18th July 2019
Musings.......
My recent visit to Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh was an enlightening experience. The richness of the culture of Andhra Pradesh and its cuisine makes me go back for more.
A visit to Tirupati was obviously to visit the Lord Venkateshwara Temple situated in Tirumala Hills part of the Sheshachalam Hills range. The Hills is part of seven peaks representing the seven heads of Adishesha. The Temple lies on the seventh peak - Venkatadri on the banks of Sri Swami Pushkarni, a holy water tank.
Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple is a prominent Vaishnavite temple dedicated to the incarnation of lord Vishnu who is believed to have appeared to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. The lord is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam and temple as Kaliyuga Vaikuntham.
The seven hills are -
* Vrushabhadri- Hill of Nandi
* Anjanadri- Hill of Lord Hanuman
* Neeladri- Hill of Neela Devi
* Garudadri - Hill of Garuda
* Sheshadri- Hill of Lord Vishnu
* Narayanadri- Hill of Srivari Padalu
* Venkatadri- Hill of Lord Venkateshwara
Yuga in Hindu mythology is an epoch or era within a four- age cycle. The four Yuga s in one cycle is -
1. Satya Yuga
2. Treta Yuga
3. Dwapara Yuga
4. Kali Yuga
Satya Yuga, the first and the best Yuga is the age of truth and perfection. This Yuga has zero percent crime and hundred percent kindness. There was no religion and everyone was happy.
Treta Yuga, considered the second best Yuga is the second Yuga but the name means the “Third”. Virtue diminishes slightly in this Yuga and people indulge in wars.
Dvapara Yuga, third Yuga in order means “two pair” or “after two”. People become sick and fight with each other in this Yuga. Vedas are divided into four parts and average lifespan of humans is around a few centuries.
Kali Yuga, the final age. It is the age of darkness and ignorance. People become sinners and lack virtue. Environment is polluted and water and food is scarce. Knowledge is lost and scriptures destroyed. By the end of this Yuga life expectancy of humans will be as low as 20 years.
This cycle results in 24,000 years. These four Yuga constitute a Mahayuga and there are 1000 Mahayugas in one day of Brahma. A Mahakalpa consist of 100 years of Brahma.
Not drifting too much from the topic, I found myself with family in the footsteps of culture and mythology, a sort of power unexplainable and ever present. Enumerable number of writings can not explain the feeling that one gets standing in the main Gopura of the Temple after seeing Lord Venkateshwara.
The temple is believed to have been constructed around 300 AD. The Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagara kings were devotees of the temple and Lord Venkateshwara.
The temple administration has passed hands of the kings , to the French, the Nawab of Carnatic and the East India Company which run the temple based on codes named Bruce Code.
The temple follows Vaikhanasa Agama tradition of worship.
Accolades should go to the successive Andhra Pradesh Government and the TTD administration for conducting foolproof darshan without any mishaps when millions throng the temple every year. Right from the roads, to the amenities, restaurants, queue system in the temple and the main temple itself is simply outstanding. Our own Sabarimala Devaswom administration can take a leaf out of the book of TTD on how to run a temple.
The famous Tirupati Laddu is given at Tirumala temple as Prasadam which has received GI tag ( Geographical Indication ). Many devotees have their heads shaved and offer hair as a ritual called tonsuring or Mokku.
It is believed that Lord Venkateshwara had to make arrangements for his wedding and borrowed money from Lord Kubera. In remembrance of this devotees go to Tirupati temple to donate money in Venkateshwaras hundi so that he can pay it back to Kubera.
Our next stop was the famed Sri Kalahastheeshwara temple located 36 kms away from Tirupati. It is famous for its Vayu linga, one of the Panchabhootha sthalams representing wind. This is the only temple in the country that remains open during Solar and Lunar eclipses and incidentally as fate may have it, our visit coincided with a lunar eclipse. According to legend, Kalahastheeshwara was worshipped at this place by Brahma during all four Yugas. Arjuna the Pandava Prince is said to have worshipped the presiding deity.
The initial work of the temple was started by the Pallava dynasty and completed by the Chola and Vijayanagara empire. The famous Gopuram and 100 pillar mandapam was constructed by Krishnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara King in 1516.
Needless to say for me Both temple visits were contending to the soul and body. Such divine experience. The way the Telugu and Andhrites revere their God is something to be taken note. This I say in the background of events that happened in Sabarimala temple and the controversies regarding which I do not wish to delve.
God fearing Malayalis could look upto Tirupati and its administration for inspiration and the Government and Devaswom administration could do no harm in visiting the place at least once.
Food for thought.......
RC
rohitchennithala.home.blog
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
My recent visit to Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh was an enlightening experience. The richness of the culture of Andhra Pradesh and its cuisine makes me go back for more.
A visit to Tirupati was obviously to visit the Lord Venkateshwara Temple situated in Tirumala Hills part of the Sheshachalam Hills range. The Hills is part of seven peaks representing the seven heads of Adishesha. The Temple lies on the seventh peak - Venkatadri on the banks of Sri Swami Pushkarni, a holy water tank.
Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple is a prominent Vaishnavite temple dedicated to the incarnation of lord Vishnu who is believed to have appeared to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. The lord is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam and temple as Kaliyuga Vaikuntham.
The seven hills are -
* Vrushabhadri- Hill of Nandi
* Anjanadri- Hill of Lord Hanuman
* Neeladri- Hill of Neela Devi
* Garudadri - Hill of Garuda
* Sheshadri- Hill of Lord Vishnu
* Narayanadri- Hill of Srivari Padalu
* Venkatadri- Hill of Lord Venkateshwara
Yuga in Hindu mythology is an epoch or era within a four- age cycle. The four Yuga s in one cycle is -
1. Satya Yuga
2. Treta Yuga
3. Dwapara Yuga
4. Kali Yuga
Satya Yuga, the first and the best Yuga is the age of truth and perfection. This Yuga has zero percent crime and hundred percent kindness. There was no religion and everyone was happy.
Treta Yuga, considered the second best Yuga is the second Yuga but the name means the “Third”. Virtue diminishes slightly in this Yuga and people indulge in wars.
Dvapara Yuga, third Yuga in order means “two pair” or “after two”. People become sick and fight with each other in this Yuga. Vedas are divided into four parts and average lifespan of humans is around a few centuries.
Kali Yuga, the final age. It is the age of darkness and ignorance. People become sinners and lack virtue. Environment is polluted and water and food is scarce. Knowledge is lost and scriptures destroyed. By the end of this Yuga life expectancy of humans will be as low as 20 years.
This cycle results in 24,000 years. These four Yuga constitute a Mahayuga and there are 1000 Mahayugas in one day of Brahma. A Mahakalpa consist of 100 years of Brahma.
Not drifting too much from the topic, I found myself with family in the footsteps of culture and mythology, a sort of power unexplainable and ever present. Enumerable number of writings can not explain the feeling that one gets standing in the main Gopura of the Temple after seeing Lord Venkateshwara.
The temple is believed to have been constructed around 300 AD. The Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagara kings were devotees of the temple and Lord Venkateshwara.
The temple administration has passed hands of the kings , to the French, the Nawab of Carnatic and the East India Company which run the temple based on codes named Bruce Code.
The temple follows Vaikhanasa Agama tradition of worship.
Accolades should go to the successive Andhra Pradesh Government and the TTD administration for conducting foolproof darshan without any mishaps when millions throng the temple every year. Right from the roads, to the amenities, restaurants, queue system in the temple and the main temple itself is simply outstanding. Our own Sabarimala Devaswom administration can take a leaf out of the book of TTD on how to run a temple.
The famous Tirupati Laddu is given at Tirumala temple as Prasadam which has received GI tag ( Geographical Indication ). Many devotees have their heads shaved and offer hair as a ritual called tonsuring or Mokku.
It is believed that Lord Venkateshwara had to make arrangements for his wedding and borrowed money from Lord Kubera. In remembrance of this devotees go to Tirupati temple to donate money in Venkateshwaras hundi so that he can pay it back to Kubera.
Our next stop was the famed Sri Kalahastheeshwara temple located 36 kms away from Tirupati. It is famous for its Vayu linga, one of the Panchabhootha sthalams representing wind. This is the only temple in the country that remains open during Solar and Lunar eclipses and incidentally as fate may have it, our visit coincided with a lunar eclipse. According to legend, Kalahastheeshwara was worshipped at this place by Brahma during all four Yugas. Arjuna the Pandava Prince is said to have worshipped the presiding deity.
The initial work of the temple was started by the Pallava dynasty and completed by the Chola and Vijayanagara empire. The famous Gopuram and 100 pillar mandapam was constructed by Krishnadevaraya, the Vijayanagara King in 1516.
Needless to say for me Both temple visits were contending to the soul and body. Such divine experience. The way the Telugu and Andhrites revere their God is something to be taken note. This I say in the background of events that happened in Sabarimala temple and the controversies regarding which I do not wish to delve.
God fearing Malayalis could look upto Tirupati and its administration for inspiration and the Government and Devaswom administration could do no harm in visiting the place at least once.
Food for thought.......
RC
rohitchennithala.home.blog
rohitchennithala.blogspot.com
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