Chakrapani Temple,Kumbakonam

Location:Chakrapani Temple,Kumbakonam

Nearest Station:Kumbakonam

Website:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakrapani_Temple,_Kumbakonam

Speciality:Lord Vishnu appears in the form of a discus or Chakra to put down the pride of Surya(the Sun), who subsequently became his devotee.The temple is noted for its exquisite pillars. The presiding deity, Chakrapani has 8 arms. There is a bronze image of king Serfoji II worshipping the lord as he is said to have been cured an illness by the grace of this God. A panchamukha(five-faced) Hanuman is erected in the prakaram (outer precincts of the temple)

Mantra:  

Shuklaambaradharam Vissnnum Shashivarnnam Caturbhujam |
Prasannavadanam Dhyaayet Sarvavighnopashaantaye ||   

Recommendation:Worship of Sudharshan Chakra helps recover lost things and Karthaveerarjuna is a reincarnation of Sudarshan Chakra.

Thiruvalanchuzhi Sri Swetha Vinayakar

Location:Thiruvalanchuzhi, ,Kumbakonam

Nearest Station:Kumbakonam

Website:http://www.dharsanam.com/2007/11/thiruvalanchuzhi-sri-swetha-vinayakar.html

Speciality:Swetha Vinayakar, a white colored statue of Ganesha is the diety of worship here. Though this is a temple for Lord Shiva, Swetha Vinayakar is the important diety of Thiruvalanchuzhi.
Legend has it that the Devas, forgot to worship Lord Ganesha before starting to churn the "Paarkadal" (Ksheera Saagaram). Hence, they were only able to get the Alakala Poison out of it.
Later Indra, the king of Devas realised that, it was because they did not worship Ganesha before starting their mission.
Lord Indra created this idol out of the foam (Kadal Nurai) that was generated from the milky ocean (Ksheera Saagaram) churned by them, in their quest for the celestial nectar Amrudham.
After they worshipped this idol made of foam (Nurai in Tamil), they were able to take out the Amrudham from the Ocean.
As the diety is made of the foam, there is no Abhishegam performed here.

Mantra:  

Vakra-Tunndda Maha-Kaaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryessu Sarvadaa
  
Recommendation:To overcome karmic obstacles a visit to this temple is highly recommended.

Sri Oppiliappan Temple

Location:Thirunageswaram ,Kumbakonam

Nearest Station:Kumbakonam

Website:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oppliyappan_Sannadhi

Speciality:This temple is being calles as South Tirupathi, the presiding deity here is Lord Venkateswara. Devotees who are unable to make a trip to Tirupathi to fulfil their vows, may as well visit this temple. The Prasadams offered to the devotees at this temple, are free of any salt but still taste good.

Mantra:  

kamala-kuca-cucuka-kunkumato
niyatarunitatula-nilatano!
kamalayata-locana!lokapate!
vijayi bhava!venkata sailapate..
 

Recommendation:One of the 108 Divya desams and is a must visit.

Kolhapur Mahalakshmi Temple

Location::Kolhapur.Maharashtra

Nearest Station:Kolhapur

Website:http://www.mahalaxmikolhapur.com/

Speciality:Kolhapur famous as a divine destination – residence of Shri Mahalaxmi (Ambabai). One among the ‘Shaktipeethas’, Kolhapur attracts the pilgrims of the world. They visit Kolhapur to pray goddess Ambabai (Mahalaxmi) for a peaceful & healthy life. It is considered that the darshan of Shri. Balaji of Tirumala is incomplete without visiting goddess Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur.
Mantra: Siddhi Buddhipraday Devi Bhuktimuktipradayeenee Mantramurtay Sada Devi Mahalakshmi Namostutay

Recommendation:For all Finance and comforts related issues a visit to this temple is highly recommended.It is considered that the darshan of Shri. Balaji of Tirumala is incomplete without visiting goddess Mahalaxmi of Kolhapur. 

 

 

 

Shree Mahabaleshwar temple,Gokarna

Location:Gokara,Uttara Karnataka

Nearest City:Goa.155 kms

Website:http://www.srigokarna.org

Speciality:The only Shaivaite pilgrimage centre in India with Atmalinga. The Mahabaleshwara Temple in the town is one of the holiest in South India and is frequented by pilgrims. Legend says that the Atmalinga acquired by Ravana from Lord Shiva was transported here. The 1,500-year-old Mahabaleshwara temple, the most visited location in town, enshrines a finely carved stone image of Lord Shiva in standing position.

Mantra:  

aum tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam

urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Recommendation:The only Shaivaite pilgrimage centre in India with Atmalinga is a must visit.This is considered as one of the seven Mukti Kshetras of India.

Ramaswamy Temple

Location:Kumbakonam

Nearest Station:Kumbakonam

Website:http://www.kumbakonam.com/travel/ramaswamy.htm

Speciality:The Ramaswamy temple is located at the heart of the Kumbakonam and has a unique idol in the form of Lord Rama and his consort Sita in the Pattabhishekam Posture. The idol was surrounded by Lord Hanuman, Rama’s brothers Lakshmana, Shatrugna and Bharatha.

King Raghunayak, who ruled Tanjore during 1614-1640 AD constructed this temple. It is believed that the Rama-Sita idol was found in a holy tank in Darasuram near Kumbakonam. The coronation scene in this temple is the prime attraction of the pilgrims to this temple.

There are separate sanctums devoted to Srinivasa with Sreedevi and Bhoodevi . The temple has an amazing gopuram and a sprawling Mantapam.

Mantra:  

Sri Raam Raameti Raameti
Ramey Raamey Manoramey -
Sahasra naam tattulyam
Raam naam varanane!

Recommendation:One of few temples dedicated to Lord Rama,a must visit if you happen to go to the temple town,Kumbakonam.

Swamimalai Murugan Temple (Subramanya Temple)

Location:Swamimalai ,Near Kumbakonam

Nearest Station:Kumbakonam

Website:http://murugan.org/temples/swamimalai.htm

Speciality:Once when Brahma, the lord of all creations was proceeding to Kailasa, the ever-playful child Lord Muruga asked him for the meaning of the Pranava OM. When Brahma admitted his ignorance, the Lord imprisoned him. With Brahma imprisoned, all creations came to a standstill and the devas prayed to Lord Siva to get Brahma released. When Muruga insisted that the imprisonment was a just punishment for the ignorance of Brahma, Lord Siva asked him whether he himself knew the meaning of the primordial Pranava OM. Lord Muruga said that he knew the meaning of OM and can expound it to the latter only if he can accept him as guru and listen to the exposition as a devoted disciple. As Lord Siva acceded to the request of Lord Muruga and heard the exposition of OM as a disciple, the place came to be known as Swamimalai and the presiding deity as Swaminathan.  

Mantra:  

OM TAT PURUSHAYA VIDMAHE, MAHASENAYA DHEEMAHE TANAU SHANMUGA PRACHODAYAT

Recommendation:One of the six sacred shrines of Lord Muruga

Thiruvalam Sri Vilvanatheswarar Temple

Location::Thiruvalam in Vellore district,Tamil nadu

Nearest Station:Katpadi

Website:http://blaufraustein.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/sri-vilvanatheswarar-temple-thiruvalam/

Speciality:

• One of the 275 sacred temples glorified by the Thevara hymns
• Nandhi here is huge and is facing away from the shrine towards Kanjangiri nearby and is said to be guarding the temple from a demon Kanjan of Kanjan giri.
• Ambal shrine is said to be of great significance here.
• Vinayakar is said to have obtained the celestial mango from Shiva here after the circum ambulation of Shiva and Parvathi devi. That’s why the place is called Thiruvalam.
• Here, Lord Siva destroyed the yagna by Dakshan.
• Tamil poet Avvaiyar is said to be associated with this shrine.

Mantra:

aum tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam

urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Recommendation:Considered holier than Kasi and is  referred as a Mukthistalam

Samayapuram

Location:Samayapuram

Nearest Station:Trichy

Website:http://samayapuram.org

Speciality:Samayapurathal or Mariamman is made of sand and clay like many of the traditional Mariamman deities, and hence unlike many other Hindu deities there are no abhishekams (sacred washing) conducted to the main deity, but instead the "abishekam" is done to the small stone statue in front of it.It is believed by the devotees that the Goddess has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas, made with silver or steel, of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box.

Devotees also offer mavilakku, a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee. Offerings of raw salt is also made to the Goddess by the rural devotees.
The temple attracts thousands of devotees on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, the holy days for Mariamman. Samayapuram is the second most wealthy (in terms of cash flows) temple in Tamil Nadu after Palani.

Mantra:
              OM SHAKTHI PARASHAKTHI

Recommendation:It is believed by the devotees that the Goddess has enormous powers over curing illnesses

Thiruvanaikkaval Shiva Temple

Location::Thiruvanaikkaval,6 kms from Trichy

Nearest Station:Trichy

Website:http://thiruvanaikavaltemple.org/

Speciality:The name of god Shiva is called jambukeshwara and the goddess here is called as akilandeswari .An important temple among the jyothir linga stalams(temples) of India. As shiva is called as the lord of nature, the god here is in the form of water called appulingam(water state).the linga form of shiva here is partly submerged in water. Underneath the lingam (statue) a holy spring is seen from which water keeps coming always. a notable place for sculptural beauty.
Mantra:

aum tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam

urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Recommendation:A must visit temple for everyone.