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Unusual Temples of India
Unusual Temples of India by IndiTales author Anuradha Goyal takes you through a journey of little known and unique temples from across India. Some of these have unique deities, some have gathered modern age beliefs, some worship the illustrious ancestors and others worship a guardian spirit that still safeguards everyone on borders, some promise cure for diseases thought uncurable while others have unique sculpture. Each temple has a story of its origin, its deity and the faith of its devotees that makes them unique.
Curated from the popular travel blog IndiTales, these tales introduce you the nature of spiritual relationships in India that are defined as per the time, place and circumstances. Author has been visiting these temples for decades now, and the writings have been compiled over time based on her personal experiences, research and observations.
This is the first book in the Devalaya Series that IndiTales plans to publish in the future.
Curated from the popular travel blog IndiTales, these tales introduce you the nature of spiritual relationships in India that are defined as per the time, place and circumstances. Author has been visiting these temples for decades now, and the writings have been compiled over time based on her personal experiences, research and observations.
This is the first book in the Devalaya Series that IndiTales plans to publish in the future.
91 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2020
47 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 22, 2023
Totally in love with this book! Will keep coming back to it. Must read for temple enthusiasts.
July 15, 2021
Amazing description of temples with route
The book has enough material to make readers spellbound. Bharatvarsha's diversity engulfs her temples too. Hindus has capabilities of seeing 'Eeshwar' everywhere be it from Karni Mata temple: where rats are respected; upto Baba temple of Nathula pass. Rituals and histories described in the book compels readers to visit these places. Only drawback of the book is there are no pictures available.
The book has enough material to make readers spellbound. Bharatvarsha's diversity engulfs her temples too. Hindus has capabilities of seeing 'Eeshwar' everywhere be it from Karni Mata temple: where rats are respected; upto Baba temple of Nathula pass. Rituals and histories described in the book compels readers to visit these places. Only drawback of the book is there are no pictures available.
January 9, 2022
My first read of 2022 and I am so happy I started with this marvelous book!
This book is the first book from the Devalaya series where the traveler, bloger and writer Anuradha Goyal transports her readers to various temples which are quite unique and as the title says 'unusual'.
Originally, the content of this book were from her blog IndiTales which later were compiled into a short book. The book takes us on the journey from the tip of the north to the Kanyakumari describing various rituals, remote gods and goddesses, the historical and puranic tales around them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book since it did a great job transporting me to these amazing temples every time I'd grow tired or anxious of studies.
The book begins with the mentions of Ma Bharti (Mother India) temples and takes us to Visa God in Andhra Pradesh, Jogmayi devi temple in Delhi which dates back to the Mahabharata period, the temple of Hidimba where she's seen as the manifestation of Devi herself to name a few.
Reading this book made me realise the deep rooted gratitude and devotion the Hindus have for nature and simply people around them. I myself have visited a few temples where the deities were humans when they lived and the type of life they lived made the people around them and their generation see gods in them. I loved how temples aren't just praying places but they hold the civilisational and cultural integrity of a community. This book is really short however the impact it had on me is very vast.
The author has a beautiful flow in her narration and she also adds the travel and staying accommodation information at the end of the chapters too which I found really helpful. The way she's written would make one feel too restless to pack the bags right away and go to all the places.
I've already marked the places I'd love to visit, at least in the southern parts of India. If you're someone who wants to explore temples and experience their uniqueness go read this book right away!
This book is the first book from the Devalaya series where the traveler, bloger and writer Anuradha Goyal transports her readers to various temples which are quite unique and as the title says 'unusual'.
Originally, the content of this book were from her blog IndiTales which later were compiled into a short book. The book takes us on the journey from the tip of the north to the Kanyakumari describing various rituals, remote gods and goddesses, the historical and puranic tales around them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book since it did a great job transporting me to these amazing temples every time I'd grow tired or anxious of studies.
The book begins with the mentions of Ma Bharti (Mother India) temples and takes us to Visa God in Andhra Pradesh, Jogmayi devi temple in Delhi which dates back to the Mahabharata period, the temple of Hidimba where she's seen as the manifestation of Devi herself to name a few.
Reading this book made me realise the deep rooted gratitude and devotion the Hindus have for nature and simply people around them. I myself have visited a few temples where the deities were humans when they lived and the type of life they lived made the people around them and their generation see gods in them. I loved how temples aren't just praying places but they hold the civilisational and cultural integrity of a community. This book is really short however the impact it had on me is very vast.
The author has a beautiful flow in her narration and she also adds the travel and staying accommodation information at the end of the chapters too which I found really helpful. The way she's written would make one feel too restless to pack the bags right away and go to all the places.
I've already marked the places I'd love to visit, at least in the southern parts of India. If you're someone who wants to explore temples and experience their uniqueness go read this book right away!
November 3, 2020
Collection of Blog posts complied into a BOOK!!
The author tried to introduce us to Unusual temples situated all across India which are uncommon with their history, tradition, and rituals.
Every chapter contains a fascinating history behind temples and deities, an intricate description of the temple architecture, the Reason behind unconventional rituals, and Travel tips.
Rather than offering vivid and colorful narration, the author chooses a simplistic approach to narrate her encounter. the author has traveled to most of the temple mentioned in the book so narration doesn't seem dubious. However, there is no picture of any temples which makes it hard to comprehend and digest the narration of the temple architecture. So I have googled every temple while reading which consumed more than the reading time. if you are interested in Vedic history and compelling stories behind atypical temples, you should give a try though it's tedious to read due to a lack of image reference of deities and temples.
The author tried to introduce us to Unusual temples situated all across India which are uncommon with their history, tradition, and rituals.
Every chapter contains a fascinating history behind temples and deities, an intricate description of the temple architecture, the Reason behind unconventional rituals, and Travel tips.
Rather than offering vivid and colorful narration, the author chooses a simplistic approach to narrate her encounter. the author has traveled to most of the temple mentioned in the book so narration doesn't seem dubious. However, there is no picture of any temples which makes it hard to comprehend and digest the narration of the temple architecture. So I have googled every temple while reading which consumed more than the reading time. if you are interested in Vedic history and compelling stories behind atypical temples, you should give a try though it's tedious to read due to a lack of image reference of deities and temples.
November 3, 2020
This book is for all those people who love visiting temples. Fully justifying its title this ebook takes you on a splendid journey to some of the unique and unusual temples of India. Some have powers to heal mental disease, others are where rats can be seen in masses (and are worshipped)...I can not tell it all you have to read this book and go by yourself on this journey.
A must-read!
A must-read!
January 12, 2022
Interesting collection of stories on the unusual temples spread across India.
May 31, 2022
Wonderful.
Introduction
" ... So, in Delhi, I met Yogmaya - the sister of Krishna. The daughter of Yashoda and Nanda, who was exchanged with him at birth. Bharat Mata, though existed in concept, her temples came up in the last 100 years or so, making her the Goddess who rules over the whole of Bharatvarsha - as it is defined in the scriptures. There are few Yogini temples that are left to us. I was fortunate to visit one of the practicing ones.
"There are deities that we know from stories of the scriptures, but it is not very often that we see temples dedicated to them. Sometimes we see them as subsidiary deities or as family or Parivar Devta but rarely we see temples dedicated to them. Brahma Temple at Pushkar is well known, not many people know of Rukmini Temple in Dwarka or the only known temple with Devaki and Krishna as the presiding deity."
***
Ode to Mother India – Bharat Mata Temples Across India
"Bharat Mata Temples are very few and fairly new in India. However, they have deep roots in the Indian historical and cultural context. The earliest reference of the word Bharti comes in Apri-Suktas of Rigveda where she is mentioned as Vakdevi or the Goddess of speech. Along with this, it mentions a clan named Bharata whose king was Bharata. Mahabharata mentions the land as Bharatvarsha. There was a Kuru king, a Chandravanshi, who was called Bharata. Vishnu Puran mentions the extent of Bharat as the north of seas and south of Himalayas and as the land where the progeny of Bharata lives."
Author is confusing, as many people do these days, Bharatmata with Bharati, latter being indeed the Goddess of not only speech but far more, and in fact identified as Saraswati; Sri Aurobindo identifies the two names with yogic realities of human body with soul.
Bharatmata on the other hand is literally Morher India, the Deity that personifies India.
Funnily enough India may not have realised that the concept of a nation personified as Deity isn't unique to India, although worship or even identification and recognition as Deity might be so. There's Britannia, as in 'Rule, Britannia', and on the Rhine there's a huge Germania too. France, somehow, one would think has a more personified Jeanne d'Arc, even if neither worshipped nor recognised yet as Deity as such. Tour de France has final day end with twenty rounds around in Paris, her gold statue shining prominently as the tour goes frantically around.
"She came into vogue during the Indian independence movement. We see it mentioned in the ‘Vande Mataram’ song by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. It became a part of his famous 1882 CE novel Anand Math that was based on the backdrop of Bengal famine. The story too had strong imagery of her. Visually, Abanindranath Tagore, the artist nephew of Rabindranath Tagore created the first painting of Bharat Mata in 1905 CE. She is depicted wearing a saffron sari with four hands like most goddesses in India are. In her upper hands, she holds the scriptures and a piece of white cloth. In lower hands, she has a sheave of paddy and an Akshmala. Her hands hold the essentials of human life – Shiksha-Diksha-Anna-Vastra i.e. education, initiation, food, and clothing.
"Remember this was also the time when Bengal was partitioned by the British. And there was a response by artists like Tagore against the partition. Many nationalists interpreted it as the mother who is asking her sons to liberate her. Sister Nivedita was so impressed by this painting that she wanted to have it printed in millions and distributed across every home from Kedarnath to Kanyakumari. Many versions of this painting were subsequently made. The original is now on display at the Victoria Memorial Hall Museum in Kolkata."
Most people treat it as conceptualisation, not realizing there's a reality behind it.
"Bharat Mata Temple at Varanasi
"Her temple at Varanasi on the campus of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth is unique in many ways. It is not a temple in the traditional sense of a temple which is typically dedicated to a deity. The temple celebrates the ‘Akhand Bharat’ as it is described in our ancient scriptures. Politically, it would include the present-day countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. It celebrates the very land that is called Bharat. The land that has been personified as Ma Bharti."
No - the land that has been personified as Bharatmata.
Bharati isn't the same. She's Saraswati.
"A detailed map of India or Bharat is created using the marble from Makrana. The topography is clearly mapped to the scale in ratio of 1 Inch:6.4 Miles. So, when you see different mountain ranges, you see them in the same proportion as they exist on earth. Overall, there are more than 450 peaks depicted on the map, along with water bodies, rivers, oceans, plateaus, and the vast plains. Smallest of islands on the oceans can be seen just like the highest peaks of Sagarmatha and K2. What you would find missing is anything man-made on the map, be it political boundaries or be it any structures. I was told that the water bodies are duly filled with water and the map decorated with flowers on Independence Day and Republic Day. The map is surrounded by a pillared corridor that allows you to walk around and appreciate it closely."
It's also the concept and map Mother and Sri Aurobindo identified as India and as Bharat Mata.
"From a note by Babu Shiva Prasad Gupta, a board at the temple tells us that he was inspired to create this temple when he saw a similar map made on the floor at a Vidhwa Ashram or widow home in Pune. ... 24 Lakh chants of the Gayatri Mantra were done at the temple before it was opened to the public.
"Mahatma Gandhi formally inaugurated it in 1936 CE by giving the Purnahuti or the final offering in the Yagna performed at the temple. Verses from all Vedas were chanted as the doors of the temples were opened for the public. It was totally funded by the industrialist and freedom fighter Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta. His family still continues to take care of the temple. Gupta Ji was also the one who set up the Kashi Vidyapeeth among many of his other philanthropic projects. Names of chief architect Durga Prasad and his team are rightfully inscribed on the temple walls."
"Bharat Mata Temple at Haridwar
"Unlike the Varanasi temple, the one at Haridwar is a frequently visited temple. Often on the itinerary of most pilgrims to the city. Built-in 1983 by Swami Satyamitranand Giri and inaugurated by Indira Gandhi, this 8 story temple may be the tallest in the city. It provides a great vantage point to look at the different arms of Ganga flowing through this ancient city also called Gangadwar. You can see the ranges of Rajaji National Park from here surrounding the Ganga.
"Each of the 8 floors is dedicated to a different theme. The ground floor is dedicated to Mata and has an imposing Murti for her. I slowly moved past it as the massive queue slowly crawled through the room.
"● First Floor or Shoor Mandir is dedicated to heroes of India and that includes many freedom fighters.
"● The second floor or Matri Mandir is dedicated to women’s power and has women warriors and saints like Meerabai and Lakshmibai.
"● The third floor or Sant Mandir is dedicated to the saints of India.
"● The fourth floor is dedicated to different religions that coexist in India.
"● The fifth floor is dedicated to Shakti or Devi – the divine feminine in India.
"● The sixth floor is dedicated to Vishnu and his various Avatars are depicted.
"● The seventh floor has Shiva in the form of a presiding deity of the temple."
"Bharat Mata Temple at Kanyakumari
"This temple is also located on the same premises as Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari. The temple has a Murti of Swami Vivekananda surrounded by 5 mother figures:
"● Parvati – the mother of Kartik and Ganesh
"● Shakuntala – The mother of Bharat
"● Jijabai – The mother of Shivaji Maharaj
"● Sharada Devi – the Guru Ma of Vivekananda
"● Mata Amritanandamayi – the current saint who also inaugurated this temple in 2017.
"There is a 12 feet tall golden Murti of her holding a flag in her left hand with a right hand in Abhay mudra. A golden lion matching her radiance stands just behind her telling us she is the incarnation of Durga."
"Temple in Deogiri or Daulatabad Fort
"11th CE Deogiri Fort built by Yadava Kings near the present-day city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra has seen so many changes of hands over time. Today, in its premises, in the place of an ancient temple is a Bharat Mata temple. It is difficult to guess the date of this temple. The temple is very old as the pillars around it tell us. The Murti of Bharat Mata must have been installed much later. One Shekhawati Haveli in Mandawa has a large mural of her on its walls."
It's certainly new, post seventies, post probably 1980.
***
Temple of the Visa God – Chilkur Balaji at Hyderabad
Very, very interesting.
***
Where Rats Rule - the Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke Near Bikaner
Funny, one heard about it - of all places! - in Germany, from a neighbour, who'd seen a documentary and was asking questions. We saw that later, on an infochannel. Discovery, or National Geographic, one of those.
Trust West to document only what would be shocking to general public back home, but not explain context, much less connotation or depth of another culture. Another visitor was surprised Hindu funerals have priests, too, and invocations for further journey of the soul.
Also the misinformation in the documentary - as informed by the neighbour in Germany - was that people at the temple pray to the rats. This seems to be untrue, since there's no such tidbit here, not even close. And this author would certainly have included that, either a proper explanation, had it been so.
***
Golu Devta – God of Justice at Chitai Almora in Kumaon Hills
"Golu Devta is the deity of justice or Nyay in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state. India is full of deities for all kinds of reasons and seasons. You have a deity for every kind of request you have for them. Remember the Visa God of Hyderabad, who grants your wish to get a visa of the desired country. Or, Khatu Shyam in Rajasthan, who is the God of the defeated. We have Karni Mata temple near Bikaner, where rats rule as her clan. In the same series, come with me to Almora in Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand. A few kilometers from Almora town towards Pithoragarh, there is a small but very important temple. This is the temple of Golu Devta. We visited it on our way to Jageshwar Dham. Almost everyone in Almora told us to pay a visit to the Devta. It is their insistence that first conveyed to me the importance the deity holds in this region.
"Golu Devta is considered an avatar of Shiva as Gaur Bhairav. He rides a white horse and is considered the one who always does justice. They say, if you ask with a clear conscience, he fulfills every wish. He is the Isht Devta of the region and also Kul Devta of many people here. You could also see him as the presiding deity of the Kumaon hills. There are many legends associated with the origin of the deity of justice."
"One legend connects him to Katyuri Kings who ruled Kumaon or Kurmanchal as it was then known from 7th-12th CE. ... "
It occurs to one only now, as one reads the last bit above, despite having known this name - from a classmate of sixties - that this region identifying itself as Kourmaanchala might have a reason steeped in history of the region. Dashaavatara identifies Kourma, tortoise, as second Avataara. Himalayan ranges rising from the ocean is part of knowledge of ancient Indian history.
Very touching account.
***
5. Yogmaya Temple at Mehrauli – Oldest Living Temple in the Oldest Living Part of Delhi
"Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli, located right behind the famous Qutub Minar complex is probably the oldest living temple of Delhi. Mehrauli itself is one of the oldest inhabited areas of Delhi. It was the first capital of the pre-Islamic era and all the rulers ruled from here. It had a strong Hindu and Jain imprint at some point in time. Most of them were destroyed to create a Muslim identity for the area. Temples were destroyed to create mosques and build the tallest minarets.
"One temple that survived all the destruction was the Yogmaya temple. As you go from the Qutub complex towards the Mehrauli bus stand, on your right you would see a stone gate with two lion figures adorning both its sides. Enter the gate and walk about 150 meters or so and you would see the temple on your left. Jain scriptures mention this Mehrauli area of Delhi as Yoginipura, probably named after this temple. It is not too difficult to co-relate this as ancient Jain temples like Dadabari are still present in this area."
"The Yogmaya temple aka Jogmaya temple is an ancient Hindu temple. It is believed to be more than 5000 years old, taking it to the Dwapar Yuga when the Mahabharata war happened. Goddess Yogmaya is believed to be an incarnation of Adi Shakti Mahalaxmi. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. Head of the Devi had fallen here in the Pindi or a stone form. She is supposed to be a one with dominant Sattva Guna, hence no animal sacrifices, no non-vegetarian food, or wine are permitted in this temple.
"Yogmaya was the sister of Sri Krishna, born to his foster parents Yashoda and Nand. When Kamsa tried to kill her by way of hitting her newborn head on a slab of stone, she flew away from his hands. She announced that the child who would eventually kill him has already taken birth. She then went to the Vindhyachal Parvat and lived there as Vindhyavasini. A temple there on the hill duly celebrates her. Even in Durga Saptashati, she is mentioned as born to Yashoda and Nanda in this cycle of time."
"Some sources mention that Krishna himself had built this temple. The story goes that Krishna and Arjun came to pray at this Yogmaya Temple during the Mahabharata war. When Arjun’s son Abhimanyu was killed by Jayadrath, he took a vow that he would kill Jayadrath by next evening or self-immolate. The next day, Kauravas kept Jayadratha away from Arjun, making it impossible for him to be killed. It is at this point in time that Arjun and Krishna came to this temple and asked the Devi to help them. She with her Maya created a temporary eclipse that gave Arjuna an opportunity to kill Jayadratha. Yet another legend says that Yudhisthira had built this temple after the Mahabharata war. For me, all these stories just establish the antiquity and continued worship of Yogmaya.
"Yogmaya is the Kuldevi of Chauhan kings who ruled from Qila Rai Pithora in Delhi. One wonders how this ancient temple survives all the waves of invasions on the city of Delhi. For the longest time, it must have lived literally in the eye of the storm. It was first attacked by Ghazni and then later Islamic invaders. In mid-16th CE, Hindu king Vikramaditya Hemu restored this temple.
"In the late 17th CE, Aurangzeb ordered the destruction of all temples including this one. His army trying to destroy it had a strange experience. During the day whatever they used to break, used to come up again at night. They started losing their hands in the process. When this kept repeating, Aurangzeb gave up and this is how it managed to survive. You can see a long room built around the temple. They were trying to convert it into a mosque. Remember, temple structures are always square and mosques have a longish room. This room now works as a storehouse for the temple, used to store the food items that are used to feed the needy.
"It is safe to assume that temples may have been constantly preserved by the local population who worship the mother Goddess. A little known fact about this temple is that India’s great uprising of 1857 was planned on the premises of this temple. Yogmaya temple is supposed to be one of the five surviving temples in Delhi from the Mahabharata period. Another old temple is Bhairav Temple right outside Purana Qila which was the site of Pandava’s Indraprastha. Other old temples are located close to Nigam Bodh Ghat and in the lanes of old Delhi like Khari Baoli."
"Location wise, it should fall within the walls of Lal Kot – the early 8th-century fort of Delhi built by the Tomar kings. There was a sun temple in the vicinity of this temple, but that can not be traced now. It is a rather small temple. You would tend to miss it till you get to know its long history. There is supposed to be a temple tank or Johad called Anang Tal to the north of the temple, which I could not see."
"There are many other temples dedicated to Yogmaya across India.
"Some of them are:
"● Vindhyavasini at Vindhyachal near Varanasi
"● Yogmaya Temple at Barmer
"● Yogmaya Temple at Jodhpur
"● Yogmaya Temple at Vrindavan
"● Multan currently in Pakistan
"● Alamthuruthy in Kerala
"● Yogmaya Temple near Agartala in Tripura."
***
Khatu Shyam – God of the Defeated from Mahabharat
" ... He is called Barbarik and he always supports the one who is defeated. ... "
"Barbarik is the grandson of Bhim – the second Pandav of Mahabharata. His parents are Ghatotkach and Maurvi. Ghatotkach was the son of Bhim and tribal princess Hidimba. Legend is that Barbarik was a brave warrior. He carried a unique triple arrow – or a bow with three arrows. The three arrows could finish any war in a minute. The first arrow would mark the people who need to be protected. The second arrow would mark the people to be killed and the third arrow goes and kills the ones who need to be killed. Since he was brought up by his mother Maurvi, he always followed her advice. Maurvi taught her son to be on the side of the defeated always."
"When the Mahabharata war was declared, Barbarik, being a warrior, wanted to participate in the war. On his way to Kurukshetra, he met Krishna. Krishna tested the powers of his triple arrow and was impressed. He was now worried that if Barbarik fought, he would finish the war and be left as the only survivor. He also calculated that he would fight from the side that is being defeated and would be switching sides every day – leading to the same result. Krishna realized that Barbarik’s participation in the war had to be stopped. He wanted Pandavas alive at the end of the war. Krishna asked for Barbarik’s head as it was required to begin the war – the head of a brave person was required as a war ritual. Barbarik agreed but as a last wish, he asked Krishna that he wanted to witness the war. Krishna then placed his head on top of a hill and Barbarik witnessed the whole Mahabharata War. At the end of the war, he was asked – who won the war? He said – Krishna. Everyone else was just acting as he wished them to. Krishna gave a boon to Barbarik that in Kaliyug,
***
Introduction
" ... So, in Delhi, I met Yogmaya - the sister of Krishna. The daughter of Yashoda and Nanda, who was exchanged with him at birth. Bharat Mata, though existed in concept, her temples came up in the last 100 years or so, making her the Goddess who rules over the whole of Bharatvarsha - as it is defined in the scriptures. There are few Yogini temples that are left to us. I was fortunate to visit one of the practicing ones.
"There are deities that we know from stories of the scriptures, but it is not very often that we see temples dedicated to them. Sometimes we see them as subsidiary deities or as family or Parivar Devta but rarely we see temples dedicated to them. Brahma Temple at Pushkar is well known, not many people know of Rukmini Temple in Dwarka or the only known temple with Devaki and Krishna as the presiding deity."
***
Ode to Mother India – Bharat Mata Temples Across India
"Bharat Mata Temples are very few and fairly new in India. However, they have deep roots in the Indian historical and cultural context. The earliest reference of the word Bharti comes in Apri-Suktas of Rigveda where she is mentioned as Vakdevi or the Goddess of speech. Along with this, it mentions a clan named Bharata whose king was Bharata. Mahabharata mentions the land as Bharatvarsha. There was a Kuru king, a Chandravanshi, who was called Bharata. Vishnu Puran mentions the extent of Bharat as the north of seas and south of Himalayas and as the land where the progeny of Bharata lives."
Author is confusing, as many people do these days, Bharatmata with Bharati, latter being indeed the Goddess of not only speech but far more, and in fact identified as Saraswati; Sri Aurobindo identifies the two names with yogic realities of human body with soul.
Bharatmata on the other hand is literally Morher India, the Deity that personifies India.
Funnily enough India may not have realised that the concept of a nation personified as Deity isn't unique to India, although worship or even identification and recognition as Deity might be so. There's Britannia, as in 'Rule, Britannia', and on the Rhine there's a huge Germania too. France, somehow, one would think has a more personified Jeanne d'Arc, even if neither worshipped nor recognised yet as Deity as such. Tour de France has final day end with twenty rounds around in Paris, her gold statue shining prominently as the tour goes frantically around.
"She came into vogue during the Indian independence movement. We see it mentioned in the ‘Vande Mataram’ song by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. It became a part of his famous 1882 CE novel Anand Math that was based on the backdrop of Bengal famine. The story too had strong imagery of her. Visually, Abanindranath Tagore, the artist nephew of Rabindranath Tagore created the first painting of Bharat Mata in 1905 CE. She is depicted wearing a saffron sari with four hands like most goddesses in India are. In her upper hands, she holds the scriptures and a piece of white cloth. In lower hands, she has a sheave of paddy and an Akshmala. Her hands hold the essentials of human life – Shiksha-Diksha-Anna-Vastra i.e. education, initiation, food, and clothing.
"Remember this was also the time when Bengal was partitioned by the British. And there was a response by artists like Tagore against the partition. Many nationalists interpreted it as the mother who is asking her sons to liberate her. Sister Nivedita was so impressed by this painting that she wanted to have it printed in millions and distributed across every home from Kedarnath to Kanyakumari. Many versions of this painting were subsequently made. The original is now on display at the Victoria Memorial Hall Museum in Kolkata."
Most people treat it as conceptualisation, not realizing there's a reality behind it.
"Bharat Mata Temple at Varanasi
"Her temple at Varanasi on the campus of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth is unique in many ways. It is not a temple in the traditional sense of a temple which is typically dedicated to a deity. The temple celebrates the ‘Akhand Bharat’ as it is described in our ancient scriptures. Politically, it would include the present-day countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. It celebrates the very land that is called Bharat. The land that has been personified as Ma Bharti."
No - the land that has been personified as Bharatmata.
Bharati isn't the same. She's Saraswati.
"A detailed map of India or Bharat is created using the marble from Makrana. The topography is clearly mapped to the scale in ratio of 1 Inch:6.4 Miles. So, when you see different mountain ranges, you see them in the same proportion as they exist on earth. Overall, there are more than 450 peaks depicted on the map, along with water bodies, rivers, oceans, plateaus, and the vast plains. Smallest of islands on the oceans can be seen just like the highest peaks of Sagarmatha and K2. What you would find missing is anything man-made on the map, be it political boundaries or be it any structures. I was told that the water bodies are duly filled with water and the map decorated with flowers on Independence Day and Republic Day. The map is surrounded by a pillared corridor that allows you to walk around and appreciate it closely."
It's also the concept and map Mother and Sri Aurobindo identified as India and as Bharat Mata.
"From a note by Babu Shiva Prasad Gupta, a board at the temple tells us that he was inspired to create this temple when he saw a similar map made on the floor at a Vidhwa Ashram or widow home in Pune. ... 24 Lakh chants of the Gayatri Mantra were done at the temple before it was opened to the public.
"Mahatma Gandhi formally inaugurated it in 1936 CE by giving the Purnahuti or the final offering in the Yagna performed at the temple. Verses from all Vedas were chanted as the doors of the temples were opened for the public. It was totally funded by the industrialist and freedom fighter Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta. His family still continues to take care of the temple. Gupta Ji was also the one who set up the Kashi Vidyapeeth among many of his other philanthropic projects. Names of chief architect Durga Prasad and his team are rightfully inscribed on the temple walls."
"Bharat Mata Temple at Haridwar
"Unlike the Varanasi temple, the one at Haridwar is a frequently visited temple. Often on the itinerary of most pilgrims to the city. Built-in 1983 by Swami Satyamitranand Giri and inaugurated by Indira Gandhi, this 8 story temple may be the tallest in the city. It provides a great vantage point to look at the different arms of Ganga flowing through this ancient city also called Gangadwar. You can see the ranges of Rajaji National Park from here surrounding the Ganga.
"Each of the 8 floors is dedicated to a different theme. The ground floor is dedicated to Mata and has an imposing Murti for her. I slowly moved past it as the massive queue slowly crawled through the room.
"● First Floor or Shoor Mandir is dedicated to heroes of India and that includes many freedom fighters.
"● The second floor or Matri Mandir is dedicated to women’s power and has women warriors and saints like Meerabai and Lakshmibai.
"● The third floor or Sant Mandir is dedicated to the saints of India.
"● The fourth floor is dedicated to different religions that coexist in India.
"● The fifth floor is dedicated to Shakti or Devi – the divine feminine in India.
"● The sixth floor is dedicated to Vishnu and his various Avatars are depicted.
"● The seventh floor has Shiva in the form of a presiding deity of the temple."
"Bharat Mata Temple at Kanyakumari
"This temple is also located on the same premises as Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari. The temple has a Murti of Swami Vivekananda surrounded by 5 mother figures:
"● Parvati – the mother of Kartik and Ganesh
"● Shakuntala – The mother of Bharat
"● Jijabai – The mother of Shivaji Maharaj
"● Sharada Devi – the Guru Ma of Vivekananda
"● Mata Amritanandamayi – the current saint who also inaugurated this temple in 2017.
"There is a 12 feet tall golden Murti of her holding a flag in her left hand with a right hand in Abhay mudra. A golden lion matching her radiance stands just behind her telling us she is the incarnation of Durga."
"Temple in Deogiri or Daulatabad Fort
"11th CE Deogiri Fort built by Yadava Kings near the present-day city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra has seen so many changes of hands over time. Today, in its premises, in the place of an ancient temple is a Bharat Mata temple. It is difficult to guess the date of this temple. The temple is very old as the pillars around it tell us. The Murti of Bharat Mata must have been installed much later. One Shekhawati Haveli in Mandawa has a large mural of her on its walls."
It's certainly new, post seventies, post probably 1980.
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Temple of the Visa God – Chilkur Balaji at Hyderabad
Very, very interesting.
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Where Rats Rule - the Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke Near Bikaner
Funny, one heard about it - of all places! - in Germany, from a neighbour, who'd seen a documentary and was asking questions. We saw that later, on an infochannel. Discovery, or National Geographic, one of those.
Trust West to document only what would be shocking to general public back home, but not explain context, much less connotation or depth of another culture. Another visitor was surprised Hindu funerals have priests, too, and invocations for further journey of the soul.
Also the misinformation in the documentary - as informed by the neighbour in Germany - was that people at the temple pray to the rats. This seems to be untrue, since there's no such tidbit here, not even close. And this author would certainly have included that, either a proper explanation, had it been so.
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Golu Devta – God of Justice at Chitai Almora in Kumaon Hills
"Golu Devta is the deity of justice or Nyay in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state. India is full of deities for all kinds of reasons and seasons. You have a deity for every kind of request you have for them. Remember the Visa God of Hyderabad, who grants your wish to get a visa of the desired country. Or, Khatu Shyam in Rajasthan, who is the God of the defeated. We have Karni Mata temple near Bikaner, where rats rule as her clan. In the same series, come with me to Almora in Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand. A few kilometers from Almora town towards Pithoragarh, there is a small but very important temple. This is the temple of Golu Devta. We visited it on our way to Jageshwar Dham. Almost everyone in Almora told us to pay a visit to the Devta. It is their insistence that first conveyed to me the importance the deity holds in this region.
"Golu Devta is considered an avatar of Shiva as Gaur Bhairav. He rides a white horse and is considered the one who always does justice. They say, if you ask with a clear conscience, he fulfills every wish. He is the Isht Devta of the region and also Kul Devta of many people here. You could also see him as the presiding deity of the Kumaon hills. There are many legends associated with the origin of the deity of justice."
"One legend connects him to Katyuri Kings who ruled Kumaon or Kurmanchal as it was then known from 7th-12th CE. ... "
It occurs to one only now, as one reads the last bit above, despite having known this name - from a classmate of sixties - that this region identifying itself as Kourmaanchala might have a reason steeped in history of the region. Dashaavatara identifies Kourma, tortoise, as second Avataara. Himalayan ranges rising from the ocean is part of knowledge of ancient Indian history.
Very touching account.
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5. Yogmaya Temple at Mehrauli – Oldest Living Temple in the Oldest Living Part of Delhi
"Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli, located right behind the famous Qutub Minar complex is probably the oldest living temple of Delhi. Mehrauli itself is one of the oldest inhabited areas of Delhi. It was the first capital of the pre-Islamic era and all the rulers ruled from here. It had a strong Hindu and Jain imprint at some point in time. Most of them were destroyed to create a Muslim identity for the area. Temples were destroyed to create mosques and build the tallest minarets.
"One temple that survived all the destruction was the Yogmaya temple. As you go from the Qutub complex towards the Mehrauli bus stand, on your right you would see a stone gate with two lion figures adorning both its sides. Enter the gate and walk about 150 meters or so and you would see the temple on your left. Jain scriptures mention this Mehrauli area of Delhi as Yoginipura, probably named after this temple. It is not too difficult to co-relate this as ancient Jain temples like Dadabari are still present in this area."
"The Yogmaya temple aka Jogmaya temple is an ancient Hindu temple. It is believed to be more than 5000 years old, taking it to the Dwapar Yuga when the Mahabharata war happened. Goddess Yogmaya is believed to be an incarnation of Adi Shakti Mahalaxmi. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. Head of the Devi had fallen here in the Pindi or a stone form. She is supposed to be a one with dominant Sattva Guna, hence no animal sacrifices, no non-vegetarian food, or wine are permitted in this temple.
"Yogmaya was the sister of Sri Krishna, born to his foster parents Yashoda and Nand. When Kamsa tried to kill her by way of hitting her newborn head on a slab of stone, she flew away from his hands. She announced that the child who would eventually kill him has already taken birth. She then went to the Vindhyachal Parvat and lived there as Vindhyavasini. A temple there on the hill duly celebrates her. Even in Durga Saptashati, she is mentioned as born to Yashoda and Nanda in this cycle of time."
"Some sources mention that Krishna himself had built this temple. The story goes that Krishna and Arjun came to pray at this Yogmaya Temple during the Mahabharata war. When Arjun’s son Abhimanyu was killed by Jayadrath, he took a vow that he would kill Jayadrath by next evening or self-immolate. The next day, Kauravas kept Jayadratha away from Arjun, making it impossible for him to be killed. It is at this point in time that Arjun and Krishna came to this temple and asked the Devi to help them. She with her Maya created a temporary eclipse that gave Arjuna an opportunity to kill Jayadratha. Yet another legend says that Yudhisthira had built this temple after the Mahabharata war. For me, all these stories just establish the antiquity and continued worship of Yogmaya.
"Yogmaya is the Kuldevi of Chauhan kings who ruled from Qila Rai Pithora in Delhi. One wonders how this ancient temple survives all the waves of invasions on the city of Delhi. For the longest time, it must have lived literally in the eye of the storm. It was first attacked by Ghazni and then later Islamic invaders. In mid-16th CE, Hindu king Vikramaditya Hemu restored this temple.
"In the late 17th CE, Aurangzeb ordered the destruction of all temples including this one. His army trying to destroy it had a strange experience. During the day whatever they used to break, used to come up again at night. They started losing their hands in the process. When this kept repeating, Aurangzeb gave up and this is how it managed to survive. You can see a long room built around the temple. They were trying to convert it into a mosque. Remember, temple structures are always square and mosques have a longish room. This room now works as a storehouse for the temple, used to store the food items that are used to feed the needy.
"It is safe to assume that temples may have been constantly preserved by the local population who worship the mother Goddess. A little known fact about this temple is that India’s great uprising of 1857 was planned on the premises of this temple. Yogmaya temple is supposed to be one of the five surviving temples in Delhi from the Mahabharata period. Another old temple is Bhairav Temple right outside Purana Qila which was the site of Pandava’s Indraprastha. Other old temples are located close to Nigam Bodh Ghat and in the lanes of old Delhi like Khari Baoli."
"Location wise, it should fall within the walls of Lal Kot – the early 8th-century fort of Delhi built by the Tomar kings. There was a sun temple in the vicinity of this temple, but that can not be traced now. It is a rather small temple. You would tend to miss it till you get to know its long history. There is supposed to be a temple tank or Johad called Anang Tal to the north of the temple, which I could not see."
"There are many other temples dedicated to Yogmaya across India.
"Some of them are:
"● Vindhyavasini at Vindhyachal near Varanasi
"● Yogmaya Temple at Barmer
"● Yogmaya Temple at Jodhpur
"● Yogmaya Temple at Vrindavan
"● Multan currently in Pakistan
"● Alamthuruthy in Kerala
"● Yogmaya Temple near Agartala in Tripura."
***
Khatu Shyam – God of the Defeated from Mahabharat
" ... He is called Barbarik and he always supports the one who is defeated. ... "
"Barbarik is the grandson of Bhim – the second Pandav of Mahabharata. His parents are Ghatotkach and Maurvi. Ghatotkach was the son of Bhim and tribal princess Hidimba. Legend is that Barbarik was a brave warrior. He carried a unique triple arrow – or a bow with three arrows. The three arrows could finish any war in a minute. The first arrow would mark the people who need to be protected. The second arrow would mark the people to be killed and the third arrow goes and kills the ones who need to be killed. Since he was brought up by his mother Maurvi, he always followed her advice. Maurvi taught her son to be on the side of the defeated always."
"When the Mahabharata war was declared, Barbarik, being a warrior, wanted to participate in the war. On his way to Kurukshetra, he met Krishna. Krishna tested the powers of his triple arrow and was impressed. He was now worried that if Barbarik fought, he would finish the war and be left as the only survivor. He also calculated that he would fight from the side that is being defeated and would be switching sides every day – leading to the same result. Krishna realized that Barbarik’s participation in the war had to be stopped. He wanted Pandavas alive at the end of the war. Krishna asked for Barbarik’s head as it was required to begin the war – the head of a brave person was required as a war ritual. Barbarik agreed but as a last wish, he asked Krishna that he wanted to witness the war. Krishna then placed his head on top of a hill and Barbarik witnessed the whole Mahabharata War. At the end of the war, he was asked – who won the war? He said – Krishna. Everyone else was just acting as he wished them to. Krishna gave a boon to Barbarik that in Kaliyug,
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October 1, 2020
बहुत ही अच्छी पुस्तक है|
July 2, 2021
Lovely book which describes how old temples are in many places of India and how they go back millenniums to the very foundation of the Indian civilisation. A few more photos to match the vivid descriptions would’ve been good though they wouldn’t have made much sense on my Kindle.
October 3, 2023
Temples are an integral part of India's cultural tapestry, dotting its landscape from bustling urban streets to serene rural villages, riverbanks, and scenic hillsides. While many temples are well-known pilgrimage centres, there are also those that remain hidden gems, unusual in their own right.
These temples pique our curiosity because they are not just different but uniquely so. In "Unusual Temples of India," the author shares her experiences visiting some of these remarkable temples during her travels across the country. The book is essentially a compilation of chapters drawn from her temple travel diaries.
Read my detailed review - https://www.bookgeeks.in/unusual-temp...
These temples pique our curiosity because they are not just different but uniquely so. In "Unusual Temples of India," the author shares her experiences visiting some of these remarkable temples during her travels across the country. The book is essentially a compilation of chapters drawn from her temple travel diaries.
Read my detailed review - https://www.bookgeeks.in/unusual-temp...
February 24, 2021
No photographs but unusual read for sure
Would have been better to put some photographs of each temple ..though it is an unusual nonfiction read for sure.
Would have been better to put some photographs of each temple ..though it is an unusual nonfiction read for sure.
July 12, 2023
Amazing list
Well compiled. The Kindle version does not contain any images so I had to browse Google maps side by side. India in all its diversification! Never knew a bike would be worshipped! I missed the baba mandir near tsongo lake due to bad weather and landslides 10 years ago. I've visited roughly 40% of the listed temples and missed quite a few during my travels. Marked them all on my map. Wish you could show pictures.....
Well compiled. The Kindle version does not contain any images so I had to browse Google maps side by side. India in all its diversification! Never knew a bike would be worshipped! I missed the baba mandir near tsongo lake due to bad weather and landslides 10 years ago. I've visited roughly 40% of the listed temples and missed quite a few during my travels. Marked them all on my map. Wish you could show pictures.....
October 14, 2021
The book is a collection of various blog posts which the writer has published on her blog. The temples covered are truly unusual and the stories are all fascinating.
November 17, 2021
Interesting information. Factual and useful for travelers.
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