VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Panchavati / Ramar Kudil, Parnasala, Hanuman Temple, Lakshmana Rekha AKSHMA REKHA, BLACK RAMAR TEMPLE, KAPALEESWARAR TEMPLE, RAM KUND, ), NASHIK. JYOTIRLINGA DARSHAN YATRA – 2016, - Part

Tuesday, 23 February 2016

Panchavati / Ramar Kudil, Parnasala, Hanuman Temple, Lakshmana Rekha AKSHMA REKHA, BLACK RAMAR TEMPLE, KAPALEESWARAR TEMPLE, RAM KUND, ), NASHIK. JYOTIRLINGA DARSHAN YATRA – 2016, - Part – VIII.

23^rd February, 2016.

DAY -5, 06-02-2016.

We started our yatra from Shirdi to Panchavati. Nashik and Panchavati temples are very much related to the Epic Ramayan. Especially the episode of Lakshman cutting the nose of Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana. Hence, this place is called Nashik (In Sanskrit, Nasi means – nose). Hired an auto (4 persons in an auto ), and the autowala took us to the sites related to the Epic Ramayana. The sites covered are…

SRI LAKSHMI NARAYAN TEMPLE, and the temple has a Kosala and seems to be of recent century construction.

DHABOVAN. We had seen the sculptures of Lakshman cutting the nose of Surpanakha in stone as well as in sudhai.

We had seen the sculptures of Lakshman cutting the nose of Surpanakha in stone as well as in stucco.

RAMAR KUDIL. This site is believed that Ramar & Seetha stayed here. This is a house-like construction with Mangalore tiles. Parnasala- where Ravana came as a beggar asking for picksha and took captivity of Seetha.

PARNASALA:- where Ravana came as a beggar asking for picksha and took captivity of Seetha.

HANUMAN TEMPLE– The moolavar Anjaneyar is more than 8 feet and swayambhu. It was said that the Murti is 5000 years old.

LAKSHMAN REKHA

PANCHAVATI – 5 banyan trees with a cave shrine for Sita. It was believed that Sita stayed in this cave for days during their exile /vanavasam.

PANCHAVATI BLACK RAMAR TEMPLE. The temple was constructed in a grand manner with excellent architecture and looks beautiful. It was believed that Ramar’s color was changed to black due to a curse. The moolavar Ramar, Sita, and Lakshman are in black sand and Swayambhu. The temple has a sanctum, ardha mandapam, and a mandapam. The temple has a sannadhi for Ganesh and Shiva. Ramar lived here for about 2.5 years during his exile of 14 years. The King Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj visited this temple daily during his reign from 1620 to 1632. The first wooden temple was reconstructed during the 15^th century. Later, the Temple was reconstructed by the late Sri Sardar Ranga Rao Odhekar, under the consultation of the Late Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa, in 1792 at Rs 23 Lakhs. The temple is kept open for darshan between 05.00 Hrs to 22.00 Hrs.

KAPALESHWAR TEMPLE – The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva without Nandi, and it was believed that Nandi is the Guru for Shiva; hence Nandi is not sitting in front.

RAM KUND - This is one of the Kumbh mela sthalam in India. It is a Triveni Sangam place as the River Godavari + River Aruna + River Varuna join in this place. Sri Ramar had taken a bath in the Triveni Sangam. It is believed that past sins will get washed away if we take a holy dip in this Triveni Sangam.