Traveling across in India is a thrilling experience. India’s diverse culture,language and its history associated with divinity, belief system and miracles are very unique. In the second week of this month I traveled widely in and around the city of Bangalore or Bengaluru, popularly known as Silicon Valley of India. I was keen to visit heritage spaces that stand out for many reasons in the nooks and crannies of this grand city.
I have selected to visit the following wish fulfilling Hindu temples in Bengaluru to experience the conviction of the devotees visiting over there.They are: Karyasiddhi Anjaneya, NarasimhaMeru,Muneeswarar, Dharmaraya Swamy, Chokkanathaswamy and Nimishamba Devi temple.
Before getting into the nitty gritty of the subject I wish my heartfelt Christmas and Bright 2019 New Year Greetings to all my blog readers and followers.
Karya Siddhi Anjaneya Temple
Thousands of devotees’ mostly youngsters’ visits the Panchamuk Karya Siddhi Hanuman temple everyday located at Avadhoota DattaPeetham, Girinagar, Bangalore. ((Karya – means any wish; Siddhi –fulfilled).
On Saturdays and Tuesdays this temple is overcrowded. For fulfilling one’s wishes a type of pooja styled as“Poorna PhalaSamarpana” is prescribed with certain procedure. Alcoholic drinks and-non-vegetarian food has to be stopped during this period.
Devotees with a wish to fulfill has to necessarily visit the temple to purchase the coconut officially with receipt number and dates written on it and after taking Sankalpam (praying to god with their wish) they tie the coconut at appropriate place as directed by the temple authorities.
After tying the coconut one has to recite the following Karya Siddhi Anjaneya mantra 108times per day as per one’s convenient time.
Twamasmin Kaarya Niryoge…Pramaanam Hari Sattama ….Hanumaan Yatnamaasthaaya…….Dhukkha Khaya KarooBhava
Also the devotees should visit the temple and make 41 Pradhakshinas (The action of walking clockwise round a person or deity as a mark of respect) at least twice a week.
This procedure should continue for 16 days from the date of Sankalpam and on 16thday they untie the coconut and offer either to temple or the same can be taken back home and prepare sweets dishes and distribute among family, friends, and relatives. If a devotee fails to turn on the 16th day the temple authorities untie them and use it for temple Prasad preparations.
SRI HARI VAIKUNTA KSHETRA Narasimha Swamy Temple:
Sri Hari Vaikunta Kshetra is a Narasimha SwamyTemple in Bangalore located in the area of Roopena Agrahara,Hosur Main Road ,has 400 years of history. It is one of its kinds in India with “Narasimha Meru”.
‘Narasimha Meru’- a chakra specially made for Lord Narasimha Swamy that has all Mantras (Bejakshra) related to Lord Narasimha Swamy.
Devotees visiting this temple have strong conviction that doing 48pradakshana carrying tuvoor dal (split pigeon peas) in the palm around Narasimha Meru will clear kuja dosha (health,financial, business and any other personal problems)
Swathi Nakshatra day sees special poojas to the deity here. One can witness thousands of people offering prayers inside the temple on every Swathi Nakshatra.
Muneeswarar– Temple
This temple is located in Hosur road near Christ University is very unusual in all aspects. Here you find the lord without priest. Unlike other Hindu temples no dome is constructed and it is open to the sky.Its origin,according to regular devotees, date back to more than 100 years. Devotees take vows in front of Muneeswarar statue to get god’s blessings and on fulfillment they come back to temple with their offerings as a form of thanks giving to lord Muneeswarar. Devotees come here from different parts of India.
Devotees have strong conviction that unusual method of offering prayers to lord almighty Muneeswarar in this temple would lock their miseries and unlocks immeasurable happiness and prosperity to their family members.
Unusual worshiping
This structure is surrounded by two big elevated rocks.One could observe both Saivites and Vishnavite religious symbols on it topping with small horse statues in white color.
Also one could notice bells and locks are tied on to trishulsymbol routed on the ground. No priests are there and the devotees themselves offer flowers, fruits and food articles (Curd rice and sweet Pongal rice) to the god and the same are distributed to all visitors to this temple on that day. My informal talk with some devotees present on that day of my visit believes in the offerings of cigarettes, liquor and chicken to the deity.
DharmarayaSwamy Temple – Builtin the Dravidian style, more than 800 years old is one of those rare temples dedicated to the Pandavas and Draupadi is located in Thigalarpet, the heart of Bangalore’s retail market district is frequented by thousands of devotees from all parts of India and from abroad. Bangalore’s oldest community festival‘Karaga Shaktyotsava’ is associated with this temple. (Images for karaga dance)
Bangalorekaraga
2018..….The festival involves several unique rituals and a spectacular procession primarily celebrated to honor Draupadi, the consort of Pandavas. (Bengalurukaraga.com.)
Domlur Chokkanathaswamy temple-
This lesser known 10th century temple located in Domlur,
old airport road in Bangalore is dedicated to Lord Vishnu although named after Lord Shiva.
If you want to experience what is cosmic energy then you must visit this temple complex. There are 13 cosmic (pranic) points in the temple area. three of them are inside the sanctorum and ten of them are outside marked with white painted small square points.
The common belief is praying for fulfillment of your wish standing on the exact locations marked here for a minute and do Pradhakshinas would radiate positive energy and would bring change of fortunes and good things in life in you according to the temple priests working here for years. On week ends you may notice many devotees waiting in queue to perform their prayers to fulfill their wishes.
Another unique feature of this age old temple is sun rays fall on the deity directly at sunrise especially during the end of February to first week of march and also during September to October of every year.That is during the summer and winter solstices.
Nimishamba Devi Temple
Nimishamba Devi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Nimishamba Devi located at Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore.
This temple is designed as per the Agama Sastras, constructed with red laterite stone (one of its kind in the city of Bangalore) in the traditional Parashurama Kshetra architecture style.
This temple has the shrines of Devi Nimishamba,Moukthikeswara (Siva), Siddhi Vinayaka, Lakshmi Narayana and Saraswathi. Devotees visiting this temple believe that they are getting instant boons granted by goddess Nimishamba.It is believed that Nimishamba will remove all the problems and troubles of her devotees within a minute and hence the name Nimishamba (Nimisha means 60 seconds) “Nitya Chandika Homa” is being performed at the Yajna Shala, in the temple premises.
On my way back I was loudly recollecting what I studied sometime back that ‘People want both God and wealth”…. “Self is a matter of experience, not of intellectual understanding.”
