Showing posts with label Temple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Temple. Show all posts

January 12, 2011

Khajuraho Temple of Love

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Khajuraho (Hindi: खजुराहो), a town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi, are one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculpture. The Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered to be one of the "seven wonders" of India.
The name Khajuraho, ancient "Kharjuravāhaka", is derived from the Sanskrit words kharjura = date palm and vāhaka = "one who carries".











source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khajuraho_Group_of_Monuments

December 29, 2010

Shwedagon Pagoda

The Shwedagon Pagoda, also known as the Golden Pagoda, is a 98-metre (approx. 321.5 feet) gilded stupa located in Yangon, Burma. The pagoda lies to the west of Kandawgyi Lake, on Singuttara Hill, thus dominating the skyline of the city. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four Buddhas enshrined within, namely the staff of Kakusandha, the water filter of Koṇāgamana, a piece of the robe of Kassapa and eight hairs of Gautama, the historical Buddha.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shwedagon_Pagoda)









December 13, 2010

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, a reclining form of Lord Vishnu. It is the first and foremost among the 108 Divya Desams, the holy abodes of Lord Vishnu. It is also considered to be one among the eight Svayam Vyakta Ksetras ("self-manifested shrines") of Lord Vishnu.
The temple is also well known for its architectural grandeur. The annual 21 day chariot festival conducted during the month of Margazhi (Dec-Jan) attracts lot of visitors. Everyday during the festival, the sacred Vaishnavite text, Tiruvaimozhi is recited before Lord Ranganatha.
Among the marvels of the temple is a Hall of 1000 Pillars (actually 953) which has intricately carved stone pillars
Date built: Unknown (it is existing in some form for more than last 10000 years. Lord Sri Rangantha was the family deity of Lord Rama and his ancestors)
























source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Ranganathaswamy_Temple,_Srirangam

December 12, 2010

Chion-in Temple

Chion-in (知恩院 Chion-in?) in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan is the headquarters of the Jodo Shu (Pure Land Sect) founded by Hōnen (1133–1212), who proclaimed that sentient beings are reborn in Amida Buddha's Western Paradise (Pure Land) by reciting the nembutsu, Amida Buddha's name.
The vast compounds of Chion-in include the site where Hōnen settled to disseminate his teachings and the site where he died.
The original temple was built in 1234 by Hōnen's disciple, Genchi (1183–1238) in memory of his master and was named Chion-in. While the temple was affiliated more closely in the early years with the Seizan branch of Jodo Shu, its 8th head priest, Nyoichi (1262–1321) was deeply influenced by the priest Ryōkū, a disciple of Ryōchū who was the 3rd head of the Chinzei branch of Jodo Shu Buddhism, and disciple of Bencho. Later Nyoichi's successor Shunjō (1255–1355) advanced this further by citing a biography where Genchi's disciple Renjaku-bo and Ryōchū agree that there existed no doctrinal differences between them:
Then Renjaku-bo said, "There is complete agreement between what Genchi and Bencho say in their basic teaching. So my disciples should from now on look at the Chinzei teaching as their own. There is no need to set up another school."
By 1450, Chion-in had become fully under control of the Chinzei branch, but had little direct control, due to the outbreak of the Onin War. Numerous buildings in the complex were burnt down in 1633, but were entirely rebuilt by the third Tokugawa Shogun Iemitsu (1604–51) with the palatial structures that stand today.




















source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chion-in
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