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6 abodes of Muruga, the Tamizh Deity

Blog, Destinations, Festivals/Events, Heritage & Culture, Pilgrimage - GoroadTrip - August 13, 2016

Lord Muruga (Subrahmanya/Karthikeya), son of Shiva and Parvathi and brother of Lord Ganesha (elephant-headed god) is worshiped in Tamil Nadu as the patron deity of Tamizh language. He has six special temples dedicated to him called Aaru Padai Veedu.Thse temples are six camps associated with Muruga’s role as Commander-in-chief of the army of the gods.

The Aaru PadaiVeedus, the Six Holy Abodes (literally: ‘battle camps’) are very important for Muruga or Karthikeya’s devotees. The six temples of Karthikeya are in Tirupparamkundram, Tiruchendur, Tiruvavinankudi (Palani), Tiruverakam (Swamimalai), Tiruttani and Pazhamudircholai.

References to these temples are found in many ancient Tamizh literatures like Silapathikaram. Thirumurugatupadai – sung by the Tamizh saint poet Nakkeerar in 1st century CE – gives prominence to each temple. It also reveal that all these temples were well established even during the Sangam age from 1st to 3rd century CE. It has also been praised by Saint Arunagirinathar in his Thiruppugazh and in Kandar Alankaram.

Tirupparunkunram

The first among the six temples of Lord Muruga, Subramaniam Temple at Tirupparunkunram situated 9.5 kms south of Madurai is an ancient shrine dating back to the 2nd century BCE. Legend says that Lord Muruga wed Deyvayanai, daughter of Indra in this temple. This was after Karthikeya’s victory over the demon Soorapadman and the asuras.

The temple is built on the northern side of the hill at an elevation of about 300 feet from the foot of the hill. It has a 150 foot tall gopuram of seven tiers over the entrance. The main sanctum carved into the rock enshrines a well chiseled form of the Lord. Hollowed within the rock, you can find many mandapams with carved pillars, platforms, and other shrines with decorative relief and carvings on all surfaces. All abishekams are performed to the Vel in the main sanctum.

In this temple, unlike the other five, the deity is shown sitting in the kalyanakolam (auspicious/wedding form) with his consort Deivanai.

Thiruchendur

ArulmiguSubrahmanya Swami Tirukkoil or Thiruchendur Murugan Kovil (temple) is a popular pilgrimage destination situated in the Gulf of Mannar.Second abode in importance among the six homes and unlikethe other five temples situated on hilltops, this abode is on the seashore towards the tip of South India. Thiruchendur, is the Tamil name given to this place due to the abundance of sandalwood paste used in this temple.

It is said that Lord Muruga had set up his army camp in this place during his war against the demon Surapadman.‘Tiruchentil’ means the House of Victory and this is the ‘ooru’ or town in which Muruga’s victory is celebrated! Thiruchendur, the place of ‘chen’—sandalwood paste,is also known as Thirucheeralaivai, Jayanthipuram, ThirubhuvanaMadevi and SathurvediMangalam. The deity is called by different names like Senthilandavan, Senthilkumar in this temple.

The northern and eastern temple walls are washed by the dashing waves of the Gulf of Mannar. The origin of TiruchendurMurugan Temple is not known though the nucleus of the structure is said to have been here for more than 2,000 years as reported by the Tamil Classics. This temple is famous for the ‘Panneer-ilaiVibhuti’, the ash from a herbal leaf. Sri Adi Shankaracharyapraised it and said that just the sight of this sacred ash can cure many diseases.

Palani

The temple town of Palani features Karthikeya as a little lad. When the prize mango was given away to Ganesha, Murugabecame annoyed with his parents and came here to sit on top of this hill called TiruAvinankudi at the foot of the Sivagiri Hill. Siva pacified Subrahmanya saying that he was the fruit—pazham—of all wisdom and knowledge; and nee means you. Hence the place was called ‘Pazham Nee’ or Palani.

You had to originally climb many steps to reach the temple and old and infirm people had to be carried by ‘doli’s’ by two sets of porters changing midway at 225 feet height. Today winches carry pilgrims up and down simultaneously.

Tiruttani

On the way to Tirupathi from Chennai, to the left of the road you can see Tiruttani (Thiruttani) perched on a rock with its atypical vibrant red and white stripes on the walls.

The word Tiruttani comes from Tirutanikai meaning place of propitiation. (Tamil: Thiru-lord; thanigai-propitiate/cooling down). Muruga’s righteous indignation for the cruelty of the asuras (demons) to all creatures set him against the evil forces in various battles. It is said that his anger cooled down at this place and so it is also known as Shantipuri (abode of peace).

This 2000 year oldtemple is perched on top of a single rock, 700 feet above sea level. Lord Muruga came to rest here after destroying the demon Surapadman. Here Lord Muruga married his second consort, the gypsy girl Valli. The temple can be accessed by a hill road or through a flight of 365 steps, representing the days of the year, that lead up to the shrine.

 

Swamimalai Temple

The son became his father’steacher in this temple near Kumbakonam. Swamimalai meaning ‘God’s hill’, is an artificially made hill temple called ‘Kattu(built) Malai’.Another very important feature is that there are sixty well-laid steps leading to the temple top. These sixty steps represent the sixty years that constitutes a century in the Hindu calendar.

The temple is on the banks of River Cauvery on the road connecting Kumbakonam to Thiruvaiyaru. In this shrine, Lord Muruga is also known as Swaminathan and ‘Thagappan Swami’ meaning Lord of Shiva, his father.

Swamimalai is world famous for its school that teaches the ancient craft of making bronze icons.

 

Pazhamudircholai

The last temple of the six, this Muruga temple is perched on top of a hill amidst dense forests about 16 kms north of Madurai.It is the only one where Muruga can be seen with both his consorts, Valli and Devayani. Lord Muruga at Pazhamudircholai has been praised in old Tamil literature like the Silappathikaram, Ettuthokai and Pattupattu.

Local tribes continue to lead their traditional lives on this fertile hill with its natural springs and herbs. Even today, the place is very fertile with many trees and different flora and fauna reflecting the vivid description of the place’s natural beauty found in Tirumurugattruppadai of Nakkeerar, the Tamil saint.

 

The great Tamil saint poetess, Avvaiyar, was given fruit by the little lad Muruga and taught an important lesson in the semantics of Tamizh language

There are 33 Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu. The Tirupporur temple, 45 Km from Chennai, is an ancient temple built during the reign of the Pallava rulers.

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6 British Monuments in Kolkata

Blog, Destinations, Heritage & Culture - GoroadTrip - August 4, 2016

The British always thought ahead. This fact comes across in the use of modern techniques and science in the architecture of all the buildings designed by them. They were rather extravagant too in the use of metals including gold and in the size of their adornments like statues, shields, swords and pillars. Some of the British monuments that have stood the test of time and continue to impress modern day Kolkata are:

Raj Bhavan:

With a majestic outlook, the Raj Bhavan is now the residence of the Governor of West Bengal. Constructed during the governance of Marquess Wellesley, the building has the distinction of having the very first elevator of Kolkata.

Kolkata Town Hall:

Constructed in the Roman Doric style, the Town Hall was built with funds raised through a lottery. It was used for social gatherings.

Howrah Station:

Constructed first in the British period, the Howrah Station housed the second railway line linking Calcutta with Bardhaman coal fields. The first track essentially built for transporting goods eventually evolved into many platforms. Howrah Station is now one of the largest railway terminals of our country.

Writers Building:

Built in a beautiful European style by the British, Writers Building is today the secretariat of the West Bengal State Government. It also incorporates various departments of the state government.

St. Paul’s Cathedral:

This church, built by Bishop Daniel Wilson, showcases the Gothic Revival style of architecture. The beautiful church with its pristine exterior, stained glass windows and murals makes it one of the important attractions of Kolkata.

Victoria Memorial:

Built in the memory of Queen Victoria, the Victoria Memorial is a fine example of both British and Mughal architecture. Conceived by Lord Curzon and designed by Sir William Emerson, the building is built with white Makrana marble. Best at night with its many lights giving it a fairy tale appearance the Victoria Memorial with its lovely gardens standing on the banks of the Hooghly River, is one of the most visited monuments of the British period.

 

Stamps of the colonial era are left everywhere in our country. Kolkata has a whole chapter to itself.

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Last Minute Gifting ideas for Diwali

Blog, Festivals/Events - GoroadTrip - July 28, 2016

With Deepavali round the corner, shopping frenzies will be at their craziest peak. If only you had your list covered a month ahead. If only you could have ordered every gift online weeks ago. As you fret over the last minute planning and shopping, we come to your rescue with some best gifting ideas.

Home accents:

Homes can always use accents. What’s more they can be enjoyed by every member of the family. The items can be decorative like wrought-iron mirrors, candle holders or wall paintings. Or they can be practical yet colourful like cushions, clocks, shades or lamps. Home accents have an appeal all the time.

Kitchen utilities:

When you chose a gift that will find space in the kitchen, you can never be wrong. Any kitchen item you pick will have utility in this food production unit of the house. Now you can add glamour to the utility with the latest in non-stick cookware, trendy crockeries and multi-utility products like choppers and graters. Kitchen utilities can be repeated as gifts any time.

Electronics:

An all-time favourite, gadgets feature on everybody’s shopping list. Since these technology gimmicks are now second nature to almost everyone, rest assured that gifting one of its breed will reward you with an instant smile. Headphones, pen drives, selfie stick, wireless mouse, laptop and mobile accessories, this list is quite endless.

Car accessories:

For friends and relatives who spend the best part of their day driving, your gift ideas do not have to go far. With an extensive selection to choose from, car accessories are fast becoming a favourite gift choice. The list is unbelievable as everything from foldable bottle holders, solar powered fans, and car vacuum cleaners to the more exotic car refrigerators and car stereos are up for choice.

Gifts of the edible kind: If you are still short on time, you always have the back-up of sweets, chocolates and dry fruits. Rush to a nearby sweet shop and choose from a mind boggling variety. They are all displayed in hampers or decorative boxes which makes it easier to buy them on the go.

Deciding on what to buy is almost always the factor that eats into your time. Once you have that covered that you can kick-start, get set and go.

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3 Hillstation getaways from Mumbai

Blog, Destinations, Offbeat, Weekend Getaways - GoroadTrip - July 16, 2016

‘The winter air feels so crisp and nippy’, said Sneha as she entered the office. ‘Yes, I had to wear a sweater, imagine in Mumbai!’ said Rohan and laughed. ‘We should be outdoors in this weather and not sitting cooped up at our desks,’ Meena sighed. ‘Yes, madam, let us leave all our work and head out, who will finish these reports?’ teased Prakash. ‘And we have a meeting with the clients next week,’ added Aruna. The five friends had a start-up which was doing quite well in the one year of commencement.

Meena persisted, ‘We have not taken a break in a year. Let us go on a short trip. The reports are nearly done and we are ready for the meeting.’ Rohan was also in favour of the suggestion and soon all five decided to take a four-day break. The next decision was the place to visit. Prakash said, ‘Let us go on a road trip. I read about it all the time on goroadtrip.com. It’s so much fun.’

‘Sounds great,’ ‘but where?’ they wondered. Rohan who was new to Mumbai said, ‘Let’s explore the hill stations close to Mumbai.’ ‘Hill stations in winter? That should be cool!’ laughed the others.

As all their decisions were instant, the five friends set off the very next day.

Their first stop was Matheran, a petite hill station two hours from Mumbai. This eco sensitive hill station was a treat to all their senses with the pure, invigorating air, scenic views, waterfalls, lakes, parks and a surprisingly large variety of medicinal herbs and plants.

After spending a day at Matheran, they friends left on the 96- minute drive to Lonavala. Slightly more commercialized than Matheran, Lonavala offered plenty of activities like waterfall rappelling, trekking and farm tours which the friends enjoyed immensely. They also visited the Korigad Fort and Bhaja caves. While returning back they bought many boxes of the famous Lonavala chikkis to take back home.

They reached Mumbai after two days in Lonavala but were in no mood to return to their routine. ‘Let’s extend the trip,’ said Meena still restless. ‘We can go south of Mumbai this time’. Deciding to indulge her and wanting the extension themselves, they all continued on the National Highway up north.

Three hours from Mumbai they reached Kalsubai which is the highest peak of the Sahyadris in Maharastra. But since it required a three-hour trek to reach the summit, the friends decided to reserve it as an exclusive trip for another time. They proceeded to Bhandardara. A hill station set in the Sahyadri ranges, the place felt blessed abundantly with nature’s best. The high mountains with the lush greenery and soft waterfalls gave the friends plenty of options like trekking and boating. The friends felt completely relaxed and sat quietly together watching the lovely sunset over the hills that evening.

The next day they returned to Mumbai recharged but with the idea of another road trip already formed.

Also read 3 Unbeatable Hill stations of Tamilnadu

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4 Mind Blowing Destinations to visit in Delhi at Night

Blog, Destinations, Heritage & Culture - GoroadTrip - July 5, 2016

‘I was so jetlagged in the morning, now I feel fresh and wide awake’, said Trisha at 6 p.m. ‘How I wish we can visit places in Delhi now instead of in the morning! But I am sure nothing except eateries are open for the night right?’ Her friend Nita, who Trisha was visiting from US, laughed and said, ‘Of course not! You want to see Delhi in the night, so we will. Come on’, and she dragged the surprised Trisha even as she booked a cab using the app on her phone.

The first place Nita took her friend to was India Gate which is the tourist hotspot of the Capital. To Trisha the place seemed alive with so many people hanging around. The lights gave the monument an ethereal look. Nita told her, ‘India Gate looks its best at twilight. The setting sun leaves a golden glow on the western side of the gate and makes the monument appear gold plated.

Their next stop was at Qutub Minar. The illuminated building was an imposing sight and Trisha held her breath when they stood at the foot of the 72.5 metre tower. It appeared to her in the glow of the lights that QutubMinar could tell her many secrets!

After strolling around for some time,they went back home. The two friends repeated the same exercise the next evening. This time their firststop for the night was the Red Fort. The LalQuila or Red Fort looked as though its history of over three hundred years had come alive with a light and sound show that was taking place. Trisha learnt that the show was held every evening.

From Red Fort Nita and Trisha walked up to Chandni Chowk. Nita had arranged for a walk through ChandniChowk with an organization popular for guiding tourists. The walk commenced at ChandniChowk Metro Station and took the girls through the vibrant markets. The guide enthralled them with stories of the 17th century capital, Shahjahanabad which is the walled city of Old Delhi founded by Shahjahan. The girls ended their night out with a cup of chai and yummy chat which ChandniChowk is famous for.

As they dropped off to bed in the early hours of the morning, Trisha concluded that jet lag did have advantages especially in a city like Delhi!

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