A Jyotirlinga is a devotional representation of the Hindu god Shiva. The word is a Sanskrit compound of jyotis ‘radiance’ and linga. The linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism.
We visited the Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand after a long gap of 20 years. It was a plaseant experience this time. We felt blessed after completing thr rituals and praying at the temples of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati.
It was in the month of January 2001. I was then posted at the bank's zonal office in Ranchi, the…
Mahakaleshwar temple at Ujjain is an important pilgrimage place for Hindus as it's said to be one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. It's also regarded as one of the top 10 Tantra temples of India, and has the only Bhasm-Aarti (ash ritual) of its kind in the world.
It can only be termed as a blessing, by Lords and mother nature, that Omkareshwar, the sacred island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada river, is shaped like ॐ (Om) - the holiest symbol of Hinduism. Not surprising then that this serene town is also one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines in India. Pilgrims in unimaginable numbers visit the shrine every year, seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva.
Somnath is one of the oldest pilgrim centers of India and is said to house one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Somnath temple is located on the western coast of Gujarat and is one of the oldest and most revered temples of India and finds its reference in the most ancient texts like Shreemad Bhagavat, Skandpuran, Shivpuran and Rig-Veda which signifies the importance of this temple as one of the most celebrated pilgrimage sites or Tirthdham.
Hari means “Lord Vishnu”. So, Haridwar stands for “The Gateway to Lord Vishnu”. In order to reach Badrinath, one of the Char Dhams, with a temple of Lord Vishnu, Haridwar is a typical place to start a pilgrim’s journey. Therefore, the name Haridwar. Hrishikesh (हृषीकेश) is a name of Lord Vishnu composed of hrishika meaning ‘senses’ and Isha meaning ‘lord’, thus ‘Lord of the Senses’. The name commemorates an apparition of Vishnu to Raibhya Rishi, as a result of his Tapasya (austerities), as Lord Hrishikesha.
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