One Thousand Years Old Indian Temples
Apart from these factors ,1000 year old temples in India is also one of the factors for which India is famous for. Listed below are a few of them :
1. Mundeshwari Temple, Bihar, India
The Mundeshwari Devi Temple (also spelled as Mundesvari) is located at paunra pahad, Ramgarh village in Kaimur district in the state of Bihar, India on the Mundeshwari Hills. It is believed that rituals and worship have been performed here without a break; hence Mundeshwari is considered one of the most ancient Hindu temples in India. The temple is visited by a large number of pilgrims each year, particularly during the Ramnavmi ( a spring Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of the Hindu God Rama.
He is particularly important to the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, as the seventh avtar of God Vishnu), Shivratri ( a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of God Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance) festivals.
The Ranganthaswamy temple (usually referred to as "Sri Ranganathaswamy") in Srirangapatna in the Mandya district of Karnataka state, India, is dedicated to the Hindu god Ranganatha (a manifestation of the god Vishnu). It is one of the five important pilgrimage sites of Sr Vaishnavism along the river Kaveri for devotees of Ranganatha. These five sacred sites are together known as Pancharanga Kshetrams in Southern India. The town of Srirangapatna, which derives its name from the temple, is located on an island in the river Kaveri.
The idol of Lord Ranganatha is seen in a reclining posture over the Sheshanaga. An inscription at the temple reveals it was first consecrated in 984 A.D. by a local chief called Tirumalaiah. The temple is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India as a monument of national importance.
3. Dwarkadhish Temple, Gujarat, I
Also known as the Jagat Mandir, this Mandir is a Chalukya style architecture, dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is worshipped here as ‘ Dwarkadhish’ or ‘ Dwarkadheesh’ or ‘the King of Dwarka’.
According to a legend the temple was built by Vajranabha, Krishna’s grandson. The temple, 5 stories tall and with its main shrine supported by 72 pillars is considered to be over 2200 years old. The flag atop the temple shows the Sun and the Moon, which is believed to indicate that ‘Krishna’ would be there till the Sun & Moon exist on earth. The flag, triangular in shape is 50 ft ( 15 mtrs) in length is changed 4 times a day but the symbol of the sun & the moon remains the same. Hindus pay a huge sum to hoist it by purchasing a new flag and the money thus collected is credited to the trust of the temple to meet the operation and maintenance of the temple expenses.
Located at Dwarka, Gujarat, India, it is one of the destination of ‘Char Dham’ of the Hindu pilgrimage circuit, the other 3 being ‘Badrinath,Puri and Rameshwaram’. ‘ Char Dham’ is a set of 4 pilgrimage sites in India. It is believed that visiting these sites helps attain ‘Moksha’ or salvation.
4. Sun Temple, Konarak
6. Brahma Temple, Pushkar, Rajasthan, India
Jagatpita Brahma Mandir popularly known as the Brahma Temple Pushkar is a famous Hindu temple situated at Pushkar in the Indian state of Rajasthan, close to the sacred Pushkar Lake and is one of very few existing temples dedicated to the Hindu creator-god Brahma in India and remains the most prominent among them.
The sacred Pushkar Lake is situated close to the temple. This temple is about 2000 years old and is built of marble and stone stabs joined together with molten lead and is set on high plinth. It has a distinct red pinnacle (shikhara) 70 feet high and a hamsa bird motif. Marble floor (in black and white checks) and walls inside the temple have been inlaid with hundreds of silver coins by devotees (with their names inscribed), as mark of offering to Brahma.
The temple holds the images of the creator Lord Brahma along with his second major consort Goddess Gayatri.
When Lord Brahma came to the earth, he named this place as Pushkar which is an amalgamation of the words Push (flower) and Kar (hands). Thus, since the place became the most significant place for the followers of Lord Brahma.
Brahma Temple Pushkar is the only temple that is dedicated to Brahma and holds a special place in Hinduism and among the holy men of the country.
The holy Brahma Temple Pushkar is dedicated to Lord Brahma and since Kartik Poornima ( full moon) is a major festival that is dedicated to Lord Brahma thus a major religious get together and a fair is held at Pushkar during this time. During this festival time, a large number of holy men and pilgrims visit this temple and set up camps to stay for the 5-day long fest. Devotees generally indulge in the ritual of bahing in the sacred Pushkar Lake after which they visi the Brahm temple and pray there.
The famous Pushkar Camel Fair is also held at this time. This is the time when camel trading is practiced and many people decorate their camel to make them participate in beauty contests held popularly here.
Indian history tells us that temples in ancient times were once social hubs where people congregated. They were also sites where the arts of dance, music and combat were honed. Today, these temples remind us of our past and the architectural brilliance of craftsmen in those days.
Inputs & pics courtsey Google, Wikipedia,indiatimes
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