Dakshineshwar Kali Temple Kolkata (Calcutta)

Dakshineshwar, Kali Temple, Shree Ramakrishna

Kali Temple of Daskshineswar video clip

The Temple of Maa (Mother) Kaali is well known all around the world. It was the deep devotion and fire of love of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsha towards the Mother Divine that happened here. These are the sacred grounds where Sri Ramakrihsna observed spiritual practices and His deep and intense love for Mother Kali, made it possible for him to feel Her divinity and He talked with her.
The temple is located on the Eastern banks of the Ganges about 4 miles North of Kolkata. The video clip shows the steps leading to the sacred river that Sri Ramakrishna used to trod on. The chandni (roofed terrace), on either side, ranged in a row are Temples of Shiva.
To the east are the courtyard and the temple of Radhakanta Temple. It was this temple that Sri Ramakrishna Parahamasha served as the priest in the beginning, in the year 1857 A.D.
Then the video clip shows the main Kali Temple, where the Sri Ramakrishna experienced , ecstatic divine love. The image or idol of Kali Mother, dressed in gorgeous gold, standing on the white golden image of the prostrate body of Shiva, her divine consort.
She has three eyes. On the feet of the Goddess are  ornaments of Gold. Her arms are decked with jeweled ornaments of gold. She wears necklaces of gold and pearl. A golden garland of human hands and a golden gird of human arms. She has on Her head a golden crown. Her ears adorned with golden earrings and her nose wears a golden nose ring, with a pearl.
In her left hand, she holds a human head. With Her right hand she offers blessings and reassurance.
The video clip also shows Nat Mandir (Temple) or music hall. Here resides idols of Shiva and His two companions. Before entering the Temple Thakur (Sri Ramakrishna), used to offer his pranams (Obeisance) here.  The vido clip also shows image of Govindu or Lord Krishna in Radhakanta Temple. Thakur (Sri Ramakrishna) had mended this image with his own hands when it was damaged.
The Kali Temple and the names of other places shown in this video clip are mentioned frequently in Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. If you are interested in Kali Temple of Dakshineswar or Divine life and teachings of Sri Raakrishna, Gospel of Sri Ramakrihsna is a must read, not only for information and divine teaching, but a divine experience in itself.
you might also like to visit Official website of Kali Temple – Dakshineswar

Below is the location of Dakshineswar Temple of Kolkata (Calcutta) from google maps

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Few comments for this video on you tube

Om Sai Ram ,
Jai Kali Maa,
Thanks for sharing this wonderful divine video clip.
This is beautiful. Thanks again for posting
When I first saw this clip. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I visited this place so much, when I was in Kolkata. Sitting 17000kms away from Kolkata, and seeing this... was a beautiful feeling that cannot be described in words.
All I can say is a big thank you for posting this. Wish it could be bit longer clip.
This video is from the vcd called " Footprints Of Sri Ramakrishna Volume 2 "
Different Vedanta Society websites carry it.
beautiful .
jai Thakur
jai maa bhavatarini

Shree Saptshrungi Devi

Saptashringa Garh is a significant pious pilgrim of Devi as it enshrines the renowned Shree Saptshrungi Devi temple, which is considered as one of the 4 shakti peeths of Devi in Maharashtra. It is also one of the 51 shakti peeth of India.

The Devi is carved on a single rock face holding a weapon in each of her eighteen arms at an altitude and hence can be viewed from a distance. The carving is 8 feet tall. Shree Saptshrungi Devi encompasses her name from her abode the legendary seven peaked Saptashringa Mountain, a habitat to a variety of medicinal trees. Legend states that it was from this very hill that Hanuman carried the sanjeevani – the herbal medicine for the wounded Laxmana. The hill also conserves 108 water reservoirs traditionally known as the Kundas.

Vani Devi, Durga Devi, Goddess Bhagawati and Goddess of Khandesh are few names to be reckoned with Shree Saptshrungi Devi. Devi is also known as Mahishasur Mardini as she slayed the demon Mahishasur who was creating nuisance for Rishi Markendaya. To eradicate him the sage prepared a holy fire out of which the goddess emerged with eighteen arms clasping different weapons and eliminated the demon. As a tribute to the Devi Rishi Markandeya composed the Devi Mahatmaya or Durga Saptashati after doing penance on the top of a peak, which face the cliff that enshrines the temple.

Vani Devi finds her reference in the holy book Shri Sai Satcharita. Many propitiate her as their Kuldevi. The shrine is located at Vani a place around 55 – 60 kms away from Nasik and is well connected with state transport buses. At the base of the Saptashringa Garh is Nanduri village. There is a zig-zag road to the temple which goes up to 11kms till it reaches the top and from here one takes a flight of 470 stairs leading right up to the shrine.

Shree Saptshrungi Devi

Pandharpur – The Vaikunth of Lord Vithoba

Pandharpur the sacred abode of Lord Vithoba is revered as the Vaikunth of Lord Vithoba. It is also famous as the “Dakshin Kashi” of India and is situated on the banks of the divine river Bhimarati which is also pertinently credited as Chandrabhaga, owing to the anecdote behind it. Interestingly according to mythology it was only after bathing in this holy river was the cursed Moon liberated from its curse. Since then the river started flowing around here in the shape of a crescent moon. It is also a prevalent belief that on his way to Lanka Lord Rama visited this holy river. Hence devotees consider themselves to be blessed by taking a dip in this holy river as they strongly believe by doing this they will absolve themselves from sins or curse if any.

Lord Vitthal is believed to be the reincarnation of Shri Krishna and is one of the many names of Vithoba which is derived from the Kannada word Vishnu. The name Vitthal is also interpreted by many as “The one standing on the brick”. This legendary deity standing on a brick stylishly resting his arms on the hips, is enshrined in a majestic temple on the river banks is also fondly called as Panduranga, Pandhairiraya, Vithai, Vithu-mauli. Rakhumai or Rukmini is the consort of Shri Vitthal and Bhakt Pundalik was an ardent devotee of Shri Krishna. Due to his close association with this shrine, Pandharpur is also know as Pundarika pura.

It is believed that this magnificent shrine dates back to the Yadav dynasty and was known to be a miniature then. It is assumed that in the 13^th century with the wide spread of the Vitthala bhakti that the temple boundaries must have expanded. This ancient sanctuary covers a vast area and has a total of six gates. Saint Namdev was closely associated with this shrine and in his honor the eastern entrance to this temple is named as the Namdev gate. The entrance to the main temple is from the Namdeo-Payri.

Many noted saints like Namdev, Tukaram, Dnyaneshwar have written and sung the praises of the Lord Vitthal. Millions of Varkaris from all over Maharashtra walk bare foot to Pandhrpur dancing and chanting to the tunes of devotional songs to celebrate “Ashadhi Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi” twice every year. One finds devotees flocking to this temple on Wednesdays and Ekadashis of every month as they are considered to be auspicious. Apart from Ashadhi and Kartitki Ekadashis, Magh and Chaitra Ekadashis are too celebrated with pomp and fare.

Pandharpur is a small town in the district of Sholapur in Maharashtra well connected by rail & road to practically to all the cities of Maharashtra.

Pandharpur

Few comments from youtube:

* Thank you for posting this. Tukaram ganapathi has sung these songs and they are really nice

* Bhooloka Vaikundam. Nice Song by Shri Thukaram Ganapathi Maharaj.

* This is not main virat or Murthi or main idol of Krishna in Phandarpur. In the video what is shown is a different one in the temple. See "vittal puja" in youtube and you will see the main idol. in Phardarpur temple the idol of Rukmini wife of Lord Krishna is not located along side of Sri Krishna's idol.

Vithal Puja

Live recording of Kakad aarti of the main deity in the main Vithhal temple at Pandharpur.

At 4.00 early in the morning the Kakad Aarti is performed. In a tranquil atmosphere one can hear the sweet melody of the instruments Choughada and Sanai playing.

The gates of the temple are opened for the gathered devotees. The priest then chants the mantras aloud to awake the Lord from his slumber.

After this prayer the priest washes the face of the Lord with water. The silver lamp with puree ghee is lit and along with the aarti and naivedya is offered to the deity. After singing a few aartis the priest then chants the Mantrpushpanjali. Then the deity is then all geared up for a bath, wherein the previous offerings of garlands and flowers are removed from the deity followed by padasanan which is done with milk and undressing the deity.

On completion of Ganpati, Kalash, Bell, Conch and Earth pooja, the Mahapooja is performed. The bathing rites are duly performed in the subsequent sequence, the deity is first bathed with hot water followed by curds, milk and panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) bath. In between butter-sugar with Tulsi leaves is offered to the deity and aarti is performed. After this honey and sugar is applied on the body of the deity and once again a hot-water bath is given.

Poorushsukta and other Vedic Mantras are chanted while making an offering of water and other things to the deity. After a luxurious bath, the Lord is dressed up in beautiful finery. Chandan, Kasturi tilak are applied to the forehead of the deity. After bedecking the deity with beautiful ornaments the mirror is shown to the Lord. Then dhoop, lamp and naivedya are offered. The priest then blesses all the devotees by sprinkling the auspicious holy water on them with which the Lord was bathed. Then again the aarti and Mantrapushpanjali are performed.

In this way each morning with complete dedication the Vithhal Pooja is duly performed in a very devotional way. The Darshan of the Lord at Mahapooja is incredibly pleasant and appealing which cannot be expressed in words but has to experienced by oneself.

The following comments are from youtube:

* it is a blessing for us who are settled abroad to have this beautiful darshan of shri vithal pandurang.god hari vithal bless you.jai hari vithal jai panduranga

* Thanka a lot for posting this!!! I am right now in US and find myself indeed lucky having Darshan of Vitthal. Thanks again!!!

* hari..u did really a very good job ..dear thanks a lot for this....keep it up ....vithhalachi krupa tuzhyavar aashich raho.. jai hari vithhal...

* Thanks a lot good job

* Thank you very much...God bless you!

Titwala Maha Ganesh Mandir

Titwala is a small bustling town in Thane district that houses the legendary Maha Ganesha temple. Titwala is known as a holy centre for its renowned Maha Ganesha and Shri Vithal - Rakumai temple. According to the legend, following a prolonged period of disagreement, it was here in this very place that King Dushyant married Devi Shakuntala after sincerely propitiating the Maha Ganesha idol which was consecrated by sage Kanva.

It so happened that after a period of time this ancient sacred idol vanished with out a trace. It was only later in the 18^th century when the Peshwa of that time was constructing a lake, the idol was retrieved while excavating. The Peshwa then consecrated the idol and reinstated the temple on the bank of the lake.

With passing time this temple has gained prominence as the temple deity is renowned to bless couples with happy marital bliss by settling marital conflicts between them provided the deity is propitiated sincerely and with strict religious observance. When worshiped regularly the Maha Ganesha is known to bless one’s heart’s content by fixing their marriage with the desired person of their choice.

A little away from the Maha Ganesh temple is the Shri Vithal - Rakumai temple. The fascinating thing about this temple is that one can be present in this temple and hear the holy ongoing bhajans that are sung in the temple of Pandharpur which is more than 100miles away, by placing one’s ear against the iron tube which is connected to a “Gaumukh” (sculpted cow head) constructed within the sanctum of this temple.

Sankashtis, Ganesh Chaturthi, Maghi Chaturthi and Tuesdays are the endearing days to Lord Ganesha, hence on these days one will find devotees flocking in numbers to pay their homage to their favorite holy deity.

One can also visit the temple of Sri Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon on the way to the Maha Ganesha temple. You can enjoy a Tonga ride to the shrine or opt for a shared auto instead. There are many devotees who choose to walk a good 3 Km from the railway station to offer their respects to the shrine. Titwala is well connected to Mumbai via local trains. It is the third station on Kalyan to Igatpuri route.

Titwala

The Temples of India

The Ancient Shrine of the Sacred Rats

The Karni Mata Temple is situated on the holy land of Deshnok in Rajasthan, India. The marvel of this temple is that it is the home to thousands of harmless rats commonly known as Kabas - the children of the goddess that keep scampering and crawling around. Hence it is also known as the Ancient Shrine of the Sacred Rats.

There is a very interesting tale behind the history of this temple. As per the folklore the human beings who die are reincarnated as rats and the rats that die are reincarnated as human beings. Centuries ago Mata Karni devi had blessed her tribe with a divine boon that upon death they would reincarnate as rats before being reborn as humans. Hence these rats are considered to be sacred and are believed to be the reincarnation of the descendants of the deity.

It is believed that some 600 yrs ago goddess Karniji and her four sons worshiped in this marble sanctuary which was free of rats at that time. Her sons would take turns to taking care of the shrine for 30 days at a time. Even today her male descanted continue this tradition. They serve as priest and must spend a month of tending to their reincarnated relatives called Kabas. Devotees say that if you touch any one of these sacred Kabas you are blessed for life and it is considered good luck if you see a white rat.

It is these divine white rats that are believed to be the reincarnation of the goddess’s four sons. Visitors take utmost care of not hurting these rats by stepping over them but if anyone kills them by accidentally stepping over them then they have to replace the same with its weight in silver.

It is an astonishing fact that till date this vermin infected shrine is free from any kind of rat related disease. The rats found here are much cleaner than the ones found at home. In fact even the offerings of food is first offered to the Kabas and then distributed as prasad to the devotees. These Kabas lead a very secure life within the shrine and that’s why it seems that they never want to leave. Hence the rats within the temple don’t go out and the rats outside the temple don’t come in.

Its interesting to know that after a day at the temple even the most petrified visitors walk away with a new respect for the vermins.

Rat Temple in India

The following are some comments from youtube :

* Rats are intelligent and beautiful animals. Great video!
P.S. --- Cultural insensitivity is a product of ignorance.

* I know what you mean. Some people just can't upload any new software into their brain once it's programmed! Stay strong and much love to your rat.

* I love rats, they're cute and they're very intelligent. If you rear a rat or mouse, they recognise their owner and are very loyal to you. They socialise very well and they learn new things very quickly. I would love to visit this temple and put some fruits out for these guys and look around the temple.

* This place is awesome! I'm a huge "rat-fan" myself (got two pet rats) so places like this can only keep a smile on my face. :-)

* Rats are so sweet. They make awesome pets. I have one, and he is the sweetest animal I have ever met. Looks like the rats in the video have a pretty comfortable life.

* If people could learn to respect each other as much as they respect these rats, the world might be a better place.

* Hindus have a love and compassion for animals and other helpless creatures. So, we arrogant Christians can learn a thing or two from them

* They are very great about rats. Hello everybody "You need respect to India people".
I have pet rats that I am love. I wish I can going visit there.

* These special little rats are the old English variety, the kind we have in California. I have some as pets. They are incredibly smart and love to have human friends when possible. I am glad they have a place where they are worshipped.

* If you look at their sweet little faces, they are incredibly expressive little beings. If you know them well as individuals, they are very much like people, so it is not so far-fetched that humans/rats could incarnate into each other. As for the "biting," this type of rat nips to get attention when they want to play. They also will trim your toenails if your feet are not very fresh smelling, as they are avid groomers and cannot stand to leave you in THEIR living space with stinky feet.

* I also have a pet rat. Most people are too close-minded to consider them, but I've discovered that rats are extremely affectionate animals, intelligent and trainable, clean, and just overall good pets. People have critisized me for loving rats for so long that it's come to the point where I just don't care anymore. They don't even give animal chance.

* Rats are the best small pets to have, I've had a total of 15 now (Not all at once though) And I've never been bitten or caught any illnesses, unlike that evil pet hamster...!

* i have a rat. he's super intelligent and very unique with his own personality ( i gotta cook for him...but its worth it,he licks me when hes done eating ).he's very playful and affectionate. rats are almost the same as dogs,just smaller.

* if it weren't for rats, we wouldn't have hardly any medicine or treatments for things. i have pet rats too, and they've got to be the best small pets u cud ever wish for. i've taught them how to jump into my hands from the ground :]

* I looove pet rats.They are such amazing creatures.Smart,kind,funny and cuddely...I worship them too...People who doesn´t like them, usually haven´t met them up close.

* Rats Rock!

* I love rats they are man's other best friend.

Golden Temple in Vellore in different view

This is the famous Golden Temple in Vellore of Tamil Nadu.
Try to visit the temple atleast once.

Download the picture or click n the picture and Wait for some time Image will automatically get changes

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