Ranjit Vanka's Weblog

Only In India

ranjitvanka — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:35:44 +0000

Khairatabad Ganesh Festival of 2008

ranjitvanka — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:01:03 +0000

In 2008, the huge Khairatabad Ganesh appears seated on a throne. Khairatabad Vinayaka Chavithi Ganesh idol was last seen in seated posture in 1982. The Ganesha idol in 2008 is flanked on the right side by Aadi Shakti in the backdrop with Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in the foreground. To the left of the Ganesha is Lord with his consort Parvathi and Goddess Ganga.

Khairatabad Ganesh Idol 2008

Pondicherry – Auroville

ranjitvanka — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:01:30 +0000

Auroville(a universal city in the making in south-India, Pondicherry): The township of Sri Aurobindo devotees from across the globe.The Matrimandir will be the soul of Auroville. The sooner the soul is there, the better it will be for everybody and especially for the Aurovilians. The Matrimandir is there for “those who want to learn to concentrate..” “No fixed meditations, none of all that, but they should stay there in silence, in silence and concentration. A place for trying to find one’s consciousness.”
For the spiritual tourist you have usual must-see halts: the ancient banyan tree, Matrimandir, the Golden Globe looking so much like a large lotus with its gold-leaf petals lighting up the skyline, the unbelievably aesthetic meditation hall with its large crystal globe as it strategically catches the sun’s rays, the amphitheatre holding the urn with earth from 124 countries across the world to highlight Sri Aurobindo’s idea of ‘integral yoga’, and the Samadhi of the founders (Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, his spiritual companion) surrounded by well-manicured gardens.

Research and experimentation are a given part of the work we all must do in Auroville. Auroville has the ultimate mission to develop into an educational research centre, not only for India but also for the world. Research areas being carried out at Auroville Renewable energy(solar and wind), Appropriate building technology(Ferrocement and Flyash) and Waste water recycling.

Links: Visual Tour of Auroville

Srisailam : Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple

ranjitvanka — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:16:44 +0000

The deity presiding in Srisailam is the God Shiva called MALLIKARJUNA Mahalinga believed to be a Svayambhulinga or self-emanated Linga and regarded to be one of the 12 Jyotrilingas, known as Dwadasa Jyotrirlingas. Mallikarjuna of Srisailam is second of this kind. Bhrambikadevi (Bhrama means honeybee) is the consort of Lord is known, as one of the 18 Sakthi-peethas formerly known as Ashtadasa Mahasakthi Pithas, Goddesee Bhramramba is first of the Sakthi-peethas according to Bharathakanda.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation(APTDC) conducts daily, 2 days tour to Srisailam covers Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple , Patalaganga, Paldara, Panchdara, Shikaram, Sakshiganapathi, Dam.

Links to APTDC packages :
http://www.aptourism.in/packagetours_hyd.html

http://www.tourisminap.com/hyderabadtours.htm

Ganesh at Kiarathabad

ranjitvanka — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 11:30:31 +0000

Ganesh at Kiarathabad 2

Originally uploaded by vanka

The biggest Ganesh idol at Kiarathabad(2007) which is at heart of Hyderabad. I heard every year organizers increase height of the idol by 1 feet. They use special cranes for lifting while doing the immersion.

Reliance Wellness store at Hyderabad

ranjitvanka — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:33:22 +0000

Reliance Wellness store at Hyderabad

Originally uploaded by vanka

Reliance Wellness store at Hyderabad : Medicines, eye checkup, Yoga CDs, Organic food items and cosomotics all available under one roof, Hyderabad is one of the first outlets in the country.

Sripuram Lakshime Narayanie Tirukoil

ranjitvanka — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:31:02 +0000

Sripuram Lakshime Narayanie Tirukoil

Originally uploaded by nagarajan_velu

One of the biggest Hindu shrines in southern India, the Sri Puram Golden Temple a grand golden temple built by a spiritual organization in Tamil Nadu at an approximate cost of Rs 600 crore, the consecration (kumbhabhishekam) was performed on August 24, 2007, presence of over 30,000 devotees.

The Mahalakshmi temple, located on a sprawling 100 acres of land at Sripuram, near Vellore, about 125 km from Chennai, has been constructed by Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peetam, headed by spiritual leader Sri Sakthi Amma.