Trip To Prayag - Varanasi and Gaya - Sept - Oct'09

9/5/2014 Punitha Yatra: Our Trip to Prayag/Varanasi and Gaya - Sept/Oct'09
http://punithayatra.blogspot.in/2009/10/our-trip-to-prayagvaranasi-and.html 1/27
Yatra to Kashi - A Journey which draws people to the River Ganges, with an
ingrated belief that these waters can absolve the sins of many generations. This
Blog of mine is an attempt to Unfloding and Celebrating the Ritual Contact with
the Holy Ganges. This Blog is also a guide to performing the Hindu Rites in the
Right way.Let us go on a pilgrimage to the holy city within Banaras called "Kashi"
- The City of Light...
Punitha Yatra
Our Trip to Prayag/Varanasi and Gaya - Sept/Oct'09
Varanasi is said to be the oldest inhabited city in the world. There are supposed to be 2,000
temples in Varanasi. It is 125km east of Allahabad, on the bank of the Ganges.
Many older people come to Varanasi to die and to be burned at the burning ghats along the
river. It is believed that anyone who dies in Varanasi attains moksha (liberation). It is said
that being burned at Varanasi adds to the pious credits of someone, therefore many bodies
are brought here to be cremated. Many widows come here to die.
The name Varanasi most likely stems from the two rivers, Varuna and Asi, which join the
Ganges on the north and south borders of the city.
The Ganges, which normally flows southeast, reverses its course and flows north for a while
at Varanasi, which is considered very auspicious. There is a five-mile parikrama path that
goes around this sacred city. There are 81 bathing ghats and other holy kunds, or sacred
tanks.
Now let me describe the Holy Yatra we undertook....
.
Thanks from the Ganga.
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Our sincere thanks to our Shri Mani Vadhyaar and his family of Kashi, for having made
this trip to Allahabad - Varanasi - Gaya a memorable one and making our trip ever so
comfortable and satisfying in every way.
Preparations for our Varanasi Trip
We planned the trip to Allahabad, Varanasi and Gaya about three months before the actual
date of departure i.e. 24.09.09. It was a long process and we charted out our itenarary in
such a way and saw to it that we had a comfortable journey right from start to finish. There
are many trains going to Varanasi from Chennai. We chose to go by Tamilnadu Express from
Chennai and kept Delhi as our Base. From Delhi, we made arrangements to go to
Prayag/Varanasi/Gaya and while in return, via Delhi to Chennai. As our trip was a week
before Diwali, and since we anticipated rush, we purchased the tickets well in advance, both
onward and return tickets.
We were 6 members on the whole i.e. Ramachandran and Lalitha,[myself and my Husband];
Sankar and Uma [husband's sister and brother-in-law]; Venkataraman and wife Vijayalakshmi
[husband's elder brother and wife]. Another brother of my husband [Jayashankar and family],
could not make this trip due to his office/ work pressure. My husband's elder sister Chandra
and brother-in-law, Advocate Balu, opted out of this trip since they have been to Kashi a few
years back with their family members. We ofcourse, really missed them a lot, as they are
always the most sought-after and enjoyable company to be with.
Once our tickets were purchased and dates finalised, our next important assignement was to
get in touch with our Sastrigal[Vadhyar] in Varanasi. My brother-in-law,Sankar, got in touch
with our Vadhyar, Shri Palghat R. Subramanya Vadhyar[Alias] Mani Vadhyar, Address:
"KERALA MUTT", B -4/59, Hanuman Ghat, Varanasi-221 001[U.P.] India. Ph: 0542-
2311268 / 2275890. Shri Mani Vadhyar is known to us and this being the case, all the
arangements got smoothly completed, to enable us to embark on this holy pilgrimage of ours.
It is customary for the Vadhyar to arrange all facilities for pilgrims right from Allahabad,
Varanasi and Gaya. Shri Mani Vadhyar assured to provide us good accommodation, food and
also arrange transport and and most important, to perform pithru karyams there.
The Vadhyar also assists us in arranging and giving the contact name in Allahabad. and the
Vadhyar's name [in Allahabad] being Shri. Prayagai S. Natesa Shastry, Theertha Prohit,
Address: 116/95, Shiv Mutt & Sankar Mutt, Mori, Daraganj, Allahabad - 221 006. Ph:
0532-2500799. Once all these contact details were in hand, we had to take the next step
which was purchasing of items for the various rituals/poojas, right from
Allahabad/Kashi/Gaya. The items were listed out carefully for each family, and we started
doing purchases. For Khasi Shraddham Dhoti for brahmana and Vadhyar: 9x5 -two Nos each,
Gaya Shrraddham Dhoti for Gayawalis 9x5 five numbers [if mother is alive- four nos only];
[Shri Mani Vadhyar of Varanasi with Family]
Jolly R
Chennai,
Tamil Nadu,
India
An aspiring writer, who
loves to visit temples and
other historical places in
India and elsewhere. I
unfold before you Divinity,
Legends, Myths and
beauty of the Temples of
India and outside and other
holy pilgrimages.
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HINDU GODS AND
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PARAMACHARIAR - A
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RELIGIOUS - SPIRITUAL -
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Gaya Vadyar Dhoti 9x5 one no. Dhampathi Pooja: one set each of following: Dhoti 9x5 ; 9
yard saree with blouse piece, Mangalyam, metti, mookuthi -(one set each for one family, for
Kashi). Extra blouse pieces with kannadi seepu manjal kungumam valayal about 15
sets[approx]. For those of you who are willing to afford, and depending on your budget, can
buy the following items also for the various Dhanams. [ this ofcourse, depends on each
individual's wish[optional], on whether to perform these Dhanams or not] For Dheepa
Dhanam: 31 Brass agals with oil & thiri; for payasa Dhanam Tumblers: 12 nos For Dhasa
Dhanam: Gold coin, silver coin, silver kinnam, 9x5 veshti, Shawl/porvai, Kudai, Padarakshai,
Pithalai Theertha sombu, Eversilver Milk Pathiram, Eayam poosiya Curd Pathiram, Visiri,
Sandhana Kattaiu, Bell, Pusthagam.
YATRA - The purpose of a Kashi Yatra is to perform Vedic rites for our ancestors. The
Vadhyars were extremely helpful to explain various nuances of rituals. We performed all the
rites that are traditionally performed during a Kashi Yatra. I wish to share this with all of you
in the hope that it may be of reference material for future. I have also provided all the
contact numbers of some important people there who will be able to arrange everything for
anyone who desires to perform these rituals, as was done for us, while on this holy
pilgrimage.
Holy Yatra Begins......
After a day of sight-seeing and rest in Delhi, we left for Prayag[Allahabad] from Delhi, by
Prayag Express departing Delhi at 9.00 pm. Being a prestigious train, our journey was most
comfortable and we reached Allahabad at 6.30AM, ofcourse, after a good night's sleep.
Prayagai S.Natesa Shastry sent his guide, one Mr. Dheeraj, to Allahabad Rly Station to
pick us up,along with a vehicle for commuting. It took us about half an hour to reach the
Vadhyar's house. Once we entered the Shiva Mutt, we were well received by the Vadhyar
himself. He of course gave us all the instructions [in fact,charted out our timetable] of our
various rituals to be done for that day. We got ourselves ready soon in the room provided for
our stay. [It is customary for the Vadhyar at Shiva Mutt to provide accomodation for all the
pilgrim parties who visit Allahabad to perform these rites]. The Vedic rituals began at
Allahabad at around 8 am. The rituals [even the more extensive ones] take about half a day
only. [early morning to lunch] Day 1 [ 28.09.2009] Day of Arrival - Allahabad [Triveni
Sangam] A brief note on the Triveni Sangam: Allahabad is the city where the three greatest
rivers of India meet, and continue their journey further. The Ganga weaves her way down
from the Himalayas from Gangotri, passing places made sacred by her arrival, like Rishikesh
and Haridwar, and passing through the industrial city of Kanpur, before arriving at Allahabad
to join her sisters as she makes her way to Kashi. Yamuna also begins her journey in the
Himalayas, at Yamunotri, and passes through Mathura and Brindavan, made more sacred by
the association of Krishna, and finally arrives at Allahabad where she joins the Ganga to
merge her identity with her. Saraswati arrives at Allahabad from god alone knows where, for
she is an underground river, who remains unseen to mankind, making her presence felt at
certain, extremely special places. She renders the holy Ganga and Yamuna even more pure,
more sacred by her association with them at Allahabad. The place where these 3 rivers
merge is the Triveni Sangam, a place where thousands and thousands congregate to pay their
respects to the rivers and pray for their well being and forgiveness for their sins. The three
rivers maintain their identity and are visibly different as they merge. While the Yamuna is
deep but calm and greenish in colour, the Ganga is shallow, but forceful and clear. The
Saraswati remains hidden, but the faithful believe that she makes her presence felt
underwater. During the monsoon, when the rivers are in full flow, the confluence of the
rivers is seen clearly due to the force of the water, but the same force makes having a dip at
the confluence difficult. I was told[by our Guide], that during the monsoon, most devotees
bathe at the riverbank for safety, while the more ardent ones who are willing to pay for the
risk involved go to the confluence in a boat, where a shallow area is created by the presence
of a number of boats with a kind of net suspended in between, and bathe there. We went to
the confluence of the rivers by a boat. A sort of platform had been constructed there, from
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which we climbed down into waist deep water. We had a wonderful time bathing in the river.
Felt like we could have stayed in the water for ages, if it hadnt been for the rites and rituals
we had to perform back at the mutt where we were staying. It was a wonderful experience,
an experience one should never miss in his/her lifetime!
A number of rituals are traditionally performed at Allahabad, mainly for appeasing our
ancestors. There are a number of Mutts there who perform the rites. As at Kashi, there is no
standard charge, but varies according to the rites one wants to perform and your budget.
An interesting ritual performed at the Sangam is that of Veni Dhaanam. This is a practice
followed by married women for the long life of their husbands. The husband is supposed to
comb and plait the wifes hair and after decorating it with flowers, the end of the plait is cut
off and offered to the rivers. Some men even shave off their hair/beard and offer it also to
the rivers. This procedure is performed while travelling by boat to the Sangam and the hair is
offered along with flowers, etc at the confluence. There is nothing interesting in itself about
this. What is interesting is that hair, being light normally floats on water, but at this place,
the hair sinks straight to the bottom. Though hundreds of people offer their hair everyday,
there is not a single strand of hair seen floating on the river. Of course, there could and will
be a scientific explanation for this phenomenon, but whatever it is, it gives us proof that
nature is a wonderful thing.. Call it God or simply nature, it is indeed inspiring! The
Vadhyar in Allahabad deputes a Panda, who waits near the boat for our arrival and does the
above rituals at the Triveni Sangaman. The Vadhyar also instructs us on how much to pay at
all the places during the said rituals. The charge we paid for the Panda is Rs.25/- [or 30],
depending on your satisfaction and budget. Very reasonalble infact.
The temple of Veni Madhava (one of the trio along with Sethu Madhava and Bindu
Madhava) is a little way inside the city. It is a small temple, with a small idol of Vishnu
representing Veni Madhava. According to the legend painted on the walls of the temple,
there was once a rakshasa who troubled all the Devas. Narada sought an audience with him
to find out his weakness, and found that he suffered from a skin infliction. He told the Asura
to bathe in the Triveni Sangam at Allahabad, which the Asura proceeded to do. Amazed at
finding himself cured, he wanted to possess the 3 great rivers who had cured him, and began
drinking them up! When the rivers pleaded with Vishnu, he arrived in the form of Veni
Madhava and killed him, restoring the rivers to their rightful place.
The Shayana Anjaneya temple is an important one right on the banks of the river. Here, the
idol of Hanuman is larger than life, carrying Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders. Only, the
idol is lying down. There are many stories about this temple. According to one, hanuman
stepped over the rivers without their permission, angering them. They rose up and threw him
to the ground, and crushed his ego. According to the locals, every year, the river rises and
covers the whole idol before going back, which they consider absolute proof of this story.
Another legend mentions that this is where hanuman emerged with Rama and Lakshmana
after defeating the king of Patala, the netherworld, Ahi Ravana. Whatever the story, the
temple is simple and good one to visit.
The Adi Shankara Vimana Mandapam, a temple built by the Kanchi Mutt is right next to this
temple. This is a 3 storeyed temple with idols and sculptures of various Gods and Goddesses.
Indeed, it is worth a visit. Our Guide, Dheeraj, was most helpful throughout our stay, right
from Allahabad to Gaya and back.
On completion of the Rituals, we had a sumptuos meal at the Shiva Mutt itself.[There is a
Cook for this purpose]. We were tired and hungry after performing the rituals and hence did
full justice to the meal served to us.
After a satisfying day of having performed all the rituals at Allahabad, we bid farewell to our
Vadhyar Shri S. Natesa Shastry and thanked him for having made our stay most comfortable
and pleasant and ofcourse, needless to say, most satisying!. At around 2 pm in the afternoon,
we started our jouney to Varanasi from Allahabad [by road] , by the car[Tata Sumo] rented to
us by our Mani Vadhyar of Varnasai. Charges for all these types of transportation is ofcourse
extra and does not include in the package[Vadhyar Sambhavanai]. Depending on your budget,
you could opt for whatever type of car you prefer[A.C or Non-AC].
Enroute, we did some sight-seeing and saw the following places of interest in Allahabad.
The Allahabad fort, on the banks of the Yamuna, where we take a boat to go to the Sangam.
The Bharadvaj Ashram, where Sage Bharadvaj lived Anand Bhavan- the birthplace of our
first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
The following Religious Rituals were performed by us at Allahabad:
1. Anugnai (Sankalpam)
2. Vighneshwara Puja (Prayers to Ganesha)
3. Prayschitta Sankalpam (atonement for sins committed, knowingly or unknowingly)
4. Veni Dhaanam (Women offer a part of their hair to the river praying for the long life of
their husbands. The husband plaits the wifes hair, decorates it with flowers and cuts off the
tip of the plait and offers it to the river. It is an interesting fact[as mentioned earlier] that
while hair normally floats on water, at the Sangam; it immediately sinks to the river bed.
Though almost all married women offer their hair here, there is not a single strand found
floating on the river!!) Enjoyed the boat-ride on the whole.
5. Manal brought from Rameswaram is dissolved in Triveni Sangam.
6. Triveni Sangam Snanam (husband and wife bathe together at the confluence of the 3
rivers, holding hands. One has to go to the confluence in a boat. A sort of platform has been
erected at the point for the convenience of pilgrims)
7. Hiranya Shrraddham
8. Pinda Pradaanam, Kshetra Pindam, Tarpanam
9. Brumayagnam
10. Venimadhavar Dharisanam
11. Vada Vrutcha Dharisanam
12. To collect Pure Ganges water from Triveni Sangam for carrying back to home.
13. Aram Ghat Hanumar Dharisanam
14. Kanchi Kamakodi Temple visit
From Allahabad to Varanasi....
After a good 5 to 6 hrs jouney, we reached Varanasi at 7 pm. We were accommodated in a
newly built house/apartment called Kerala Mutt of Shri Mani Vadhyars', in Hanuman Ghat,
which is a two storeyed building with a mittam for drying clothes & marble flooring. Each
floor of the house has 5 rooms, two big double rooms and the other 3 are single rooms with
Varandhas for drying clothes. Each floor has a common bathroom with western toilet facility.
The rooms had pillows, jamukkalam and mats and cots. Extra cots in each room is provided in
case we need them. Though a new construction, it is well maintained and neat.
As soon as we arrived, our rooms were alloted to us. Good, hot Chappathis for our night tiffin
was waiting for us on our arrival at the Mutt, which was arranged by our Mani Vadhyar,
prepared by his Cook, one Balasubramanian. Incidentally, this Cook, Balasubramanian, is the
one engaged [works for Mani Vadhyar] for preparing of lunch/dinner etc etc for all the
pilgrims coming to Varanasi on this holy pilgrimage. We could see his utmost sincerity and
dedication in the work he was rendering to so many of the pilgrims. Very applaudable
indeed!
I should mention here that during our entire stay in Varanasi, Balasubramanian [Cook],
provided us timely and ofcourse very tasty meals/tiffin and on all occassions, we did FULL
JUSTICE to the meals provided!
Since we were all dead tired after our road journey, refreshing ourselves quickly, we had our
night tiffin. Shri Mani Vadhyar was not in station the day we arrived and hence, his brother-
in-law /caretaker and assistant, Rangan, briefed us on the various aspects of our stay and
programme for the next three days in Kashi.
The next day i.e. 29.09.09, my brother-in-law, Sankar and wife Uma, performed his
father's Shrardham. The rest of us were free to go round the place and enjoy. Since we had
the full day to ourselves, we went to the nearby shops and got the taste of the road-side
lassi/curd etc which we found to be very, very tasty. I should mention here of the road-side
shops selling poori/sabji and Jilabies...really mouth-watering and one cannot resist in asking
for a second helping... We also tasted some hot..hot vadais from the Madras Hotel/Coffee
Shop, near to our Mani Vadhyar's house in Hanuman Ghat! Did not miss out on the cycle-
rickshaw ride through the narrrow streets of Varanasi. Wow! What an experience...!!!
One should not forget to mention here about the famous Seitiar Kade in Kashi, which is a
very famous landmark in Hanuman Ghat. It is in this shop that one can buy the "Gangai
Sombhu" for filling up the pure ganges water collected by one and all [in plastic cans] from
the Triveni Sangam on to the Sombhus. There are different sizes of Gangai Sombhus available
and you can choose the size and quantity according to your budget and convenience in
carrying them back to your place. The price is reasonable too. There are lots more of other
eye-catching brass items available in this shop which you will wnat to take home. It is here
that we bought all our Gangai Sombhus'. The shop authorities see to it that they are well-
sealed and sealing is ofcourse, free of cost.
As you enter this small shop, one cannot but stop to gaze in atonishment and wonder at the
"Vigraham of Annapoorani Goddess", about 2 1/2 to 3 ft in height, decorated in all its
splendor! Very pleasing to our eyes indeed! On enquiring about this beautiful Annapoorani
Vigraham, the Proprietor says that this Vigraham is not less than 150 years old!! Nodoubt a
true master-piece.
Another interesting piece of info that I could gather about this shop[from the proprietor's
wife] is that they are originally"Shettys" from Bangalore and not "Chettiyars" as all the local
people pronounce the name of the shop. This word "Shetty" has slowly, in the long run, come
to be known/ pronounced as "Chettiyar Shop" by the local people and all the tourists who
come to Varanasi! Hence anybody wanting to know/go to this shop can ask for the
"Chettiyar Kadai", as it is called!
Rituals in Kashi
The rituals at Kashi take place for over three days the first day for the Maha sangalpam,
the second day for Manikarnika Parvarupa [by doing homam] Shrraddham and the third
day for the Pancha Teertha Shrraddham. Then, one goes to Gaya and performs the rituals
there, and returns to Kashi for the Ganga Puja, Dampathi Puja and then visits the temples
at Kashi.
Day 1 Kashi [Varanasi] [30.09.2009]
1. Anugnai [Sankalpam]
2.Vighneshwara Puja [Prayers to Ganesha]
3. Poorvanga Sangalpam
4. Navagraha Preethi Dhanam
5. Poorvanga Dasa Dhaanam
6. Naandhi Shrraddham
7. Vaishnava Shrraddham
8. Punyaa Vajanam [purification ritual]
9. Maha Sankalpam
10. Prayschitta Sankalpam [atonement for sins committed, knowingly or unknowingly]
11. Pala Daanam
12. Mahathasirvatham
13. Uttaranga Godaanam
14. Chakra Theertha Snanam
15. Manikarnika Teertha Snanam
1. Manikarnika Hiranyaroopa Theertha Shrraddham : This is done in Parvanroopam[Homam
Valarthu] Two Brahmanal Bhojanam[Those who are budgeted can do this Hiranya roopam
also]
2. Anna roopa theertha Shrraddham
3. Pinda Pradhanam
4. Shethra Pinda Dhanams
5. Thila Tharpanam
Day 3 Kashi [Varanasi] 02.10.2009]
1. Pancha Teertha Yatra [We went by a motor boat to these 5 Ghats and performed the
rituals] If the persons are more, [I was told by our Ravi Vadhyar who assisted us], that two
boats are engaged-the motor boat would tow two ordinary rowing boats. One boat
exclusively for Rug Vedis. One boat to prepare avis and make pindams. The main motor boat
for performing hiranya Shrraddham. In our case, since we were only 6 members, we took only
one motor boat and performed all the following rituals.
1. Assi Ghat (Haridwar Teertham) this is where the Assi river merges with the Ganga.
Performing the rites here is believed to give one the fruits of performing the rites at
Haridwar.
2. Dashashwamedha Ghat (Rudra Sarovara Teertham) this is the place where Brahma
performed 10 Ashwamedha Yagnas, and hence it is considered sacred to perform the rites.
3. Trilochana Ghat or varana Ghatt [Vishnu Paada Udaka Teertham]
4. Pancha Ganga Ghat [Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirana, Doodhapappa- Sangam]; Bindu
Madhava Temple
5. Manikarnika Ghat [Manikarnika Teertham, Chakra Pushkarni Teertham] Shethra pinda
dhanams in all 5 ghatts, thila tharpanam and Bruma yagnam.
From Varanasi to Gaya
After our lunch, we left in the late afternoon by about 2.45 pm from Varanasi by road [A/C-
Tata Sumo] to Gaya. We reached Gaya at 7.30 pm. On the way, we went to see Thulasi
Archanai, Sandhana kappu to Vishnu Padham. We also went to Bodh Gaya enroute to Gaya
[will narrate our experiences of Bodh Gaya in my latter section/paragraphs]
Day 4 - Gaya [Gaya Shrardham] [03.10.2009]
Gaya being located in, is a Shrraddha Bhoomi. The place where we were asked to stay was
Karnataka Bhavan, but due to the powercut[almost half of the day it is told that there is no
power supply in Gaya] and the climbing of steps[about 50] in the dark, we opted to book
Hotel rooms nearby. The only good Hotel nearby was Hotel Gharana about half an hour's
drive from Karnataka Bhavan. We experienced continuous power cuts, no sun- light in
bathrooms, inadequate water in Gaya. We were also told Phalguni river is having knee deep
water only and only 'Prokshanam' is possible.
Gaya is a holy place revered by Hindus and Buddhists alike. While to Hindus, it is the
footprint of Vishnu (the Vishnu Padam), the Akshaya Vatam and the chance of performing
the Vedic rites not just for 3 generations of ancestors, but anyone and everyone that attracts
them to Gaya; for Buddhists it is the sacred Banyan tree under which the Buddha attained
enlightenment. Indeed the regular influx of Buddhists from all over the world has made Bodh
Gaya a tourist spot in Bihar, and a tourist attraction with all kind of facilities, something like
an oasis in the heart of a desert!
Gaya is all about legends, and there are legends connected to every temple there and for
every rite that is performed.
I should let you know here [for those of you who do not know] the significance of the
name of the place. 'Gaya'. According to the legend, there was once an Asura named
Gayasuran, who was a great devotee of Vishnu. When the Devas couldnt bear the trouble he
caused any more, they went to Vishnu and asked for a way out. Vishnu approached Gayasuran
and told him that He wanted to perform a special yagna, and wanted a special place to
perform it. Gayasuran offered his heart, and Vishnu accepted.
The yagna began, and soon, the fumes and the heat became unbearable, and Gayasuran
started succumbing to it. Vishnu asked him for his final wish, and Gayasuran asked that the
place he died would be immortalized by his name, and hence the name Gaya. Second, he
asked that people should be allowed to perform the sacred rites (Pinda pradaanam) not only
for their ancestors, but for anyone- family, distant relatives, friends and foes, non-Hindus,
pets, unclaimed bodies- in short, for any dead human/creature they could think of.
This remains the only place where Pinda pradaanam is carried out in this manner. In fact, I
am told that in a normal Shrraddham , 6 pindams are made (two for each generations which
are no more); in a Teertha Shrraddham , as at Kashi, Allahabad, Rameswaram, etc., 16
pindams are offered, including all ancestors on both parents side; in the Gaya Shrraddham,
64 pindams are offered, of which 16 are for the mother alone, since she carries her child for
9 whole months within her body, 16 for the ancestors, and 16 for all others as I have
mentioned earlier.
Of course, all this is a matter of faith and belief, but what is there in life if we dont have
faith?
Anyway, once Vishnu granted his wishes, he stepped on him with his foot, leaving a
footprint at this holy place, and granting liberation to Gayasuran. It is this footprint which is
worshipped as the Vishnu Padam. For the information of devotees, I must mention that for a
fee of Rs.50/- an imprint of the Padam is taken on a muslin cloth and given. This is to be
kept in the Puja room and is considered very auspicious.
The Pandas[priests at the temple], ofcourse have the habit of pouncing on all the devotees
to extract as much money as possible. So one should be careful in dealing with them. It is
best not to carry your purse with lot of cash, lest you may land in trouble. It is advisable to
carry limited cash only.
1. Phalguni [Falguni] Teertha Snana Maha Sangalpam
2. Phalguni [Falguni] Teertha Snanam by way of bringing water from the river in sombu
and prokshanam
3. Phalguni Hiranya Shrraddham [this is the traditional Shrraddham performed on the
banks of any sacred river, here the Falguni.]
4. Shethra Pinda dhanam[17] [given to cow later]
5. Thila tharpanam
6. Vishnu Paada Hiranya Shrraddham
7. Pinda prathanam [64 Pindams for those who have lost mother also; if mother alive 48
pindams]
8. Shethra Pinda Dharisanam at Vishnu Patham
9. Mathru Shodacee[not applicable to those whose mother is alive]
10. Akshaya Vatam Anna/Hiranya Shrraddham [with anna Shrraddham ] with homam 11.
Akshaya Vatam Pinda Pradaanam
12. Shethra Pinda dhaanam
13. Mathru Shodacee[not applicable to those whose mother is alive]
14. Thirupthi Dhakshinai : To ask Gaya Brahmans if they are satisfied [according to
legend, the Brahmins at Gaya are not easily satisfied and it is a tradition to ask them
anyway, in an attempt to satisfy them]. Acharya sambhavana [payment of the fees to the
pundit]
15. Saka-Pathra-Ful- Dharisanam[Oru kai-Ilai-Pazham viduthal]
16. Bhodhi Vruksha Dharisanam The next legend concerns the Falguni (or Falgu) river.
There is knee deep water in the river at Gaya, though apparently, there is water upstream as
well as downstream. It is clear that there is water under the ground, because, even as one
digs into the ground with ones fingers, water appears. This is apparently because of a curse
on the river. The story goes that Rama, along with his brothers and Sita, came to Gaya to
perform the sacred rites for his father, Dasaratha. When the brothers were bathing in the
river, Sita was sitting on the banks, playing with the sand. Suddenly, Dasaratha appeared out
of the sand, and asked for the Pindam, saying he was hungry. Sita asked him to wait till his
sons returned, so that she could give him the traditional Pindam of rice and til. He refused to
wait, asking her to give him pindams made of the sand in her hand. Having no other option,
she gave him the Pindam he desired with five witnesses the Akshaya Vatam, the Falguni
River, a cow, a Tulsi plant and a Brahmin. Soon, Rama returned and started the rituals. In
those days apparently, the ancestors would arrive in person to collect their share, and when
Dasaratha did not appear, they wondered why. Sita then told them what had happened, but
Rama could not believe that his father would accept pindams made of sand. Sita now
mentioned her witnesses, and asked them to tell Rama the truth. Among the five, only the
Akshaya Vatam took her side and told the truth, while the others lied, trying to take Ramas
side. In her anger, Sita cursed all of them thus:
The following are the Religious Rites [one should] we performed at Gaya:
1. the Falguni river henceforth would have no water at Gaya;
2. the Cow would no longer be worshipped from the front as all others are- only its
backside would be worshipped;
3..there would be no more Tulsi plants at Gaya , and
4. the Gaya Brahmins would never be satisfied, they would always be hungry and crave
for more and more.
5. She then blessed the Akshaya Vatam saying that all who came to Gaya would perform the
Pinda pradaanam at the Akshaya Vatam too.
Other temples in the vicinity are the Sakshi Gopal temple and the Mangala Gowri Temple,
which is among the Shakti peethams. By the time Shrraddham was over, it was about 4.30
pm. We then had lunch at around 5pm and we left Gaya around 6 pm. We visited Bodh Gaya
enroute to Gaya. We after a safe journey, finally, reached Varanasi around 11.30 Pm.
The roads were excellent -thanks to National Highway Authority roads improvement
programme of Govt. of India. Twice we stopped by the roadside, to have a cup of
coffee/tea, to refresh ourselves. On the whole a very staisfying trip to Gaya indeed!
Our Bodh Gaya Visit
We worship Dhakshinamurthy,Guru or preceptor. A preceptor is more than a teacher, for he
not only teaches us things that extends our knowledge, but also those that enrich our lives,
and make out life worth living. One of these was the Buddha. Whether we consider Him
simply as a Buddhist guru, or the ninth avatar of Vishnu, it remains a fact that He was one of
the greatest teachers of all time, and his legacy lives on today in the hearts of millions, some
his followers, some simply his admirers. This is where Buddha came in quest of knowledge,
and where he finally was enlightened. This is, truly, the birth place of Buddhism. There are,
in all, seven sacred places for Buddhists, all associated with the life of Buddha.
These are:
1. Lumbini his birthplace, now in Nepal
2. Kapilavastu his kingdom, also in Nepal
3. Bodh Gaya where he attained enlightenment, in Bihar
4. Sarnath where he gave his first discourse, in UP
5. Shravasti where he taught many of his students, near Lucknow
6. Rajgir where he loved when he fell ill, in Bihar, 80 Kms from Gaya
7. Kushinagar where he breathed his last, in Bihar.
Buddha spent 6 weeks at Gaya. The first week he spent under the Bodhi tree, the second
inside the temple, the third near a lake (it is said that when he placed a foot on the water, a
lotus appeared under it), the fourth week in the area around the temple, the fifth under
another Bodhi tree (which is no more- a pillar stands in its place) answering the questions of
learned Brahmins, and the 6th week at the centre of the pond. It is believed that when a
severe thunderstorm approached, Adisesha himself arrived to protect the Buddha, forming an
umbrella over his head with his hoods. This is the reason Buddha is sometimes counted as the
9th avatar of Vishnu. There are over 50 temples at Bodh Gaya, all built by foreign Buddhists.
The most important one however, remains the Maha Bodhi Temple, where the Bodhi tree
stands. But we visited only the main temple.
Bodhi Tree:
This tree, though not the original one under which Buddha sat, is however, its descendant.
The original tree was destroyed by the Mughals. A branch of the original tree had been taken
to Sri Lanka by some Buddhist monks, and Ashoka ordered a branch of that tree to be brought
and planted here. He himself took care of this tree. This second one was cut down on the
orders of Ashokas wife because she was jealous of the attention he paid to it. Nevertheless,
he got a second branch from the Sri Lanka tree and planted it. This third one was destroyed
during a cyclone, and another branch planted. The present tree is the 4th. It is an amazing
thing that branches from the original tree flourish wherever they are planted, all over the
world!
Explanations for the Religious terms:
* Shrraddham or performing the Vedic rites to appease ones forefathers is of two types-
Anna roopam and Hiranya roopam. Anna Shrraddham is where a certain number of Brahmins
are invited, and are fed at the completion of the rituals. This is considered equivalent to
feeding ones ancestors. However, this is quite tedious, and sometimes expensive. Hence the
second option, Hiranya Shrraddham, where the Brahmins are fed only symbolically. This is a
quicker and cheaper alternative to the same rituals. At places like Kashi the pundits offer us
the option of choosing which kind of ritual we would like to perform, depending on our time
and budget. Naandhi and Vaishnava Shrraddham refer to the rites for appeasement of
ones ancestors and the Gods, respectively. * Pinda pradaanam is the ritual of offering food
to three (in case of Gaya, more than that) generations of our ancestors. Balls of cooked rice
and Til (sesame seeds), which are thus offered are called the pindams. * Dhaanam - Strictly
meaning Charity, Daanam refers to the procedure of donating things to the Brahmins in the
name of our ancestors. There is a long list of things that need to be given, starting from
simple things like umbrellas, fans, and mats to more expensive things made of silver and
gold. Among the more auspicious ones is the donation of a cow (Godhaanam) and land, both
of which are usually done in symbolic terms. Poorvanga and Uttaranga Dhaanam refer to the
things needed to be given at the beginning and end of the rituals respectively, while Dasa
Dhaanam refers to a set of 10 things that need to be donated. * The Akshaya Vatam and the
Vishnu Padam are the only two places where one can perform the Vedic rites not only for
our forefathers, but for anyone, family, friends, acquaintances, whatever caste, religion or
community they may belong to and also for animals, our pets, abandoned bodies, etc.. This
is the uniqueness of Gaya which draws thousands of people from all parts of India.
1. Ganga Puja [it is a tradition to bring back small sealed containers[Gangai Sombhu] of
water from the Ganges and distribute it among our near and dear ones. One container is kept
at home as it is considered sacred and one is taken to Rameswaram where it is used to
perform Abhishekam to the lingam. All these containers are kept and prayed to before they
are distributed.]
2. Dhampathi Pooja was performed. One set each of the following was offered to each of the
three Dampathi's: Dhoti 9x5 ; 9 yard saree with blouse piece, Mangalyam, metti,
mookuthi/Bangles, Manjal/Kumkum/Cheepu/Kannadi[Comb& Mirror][one set each]. Prayers
are offered to an elderly married couple,along with two other Dampathis[since we were 3
couples], invoking them as Vishwanath and Annapurna).
On the whole, it was a very satisying Pooja for all of us. We later, also performed the
Samaradhanai [normally this function is performed on finishing/coming back, after the holy
Yatra]. So we decided on performing this Ritual while in Kashi itself. This was performed with
6 Brahmanas, followed by Bhojanam[lunch] for the 6 Brahmanas and us. Depending on your
budgeting, Dakshnai is given to each of the Brahmanas, seeing to it that they are fully
satisfied and happy.
3. Vadhyar Sambhavanai. This is performed after the Dampathi Pooja to the Main Vadhyar
at Kashi, who is instrumental in making this trip worth the effort, right from A to Z.
Depending on your budget, a good amount is offered as "Sambhavanai" to the Vadhyar.
Normally, the amount works to Rs.8,000/- to 10,000/-. On being very much satisfied with the
way in which our Shri Mani Vadhyar conducted/guided us in performing all the Rituals, right
from Prayag/Varanasi & Gaya, a good sizable amount was offered as "Sambhavanai" to the
Vadhyar.[each of the 3 couples separately]. It was really worth the money spent!
We also visited the following Temples in Varanasi:
1. Dhundi Ganapathi
2. Sozhiyamman Dharisanam
3. Kala Bhairavar Dhaisanam(Kasi Kayiru Vanguthal)
4. Bhanaras Hindu University- Birla Temple
5. Kala Bhairavar Dhaisanam
RAM NAGAR FORT
Kashi might be the abode of the gods, but it also been ruled by various kings, who left
their imprint on the city. The Raja Ghat on the river, for example, was built by one of them,
and history tells us that one of the kings actually jumped from one of its high turrets while
trying to escape the British troops during the mutiny, and actually succeeded!
The last remnant memory of the kings of Benares is the Ramnagar Fort and Palace on the
opposite banks of the Ganga, in a section of which the present scion of the royal family still
resides. The palace is about 15Kms away by road, and an auto takes about half an hour to
reach there. One can also opt for a more interesting and relaxing option- that of taking a row
boat to the palace across the river. I am told that the journey will take about a good one and
a half hours, but the sheer bliss one can experience makes every minute worth it! The palace
has now been converted into a museum, which closes around 4:30PM. If you want to have a
leisurely stroll among the various antiquities displayed, make sure you keep at least 2 hours
for the palace alone.
Though we missed seeing this palace, our Guide, Dheeraj, and some of the people known
to us, were very helpful in giving some interesting details about this Fort. It seems to be a
good place to go sight-seeing, across the River Ganga.
While doing all Karma/rituals we prayed for all our family members and sought the
blessings of all pithrus. We are thankful to God Almighty, for making this trip possible. On
the whole, this holy pilgrimage was most satisfying and above all a memorable one. Our
sincere thanks to our Mani Vadhyar and his team for giving us full support and making our
stay most comfortable. Also our sincere thanks must be said to our Guide, Dheeraj,
without whom, and together with his valuable guidance, we would have not enjoyed our
sight-seeing and going to important religious places etc. I should mention here that all of
us derived a lot of mental peace, happiness and satisfaction, always to be remembered
and cherished for many, many more years to come.
Ram Nagar Fort, Varanasi
In this connection, for those of you who have not gone through my earlier posting on Kashi
Rituals, you can log on to my website URL:
http://punithayatra.blogspot.com/ [my August posting]
Some of my/our experiences on Kashi Ghatts and temples:
There are 64 Ghatts. I give below some of my descriptions on a few of the Ghatts we
visited..
Assi Ghat is where the Assi river merges with the Ganga, this is the southern extreme of the
city. Just next to this is the Tulsi Ghat where Tulsidas breathed his last. Then comes the
Hanuman Ghat, which is where we stayed. Next to this is the Karnataka state Ghat, where
there is a palace built by the Maharaja of Mysore. These two Ghats are full of mutts and
ashrams belonging to south India, and hence is full of south Indians at any time of the year.
Next comes the Harischandra Ghat, which is the place associated with the legend of the
truthful king, Harishchandra, and the trials and tribulations he underwent. This is one of
the burning Ghats of the city, where bodies of people of all castes and communities are
consigned to flames.
Further upstream is the Kedar Ghat, with the Kedareshwar temple, followed by the
Kshameshwar Ghat and then the Narad Ghat. The Narad Ghat, incidentally, is the only Ghat
on which people dont bathe. In mythology, Narada is depicted as the naughty saint who
always creates trouble (with the best motives of course!), and it is believed that a couple
bathing on this Ghat will start fighting amongst themselves!
Harischandra Ghat
Dasasvamedha Ghat
The Raja Ghat is one belonging to the royal family of Varanasi, while the Shitala Ghat has a
temple of Shitala Devi, who is prayed to, to avoid the pox. The Rana Mahal Ghat was built
by Maharana Pratap, and is a fine example of Rajasthani architecture, as is the Maan Mandir
Ghat further up, attributed to Man Singh, which also has an observatory on top. The Lalitha
Ghat is the one nearest to the Vishwanath and Annapurna temples.
Next is the famous Manikarnika Ghat, where Parvati is believed to have dropped her ear
rings. This is also a burning Ghat, where funeral pyres burn day and night, every single
day. It is believed that there is always a pyre burning on this Ghat, at any time of the day or
night.
Scindia Ghat...
Manikarnika Ghat
view the burning ghats
Till about 100 years back, the ashes of a pyre burning at midnight would be taken to the
Vishwanath temple for the lingam for Abhishekam, but this practice has now been stopped.
The fortune of being cremated at this Ghat is solely reserved for Hindus.
Then we come to the Panchaganga Ghat, which is among the more important ones. Here, it
is believed, 5 different rivers merge, and when the river is in full force during the monsoon,
the currents of the 5 rivers can be seen.
Manikarnika Kund
Lord Vishnu's footprints- Chakra-Pushkarini
Pancha-ganga Ghat
On this Ghat are the Bindu Madhava Temple, and the mosque built by Aurangzeb after he
demolished the original temple.
The last of all the Ghats is the Varuna Ghat where the river Varuna merges with the Ganga.
It is sheer pleasure to go for a boat ride in the evening on the Ganges.
Millions of pilgrims a year come to Varanasi. The three most important ghats are Manikarnika,
Dasaswamedha, and Pancha-ganga.
Alamgir Mosque built by Aurangzeb
Deity of Bindu Madhava
The Adi Keshava Vishnu Temple
To bath at these three ghats is called Tri-tirtha Yatra. Also important are Asi Sangam and
Varuna Sangam. To bathe in these five places is call Pancha-tirtha Yatra. You are supposed to
bathe in these five ghats in a certain order. First you bathe in Asi Ghat, then Dasaswamedha
Ghat, then the ghat by the Adi Keshava Temple near the Varuna River, then Pancha-ganga,
and then Manikarnika...
..After taking bath at these five places, most pilgrims then go for darshan of Visvanath,
Annapurna, and Sakshi Vinayaka [the witnessing Ganesh].
You should take a simple row boat and not the motor boat. There are motor boats too
nowadays, but the pleasure the Ganga is waiting to give you, cannot be experienced in a fast
boat.
Sunset on the Ganga
We had a wonderful time on the river. Time stood still, and one can experience the sheer joy
and peace while on the Ganga. We watched the colours of the water change as the sun set
over the horizon, we saw birds returning back to their nests after a days work, We could spot
on how adept the seagulls and kingfishers were at catching fish. It was a sight we shall never
forget. The beauty of nature is not as apparent in the landscape as it is in the life that makes
up the landscape.
The climax of this wonderful boat ride on the Ganges is the Ganga aarti. The aarti is
performed every evening at 7 PM on the main Ghats of the river, the most prominent being,
on the Dashashwamedha Ghat.
Pilgrims taking their Holy Bath
The chants and the singing of the aarti songs created a wonderful atmosphere and the river
and Ghats are full of people taking in this wonderful sight. While the Pandas[priests]
perform the traditional aarti to the river, laymen and women like us light up earthen lamps
and gently let them down into the river, where they float down like glittering jewels. It is a
sight that has to be seen to be believed, and it is certainly an uplifting experience,
impressioned in our minds.....never to forget! Dheeraj our Guide, right from Allahabad to
Gaya and back and our boatmen whom we rowed with, were like Guha from Ramayana Epic.
All the boatmen know how to converse in Tamil, which makes it all the more easier to move
with them while on boat or when going sight-seeing and during performing of rituals. May be
they were born in/were Brahmins in Poorva Janmam. They in fact know many of the rituals
that we perform.
The people and pilgrims joyfully worshipping the holy river Ganges...
I should mention here that Dheeraj, our Guide, is like a Man Friday to Mani Vadhyar's
family. Most trusted and efficient person one can be with and ofcourse not to say the least...
sincere chap and very hard-working!
What is Varanasi without the Ganga?
The river is the lifeline of the city. The city revolves around the river with everyone coming
there to have a dip.. With its source in the Himalayas, the Ganges never dries up. Of course,
with the kind of pollution that we are creating, and the kind of garbage that is put into the
river, only the lord knows if this will last! There wasnt too much water in the Ganges. We
had to climb down 50 to 60 steps on the Hanuman Ghat to reach the water. Each step was
so high, climbing back up was an exercise in itself. If we lived in Varanasi, we would surely,
never put on weight! The Ghats are scrupulously cleaned every day- the minor ones by
people with brooms and buckets of water, the important and crowded ones by jets of water.
It is a sight that brings some joy and relief to ones heart. Half-burnt dead bodies are no
Ganga-puja
....are offered first to mother Ganga...
People/Pilgrims worshipping the holy river Ganges...
longer thrown in the river. Authorities are posted on the burning Ghats to make sure that
the bodies are burnt completely.
In spite of this, one finds that the sight of the Ghats on the Ganges is not a pleasant one
even now. I believe that this has nothing to do with the authorities, but with the people
themselves. People worship the Ganges as their mother, but dont think twice before defiling
her by throwing plastic bags and other dirt in her .Nothing will change until the mentality of
people changes, and that is going to be a slow process.
When we were performing all the rites and rituals, it struck me that in those ancient days,
[my mother used to tell me] that when people prayed to the Ganga and offered so many
things to her, all those things were biodegradable. All the containers were made of leaves,
and the offerings were easily soluble, or were eaten by the fishes. Today, everyone
comes here to perform the same rituals, but everyone takes a shortcut by using plastic
and non-degradable substances and making the Mother Ganga dirty.
I am of the opinion that people are more environment friendly today than ever before,
and this is what gives me hope. It is a heart-breaking sight to see the Ganga being polluted in
a bad way and it is my/our sincere request to all of you who read this article and visit Kashi
to keep these things in mind, and avoid polluting the river in any way that you can.
Let us do our bit for the environment and for this Wonderful and Sacred River. I am sure It
might not be much, but it will be a beginning, if each one of us does our bit in being
environment-friendly.
In the old part of the city there are numerous mazes of thin, very crowded streets, which
makes the place very interesting.
The Crowded Streets of Varanasi
The streets are so narrow, that one can easily get lost here..
The Temples that must be visited:
The Vishwanath and Annapurna temples are the most popular and famous temples in Kashi,
and the main reasons for a visit. However, our ancient texts mention a few more temples
which are important and must be visited to complete the circuit of temples.
The Kashi Visalakshi Temple
Visalakshi is the second consort of Shiva in this holy city of Kashi. This temple is one
among the 52 Shakti peethams, and is part of the famous triad of temples- Kanchi
Kamakshi, Madurai Meenakshi and Kashi Visalakshi. This small temple is situated in one of
the narrow lanes around the Vishwanath temple, and it is mainly south Indians who seek out
this temple.
Though the temple is quite small, the idol of the goddess is very beautiful. Behind the main
stone idol of the goddess is another idol [some say it is a silver casting, others say it is an
idol], believed to be the idol prayed to in ancient times.
The priest there, told us that it is the swayambhu idol of the goddess, while others refute
this claim. Whatever it is, it is certainly worth a look, so remember to look behind the idol
when you visit the temple. Adi Shankaracharya, when he visited the temple, performed
prayers to renew the powers of the temple and the goddess which had borne the brunt of
several invasions. He also installed a Sri Yantram there, and it is to this Yantram that puja is
done.
Kumkum archana to this Sri Yantram is considered very special, and can be performed by
asking the pujari there. On Diwali day, the Goddess is decorated in Silver Pavadai.
NATTUKOTTAI CHETTIAR CHATHIRAM
Our Guide Dheeraj narrated this to me : For those of you who go during Deepavalli, one can
never miss the Thanga Visalakshi with Diamond studded Mangalyam and Velli Golusu was
decorated which will be kept in a podium in Chathiram for three days from Diwali Day.
Karaikudi Chettiars will assemble in a large number there. It is a sight to be seen. [We went a
week before Deepavalli and hence could not see this]
The Kala Bhairav temple
The Narrow Lanes of Varanasi
Kala Bhairav is the guardian deity of Kashi. He occupies the position of a guard/ watchman
with a dog as his vehicle, and is regarded as one of the forms of Shiva himself. In Kashi, there
are 8 Bhairav temples, collectively called Ashta Bhairav. These are - Kala Bhairav,
Dhandapani, Veera Bhairav, Batuk Bhairav, Aashu Bhairav, Aananda Bhairav, Rudra
Bhairav and Ruru Bhairav
.
Among these, Kala Bhairav is the most important one, visited by all those who visit Kashi.
Dhandapani, or the one who wields a stick, is the one who decides on the punishment, while
Kala Bhairav is the one who enforces his decision. In the words of our guide, Dhandapani is
the commissioner, while Kala Bhairav is the constable. As usual, it is the constable who is
more feared, than the commissioner himself!
The specialty of this temple is the sacred thread available there. These threads, known
as Kashi threads. They are supposed to ward off evil forces, and are in great demand.
The Bindu Madhava Temple
Among the ancient temples in the must-visit list of Kashi temples is the Bindu Madhava
Temple. This temple is also one of a trinity- Veni Madhava at Sangam in Allahabad, Bindu
Madhava at Kashi and Sethu Madhava at Rameswaram. All these three temples are small,
simple affairs, with similar idols which are rather small in size. The Bindu Madhava Temple
is best approached from the Panchaganga Ghat. There is, of course a road, but one which is
rarely used by the pilgrims. The original temple was apparently a big and important one, but
was destroyed by Aurangzeb, who (as usual) built a mosque over it. The mosque stands
proudly till date, though a couple of turrets have fallen recently, while the new temple is a
small one, practically invisible until we reach it.
The Chozhi Mata Temple
A visit to Kashi is incomplete without a visit to the Chozhi Mata Temple. This temple is
known by various names such as Chozhi or Cowrie Mata, and Gauri Mata temple, and the
name owes its origin to the cowries or shells which are thrown to the goddess as offering.
The goddess her is considered to be a sister of Shiva. According to legend, Shiva sister
had her temple within the ancient temple complex. However, when she saw thousands of
common people touch and hug her brother while praying, she became jealous and tried to
stop this practice. At this, Shiva became angry. "He was at Kashi so that the common people
could pray to him the way they liked" He said, and as punishment, banished her, and sent her
out of the temple. She repented and prayed to Shiva for mercy, and finally he relented. He
could not take back the curse, but He decreed that al those who visit Kashi should visit her
too. A trip to Kashi would be ineffective if one returned without visiting her. Hence it is a
practice to visit the Chozhi Mata Temple after visiting all the temples in Kashi and
performing all rituals. One can buy cowries outside the temple, throw a few on the goddess
and ask her to bless them by bestowing on them the fruits of their Kashi Yatra, and bring
back a few cowries as Prasad. This temple is en-route to BHU and is quite easy to find, as it is
frequented by quite a large crowd at all times.
Do visit this temple and make your Yatra a success! The Annapoorni Temple Food is one
of the basic necessities of life, and it is no wonder that we say Annam Brahma, food is
God. It is the mother who provides food for the child, and it is again no wonder that we pray
to the goddess Parvati as Annapurna, the one who gives us food. It is believed that Parvati
gave Alms to Shiva, and she is depicted with a bowl in one hand and ladle in the other,
serving food to Shiva, standing in front of her, with his begging bowl in His hand. The most
popular temple of Annapurna is at Kashi followed by the one at Horanadu, in Karnataka Sef &
Mohana have seen Horanadu.
The temple of Annapurna at Kashi is right next to the Vishwanath temple. This temple is
attached to the Annapurna Mutt. A highlight of this temple is that on the day before Diwali, a
golden idol of Annapurna is opened for darshan. This idol can be seen only on that day and
two succeeding days only, and it is indeed a great sight! Annapurna sits in the middle with
her trademark bowl and ladle. On her left is Lakshmi (Sridevi- the goddess of wealth) and on
her right is Bhudevi [the goddess of the earth].
During Deepavalli,,all these idols are of pure Gold. In front of them stands Shiva, made of
silver, asking for alms. In the sanctum of the temple, the idol of the goddess is a small one,
which is always decorated in a sari when open for darshan. A silver mask covers her face, and
little else can be seen. All the idols of Annapurna available show her in a sitting position, and
we naturally assumed that that was how she was in this temple. However, during
Deepavalli, it is customary that the idol of Annapurna is made of black stone, quite small,
and she is in the standing position. The image is simple, holding only the bowl and ladle. It is
said that the smile on her face is so charming, so real, it will almost seem as if She[the
Goddess] is standing in front of us! Though we did not have the opportunity to see this
beautiful sight, we could very vividly visualize the picture/scene in our minds, as the priest
in the temple narrated and explained these in detail.
The Abhishekam is performed at 10:30AM every morning, It is worth a wait! Another
specialty of this temple is that food is served to all devotees throughout the day.food is
too simple a term for what is virtually, a feast. Free coupons are available at the temple
office and the food is served in a hall behind the temple. It is believed that the goddess takes
her food only after making sure that all her devotees have had their fill. Try to partake of
this Prasad at least once during your stay in Kashi. It is also a tradition to perform some
service before taking food here. So many devotees take their turn in serving a few devotees
before starting to eat.
This was a wonderful experience in itself, and a practice that must be encouraged. We
offered a token amount as contribution towards "Anna Dhaanam" and derived a great sense of
satisfaction on having done this at this temple in Kashi.
Precious moments.....unforgetable memories.....they are. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Kashi is known as the land of Shiva.. Everything in Kashi not only revolves around the main
temple of Vishwanath, as Shiva is known here, but He is also believed to be in control of
everything that happens in this holy city. Normally, in Hindu mythology, the nine planets, or
Navagrahas, who govern our actions, are independent, and perform their duty without
interference from the Gods (a case of not even God interfering with nature and her rules).
However, Kashi is a special city, an exception to this rule, where Shiva even governs the
Navagrahas. It is believed that Lord Saneeshwara [Saturn] once came to catch Shiva for the
period of 7 years [what is commonly called Saade-saati] , and found himself unable to
enter the temple. He is believed to have stayed outside the temple, and hence the temple
of Saneeshwara outside the Vishwanath temple is much frequented by pilgrims who light
oil lamps here, hoping to escape the clutch of Sani[Saturn].
There are just too many legends to explain why Kashi is sacred, and why Shiva chose to
reside here. I read an article sometime back, where the writer explains in scientific terms,
that in this area, the Ganges flows in a curve, in the northward direction. The curvature and
the force of the river led to the formation of a natural amphitheatre, or natural steps in
simpler terms. This probably attracted our forefathers to this place, who built Ghats where
the steps had formed, to have a bath, and installed their patron deity, Shiva as the lord of
this place. In order to avoid the confusion, let us not discuss the legends and accept the fact
that here, Shiva is called Vishwanath or Vishweshwar, the lord of the world. Kashi or
Benares has been ruled by various great kings, some distinguished ones, and some not so
famous. It even passed through a phase of being ruled over by the Buddhists. But the ancient
temples, which saw so many rulers come and go, could not survive the onslaught of the
Mughals. The temples were destroyed, not once, but a number of times by various Mughal
invaders, leaving no trace of what the original temples might have looked like.
The temple, as it stands today, owes its existence to the Queen of Indore, Rani AhilyaBai
Holkar. It was she who, seeing the sorry state of affairs here, not only provided the funds,
but also made all the arrangements for building the temple. She was certainly a great
woman, much ahead of her time, who took up the task of restoring to their glory, many of
the ancient temples of India, which had suffered at the hands of plundering monarchs. The
temple of Somnath is another such temple. Among the other temples which she helped build
are the ones at Dwaraka, Triambakeshwar, and Parali Vaidyanath.
The present temple stands beside a mosque that had been built by Aurangzeb over the ruins
of the original temple. The sacred idol, the Shiva lingam, had been hidden in a well, hoping
to prevent its destruction. This well, now known as the Gyaana Vapi (well of knowledge)
stands in an area between the temple and the mosque.
Though Kashi is a place of great sanctity, it is also infamous for the Pandas, or a class of
priests, who charge exorbitant amounts of money. If you talk to anyone who has visited
Kashi, you will be sure to hear tales of how they have been overcharged and been taken for a
ride by these people. The same goes for the temple too. However, the temple administration
is now making efforts to remedy the situation. The first step it has taken in this direction is
the creation of its own website. This site has been well organized, with complete details
about the temple, as well as the pujas conducted, the timings of the different Aarthis, and
the charges for the various offerings. Best of all, it is possible to book pujas on the net well
in advance, and arrange whether you want the puja to be performed in your presence, in
which case the ticket allows you an entry into the temple bypassing the long queue, or in
your absence, in which case, the Prasad is sent to you by post. This is a good system, and
must be appreciated. Of course, at this point of time, this does not entirely bypass the
earlier system of paying money to the Pandas/Priests. These days, there are a number of
people who book for the pujas, and one often gets relegated to the back row from where we
can hardly get a glimpse of what is going on. A little extra from your wallet goes a long way
in getting you a prime position to watch the puja. We attended the Saptharishi Aarthi in
the evening on one of the days we were in Kashi..
We were already late for Vishwanathar temple. So we hurried to Lord Vishwanathar temple.
We had to literally run down the very narrow lanes of Kashi and it took about 20 minutes for
us to reach this temple. We were completely exhausted when we reached the place. But
what an experience it was! This is probably my most exciting hour of my/our life. This is the
time I was waiting to happen finally it is happening. We were taken through few metal
detectors and physical search by cops at the entrance of the temple. The entrance of the
temple is not like any of our South Indian temples no grand gopurams or great paintings etc.
Before you realize that you are inside a temple, you are already inside Lord Vishwanathar
temple. This is a small temple made in marble. We moved to a place that has 4 entrances
at the center is a big square shaped brass/copper border inside which is the holy abode of
Lord Vishwanathar lingam. This whole square is filled with water, vilva leaves, rudraksha and
the we did prokshanam of that water in our head , touched the lingam and were asked to
quickly move out by the pundas (priests) there. We stepped out of that sannidhi and waited
outside in the small praharam. I must tell about the praharam. We were sitting on a
plantform-like structure and something touched my back and I looked back and there are
hundreds of small shiva lingams in a row. Then I started walking around the temple and you
could see lingams everywhere in the temple - once again, this is the first time I am seeing so
many lingams. In the meanwhile, our guide, Dheeraj, took money from us to buy tickets and
also to let us watch the saptharishi puja sitting close to the sannidhi. The plan was to let us
stand near and watch the puja. But me and my husband were literally pushed up the steps to
watch the proceedings [there are three steps from which we can see the puja] and the others
in the bench. We were told to wait for some more time to start the puja. I was expecting
huge crowd to come and witness the Saptharishi Puja but found only 20 or so folks. I was
surprised. It was 7.25PM they put one bench on which my brothers and sister-in-laws were
seated. Before us 4-5 people were sitting on the floor. It was odd to sit on the bench when
Lord Vishwanathar is on the floor level. However, I was not allowed to standup from the
steps as another punda already did a perfect job of collecting money from another guy who
was going to stand and witness. So I was sitting on the staircase from which I got a good view
of the puja..
Saptharishi Puja All seven pundas assembled there they looked very fresh probably just
took their bath vibuthi smeared all on their foreheads, big rudraksha malas around their
necks, clean white dhotis etc. They started emptying the water from the lingam and wiped
the whole place. All the preparations started for the puja. Soon they started chanting Sama
Vedam. This is my first time listening to Sama Vedam. Once they started the abhishekam,
people who knew Shri Rudram started chanting. All the abhishekams were over. Then they
started the alankara. They brought the five-headed snake crown for the Lord. Unlike the
ones we see in south or in most places, each head of the snake will be at different levels and
looking at different sides. Once it is set on the top of the lingham, the whole thing is
decorated with flowers. The way pundas decorate the lingham with flower is a divine art.
They decorate it in such a way that not one flower falls off and yet you could see the lingham
to some extent.
Between 8.15 PM and 8.30 PM is the time for deeparathanai. This is an out of the world
experience for anyone to witness. All the seven pundas will ring seven bells at the same
time, their hands are extremely synchronized the they chant the sama veda in the same
pitch, the deepams are lifted and lowered all at the same stroke. When they all take the
deepam closer to the lingham, it appears like the snakes are moving! This not happened once
almost every time I look closer, the pundas are lot more synchronized. All the devotees
sitting there are completely mesmerized if anyone wants to experience the oneness, this
is probably the only place for that. The way the priests gets excited are little scary at times
it looked like they forgot their bodies and deep into a different state a Samadhi state
except that the hands are mouth are doing synchronized actions. The sound from those bells
is deafening makes you not to think of anything other than Lord Parameswaran. There is an
absolute silence from the devotees. At one point, I just turned back for something and saw
lots of people standing right behind us not even a small sound from them. Devotees are
standing in all 4 entrances to witness this outstanding puja to Parameswaran. Without HIS
blessing we cant even put a foot forward.If we have HIS darshan, He will take us closer to
Him. Our trip is one fine example.
Post-Puja ceremony
Seeing these Aartis is an experience which must not be missed. We were absolutely
spellbound seeing the way in which they decorated the Shiva lingam, the chanting of the
mantra and clanging of the bells; pure ecxtasy...carrying you to a world of oblivion and
magic... I would say.....seeing is believing.... I have no words to describe the atmosphere
during the final aarthi, which was simply divine, to say the least! On hearing the Mantras and
the way it is performed, one can feel the vibration running through his/her body - a feeling
so extraordinary and exulting that one can never ever experience anywhere in the world!! An
experience to behold!
Finally at the stroke of 8.30PM, the entire puja was over. The moment after the puja was
over, people started to walk out. What a satisfying and wonderful experience on the whole!
This Holy Yatra was indeed worth the efforts taken - and thoroughly, an out of the world
experience for us all!
With this, my holy Yatra, starting from Rameshwaram, to Allahabad - Kashi - Gaya comes to
a close. I am sure all of you will find this interesting and useful.
The next Holy Yatra is to Rameshwaram to complete this Yatra. For knowing the details of
this Yatra, you may log on to the following URL on our trip to Rameshwaram:
http://punithayatra.blogspot.com/2011/04/our-rameshwaram-trip-completing-our.html
Posted by Jolly R at 1:53 AM
Labels: Bodh Gaya, Ganges, Kashi, Prayag, Varanasi, Yatra
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5 comments:
VARADARAJAN September 18, 2010 at 6:12 PM
very useful madam how much expense incurred for performing shrardam pujas in total ?my e
mail id is railpalam@gmail.com
Reply
coolguy February 9, 2012 at 11:25 AM
excellent writeup of your experience. I need to go to the holy places to do my rituals to ancestors.
Is there any contacts you can provide now in Kashi or Gaya would be very helpful. My email id
rajakumar10@hotmail.com
Thanks.
Reply
Jolly R February 10, 2012 at 2:45 AM
Dear Mr. Rajakumar,
Thanks for your appreciation on my write-up about our Holy Yatra. I will reply with all contact
details to your email shortly, which I am sure will be of great help to you when you plan your trip
to Allahabad/Kashi/Gaya.
Reply
Anonymous May 2, 2012 at 3:22 AM
Dear Mr.Rajkumar,
I sincerely appreciate your write-up on Holy Yatra. It is excellent for a lay man to understand the
contacts and will help to plan such a trip. I could interact with mani shastrigal. Best regards, N K
Sreeram ( nksram@gmail.com )
Reply
Venugopal Krishnamoorthi July 4, 2013 at 11:18 PM
Very very useful and informativwe.
Reply
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Trip To Prayag - Varanasi and Gaya - Sept - Oct'09

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