Last Updated on April 10, 2024 by Tejaswini

This post is continued from part 1 here.

Our magnificent temples are the Devalaya, the abode of the divine. Thousands of years old, they have been constructed as per the principles of Shilpa shastra by genuine Shilpa shastri. These Shastris converted the principles of Vedant and Tantra into lines and curves and thus created these Devalaya. Shilpa Shastris were Brahmin families belonging to just five specific Gotras, entrusted with this immense responsibility of designing and then supervising the construction of our temples. These Brahmins had to be proficient in Vedant and Tantra in addition to lipi/scripts, design, geometry, engineering, materials etc so that they could convert the gist of the Vedant/Tantra into lines/ curves then construct the Devalaya which were to stand firm for thousands of years. These Brahmins, men and women both, were required to learn and contribute. Every line and every curve in our incredible temples has a meaning which is sensed by the subconscious minds of the devotees who come there for darshan. Designing and then constructing a temple as per our Shilpa principles was a gigantic task and the highest responsibility as these temples would be giving Sanskar – samyak Aakar – best possible form, to the the minds of countless people, generation after generation for thousands of years. There are very few genuine Brahmin families left and now only in the Dakshin who know and actively practice Shilpa shastra today. Our Brahmin families were systematically wiped out by the invaders, an irreplaceable and permanent loss to mankind.

Do go for Darshan in our ancient temples, specifically those which are continuously active for thousands of years to understand what a temple, a Mandir, a Devalaya really is. Our spectacular temples create Sanskars, and are still doing it for thousands of years. Dharma itself is Sanskar, the most perfect resonance of the beej ‘Sam’. The most perfect form is the most perfect foundation.

Continuing the list of the teerthyatras from the previous post, so the numbering starts 51.

51. Shri Ranganathswami temple, Tamil Nadu. This is the most magnificent temple in the world with Swami Ranganath lying on the Sheshshayya as its focal point. This temple complex is a town in itself. It is the largest continuously active temple in the world and every follower of Sanatan Dharma must come here at least once in the lifetime. This is how our ancient Dharmic life must have been like. Magnificent temples at the core of the town, a core of positive auspiciousness. I was able to do darshan of Bhagwan Ranganath Vishnu on Devshayani Ekadashi. Devi Laxmi as Devi Rangeshwari has her own temple here and utterly beautiful. Dakshin is so very beautiful because of the flowers available here. The deities are decked with flowers of every colour, mogra, kevda, lotus, sonchampa, naagchampa, and so much more. In the Dakshin, going to a temple is like going to a festival, everywhere you see silk saris, dhoti/angavastram, gold ornaments and women all with flowers in their hair. We are going to meet the Parmeshwar himself in his Devalaya, so we try to look the best we can.

52. Shri Jambukeshwar, Tamil Nadu is one of the most serious / gambhir temple of Bhagwan Shankar that I have been to till now. It is within the Shrirangam temple complex. In Dakshin the sanctum sanctorum is lit with only oil lamps. No electric light is allowed in the garbhgruha. The Shivlingam in Dakshin are adorned with a white dhoti which drapes over the yoni/peeth portion make it even more beautiful. Devi Parvati is known as Devi Akhiladeshwari here.

The moortis of the deities are worshipped regularly and Go – mata /desi cow and calf, Nandi /desi bull and Gaja /elephants are also routinely worshipped in these extraordinary temples. Do plan your darshan so that you can also see the pujas of these living moortis of the Eternal.

The Brahmins who serve in the temples, wear a dhoti with an angavastram and all keep a prominent Shikha. All male followers of Sanatan Dharma are required to keep a shikha and tie it at all times. It protects the energy of the most sensitive point on the head. For women, this protection is assured as most of us keep longer length hair which is generally tied in some way or the other.

53. Shri Gopeshwar Uttarakhand – I did Darshan here on a Makar Sankranti and at the start of one of the most transformative years of my life. The town is also named Gopeshwar. Bhagwan Rudranath’s Utasv moorti and his palkhi comes here during the winter when his temple in the upper Himalay gets blocked by the snow. Shri Rudranath is one of the Panchakedar and is a very difficult trek, so doing namaskar to his moorti here was an added blessing. I had the good fortune of witnessing a Maharudra ongoing in this temple, where 21 genuine Brahmins were reciting the mantras as they should be with the perfect hand mudras and in the correct Vedic intonation. An unforgettable visit.

54. Shri Tunganath, Uttarakhand – this is one of the Panchkedar teerths and it represents the arms/ hands of the Bhagwan Shankar. My family and friends quite randomly reached the starting point well after sunset and we all reached the top within 2hrs around midnight. The Swami himself was with us on this completely unplanned trek. I was wearing a sari with just a basic sweater in this trek. It was the middle of winter and the temperature at the top was around -15deg. We rested at the top for about an hour and then trekked back down. Sometimes the Swami makes such impossible and wonderful things happen, as this trek was on a day when Saturn transited. We also saw several very fast moving lights over the temple during the trek. And the clear night skies so high up on the Himalay are a wondrous unforgettable sight.

Ideally women should wear a sari and men should wear a dhoti as it effectively binds the energy of the body. This is because when the sari or dhoti is draped correctly, the navel is protected by several layers of cloth. Do wear a sari/ dhoti especially when going to temples or doing high energy activities. And if you are a genuinely serious sadhak then you need to secure your energy even more firmly, so men wear the kaupina. And for Marathi women at least, we wear a traditional 9-yards Navvari sari (now only for auspicious functions). If draped correctly, its additional layers perform a similar function as the kaupina.

55. Shri Bhruhadeeshwar, Tamil Nadu – this temple needs no introduction but it has to be seen to be believed. Unbelievable construction, humanely impossible. The only logical explanation is that our Shilpashastris knew and used mantras for designing and also for constructing  such impossible temples. It is awesome, one really goes speechless in front of the Bhagwan Shankar. Do remember to do darshan at the Devi Varahi temple in the complex. And to the Devi Parvati temple. The Devi moortis in the Dakshin are draped in beautiful saris generally in various shades of green.

Anahata chakra is green colored. Green is one of the most important colours of Sanatan Dharma. The Devi moortis are generally draped with green saris to emphasise the expansion aspect of the Eternal. The Devi is the expanded Light of the Eternal Paramatma. The Anahata chakra emits the energy outwards. The Ajnya chakra pulls the energy inwards. So if you want expand the consciousness or any other thing, green is the color.

56. Shri Kshetra Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu – This is the Kashi of the Dakshin located on the river Kaveri. It is a must visit for every follower of Sanatan Dharma. So many spectacular temples in the classic Shilpa principles, every curve and every line of every temple speaking to the devotees. It is an extremely beautiful and powerful town. And the best part is that in every temple in addition to the regular water/food as prasad, the devotees are also given bhasma, kumkum or chandan which they apply on their foreheads.

Temples in Dakshin are mini cities in themselves. And it is heartening to see that the temple campuses in the Uttar are now being redeveloped in this same ancient concept. The Shri Kashi Vishweshwar corridor, the Ujjain Shri Mahakaleshwar corridor, the Shri Kedarnath area development and the upcoming the Ayodhya Shri Ram mandir complex, Shri Badrinath area development etc are all designed to give this same expansive and spacious feel to the temples here.

57. Shri Rameshwaram temple, Tamil Nadu – Before you can take darshan of the Bhagwan you are required to first take a bath in the sea water. This is the Agni teerth, where the Agni of the underground, the Badavagni is closest to the surface. Then you take a bath at each of the 22 kund/ springs inside the temple complex. Interestingly despite being right next to the ocean, each of the springs has a different taste, some are sweet, some are slightly salty. Then you change your clothes and go further inside the temple till the garbh gruha to do His darshan. The Shivlingam very serious, with the yoni portion draped in a white silk garment and the upper lingam portion adorned with bhasma. We offered Ganga water which we had carried from Varanasi and Haridwar for abhishek here. I then visited Dhanushkodi. Space, Wind, Fire (as Badavagni) Water and Land, the five Mahbhoot are there, visible in all their power.

In Dakshin temples, the devotees are not allowed in the garbha gruha so one can do only Darshan of the Lingam. In some temples in the Uttar, devotees are allowed within the sanctum sanctorum so Sparshan, ie touching the Lingam is also possible.

58. Devi Kalika – Kalkaji temple in Delhi – I have been travelling though Delhi for the past 20+ yrs but this time my son was extremely insistent that we should do Darshan at the Devi Kalkaji /Kalika temple here. We had just 3 hrs during a flight layover and it seemed like an impossible idea. But unbelievably we were able to do her darshan. Later I opened the panchang and saw that she had summoned us on a Krishna Ashtami of one of her favourite months. The energy of this temple is extremely high as she is in her Sheela roop, ie the moorti is not carved into a human figure. A temple where the deity is in the Sheela/ Pindi /Lingam form has more energy than a temple where the moorti is made in a human form. Shri Kalkaji temple has a similar energy feel as the Kalighat Devi Kali temple, Kolkata. If you live in Delhi do go here on your day off and see how the all pervading Jagatjanani herself rules our Bharatvarsha sitting so powerfully in the heart of our capital city.

59. Shri Mahakaleshwar temple, Ujjain, Madhya pradesh – This is the center of this world, the abode of time and beyond time. I was there during an evening Arti. The vibrations of the nagada/ drums and visual of the Agni and the lingam of the Eternal stilled the mind. That evening the Lingam was adorned with a paste of bhang leaves and dry fruits. It is said that one can approach the Eternal Shivah only through his Nandi. This means that the Self can be approached only through the intelligence. ‘Nandi’ in Sanskrit means intelligence. In this temple the Nandi is made of silver and very beautiful. The new ‘corridor’ which has been developed around the temple is spacious and a delight to stand in. A perfect place to sit and meditate on the kalash of the temple. I sat for some time watching the uniquely designed shining kalash and the fluttering vijay dwaj of the Bhagwan.

60. Devi Harsiddhi, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh – The darshan of Shri Mahakaal gives its complete merit /punya only after the darshan of his Devi Harsiddhi. This is a shaktipeeth where the elbow of Devi Sati fell. She is so utterly glorious here, her divine face radiating pure joy, her smile is so mesmerising. The temple has two towering deepstambh which are daily lit with oil lamps. Do go for a darshan in the evening to see the temple outlined by these pillars of light. Her temple kalash like other Devi temples is in the shape of a lotus flower.

61. Shri Kshetra Shegav – This is the samadhi of Shri Gajanan Maharaj and the best managed temple I have seen. Everything is systemically organised, the place where the footwear is kept, the lines, the darshan area, the temple, the prasad /dining area, the hostels for the devotees etc. Management students study this temple complex systems.

I have been here twice in this life. And each time the Swami has been so kind. If you go here do make it point to do namaskar to his dhuni which is maintained in a small box and to take the vibhuti. Vibhuti from such high energy temples is very useful. The energy of the place is evident in the change in the quality of the pran in the area. If you can sense it, it will seem as if the area is covered with a shimmery glow. Or you might feel goosebumps or at least feel your mind getting silent, no thoughts arise in the mind. .

All followers of Sanatan Dharma must go on pilgrimages regularly. The temples and the power of the deities bring in a positive change within us. Reading these two posts might have motivated you to at least intend going to some of these teerthsthans.

I am listing out only the more well known temples and teerth sthals in these posts. I will keep adding to this same post in the future, until it gets too long.