The Meenakshi Amman temple at Shivajinagar, Bangalore is 150 years old. The deity is the same as Meenakshi Amman of Madhurai and Sundereswara (Siva on his wedding day). When I see Meenakshi Amma I can’t take my eyes of her and my most selfish and honest inner most “me, me, me” desires come to the fore. I can’t pretend I am noble and wish for loka kalyanam (universal welfare) in front of my mother who knows very well, its my own back pain that I am really worried about. I don’t even try to pretend with amma.
The prakaras (surroundings are being renovated as also the Halekote hanuman temple).
Photos Credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved
Close to this is the Swayambhu Hanuman Temple, to which the lovely Sri Rama Pattabhishekam vigrahas were added in 1685. Here they put a nail on top of Hanuman’s head to prevent the rock from growing big but it widened sideways and now the silver kavacham does not completely cover the Hanuman pratima on the rock anymore. There was a young priest here called Naveen who goes to evening college, since divinity is his mainstay and other learning is secondary. Very impressive after many other young priests I have met in the past few years. He also advised me to go tomorrow to the Ulsoor Someswara temple Rathotsava around 10 am. He says that pratishtha is by Mandavya Maharshi and tomorrow is Pournami as well as Somavara (Monday).. he says you can tangibly feel the power there. To think I trek around the country looking for rishi – temples and there is one right here in Ulsoor!!
I wonder if Somesvara is going to arrange my trip to his Ulsoor temple tomorrow.. wouldn’t that be something?
Karaga excitement is on in Bangalore, streets are lit with lights, almost all temples are open.. even the tiny, tiny ones. Jai Hanuman! Jai DharmaRaja! Jai Draupadi! Jai Meenakshi Amma and Jai Sunderswara!
- http://ancientindians.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/chaitra-pournami-hanuman-jayanthi-karaga-begins/
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