Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Bhagwan Sree Krishna on Deepasthamba at Thirupunithura

Most enrapturing Lord Krishna on Kurma peedam – on deepasthambam at Sri Poornathrayeesar thirukkovil,  Thirupunithura, Kerala.  

 


கராரவிம்தேன பதாரவிம்தம் முகாரவிம்தே வினிவேயம்தம் ।

வடஸ்ய பத்ரஸ்ய புடே யானம் பாலம் முகும்தம் மனஸா ஸ்மராமி 

I meditate on that divine child Mukunda, reclining on the leaf of the banyan — the Bala Krishna, the eternal mesmeriser, worshipped in innumerable prayers

 



 

Thrippunithura is a prominent historical  region in the city of Kochi in Kerala.  Located about 8 km (5 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura was the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin.  It was known as   "Poorna Veda Puri" - the town of Vedas in its entirety. Another possible origin to name comes from the meaning "the land on the shores of Poorna river".

 
adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
30/1/2024 

Monday, January 29, 2024

the listless sparrow on the mast !! ~ வங்கத்தின் கூம்பேறும் மாப்பறவை

 

எங்கும்போய்க் கரைகாணா தெறிகடல்வாய் மீண்டேயும்

வங்கத்தின் கூம்பேறும் மாப்பறவை போன்றேனே

 


Kulasekara Azhwar compares the listlessness of a small bird which sits on the mast-head of the ship; in the mighty ocean, it tries to fly but could not find the path or destination and after a brief while comes back to the same mast-head, not knowing where to go !

Sunday, January 28, 2024

தையில் மகம் இன்று 2024 - திருமழிசைப்பிரான் அவதரித்த நாள்

 ‘Thaiyil  Makam’ ~ thirunakshathiram of Thirumazhisai Alwar 2024.

தையில் மகம் இன்று தாரணீயிர் ஏற்றம்!   திருமழிசைப்பிரான் அவதரித்த நாள் * 



வாழ்க்கை என்பது என்ன?  பிறப்பா ! உயிரோடு இருப்பதா? !  நிச்சயமான இறப்பை நோக்கி பயணமா ! மகிழ்ச்சியா ! பணமா, புகழா, பதவியா !, செல்வங்களா ! மக்கட்செல்வங்களா ! வெற்றிகளா!  தன்னலமற்ற அர்ப்பணிப்பா? …. இவைகளில் எது வாழ்க்கை என்று உறுதியாக கூற முடியாவிட்டாலும், பிறந்தவர் அனைவரும் வாழ்ந்தே தீர வேண்டிய கட்டாயம் உள்ளது.   வாழ்க்கை ஒரு பயணம். வாழ்க்கை  அனுபவம். ஆளுக்கு ஆள் மாறுபடும். சுகமோ துக்கமோ அனுபவம் நம்மை பலப்படுத்துகிறது. காயப்படுத்துகிறது, சிரிக்க வைக்கிறது, அழவைக்கிறது. முடிவில் இதில் எது வாழ்க்கை என்று சிந்திக்க வைக்கிறது.  

நன்றாக வாழ்க்கையை வாழ்வது என்பது என்ன ?  செய்யும் சில செயல்களோ அல்லது சிலவற்றை அடைவதோ   மட்டுமே  வாழ்க்கை, முழுமையை எட்டிவிடாது. வாழ்வின் எல்லா நிலைகளிலும், "இது மட்டும் நடந்தால் என் வாழ்க்கை முழுமையடையும்" என்கிற எண்ணம் ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனுக்கும் ஏற்படும்.   குழந்தை பொம்மைக்காகவும், சில உணவு பொருட்களுக்காகவும் அழும் .. .. அவை கிடைக்கலாம். ஒவ்வொரு நிலையிலும் தேவைகள், ஆசைகள், எதிர்பார்ப்புகள் மாறும்.   அவை கிட்டுவதானால் மட்டுமே, சந்தோசம் பொங்குவதில்லை! வாழ்க்கை முழுமை அடைவதில்லை.  

Set in future age, an unmanned space probe returns from Mars to Earth orbit with soil samples potentially containing evidence of extraterrestrial life. The probe is intercepted by the International Space Station, whose six-member crew retrieves its samples. Exobiologist Hugh Derry revives a dormant cell from the sample, which quickly grows into a multi-celled organism that American school children name "Calvin." Derry realises that Calvin's cells can change their specialisation, acting as muscle, neuron, and photosensory cells all at once  .. .. .. Science fictions are interesting and that is the story line of “Life” an  American science fiction horror film directed by Daniel Espinosa, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.  The film follows a six-member crew of the International Space Station that uncovers the first evidence of life on Mars.  In life, there are so many unanswered questions, while the Questions on ‘Life’ are more intriguing!.  

Intuitively, there should be a relationship between the  chance of death and how rapidly and completely one can recover from illness. This parameter is a measure of human ability to maintain homeostasis - normal physiological equilibrium - and is known as resilience. In fact, ageing can be defined as the loss of ability to maintain homeostasis. Typically, the younger the person, the better they are at recovering rapidly from illness.  

Life expectancy is a statistical measure of the average time an organism is expected to live, based on the year of its birth, its current age, and other demographic factors like sex. The most commonly used measure is life expectancy at birth (LEB): -  Cohort LEB is the mean length of life of a birth cohort (all individuals born in a given year) and can be computed only for cohorts born so long ago that all their members have died. Period LEB is the mean length of life of a hypothetical cohort assumed to be exposed, from birth through death, to the mortality rates observed at a given year.  

In the modern era, with advanced medical facilities, people expect to live around 80 – 100 .. .. there would always be some, who defy all such notions and live over 100 Another approach to figuring out how long we can live is to look at how our organs decline with age, and run that rate of decline against the age at which they stop working.   

திருமழிசை ஆழ்வார் - அவதாரஸ்தலம் திருமழிசை

சென்னையிலிருந்து பூவிருந்தவல்லி (பூந்தமல்லி) வழியாக திருவள்ளூர்திருப்பதி செல்லும் பாதையில் அமைந்துள்ள ஊர் "திருமழிசை".  ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே பல்வேறு காப்பியங்களில் பாடப் பெற்ற பல்லவர் காலத்தில் புகழ் பெற்ற புண்ணிய க்ஷேத்ரம்  திருமழிசை.   இவ்வூரில்  ஸ்ரீ ஜெகந்நாதப் பெருமாள் கோவில் அழகுற அமைந்துள்ளது.  திருமழிசை பேரூராட்சி சென்னை - பெங்களூரு தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை மற்றும் சென்னை - திருவள்ளூர் மாநில நெடுஞ்சாலையில் அமைந்துள்ளது.  திருமழிசையின் ரியல் எஸ்டேட் சந்தையில் மலர்ந்து வரும் பல திட்டங்களில் மாநில அரசின் மிகப்பெரிய சாட்டிலைட் டவுன்ஷிப்  முக்கியமானது.

- உலகுமழிசையும் உள்ளுணர்ந்துஉலகு தன்னை வைத்து எடுத்த பக்கத்தும் “மாநீர் மழிசை வலிது என பிரசித்தி பெற்ற இத்தலத்தில்   துவாபரயுகம் முதலாழ்வார்கள் அவதரித்த சித்தார்த்தி வருஷம் தை மாசம்  கிருஷ்ண பக்ஷம் பிரதமை திதி கூடிய மகம் நட்சத்திரத்தில்பார்க்கவ முனிவருக்கும் கநகாங்கி என்கிற அப்ஸரஸ் ஸ்த்ரீக்கும் குமாரராக  திருமழிசைப்பிரான் அவதரித்தார். இவர் ஸுதர்சனமென்னும் சக்கரதாழ்வாரின் திரு அம்சம்.  




For Srivaishnavaites, Azhwaars and their birthdays  are of great significance.    Bhakthisarar,  well known as Thirumazhisai Azhwar was born in Thirumazhisai and hence is hailed as Thirumazhisai Piran.  This  place is near Poonamallee around 20 kms away from Chennai on the Bangalore High Road. Thirumazhisaippiran’s  works are : Naanmukhan Thiruvanthathi (96) and Thiruchanda Virutham (120).  He was born in the Magam nakshathiram of Thai month.  

இளமையிலேயே பரஞான முதிர்ச்சி பெற்றுப் பரமயோகியாக விளங்கியவர். உண்மைத் தத்துவம் என்னவென்று அறிய- சாக்கியம், சமணம், சைவம், நாத்திகம் உட்பட ஒவ்வொரு சமயமாகப் புகுந்து ஆராய்ந்தார். சைவசமயத்தைச் சார்ந்திருக்கும்போது திருமயிலையில் பேயாழ்வார் இவரை திருத்திப் பணி கொண்டார்.   பக்தியில் தலை சிறந்தவராக இவர் விளங்கியதால் முக்கண் மூர்த்தியான சிவபெருமான் இவருக்கு பக்திசாரர் என திருநாமம் சாற்றினார். 

இவர் அருளிச் செய்த பிரபந்தங்கள் : 2 -  நான்முகன் திருவந்தாதி (96);  திருச்சந்த விருத்தம் (120) ஆக மொத்தம் 216 பாசுரங்கள். இவரை "துய்ய மதி பெற்ற" என ஸ்ரீமணவாளமாமுனிகள் கொண்டாடுகிறார்.  திருமழிசை ஆழ்வார் அருளிய திருச்சந்த விருத்தம்  "கருச்சந்தும் காரகிலும் கமழ்கோங்கும் மணநாறும் " என பெருமையுடன் அனுசந்திக்கப்படுகிறது. விருத்தப்பா எனும் பாடல் வகையைச் சார்ந்த 120பாசுரங்களால் ஆன பிரபந்தம் இது.  இதோ இங்கே *திருச்சந்தவிருத்தத்தில்* இருந்து ஒரு பாசுரம் :    

வாள்களாகி  நாள்கள்  செல்ல நோய்மை குன்றி  மூப்பெய்தி

மாளுநாளதாதலால்  வணங்கி வாழ்த்தென் நெஞ்சமே

ஆளதாகு நன்மையென்று நன்குணர்ந்ததன்றியும்

மீள்விலாத போகம்  நல்க வேண்டும்   மால பாதமே. 

ஸ்ரீமன் நாராயணன் ஒருவனே, நம்மை காப்பற்றவல்லன். 24 மணிகள் கொண்ட ஒவ்வொரு தினங்களும்,  நமது ஆயுளை அறுக்கும் வாள்கள்போன்று கழிய,  பலவகை வியாதிகளாலே சரீரம் பலவீனமடைந்து,  கிழத்தனமும், மனச்சோர்வும், நம்மை கவனிப்பாரில்லையே என சோர்ந்து   மரணமடைவதோர் நாள் நெருங்கிவிட்டது என பயமும், பதைபதைப்பும் வரும் முன்னரே, எம்பெருமான் ஸ்ரீமன் நாரணனுக்கு  ஆட்பட்டிருப்பதே நன்மையென்று நன்கு உணர்ந்து,  நம்பெருமாளை தொழுது ஏந்துவோம்.  எம்பெருமானின்  திருவடிகளே 'மீள்வு இலாத போகம்' - மறுபடி திரும்பி வருதலில்லாத நித்யபோகம்.  அதை எனக்கு நல்குவீராக என எம்பெருமானிடத்திலே மனமுருகி பிரார்திப்போம்.

On his sarrumurai day, at  Thiruvallikkeni divyadesam, Azhwar had purappadu with Sri Gajendra Varadar.  Here are some photos taken during today’s purappadu  

adiyen Srinivasa dhasan.
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
28th  Jan 2024.  













கேரள நாட்டிலே - காலடி மண்ணிலே

 கேரள நாட்டிலே -  காலடி மண்ணிலே

 


 

Aadhi Sankarar avathara sthalam,  Kaladi

Sree Krishna bhagwan -Aryamba mother of Sankarar at Purna nathi

beau pillar at Thiruvattaru

 

மருள் ஒழி நீ! மட நெஞ்சே!

வாட்டாற்றான் அடி வணங்கே



 

Monday, January 22, 2024

Sri Ramalayam at Mexico

The official name of the state is "Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro" (Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro). The formal name of the capital is Santiago de Querétaro. However, both are commonly referred to simply as Querétaro  

Querétaro  is one of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro. It is located in north-central Mexico, in a region known as Bajío.  

On the eve of the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya, Queretaro, a city in Mexico, got its first Lord Ram temple on Sunday.

 


The temple was inaugurated after the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony was performed by an American priest with Mexican hosts and the idols brought from India.

Source : @MeghUpdates

Ornate temple at Sri Rama Janmabhumi

कोसलो नाम मुदितः स्फीतो जनपदो महान् |
निविष्टः सरयूतीरे प्रभूतधनधान्यवान् || १-५-५

In those glorious days, there exited a Kingdom called Kosala, a joyous, vast, flourishing one with wealth and cereals – situate on the riverbanks of Sarayu.

The capital of that kingdom which was built by Manu was Ayodhya.  In that punya bhoomi was born Maryadha Purush Sree Ramachandra Murthy whose life story is “Ramayana”

Today (22.1.2024) – the Nation and we are fortunate to rejoice the Prana pratishta of Sri Rama in the architecturally ornate  beautiful Temple at His Janmasthan.  Many thanks to our Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modiji.



Pray that We all are able to go at least once to Ayodhya and have darshan of this valiant Rama.  

Jai Shree Ram 

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Worshipping Sree Rama at Ayodhya - Pran Prathishta

நாளை 22.1.2024 அற்புதமாக புலரும்.  Jan 22 - தை திங்கள் 8ம் நாள் துவாதசி, மிருகசீர்ஷம் அதி அற்புதமான நாள்.  ஸ்ரீராமச்சந்திர மூர்த்தி தான் அவதரித்த அயோத்தி ஜென்மஸ்தானில் பிராண பிரதிஷ்டை.




அதி அத்புதமான ஸ்ரீராமபிரானின் காதை இராமாயணம்.   வால்மீகி எழுதிய  இராமாயணத்தின் ஆறாவது காண்டமான யுத்த காண்டத்தில் இராமன் இலங்கையில் இராவணன் முதலான அரக்கர்களோடு நிகழ்த்திய போர் நிகழ்ச்சிகளைக் விவரிக்கின்றது.   இறுதியில் இராமர் இராவணனைக் வதம் செய்து  போரை முடித்து, , வீடணனுக்கு இலங்கையின் மன்னராக முடி சூட்டி - இராமர், சீதை, இலக்குமணன் முதலானோர், வீடணன் மற்றும் அனுமான் உள்ளிட்ட வானரக் கூட்டத்துடன் புஷ்பக  விமானத்தில் ஏறி அயோத்தி வந்தடைந்தனர். அயோத்தியில் இராமருக்கு வசிட்டர் பட்டாபிஷேகம் செய்து வைக்க, இராமராச்சியம் தொடங்கி ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகள் இராமர் நன்னெறிகளுடன் அயோத்தியை ஆண்டார்.

शङ्खशब्दप्रणादैश्च दुन्दुभीनान् च निस्वनैः |

प्रययू पुरुषव्याघ्रस्तां पुरीन् हर्म्यमालिनीम् ||

sha~NkhashabdapraNAdaishcha dundubhInAn cha nisvanaiH |

prayayU puruShavyAghrastAM purIn harmyamAlinIm || 6-128-33 

Lord  Rama, the foremost Maryadha Purush among men, accompanied by sounds of conches buzzing in the ears and sounds of kettle-drums, proceeded to the city of Ayodhya, having a series of palaces. 

It was all over after the  maha Yudha, Ravana was conquered, all asuras were destroyed .. .. Sree Ramapiran returned back to the kingdom of Ayodhya acceding to the request Bharata  .. .. the greatest Warrior returned to the kingdom, got ceremonial bath and was adorned for the grand occasion.   Sree  Rama, mounting on an excellent chariot, sallies forth on a procession in the city accompanied by Bharata, Shatrughna, Lakshmana and Vibhishana. Nine thousand elephants followed the procession, with Sugreeva and other vanaras mounted on them. Hundreds of attendants  and musicians with their musical instruments walked in front of Rama's procession. The citizens of Ayodhya hosted  flags on every house.  As instructed by  Sugreeva four of his vanaras brought  water from four oceans in jars given to them. Some of them  brought water from five hundred rivers, for the ceremony. Vasishta along with   priests caused Rama to be consecrated with that water.   Vasishta   officiating the coronation-ceremony adorned Rama with an auspicious and charming crown.   Rama presented a pearl-necklace to Seetha and Seetha presented that necklace in turn to Hanuma. Rama further gave  presents to Vibhishana, Sugreeva, Jambavan and others on the occasion.   

Sree Rama at Thiruvelukkai divyadesam



Tomorrow is the historic moment whence the idol of Sree Rama will be installed in the new temple coming up at His Janmasthan.  Reports suggest that the old idol of Lord Ram will be placed in front of the new idol which will be consecrated.

 



The  Ram temple in Ayodhya boasts an expansive area, covering a total of 2.7 acres. The built-up area of the temple is an impressive 57,400 square feet, reflecting the grandeur and scale of the architectural endeavour.  The temple's physical dimensions are noteworthy, with a total length of 360 feet and a width of 235 feet. The height of the temple, inclusive of its peak, reaches 161 feet. This sizeable structure is spread over three floors, with each floor having a height of 20 feet.

The Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is poised to take place tomorrow. This sacred ceremony, marking the consecration of the deity within the temple, promises to be a historic event that carries profound cultural and symbolic importance. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji  will preside over the Pran Pratishtha ceremony which will be officiated by a team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit. Several states have announced a public holiday or half-working on Monday to allow people celebrate the occasion.

 

For the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, the temple Trust has sent out invites to representatives of more than 50 countries. One of them is Kim Chil-su from South Korea. He belongs to the Queen Heo dynasty. Queen Heo, also known as Suriratna, was the princess of Ayodhya, who, according to popular legend, travelled to Korea and started the Karak dynasty in that country. For the past several years, the India-Korea connection of Ayodhya has been in the news.  In 2018, draped in an elegant saree, South Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook soaked in Diwali festivities in Ayodhya much to the delight of the people of this pilgrim town. From the moment she arrived in Ayodhya on Tuesday till she departed, local people, especially the youth, applauded and cheered her at the multiple events she attended, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 

Princes Heo Hwang-ok, or Queen Hu, also popularly known as Suriratna which is supposed to be her Indian name, is at the centre of a legend that goes back nearly 2,000 years. She is believed to be a princess from Ayodhya who became the much-loved Queen Hu of Korea. There is a widespread belief in South Korea, and for the past few decades in India too, that in 48 AD, Princess Suriratna of Ayodhya travelled for three months to marry King Suro, who founded the Karak dynasty in 42 AD. The capital of his kingdom was Gimhae City. Today, millions of people in South Korea trace their origin to the Karak clan.

This new temple is in Nagara style of architecture.  The Nagara style of temple architecture emerged some time in the fifth century CE, during the late Gupta period, in northern India. It is seen in juxtaposition with the Dravida style of southern India, which too emerged in the same period.  Nagara temples are built on a raised plinth, with the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) — where the idol of the deity rests — the most sacred part of the temple. Towering over the garbha griha is the shikhara (literally ‘mountain peak’), the most distinguishable aspect of Nagara style temples.  As the name suggests, shikharas are human-made representations of the natural and cosmological order. 

A typical Nagara style temple also comprises a circumambulatory passage around the garbha griha, and one or more mandapas (halls) on the same axis as it. Elaborate murals and reliefs often adorn its walls.

 


Tomorrow let us celebrate the reentry of Sree Rama to His Avatharasthalam.  Let us light lamps at homes, offer fragrant flowers, offer sweets to Perumal and distribute them later.  Let us join the grand functions organized for the occasion around our place, watch Pran Prathishta live on TV, if we are not in a position to be physically present in Ayodhya. 

Lots of events are planned at Thiruvallikkeni also .. .. Jai Shree Ram.
 
adiyen Srinivasa dhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
21.1.2024. 

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Reverred PM Shri Narendra Modi received at Thiruvarangam

Srimad Ramayana is an epic poem, handed to the Universe by Valmiki Maharishi   that  narrates the journey of Virtue to annihilate vice. Sri  Rama is the Hero and aayana His journey.  Sri Rama lived in Treta Yug, millennia BC and we attach great significance  with what Srimad Valmiki Ramayana tells us, rather than when it was told. 

After moving to forest, braving all odds obeying the words of His father, Sree Ramachandra murthi returns to Ayodhya after slaying demon Ravana.  Valmiki Ramayana describes His return – as Baratha ordains Shatrugna and council of Ministers that the city be bedecked to receive the Maryadha Purush. 

स्रग्दाममुक्तपुष्पैश्च सुगन्धैः पञ्चवर्णकैः ||

राजमार्गमसम्बाधं किरन्तु शतशो नराः |  

"Let hundreds of our subjects  sprinkle, on the main royal highway, with five fragrant colours and with rows of garlands as well as lose flowers."  

Today our beloved Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji visited the holy Thiruvarangam  and had darshan of the Emperor of Lords – Namperumal Sri Ranganatha – and this video (as seen in the X page of our PM) shows thousands of people - , Acarya purusha, sthalathars and everyone lining up and receiving the dignitary.  Do see the elation, happiness, spontaneous expression on the face of people.   : https://twitter.com/i/status/1748698438408217047   Modiji at Srirangam

 
We pray for  the continued well being of our beloved Prime Minister  and for taking our Nation to greater heights.

 
Jai Shriram
 
adiyen Srinivasadhasan
Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar
20.1.2024 

Sri Kuresar Vaibhavam - Thirukoshtiyur Hariprasad Kesavan

 

Sri Kuresar vaibhavam

 

ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவ சம்ப்ரதாயம் - இவர் போன்றோரால் திளைக்கின்றது  :  ஞானமும், அற்புத சொல்லாடலும் - பொலிக, பொலிக,  பொலிக !!

 

திருக்கோஷ்டியூர் ஹரிப்ரசாத் கேசவன், வயது 12  :  https://youtube.com/shorts/3gE785tVdjg?feature=share

 


கலியும் கெடும் - ஸ்ரீவத்சாங்க வைபவம் - திருவல்லிக்கேணி ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி திருக்கோவில் திருவாய்மொழி மண்டபத்தில் அற்புத நிகழ்ச்சி.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Snow covered temple - Swami Narayan's Akshardham

For those of feeling cold in Chennai – in degree Celsius it is 28 max and 23 min – before you see, it is cold, do read this completely !!

Parts of the South of USA  woke up to a blanket of snow on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, joining a large swath of other Lower 48 states that are in the icy grip of winter. Arctic air has brought breathtaking cold to much of the U.S. — and it's not going away any time soon. Schools that closed for the holiday were free to marvel at the snowfall along with everyone else.  "Snow. SNOW!" as the University of Mississippi proclaimed on Instagram.

Weather sites state that a cold storm will spread snow and ice from the south-central United States to the interior Southeast  -   a few weeks ago, during Christmas time, snow cover in the United States and other parts of North America was at its lowest extent on record for the time of year — in many cases melted away by record-warm weather.  That meant, many locations in the Lower 48 states accustomed to a white Christmas witnessed  bare ground and temperatures more typical of early spring.  The Dec. 22 snow cover extent of 13.2 percent marked the lowest in at least two decades, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The next lowest extent, of 18.5 percent, was in 2004. The 20-year average for Dec. 22 is 35 percent coverage, or nearly three times the current extent.

It is cold weather, fall of snow that is in news – picture of a beautiful temple surrounded by snow is doing rounds !






'Akshardham' means the divine abode of God. It is hailed as an eternal place of devotion, purity and peace. Swaminarayan Akshardham at New Delhi is a Mandir – an abode of God, a Hindu house of worship, and a spiritual and cultural campus dedicated to devotion, learning and harmony.  The mandir is a humble tribute to Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781- 1830), the avatars, devas and great sages of Hinduism. The traditionally-styled complex was inaugurated on 6 November 2005 with the blessings of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj and through the devoted efforts of skilled artisans and volunteers.

Visitors to Delhi cannot but admire the most magnificent temple in the banks of Yamuna adjacent to 2010 Commonwealth Games village in eastern New Delhi….   ‘Swaminarayan’s Akshardham’ – an engineering marvel.  There are many such beautiful temples established by the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and his followers.  Swaminarayan Akshardham mandirs are in many cities including – Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Junagadh, Jetalpur.  These temples have the idols of Laxmi Narayan – Lord Maha Vishnu in various forms. 






                     According to Swaminarayan Hinduism, the word Akshardham means the abode of Swaminarayan and believed by followers as a temporal home of God on earth.  One of the most prominent features of the heritage of Swaminarayan is temple architecture. The images in the temples built by Swaminarayan are the evidence of the priority of Krishna. All of the temples constructed during his life show some form of Krishna. Swaminarayan temples, like other Hindu temples, have walkways around the central shrine to allow worshipers to circumambulate the shrine. These are often decorated with designs and inlaid marble

Standing as the largest Hindu temple in America, the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple was inaugurated in US' New Jersey on Oct 2023.  Despite being thousands of miles away from India, the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple is also one of the largest Hindu temples in the world.  






Snow-Covered Images Of BAPS Swaminarayan Temple In New Jersey Surface amid Heavy Snowfall © Provided by Jagran English

The construction of this temple started in the year 2015 and it was inaugurated in  2023 by Mahant Swami Maharaj.    Now, amid the snowfall in many parts of the US, pictures of the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple have surfaced on the internet, showing the grand temple covered in a white layer of snow. The snow covering the temple enhances its beauty during the winter season.   The temple premises are now adorned with a vast expanse of snow. The Akshardham Temple in Robbinsville spans 183 acres and boasts over 10,000 sculptures and carvings.    

 

With regards – S Sampathkumar

18th Jan 2024. 

Snow covered images of BAPS Swaminarayan Temple In New Jersey - ©Provided by Jagran English; rest of the pictures taken from Akshardham New Delhi / Ahmedabad website.