Collection of Lord Ganesha Images

Lord Ganesh as bee

Lord Ganesh in flower

Lord Ganesha as Chitra Gupta

Lord Ganesh in Snow

Naturally created Ganesh

Naturally created Ganesha

Leaf Ganesha

                         

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The immersion of Lord Ganesha

The culmination of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival is with the most important Ganesh immersion ceremony or Ganesh Visarjan. In 2012, it is on September 29. When to immerse the Ganesh idol? Or when is the Ganesh immersion day? This is a perplexing question for many. Normally, Ganesh Visarjan takes place on Ananta Chaturdashi day. But there are no hard and fast rules for Ganesh Immersion, it usually depends on family tradition. 

2012 Dates of Lord Ganesha immersion

One day  – September 20

Three days – September 21

Five Days – September 23

Seven  – September 25

Ten days  – September 28

Ananta Chaturdashi last day– September 29

Why are the Ganesh Statues Immersed in Water at the End of the Festival

Hindus worship idols, of their gods because it gives them a visible form to pray to. They also recognize that the universe is in a constant state of change. Form eventually gives away to formlessness. However, the energy still remains. The immersion of the statues in the ocean, or other bodies of water, and subsequent destruction of them serves as a reminder of this belief.Some families perform the ceremony on the very next day. It is believed that Ganesha comes and stays in the idol for a day and returns the next day.There are other families which perform the Ganesh immersion or Visarjan on the 1.5 days, 3rd, 5th, 7th or the 10th day.

Today, many people choose the least crowded day to immerse the Ganesh idol.Those who opt for an eco-friendly Ganesh immersion, do it in a bucket or a tank. In Mumbai, artificial lakes are created to avoid water pollution. This year the governments and NGOs are running a strong campaign for the use of eco-friendly Ganesh idols.

Environmental pollution caused by Ganesh Chaturthi festival

Widespread campaigns are already on for an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi festival but still a large section of the society are unaware of the pollution and environmental damage caused by Plaster of Paris idols and chemical paints. Some large Ganesha Pandal committees, to attract maximum crowd conveniently forget the environmental impact caused by the idols. The main pollution is caused by the Plaster of Paris Ganesh idols and the chemical paints used in them.

Plaster of Paris (POP) is not a naturally occurring material and contains gypsum, sulphur, phosphorus and magnesium. The idols take several months to dissolve in water and in the process poison the waters of lake, ponds, rives and seas.

The chemical paints used to decorate the Ganesh idol contain mercury, lead, cadmium and carbon and this increases the acidity and heavy metal content in the water.Several accessories used during the Ganesh Puja like Thermocole, plastic flowers, cloth, incense, camphor and numerous other materials are dumped carelessly adding more strain to the already polluted rivers and lakes.

Careless dumping of Ganesh idols in waterbodies blocks the natural flow of water. This results in stagnation and breeding of mosquitoes and other harmful pests.The polluted water causes several diseases including skin diseases.The pollution from Ganesh Chaturthi idols also damages the ecosystem, kills fishes and water plants.In many areas, the same polluted water gets pumped into homes.

Alternatives

Use eco-friendly clay idols painted with natural colors.

Use permanent idols made of stone and perform a symbolic immersion and reuse the idol each year.

Avoid public waterbodies to immerse the idols, instead immerse idol in bucket or tub.
"Jai bolo Ganesh maharaj ki Jai"

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Hope Island

Hope Island located near Kakinada, it makes a wonderful place to visit from the hustle-bustle of the city. This island is formed 200 years ago by the drifting of sand from Godavari River. The island stretches across the Bay of Bengal and forms a Bay of Kakinada between the Island and the Kakinada coast. The northern part of the island is called as "Godavari Point" and this island protects the city of Kakinada from cyclones or tidal waves coming from the Bay of Bengal.

The sandy beaches on the island offer a refreshing atmosphere for one and all visiting the place.'The Godavari Point'  is another scenic attraction which gives a panoramic view of the entry point into Bay of Kakinada and of the Kakinada harbour.

In summer season the cold water is very enjoyable. Carrying some good food stuff, a tent and some games to play at the beach would be real adventurous around the island. Cooking and eating the fresh catch from the sea is even more fun.

To reach Island Click Here

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Sri Vara Siddhi Vinayaka Temple-Kanipakam

There is a general belief that Lord Ganesha is the upholder of truth and in Kanipakam, many people experience this belief when they confront the idol of Lord Ganesha. Day-to-day disputes between people are resolved by taking a special oath. The accused in the dispute are made to take a dip in the pushkarini (Temple tank) and swear before the lord. There are instances when the person who committed the sin accepts his mistake as soon as taking the dip or much before entering the temple. It is said that the lord makes the sinner repent and feel guilty for his sinful deeds. To experience this divine power, one has to visit this beautiful temple of Lord Ganesha at Kanipakam.

There are some other temples to visit like Sri Manikanteswara Swami temple and Sri Varadaraja swami temple around the Kanipakam temple.

History

The formation of the temple and the idol of God have an amazing history behind it. According to the legend of the temple, there were three brothers, each of them dumb, deaf or blind. They were earning their livelihood by cultivating a small piece of land. One of them used to irrigate the field through channels while the other used to work on drawing water from the well. One day they noticed that the water in the well got dried up and they could no longer continue their work. Seeing this, one of them got into the well and started digging it up. He was startled to see the iron implement hitting a stone like formation. Later, blood started oozing out from it and the entire water in the well turned blood red in color

Another amazing feature of the idol is that it is still growing in size, earlier only face was visible and now abdomen and knees. 

Temple Local Info 

The temple opens at 4:30am with the early morning prayers. Special Pooja is performed once in a year and Prasadam will be sent to the member devotees. Nitya Annadanam, that is, free meals is provided daily in the afternoon for nearly 150 members and the tickets are issued near the place where annadanam takes place. 

Money should be sent through Bank Drafts, Money orders, or personally

To,

Executive officer (EO)

Sri VaraSidhi Vinayaka Swami Vari Devasthanam,

Kanipakam.

Donations can be made for Nitya Annadanam which starts with a minimum cost of Rs.1116/-. The money has to be donated in the form of bank drafts, money order or can be given personally

Click here for the details of daily sevas like Paalabhishekam, SankataHaraGanapati Vratham, Special Abhishekam, Pavalimpu Seva (EkanthaSeva), Nithya Kalyanotshavam, Vunjala Seva 

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Top Tourism Destinations in Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad is a wonderful blend of the old-world charm and vibrant city life. It is the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and reminds us of the royal grandeur which is quite obvious from its age old monuments and splendid architectures. On your tour to Hyderabad, you will come across some impressive architectural instances that bears testimony to the rich culture and heritage of this town. Sightseeing being an indispensable activity of any vacation, there are many tourist destinations in Hyderabad that would simply leave you awe-struck.

Historical Monuments: Mecca Masjid, Charminar, Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Paigah Tombs, Paigah Mosque(Spanish Mosque)-Begumpet, Chow Mahalla Palace.

Religious places: Birla Mandir, Sanghi Temple, Chilkur Balaji Temple, Ananda Buddha Vihara, Charminar, Makkah Masjid, Shahi Masjid

Museums and Planetarium: Salar Jung Museum, City Museum, AP State Archaeology Museum, Birla Science Museum, Birla Planetarium

Lakes of Hyderabad: Durgam Cheruvu, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, Hussain Sagar, Shamirpet Lake, Rukn ud Daula Lake, Mir Alam Tank, Saroornagar Lake.

Parks and Gardens: Nehru Zoological Park, NTR Gardens, Indira Park, KBR National Park, Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy Botanical Gardens, Lumbini Park, Lotus Pond, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, Mrugavani National Park, Public Gardens

Miscellaneous: Ramoji Film City, Ravindra Bharati, Necklace road, Laad Bazaar, Shilparamam, Shilpakala vedika, Keesara, Rachakonda, Ananthagiri hills 

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World Largest river Island-Majoli(Majuli)-Assam,India

Majoli - also called Majuli, is the world's largest freshwater-river island located in the middle of the vast River Brahmaputra in Assam State of India. Garamur is the sub-divisional headquarters of Majuli.Majuli derives its name from 'Madhyajuli' meaning 'centre place between two rivers' which Majuli . 

The Majuli Island is surrounded by the Brahmaputra River on the south and the Subansiri River (the largest tributary of Brahmaputra) on the north.Majuli Island is about 25 kms north from Jorhat by ferry. Majuli Island is about 330 kms northeast of Guwahati via Jorhat.Being a wetland, Majuli is a hotspot for countless species of endemic and exotic bird. 

Island Tourism cannot be better than this. Especially when you're least expecting it. Majuli river-island is a fringed benefit - a bonus of visiting Assam State. Majuli is the world's largest riverine island encompassing about 2 lakh acres of land and is located right in the middle of River Brahmaputra near Jorhat city in Assam. Either you visit Majuli via a ferry from Jorhat city which operate twice a day or you take a full-blown river-cruise on board a ship from either Dibrugarh or from Guwahati. And another pleasant surprise that you get on this Island is the sight of large number of native and migratory birds

The people of Majuli represent the varied ethnic forms of cultural heritage. Hospitality of Majulians are remarkable. As you travel through this river island you will experience tribes with traditions you could never imagine to be in existence. Open-heart attitude, which is the hallmark of the Majulians, is sure to make carry their images all through out your life. Such is the type of love evoking lot of people the Majulians

This landmass, with a population of 1.6 Lakhs, majority being tribals, has a very rich heritage and has been the abode of Assamese Vashnavite culture with tremendous potential for spiritual and Eco-tourism. The island is a bio-diversity hotspot and has rich ecology with rare breeds of flora and fauna.

Tourist interests
The representation of all ethnic groups under one roof retaining their respective individual and traditional cultural entities is a very striking phenomenon that easily attracts the visitors to this island. With the glories history of five hundred years of Satriya living cultural tradition, the rich and colourful tribal cultural elements and the natural beauty with a unique assemblage of flora and fauna; Majuli has the charm to beckon the tourists unraveling itself as paradise on the earth. Extinct species of various migratory birds are found in Majuli which creates an environment of bird sanctuary.

Following are some of the Tourist attractions
The Vaishnava Satras were founded by Sankardeva
The colourful culture of the tribes
Migratory birds
The Ali-ai-ligang festival in Feb-March
Pottery making
Mask making
Paal Namm festival in the end of winter
The sunset in winter
Exotic homespun masks crafts

Vaishnava Satras
In Majuli, Sankardeva established the first Vaishnava Sattra in Assam during the reign of Dihingia Raja from 1497-1539 at Dhoahat –Belguri. Records show that as in 1557 the following Sattras had been established in Majuli by various apostles of Sankardeva.
•Kathbapu Sattra in 1557
•Bengana-Ati Sattra in 1662
•The group of Bar-elengi Sattra in 1558
•Auni-Ati and Dakhinpat in 1662
•Kamalabari Sattra in 1673

Bird watching
There are 3 locales for bird watching
1.The southeast of Majuli Island
2.The southwest of Majuli Island
3.The northern part of Majuli Island

The Majuli Festival (Festival of Asam)
The Majuli Festival of Assam offers you a lot of scope to make you a part of this festival. Special events are being organised during the festivals days round the clock. Cultural programmes takes place with the participation of various traditional and classical cultural troupes of Assam and troupes from rest of the country, in addition to rich cultural heritage of Majuli.

Ecological Decay
Due to relentless erosion, the very existence of the island is threatened. It is facing substantial erosion since the great earthquake of 1950 and the erosion has became acute after1974. About 1/3rd of the landmass has been eroded in the past half century. Annual floods have also been playing havoc due to shallowing of the river Brahmaputra, resulting in losses amounting to crores of rupees to the national exchequer every year without any permanent solution till now.

The issue of protection of Majuli Island has been raised at different levels during the last couple of years. Its uniqueness due to cultural and natural heritage makes it a fit case for preserving under the aegis of the UNESCO as a world heritage site. Govt. of India has already sent study teams both from Archeology and Environment Departments and findings are quite positive

To reach Majuli Click here and to read more related articles Click here

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Monsoon Destinations in India See Nature at Its Best

There are many seasons India and monsoon is certainly one of its very best. It is because during monsoons, nature becomes affluent as flowers blooms, rivers flow swiftly, rainbows appear in the sky, clouds movers slowly in the sky, drizzling water delights you and lush greenery around pleases your eyes. With such glimpses of imagination in the mind, monsoon tourism in India would be truly rewarding and memorable experience of lifetime. Luckily, you will not have to evade traveling to India during the monsoon or even reside in the house all the time. There are many interesting places in this country where you can experience the monsoon at its very best. Have a look at some popular destinations which are popular during monsoon in India.

Lonavala – Maharashtra

Lonavala is a small town and picturesque hill station in Pune district in Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located at the distance of 64 km from Pune and 96 km from Mumbai. It is an excellent weekend getaways for people of Pune and Mumbai. There is one anther hill town adjacent to Lonavala called Khandala. Hence they are called twin hill station. The twin town of Lonavala and Khandala has been very popular destinations when it comes to monsoon tourism in India. During monsoon, travelers can enjoy amazing natural beauty. Travelers can enjoy visit to Rajmachi famous for its twin peaks Shrivardhan and Manaranjan as well as a fort.

Ladakh – Jammu & Kashmir

Ladakh, located in Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir, is one of the most pristine destinations in India. It is very popular among trekkers and adventure enthusiasts. It is also popular among culture vultures as it is home to many cultural and historical sites including Buddhist monasteries and temples. Ladakh can be also an exciting destination to visit during monsoon.

Panchmarhi, Madhya Pradesh

Panchmarhi is the only hill station in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is a picturesque hill station with abundant natural beauty. It comes alive during in monsoon with lush greenery and peaceful surrounding around. There are many waterfalls in this area. Panchmarhi Waterfall is widely famous. Travelers can enjoy here trekking or just relax to appreciate nature beauty.

Kerala, God’s Own Country

Kerala is one of the most charming states of India. Located on the southern tip of this country alongside the azure Arabian Sea, it is one of India’s most sought after tourism destinations. It is widely acclaimed for its beauty, beaches, hill stations, backwaters, wildlife, historical places, etc. It comes alive during in monsoon. There are many interesting places in Kerala which are very popular in monsoon. Munnar, Wayanad, Periyar National Park, etc are popular monsoon destinations in Kerala.

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is a beautiful Indian state in northern India. It is a pleasurable destination for monsoon tourism in India. It presents magical and eye-catching backdrops with lush greenery, superb natural beauty, beautiful rainbows, refreshing breeze, drizzling rains, blooming flowers, chatty winds, etc. Nainital, Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Ranikhet, Almora, Valley of Flowers National Park, Corbett National Park, etc have been haven for monsoon getaways or monsoon tourism in India.

Apart from above mentioned destinations, there are many other places which are preferred in monsoon. Some other popular monsoon destinations are Rajasthan (Udaipur, Pushkar & Mandawa), Goa, Pondicherry, Cherrapunjee, Coorg, etc.

Travelers can enjoy best of monsoon tourism in India with a right travel package. There are many India tourism packages available in the market to choose from, especially designed with monsoon destinations.

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The largest Sri Maha Vishnu Temple in the world

Angkor Wat (Cambodia-Country)  is not only the largest Hindu Temple, but also one of the wonders of the word. Yet, unknown to many Hindus all around! An architectural marvel and a piece of world heritage. Indians know more about Taj Mahal and almost nothing about this temple at Angkor Wat. Religion apart, this beautiful temple and it's intricate architectural wonder that signifies a symbol of Science and Mathematics in ancient times. There might not have been any Civil Engineering at that time, but even today the Engineers of Modern days, will have to bet their heads to recreate smething like this. Likewise, there are many wonders which people do not know about. We are lost in Eiffel Tower and things like Egyptian Pyramids, but there are lot more of Indian marvels and structures, in other places - why, even in China, Japan & Singapore also!

Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The largest and best-preserved temple at Angkor, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre- first Hindu, then Buddhist- since its foundation. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors drawn by its architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations. UNESCO has set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.

Etymology

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a vernacular form of the word nokor, which comes from the Sanskrit word nagar. Wat is the Khmer form of the Pali word "vatthu", meaning "temple grounds". Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok (Vara Vishnuloka in Sanskrit), after the posthumous title of its founder.

Brief synthesis

The park is inhabited, and many villages, some of whom the ancestors are dating back to the Angkor period are scattered throughout the park. The population practices agriculture and more specifically rice cultivation

Criterion (i): The Angkor complex represents the entire range of Khmer art from the 9th to the 14th centuries, and includes a number of indisputable artistic masterpieces (e.g. Angkor Wat, the Bayon, Banteay Srei).

Criterion (ii): The influence of Khmer art as developed at Angkor was a profound one over much of South-east Asia and played a fundamental role in its distinctive evolution.

Criterion (iii): The Khmer Empire of the 9th-14th centuries encompassed much of South-east Asia and played a formative role in the political and cultural development of the region. All that remains of that civilization is its rich heritage of cult structures in brick and stone.

Criterion (iv): Khmer architecture evolved largely from that of the Indian sub-continent, from which it soon became clearly distinct as it developed its own special characteristics, some independently evolved and others acquired from neighboring cultural traditions. The result was a new artistic horizon in oriental art and architecture.

Integrity

The Angkor complex encompasses all major architectural buildings and hydrological engineering systems from the Khmer period and most of these “barays” and canals still exist today.

All the individual aspects illustrate the intactness of the site very much reflecting the splendor of the cities that once were.

The site integrity however, is put under dual pressures:

a)  endogenous: exerted by more than 100,000 inhabitants distributed over 112 historic settlements scattered over the site, who constantly try to expand their dwelling areas;

b)  exogenous: related to the proximity of the town of Siem Reap, the seat of the province and a tourism hub.

Authenticity

Previous conservation and restoration works at Angkor between 1907 and 1992, especially by the École Française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO), the Archaeological Survey of India, the Polish conservation body PKZ, and the World Monuments Fund have had no significant impact on the overall authenticity of the monuments that make up the Angkor complex and do not obtrude upon the overall impression gained from individual monuments

History of Angkor Wat Temple

Historical Description

The initial design and construction of the temple took place in the first half of the 12th century, during the reign of Suryavarman II (ruled 1113 – c. 1150). Dedicated to Vishnu, it was built as the king's state temple and capital city. As neither the foundation stela nor any contemporary inscriptions referring to the temple have been found, its original name is unknown, but it may have been known as Vrah Vishnu-lok ( literally "Holy Vishnu'-Location'", Old Khmer' Cl. Sanskrit). after the presiding deity. Work seems to have ended shortly after the king's death, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished. In 1177, approximately 27 years after the death of Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer. Thereafter the empire was restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, who established a new capital and state temple (Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively) a few kilometres to the north.

In the late 13th century, Angkor Wat gradually moved from Hindu to Theravada Buddhist use, which continues to the present day. Angkor Wat is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected after the 16th century it was never completely abandoned, its preservation being due in part to the fact that its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle.

One of the first Western visitors to the temple was António da Madalena, a Portuguese monk who visited in 1586 and said that it "is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of." However, the temple was popularised in the West only in the mid-19th century on the publication of Henri Mouhot's travel notes. The French explorer wrote of it:

"One of these temples—a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo—might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged."

Mouhot, like other early Western visitors, found it difficult to believe that the Khmers could have built the temple, and mistakenly dated it to around the same era as Rome. The true history of Angkor Wat was pieced together only from stylistic and epigraphic evidence accumulated during the subsequent clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site.

There were no ordinary dwellings or houses or other signs of settlement including cooking utensils, weapons, or items of clothing usually found at ancient sites. Instead there is the evidence of the monuments themselves.

Angkor Wat required considerable restoration in the 20th century, mainly the removal of accumulated earth and vegetation.[7] Work was interrupted by the civil war and Khmer Rouge control of the country during the 1970s and 1980s, but relatively little damage was done during this period other than the theft and destruction of mostly post-Angkorian statues.

The temple is a powerful symbol of Cambodia, and is a source of great national pride that has factored into Cambodia's diplomatic relations with its neighbour Thailand, France and the United States. A depiction of Angkor Wat has been a part of Cambodian national flags since the introduction of the first version circa 1863.[9] From a larger historical and even transcultural perspective, however, the temple of Angkor Wat did not became a symbol of national pride sui generis but had been inscribed into a larger politico-cultural process of French-colonial heritage production in which the original temple site was presented in French colonial and universal exhibitions in Paris and Marseille between 1889 and 1937.

The splendid artistic legacy of Angkor Wat and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directly to France adopting Cambodia as a protectorate on 11 August 1863 and invading Siam to take control of the ruins. This quickly led to Cambodia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner of the country that had been under Siamese (Thai) control since 1351 AD (Manich Jumsai 2001), or by some accounts, 1431 AD.[11] Cambodia gained independence from France on 9 November 1953 and has controlled Angkor Wat since that time.

During the midst of the Vietnam War, Chief of State Norodom Sihanouk hosted Jacqueline Kennedy in Cambodia to fulfill her "lifelong dream of seeing Angkor Wat."

In January 2003 riots erupted in Phnom Penh when a false rumour circulated that a Thai soap opera actress had claimed that Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand.

Aerial view of Angkor Wat

Miniature model of the central structure of Angkor Wat. In the foreground the cruciform terrace which lies in front of the central structure.

Image Courtesy www.whc.unesco.org

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