Mom and I have been wanting to do a trip to Tirupathi for a longish while now. It was spoken off sometime last year and then the plan just faded off.
Strangely enough, this time round we both got the thought separately on the same day ( unseen connection ?).
Gaali Gopuram wedged between the Seshachalam Hills
We did the trip through the Telangana Tourism Department. They have a two day package, with everything taken care off; flight bookings, pick up at the Tirupathi airport, kalahasthi and panipakam temple visits on day 1, accommodation, food, (tirupathi has great food) the main tirumala darshanam, laddus, temple shopping (which we both totally love and so added in), alimelu mangamma temple visit, and drop off at the airport next evening.
It starts with a visit to SriKalahasthi, one of my favourite temples.
Srikalahasti, known as the Kasi of the south, is a 5th century temple, built by the Pallava Dynasty, and continued by the Cholas in the 10th Century. The 100 pillared mandapam for which it is well known is a contribution of Krishnadevaraya. (after Hampi, I just love anything Krishnadevaraya associated ..it seems to have a whole different architectural feel to it)
It is significant for being one of the five Pancha bhootha sthalams in the country (the five elements). Srikalahasti is the Vayu linga (Air). The other four are at Tiruvannamalai (Fire), Chidambaram (Space), Tiruvanniakaval (Water), and Kanchipuram (Earth).
An interesting legend or belief is that the deepam in the sanctum sanctorium of this temple continuously flickers though there is no entry for air. The Vayu Linga connection.
Another fascinating piece of information from Harinath, our guide for the trip, was that this was the only temple that stays open during the eclipses.
I got back and researched: reason is this temple houses Rahu and Kethu, who are believed to cause the eclipse, and since they are worshipped here, no evil can befall the temple during eclipses. This sounds fairly simplistic to me, and I believe there might be further astronomical or astrological significance.
Considering it's one of my favourite temples, guess it only follows that Kalahasthi get a whole post devoted to it, even if titled Visit to Tirupathi :)
Courtesy Google , and this perspective either aerial, or from atop the hill next to temple
the hundred pillared mandapam
Srikalahasti, known as the Kasi of the south, is a 5th century temple, built by the Pallava Dynasty, and continued by the Cholas in the 10th Century. The 100 pillared mandapam for which it is well known is a contribution of Krishnadevaraya. (after Hampi, I just love anything Krishnadevaraya associated ..it seems to have a whole different architectural feel to it)
It is significant for being one of the five Pancha bhootha sthalams in the country (the five elements). Srikalahasti is the Vayu linga (Air). The other four are at Tiruvannamalai (Fire), Chidambaram (Space), Tiruvanniakaval (Water), and Kanchipuram (Earth).
An interesting legend or belief is that the deepam in the sanctum sanctorium of this temple continuously flickers though there is no entry for air. The Vayu Linga connection.
Another fascinating piece of information from Harinath, our guide for the trip, was that this was the only temple that stays open during the eclipses.
I got back and researched: reason is this temple houses Rahu and Kethu, who are believed to cause the eclipse, and since they are worshipped here, no evil can befall the temple during eclipses. This sounds fairly simplistic to me, and I believe there might be further astronomical or astrological significance.
Considering it's one of my favourite temples, guess it only follows that Kalahasthi get a whole post devoted to it, even if titled Visit to Tirupathi :)
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