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Showing posts from September, 2016

Agam Kuan , Ashoka’s Hell

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Agam Kuan , Ashoka’s Hell    Agam Kuan  which means ”unfanthomable well” is an ancient well and an archaeological site situated in Patna,Bihar,India. The Agam Kuan is set within an archaeological site identified by the Archaeological Survey of India which also contains the adjacent Shitala Devi temple where the folk deity Shitala Devi is venerated. It is said to date back to the period of Mauryan emperor, Ashoka (304–232 BCE). The well was known to be part of “Ashoka’s Hell “. It’s a legend that Ashoka threw 99 of his brothers in this well after killing them for the throne of Magadh. The well is believed to be 105 feet deep, Circular in shape, the well is lined with brick in the upper 13 metres (43 ft) and contains wooden rings in the remaining 19 metres (62 ft). The surface structure, which now covers the well and forms its most distinctive feature, has eight arched windows. A hand written plate stuck in the wall of the well reads "The well of Emperor Asoka" in Hindi

Shitala Mata Temple, Agamkuan Mandir,Patna

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Shitala Mata Temple, Agamkuan Mandir,Patna Shitla Mata Temple is situated in Archaeological site of  Agam Kuan in Patna near Gulzarbagh adjacent to “Ashoka’s Well”. This temple is also known as Agamkuan Mandir .The temple houses the idol of Shitla Devi ,an incarnation of Goddess Durga, and pindas of the “saptamatrikas” representing the seven mother goddess, it is also known as shaktipeeth of Durga. “Shitala” literally means cool, so people worship Shitala Mata for mental peace and prosperity. It’s a belief that Shitla Devi has the power to cure smallpox and chicken pox and wish fulfilment. The temple is very old though exact date cannot be ascertained. Many marriages are held here during the auspicious months. It is one of the most visited temples in Patna.The water from the well is used to perform all the rituals at this temple. The well , called Agam Kuan, was  built by King Ashoka in 240 BC and as per the local belief, it has 9 smaller wells inside it and a hidden treasure

Patliputra Karuna Stupa, Buddha Smriti Park , Patna

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Patliputra Karuna Stupa, Buddha Smriti Park , Patna The Buddha Smriti park is situated in the heart of Patna, Bihar . The central attraction of Buddha Smriti park is the Stupa, known as Patliputra Karuna Stupa  which is 200 feet high and is  situated in the middle of the park. The Stupa contains the relics of Buddha, one amongst the eight original relic excavated from Vaishali, secured in a glass enclosure, where a tiny golden statue of the sitting Buddha is kept along with the pot containing the relic . The relics brought from different countries are put in separate caskets inside the glass case. The holy relics was brought by His Holiness Dalai Lama and the monks from Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka. The dome rises high in the sky and provide a magnificent view of the park. Circular paths around the stupa for parikrama have been provided at three different levels that lead to the highest level of the building. The central hall  has wooden flooring in

Baidyanath Dham Temple, Deoghar

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Baidyanath Dham Temple, Deoghar Baidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, also known as Baba Baidyanath Dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva located in Deoghar in the the state of Jharkhand, India. It is a temple complex consisting of the main temple of Baba Baidyanath, where the Jyotirlinga is installed, and 21 other temples. The sanctity of Baidyanath is mentioned in several Puranas which refer to it and as they are unquestionably the golden treasure of Hindu religion and culture, Baidyanath Jyotirlingam has attained great importance. Thus the abode of Baidyanath Jyotirlingam is a very ancient sacred place of India importance and international fame. Baidyanath Jyotirlinagam is as old as the Ramayana and it is associated with the story of Ravana, in religious literatures. As its very name implies, Baidyanathdham Deoghar, is the holy place where Shri Vishnu is said to have installed Shiva in this form. Hence, the presiding deity here is revered as Ba

Chhinnamastika Temple, Rajrappa , Jharkhand

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Chhinnamastika Temple :   Chhinnamasta Temple dedicated to Goddess Chinnamasta is a hindu pilgrimage centre and located in Rajrappa, in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand. It is situated on a hillock at the confluence of the Damodar and Bhera (Bhairavi) Rivers near the Rajrappa falls. The main attraction of the Chhinnamasta (also known as Chinnamastika) temple is the headless deity of Goddess Chinnamasta which stands on the body of Kamdeo and Rati in the lotus bed. Chhinnamasta  ( "She whose head is severed"), often spelled Chinnamasta and also called Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika, is one of the Mahavidyas, ten Tantric goddesses and a ferocious aspect of Devi, the Hindu Divine Mother. Chhinnamasta can be easily identified by her fearsome iconography. The self-decapitated goddess holds her own severed head in one hand, a scimitar in another. Three jets of blood spurt out of her bleeding neck and are drunk by her severed head and two attendants. The place attracts dev

Gautam Sthan , Revelganj,Chappra :

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Gautam Sthan , Revelganj,Chappra : The Ashram of Gautam Rishi is situated 10-12 km west of Chapra on NH19 in Godnah/Revelganj  situated on the northern bank of River Ghagra also called as Saru River. Earlier Godnah used to be very important religious and commercial place as it was the place were Ganga and Ghagrah river used to merge. It was main waterway between Bengal and Awadh . Trade exchange use to take at this place. Sage Gautam’s land earliear used to be the spiritual land of Sage Shringhi . As per mythology , Sage Gautam along with his wife Ahylia and daughter Anjani setteled here and made this place as their land for spiritual practice . Anjani is the mother of lord Hanuman , hence this place is also refered as maternal hone of lord Hanuman. A shrine has been built on the land where gautam’s hut is believed to have stood at that point of time. As per religious belief the purification of Ahalya was meted out here.   Sage Gautam was one of the famous seven rishis