Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Varanasi
Varanasi in India is not a temple, but ais ctually a famous Hindu holy city, located at the banks of the Ganges River. It is, however, often called the "City of Temples," where almost every road crossing has a nearby temple. A center of pilgrimage (as many as a million pilgrims visit Varanasi each year), the city has links to Buddhism and Jainism as well.
Sunrise at the Ganges River in Varanasi. Image: ironmanix [Flickr]
Temples are everywhere in Varanasi. Image: juicyrai [Flickr]
Pilgrims believe that bathing in the Ganges River will cleanse them of sins.
Image: Jackson Lee [Flickr]
Bonus
Here are some more amazing temples and sacred places that just couldn’t fit in the list above:
Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple
Potala Palace [wiki], built on top of the Red Mountain in Lhasa, Tibet, China was built by the first emperor of Tibet in 637 CE. The current palace was re-constructed in the mid-1600s by the fifth Dalai Lama.
The Palace consists of two main buildings, the Potrang Karpo (White Palace) and Portrang Marpo (Red Palace). It was the chief home of the fourteenth and current Dalai Lama until he was forced to flee to India when China invaded Tibet in 1959. It is now a state museum.
Potala Palace. Image: Press Club of Tibet
The White Palace. Image: vwsluk [Flickr]
Jokhan Temple [wiki] is the spiritual center of Lhasa and is considered the most important and sacred temple in Tibet. The temple was built in 642 CE and has since housed the single most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism: a statue of Gautama Buddha [wiki], the founder of Buddhism.
The city of Lhasa has three concentric paths that pilgrims use to walk to Jokhang Temple. Many actually prostrate themselves along these routes in order to gain spiritual merit!
Jokhang Temple. Image: The boy with the thorn in his side [Flickr]
The courtyard of the Jokhang Temple. Image: polymerchicken [Flickr]
Two golden deers flanking a Dharma Wheel and a golden bell at the roof of Jokhang Temple. Image: satellite360 [Flickr]
Pilgrims prostrate themselves in front of Jokhang. Image: thriol [Flickr]
Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Bayon
Last but definitely not least is the largest temple in history and the inspiration to countless novels and action movies of Hollywood: Ankor Wat.
Angkor Wat [wiki] was built in the early 12th century in what is now Cambodia. The world famous temple was first a Hindu one, dedicated to Vishnu. In the 14th or 15th century, as Buddhism swept across Asia, it became a Buddhist temple.
The Western world’s got a glimpse of Angkor Wat when a 16th century Portuguese monk visited the temple and eloquently described it as "of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of." His words still rang true today.
Tourists visiting Angkor Wat usually also visit the nearby ruins of Angkor Thom and Bayon [wiki], two fantastic temples that serve as the ancient capital of Khmer empire.
Angkor Wat. Image: jpslim [Flickr]
The face of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara at Angkor Thom.
Image: Manfred Werner [wikipedia]
Bayon, which described by Maurice Glaize, an Angkor conservator of the 1940s, as "but a muddle of stones, a sort of moving chaos assaulting the sky"
Image: Charles J. Sharp [wikipedia]
Entrance to Bayon. That man on the bike is carrying coconuts. Lots and lots of coconuts. Image: therefromhere [Flickr]
The faces of Bayon. Straight out of Indiana Jones, man!
Image: Henry Flower [wikipedia]
Golden Temple
The Harmandir Sahib (meaning The Abode of God) or simply the Golden Temple [wiki] in Punjab, India is the most sacred shrine of Sikhism. For the Sikhs, the Golden Temple symbolizes infinite freedom and spiritual independence.
The site of the Temple began with a small lake that was so peaceful that even Buddha came there to meditate. Thousands of years later, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism also lived and meditate by the lake.
Construction of the Golden Temple began in the 1500s, when the fourth Guru of Sikhism enlarged the lake that became Amritsar or Pool of the Nectar of Immortality, around which the temple and the city grew. The Temple itself is decorated with marble sculptures, gilded in gold, and covered in precious stones.
Golden Temple, from a distance. Image: Saurabh C [Flickr]
The Golden Temple of Amristar. Image: Saurabh C [Flickr]
The Golden Temple of Amritsar at night. Image: Saurabh C [Flickr]
Image: Saurabh C [Flickr]
Vishnu Temple of Srirangam
The Temple of Srirangam (Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple [wiki]), in the Indian city of Tiruchirapalli (or Trichy), is the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world (Ankor Wat is the largest of all temple, but it is currently non-functioning as a temple – see below).
The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, one of three Gods in Hinduism. Legend has it that a long time ago, a sage rested and put down a statue of Vishnu reclining on a great serpent. When he was ready to resume his journey, he discovered that the statue couldn’t be moved, so a small temple was built over it. Over centuries, the temple "grew" as larger ones were built over the existing buildings.
The temple complex is massive: it encompasses an area of over 150 acres (63 hectares) with seven concentric walls, the outermost being about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long! The walls demarcate enclosures within enclosures, each more sacred than the next, with the inner-most enclosure is forbidden to non-Hindus.
The Temple of Srirangam is famous for its gopurams or entrances beneath colorful pyramids. The temple has 21 gopurams total, with the largest one having 15 stories and is nearly 200 feet (60 m) tall.
Temple of Srirangam, with its colorful gopurams. Image: licinivs [Flickr]
Borobudur
In the 19th century, Dutch occupiers of Indonesia found a massive ancient ruin deep in the jungles of Java. What they discovered was the complex of Borobudur, a gigantic structure built with nearly 2 million cubic feet (55,000 m³) of stones. The temple has nearly 2,700 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.
Until today, no one knows for sure when and why it was built, nor the reason for its complete abandonment hundreds of years ago. Some scholars believe that Borobudur is actually a giant textbook of Buddhism, as its bas reliefs tell the story of the life of Buddha and the principles of his teachings. To "read," a pilgrim must make his way through nine platforms and walk a distance of over 2 miles.
Aerial view of Borobudur. Image: Kenyon College
Image: hceebee [Flickr]
Image: elbisreverri [Flickr]
Image: susan catherine [Flickr]
The upper level of Borobudur. Image: kashikar [Flickr]
Inside each of the lattice stupa is a Buddha statue. Image: Jin Aili [Flickr]
A bas relief in Borobudur. Image: lizamber [Flickr]
Chion-in Temple
Chion-in Temple [wiki] was built in 1234 CE to honor the founder of Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism, a priest named Honen, who fasted to death in the very spot. At one point in time, the complex had 21 buildings but due to earthquakes and fire, the oldest surviving building is from the 17th century.
Visitors to the Chion-in Temple must first pass through the largest gate in Japan: the two-story San-mon Gate. The temple bell is also a record setter: it weighs 74 tons and needs 17 monks to ring it during the New Year celebrations.
Another interesting feature of the Chion-in Temple is the "singing" floor of the Assembly Hall. Called a uguisu-bari or nightingale floor, the wooden planks were designed to creak at every footstep to alert the monks of intruders!
Chion-in Temple’s Main Gate. Image: tgamblin [Flickr]
A building in the Chion-in Temple complex in winter time. Image: psychofish [Flickr]
Details of the Chion-in Temple roof. Notice a feudal family’s crest stamped on the roof tiles, as a symbol of their patronage. Image: kuribo [Flickr]
Chion-in’s Temple Bell. Image: Richard Seaman
The Nightingale Floor construction. Image: rygriffin333 [Flickr]
Tiger’s Nest Monastery
Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched precariously on the edge of a 3,000-feet-high cliff in Paro Valley, is one of the holiest places in Bhutan. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche [wiki], the second Buddha, flew onto the cliff on the back of a tigress, and then meditated in a cave which now exists within the monastery walls.
The monastery, formally called Taktshang Goemba, was built in 1692 and reconstructed in 1998 after a fire. Now, the monastery is restricted to practicing Buddhists on religious retreats and is off-limits to ordinary tourists.
Image: Leo Palmer Photography
Image: Douglas J. McLaughlin [wikipedia]
Wat Rong Khun
Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand is unlike any Buddhist temples in the world. The all-white, highly ornate structure gilded in mosaic mirrors that seem to shine magically, is done in a distinctly contemporary style. It is the brainchild of renowned Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Actually, the temple is still under construction. Chalermchai expects it will take another 90 years to complete, making it the Buddhist temple equivalent of the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, Spain!
Baha’i Lotus Temple
The Bahá'í House of Worship in Delhi, India, popularly known as the Lotus Temple, is a Bahá'í House of Worship and also a prominent attraction in Delhi. It was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent.
Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free-standing marble clad "petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. The architect was an Iranian, who now lives in Canada, named Fariborz Sahba.
For many beautiful pictures and all about the construction and philosophy of the Lotus Temple visit The Architecture of Fariborz Sahba.
See also:
Description and photographs of the Bahá'í House of Worship by the Bahá'ís of India.
India is a land of Gods and wonderful Temples historically referred to the territory bounded by the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas often known as ‘Dev Bhumi’ or the abode of Gods. Every inch of this land is heavily steeped in mythology, and every art and architecture has its own importance. If there is anything great and concrete that has survived the rigors of time in India, then it is surely the temples of ancient time.
India Temples, including the Lotus Temple Delhi.
The A-Z of Nepal
Q
Q is for Quibbling – it will take you a few days to work out what the going rate for things is. Haggling skills will come with time but its best not to argue incessantly over that extra 10 rupees. The people know how much an airline ticket from Europe or America costs (mainly because they have researched it and most of them could never afford it) and therefore if you are arguing over 10 pence they don’t think you are ever so clever for knowing the right price - they just think you are an arsehole. Tourist prices are different from Nepali prices. Don’t pay way over the odds but the extra 10 pence isn’t much to you but it can mean a lot to them. Remember that when you are walking out of the shop and congratulating yourself on what a bargain you got, you might be leaving a thoroughly disgusted shopkeeper behind you.
You’ll work it out in a few days don’t worry (chinta nagarnus in Nepali).
R
R is for Raaksi – Raaksi is the local tipple. Rice wine, but stronger than saké, it can seem very rough at first but a taste is easily acquired. A 500ml bottle should cost no more than 30 Nepalese rupees (about 30 pence). Some of the more remote villages enjoy their raaksi a great deal.
R is for Royalty – the standard texts on Nepal state that the Nepalis see their King as a kind of God. Nowadays, this simply isn’t true. What with the royal massacre and the current political upheaval, royalty is extremely unpopular. Most Nepalis believe that the Royal Massacre was not in fact perpetrated by the young regent whilst he was fuelled by drink and drugs (which was the official story). What seems to be the belief is that the new King (who was the murdered Kings brother) was in collusion with the security forces and in effect staged a coup. This theory would appear to be lent weight by the fact that since he has been on the throne he has dissolved the parliament (Nepal had only become a democracy a few years earlier), banned all other political parties and the civil war has resumed at a fiercer pace than before. Incidentally, the BBC described King Gyanendra as “a safe pair of hands” ?!
S
S is for Smog – a real problem in Kathmandu. Asthmatics may find it heavy going.
T
T is for Thamel – what can you say about Thamel? If you are a Westerner, wanting a few cheap beers, excellent food in cheap restaurants and a lot of noise then Thamel is the place for you. It is a small part of Kathmandu where tourists and traders congregate.
Invented to cater for the growing tourist trade Thamel has many good, clean restaurants and hotels. Staff are helpful even if the street traders may get on your nerves a bit. “Chai Daina” (I don’t need it) is the best phrase to get you some respite. The Buddha bar, Tom and Jerry’s and the Fire club are the main places to be. Good films, European menus and shopping are all plentiful. If you want your western comforts Thamel is where it’s at. Its probably best though, if you use Thamel as a base and stay only one or two nights at a time whilst on your way to see the other things Nepal has to offer. This is practical as all the trekking and rafting companies have offices here so you can book and then move on. Its good for a weekend but you probably won’t want to spend all your time there. If you ever go, then go the Roadhouse restaurant, its on the main street in Thamel and you can email me to thank me for pointing it out to you.
Thamel is Thamel, it is not Nepal.
T is for Temples – each main city or town in Nepal will have a variety of temples. Kathmandu is best served with three enormous sites. Firstly, there is Swayambunath otherwise known as “the monkey temple” which is Buddhist. There is also Bouddha, which is Buddhist and Pashupatinath, which is Hindu.
Swayambunath – otherwise known as the ‘Monkey Temple’
Pashupatinath
T is for Tibetans – when the Chinese invaded Tibet in the 1950s many Tibetans fled into Nepal. In many nations a sudden influx of refugees leads to instability and violence. Not so in Nepal. The Tibetans and Nepalis seem to mix very well with no outstanding tensions. The religions of the two groups (Tibetans are Buddhists and Nepalis are Hindus) seem to have come together in some places. You can often see Hindus at Buddhist temples and vice versa.
Meenakshi temple
Madurai or "the city of nectar" is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu. This city is located on Vaigai River and was the capital of Pandyan rulers. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous temple around which he created a lotus shaped city. It has been a center of learning and pilgrimage, for centuries. Legend has it that the divine nectar falling from Lord Shiva's locks gave the city its name - 'Madhurapuri', now known as "Madurai".
The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple and Madurai City originated together. The structures that are standing today date mostly from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. They occupy a vast space, 258-m by 241m. There are the two main shrines, no less than twelve Gopuras, a pool and innumerable Mandapas. At every turn there is superb sculpture, magnificent architecture.
The Meenakshi temple complex is one of the largest and certainly one of the most ancient. According to legend Madurai is the actual site where the wedding between Shiva and Meenakshi took place. The gigantic temple complex, the statues exploring the entire range of human emotions, everything here is larger than life. The soaring and exquisitely carved towers enclose the temple dedicated to Meenakashi. The south gateway contains the twin temples of Shiva and Meenakshi and is about nine storeys high.
Once Dhananjaya, a merchant of Manavur, where the Pandyas had arrived after the second deluge in Kumari Kandam, having been overtaken by nightfall in Kadamba forest, spent the night in the Indra Vimana. When next morning he woke up, he was surprised to see signs of worship. Thinking that it must be the work of the Devas, he told the Pandya, Kulasekhara, in Manavur, of this. Meanwhile Lord Shiva had instructed Pandya in a dream to build a temple and a city at the spot Dhananjaya would indicate. Kulasekhara did so. Thus originated the temple and city.
In the 14th century an invasion by Malik Kafur damaged the temple. In the same century Madurai was under Muslim rule for nearly fifty years. The temple authorities closed the sanctum, covered up the Linga, and set up another in the Ardhamandapa. When the city was liberated, the sanctum was opened, and, tradition says the flower garlands and the sandalwood paste placed on the Linga were as fresh as on the first day, and two oil lamps were still burning.
Ashta Sakthi Mandapa :
This Mandapa is a convention in this temple, different from that followed in others, that the devotee offers worship first to Goddess Meenakshi. Therefore, while there are four other entrances into the temple, under huge Gopuras in the four cardinal directions, it is customary to enter not through any of them but through a Mandapa, with no tower above it. This entrance leads directly to the shrine of the Goddess.
This Mandapa is an impressive structure, with a hemispherical ceiling. It is 14m long and 5.5m wide. There are bas-reliefs all over the place. Over the entrance one of them depicts the marriage of Goddess Meenakshi with Lord Somasundara. The Mandapa derives its name, the "Ashta Sakthi", from the fact it contains sculptures of the eight Sakthis (also spelt as Shakti). Those of the four principal Nyanmars were added during renovation of the temple in 1960-63.
Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam :
This hall 42.9m long and 33.5m wide is adjacent to Ashta Shakthi Mandapam. It contains 110 stone columns, each 6.7m high carrying the figures of a peculiar animal with a lion's body, and an elephant's head called Yalli.
Potramaraukulam (Golden Lotus Tank) :This temple tank is an ancient tank where devotees take bath in the holy water. The corridors around the tank are rightly called the Chitra Mandapa, for the walls carry paintings of the divine sports of the Lord. The area around this tank was the meeting place of the Tamil Sangam - the ancient academy of poets.This academy judged the worth of any work of literature presented before it by throwing it into the tank. Only those that did not sink were considered worthy of attention. The tank is surrounded by a pillared corridor. Steps lead down to the tank, enabling worshippers to take bathe in it.
The Thousand Pillar Mandapam :It is the 'wonder of the place', Actually the number of pillars count to 985. Each pillar is sculptured and is a monument of the Dravidan sculpture. There is a Temple Art Museum in this 1000 pillars hall where you can see icons, photographs, drawings, etc., exhibiting the 1200 years old history. There are so many other smaller and bigger mandapams in the temple. Just outside this mandapam, towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar when stuck, Produces a different musical notes.
Vasantha Mandapam :This mandapam was built by Thirumalai Nayakkar. Vasanthosavam - the Spring festival-is celebrated in this mandapam in Vaikasi (April/May). Its pillars contain elaborate sculptures of Shiva, Meenakshi, scenes from their wedding as well as the figures of ten of the Nayak Kings and their consorts. This is also called Pudhu Mandapam.
Oonjal Mandapam :Two Mandapas, the Unjal (swing) and the Kilikatti (parrot cage), are on the western side of the tank. On their ceilings are more paintings. The Kiliatti Mandapa has on its walls the carvings of the divine sports. The most ornamental of the temple's Mandapas, it was built in 1623.
Every Friday, the golden idols of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are seated on the swing in the Oonjal Mandapam and hymns are sung as the deities gaily swing to and fro. The parrots in the Kilikoontu Mandapam have been trained to repeat Meenakshi's name. But more interesting are the 28 pillars of the mandapam which exhibit some excellent Sculptures of figures from Hindu mythology.
Swami Sundareswarar Shrine :Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva) the consort of Goddess Meenakshi is to the north of Kilikoontu Mandapam . On your way you can worship a gigantic idol of Sri Ganesh called Mukkurini Pillaiyar. When the king Thirumalai Nayakar excavated a temple tank 3 km from Meenakshi temple he unearthed this idol of Vinayaka and erected the same here.
In the outer pragaram (corridor outside the main shrine) there is stump of the kadamba tree, which is said to be a part of the same tree under which Indra worshipped Shiva linga. Also in the outer corridor there are the Kadambathadi Mandapam and big hall called ' Velli Ambalam' . Here, An idol of Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of Dance) is seen. This idol of Nataraja is covered with silver leaves. Hence this hall is named as Velli Ambalam (Silver Hall)..
The famous festivals held at Madurai, include Teppam festival, the annual Float Festival, wherein the images of Sri Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswara (also spelt as Sundreshwara) are mounted on floats, and taken to Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank, where for several days they are pulled back and forth across the water in the middle of the tank, on an illuminated raft embellished with flowers, before being taken back to the main temple.
Meenaskhi Kalyanam, the wedding festival of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwar is celebrated for twelve days from the second day of the lunar month (i.e. two days after the new moon). This is a spectacular festival celebrated in the month of Chaitra (April-May). The festival is characterized with royal decorated umbrellas, fans and traditional instrumental music. Scenes from mythology are enacted and the deities of Lord Shiva, Goddess Shakti and Goddess Meenakshi are taken out in a colourful procession. Thousands of devotees from all over the country gather in the city of Madurai on this occasion.
Amritsar, India
I am often asked what my favorite sacred places are in the world, among the many hundreds I have visited. I could not choose one in particular, but included in the top ten would certainly be the Golden Temple. It is a place of both stupendous beauty and sublime peacefulness. Originally a small lake in the midst of a quiet forest, the site has been a meditation retreat for wandering mendicants and sages since deep antiquity. The Buddha is known to have spent time at this place in contemplation.Two thousand years after Buddha's time, another philosopher-saint came to live and meditate by the peaceful lake. This was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh religion. After the passing away of Guru Nanak, his disciples continued to frequent the site; over the centuries it became the primary sacred shrine of the Sikhs. The lake was enlarged and structurally contained during the leadership of the fourth Sikh Guru (Ram Dass, 1574-1581), and during the leadership of the fifth Guru (Arjan, 1581-1606), the Hari Mandir, or Temple of God was built. From the early 1600s to the mid 1700s the sixth through tenth Sikh Gurus were constantly involved in defending both their religion and their temple against Moslem armies. On numerous occasions the temple was destroyed by the Moslems, and each time was rebuilt more beautifully by the Sikhs. From 1767 onwards, the Sikhs became strong enough militarily to repulse invaders. Peace returned to the Hari Mandir.
The temple's architecture draws on both Hindu and Moslem artistic styles yet represents a unique coevolution of the two. During the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Hari Mandir was richly ornamented with marble sculptures, golden gilding, and large quantities of precious stones. Within the sanctuary, on a jewel-studded platform, lies the Adi Grantha, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. This scripture is a collection of devotional poems, prayers, and hymns composed by the ten Sikh gurus and various Moslem and Hindu saints. Beginning early in the morning and lasting until long past sunset, these hymns are chanted to the exquisite accompaniment of flutes, drums, and stringed instruments. Echoing across the serene lake, this enchantingly beautiful music induces a delicate yet powerful state of trance in the pilgrims strolling leisurely around the marble concourse encircling the pool and temple. An underground spring feeds the sacred lake, and throughout the day and night pilgrims immerse themselves in the water, a symbolic cleansing of the soul rather than an actual bathing of the body. Next to the temple complex are enormous pilgrims' dormitories and dining halls where all persons, irrespective of race, religion, or gender, are lodged and fed for free.
Amritsar, the original name of first the ancient lake, then the temple complex, and still later the surrounding city, means "pool of ambrosial nectar." Looking deeply into the origins of this word amrit, we find that it indicates a drink of the gods, a rare and magical substance that catalyzes euphoric states of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. With this word we have a very clear example of the spirit, power, or energetic character of a particular place becoming encoded as an ancient geographical place name. The myth is not just a fairy tale. It reveals itself as a coded metaphor if we have the knowledge to read the code: The waters of Amritsar flowing into the lake of the Hari Mandir were long ago - and remain today - a bringer of peacefulness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)