At the top of the famous Jakhu hill is located the famous Jakhu Temple of Shimla. It is hardly 2 kilometers from the Ridge and is an uphill climb through the beautiful deodar trees. The Jakhu Temple of Simla is dedicated to the monkey God, Hanuman. The Jakhu temple is located at a height of 2455 meters and is situated on the highest peak in Shimla. The scenic view that surrounds this beautiful temple of India is absolutely breath taking and splendid. The temple has an interesting legend behind it. It is said that a deadly arrow injured Lord Rama’s brother Lakshmana when he was fighting the battle with the demon king Ravana. A priest diagnosed Lakshmana and said that he needed a particular Sanjeevani herb from the Himalayas to cure Lakshmana. Hanuman was sent to get that herb from he lofty mountains. Upon reaching the Himalayas, Hanuman couldn’t make out as to which herb was the Sanjeevani. So he dug up the entire mountain and flew back to where Lakshmana was lying injured. After Lakshmana was cured, Hanuman went back to place the mountain in its original site. He rested on top of the Jakhu hill for sometime. It is said that the top of the hill got flattened due to Hanuman’s weight! The temple has been built around the place that is supposed to have the footprints of Hanuman. It is a highly revered religious place of Shimla and devotees throng in huge numbers to pray. The shrine is a hotspot for monkeys who flock here in great numbers and generously accept eatables that are given to them by devotees and tourists.
The 10th day of Navaratri is traditionally known as “The Wedding Day” This was filmed on that day 2010, it was the celebration of the Spiritual Marriage of Two Western couples this year. Here the Groom’s party starts their journey from the Fakirabhad across the riverbed the music gets louder and the party gets bigger [...]
Located in the small Indian village of Chilianaula near Ranikhet is a beautiful Haidakhan BABAJI ashram called “Anand Puri” the place of Bliss with a magnificent view of the Himalayas. Here’s a little tour around the ashram. Check out the Hanuman “Monkey” Darshan as a local monkey goes and sits near the Hanuman Murti! [...]
By Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha The course of the Jivatma’s journey towards liberation passes through many births. At some point of time, due to past Karma and more importantly through God’s grace, the Jivatma realises the ultimate purpose and begins the search for this goal. The Bhagavata Purana, that is the essence of Vedic literature, provides the necessary assistance to the Jivatma in this regard.As one starts listening to the narratives not only are one’s sins wiped away gradually, but the desire for liberation takes root as well. Parikshit, who got the valuable opportunity of listening to the Bhagavata Purana from Sage Suka and attained liberation, exemplifies the successful spiritual aspirant. This king had inadvertently thrown a dead snake on a sage in deep meditation, and immediately regretted this act. Though the sage himself remained unruffled, it was his son who cursed the king that he would die of snake bite within seven days. Parikshit accepted this curse willingly as a fit punishment for his act. He undertook penance for the remaining period of his life and did not want to get immersed in worldly life. This Vairagya is to be emulated by the Jivatma who has to turn his back to worldly attractions and look inwards for seeking liberation. Dhruva and Prahlada also teach valuable lessons. Dhruva had desired to sit on the lap of his father but the stepmother refused to grant this rightful wish. Dhruva felt insulted and his mother, who also suffered indignities in the palace, saw no other way than ask the child to seek God through penance and propitiation. God is the only enduring relative for every one. He alone remains with us always and protects us unfailingly. In the case of Prahlada, the father was tooth and nail against his son who implicitly believed in God. He advised his young friends to get involved in seeking God and not fritter away the life in wasteful pursuits. From one’s childhood the dharma of devotional service to God is to be practised. Attachment to perishable things only leads to physical and mental strain. We have to cultivate the discrimination by which the body and the soul are perceived as two entities.
A short film about devotion through the eyes of full-time yogis. Shot on location at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, CA in 2008. Camera work, editing, and production by Amy Champ. www.sivananda.org
The Party keeps going…..Indian Wedding style………….
Kolkata may host the most lavish Durga puja pandals in the country complete with elaborate decoration and dazzling illumination, but in Cuttack the puja is popular for the extravagance in style reflected in gold and silver work. Lakhs of people visit the puja pandals organised by three main puja organisers who compete with each other to put gold crowns on the heads of the deities. It all started a few years back when the three organisers put up silver tableaux or ‘Chandi Medha’ in the pandals imparting a sparkling aura. But gold? Nobody thought of it till Choudhury Bazar puja committee made gold crowns for the deities in 2002 to coincide with its golden jubilee. Thereafter the three organisers are vying with each other to give the ‘golden’ touch to their worship of Durga. The budget for the Mangalabag Puja Committee this year is a whopping Rs one crore, the major chunk of which would be spent on making gold crowns. Not just the Durga idol, all the other deities that flank her will sport gold crowns this year including Ganesh, Kartik, Laxmi and Saraswati. While the main crown of Goddess Durga is made up of 2.5 kg of gold, the remaining four crowns weigh a little over 2.5 kg. The total cost for the crowns, including making charges, has crossed the Rs one crore mark, said a member of the puja committee overseeing the work. Two other two puja committees — Choudhury Bazar and Sheikh Bazar — have also made gold crowns for Durga idols this year. The crown for Mahisasura was made of 7.6 kg gold at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. Besides the crown, they have ordered gold necklaces for the Goddess Durga as well. Sheikh Bazaar had also made a gold crown for Goddess Durga in 2008. A crown of 3.5 kg gold was made at a cost of Rs 28 lakh which continues to be the star attraction of Cuttack Dusshera. Known for their impeccable dexterity, filigree artisans of Cuttack have always received appreciation worldwide. At a time when silversmiths of the city were deprived of government support, non-existence of cooperatives, poor entrepreneurship, professional rivalries and invasion of machine-finished products in markets, the competition to go for silver tableaus and golden crowns have given them a new lease of life. Click On Picture To Enlarged Image
The Saptashrungi Devi temple is located at Vani near Nashik in Maharashtra. This temple is one among the 51 Shakti peethas located on the Indian subcontinent. The Devi is said be swayambhu (self-manifested) on a rock on the sheer face of a mountain. She is surrounded by seven (sapta-in Sanskrit) peaks (shrunga-in Sanskrit), hence the name- Sapta Shrungi Mata (mother of the seven peaks). The image of the Devi is huge-about 10 feet tall with 18 hands, holding various weapons. The idol is always coated with Sindoor, which is considered auspicious in this region. She is believed to be Mahishasur Mardini, the slayer of the demon Mahishasur, who took the form of a buffalo. Hence, at the foot of the hill, from where one starts climbing the steps, there is the head of a buffalo, made is stone, and believed to be that of the demon. Mahishasur Mandir Mahishasur Mandir It is believed that the Devi Mahatmya, a sacred book which extols the greatness of Devi and her exploits was composed at this place by the sage Markandeya, who performed rigorous penance on a hill opposite the one on which the Devi resides, which is now named after him. The temple, which sort of sticks to the cliff, is 1230 meters above sea level. There is an old path with steps cut out of the mountain, which starts right at the foothills, at Vani and goes all the way to the mountain. However, now, a motorable road has been built, which goes up to an altitude of 1150 meters. From this place one has to climb around 500 steps to reach the shrine, which only takes about forty five minutes
THE EVIL YOU DO REMAINS WITH YOU, THE GOOD YOU DO, COMES BACK TO YOU. A woman baked chapati for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra chapati on the window sill, for whosoever would take it away. Everyday, a hunchback cums and took away the chapati. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” This went on, day after day. Everyday, the hunchback came, picked up the chapati and uttered the words: “The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” The woman felt irritated. “Not a word of gratitude,” she said to herself… “Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle! What does he mean?” One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. “I shall get rid of this hunchback,” she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the chapatti as she prepared for him! As she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled. “What is this I am doing?” she said. Immediately, she threw the chapati into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window sill. As usual, the hunchback came, picked up the chapati and muttered the words: “The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” The hunchback proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Everyday, as the woman placed the chapati on the window sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him….. She prayed for his safe return. That same evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, “Mom, it’s a miracle I’m here. While I was but a few miles away, I was so famished that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunchback passed by. I begged of him for a morsel of food, and he was kind enough to give me a whole chapati. As he gave it to me, he said, “This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!” ” As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned chapati that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life! It was then that she realized the significance of the words: “The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!” Do good and Don’t ever stop doing good, even if it?s not appreciated at that time Hope you remember a saying in urdu which says NEKI KAR DARYA MEIN DAL If you are expecting some favours in return of the good deed you have done, your deed ceases to be a deed then, it’s business then. Do you call a food merchant your ‘annadata’? No, because he doesn’t donate, he sells. So don’t sell your ‘neki’.
