Kumrahar ruins of Patna- an insight to ancient Pataliputra

Kali Ghat

I started from Varanasi railway station in an express train in the morning hoping to reach Patna by afternoon. Well, I was happy traveling in the 'almost empty' second AC compartment. My co-passenger was an eighty+ years old man. The train was an hour late at the starting point itself but still it would reach before dark I thought. I was traveling to the state of Bihar for the first time. Knowing the history and reputation for safety of Bihar I was wondering whether to tell my Mother about my trip or not. I didn't tell.

A triad of Goddess- Vindhyavasini, Kali and Ashtabhuja in Vindhyachal

River Ganga and the sandy riverbed on the way to Vindhyachal

As I had mentioned in my earlier post the my journey this time ended up as a classic pilgrimage. The places I visited were temple towns and each temple there has a interesting legend associated with it. One such triad of goddesses is Vindhyachal. 70KM from the religious city of Varanasi, Vindhyachal is another sacred place for the believers of Goddess Durga. The presiding deity Vindhyavasini (The Goddess who lives on Vindhyachal) is instant bestower of benediction.

Kashi Yatra- Tales of the ancient temples!

Durga Temple and Durga Kund of Varanasi

Tales of ancient temples in Kashi! That means- this post is a long read! Hope it keeps you interested!

Visit to Kashi is much more than collecting pictures of skinny bearded old men bathing in river Ganga, or ash clad Naga sadhus or the prevailing dirt. It is much more, at least for Hindus. And that is the reason I always mention I was visiting Kashi- to behold the image of divine, not Varanasi for sightseeing. People talk about disordered, crowded, unhygienic jungle of temples called Varanasi. But, for Hindus who's vision is beyond the lanes and ghats of the city, Kashi is an ordered and structured universe with Vishwanatha temple as the center. Every temple here occupies the right place in that sacred geography. Well, that structure is a bit twisted by the destruction during muslim rule but sanctity prevails.

Yatra- Maihar, A Shaktipeetha

Maihar is small town popular for the Devi Sharada temple on the Trikuta hill. The temple is one of the 51 shaktipeethas, Mother Sati's necklace fell on this hilltop where the temple is built. Mai means Mother and Har is necklace, so the name! The temple is around 5KM from the city. I was at Bandhavgarh National Park and thought of visiting Maihar on the way to Chitrakoot. I took a bus to Umaria (29KM) at 9:00AM, then a train to Katni (57KM), then a train to Maihar (63KM). Reached at 3:45PM! Soon took a hotel room and left for the temple. People were curious to know why was I there in the first place. Some were happy to tell me about the temple. A lodge suspiciously looked at me and said he didn't have vacancy. After going back and forth between the few hotels available the autorikshaw driver somehow got me into a hotel which wasn't good for the money I paid.

Yatra- Amarkantak, the birth place of holy River Narmada

I am nostalgic about Madhya Pradesh again! Yeah, thought of posting one more destination from MP- a pilgrim center. Well, the very holy place Amarkantak. Located at the point where Vindhya and Satpura ranges meet Amarkantak is one of the lesser known pilgrim centers in India though it is the birth place of River Narmada and also river Sone.

Shaktipeethas

Shaktipeetha

Per Hindu mythology, Sati- the daughter of King Daksha Prajapati, married Shiva against her father's will. Angered by this Daksha doesn't invite Sati and Shiva for a grand Vedic sacrifice (Daksh Yajna) which insults Sati and she threws herself into the fire. With the loss of his beloved young wife Shiva is raged and begins Tandava Nritya (dance of cosmic destruction) with Sati's burnt corpse on his shoulder. He wanders around the world as he danced. Devastated by this all the gods ask Lord Vishnu to stop Shiva from destroying the world. Vishnu cuts the corpse into 51 pieces with his Sudarshana Chakra  (discus) and these pieces fall on different spots on earth, ie, across Indian subcontinent. And these 51 spots became places of worship called shaktipeethas representing various forms of Goddess Sati.

4 Adi Shaktipeethas
 
Bimala in Puri, Odisha (Pada khanda)
Tara Tarini in Berhampur, Odisha (Sthana Khanda)
Kamakhya in Guwahati, Assam (Yoni Khanda)
Dakshina Kalika in Kolkotta, West Bengal (Mukha Khanda)

18 Maha Shaktipeethas

1. Shankari Devi in Trimkomali, Sri Lanka (Heart)
2. Kamakshi Devi in Kanchi, Tamil Nadu (Eyes)
3. Srigala Devi in Pandua, West Bengal (Stomach)
4. Chamudeshwari in Mysore, Karnataka (Hair)
5. Jogulamba in Alampur, Telangana (Upper teeth)
6. Bramarambika in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh (Neck)
7. Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur, Maharashtra (Left hand)
8. Renuka in Mahur (Nanded), Maharashtra (Back)
9. Gadakalika in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh (Tongue)
10. Puruhutika in Peethapuram, Andhra Pradesh (Feet)
11. Biraja Devi in Jaipur, Rajasthan (Right hand)
12. Manikyamba in Draksharamam, Andhra Pradesh (Navel)
13. Kamakhya (Kamarupa) in Guwahati, Assam (Vulva)
14. Madhaveshwari in Prayag, Uttar Pradesh (Fingers)
15. Vaishnavi (Jwalaji) in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh (Head)
16. Sarvamangala in Gaya, Bihar (Breast)
17. Vishalakshi in Kashi, Uttar Pradesh (Throat)
18. Saraswati in Kashmir (Lips)


51 Shaktipeethas

1. Mahamaya in Amarnath, Jammu & Kashmir (Throat)
2. Phullara in Attahas, West Bengal (Lips)
3. Bahula in Bahula, West Bengal (Left arm)
4. Mahishmardhini in Bakreshwar, West Bengal (Portion between the eyebrows)
5. Avanti in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh (Elbow)
6. Arpana in Bhabanipur, Bangladeah (Left anklet)
7. Chinnamastika in Chinnamastika, Himacha Pradesh (Feet)
8. Gandaki Chandi in Gandaki, Nepal (Temple)
9. Bhramari in Nasik Maharashtra (Chin)
10. Kottari in Hinglaj, Pakistan (Bramharandra- part of the head)
 11. Jayanti in Nartiang Village, Meghalaya (Left thigh)
12. Jashoreshwari in Ishwaripur, Bangladesh (palms and feet)
13.Jwalaji in Kagra, Himachal Pradesh (Tongue)
14. Kalika in Kolkotta, West Bengal (Right toe)
15. Kali in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh (Left buttock) Origin of River Sone
16. Kamakhya in Guwahati, Assam (Genitals)
17. Devgarbha in Kankalitala, West Bengal (Bones)
18. Sarvani in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu (Back)
19. Jayadurga (Brajeshwari) in Kangra, HImachal Pradesh (Both ears)
20. Vimla in Kireekona, West Bengal (Crown)
21. Kumari (Anandamayee) in Ratnavali,West Bengal (Right shoulder)
22. Bhramari in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal (Left leg)
23. Dakshayini in Kailash Manasarovar, Tibet (Right hand)
24. Gayatri in Pushkar, Rajasthan (two bracelets)
25. Uma in Mithila, Nepal (Left shoulder)
26. Indrakshi in MAnipallavam, Sri Lanka (Anklets)
27. Mahashira in Khatmandu, Nepal (Both knees)
28. Bhavani in Citakunda, Bangladesh (right arm)
29. Varahi in Panchsagar, Uttarakhand (Lower teeth)
30. Chandrabhaga in Prabhas (Somanath), Gujarat (Stomach)
31. Lalita in Prayag, Uttar Pradesh (Finger)
32. Savitri/Bhadrakali in Kurukshetra, Haryana (Ankle bone)
33. Shivani in Chitrakuta, Uttarpradesh (Right breast)
34. Nandini in Sainthia, West Bengal (Necklace)
35. Rakini/Vishweshwari in Sarvashail, Andra Pradesh (Cheeks)
36. Mahishmardhani in Naina Devi, Himachal Pradesh (Eyes)
37. Narmada in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh (Right buttock) Origin of River Narmada
38. Srisundari in Srishailam, Andhra Pradesh (Right anklet)
39. Mahalakshmi in Shri Shail, Bangladesh (Neck)
40. Narayani in Suchindram, Tamil Nadu (Upper teeth)
41. Sugandha in Shirpur, Bangladesh (Nose)
42. Tripurasundari in Udaypur, Tripura (Right leg)
43. Magal Chandika, Ujaani, West Bengal (Right wrist)
44. Vishalakshi in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (Earing)
45. Kapalini/Bhimarupa in Vibhash, West Bengal (Left ankle)
46. Ambika in Virat, Rajastha (Left Toe)
47. Uma in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh (Ringlets of hair)
48. Tripuramalini in Jalandhar, Punjab (left breast)
49. Jayadurga in Baijyanath, Jarkhand (Heart)
50. Paropit in Paro, Bhutan
51.

Seven Sacred Cities of India- Ujjain

Kashi, Kanchi, Maya, Ayodhya, Avantika
Mathura, Dwaravati chaiva saptaita mokshadayika

My Mother always talks about Seven Sacred Cities and four sacred teerthas (sacred places) of Hindu religion. So, I decided to visit those cities and places during my travel. These seven cities are Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Ujjain, Mathura and Dwaraka. My travel to Madhya Pradesh presented me with an opportunity to visit Ujjain. I was thrilled.

Heritage- Ancient city Kangra

Kangra, Himachal Pradesh is a historical town which is 18Km from Dharmashala. Once upon a time it was Nagarkot, the rich city founded by Chandravanshi Katoch Rajputs. It was a beautiful fort city of rich temples and vast treasure. Gazni Muhammad invaded the fort, looted the temples and took away the treasure as any other Muslim invader did. The Vajreshwari temple was the oldest and wealthiest temples in northern India. Gazni, and then Tughlaqs destroyed it along with the fort and the town. The temple is rebuilt and is still functioning. It is one of the Shaktipeethas. From Dharmashala I took a day-long excursion to Kangra and Masroor temples.