Table of Contents

1. ASHTAKSHARA KSHETRAS....................................................................................................................2
2. Thirukkanapuram – All the 8 ashtaksharas at one place.....................................................................3
3. Ashtadasha Shakti Peethas..................................................................................................................4
Controversies in Shakti Peethas..............................................................................................................7
4. Datta Kshetras.....................................................................................................................................8
Pancharamas........................................................................................................................................9
5. Pancharamas.......................................................................................................................................9
6. Jyotirlingas(Dwadasa Jyotirlingas).....................................................................................................10
Controversies about Jyotirlingas............................................................................................................11
7. PanchaBhoothas................................................................................................................................12
8. Navagraha Temples...........................................................................................................................13
9 . Mukti Kshetras......................................................................................................................................14
9. Karnataka...........................................................................................................................................15
10. Tamilnadu......................................................................................................................................16
11. Orissa...................................................................................................................................................17
12.West Bengal..........................................................................................................................................17
13.Assam...................................................................................................................................................17
14.Uttar Pradesh.......................................................................................................................................18
15.Bihar.....................................................................................................................................................18
16.Jharkhand.............................................................................................................................................18
17.Uttaranchal...........................................................................................................................................19
18.Himachal Pradesh.................................................................................................................................19
19.Rajasthan..............................................................................................................................................19
20. Jammu and Kashmir............................................................................................................................19
21. Madhya Pradesh..................................................................................................................................19
22.Kerala...................................................................................................................................................19
23.Gujarat..................................................................................................................................................20
24. Maharashtra........................................................................................................................................20
25.Andhra Pradesh....................................................................................................................................21
 ASHTAKSHARA KSHETRAS

1. ASHTAKSHARA KSHETRAS
Swayam Vyakta Kshetras of Lord Vishnu

"Om Namo Narayanaya" -Ashtakshara mantram.Just like Jyotirlings which are swayumbu kshetras there
are 8 ashtakshara swayam vyakta kshetras of lord vishnu as said by Swami Ramanujam.The sloka is as
follows:

Srirangam Venkatadrischa SrimushNam Totaparvatam

Salagramam Pushkaramcha NaranarayaNAshramam
Naimisham Cheti ME SthananyasoU Mukthi PradhAnivai
YetusvashtAksharaIkAka: VarNamUrthir VasAmyaham
TishtAmi KrishNa KshEtrE puNya SapthakOgatha:
AshtAksharasya Mantrasya SarvAkshara Maya SadA
In this verse Lord Narayana points out that the eight Swayam Vyakta Kshetrams of Srirangam, Tirupathi,
SrimushNam, Vanamamalai, Salagramam, Badri,and NaimisharaNyam,Pushkar grant liberation to those
who visit the place. The Lord as the Archa Murthy at each of these Kshetrams signifies one Aksharam of
his Ashtakshara Mantram.

Places, Deity and location

No. Place Deity Location

1. Srirangam Ranganatha swamy Srirangam<Trichi district<Tamilnadu
2. Tirupati Venkateswara swamy Tirupati<Chittore district<Andhra pradesh
3. Srimushnam Bhu varaha swamy Srimushnam<Cuddalore
district<Tamilnadu
4. Nanguneri Vanamamali perumal Nanguneri<Tirunelveli District<Tamilnadu
5. Muktinath/Salagrama Chakrapani Muktinath<Dhaval giri<Nepal
m
6. Pushkaram Vishnu Pushkar<Near Ajmeer<Rajasthan
7. Badrinath Badari Narayana Badrinath<Near Nainital<Uttarakhand
swamy
 8. Naimisharanyam Chakranarayana Nimsar<Near Lucknow<Uttar pradesh

2. Thirukkanapuram – All the 8 ashtaksharas at one place

At Tirukannapuram, Lord Vishnu is resident as the Ashtakshara Mantram in its entirety. The reason being
is Tirumangai Mannan received MantrOpadesham i.e, ashtakshara mantram from the Lord Himself at
this Kshetram. The Azhwar's Anubhavam in this Kshetram upon receiving Upadesham is beautifully
reflected in 104 delectable verses.

THIRUKKANNAPURAM > NEAR NANNILAM >THANJAVUR DISTRICT > TAMILNADU

Thirukkannapuram is home to a very special deity form of the Lord, considered to be Narayana-Trimurti.
On a particular festival day, the Deity is taken out on procession as one or another of His Trimurti forms –
first giving darshan as Narayana, then as Brahma, then as Shiva. On each processional round, the deity
accepts worship as the embodiment of the three divinities.
 ASHTADASA SHAKTI PEETHAS

3. Ashtadasha Shakti Peethas

Shloka of Adi Shankaracharya.

Lankayam Shankari devi, Kamakshi Kanchika pure /

Pradyumne Shrinkhala devi, Chamunda Krouncha pattane //

Alampure Jogulamba, Sri shaile Bhramarambika /

Kolha pure Maha lakshmi, Mahurye Ekaveerika //

Ujjainyam Maha kali, Peethikayam Puruhutika /

Odhyane Girija devi, Manikya Daksha vatike //

Hari kshetre Kama rupi, Prayage Madhaveshwari /

Jwalayam Vishnavi devi, Gaya Mangalya gourika //

Varanasyam Vishalakshi, Kashmire tu Saraswati /

Ashtadasha Shakti peethani, Yoginamapi durlabham //

Sayamkale pathennityam, Sarva shatri vinashanam /

Sarva roga haram divyam, Sarva sampatkaram shubham //
Name of the deity Place State

Bhramaramba Srisailam Andhra Pradesh

Jogulamba Alampur Andhra Pradesh

Manikyamba Bhimavaram Andhra Pradesh

Puruhutika Pithapuram Andhra Pradesh

Kamakhya Gauhati Assam

Mangala gauri Gaya Bihar

Vaishnavi Jwalamukhi Himachal Pradesh

Saraswati /Sarika Srinagar Kashmir

Chamundeswari Mysore Karnataka

Mahakali Ujjain Madhya Pradesh

Ekaveera Mahur Maharashtra

Maha lakshmi Kolhapur Maharashtra

Girija Jajpur Orissa

Sankari Trinconmolee Srilanka

Kamakshi Kanchipuram Tamilnadu

Shrinkhala Pandua West Bemgal

Madhaveswari /Lalitha Allahabad Uttar Pradesh

Visalakshi Kasi Uttar Pradesh

Controversies in Shakti Peethas

a) Sankari Devi Temple in Srilanka

As per one theory the goddess is presently located at as Kheer Bhavani in tulla mulla at
Srinagar.

b) Shrinkala devi temple

Originally the temple was supposed to be located at Pandua, hoogly district ,westbengal
state but at present there is no temple at Pandua, As per one theory the shakti is carried
by rishya shringa maharshi and is spread across shringeri mountains in karnataka.

c) Kashmir saraswati
As per one theory Adi Shankarachary has brought her to Sringeri and established her as
Saraswati devi.

d) Ekaveera devi ,mahur

This temple is located at a village called heure 15 kms from mahur

 Datta Kshetras

4. Datta Kshetras
 Mahur: Kinvat taluka, Nanded district, Maharashtra.Considered to be the birth place of Lord Dattreya.One
can reach Mahur either from Adilabad or from Nanded in Maharashtra.

  Oudumbar: In the four months of chaturmas of the Hindu lunar calendar Shri Nrusinha Sarasvati lived
here. This place is situated at a distance of 10 kilometres from Bhilvadi railway station in Maharashtra, on the banks
of the river Krishna.One can reach this place from Sangli in Maharashtra.

 Narsobavadi: This is located in Maharashtra. Shri Nrusinha Sarasvati lived here for twelve years. The
confluence of the two rivers Krushna and Panchaganga occurs here. This is the place which inspired
Tembeswami.One can reach this place from Sangli in Maharashtra

  Gangapur: This is situated in Karnataka on the Pune - Raichur highway. The confluence of the rivers
Bhima and Amaraja occurs here. It is here that Shri Nrusinha Sarasvati spent twenty-three years and carried out His
entire mission. Later He proceeded to Srisailam from here.This place can be reached from Gulbarga in Karnataka

  Kuravpur: This is an island in the waters of the Krushna river in Karnataka. One can reach this
destination by road from Raychur till Palladini (Kurguddi). This is where Shripad Shrivallabh undertook His
mission.This place can be easily reached from Makthal in Mahaboobnagar district

  Pithapur: The birthplace of Shripad Shrivallabh, in Andhra Pradesh. It was Tembeswami who brought
this place into the limelight.

  Varanasi : Here, the Dattatreya hermitage (math) is situated on the Narad ghat. The family members of
Shri Nrusinha Sarasvati who still live here have the surname, Kale. Later, the name Kale was changed to Kaliya.
Even today a garden and a lane named Kaliya exist here.

  Srisailam: Located close to Hyderabad, Shri Nrusinha Sarasvati travelled to this place.

  Bhattagaon (Bhadgaon): This is at a distance of 35 kilometres from Kathmandu.

 Panchaleshvar: District Bid, Maharashtra.The belief is the Lord Dattatreya will have his lunch every
day.This place can be reached from Parli or from Aurangabad.

 Suchindram –Located near Tamilnadu, this place is considered to be the birth place of lord dattatreya
 Pancharamas

5. Pancharamas

Pancharamas means five Aramas, ie. Five temples. Out of five four are present near Godavari river, and
one present near Krishna river.

Amararamam Amara Lingeswara swami Amaravathi, Guntur district

Ksheeraramam Ksheera Rama lingeswara swami Palakollu, West Godavari district
Somaramam Someswara swami Bhimavaram, West Godavari district
Draksharamam Bhimeswara swami Draksharamam, East Godavari district
Bhimaramam Kumara Bhimeswara swami Samarlakota, East Godavari disrict
 6. Jyotirlingas(Dwadasa Jyotirlingas)

Name District State

Mallikarjuna Srisailam Andhra Pradesh

Vaidyanath Vaidyanath dham,Bokaro Jharkhand

Nageshwar Dwarka Gujarat

Mahakaleswar Ujjain Madhya Pradesh

Omkareswar Indore MadhyaPradesh

Bhimashankar Pune Maharashtra

Triambakeshwar Nasik Maharashtra

Kedarnath Uttaranchal

Rameswaram Tamilnadu

Somnath Gujarat

Grushmeshwar Ellora Maharashtra

Viswanath Kasi UttarPradesh

Controversies about Jyotirlingas

1. Somnath : The present Jyotirling of Somnath is located at Saurath,Madhubani district Bihar

2.Naganath : Some people believe that Naganath at Aunda in Maharashtra is Jyotirling

3.Vaidyanath: Some consider Parli Vaidyanath in Maharashtra as Jyotirling

 7. PanchaBhoothas

Indian belief associates the origin of life with the five basic elements (Pancha – five, Bhootam – Element)
of Wind, Water, Fire, Earth and Space (ether). In Sanskrit, these elements are referred to as Vayu, Jalam
(Apah), Agni, Prithvi and Aakasam. The Indian system of belief in Divinity also worships the divine as a
manifestation of these basic elements. Accordingly, Shiva is worshipped as a manifestation of these
elements in five ancient temples in India

Name of the deity Place Type State

Kalahasteeswarar Srikalahasti Vayu Andhra Pradesh

Arunachaleswarar Thiruvunamalai Agni Tamilnadu

Ekamreswarar Kanchipuram Prithvi Tamilnadu

Jambukeswarar Tiruvaanaikkaa near Jala Tamilnadu

Srirangam

Nataraja Chidambaram Akasa Tamilnadu

 8. Navagraha Temples
The base camp can be Kumbakonam in Tamilnadu to see the Navagraha temples
Surya (The Sun) - Suriyanar Koil
Chandra ( The Moon) – Thingaloor
Angaraka ( Sewai )
The MarsVaitheeswarankoil
Budan ( The mercury) – Trivenkadu
Guru ( The Vyazhan) (Jupiter) – Alangudi
Sukran (Velli) (The Venus) - Kanjanoor  An interior village on the
Sani ( The Saturn) – Thirunallar
Raghu – Thirunageswaram
Kethu – Keezhaperumpallam
3 Kms. from Aduthurai which is on the 
Kumbakonam- Mayiladuthurai Road
1.5 Kms. from Thirupayhanam 
which is on the Kumbakonam-Thiruvayyaru Road
4 Kms. from Mayiladuthurai 
on the Chidambaram Road
10 Kms. SouthEast of Sirkali
About 15 Kms. from Kumbakonam 
on the way to NeedaMangalam
Mayiladuthurai - Kathiramangalam Road
On the way to 
Peralam- Karaikkal. 5 Kms from karaikkal
About 7 Kms from 
Kumbakonam-Karaikkal Road
Near PoomPuhar
Mayiladuthurai- Poompuhar road
9 . Mukti Kshetras

S.no. Place State

1 Ujjain Madhya Pradesh

2 Mathura Uttar Pradesh

3 Haridwar Uttaranchal

4 Varnasi Uttar Pradesh

5 Kanchipuram Tamilnadu

6 Dwaraka Gujarat

7 Ayodhya Uttapradesh

The belief is that a person who leaves his body in any of the above places is assured of
Mukti
9. Karnataka

a) Gokarna – Place of Atamlinga,3hrs from Hubli

b) Kollur – Mukambika

c) Shringeri –Sharada

d) Hornadu – Annapurna Devi

e) Dharmasthali – Sri Manjunath

f) Kokki – Subhramanyam

g) Murudeshwar near Gokarna

h) Udupi – Sri Krishna temple

i) Manik Prabhu at Manik Nagar near Humnabad

j) Gangapur – Sri Nrisimha Saraswati Temple

k) Mysore Chamundeswari devi

10. Tamilnadu

a) Sri Rangam – Ranganatha Swami temple

b) Kanyakumari –Kanyakaparameswari temple

c) Vakhrakali Temple near dindivanam

d) Om Shanti Om

e) Bruhadeshvara swami temple in Thanjavur

f) Mariamma temple near srirangam and thanjavur

g) Kumbakonam

h) Tiruttani – Subhramanyam Swami temple

i) Subramanya swami temple in Thirukandrapuram near Madurai

j) Golden temple in vellore

k) Pakshi teertham

l) Mahabalipuram

m) Srimushnam,Varaha avataram,Cuddalore district

n) Nangunari,Vaanamalai,Tirunelveli District

o) Rameswaram

p) Dhanushkoti near rameswaram

q) Madurai – Meenakshi

r) Kanchipuram -Kamakshi

s) Chidambaram-
 t) Thiruvunamalai,Arunchaleswar,3 hrs from Chennai

u) Thiruchinapalli ,Jambukeswar

v) Navagraha temples
I. Suriyanar Koil
II. Thingaloor
III. The MarsVaitheeswarankoil
IV. Trivenkadu
V. Alangudi
VI. Kanjanoor
VII. Thirunallur
VIII. Thirunageswaram
IX. Keezhaperumpallam

w) Thirukkannapuram

11. Orissa

1.Puri Jagannath

2.Tharuni Mata,100 kms from Bhubaneshwar

3.Konark

4.Lingaraj temple is Bhubaneshwar

12.West Bengal

1.Ganga Sagar

2.Kalimata temple in Kolkatta

3.Dakshineshwar temple in kolkatta

4.Pandua

13.Assam

1.Kamakya – Gauhati

2.Navagraha Temples near Gauhati

14.Uttar Pradesh

1.Naimasharnayam

2.Beetul

3.Gorakhpur

4.Ayodhya

5.KAshi

6.Sarnath

7.Prayag

8.Vindhyachal vasini

9.Kurukshetra

10.Mathura

11.Gokulam

12.Brindavanam
15.Bihar

1.Gaya

2.Saurath

16.Jharkhand
1.Vaidhyanath Dham

17.Uttaranchal

1.Haridwar

2.Rishikesh

3.Pancha Prayag

4.Kedarnath

4.Badrinath

5.Gupt kasi

18.Himachal Pradesh
1.Jwalamukhi

19.Rajasthan
Mt.Abu

Pushkar

20. Jammu and Kashmir

1. Vaishnavi devi near Jammu
2. Sarika devi at Srinagar
3. Kheer bhavani ,Tullamulla,Srinagar
21. Madhya Pradesh
1. Ujjain
2. Omkareswar

22.Kerala
1.Trivandrum – Ananta Padmanabha swami temple

2.Guruvayur

23.Gujarat
a) Somnath
b) Dwaraka
c) Ambaji Mata near Mr.Abu
d) Pavagadh near baroda
e) Shyamlaji enroute to Mt.Abu
f) Bet Dwaraka

24. Maharashtra
a) Vinayaka temple in sangli
b) Audumbar
c) Narsobawadi
d) Nasik
e) Shirdi
f) Grishneswar near ellora
g) Bhimashankar near Pune
h) Parli Vaiyanath
i) Aunda Naganath
j) Rakhas mandir ,Beed district
k) Panchaleswar
l) Shegaon Gajanan Maharaj
m) Akkalkot
n) Mahur near nanded
25.Andhra Pradesh

Place Deity Near

Arasavalli Suryanarayana Temple Srikakulam
Srikurmam Kurmavataram Near Srikakulam
Annavaram Satyanarayana swamy Near Visakhapatnam
Simhachalam Narasimha swamy Near Visakhapatnam
Ainavalli Varasiddi vinayaka swamy Near Amalapuram
Dwaraka tirumala Venkateswara swami Dwarka tirumala
Dwarapudi Ayyappaswami temple Dwarapudi
Kakinada Bhawanarayana Kakinada
Bikkavolu Vinayakaswami Bikkavolu
Ponnur Anjaneyaswami Guntur District
Pithapuram Kukuteswara swami East Godavari
Hamsala Devi Bhawanarayana Near Avanigadda,krisna dt
Vadapalli Narasimha Swami temple Near Miryalguda,Nlgd dist
Vikarabad Anantha padmanabhaswami Vikarabad ,RR dist
Vedadri Narasimha Swami temple Near Jagayyapet,Krisna dist
Antarvedi Laxmi narsimha swami temple Antarvedi
Kuruvi Veerabhadra swami temple Near mahboobabad,Warangal
Ahobhilam Narasimha Swami temple Near Allagadda
Mahanandi Eswara Mahanandi
Vemulavada Raja rajeswara temple Karimnagar district
Kondagattu Anjaneyaswami temple Karimnagar district
Komaravalli Eswara Near Siddpet,medak district
Vargal Saraswati devi temple
Mopidevi Krishna district
Bhadrachalam Sri Rama temple Khammam district
Vijayawada Kanaka durga temple Krishna district
Mangalagiri Laxmi narasimha swami Guntur district
temple
Pedakakani Eswara temple Pedakakani
Basara Saraswati devi temple Adilabad district
Navanatha puram Eswara temple Nizamabad