pillar – GOPS

Jun 18

KOTACHADRI : ADVENTURE MEETS WITH DEVOTION

Kodachadri peaks in the Western Ghats, located in the Shimoga district of Karnataka is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in India. A trip to Kodachadri could be an unforgettable experience for nature-enthusiasts, trekkers, photographers and adventurous drivers. Kodachadri is situated 1343 meters above sea level and around 30 Kms away from the temple town Kollur. Surrounded by lush green hills, it is home to a wide variety of wildlife and tropical vegetation. The valley has been declared as a natural heritage site by the state government . The name Kodachadri (Kodachadri in Kannada, Kutajadri in Sanskrit and Malayalam കുടജാദ്രി) is derived from Sanskrit words ‘Kutaja’ and ‘Adri’ . Kutaja is a kind of Mountain Jasmine flower (കുടകപ്പാല, Kutakappaala or Giri-Mallika) and Adri means hill. Kutaja plant has Ayurvedic medicinal properties too. The panoramic view from the top of Kodachadri peak is mesmerizing . The mountain top is accessible by an adventurous trekking trail of around 9 to 12 km through dense forest. This trek is meant for physically fit people and requires special permission from the forest department. It could also be reached by an off-road jeep route of around 30 Km from Kollur town. The last […]

Feb 05

by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage, travel 2 comments tags: ashok, ashoka, benaras, bodhi, buddha, buddhist, chakra, Dhamek, Dhamekh, Dhamekha, Dharm Chakra, emperor, gaya, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops photography, gops.org, holy, Isipatana, maurya, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar Temple, peepal, photography, pilgrimage, pillar, Rishipattana, sarnath, site, stambha, stupa, tree, varanasi

SARNATH, THE BIRTH PLACE OF BUDDHISM

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” :-Gautam Buddha The National Symbol of India was adopted from an Ashoka Pillar originally found here in Sarnath. The Lion Capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four lions sitting back to back, along with the ‘Dharm Chakra’ (Wheel of Dharma/ Ashoka Chakra, having 24 spokes) placed on top and installed on top of a pillar (Stupa, Stambh). Ashoka installed the famous Ashoka Pillar here which was broken down by Turk and Islamic intruders. Remains of the pillar could be still found in its original location with the inscriptions in Brahmi script. The Lion Capital and Ashoka Chakra have been kept safe in the adjoining museum of Archeology. The four lions represent power, courage, confidence and pride. It also depicts Ashoka’s rule spread out in four directions. Besides the lions, the pillar also has a horse, a bull, an elephant and a lion, signifying the different states of Buddha’s life. The monolithic polished Chunar sandstone pillar is 15.25 m high (0.71 m diameter at the base and 0.56 at the top). Sarnath is located 10 Km from Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh in India […]

Jan 24

by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage 4 comments tags: bahubali, bangalore, Bhadrabahu, Brahmadeva, cave, chandragiri, chandragupta, Chikkabetta, Doddabetta, gomateshwara, gomateswara, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops.org, hill, india, Indragiri, jain, jainism, maurya, monolithic, mysore, photography, pillar, route, SHRAVANABELAGOLA, south, statue, stone, tour, Tyagada, vindyagiri

A TRIP TO SHRAVANABELAGOLA

“THERE IS NO ENEMY OUT OF YOUR SOUL. THE REAL ENEMIES LIVE INSIDE YOURSELF; THEY ARE ANGER, EGO, PRIDE, CURVEDNESS, GREED, ATTACHMENTS AND HATRED” :- Lord Mahavir According to Jainism, Bahubali is considered the ideal of the man who conquers selfishness, jealousy, pride and anger. The 57 foot monolithic statue of Gomateshvara (Bahubali) at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations for the followers of Jain Religion. Shravanabelagola literally means “White pond of the ascetic”, which lies between two hills. The bigger hill is Indragiri/Vindyagiri (Doddabetta) and the smaller one is Chandragiri ( Chikkabetta). One could witness 2000+ years of Jain history in this place. Emperor Chandra Gupta Maurya (340 – 298 BC) spent his final years as a Jain monk at Chandragiri. He had conquered several parts of Indian peninsula inclusive of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Balochistan and the Maurya kingdom flourished well under the guidance of great philosopher Chanakya and as well through their alliance with Macedonian king Alexander and his successors. In his later years, Chandragupta decided to embrace Jainism with the help of his spiritual guru Bhadrabahu and relocated to Shravanbelgola in 298 BC after renouncing the throne to his son Bindusara. Chandragupta Maurya led the […]

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KOTACHADRI : ADVENTURE MEETS WITH DEVOTION

SARNATH, THE BIRTH PLACE OF BUDDHISM

A TRIP TO SHRAVANABELAGOLA

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