Temples In India-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

VIVEKANANDA KENDRA PATRIKAsuch as Mahakala temple at Ujjain,Kammachapra temple in Vaisali (Bihar),Matangesvara, Kandariya and Nandi atKhajuraho and Omkareshvara in MadhyaPradesh and Vaidyanath in Eastern India.On Sivaratri day, a large number of peoplego to the famous rock-temple of Sivacommonly known as Maheshamurti anElephanta caves near Bombay to pay theirobeisance to the Lord. Likewise, thisfestival is observed with the highestTEMPLE INDIAgoddess Durga or Chamunda is morepopular and there are Durga temples inVaranasi and West Bengal where a largenumber of people assemble, observe fastand recite bhajans from Durga Saptashakti.She is considered the most powerful andis adorned as the goddess of war.Somadeva prescribes the worship of thegoddess in the form of Aparajita. Accordingto Skanda Purana (Avanti-Khanda, XIX 3,XXI 15) if she is duly worshiped withreverance and devotion in the temples ofother States in India.MAHANAVAMIMahanavami is celebrated with greatenthusiasm on the 8th or 9th lunar day ofthe Asvina and is the culmination of theNavaratra rites beginning from thePratipada of the month. During the ninedays, goddesses Durga, Lakshmi andSaraswati are worshipped. The worship ofofferings of buffaloes on the Mahanavamiday, she fulfils all the desires of herdevotees:Ta idam prapatennityam DurganamaSatashtakam,Nasadhyam Vidyate Deoi Trishu LokeshuParvati. (Durgasaptatyam 1-16).On the concluding day, the image of Durgais merged in the river (Visarjan) and theceremony is performed while chantinghymns and mantras.194