters. Many pilgrims were going deep into the sea but I couldn't dare. The moment we took our first sacred dip and raised, we felt blessed at the wonderful view of sun rising from the seawater.

Sunrise from Sea at Agniteertham

We did Namaskaram to Surya Bhagawan and we chanted Navagraha Stotram followed by Aditya Hrudayam. While chanting, we just admired the golden rays spread across the waters. The devotees shouted and in joy watching sunrise from the Bay of Bengal. Standing in the sacred Agniteertham waters and having the beautiful view of Sunrise over the sea created an unforgettable spiritual experience.

Agniteertham is the most sacred of all the teerthams in Rameswaram. Pilgrims take sacred bath in Agniteertham to wash away their sins and purify themselves. As per tradition, devotees first take bath in Agni teertham and then proceed to the 22 theertha snanams inside the temple.

📌 22 Teertha Snanam: Essential Information

Temple Ticket Price: ₹25 per person (Counter and online booking). Sprinkle water on the head from the 22 teerthams
Authorised Private Person Charges: ₹500 per person (on the spot engaging). Pour small bucket full of water on the head from the 22 teerthams
Timings: Daily 6:00 a.m onwards.
Locker Facilities: Clock rooms/lockers are available near the temple entrance to securely store dry clothes, phones, and bags.
Changing Rooms: Open-corridor changing enclosures are available near the final well. Bringing a companion (specially for women) to help manage your dry outfits is highly recommended.

The Sacred 22 Teertha Snanam: A Refreshing Divine Experience

From Agniteertham, we walked to the temple for the famous 22 Teertham Snanams in clothes dripping with water. We booked online tickets for 22 Teertha Snanam at Rs.25/- per person. But seeing the heavy rush in the queue we engaged an authorised private person who charged Rs.500/- per person for pouring one small bucketful of water on each one of us from each of the 22 teerthams.

It was a Sunday and there was heavy crowd at the 22 teerthams. The person whom we engaged walked along the corridors in the temple premises and we followed him. He drew water from the teertham and poured bucketful of water on each of us in turns, first my husband and myself behind him and our daughter behind me.

Finally we had the wonderful experience of having sacred snanam in the 22 teerthams. And all the while our minds fully focused of Sri Ramanatha Swamy and lips automatically chanting 'Om Namah Sivaya'. These teerthams are actually wells except one teertham which is a Pushkarini (a temple tank).

Though walked on the slippery stones managing the crowd and the continuous pouring of sacred teertham water was physically exhausting, it was spiritually energising. We were so immersed that we couldn't even make out the difference in the taste and temerature of water in different wells.

This was one of the most spiritually refreshing and memorabe experiences of our pilgrimage. Fully drenched, we walked to the place where pilgrims were changing the clothes. We managed to find a place behind a small shrine and changed our clothes.

After resting for a while we walked for the special darshan for which we booked tickets online. We were blessed to have Jyotirlinga darshan, the second time. With our minds physically refreshed and spiritually recharged, we were back to our hotel room.

Benefits of Having Bath in the 22 Theerthams

Mahalakshmi Theertham - health, wealth and prosperity.
Savithri Theertham - purity of thought, virtue and spiritual wisdom.
Gayathri Theertham - enhances spiritual energy and mental clarity.
Saraswathi Theertham - this theertham is important for students as they are blessed with knowledge, wisdom and success in education.
Sethu Madhava Theertham - removes sins.
Gandhamadana Theertham - purification of mind and inner peace.
Kavacha Theertham - divine protection from negative effects.
Gavaya Theertham - physical and spiritual purification.
Nala Theertham - Nala and Neela are the two main architects of Ram Setu. A bath with waters from this well helps in removing obstacles.
Neela Theertham - give strength and determination.
Sangu (Sankhu) Theertham - Sankhu / sankham is the divine conch of Sri Maha Vishnu. A bath with this well water, gives positive energy and sacred vibrations.
Chakra Theertham - Sudarshana Chakram is the celestial disc of Sri Maha Vishnu. A bath with the sacred waters of this well destroys all negativity.
Brahmahathi Vimochana Theertham - relieves from severe sins and karmic effects.
Surya Theertham - improves health and vitality.
Chandra Theertham - brings peace and emotional balance.
Ganga Theertham - relieves from all sins and gives salvation / moksha.
Yamuna Theertham - gives divine blessing and purity.
Gaya Theertham - gives the results of performing ancestral rituals and blesses forefathers.
Siva Theertham - purifies the soul.
Sathyaamirtha Theertham - gives truthfulness, righteousness and virtuous living.
Sarva Theertham - gives the collective power / effect of all the sacred river waters.
Kodi Theertham - the holiest among the 22 theerthams and grants immense spiritual merit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Sphatikalinga Darshan at Rameswaram?
Sphatikalinga Darshan also known as Mani Darshan is early morning, 5 a.m to 6 a.m darshan of the Sphatikalingam (crystal lingam) in the temple.
Is there a dress code for Sphatikalinga darshan and teertha snanams?
Yes, there is dress code. Men must wear dhoti and upper wear. Women must wear sari or salwar kameez. Wester outfits are strictly not allowed.
Can we book tickets only for Sphatikalinga darshan and teertha snanams?
Yes
What is Agniteertha snanam?
The sacred seashore located opposite the East Gopuram of Rameswaram temple is called Agniteertham. Agniteertha snanam is a sacred dip or bath in this teertham.
Should we have Sphatikalinga darshan only after having Agniteertha snanam?
It is a good practice to have Agniteertha snanam and then go for Sphatikalinga darshan. However it is not mandatory. It depends on one's personal choice and convenience.
Can we have Jyotirlinga darshan with wet clothes after 22 teertha snanam?
Strictly not allowed. You should change clothes and then go for darshan.

My Final Thoughts

Our pilgrim place are filled with centuries of faith and devotion. Every visit to an ancient Hindu temple brings peace to the mind, purity to the soul and devotion to the heart. Our pilgrimage to Rameswaram on 19th April 2025 with the divine Jyotirlinga and Sphatikalinga Darshan, sacred Agniteertha Snanam at sunrise and the refreshing 22 teertha snanam are wrapped in devotion and spiritually uplifting.

Family travel story by Sobha Kalyani

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Our Dhanushkodi Sunset Experience - A Family Travel Story

2026-05-21T18:17:51.946+05:30

Dhanushkodi, a hot tourist destination wrapped in history, spirituality and natural serene beauty. Dhanushkodi is one such place which is emotionally attached to me and I feel nostalgic wherever I think of this place. It was in our bucklist since long and finally we got the opportunity to visit Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi on 18th April 2026.

An evening drive from Rameswaram to Dhanushkodi was the highlight of our trip. It was truly an unforgettable journey through sacred legends, windswept shores, tragic ruins and aboveall the breathtaking sunset over the serene sea. Located at the southeastern tip of India, this small uninhabited place has turned into a dream destination of tourists and is gaining popularity.

Sunset View at Dhanushkodi

Dhanushkodi is a place for Hindus due to it's connection with Ram Setu. Geographically it is located at the place where the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean (Gulf of Mannar) meet. Once upon a time, it was a thriving town of the fishermen in the Pamban Island of Tamil Nadu, now it stands as a haunting tragedy or so to say haunting beauty reminding nature's fury.

April 18th 2026: Day 2 of our South Trip

On Day 1 we visited Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple.

On Day 2 we had early morning darshan of Meenakshi Amman and started for a long drive from Madurai to Rameswaram via Pamban Road Bridge. After the 3.5 hours enjoyable journey we reached our hotel room and had a sound sleep.

Our Journey from Hotel Rameswaram Grand to Dhanushkodi

At around 4:00 pm we started for Dhanushkodi in a hired cab. A half-day / few hours road trip to Dhanushkodi from Rameswaram is more than enough to explore the places in and around. Being mid-April, the weather was hot and humid, a typical coastal climate but our excitement to explore Dhanushkodi overshadowed the discomfort.

As we drove along the scenic road with stretches of sand and sparkling blue waters on either side, we could immediately sense that this was going to be a memorable evening of our family trip.

On the way to Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple, Dhanushkodi

Our First Stop: Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple

The ancient and revered temple of Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy was our first destination. By the time we reached the temple, it was crowded with tourists. There is no entry fee and no parking fee. Visitors can park their vehicles anywhere around the temple. There are some local vendors in front of the temple selling tender coconuts and other local stuff. After darshan, we enjoyed tender coconut water at this place.

Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple, Dhanushkodi

Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple: Historical and Spiritual Significance

Standing in serene isolation near the sea, the temple is one of the most sacred sites connected with Sri Rama. The temple is dedicated Sri Kodanda Rama. The place is very sacred to Hindus as this place had given shelter to Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman before they marched to Lanka.

This is place where Sri Rama gives refuge to Vibhishana, Ravana's younger brother. And also crowns him as the King of Lanka defeating / killing Ravana.

As per sacred texts, this place signifies Sri Rama's departure point to Lanka. Sri Rama's bow Kodanda was marked the flagpost (known as kodi in Tamil) for the war. Hence the place got its name Dhanush (bow) kodi (flagpost).

There are black idols of Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Sita Devi, Hanuman and Vibhishana in the Kodanda Ramaswamy temple symbolizing the importance of the event and the place. The temple is modest with stone carving / paintings depicting Ramayana scenes specially Vibhishana scenes.

The temple is on the shores, yet the structure survived the 1964 massive cyclone that devastated the entire Dhanushkodi village. This is the only surviving structure from the 1964 devastating cyclone.

Though much of Dhanushkodi is in ruins, the temple is still functioning symbolizing the power of faith and endurance against nature’s aggressions.

Few Moments in Peaceful Ambience

The quiet surroundings with sandy shores, sparse vegetation and the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean gives a serene and spiritual ambiance to this place. Added to the serenity the religious / historical significance makes the place deeply spiritual.

We spent few peaceful moments at this place with closed eyes and folded hands and prayed Sri Rama: few moments that were filled with reverence and calmness.

My Thoughts on this place

This is highly revered place for Hindus as Sri Rama and Hanuman stayed at this place for a while. Such a revered place has to be uplifted and well maintained with sanctity. But unfortunately, the entrance itself is full of disposables. The tourists should be aware of the importance of this place and maintain its sanctity.

Most of the tourists were shouting 'Jai Sri Ram' and then posing for selfies / clicks. I guess, they are from the north. I personally believe that true devotion lies in maintaining the sanctity of the place than showing off.

From Kodanda Ramaswamy temple to Arichal Munai, Dhanushkodi

Arichal Munai: The Last Road of India's Mainland in the South

Our next destination was Arichal Munai often described as the last accessible point of India's mainland. We continued our drive to reach the last road of India's mainland in the south. The view on either side with sandy shores and sea water was giving some kind of mixed feelings.

As we were nearing the destination, the driver pointed out something white at very far away distance on the horizon and told that those structures are of Sri Lanka. Those structures are windmills and are clearly visible to the naked eyes.

Road to Arichal Munai, Dhanuskodi

What Is Arichal Munai?

Arichal Munai are the Tamil words which literally mean “eroding point.” This narrow strip of land / road marks the end of the India's mainland beyond which there is only vast stretches of sea / ocean towards Sri Lanka. This is the closest point to Sri Lanka, which is approx. at a distance of 30 Km across the Palk Strait.

After the devastating cyclone of 1964, Dhanushkodi was not easily accessible to tourists. Arichal Munai: the last road was laid in 2017 making it easily accessible.

Palk Strait is a narrow strip of shallow waterway in the sea separating southeastern coast of Tamil Nadu in India from the northern coast of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest.

Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mannar (Indian Ocean) Meeting Point

Arichal Munai is the tip of Dhanushkodi and the closest point of India-Sri Lanka border. It is also the point of confluence of Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean (Gulf of Mannar). When you face eastwards to Sri Lanka, to your right is Indian Ocean and to the left is Bay of Bengal.

As we stood watching the vastness of the sea and the ocean, we could clearly make out the difference in the waves of the sea and the ocean. The waves of Indian ocean to our right are flowing northwards, while the waves of Bay of Bengal flowing to west, dashing each other.

The Ram Setu Connection

Arichal Munai is near the starting point of Ram Setu, the chain of limestone shoals built by Sri Rama's Vanara sena to reach Sri Lanka. Ram Setu is presently not visible as it is fully submerged in the ocean. However NASA satellite pictures reveal the existence of the ancient submerged bridge. The bridge separates Gulf of Mannar from Palk Strait.

Arichal Munai and Ram Setu - Our Experience

It was a joyous ride with stretch of unexplored beaches on either side of the road which came closer as we were approaching the end point. There is no specified parking place for vehicles which are parked one either side of the road and in the mid of the road as well blocking the narrow road.

In a mid-April's hot and sultry weather, the narrow road was jam-packed with vehicles with no proper parking rules, and with a flood of unruly crowd mostly from other states other than South India. We hardly found south Indian tourists at this place.

Vehicles are not allowed to go beyond a certain point, approx 2 - 3 Km away, wherefrom tourists have to walk till the end point. The road leading to the end point, is occupied by local vendors on either side, selling all kinds of stuff, right from eatables like mango pieces to decor items made of sea shells.

We walked slowly towards the spot and our bad luck, the approach road and the road encircling the end point was under construction and there were stones scattered everywhere on the road.

Honestly speaking, I had high hopes of this place on watching various travelers' Insta reels, YouTube Videos and Shorts, but in reality everything looked very different and not so glossy as seen in the reels or shorts.

Tourists were not allowed to go neither to the beach and nor to the Ram Setu point. There is a circular platform with a pillar at the centre on which stood our National Emblem. The tourists are busy taking reels and selfies at this spot standing on the platform.

Despite all the discomfort in the scorching heat, with the vast stretch of blue sea all around was an awesome experience. We could faintly see the windmills of Sri Lanka at the distant horizon, a sight that made us realize just how close another country lay across the waters.

After taking few pics and videos we silently enjoyed the beauty of the majestic ocean. 'Arichal Munai' is the south-eastern tip of Dhanushkodi in Pamban Island, Tamil Nadu. The place is surrounded by bue sea water on the three sides with a narrow strip of road leading to Rameswaram.

We don't even know how much time we spent at this place glaring at the majestic spell-binding view of the shallow calm waters of Bay of Bengal silently merging with the rough waves of Indian Ocean (Gulf of Mannar). We could clearly make out the difference between the ocean waves and the sea water.

The weather was too hot and sultry, the winds were not so pleasant, even then the uniqueness of the place made us overlook the discomfort. Standing at the last road of India's mainland and thinking of its historical significance was a great experience - an experience beyond description.

The greatest disappointment at this place was that the tourists were neither allowed to enter the beach nor the Ram Setu point. Standing at the crowded place, standing on the stony under-construction road, we spent long time staring at the blue wavy seas with mixed feelings.

Ruins of Dhanushkodi Railway Station

Dhanushkodi Railway Station Ruins: A Walk Through Time

After spending long hours at Arichal Munai, we started our return journey. On the way, we stopped at the haunting remains of the old Dhanushkodi Railway Station. As it was evening time very few visitors were seen at this place. The driver told that vehicles are not allowed to enter Dhanushkodi after 5 p.m. Visitors who enter the place before 5, move around and leave Dhanushkodi before it gets dark.

The 1964 Devastating Cyclone - Tragedy

On the night of 22nd December 1964, a catastrophic cyclone struck Dhanushkodi and the entire village was swept away with the sea waters and was completely destroyed. A passenger train that was about to reach Dhanushkodi Railway Station was engulfed by the giant tidal waves with no single survival. The intensity of damage caused was beyond repair by the govt. And the ruins presently stand as historical evidences. Later, the government had declared Dhanushkodi unfit for habitation.

Today, the skeletal remains of the railway station stand as a solemn memorial to that tragedy.

My Personal Connection with Dhanushkodi Railway Station

Dhanushkodi Railway station was very special and emotional for me. The reason, when my mother was around 8-10 years old, she visited this very Railway Staion at Dhanushkodi with her grandmother and traveled by train from Dhanushkodi to Madras (present Chennai). And this was long before the 1964 cyclone that changed everything forever.

I stood amidst the ruins of the railway station and imagined my mother as a little girl walking through this, once upon a time, bustling station, unaware of the tragedy that would one day reduce it to rubble. My mother is now in her heavenly abode and this visit was my silent tribute to her cherished childhood memory.

Dhanushkodi: The Ghost Town, a Tourists' Dream Destination

Dhanushkodi was a small port town during the British Rule in India mainly used for trade of goods from India and Sri Lanka. Tea from Sri Lanka and spices from India were transported to Europe. After the aftermath of 1964 super cyclone, it became a deserted town with ruins and was inaccessible.

It's just a decade or so, could be due to social media reels and shorts, Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi are being flooded mostly with north Indian tourists. There are also good number of tourists from West Bengal and Odisha. It has become a dream destination for a majority of north Indians.

Despite the heavy rush of tourists to this place, Dhanushkodi is not livable and there are no hotels or beach resorts to stay. Tourists are not allowed to stay at this place when it gets dark after sunset.

Watching Sunset at the Gulf of Mannar

Our final stop in Dhanushkodi was the sunset point overlooking the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mannar. There is a rustic wooden bridge without railings, into the sea where we saw very few tourists waiting for the sunset. The place was much much better than 'Arichal Munai', less crowd, calm and serene except for the gushing sound of the waves. A tranquil experience cherished forever.

Watching the Sun Sink into the Sea

We were enjoying the cool tranquil breeze in the gushing sound of the waves when the Sun slowly began its descent. The sky transformed into different shades of crimson red, orange, gold and greyish and it was like an oil painting on canvas. We and the very few tourists present, were silently admiring the stunning beauty of Mother Nature. The reflection of the colors on the waves of Gulf of Mannar created a mesmerizing spectaclur view and a truly relishable visual feast.

Sunset at Dhanushkodi

The cool sea breeze, the rhythmic sound of the waves, and the changing colors of the sky made the evening, one of the most peaceful moments of our trip. We took several photographs and videos, but some of the best moments of the evening are deeply preserved in our heart.

Sunset View at Dhanushkodi

Returning to Rameswaram

We drove back to Rameswaram carrying with us bundles of unforgettable memories. Dhanushkodi had offered us much more than scenic beauty. It gave us:

Spiritual enrichment at Sri Kodanda Rama Temple and by distant watching of Ram Setu point.
Geographic wonder at Arichal Munai as we could watch sunset over sea in the eastern part of India.
Emotional reflection at the railway station ruins as I remembered my dear mother who happened to visit this place during her childhood days.
Pure natural beauty of the majestic ocean and sea water.

The next day we had an early morning Spatikalinga darshan, Agnitheertha Snanam at sunrise and 22 theertha snanams

My Final Thoughts

Our evening trip to Dhanushkodi was a journey through mythology, history, personal memories and nature’s splendor. It is a photographers' paradise, especially during the golden hour

The sacred temple, the last road of India, the pathetic ruins of Dhanushkodi town and the stunning sunset combined to create an experience that deeply touched our hearts. It is truly a place that will leave you with memories long after the journey ends.

A Final Note: Respect our environment, avoid littering, avoid use of plastic and help preserve the unique coastal ecosystem of our country.

Family travel story by Sobha Kalyani

Also Read: Rameswaram Jyotirlinga and Spatikalinga Darshan and 22 Teertha Snanams.

Madurai to Rameswaram Road Trip Via Pamban Bridge - A Spiritual and Soulful Travel Experience

2026-05-16T15:18:13.963+05:30

17th April 2026: On Day 1 of our short trip to Tamil Nadu began with a blissful visit to Madurai Meenakshi temple

18th April 2026: Day 2 of our Tamil Nadu Trip

Day 2: We had early morning darshan of Meenakshi Amma. We then enjoyed a hot cup of filter coffee, did some shopping. After relishing delicious South Indian complimentary breakfast in hotel Gopuram Grand, we checked out and started for Madurai-Rameswaram Drive in a cab by 9.30 a.m The distance between Madurai to Rameswaram is approx 175 Km and the travel time on road is around 3.5 to 4 hours depending on the travel and stops at view points.

Madurai-Rameswaram Drive via Pamban Road Bridge

The experience of going through small and simple towns and villages rich in Tamil lifestyle was a soulful journey. Each and every moment of the 3.5 hours drive was somehting special and enjoyable.

It was a scenic drive not only through towns and villages but also through picturesque landscapes and blue strip of sea-scape. Madurai-Rameswaram road is one of the most popular road routes in India - a drive through the famous Pamban Bridge.

It was a family trip and we three (myself, husband and daughter) were fully immersed in the peaceful / tranquil atmosphere as the cab moved on and on. It was a hassle-free drive with very less traffic / vehicles on the road except for mobile speed-breakers at times, on the highway. Hahaa!

We moved on the highway leaving behind the hustle-bustle towns and gradually moved far far away from the maddening crowd. Once in a while just a two wheeler or a four wheeler to be seen moving on the road. Honestly speaking, it was so tranquil and calm all the way that while enjoying the greenery around us with coconut and palm trees, we started dozing and slowly crept into sleep.

When we got up after a nap, we noticed that the landscape is sandy with palm and coconut trees indicating that we are nearing sea coast.

We were too excited and early waited for the Pamban Road Bridge drive with the sea waters underneath. The car moved on and suddenly we spotted blue strip at a distance through the tall palm trees. Yes, the Indian Ocean to our right side. The majestic beauty of the Indian Ocean from a distance is beyond description.

We were even more excited to see a blue strip to our left side as well, yes it's the Bay of Bengal. As our cab moved on, we enjoyed the scenic beauty of Indian Ocean to our right and Bay of Bengal to our left. As we were observing, the blue strip of sea started getting closer and closer to the highway. It was a wonderful and lifetime memorable experience. And finally the cab entered the Pamban Bridge.

The Pamban Bridge

There are many vehicles at the entrance of the bridge and tourists were not only enjoying the beautiful oceanscape but also busty taking selfies, clicks and reels. We too stopped at the entrance of the bridge and immersed in the beauty of the ocean view and sea view on either side of the road.

View of Rameswaram from Pamban Bridge

The beautiful green island view of Rameswaram island from a distant, the new Pamban Rail Bridge in the right, old discarded Pamban Rail Bridge in the middle and the road bridge - what a spectacular view! After spending some time at this place and taking few clicks and reels, we moved on in the cab. The driver moved the car slowly so that we take take pictures and video shoots of Pamban Bridge.

Vehicles are not allowed to park in the roadside on the bridge. Though there are CCTV cams some tourists have parked their vehicles on the road side of the bridge. As our cab moved slowly across the bridge, I somehow managed to take the beautiful view of Rameswaram from a distant.

Reaching Rameswaram

Finally our cab moved down the bridge and finally we reached our destination: one of the most sacred places, Rameswaram on the South-east coast of Tamil Nadu. It was already 12.45 p.m when we reached Rameswaram. On the way, we saw our former President Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam's National Memorial. By the time we reached the place, it was closed, so we had an outside view of the National Memorial and went to a nearby veg restaurant for lunch.

It was afternoon time and the weather was too hot and sultry. On the way, we visited Sri Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple, looks like this is a newly constructed temple by some North Indian baba whose samadhi is in the entrance of the temple. There are few floating stones as well in display in the temple.

On the way, a local lady was selling beautiful handmade palm leaf baskets. I am very fond of handmade items, so bought one for 100 bucks. A little shopping on the way. Hahaa!

We were too exhausted and were badly in need of rest. We reached hotel Rameswaram Grand where we booked a room and checked-in without further delay. The room was spacious and comfortable with 3 beds. Immediately we jumped on the beds and slept for an hour and then got ready for Dhanushkodi visit.

A Family Travel Story by Sobha Kalyani

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Madurai Meenakshi Temple Visit - A Divinely and Blissful Experience

2026-05-15T22:55:50.449+05:30

Hyderabad to Madurai Flight

On 17th April 2026, our Indigo flight departed from Hyderabad airport at 3.00 p.m and landed at Madurai airport at 4.30 p.m. The one-and-a-half flight journey was enjoyable with beautiful aerial view of Western Ghats (Meghamalai Range) and landscapes.

In 2018, we visited Meenakshi Amman Temple during Dasara this was our 2nd visit to Madurai. We reached Hotel Gopuram Grand which diagonally opposite to the temple's West Tower. It's a good hotel with neat ambiance and friendly staff. We got a comfortable room with 3 beds.

Restaurant is in the ground floor where we had snacks and filter coffee. We then refreshed ourselves and walked to the temple for evening darshan.

Things to Know Before Visiting the Temple

Special entrance tickets are available online. We booked special entrance tickets online for Meenakshi and Sundareswar Swamy darshan for Rs.100 /- per person.

For the first visit, it is good / auspicious to enter the temple from East Gopuram. So we walked all the way from West Entrance to East Entrance.

Mobiles and cameras are strictly prohibited inside the temple. So we deposited our cell and slippers at the free shoe counter. For mobile there is a nominal charge of Rs.10. Fridays and Amavasya days are very auspicious for Meenakshi Amman darshan. We visited on Friday Amavasya day, so the temple was heavily crowded with devotees.

Strict dress code for girls / women. They must wear traditional dress only and are not allowed in western outfits (jeans / pants).

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi temple is located on the banks of river Vaiga in the ancient temple city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu. It is also referred as Meenaskhi Amman or Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. It is one of the oldest and most powerful temples of Tamil Nadu. The Gopurams or temple gates are very impressive with beautiful colourful imposing structures.

The presiding deity Meenakshi Amma is a form of Parvati Devi. Sundareswarar, a form of Shiva is Her divine consort. There is the mention of Meenakshi temple in the 6th century CE texts. The temple complex was re-built presently there are 14 tall gopurams. The South Gopuram is the tallest of all

The Gopurams have intricately designed colourful idols of variours forms. The architectural marvel of these Gopurams is a special attraction. The special attraction of these Gopurams is the intricately designed colourful idols of various forms which is a Dravidian style temple architectural marvel. The imposing Gopurams look magnificent from a distance and pilgrims automatically get attracted towards these Gopurams.

That's how the Gopuram looks. The above picture was clicked in 2018 during our visit to the temple. But this time unfortunately, there are some renovation works and this is how the gopuram looked now.

There are four majestic Rajagopurams, five gopurams on top of the grabha griha of Sundareswar temple and three gopurams on top of the grabha griha of Amman temple. Only Hindus are allowed inside sanctums to worship Meenakshi Amma and Sri Sundareswarar.

Inside the temple also, we couldn't enjoy the beautiful architecture due to the renovation works/

Meenakshi Temple History / Sthala Puranam

The temple is around 2,500 years old. According to legend, the childless couple, King Malayadwaja Pandya and Queen Kanchanamalai perform Putra Kameshti Yagna when a young girl with three breasts emerges from the Yagnakund.

A divine voice says that the young girl would become Queen Meenakshi. And her third / middle breast would disappear the moment she meets Her soulmate.

The young girl grows into a fierce warrior queen and goes on conquering territories. She reaches Mt Kailash and the moment she looks at Siva her third breast disappears. Thus, Siva visits Madurai in the form of Sundareswar and the divine wedding of queen Meenakshi and Sundareswar takes place in the grandest way.

The early construction of the temple was done by Pandyan Kings. The present structure of the temple was largely rebuilt and expanded by the Nayak dynasty in the 16th-17th century CE.

The Story of Meenakshamma and Adi Sankaracharya

According to local legend, initially Meenakshi Amma was worshipped only during the day time. The temple was closed in the night time and no one dared to go near the temple surroundings as Meenakshi Amma used to transform into a fierce, destructive form at night and roam around the city. The locals were thus terrified.

In the 8th century CE Adi Sankaracharya visited Madurai. When he came to know about the fierce form of the Mother, Adi Sankarachary determines to calm down and pacify the Mother. He enters the temple before night inspite of warnings from the locals. Adi Sankara calmly sits in front of the sanctum and starts meditating.

When Meenakshi Amma steps out of the sanctorum in Her fierce form, Adi Sankara stops Her and challenges with Her to a game of dice. The condition of the challenge is that loser of the game would do whatever the winner asks. Meenakshi Amman takes up the challenge and plays the game of dice with Adi Sankaracharya.

While trickly playing the game Adi Sankara designs and draws the sacred geometrical pattern in the sanctum sanctorum and thus installs the Sri Chakram.

After Adi Sankaracharya wins the game, he prostrates before the Mother and humbly requests Her to transform into a peaceful soothing energy. The Mother listens to her son's request and thus transforms herself from an uncontrollabe destructive night force into a calm, peaceful and merciful Mother and remains so forever. From then onwards, the Mother is worshipped during night as well.

On seeing Meenakshi Amman, Adi Sankaracharya instantly composed Meenakshi Pancharatna in praise of Amman.

Our Temple Visit

We walked from West Gopuram to East Gopuram, stood in the queue for security check and then stepped inside the temple. There are separate queues for free darshan and special darshan and both these queues are equally long. However, the queues moved fast and just at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum, the movement was paused due to some special seva to Meenakshi Amma.

The security informed that darshan will be open after 45 minutes, so everyone in the queue sat down. I carried a pocket book of Lalita Sahasranamam, I started reciting it and felt blessed recite sitting right in front of the garbha griha.

It was peak summer and the space was flooded with devotees, and despite the hot and sultry weather with lots of sweat flowing down, our minds were focussed on the divine blissful darshan of Meenakshi Amma. As I about to finish reciting Lalita Sahasranamam, everyone in the Q suddenly stood up and started moving. And slowly the line moved through the thin railing.

At the entrance there is an idol of Valli Devasena sameta Subramanya Swamy. We then stepped inside the grabha griha and felt blessed to have a wonderful and blissful darshan of Meenakshi Amma from a distance. Free darshan line on left side and special darshan line on right side moving in thin railings.

These railings have a sufficient gap and devotees can bend sideways to have darshan of Meenakshi Amma continuously as the line moves. This is one thing which I liked the most, no push and pull by the devotees and no shouts. All walking slowly with folded hands and praying Amman. Everything went peacefully and we stepped out.

From here we walked to Sundareswara Swamy shrine where we got the chance to perform special puja sitting right in front of the Sivalingam. By the time we stepped out of the temple, it was around 10 p.m. We had dinner / tiffin in the nearby veg restaurant and walked to our hotel.

Day 2: Madurai to Rameswaram by Road via Pamban Road Bridge

We went for an early morning darshan, the next day. After a peaceful darshan, we walked to the 1000-Pillar Mandapam. There is an entry ticket for Rs.5/-. But unfortunately the place was under renovation. We walked out of the West Gopuram and savoured hot filter coffee at a local stall. As always I did little shopping, and walked to the hotel.

After having breakfast, we checked out at around 9.30 a.m and started for the 3.5 hour cab drive Rameswaram.

A Family Travel Story by Sobha Kalyani

Ugadi Pachadi Shlokam

2026-03-17T17:27:35.464+05:30

Annamayya Keertana Tirumala Giriraya Lyrics in Telugu and English

2025-12-25T08:42:00.004+05:30

The Keertana: At a Glance:

Composer: Tallapaka Annamacharya
Deity: Sri Venkateswara Swamy
Language: Telugu
Ragam: Desala
Talam: Adi or Eka
Theme: In praise of Sri Venkateswara

Tirumala Giriraya Lyrics in Telugu

పల్లవి

తిరుమలగిరిరాయ దేవరాహుత్తరాయ
సురతవిన్నాణరాయ సుగుణకోనేటిరాయ

చరణం 1

సిరుల సింగారరాయ చెలువపు తిమ్మరాయ
సరస వైభవరాయ సకలవినోదరాయ
వర వసంతములరాయ వనితల విటరాయ
గురుతైన తేగరాయ కొండల కోనేటిరాయ

చరణం 2

గొల్లెతల వుద్దండరాయ గోపాలకృష్ణరాయ
చల్లు వెదజాణరాయ చల్లఁ బరిమళరాయ
చెల్లుబడి దర్మరాయ చెప్పరాని వలరాయ
కొల్లలైన భోగరాయ కొండల కోనేటిరాయ

చరణం 3

సామసంగీతరాయ సర్వమోహనరాయ
ధామవైకుంఠరాయ దైత్యవిభాళరాయ
కామించి నిన్నుఁ గోరితే గరుణించితివి నన్ను
శ్రీమంతుఁడ నీకు జయ శ్రీవేంకటరాయ

Lyrics in English

Pallavi

Tirumala Giriraya Devara Huttaraya
Surata Vinnanaraya Suguna Konetiraaya

Charanam 1

Sirula Singararaya Cheluvapu Timmaraya
Sarasa Vaibharaya Sakala Vinodaraya
Vara Vasantamularaya Vanitala Vitaraya
Gurutaina Tegaraya Kondala Konetiraya

Charanam 2

Golletala Vuddandaraya Gopala Krishnaraya
Challu Vedajaanaraya Challam Barimalaraya
Chellubadi Dharmaraya Chepparani Valaraya
Kollalaina Bhogaraya Kondala Konetiraya

Charanam 3

Sama Sangeetaraya Sarva Mohanaraya
Dhama Vaikuntharaya Daitya Vibhalaraya
Kaminchi Ninnu Gorite (Garuninchivi Nannu
Sreemanthuda Neeku Jaya Sri Venkatarya

Sri Annamacharya: The 15th Century Telugu Saint-Poet

Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya, popularly known as Annamayya, is a mystic saint-poet born in 1408 CE in Tallapaka a small village in the then Kadapa district (now Annamayya district) of Andhra Pradesh.

He was born to Narayana Suri and Lakkamamba, in a Telugu Brahmin family that popularised Vaishnavite faith in Andhra Pradesh in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Annamayya spent most of his life in composing 'Keertanas' and 'Padams' on Sri Venkateswara Swamy. He is regarded as 'Telugu Padakavi Pitamaha': the grand old man of Telugu poetry.

He also authored 12 Satakams, Ramayana in the form of Dwipada Sankeertana Lakshnam, Sringara Manjari and Venkatachala Mahatyam. Most of his works are in Telugu and Sanskrit languages.

Annamayya dedicated his life and compositions to Sri Venkateswara Swamy. His compositions are engraved on copper plates and are treasured in Sankeertana Bhandaram - a rock-built cell opposite the Hundi at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala. And these remained unnoticed for over 400 years.

He is one of the greatest saint-poets of Telugu literature and devotional music. He is widely regarded as the first known composer of Telugu keertanas and is known as the 'Toli Telugu Vaggeyakara' i.e. the first lyricist, composer and singer of the Telugu literature.

Annamayya is one of the earliest known musicians of India to compose more than 32,000 songs known as 'Sankeertanalu'. His songs are a beautiful combination of devotion, philosophy, ethics, and spiritualism. Most of his songs are sung in typical Telugu folk style which continue to be sung and cherished even today.

ॐ Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani Chivukula

Listen the song from the melodious voice of Dr.Sobha Raju garu

Our Visit to Sree Vadakkunathan Temple in Thrissur, Kerala

2025-12-21T12:18:00.007+05:30

Some destinations are rich in culture and uniqueness with fascinating history and vibrant traditions. Such places remain in our hearts forever. Sree Vadakkunathan temple in Thrissur is one such place that is very special. A visit to this ancient temple gave us a peaceful and divinely experience. The blessings of Sree Vadakkunathan (Siva) we felt in our souls is remembered forever.

Day 1 of our Kerala Tour in Mar 2025

Our Kerala tour in March 2025 was one of the most soothing and cherishable family trips. In the early hours on 12th March, we started from Hyderabad and landed at Kochi airport at around 9.30 in the morning. The airport small yet rich in showcasing the cultural heritage of Kerala. Unlike other airports with international standards, this airport is in typical Kerala style with pagoda-style / pyramid type roofs. We walked out looking at the beautiful airport that was soothing to the eyes. We looked at every minute thing with appreciation which reflects the rich culture and tradition of Kerala and the history of God's Own Country.

While making our trip planner, we came to know about this timeless temple of Shiva at Thrissur. As the temple is on the way to Guruvayur and closes by 11 a.m. And the time of drive from Kochi to Thrissur is around one and half hours. So there was time constraint and we have to reach the temple before it closes. So we skipped breakfast and refreshed ourselves with just a hot cup of filter coffee outside the airport and headed to Guruvayoor in our pre-booked cab. This is a sacred Shiva temple which is rich in history with the timeless presence of Sri Vadakkunathan.

From Kochi Airport to Vadakkunathan Temple

We moved on and on looking at and clicking the beautiful yellow blooms called ponna flowers hanging from the trees on either side of the road. These flowers are very dear to Guruvayoor Sri Krishna

We drove with our minds filled with the rhythm of devotion. The driver was too good and covered the distance just in one hour and so we reached the destination at the nick of the moment. We rushed into the temple after taking tickets at the main entrance gate and as we stepped inside we were awed at the timeless marvel of the temple with ancient and exquisite mural paintings on the outer walls. The air inside was filled with the fragrance of fresh flowers, chandan and agarbattis. This was the first time we experienced the Kerala culture which was too impressive with spiritual energy. As it was Day 1 of our Kerala tour, we were eager to explore and soak into the rich culture of Kerala.

Also Read:

As it was closing time, we were on our toes running to the main Sree Kovil / main shrine. Our minds focused on having the darsan of Sree Vadakkunathan while our eyes busy having a glance at the timeless marvel of the temple and the Kerala style architecture which look very much different from the Dravidian style temple architecture. We lost ourselves in the peaceful ambiance and walked fast in the corridor and hurried to the Sreekovil where there was a queue. Here, I noticed some devotees lighting ghee deepams in front of the main kovil. On enquiring, one of the temple persons helped us in purchasing the earthen ghee lamps and we lit them in front of the main temple. Though there was language problem as we don't understand Malayalam but being South Indians (Telugu), we somehow managed to understand what the person was communicating in Malayalam. The local people in the temple were too kind and helpful giving proper guidance to us. The line moved fast and we felt blessed to have the darshan of Sree Vadakkunathan. The Sivalingam looked quite different from the usual Sivalingams. It looked something like this as in the picture below

Photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple premises, so we couldn't take pictures inside the temple though we carried our mobiles. After darshan we walked to the place where prasadam was being distributed. The priest was giving little bit of chandan paste, few flowers and little ghee on a small plantain (banana) leaf. For the first time I saw such a prasadam and was surprised. We saw devotees licking the ghee as prasadam. We too did the same and then went round the temple. We halted at Ganapathi shrine where we saw a devotee purchasing something at the counter. On enquiry we came to know that prasadam - a special type of payasam almost similar to the famous Ayyappa prasadam, is being sold at the counter. The temple staff and the locals were kind and helped us in purchasing the prasadam. Though there was only language problem we somehow managed to communicate with mixed Tamil and Telugu added with signs and gestures.

A temple wrapped in calmness

The ancient temple of Wadakkunnathan located in the heart of Thrissur in Kerala, is one of the oldest and most revered Siva temples in Kerala. The temple has its connection with Parasurama (the 6th Avatar of Sri Maha Vishnu) and Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya. A visit to the temple offers a feast to the eyes with its ancient temple architecture and old mural paintings on its outer walls. There is spiritual depth in the temple with cultural significance. It stands as a symbol of architectural spiritual and cultural ethos of Kerala. It’s not just a place of worship but a living monument of the heritage of Kerala.

Sri Vadakkunathan Temple — also known as Vadakkumnathan Kshetram — is one of the oldest Siva temples in India which is believed to have been founded by Sri Parashurama himself who is the creator of Kerala. The temple is built in typical traditional Kerala architecture, featuring multi-tiered gopurams (gateways), slanting tiled roofs and finely carved wooden structures. Inside the temple complex, there are shrines of Parvati Devi, Ganapathi and Vishnu. The temple is a timeless monument of divine presence which continues to attract devotees with its magnificent architecture and sacred ambiance.

The temple is surrounded by a massive stone wall enclosing a lush green compound due to which it is peaceful inside inspite of being located in the heart of the city. The main deity of Vadakkunathan is housed in the Sreekovil which is in the Lingam form which is a 'swayambhu' lingam. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the temple, so we couldn't take the pictures inside the temple premises. Actually my daughter is very much fascinated on seeing the ancient murals on the walls and she wanted to take pics and videos of those murals but she couldn't.

The Kerala-style temple architecture

The temple is in typical Kerala-style architecture with monumental gopurams, multi-tiered slanting roofs, intricate wooden carvings and sprawling compound. The main Sreekovil houses the massive Sivalingam which to our surprise has layers of ghee covering offered by devotees. This feature remineded me of the moola virat (main deity) of Sri Varaha Narasimha Swamy at Simhachalam, which is fully covered with coats of sandalwood paste. And surprisingly, this ghee neither spoils nor melts even in summers. Whether there is a scienfific reasoning behind this or is this a miracle of Siva, is a question mark. There are few small shrines which include Ganapathi shrine.

Temple History and Sthalapuranam

The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 8th or 9th century CE (Current Era) and is one of the oldest temples in Kerala. According to Sthalapurana, it is said that Parasurama, the 6th avatar of Sri Maha Vishnu, has installed the Siva Lingam at this temple after reclaiming the land of Kerala from the sea.

It has also connection with Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankaracharya, a great Hindu philospher who believed / preached Advaita philosophy. His father Sivaguru and mother Aryamba worshipped Sri Vadakkunathan and were blessed with a son (Adi Sankara). Hence this temple is considered very revered. The temple reflects the rich cultural heritage and architectural tradition of Kerala.

Reflections from our visit to the temple

As it was closing time, the temple staff were asking the devotees to exit. So after a hectic visit of the temple we walked out at around 11.45 a.m and literally we felt as if we were walking on a hot pan. This is the only difficulty that we faced here. After few clicks in hot weather in front of the temple we were about to proceed to Guruvayur, when one of the locals suggested us to visit yet another very famous and important temple in Thrissur, Paramekkavu Bhagavathi Amma temple which close to Vadakkunathan temple. As per his suggestion we proceeded to Bhagavathi Amma Temple and really felt extremely blessed to have visited this temple. If not for the suggestion of the local person, we would have missed this powerful temple of Paramekkavu Bhagawathi Amma. We felt much more blessed to have watched the festival celebration at this temple with vibrant drum beats in typical Kerala style and also savoured delicious lunch (prasadam) in the temple.

Our visit to Sri Vadakkunathan Temple was not just a spiritual halt but was a journey into Kerala’s soul. From the legends of Parashurama to the silent power of the ghee-covered lingam, every moment felt like a bridge between the ancient and the eternal.

As we left the temple and stepped back into the rhythm of travel, we carried with us more than memories, we carried a sense of stillness, a whisper of divinity and the quiet joy of having touched something sacred.

Travel Info

Unlike in most of the temples in Kerala, there is no strict dress code at Vadakkunathan temple. Women can wear any traditional dress and not strictly Kerala type white sari. Men can wear pants but should enter with bare chest only.

For fully exploring the temple Vadakunnathan, visit at least one hour before the closing time which is 11 a.m.

Devotees can purchase prasadam, a special kind of payasam.

Though mobiles are allowed inside the temple, photography is strictly prohibited inside the premises. Maintain lines in silence and focus on the Sree Vadakkunathan and seek His blessings.

My Final Thoughts

Visit to Sree Vadakkunathan temple taught us that sometimes the best family journeys are not just long itineraries to faraway destinations but they are about spending peaceful time with togetherness. And that is what we experienced at Sree Vadakkunathan temple - a serene space where we can spend quiet time in a spiritual ambiance and feel the divine vibes.

Telugu Festival Dates 2026

2025-11-24T19:18:00.008+05:30

Introduction

Telugu Festival Dates 2026 provides a month-wise list of important Hindu festivals, Vratams, Poornima and Amavasyas, and auspicious observances followed by Telugu people.

This calendar includes major festival dates such as Ugadi, Sri Rama Navami, Varalakshmi Vratham, Vinayaka Chavithi, Dasara, Deepavali, and Vaikuntha Ekadashi, helping devotees plan their religious and family celebrations throughout the year.

📅 2026 Important Festivals: At a Glance

Makara Sankranti:	15th Jan.
Ugadi:	19th March
Sri Rama Navami:	27th March.
Varalakshmi Vratam:	27th August.
Krishnashtami:	4th Sept.
Vinayaka Chavithi:	14th Sept.
Vijaya Dasami:	20th October.
Deepavali:	8th Nov
Vaikuntha Ekadasi:	20th December

January 2026

3rd (Sat): Pushya Poornima
14th (Wed): Bhogi
15th (Thurs): Makara Sankranti
16th (Fri): Kanuma
17th (Sat): Mukkanuma
18th (Sun): Amavasya
19th (Mon): Magha Masam
23rd (Fri): Sri Panchami (Vasant Panchami)
25th (Sun): Ratha Saptami
29th (Thurs): Bheeshma Ekadasi

February 2026

1st (Sun): Maagha Poornima
15th (Sun): Maha Sivaratri
17th (Tues): Amavasya
18th (Wed): Phalguna Masam

March 2026

3rd (Tues): Holi Pournami
19th (Thurs): Amavasya / Chaitra Masam
19th (Thurs): Ugaadi - Sri Parabhava Nama Samvatsaram
27th (Fri): Sree Rama Navami

April 2026

2nd (Thurs): Chaitra Pournami
17th (Fri): Amavasya
18th (Sat): Vaisakha Masam
20th (Mon): Simchalam Chandanotsavam - Sri Vara Narasimha Swamy Nijaroopa Darsanam / Akshaya Tritiya

May 2026

1st (Fri): Vaisakha Poornima
16th (Sat): Amavasya
17th (Sun): Adhika Jyestha Masam
31st (Sun): Pournami

June 2026

15th (Mon): Amavasya
16th (Tue): Nija Jyestha Masam
29th (Mon): Jyestha Poornima

July 2026

14th (Tues): Amavasya
15th (Wed): Aashad Masam
17th (Fri): Sri Jagannatha Ratha Yatra
19th (Sun): Golconda Bonalu
25th (Sat): Tholi Ekadasi
26th (Sun): Bonalu
29th (Wed) - Aashad / Guru / Vyasa Poornima

August 2026

2nd (Sun): Bonalu
9th (Sun): Bonalu
12th (Wed) - Amavasya
13th (Thurs) - Sravana Masam
14th (Fri) - 1st Sravana Sukravaram
18th (Tues) - 1st Sravana Mangalavaram
21st (Fri) - Varalakshmi Vratam
25th (Tues) - 2nd Sravana Mangalavaram
28th (Fri) 3rd Sravana Sukravaram / Sravana (Janjala) Poornima

🔗 Also Read: Sravana Masam 2026: Festival Dates, Significance and Rituals

September 2026

1st (Tues) - 3rd Sravana Mangalavaram
4th (Fri) - 4th Sravana Sukravaram / Sri Krishna Janmashtami
8th (Tues) - Last Sravana Mangalavaram
11th (Fri) - Amavasya
12th (Sat) - Bhadrapadam
14th (Mon) - Vinayaka Chavithi
26th (Sat) - Bhadrapada Poornima
27th (Sun) - Mahalaya Paksham

October 2026

10th (Sat) - Mahalaya Amavasya
11th (Sun) - Aaswayuja Masam, Dasara Navaratrulu, Sharad Navaratrulu, Devi Navaratrulu
17th (Sat) - Saptami, Moola Nakshatram: Saraswati Puja
18th (Sun) - Ashtami
19th (Mon) - Durgashtami 19th (Mon) Maharnavami / Sukra Moodham starts
20th (Tues) - Vijaya Dasami
26th (Mon) - Aswayuja Poornima 29th (Thurs) - Sukra Moodham ends

🔗 Also Read: Karthika Masam 2026: Festival Dates, Rituals and Significance

November 2026

8th (Sun) - Deepavali Amavasya
9th (Mon) - Amavasya
10th (Tues) - Kartika Masam
13th (Fri) - Nagula Chavithi
16th (Mon) - 1st Kartika Somvaram
21st (Sat) - Ksheerabdi Dwadasi
23rd (Mon) - 2nd Kartika Somvaram
24th (Tues) - Kartika Poornima
30th (Mon) - 3rd Kartika Somvaram

December 2026

7th (Mon) - 4th Kartika Somvaram
8th (Tues) - Amavasya
9th (Wed) - Margasira Masam
16th (Wed) - Dhanur Masam
20th (Sun) - Mukkoti / Vaikuntha Ekadasi
24th (Thurs) - Margasira Poornima

Reference: TTD Calendar 2026

Boat Ride Experience in Pathala Ganga, Srisailam

2025-10-22T19:35:00.003+05:30

2nd Oct 2025 - on the day of Vijaya Dasami, we started for a sudden unplanned trip to Srisailam from Hyderabad as it was Dasara vacation. It was just a two-day trip and we were back home on 3rd Oct night. After an early morning Sparsh Darsan of Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy and a close darsan of Sri Brahmarambika Devi on 3rd Oct, we enjoyed a boat ride in Patala Ganga.

Well, this was our 2nd visit to Patala Ganga, the 1st visit was in 2008 when we went down to Patala Ganga in a rope way but we did go on a boat ride in our 1st visit. Our bad luck, this time the rope way was closed due to some technical problem and it is difficult for us to go down the stony steps. Going down the steps would be fine but climbing up would be too exhausting. So we couldn't dare to go down the steps, however we found that there are some private autos taking the tourists in a long route down to Patala Ganga.

I think, it was a temporary service due to the closure of rope way. There were auto on sharing basis charging Rs.150 per passenger. We (myself, my husband and daughter) wanted to take an auto separately without sharing basis but the drivers were not willing to go on non-sharing basis though they said it will be Rs.1200. Anyways, with great difficulty one young boy agreed to take us and finally we our auto ride down the rustic ghat road started.

My goodness, I was too scared as the narrow stony path (not a road) just meant for animals and human walking is being used for auto ride. The narrow road was highly uneven and the auto was continuously wobbling. It was so scary and I was continuously chanting mantras all along till we safely reached the destination. Moreover, the narrow rocky path was two-way and the vehicles had to halt aside to give way.

OMG! I never had such a scary experience added with a pinch of thrill and 'pacca local' experience. On reaching Patala Ganga, we were relieved and were literally awed at the beauty of nature at this place which was at Her best. It was more or less like Papikondalu with water flowing in between the mountains. It was a wonderful sight.

The way to ghat is a bit narrow with some food and tea stalls on either side. It gave a pure local ambiance with no western cult and no high tech and it made us really feel so good. In a local stall, we had 'goli soda' which is not to be seen in the present day cities and that too the person pressing the 'goli' with the finger - pacca local style.

After refreshing ourselves with a 'goli soda', we stepped down at the 'ghat' where few people are having holy dip in Patala Ganga.

The weather was pleasant and there was continuous cool breeze which was very soothing. We just sprinkled some Patala Ganga water on our heads and did 'Namaskaram' to Ganga Devi. We then purchased boat ride tickets and got into the boat which was ready for a ride. The tourists were given life jackets which is mandatory to wear.

The boat started and moved forward while the tourists including us, were busy capturing nature's beauty in their cams, while some were busy taking selfies. The boat rode slowly so that tourists can enjoy watching the nature which is at her best with the river taking curves in between the mountains - really a spectacular view.

Patala Ganga which is a kilometer away from the main temple, is highly sacred river and is actually the backwaters of Krishna river. Besides boating, there are few round 'theppalu' (basket-like boats) also. A boat ride in Patala Ganga is literally a calm experience amidst the mesmerising beauty of Mother Nature. Due to heavy rainfall this year, there was heavy in-flow of water and may be due to this there was not boat service to AKka Mahadevi caves.

Being a nature-lover, I very much enjoyed the nature-watch and the cool breeze (unpolluted). Just a thought, it would be really nice if the state govt and organisations come forward and take up development activities of this wonderful place and maintain the same. If this place is developed and well-maintained (both by govt / NGO and public / tourists), it would become a potential tourist attraction.

Well after a wonderful experience with Patala Ganga boat ride in Srisailam, we started our drive back to Hyderabad. On the way in the evening we visited the ancient 2nd century temple of Sri Uma Maheswara Swamy.

Kartika Masam Special - Hara Hara Mahadeva Song in Hindola Ragam

2025-10-21T21:51:00.005+05:30

“Sanātana Dharma is our eternal heritage – Preserving it across generations is our sacred duty." - Sobha Kalyani

Lyrics in English

Hara Hara Mahadeva Sankara
Himalayala ku Raalenayya
Maa oori lona nee aalayaana
Mrokkukundu naa mora vinavayya

Maarumula kugramamu naadi
Niru pedalu naa Janani janakulu
Ooru vidichi oorega jalane
Iruku bratuku nee keruka seyyaga

Kaliginadedo kanulakaddukoni
Kaalamu gadipe kashta jeevulamu
Rekkaladina dokkalu nindani
Kuti bratuku nee kerukajeyaga

Lyrics in Telugu

హర హర మహాదేవ శంకర
హిమాలయాలకు రాలేనయ్య
మా ఊరిలోన నీ ఆలయాన
మ్రొక్కుకుందు నా మొరవినవయ్యా

మారు మూల కుగ్రామము నాది
నిరు పేదలు నా జనని జనకులు
ఊరు విడిచి ఊరేగ జాలనె
ఇరుకు బ్రతుకు నీ కెరుక సేయగ

కలిగినదేదో కనుల కద్దుకొని
కాలము గడిపే కష్ట జీవులము
రెక్కలాడిన డొక్కలు నిండని
కూటి బ్రతుకు నీ కెరుక జేయగా

Listen to the song:

Visit to the Ancient Temple of Sri Uma Maheswaram in Achampet near SriSailam

2025-10-21T17:18:00.008+05:30

3rd October 2025, the day after Vijaya Dasami - we had an early morning Sparsh darsanam of Srisailam Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy and close darsanam of Sri Brahmarambika Devi. After energizing with the divine blessings we went on a boat ride in Patala Ganga and were on our way back to Hyderabad.

While driving from Hyderabad to Srisailam, the driver told us about Sri Uma Maheswara Swamy temple - a must-visit place. So on our way back to Hyderabad, he took us to this ancient temple which is located in a serene surroundings of the Nallamalla forest with breathtaking sceneries of the Eastern Ghats and valleys.
As we drove on the Srisailam-Hyderabad highway, from the by-pass we took the left turn at the temple arch (kamaan) and we drove deeper into the village side passing through a stretch of lush greenery on either side of the road where there is less of human interference. It was lonely road and we could hardly see any vehicle or person on the road except few of our ancestors - monkeys haha!.

After a long drive in the lonely village side road, we reached the foothill where there is a newly constructed temple. We took ticket for driving up the ghat road at the small ticket counter and moved up on the ghat road. It was a wonderful scenic drive on the steep curves of the ghat road with tranquil views of the Nallamalla mountains and valleys. We admired and enjoyed the serene views with a touch of spirituality.

There is a temple bus which keeps running up and down with pilgrims. On our way back from the temple, we saw the bus coming up with pilgrims. On reaching the destination we were greeted by a troop of our forefather (haha monkeys), each busy in its own world. We should be a bit careful as these monkeys might snatch the bags in our hands. We washed our legs and walked admiring the ancient rustic beauty of the surroundings with deep valleys full of greenery.
We took 'archana' ticket and had a peaceful pooja with Gotranamalu by the pujari. Unlike other famous Hindu temples, it was very peaceful here with no crowd at all and neither getting sandwiched between the crowd nor 'pondamma / kadalali' (get out fast) shouts from the temple securities / guards. So happily spent some time inside the temple admiring the ancient 2nd century CE (Common Era) Sivalingam. After stepping out of the temple, we enjoyed moving around and looking at the ancient surroundings with rocky mountains and waterfalls on one side and valley view on the other side. It was evening time and the weather was cool on the mountain top. As we walked further, we saw water continuously falling through the rocks of the mountains from a great height.

We came to know from the temple pujari that there is an ancient 'Swayambhu' Sivalingam of Sri Uma Maheswara Swamy inside a cave atop and the Sivalingam is unique as it is formed of two coloured rocks - red on one side and whitish on the other side . We also came to know that there is a gundam (spring) near the cave temple known as Papanasanam where there is a continuous spring of water coming out from underneath the huge rocks and the source from where this spring water is coming is a mystery and is till unknown. Devotees take a holy dip in this spring water as they believe that by doing so they are cleansed and get rid of all their papa karmas. Then they worship the idols of Nagadevatalu which are near the gundam to protect them from Naga dosham, if any. Unfortunately during our visit, cave temple and Papanasam were temporarily closed due to some landslide few days back.

This temple reminded me of Mangalagiri Panakala Narasimha Swamy temple. There is nothing else on the mountain top except this temple. No accommodation, no houses, no shops or no roadside vendors. Absolutely nothing else except this temple. Hope this place will develop in near future due to the inflow of tourists. Let's dive a bit deeper to know about this ancient temple.

About the Ancient Temple of Sri Uma Maheswaram, Achampet

The ancient temple of Sri Uma Maheswara Swamy is nestled in the serene and picturesque Nallamalla Forest Mountain Range with lush greenery, cool breeze and scienic views. The mountain-top temple is around 4 Km from Rangapur village in Achampet Mandalam of Nagarkurnool district in Telangana.

The temple is known as the Uttara Dwaram (North Entrance) of Srisailam and it is said that one must visit this temple after visiting Srisailam otherwise there won't be any good results just by visiting Srisailam temple. May be because of this belief the temple started gaining its lost glory. Being the North Gateway to Srisailam, this is a place for halt and entry to Nallamalla forests during ancient pilgrim trials to Srisailam. As per epigrahical sources, the inaccessible Srisailam temple in the olden days / present as well, is approachable from four cardinal points - East -Tripurantakam in Prakasam Dist, South - Siddhavatam in Cuddapah dist, West - Alampuram in Jogulamba Gadwal dist and North - Sri Uma Maheswaram in Nagarkurnool dist.

Though there is no strong historical evidences, as per locals the temple is built in the 2nd or 3rd century CE. The temple is built in south Indian architectural style with intricate carvings and paintings on stones and pillars. Some South Indian rulers like Pallava Kings who reigned might have constructed the temple, no historical evidence though.

As per locals info, the temple is a sacred grove that is protected by the local community and the surroundings is rich in flora and fauna with different species of medicinal plants.
The temple is open daily from 7 a.m to 7 p.m and there is Devasthanam bus service also daily from 7 a.m to 7 p.m at a frequency of every 15 minutes. The' Annaprasadam' centre in the temple daily serves lunch to devotees. The temple is a bit crowded on auspicious days like Maha Sivaratri and Kartika Masam. While on other days it's very calm and serene with less crowd.

We had a wonderful experience visiting this ancient temple of Sri Uma Maheswara Swamy. We not only had a good time enjoying the scenic beauty of nature at this place but also immersed ourselves in divine vibes exploring the historical rock carvings and paintings. Overall it was a great experience with spiritual awakening and natural beauty. The place is worth a visit.

Dasara Navaratri Day 2 - Sri Gayatri Ashtottara Shatanamavali

2025-09-21T16:31:00.004+05:30

శ్రీ గాయత్రీ అష్టోత్తర శతనామావళి
ప్రతి నామమునకు ముందు 'ఓం' అని, చివర 'నమః' అని చదవాలి

ఓం తరుణాదిత్య సంకాశ్యై నమః
సహస్ర నాయనోజ్జ్వలాయై
విచిత్ర మాల్యాభరణాయై
వరదాభయ హస్తాబ్జాయై
రేవాతీరవాసిన్యై
ణిప్రత్యయ విశేషఙ్ఞాయై
యంత్రాకృత విరాజితాయై
యంత్రాకృత విరాజితాయై
గోవింద పదగామిన్యై
దేవర్షిగణ సంస్తుత్యాయై
వనమాలా విభూషితాయై
స్యందనోత్తమ సంస్థానాయై
ధీర జీమూత నిస్వనాయై
మత్త మాతంగ గమనాయై
హిరణ్య కమలాసనాయై
ధియై
జనాధార నిరతాయై
యోగిన్యై
యోగ ధారిణ్యై
నటన నాట్యైక నిరతాయై
ప్రణవాద్యక్షరాత్మికాయై
చోర చారక్రియా సక్తాయై
దారిద్య్ర చ్ఛేద కారిణ్యై
యాదవేంద్ర కులోద్భూతాయై
తురీయ పథగామిన్యై
గాయత్ర్యై
గోమాత్యై
గంగాయై
గౌతమ్యై
గరుడాసనాయై
గేయగాన ప్రియాయై
గౌర్యై
గోవింద పద పూజితాయై
గంధర్వ నగరా గారాయై
గౌరవర్ణాయై
గణేశ్వర్యై
గదాశ్రయాయై
గుణవత్యై
గహ్వర్యై
గణపూజితాయై
గుణత్రయ సమాయుక్తాయై
గుణత్రయ వివర్జితాయై
గుహావాసాయై
గుణాధారాయై
గుహ్యాయై
గంధర్వ రూపిణ్యై
గార్గ్య ప్రియాయై
గురుపదాయై
గుహ్య లింగాంగ ధారిణ్యై
సావిత్ర్యై
సూర్య తనయాయై
సుషుమ్నానాడి భేదిన్యై
సుప్రకాశాయై
సుఖాసీనాయై
సుమత్యై
సుర పూజితాయై
సుషుప్త్య వస్థాయై
సుదత్యై
సుందర్యై
సాగరాంబరాయై
సుదాంశు బింబవదనాయై
సుస్తన్యై
సువిలోచనాయై
సీతాయై
సర్వాశ్రయాయై
సంధ్యాయై
సఫలాయై
సుఖ దాయిన్యై
సుభ్రువే
సునాసాయై
సుశ్రోణ్యై
సంసారార్ణవ తారిణ్యై
సామగాన ప్రియాయై
సాధ్వ్యై
సర్వాభరణ భూషితాయై
వైష్ణవ్యై
విమలాకారాయై
మాహేంద్ర్యై
మంత్ర రూపిణ్యై
మహాలక్ష్మ్యై
మహా సిద్ధ్యై
మహా మాయాయై
మహేశ్వర్యై
మొహిన్యై
మదనాకారాయై
మధుసూదన చోదితాయై
మీనాక్ష్యై
మధురావాసాయై
నాగేంద్రతనయాయై
ఉమాయై
త్రివిక్రమ పదాక్రాంతాయై
త్రిస్వరాయై
త్రివిలోచనాయై
సూర్యమండల మధ్యస్థాయై
చంద్ర మండల సంస్థితాయై
వహ్నిమండల మధ్యస్థాయై
వాయు మండల మధ్యస్థాయై
వ్యోమ మండల మధ్యస్థాయై
చక్రిణ్యై
చక్ర రూపిణ్యై
కాలచక్ర వితానస్థాయై
చంద్రమండల దర్పణాయై
జ్యోత్స్నా తపాను లిప్తాంగ్యై
మహామారుతీ వీజితాయై
సర్వ మంత్రాశ్రయాయై
ధెనవే
పాపఘ్న్యై
పరమేశ్వర్యై

|| ఇతి శ్రీ గాయత్రీ అష్టోత్తర శతనామావళి సంపూర్ణం ||

Download pdf of Sri Gayatri Ashtottara Satanamavali in Telugu

Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani Chivukula

Dasara Navaratri Stotrams in Telugu

👉Day 1: Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Ashtottara Satanamavali in Telugu

Dasara Navaratri Day 1 - Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Ashtottara Shatanamavali in Telugu

2025-09-20T23:42:00.010+05:30

శ్రీ బాలా త్రిపుర సుందరి అష్టోత్తర శతనామావళి

ఓం కళ్యాణ్యై నమః
ఓం త్రిపురాయై నమః
ఓం బాలాయై నమః
ఓం మాయాయై నమః
ఓం త్రిపుర సుందర్యై నమః
ఓం సుందర్యై నమః
ఓం సౌభాగ్యవత్యై నమః
ఓం క్లీంకార్యై నమః
ఓం సర్వమంగళాయై నమః
ఓం హ్రీంకార్యై నమః
ఓం స్కందజనన్యై నమః
ఓం పరాయై నమః
ఓం పంచదశాక్షర్యై నమః
ఓం త్రిలోక్యై నమః
ఓం మోహనాధీశాయై నమః
ఓం సర్వేశ్వర్యై నమః
ఓం సర్వరూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం సర్వసంక్షభిణ్యై నమః
ఓం పూర్ణాయై నమః
ఓం నవముద్రేశ్వర్యై నమః
ఓం శివాయై నమః
ఓం అనంగ కుసుమాయై నమః
ఓం ఖ్యాతయై నమః
ఓం అనంగాయై నమః
ఓం భువనేశ్వర్యై నమః
ఓం జప్యాయై నమః
ఓం స్తవ్యాయై నమః
ఓం శ్రుత్యై నమః
ఓం నిత్యాయై నమః
ఓం నిత్యక్లిన్నాయై నమః
ఓం అమృతోద్భవాయై నమః
ఓం మోహిన్యై నమః
ఓం పరమాయై నమః
ఓం ఆనంద దాయై నమః
ఓం కామేశ్యై నమః
ఓం తరణాయై నమః
ఓం కళాయై నమః
ఓం కళావత్యై నమః
ఓం భగవత్యై నమః
ఓం పద్మరాగ కిరీటిన్యై నమః
ఓం సౌగంధన్యై నమః
ఓం సరిద్వేణ్యై నమః
ఓం మంత్రిణ్యై నమః
ఓం మంత్ర రూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం తత్త్వత్రయ్యై నమః
ఓం తత్తమయ్యై నమః
ఓం సిద్ధాయై నమః
ఓం త్రిపురు వాసిన్యై నమః
ఓం శ్రియై నమః
ఓం మత్యై నమః
ఓం మహాదేవ్యై నమః
ఓం కౌళిన్యై నమః
ఓం పర దేవతాయై నమః
ఓం కైవల్య రేఖాయై నమః
ఓం వశిన్యై నమః
ఓం సర్వేశ్వర్యై నమః
ఓం సర్వ మాతృకాయై నమః
ఓం విష్ణుస్వ శ్రేయసే నమః
ఓం దేవమాత్రే నమః
ఓం సర్వ సంపత్ప్ర దాయిన్యై నమః
ఓం కింకర్యై నమః
ఓం మాత్రే నమః
ఓం గీర్వాణ్యై నమః
ఓం సురాపానా మోదిన్యై నమః
ఓం ఆధారాయై నమః
ఓం హితపత్నికాయై నమః
ఓం స్వాధిష్టాన సమాశ్రయాయై నమః
ఓం అనాహతాబ్జ నిలయాయై నమః
ఓం మణిపూర సమాశ్రయాయై నమః
ఓం ఆజ్ఞాయై నమః
ఓం పద్మాసనాసీనాయై నమః
ఓం విశుద్ధస్థల సంస్థితాయై నమః
ఓం అష్టత్రింశత్కళా మూర్త్యై నమః
ఓం సుషుమ్నాయై నమః
ఓం చారుమధ్యాయై నమః
ఓం యోగేశ్వర్యై నమః
ఓం మునిద్యేయాయై నమః
ఓం పరబ్రహ్మ స్వరూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం చతుర్భుజాయై నమః
ఓం చంద్ర చూడాయై నమః
ఓం పురాగమరూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం ఐంకారవిద్యాయై నమః
ఓం మహావిద్యాయై నమః
ఓం పంచప్రణవరూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం భూతేశ్వర్యై నమః
ఓం భూతమయ్యై నమః
ఓం పంచాశద్వర్ణరూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం షోడశన్యాస మహాభూషాయై నమః
ఓం కామాక్ష్యై నమః
ఓం దశ మాతృకాయై నమః
ఓం ఆధారశక్త్యై నమః
ఓం తరుణ్యై నమః
ఓం లక్ష్మ్యై నమః
ఓం త్రిపుర భైరవ్యై నమః
ఓం శాంభవ్యై నమః
ఓం సచ్చిదానందాయై నమః
ఓం సచ్చిదానంద రూపిణ్యై నమః
ఓం మాంగళ్య దాయిన్యై నమః
ఓం మాన్యాయై నమః
ఓం సర్వమంగళా కారిన్యై నమః
ఓం యోగలక్ష్మ్యై నమః
ఓం భోగలక్ష్మ్యై నమః
ఓం రాజ్యలక్ష్మ్యై నమః
ఓం త్రికోణగాయై నమః
ఓం సర్వ సౌభాగ్య సంపన్నాయై నమః
ఓం సర్వ సంపత్తి దాయిన్యై నమః
ఓం నవకోణపురా వాసాయై నమః
ఓం బిందుత్రయ సమన్వితాయై నమః

|| ఇతి శ్రీ బాలా త్రిపుర సుందరి అష్టోత్తర శతనామావళి సంపూర్ణం ||

Download pdf of Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Ashtottara Satanamavali in Telugu

Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani Chivukula

Dasara Navaratri Stotrams in Telugu

👉Day 2: Sri Gayatri Ashtottara Satanamavali in Telugu

Bala Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Harathi Song Lyrics in Telugu and English

2025-09-19T13:28:00.003+05:30

About the Song: "Bala Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Harathi"

"Bālā Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Hārati" is a beautiful Telugu devotional Harati song dedicated to Sri Bala Tripura Sundari, the youthful and compassionate form of the Divine Mother.

This song penned by Sri Prayaga Rangadasa is sung with intense devotion while offering Harati to the Divine Mother esp. during Dasara Navaratri celebrations.

The song glorifies the incomparable beauty of Bala Tripura Sundari, praises Her grace and compassion, and seeks her blessings for prosperity, protection, and spiritual guidance. The plea, "Gaana Lola Jaala Mela Daari Choopuma" expresses the devotee's yearning for divine guidance on the path of righteousness and devotion.

🕉️ At a Glance: Bala Tripura Sundari Harathi

🎼 Song Name:	Bala Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Harati
✍️ Lyricist:	Prayaga Rangadasa Garu
🎼 Musical Composer:	Sri M. Bala Muralikrishna Garu
🕉️Deity:	Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi
🔥Song Type:	Harati song
📜 Core Theme:	Complete surrender to Ammavaru purifies the mind, energises channels and awakens spiritual consciousness.

Bala Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Harati: Telugu Lyrics with English Transliteration and Meaning in English

రచన - ప్రయాగ రంగదాసు గారు
స్వరరచన - శ్రీ బాలమురళికృష్ణణ గారు
భజన పాట - తిశ్రగతి, ఏకతాళం

పల్లవి / Pallavi

Telugu Lyrics

బాలా త్రిపుర సుందరి గైకొనుమ హారతి
గానలోల జాలమెలా దారి చూపుమా

English Transliteration

Bālā Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Hārati
Gānalola jāla mela, dāri choopumā

Meaning: "O Divine Mother, Bala Tripura Sundari! Kindly accept this sacred Harathi offered with devotion. O lover of divine music and devotion, please show us the righteous path and guide us through life's journey."

In the pallavi, the devotee offers his ego and seeks guidance for the right path.

చరణం 1 / Charanam 1

Telugu Lyrics

సుందరాంగి అందరు నీ సాటిరారుగా
సందేహములు అందముగా తీర్పుమంటిని

English Transliteration

Sundarāngi andaru nee sāti rārugā
Sandhehamulu andamugā, theerpu Māntinee

Meaning: "O Mother, Your eternal beauty is incomparable and is equal to no one. I surrender myself and seek your guidance to beautifully clarify the doubts."

చరణం 2 / Charanam 2

Telugu Lyrics

వాసికెక్కి యున్న దానవనుచు నమ్మితి
రాసిగ సిరి సంపదలిచ్చి బ్రోవుమంటిని

English Transliteration

Vāsikekki unnadānavanuchu (dānavu + anuchu) nammiti
Rāsiga siri sampadalichi, brovumanti nee

Meaning: "O Mother, I believe that You are the Superior. I pray for wealth, prosperity and protection"

చరణం 3 / Charanam 3

Telugu Lyrics

ఓం హ్రీం శ్రీం యనచు మదిని తలచుచుంటిని
ఆపద లెడ బాపవమ్మ అతివ సుందరి

English Transliteration

Om Hreem Sreem yanuchu madini talachuchuntini
Āpadaleda bāpav(u)ammā, ativa Sundari

Meaning: "I meditate on You with constant chanting of Your sacred Beejaksharalu (prime syllables) - Om Hreem Sreem. Protect me from dangers and sorrows, O! beautiful Mother.

చరణం 4 / Charanam 4

Telugu Lyrics

స్థిరముగ శ్రీకడలి యందు వెలసితివమ్మా
ధరణిలో శ్రీరంగదాసుని దయను చూడుమా

English Transliteration

Sthiramuga Sri kadali yandu velasitivammā
Dharanilo Sri Rangadāsuni, dayanu choodumā

Spiritual Meaning: "O! Divine Mother, You have emerged from the Mighty Ocean. Kindly have mercy on Sri Rangadasu residing on Earth.

Also Read: Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Ashtottara Satanamavali in Telugu

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is Sri Bala Tripura Sundari?
A. Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi is the youthful form of the Divine Mother Sri Tripura Sundari Devi.

2. When is Bala Tripura Sundari Gaikonuma Harati, sung?
A. It is sung during Dasara Navaratri and in special poojas.

Who composed this Harati song?
A. Lyrical composition by Sri Prayaga Rangadasu garu and musical composition by Sri M. Balamuralikrishna garu.

4. What is the significance of "Om Hreem Sreem" in the song?
A. These are the sacred Beejaksharas (primodial syllables) associated with Divine Mother.

5. Can this Harati be sung at home?
A. Yes.

Conclusion

The hymn "Bālā Tripura Sundari Gai Konuma Hārathi" is a Telugu Harathi song filled with surrender, faith, and divine love. It reminds us that the compassionate Mother is always ready to guide, protect, and bless Her devotees who seek Her with sincerity.

The song conveys the message that complete surrender (Saranagati to the Divine Mother helps in illuminating the mind with spiritual wisdom and removes the materialistic illusionary world. It, thus, gives spiritual fulfillment.

ॐ Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani Chivukula

ॐ Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani

Vijayawada Sri Kanaka Durgamma Dasara Alankarams 2026

2025-09-15T12:43:00.006+05:30

About Vijayawada Sri Kanaka Durgamma

Vijayawada Kanka Durgamma atop Indrakiladri hill on the banks of River Krishnamma is worshipped in 9 different forms i.e. alankarams during Devi (Sharad) Navaratrulu. On each day of Dasara Navaratrulu, Durgamma is beautifully dressed in an alankaram with an ever-smiling face and is worshipped by the devotees.

The temple is located in the old town area (1 Town Police Station) where there is an old Peepal tree (Raavi Chettu). Kanaka Durgamma first appeared under a peepal tree (Raavi chettu) which is in the 1 Town Police Station area. Hence this area is considered as Durgamma's parent's house i.e. puttinillu.

A day prior to Dasara celebrations in the temple, the area surrounding the peepal tree in the 1 Town Police Station is beautifully decorated and the 1 town police officials offer turmeric powder (pasupu), vermilion (kumkuma), silk sari (pattu cheera) and other items to Kanaka Durgamma.

Devi Navaratri Utsavalu begin with the draping of silk sari offered by the police officials who are considered as Amma's puttinillu members. This has become customary since long and the police officials take active part in Devi Navaratri celebrations with devotion and dedication.

According to legends, during the rule of Kondaveeti Reddy Kings, Durgamma appeared in the dream of a soldier named Mangayya and directed him to dig Her out. As per Ammavari directions, the idol of Durgamma was dug out and placed under the peepal tree. From then onwards, it has become customary for the police officials to take active part in the Devi Navaratri Utsavalu.

This year (2026) the festival celebrations at Kanaka Durgamma temple begin on Monday 22nd Sept 2025 i.e. on Aswayuja Suddha Padyami and end on Thursday 2nd Oct 2025 i.e. on Aswayuja Suddha Dasami (Vijaya Dasami).

On each of the 9 days, Durgamma is dressed in different forms known as 'Alankaram' and is worshiped in different names. Sharad Navaratri Utsavalu start with the Kalasha Sthapana Pooja.

Dasara Mahotsavalu (11.10.26 - 20.10.2026):
Kanaka Durgamma Alankarams: At a Glance

Sunday 11.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha (Shukla) Padyami:
Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi
Monday 12.10.2026 / Aswayujua Suddha Vidiya (Dwitya):
Sri Gayatri Devi
Tuesday 13.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Taditya (Tritiya):
Sri Annapoorna Devi
Wednesday 14.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Chavithi (Chaturthi):
Sri Maha Chandi Devi
Thursday 15.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Panchami:
Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi
Friday 16.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Sashti:
Sri Saraswati Devi (Moola Nakshatram)
Satursday 17.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Saptami:
Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi
Sunday 18.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Ashtami:
Sri Durga Devi (Durgashtami)
Monday 19.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Navami:
Sri Mahishasura Mardini Devi (Maharnavami)
Tuesday 20.10.2026 / Aswayuja Suddha Dasami:
Sri Rajarajeswari Devi (Vijaya Dasami)

Tuesday 20.10.2026 Evening: Hamsavaha Teppotsavam (Swan-boat festival) in Krishna River waters.

DAY 1 - Bala Tripura Sundari Devi Alankaram

Day: Sunday
Date: 11.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Padyami
Alankaram: Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi
Sari colour: Light pink
Naivedyam: Payasam

It is believed that one will be blessed with children on worshiping Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi.

DAY 2 - Gayatri Devi Alankaram

Day: Monday
Date: 12.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Vidiya
Alankaram: Sri Gayatri Devi
Sari colour: Red
Naivedyam: Dadhojanam (curd rice)

Vedamata Gayatri Devi appears with 5 faces.

DAY 3 - Sri Annapoorna Devi Alankaram

Day: Tuesday
Date: 13.11.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Tadiya
Alankaram: Sri Annapoorna Devi
Sari colour: Yellow
Naivedyam: Paramannam / Ksheeranam

In Annapoorna Devi alankaram, Durgamma holds a bowl in one hand and a ladle in the other hand to serve food.

DAY 4 - Sri Maha Chandi Alankaram

Day: Wednesday
Date: 14.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Chavithi
Alankaram: Sri Maha Chandi

DAY 5 - Sri Lalita Tripura Sundari Devi Alankaram

Day: Thursday
Date: 15.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Panchami
Alankaram: Sri Lalita Tripura Sundari Devi
Sari colour: Chitravarnam (deep turmeric colour)
Naivedyam: Pulihora

Durgamma in Lalita Tripura Sundari Devi resides in Manidweepam and is Sree Vidya Roopini. In Lalita Tripura Sundari Devi alankaram, Sri Lakshmi Devi and Saraswati Devi are on the either side of Durgamma.

DAY 6 - Sri Saraswati Devi Alankaram

Day: Friday
Date: 16.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Sashti (Moola Nakshatram)
Alankaram: Sri Saraswati Devi
Sari colour: white
Naivedyam: perugannam (curd rice)

During Devi Navaratrulu when it is Moola Nakshatram, Durgamma is dressed in pure white sari in the form of Sri Maha Saraswati Devi - the goddess of knowledge and learning. She is seated on Her vehicle swan with Madalasa (the stringed musical instrument Veena) in Her hand.

Day 7 - Sri Maha Lakshmi Devi

Day: Saturday
Date: 17.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Saptami
Alankaram: Sri Mahalakshmi Devi
Sari colour: leaf green
Naivedyam: Chakara pongali (sweet pongali)

Mahalakshmi alankaram hold lotus in both Her hands. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity and is worshiped the most by the devotees. Mahalakshmi is the unified form Ashta Lakshmi.

DAY 8 - Sri Durga Devi Alankaram

Day: Sunday
Date: 18.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Ashtami / Durgashtami
Alankaram: Sri Durga Devi
Sari: Chitravarnam (turmeric) color
Naivedyam: pulihora, vadalu

As per Devi Puranam, Durga Devi slayed an asura named Durgamma, hence She got the name Durga.

DAY 9 - Sri Mahishasura Mardini Alankaram

Day: Monday
Date: 19.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Navami (Maharnavami)
Alankaram: Sri Mahishasura Mardini
Sari: Deep red handloom sari
Naivedyam: Paramannam, garelu

On Maharnavami day Durga Devi took the form of Mahishasura Mardhini and beheaded the ferocious buffalo-headed demon named Mahishasura. This is a 'Simha Vahini' alankaram with a trident (trisulam) held in both the hands and other weapons in other arms. The day on which Mahishasura was killed by Durga Devi, is celebrated as Maharnavami.

DAY 10 - Sri Raja Rajeswari Devi

Day: Tuesday
Date: 20.10.2026
Tithi: Aswayuja Suddha Dasami (Vijaya Dasami / Ayudha Puja)
Alankaram: Sri Raja Rajeswari Devi
Sari: Rani (magenta) color
Naivedyam: Poornalu

Sri Raja Rajeswari Devi is the last alankaram of Kanaka Durgamma during Devi Navaratrulu festival.

Photo credit: www.durgamma.com

There will be Sami Puja (jammi chettu puja) on Vijaya Dasami day. Devi Navaratrulu festival celebrations will be concluded with Poornaahuti and Kalasa Udvasana. In the evening the celebrations end with 'Hamsavahini Teppotsavam' when the 'Utsava Moorti' is taken on a beautifully decorated and illuminated Swan-shaped boat ride in River Krishna.

Corruption in India Short Essay in English

2025-09-01T10:52:00.002+05:30

Introduction

Corruption is a deep-rooted and widespread social problem in India. It affects almost every sector including govt services and businesses. Corruption creates inequality among citizens undermining their basic rights and hinders the economic growth of the nation.

Causes of corruption

The complex bureaucracy is the primary cause of corruption in India.

The low salaried govt officials try to earn extra income through back door methods to overcome the financial burdens in the family.
Few higher officials involve in bribery out of greed and they want to make more and more money for a luxurious life.
Some citizens pay bribes to govt officials to get their things done fast.
While some citizens feel it necessary to bribe the govt officials for quicker services due to the exorbitant delays in some of the essential services
Poverty and lack of awareness in the public
Lack of strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws and political interference are the major reasons for the widespread corruption in India.

Impacts of corruption

Corruption has a great impact on the economic development of the nation. Public funds for welfare schemes get diverted to personal interests due to corruption. As a result, public will no longer trust the ministers resulting in dissatisfaction and potential social unrest. It even discourages foreign investments.

Govt Initiatives

The govt of India has implemented various measures to combat corruption. These include the Right to Information Act (RTI) to promote transparency in public offices and establishment of Lokpal and Lokayuktas Acts to address corruption among high-ranking officials. Digital initiatives like Direct Benefit Transfers and e-governance have reduced corruption to a great extent.

Conclusion

Government, institutions and the public must actively participate and work collectively to remove corruption and build a just and equitable nation. Combating corruption is essential for ensuring a fair governance, economic growth and social justice. Both the govt and the citizens should work hand in hand to make India corruption-free.
Jai Bharat!

Our Visit to Aazhimala Shiva Temple near Thiruvananthapuram Kerala

2025-08-21T19:18:00.008+05:30

17 March 2025 - Day 6 of our Kerala Trip, we visited one of the beautiful Shiva temples known as Aazhimala Shiva temple and then went on the much awaited boat ride in Poovar backwaters of Kerala.

On 16th March i.e. Day 5 of our trip, we had a very long drive from Munnar to Kovalam and by the time we reached the beach resort, it was around 8.30 p.m. After a tiresome day, we went to sound sleep and got up a bit late the next morning and had hot cup of coffee enjoying the beautiful view of Arabian Sea from the balcony. My daughter was glued to the balcony and she didn't feel like coming inside, so beautiful the sea view was from the balcony.

Also Read: Vadakkunathan Temple, Thrissur

Well, after refreshing and having complimentary breakfast we started for this lesser known temple called the Aazhimala Shiva temple. It is less than half-an-hour drive from Kovalam towards the south.
We reached the place by 8.30 a.m and it was told that darsanam will open at 9 a.m. after naivedyam. The place was full of tourists who were admiring the beauty of the place and engrossed in clicking pics and video shooting. The temple premises is small, yet the backdrop of the temple with vast stretch of Arabian Sea, rocks and coconut trees are really astounding. Added to the natural beauty of the place, there is a gigantic statue of Shiva with hair spread all over and a small statue of Ganga Devi in the tangled hair. The gigantic statue with Arabian Sea as backdrop really makes one speechless.
We too strolled for a while admiring nature's beauty at this place. But the minus point here is that the rocky floor was extremely hot and its like walking on a very hot pan with bare foot. However, there is one long running mat which gave a bit solace. In spite of extreme heat, people were busy clicking and shooting. The temple was about to open, so we lined up and had nice darshan of Sree Aazhimala Mahadeva. After spending some time in the extremely hot weather clicking and shooting, we drove through narrow lanes of a small typical Kerala style village and reached Poovar backwaters where we had a memorable boat ride.

Temple Information

The temple is more than 100 years old and is situated amidst the natural beauty of Arabian Sea, huge rocks and tall coconut trees. The original name of the temple was Pulinkudi Sri Mahadeva Temple. As cheetahs were habitating in this place in the ancient time, the place got its name as Pullikudi which later became Pulinkudi. Presently it is known by the name Aazhimala Shiva temple.

It is said that this was one of the hiding places of Pandavas during their exile period. Kanyakumari beach is very close to this place and is also faintly visible from this place. This lesser known temple is one of the must-go temples in Kerala.

There is no strict dress code in this temple unlike other temples in Kerala. I felt really bad when I saw few north Indian families visiting the temple in western outfit and without tilakam on their forehead, even the married women. At least when they visit Hindu temples, being Hindus it would be really nice if they come in traditional dress at least salwar-kameez instead of western outfits.

Anyway, sorry if this hurts anyone but I couldn't stop myself mentioning this.

Also Read:
Paramekkavu Bhagawathy Temple, Thrissur

Visit to Sridevi Bhudevi Sameta Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Thondamanadu, Andhra Pradesh

2025-08-21T11:02:00.003+05:30

27th May 2024 - Day 3 and last day of our Tirumala trip. The departure time of our flight from Tirupati to Hyderabad was 8.30 p.m. Morning we got down to Tirupati and had the darshan of Sree Govinda Raju Swamy and then we headed to Srikalahasti. As it was peak season, these temples were heavily crowded with devotees and being summer it was terribly hot. Somehow we managed to have the nice darshan of Sri Kalahasteeswara and Gyana Prasunamba Devi and then had free anna prasadam which was served hot. The free annadanam hall was not that clean and people of all classes sitting together which we found a bit difficult to adjust.

As there are enough time in hand, we planned to visit the less known Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Thondamandu / Thondamanpuram which is the only temple in the world where Sri Venkateswara Swamy is in sitting posture along with Sridevi and Bhudevi on either side. It is known as Sridevi Bhudevi Sameta Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple which is on the way to Tirupati airport at a distance of around 7 Km from Srikalahasti.
It's a remote place far away from the highway.
We reached the place by 4.30 p.m and believe, only we were there in the temple other than the security persons and temple priest. The place was very peaceful with no crowd and vast stretch of fields in the surroundings. It was peak summer and terribly hot but the ambiance in the temple was very calm and there was breeze due to open fields. We spent sometime at this place and as we were about to move out, we saw few other devotees coming to the temple.

Temple History / Sthala Puranam

Thondamandu aka Thondamanpuram is a holy place where Sri Venkateswara Swamy alongwith Sridevi and Bhudevi appeared in front of Thondaman Chakravarthi who was an ardent devotee of Sri Venkateswara Swamy. Thondaman Chakravarthy is the brother of Akasaraju who is the father of Padmavati Ammavaru and father-in-law of Sri Venkateswara Swamy. Akasaraju ruled over Thondamandalam with Narayanapuram aka Narayanavanam as his capital. After the death of Akasaraju, his son Vasudasa fought with Thodaman Chakravarthy for the kingdom. Padmavati Devi wanted Sri Venkateswara Swamy to support Vasudasa, her brother. But Thondaman Chakravarthy was His dear devotee, so Sri Venkateswara Swamy made a peace treaty between the two. He divided the kingdom into two parts and Narayanapuram was given to Vasudasa while Tundarimandalam i.e. Thondamandalam was given to Thondaman Chakravarthy.

As per legend, Thondaman Chakravarthy built Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala and he used to go to the temple everyday for worship. As years passed by, it became difficult for Thondaman Chakravarthy to visit Tirumala temple everyday due to his old age. He grew so old that he was confined to bed and was feeling extremely sad for he could not daily visit Tirumala temple. On seeing His dear devotee's sad state, Sri Venkateswara Swamy along with Sridevi and Bhudevi came down all the way from Tirumala to Thondamanadu and gave His darshan to Thodaman Chakravarthy. And as the king was lying on bed due to his old age and couldn't get up to have the darshan of Swamivaru, Sri Venkateswara Swamy along with Sridevi and Bhudevi sat down so that Their dear devotee can have Their darshane and thus made Thondaman Chakravarthy, happy.

And as per the request of Thondaman Chakravarthy, Sri Venkateswara Swamy along with His divine consorts stayed at this place. And thus the temple of Sridevi Bhudevi Sameta Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple at Thondamanadu came into existence. As Sri Venkateswara Swamy made His devotee happy by giving him darshan, He is known as Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy at this place. The uniqueness of the temple is that Sri Venkateswara is in sitting posture in this temple which we cannot see in any other temple.
This is a small temple with Raja Gopuram in the main entrance. On entering inside, there is Dhwaja sthambham and a flight of steps to garbha griha (gudi). Inside the garbha griha there is an extremely beautiful black vigraham of Sri Venkteswara Swamy in sitting posture having four hands with sankham, chakram in hind two hands and fore two hands are in yogamudra and abhaya hastam. Sridevi and Bhudevi are seated on either side of Sri Venkateswara Swamy.

There is a belief that unmarried people who wish to get married, if visit this temple and pray whole-heartedly, they will have a happy married life. So also married couple who visit this temple and pray sincerely, will enjoy their married life. Beliefs apart, it is true that anyone who visit this temple and pray sincerely, will enjoy a happy life as Sridevi Bhudevi Sameta Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy descended to this place particularly to make His devotees happy.

This small place Thondamanadu is very remote and far far away from the maddening crowd. People who are disgusted with the daily hustle-bustle, hurry-burry, stressful city life, if visit this place are sure to have a peace of mind in this calm and serene surroundings with no crowd, no traffic, no sound pollution.

This is one of the must-go temples near Tirupati.

OM NAMO VENKATESAYA!

Our Visit to Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple Thiruvananthapuram Kerala

2025-08-19T23:08:00.007+05:30

18th March 2025 - Day 7 and the last day of our Kerala trip. We got up before Brahma Muhurtam and after refreshing ourselves with hair wash, we dressed ourselves in traditional Kerala off-white costume - the dress code for visiting Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy temple - the world famous and world's richest Hindu temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Our stay was at Kovalam beach resort wherefrom it's a 30 minutes drive to the temple with toll gate on the way.

We mostly visit the temples, particularly in south India, early in the mornings during Brahma Muhurtam only as it is highly auspicious. Moreover, I love the early mornings' ambiance in the South Indian temples. The aroma of fresh jasmine flowers, the fragrance of camphor, chandanam and agarbatti and the divine chanting take you to the divine world and you feel yourself spiritually elevated for a while.

The surroundings outside the temples are equally enjoyable in the early hours with mouth-watering aroma of filter coffee and idli-sambar.

Fortunately the previous day, I checked everything about the dresscode for the temple, so it became easy for us i.e. myself, my husband and my daughter to dress accordingly in the early hours. Only Hindus are allowed in the temple and there is a strict dress code that should be followed for entering into the temple. Everyone need to wear traditional Kerala off-white / white costume with golden zari border and not colourful dresses.

Women need to wear sari and blouse, teen girls must wear half-sari / lehenga-choli with chunni compulsory / parikini (pavada)-voni and small girls can wear long skirt (pavada) and blouse i.e. parikini and blouse. And men must wear dhoti and angavastram which is same for all age groups of boys.

This strict dress code in the temple is really appreciable. Because the youth particularly the North Indians are fully inclined towards western outfit in the name of modernity and feel themselves low to wear our traditional costumes. It would be nice if we have such strict dress code for entry into Hindu temples across the country.

For visitors who come to the temple without knowing about the dress code, there are number of shops near the temple selling these costumes at reasonable rates. Some of these shops even provide cloak room facility where we can desposit our mobiles and other stuff which is not allowed inside the temple. My personal experience, people here are very honest and not the cheating types unlike the shopkeepers of other states where they take advantage of the situation and hike the prices for visitors.

The driver dropped us in front of the South Fort and 'Om Namo Narayana', 'Om Namo Bhagawate Vasudevaya', 'Narayana', 'Narayana' - I recited these words spontaneously the moment I found myself standing in front of the Divya Desam.

At the gate there was strict check-up and the security is not allowing those who are not in proper dress code. After stepping inside the temple, there is thorough check-up by police people. I was surprised to see even the police people (both men and women) inside the temple premises are in traditional costume only and not police uniform which reflects the strict adherence to dress code in the temple and that Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy is the Supreme rules-maker and not we humans.

On enquiry we came to know that there are only two types of darshans - free darshan and special darshan for Rs.500/-. We walked to the ticket counter - a small old type counter just opposite the entry gate and bought three tickets. Along with the tickets we got small eco-friendly disposable plates with local flowers and two bananas in it for offering to Swamivaru. We had to wait as the darshan will start at 6.30 a.m, after the Nirmalya Darsanam. Let's know a bit about the temple.

About Sree Anantha Padmanabga Swamy Temple

Thiruvananthapurm, the capital of Kerala is a traditional city which derived its name from Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy, the main deity of the temple. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams i.e. highly sacred Vishnu temples in India. Divya Desams are the most sacred abodes of Sri Maha Vishnu as per the mention in the works of Tamil Alwars / Azhvars / saints. The temple is located at a place that is considered as one of the seven Parasurama kshetras with its references in the Puranas (Skanda Puranam and Padma Puranam). Parasurama Kshetras are the sacred places located in the coastal belt of Karnataka and Kerala that are associated with Parasurama - the 6th Avataram of Sri Maha Vishnu.

The temple stands near the sacred Padma Teertham and is under the care of the Royal family of Travancore who consider themselves as the Dasas i.e. slaves of Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy. The main deity which is in Ananta Sayana i.e. reclining Posture on the Adisesha, the divine serpant, facing east and the Arabian Sea on the back. However, the sea is not very close to the temple and not visible from the temple. However, there is sand inside the entire temple premises with ancient rock pillar and sqaure corridor on all the four sides.
The architectural splendor and wonder of the temple is a blend of Kerala style and Dravidian style which stands as a testimony of the ancient artistry. The imposing East Gopuram / tower with intricate designs reflects the artistic finasse of the artisans of the period. There is no recorded evidence of the exact date of the temple construction, however the earliest mention dates back to the 8th century CE. The present grandeur of the temple is due to the renovations by Sree Marthanda Varma, a notable Travancore king, who also introduced significant festivals.

Also Read:
1. Vadakkunathan Temple, Thrissur
2. Paramekkavu Bhagawathy Temple, Thrissur

There is a vast rectangular corridor with massive ancient rock pillars which leads to the Ottakal Mandapam which is a granite platform in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Inside the sanctum sanctorum the main deity of Sri Ananta Padmanabha Swamy is in Sayana posture on Adi Shesha with hoods as a canopy over the head of the deity. There are three doors adjacent to one another from which the devotees have the darshan of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy.

After some waiting time in the corridor, the darshan started at 6.30 a.m and the devotees lined up for having a glimpse of Sri Anantha Padmanabha. We walked in the line and after climbing the steps we came to the three narrow doors that were adjacent to one another. It is not spacious in front of the sanctum santorum. We came near the 1st door and were mermised to have the darshan of the feet of Sree Anantha Padmanabha and from the middle door we saw the navel part. Brahma seated on a lotus that emerged from the navel of Sree Padmanabha and in front are the idols of Sreedevi and Bhoodevi. And from the 3rd door we had the darshan of the head of Sree Padmanabha with the hoods of Adisesha as a canopy and his right hand placed on Sivalingam while there is a padmam in the left hand. There are only oil lamps inside the temple and of course there is crowd but disciplined.

As I slowly walked having the darshan of Sri Ananta Padmanabha, tears rolled down my cheeks and I felt emotional. Just for a fraction of a second, I had a glimpse of the divine presence of Sri Maha Vishnu on the Ananta Sayana floating in the Ksheera Sagara in my subconscious mind. A strange feeling which is hard to put in words.

After the darshan of Sree Padmanabha Swamy, following the line we came to a small shrine of Sage Veda Vyasa. And stepping down this shrine we saw devotees crowded at a small golden window where there are two golden idols of two house lizards and touching their head at this window as a gesture of namaskar. We came to know that it is the outer wall of the sanctum sanctorum and the feet of Sree Padmanabha is there behind the closed window. And there is some story in connection with the two house lizards which were devotees of Sree Padmanabha and were granted a boon by Him to stay forever at His feet.

After coming out of the main temple the special darshan devotees were given 'prasadam' in a disposable bag which included a small photo of Sree Anantha Padmanabha and a small tin of special Kerala style payasam which is one bag per ticket. We then stepped into the shrine of Sri Krishna and were amazed to see the beautiful ancient mural painting on the outer walls of the shrine. Mobiles are strictly prohibited inside the temple, so we just clicked those murals in our mind only.

Also Read Raja Ravi Varma's Art Gallery, Trivandrum

From here we moved further where we got hot prasadam which was chakrapongali / sweet pongal. We enjoyed the taste as you know chakrapongali is very tasty in South Indian Vishnu temples.

An interesting thing we noticed is that there are layers of metal diya stands to hold oil lit lamps which was lit up on special festive occassions like Onam, Makara Sankranti etc. These metal stands are specially designed on the outer walls of the main temple. After admiring the architectural grandeur of the temple we came to the gift shop near one of the four gates and bought a couple of things.

I was wondering what is the difference in the posture of Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy and Sri Ranganatha Swamy of Srirangam, Tamil Nadu and Srirangapatna, Karnataka as these idols are in reclining posture. After some research I came to know that Sree Anantha Padmanabha reclines on his back facing up while Sri Ranganatha Swamy leans on right side and Sri Lakshmi sitting at His feet.

We were amazed with profundity of Kerala’s spiritual traditions- the more we traveled this god's own land, the more we got to know about them. The entire experience was extremely beautiful and there are certains things that cannot be expressed in words and we cannot explain the experience in words which could be beyond the reach of a logical mind. We could feel His omnipresence and experience some kind of Supreme power, Supreme force and Divine vibes which I cannot express in words but one has to feel it when one visists this temple.

Om Namo Narayana! Om Namo Bhagawate Vasudevaya! Narayana Narayana! We feel extremly blessed and grateful to have visited the temple of Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy in Thiruvananthapuram.

Well, after the divinely experiencely at this world famous temple, we stepped out and headed to our hotel in Kovalam as it was check-out time.

A Glimpse of Raja Ravi Varma's Original Paintings at Sri Chithra Art Gallery, Thiruvananthapuram

2025-08-16T22:46:00.008+05:30

18 March 2025 - Day 7 of our Kerala Trip. We first had the darshan of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy early in the morning and then visited the Puthenmalika Palace Musuem located close to the East Fort of the temple.

It was the last day of our Kerala trip and our flight was at around 8.30 p.m. We checked out the hotel at 11 a.m and with the luggage in the cab, we visited Napier Museum, Trivandrum Zoo and Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery as these three are located at one place only.

Also Read Sree Ananta Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

It was afternoon and was terribly hot. We felt completely drained off with long walks inside the complex. Fortunately, there are good number of trees in the complex and we saw many visitors taking rest under the shade of the trees. First we had a peep into the ancient artefacts in the Napier Museum which took us to the world of monarchy. From here we went round the zoo. We had no idea that the Art Gallery would close at 5 p.m.

During our visit the visiting time was 10.00 a.m to 5 p.m and the entry ticket price was Rs.50 per adult. The gallery remains closed on Mondays.

At around 3.30 p.m we entered Raja Ravi Varma's Sri Chithra Art Gallery and we felt 'ah' as it's an AC gallery. I grew up seeing the pictures of Ravi Varma's paintings. And there! I was amazed to see the display of the original paintings of Raja Ravi Varma.

The Art Gallery is a state-of-the-art dedicated to showcasing the original paintings of Raja Ravi Varma who is one of the most celebrated artists of India. The art gallery is a standing monument to the finest for fine arts i.e. paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. His artistic works are displayed in the ground floor as well as in the first floor.

We actually wanted to spend more time in this art gallery admiring each and every art piece of Raja Ravi Varma but as it closes by 4.45 p.m, we had to go around in a hurry. However, the gallery in-charge were kind enough to wait till all the visitors moved out.

On seeing the awesome artistic works, I realized that we did a mistake by visiting the Trivandrum Zoo which is not worth a visit for families with teenage children. However, it is good for families with kids who enjoy the animals in the zoo. If you plan a visit to Thiruvananthapuram and if you are an admirer of art works / oil paintings, Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery is a must-visit place. I still regret that I couldn't spend enough time in the Art Gallery and didn't find much time to explore in-depth, each and every art piece of the iconic artist Raja Varma.

However, I feel happy that at least I got the chance to visit the gallery and see his art pieces. Here are few of his art pieces which I clicked. And I sure most of these art works don't need a description as you will easily get to know what is depicted in the paintings.

That is the portrait of Raja Ravi Varma, one of the wonderful artists of India.

Well, the above painting needs no description. A wonderful lively art piece named 'Jatayu Vadh' by Raja Ravi Varma. It's a scene from Ramayana where Ravana cuts one of the wings of Jatayu when the bird obstructs him on his way to Lanka after abducting Sita Devi. Look at the beauty of the art piece Sita Devi closing her eyes with her hands. It's so realistic. No words of appreciation.

The above art piece is of Sri Mahavishnu seated on His Divine Vahana - Garuda, with Sridevi and Bhoodevi on either side. In this painting you can see the signature of Raja Ravi Varma on the right bottom.

The above famous oil painting on canvas also needs no description. It's Damayanti (from the story of Nala-Damayanti) with a hamsa (swan). This painting with realistic looks has receive fame all over the world.

The above oil painting on canvas depicts Simhika with Droupati.

And the painting seen above is of Madri with a fruit plate in hand. There are around 50 original paintings of Raja Ravi Varma in the Art Gallery. Each and every painting is extra-ordinary in its own style and an art-lover who loves exploring should spend at least 3 hours to have a detailed view of these wonderful art pieces. Undoubtedly this is one of the best tourist destinations in Thiruvananthapuram which is worth visiting.

So after we went round the gallery hurriedly as it was closing time, we headed to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as our flight to Hyderabad was at 7.30 p.m. The airport faces Arabian Sea and on the way to airport, there is a famous beach named Shanghumukham beach close to the airport. The beach is regarded Arattukadavu (sorry, I don't know the meaning of this Malayali word) of Sri Ananthapadmanabhaswamy. During religious events, the ceremony of Bali Tarpanam is carried out at this beach. And on Arattu (sorry don't know the meaning of this word as well) day the idols of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy, Sri Narasimha Swamy and Sri Krishna are carried in a procession in this beach when the Travancore royal family members walk bare foot in the procession. If any of the viewers know the meaning of these two words please do mention the meanings of these two words in the comment box below.

We reached the airport a bit early and just hanged around till the boarding time. We had a wonderful time in our Kerala trip and in my view, this is one of the best states where people are very soft-spoken and very sincere and honest. We really loved the people there and the state as well. We are sure to visit the state for the second time as well.

Also Read:
1. Vadakkunathan Temple, Thrissur
2. Paramekkavu Bhagawathy Temple, Thrissur

Hindi Letter Writing || संयुक्त परिवार की महत्ता बताते अपने भाई / बहन / मित्र को पत्र

2025-08-14T22:23:00.004+05:30

आपका पता

दिनांक:

प्रिय राजू
हम सब यहाँ कुशल हैं और आशा करता / करती हूँ कि तुम भी वहाँ कुशल हो। अगले हफ्ते ही परीक्षा शुरू हो रहा है इसलिए अब पढाई में ज़्यादा ध्यान देना। तुमने पिछले चिट्ठी में मुझसे संयुक्त परिवार की महत्ता के बारे में पूछा। मैं इसके बारे में लिखता / लिखती हूँ ताकि तुम आनेवाली परीक्षा के लिए सही तरीके से पढ़ सको।

संयुक्त परिवार में परिवार के सभी सदस्य यानी दादा - दादी, ताऊ - ताई, माता - पिता, चाचा - चाची और उनके बच्चे सब मिल - जुल कर रहते हैं। आजकल इस आधुनिक काल में संयुक्त परिवार घटती जा रही है और एकाल परिवार बढ़ती जा रही है।

संयुक्त परिवार में ये अच्छाई है कि परिवार के सभी सदस्य हर काम मिलजुल कर करते हैं और किसी भी काम का पूरा बोझ किसी एक व्यक्ति पर नहीं पड़ता। संयुक्त परिवार में ये सुंदरता है कि घर के बच्चे बड़ों का आदर करते हैं, उनकी कहा मानते हैंऔर घर के कामों में बड़ों की सहायता भी करते हैं। और ऐसे परिवारों में सबसे अच्छी बात ये है कि दादा - दादी बच्चों को अचछे आदत सिखाते और अच्छे नियमों कि जानकारी भी देते हैं। वे उन्हें पौराणिक और नैतिक कहानियाँ भी सुनाते हैं जिससे बच्चे अच्छे संस्कार सीखते हैं।

और ऐसे परिवारों में सबसे अच्छी बात ये है कि त्योहारों में खुशी और उमंग फैलता है।

आशा करता / करती हूँ कि ये तुम्हारे गृहकार्य के लिए उपयोग होगा। आने वाली परीक्षा की अच्छी तरह से तैयारी करना और अच्छे अंक से उत्तीर्ण होना।

ढेर सारे प्यार से

तुम्हारा / तुम्हारी प्रिय भाई / दीदी / मित्र / सहेली

Sri Krishna Janmashtami Special Krishna Quiz

2025-08-14T11:12:00.002+05:30

What is the birth star (janma nakshatram) of Sri Krishna?

In which yugam Sri Krishna was born?

What was the name of Sri Krishna's maternal uncle?

Name the mountain that Sri Krishna lifted on his little finger.

What is the name of Sri Krishna's sankham / conch / shankh?

Which Hindu god has incarnated as Sri Krishna?

What was the name of the wrestler whom Sri Krishna killed in a wrestling competition at Mathura?

What is the name of the dance performed by Sri Krishna and gopikas on moonlit nights in Brindavan?

What is the name of Sri Krishna's bow?

Sri Krishna is also ___________ as a protector of cows.

Out of Sri Krishna's 8 wives, which wife is regarded as the incarnation of Sri Mahalakshmi Devi?

Little Krishna has shown ______________ to Yashoda Mata in His mouth.

What was the name of Sri Krishna's guru / teacher?

Which raakshasa came as a whirlwind to kill little Krishna?

In which Hindu month Sri Krishna was born?

Which name of Sri Krishna signifies that He is 'the flute bearer'?

Which raakshasa came in the form of a cow / calf to kill Sri Krishna

What is the name of the raakshasa who came as a bull to kill Sri Krishna?

Who came to invite Sri Krishna and Balarama for a fair in Mathura?

Which raakshasa appeared in the form of a cart to kill little Krishna?

Which name did Sri Krishna get when he became the charioteer of Arjuna in the Kurukshetra battle?

Which raakshasa took the form of a huge snake / python to kill Sri Krishna

What was the name of the elephant that was sent by Kamsa to kill Sri Krishna?

CBSE Class 9 English Grammar Tenses Worksheet

2025-08-13T18:15:00.007+05:30

I. Choose the correct form of verb

The old man _______________ to the park every Sunday.(goes / went / will go)

Yesterday, my mother _______________ a delicious cake. (bake / baked / will bake)

My friends _______________ a movie tonight. (are watching / watched / will watch)

The students _______________ their homework already. (finish / finished / will finish)

Yesterday, Sita _______________ her best in the competition. (is trying / tried / will try)

Tomorrow, the train _______________ at 6:00 a.m. (arrives / arrived / will arrive)

Shyam _______________ his grandmother yesterday. (visits / visited / will visit)

We _______________ to the beach next week. (are going / went / will go)

The boys _______________ basketball every evening. (play / played / will play)

By the time you arrive, we _______________ dinner. (will cook / cooked / have cooked)

II. Choose the correct form of past tense (simple past, past continuous or past perfect) for each sentence. Write your answers in the blank provided.

Her brother _______________ a movie yesterday. (watched / was watching / had watched)

The players _______________ soccer last weekend. (played / were playing / had played)

Ritesh _______________ a bike when he fell. (rode / was riding / had ridden)

We _______________ our vacation in Europe. (enjoyed / were enjoying / had enjoyed)

I _______________ my homework before dinner. (finished / was finishing / had finished)

The dog _______________ in the park all afternoon. (ran / was running / had run)

They _______________ to the beach during their summer vacation. (went / were going / had gone)

She _______________ her friend before the concert. (met / was meeting / had met)

The rain _______________ heavily all night. (fell / was falling / had fallen)

He _______________ his keys before leaving the house. (found / was finding / had found)

III. Choose the correct form of present tense (simple present, present continuous or present perfect) for each sentence. Write your answers in the blank provided.

She _______________ a book every evening. (reads / is reading / has read)

They _______________ to school by bus. (go / are going / have gone)

I _______________ tennis right now. (play / am playing / have played)

We _______________ in this city for five years. (live / are living / have lived)

He _______________ English fluently. (speaks / is speaking / has spoken)

The children _______________ in the park at the moment. (play / are playing /have played)

My parents _______________ for a walk after dinner. (go / are going / have gone)

We _______________ at that restaurant many times. (eat / are eating / have eaten)

The sun _______________ in the sky. (shines / is shining / has shone)

She _______________ her homework already. (finishes /is finishing / has finished)

Vedas Resources

CBSE Class 6 Science: Structure and Functions of Parts of Plants

Parts of Plants (Parts of Flowering Plants)

Roots

Stem

Leaves

Flowers

Fruits

Telugu Brahmin Upanayanam (Odugu) - Procedure and Importance

Synopsis

Upanayanam: Meaning and Significance

Importance of Upanayanam

When to Perform Upanayanam?

Pre-Ceremonial Preparations

General preparations

Telugu Brahmin Upanayanam (Odugu) Procedure

Kalasa Pooja and Udakasanti

Ankurarpana

Rakshabandhanam

Kalasa Sthapana and Kalasa Puja

Ganapati Puja

Homam

Panchasikha: Symbolic Importance

Yajnopavita Dharana

Yajnopavitam: Symbol of Spiritual Responsibility

Kumara Bhojanam

Brahmopadesam: Spiritual Rebirth of the Child

Gayatri Mantra: Benefits and Significance

Upanayana Homam

Danda Dharana and Surya Darsanam

Bhiskha

Daily Duties After Upanayanam

Modern-Day Upanayanam Celebrations

Conclusion

Our Rameswaram Pilgrimage: Teertha Snanams and Darshan

Our Experience: Early Morning Sphatikalinga Darshan at Rameswaram Temple

What is Sphatikalingam

Experiencing Agniteertha Snanam at Sunrise

The Sacred 22 Teertha Snanam: A Refreshing Divine Experience

Benefits of Having Bath in the 22 Theerthams

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

My Final Thoughts

Our Dhanushkodi Sunset Experience - A Family Travel Story

April 18th 2026: Day 2 of our South Trip

Our Journey from Hotel Rameswaram Grand to Dhanushkodi

Our First Stop: Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple

Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple: Historical and Spiritual Significance

Few Moments in Peaceful Ambience

My Thoughts on this place

Arichal Munai: The Last Road of India's Mainland in the South

What Is Arichal Munai?

The Ram Setu Connection

Arichal Munai and Ram Setu - Our Experience

Dhanushkodi Railway Station Ruins: A Walk Through Time

The 1964 Devastating Cyclone - Tragedy

My Personal Connection with Dhanushkodi Railway Station

Dhanushkodi: The Ghost Town, a Tourists' Dream Destination

Watching Sunset at the Gulf of Mannar

Watching the Sun Sink into the Sea

Returning to Rameswaram

My Final Thoughts

Madurai to Rameswaram Road Trip Via Pamban Bridge - A Spiritual and Soulful Travel Experience

18th April 2026: Day 2 of our Tamil Nadu Trip

Madurai-Rameswaram Drive via Pamban Road Bridge

The Pamban Bridge

View of Rameswaram from Pamban Bridge

Reaching Rameswaram

📚 Related Travel Stories

Madurai Meenakshi Temple Visit - A Divinely and Blissful Experience

Hyderabad to Madurai Flight

Things to Know Before Visiting the Temple

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi Temple History / Sthala Puranam

The Story of Meenakshamma and Adi Sankaracharya

Our Temple Visit

Day 2: Madurai to Rameswaram by Road via Pamban Road Bridge

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