Dive Deep Into South Indian History With These Destination Close To Kumarakom
1. Thazhathangady Juma Masjid
Thazhathangady Juma Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in Kerala testifying the existence of a thriving Islamic culture here. For over 1000 years, this architectural marvel comprises wooden carving designs displayed artistically as well as intricate handiwork. Its quietness and historical importance makes any devoted students of history or spiritual seekers feel an urge to visit.
2. Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple
Built for Lord Shiva, Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple is famous all over for its beautiful architecture and religious emotions associated with it. Constructed around the 16th century, this temple features artistic murals adorning the walls as well as Dravidian style structure. It is at this site where visitors shall witness 'Ezharaponnana' festival marked by covering up temple idols using seven and half elephants made up from gold while at this point they understand how Kumarakom culture has become rich.
3. St.Mary's Church Cheriapally
History comes alive when you set foot in St.Mary's church due to its ancient age that dates back to Portuguese era in 16th Century; hence it has got Gothic style built form along with ornamental interiors too. Thus this church can sensitively remember what went wrong in its own colonial past thus affecting the region's entire culture.
4. Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple
Located at the riverbank of Pamba, this temple is shrouded in mythical history and architectural grandeur. A place of worship dedicated to Lord Krishna, this temple hosts an annual snake boat race that dates back many centuries. With its myriad wooden carvings and colorful festivals, Kumarakom's deep religious faith is exemplified here.
5. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Primarily known for being a birders' paradise, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary also carries within it a rich historical background. Originally a British rubber plantation, the area was later transformed into a sanctuary for migratory birds; thus presenting an interesting tale of conservation and preservation from ecological point of view. It has got well-manicured gardens of immense beauty and calm lakes that have kept remnants for ages.
Wrapping Up
Kumarakom invites tourists with an ageless appeal and a wealth of history. The cultural patchwork that embellishes this beautiful location will surely captivate anyone who visits either the old shrines, walks along the colonial era churches or gazes at the sculptures made of driftwood. By unearthing Kumarakom's historical sites both recent as well as past one gets to unravel the secrets of antiquity thereby establishing a firmer link with its colourful heritage.

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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
KV Dham ready to welcomedevotees on 3rd Shrawan Monday
Varanasi: Preparations for third Monday of Shrawan were finalised in Kashi amid pleasant weather conditions as saffron-clad started converging in large numbers on Sunday. Officials were busy enforcing traffic and crowd regulation arrangements, while Vishwanath Gali traders association began preparations to facilitate 'jalabhishek' ritual. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In view of directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who will be in the city on Monday, officials were enhancing facilities for pilgrims and Kanwariyas to ensure easy and safe visits during overcast conditions and in case of heavy rains on the third Monday. Special attention was paid to proper sanitation, the availability of drinking water, and necessary resources on the routes leading to Kashi Vishwanath Dham. Officials also kept a sharp vigil on Kanwariya camps. K ashi Vishwanath Temple authorities are ensuring opportunity for pilgrims to get a glimpse of Lord Vishwanath adorned in different forms every Monday of Shrawan. The temple's chief executive officer, Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, said that on third Monday of Shrawan, the deity will be adorned in special form of 'Ardhanarishvara' during the evening Shringar Aarti. Meanwhile, police commissioner Mohit Agrawal and other senior officials were busy monitoring arrangements finalised for managing the crowd, especially on Mondays of the auspicious month. A no-vehicle zone was created between Maidagin and Godowlia as queues of devotees, especially Kanwariyas, began to form from Sunday evening to offer Jalabhishek on the third Monday at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Traffic restrictions and diversions were already implemented on main routes of Vishwanath Dham from Saturday night. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials mentioned that to avoid problems, especially for elderly and disabled visitors in reaching the temple from Godowlia and Maidagin points, temple administration will operate e-rickshaws up to Gate-4 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham. All other arrangements, including a lost and found centre with multilingual staff, medical and ambulance services in case of emergencies, sheds and German hangers, have been in place since the beginning of Shrawan to protect from weather conditions, including rain, sun, and heat. For the convenience of devotees, live broadcasts of the sanctum sanctorum's worship are being shown on LED TVs at several locations. Agrawal said women police officers had been deployed on all Kanwar routes. Additionally, large number of women police constables have been stationed. Extra women police forces are deployed at all police stations, permanent and temporary police posts. Furthermore, women police are stationed at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and ghats. Police personnel have been trained in soft skills to ensure they interact with all devotees with respect and courtesy, and assist them in all necessary ways. Women police personnel have been trained on various aspects for safety, respect, empowerment and self-reliance of women and children. For crowd surveillance, eight drones and over 2,000 CCTV cameras are being utilised.
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First Post
14 hours ago
- First Post
Beyond the war: Cambodia's hidden Hindu heritage
Turf wars about monuments are not uncommon. But these usually happen when a monument collapses out of lack of upkeep and various departments and entities accuse each other of neglecting the monument. However, a corner of South-East Asia is witnessing the perhaps unprecedented scenario of two sovereign nations coming close to all-out war over control of some monuments and its surroundings. While the Preah Vihear Temple has long been contested between Cambodia and Thailand, the recent conflict has been centred around control and ownership of the Ta Muen Thom Temple. The temple complexes, which lie on the border between the two countries, are the victims of disputes arising from a colonial era border demarcation and a reluctance to accept this border in modern times. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The temples at Preah Ko, part of the Roluos group Tension simmering for years has exploded now with shots fired and worse. Rocket-propelled grenades and even air forces have come into play. Amidst all this, if you are planning to visit Cambodia, there is plenty beyond the Angkor that can be explored. And none of it is controversial, never mind conflicts. Roluos (20 kms south-east of Angkor Wat): The place was once called Hariharalaya. At the end of the 8th century CE, Jayavarman II established the first Khmer capital here. His successors expanded the city and built the lofty shrine called Bakong as well as the smaller Preah Ko, which means 'sacred bull' – a reference to Nandi. Towards the end of the 9th century came Lolei, a temple whose name is said to be a mutation of Hariharalaya itself. It was built on an artificial island in the Indratataka Baray, a water body. The Temple Mountain of Bakong at Roulos. Source: Wikipedia Coming centuries before the globally celebrated Angkor Wat, these examples of early Khmer architecture are a joy to visit. And not just because they are away from the crowds that fill the Angkor and its immediate vicinity. Built mostly with bricks, the Lolei temples are the oldest examples of classical Khmer design. The Preah Ko comprises six shrines standing on a sandstone platform, in two uniform rows. The front row shrines are dedicated to Khmer rulers Prithivindreshvara, Jayavarman II and Rudreshvara, while the back row is in the memory of their respective wives. The carvings on the shrines are intricate and need careful examination. The sandstone shrine of Bakong was the first of the pyramid shaped temples of the Khmers. In some ways, it resembles Borobudur, the giant Buddhist shrine on the island of Java. As per an inscription found here, it was consecrated in 881 CE by the ruler Indravarman I as his state temple. This was a Shiva shrine named Indresvara, the name combining the ruler's identity with that of the God. With a moat as its boundary, the shrine is a vast complex with more than twenty satellite temples in its precincts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Banteay Srei (37 kms north of Angkor Wat): Its name literally meaning 'citadel of women' and figuratively referring to 'citadel of beauty', the Banteay Srei temple lives up to its name being an elegant and somewhat fragile looking temple complex with a water body in front. This is the only temple complex in Cambodia which did not have a ruler as its patron builder, but two courtiers of King Rajendravarman II. A temple inside the Banteay Srei complex Originally built in the latter half of the 10th century CE, the temples saw further expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries CE, with the last inscription found here dating to 1303 CE i.e. the early 14th century. Made of red sandstone, the temple's material was very amenable to rich carving. The result was a vast array of divine icons carved throughout its structure amidst floral patterns. Primarily a Shiva shrine, it also has Vishnu iconography within. The idyllic setting of the Banteay Srei complex Sadly, this extensive iconography meant that the temple complex drew looters and vandals in hordes. The most notorious incident was the theft of four icons by a Frenchman called Georges André Malraux. He was arrested and the idols recovered. That fact that he went on to become a respected author and 'intellectual' shows the state of justice. As has been the fate of many heritage sites in countries that were colonised, many icons and parts of the complex are in the Guimet Museum in Paris. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In its prime, the temple complex had a settlement called Ishvarapura around it. Nothing of this remains. The temple complex itself comprises three concentric rectangular enclosures. Within it lie various shrines, gopuras or gateways and structures popularly termed libraries. Kbal Spean (43 kms north of Angkor Wat): Sometimes called 'Valley of a Thousand Lingas', Kbal Spean is one of Cambodia's most visually striking sites. The place lies in the western part of the Kulein mountains. To reach, a visitor walks through a forest path, up a hill, for nearly two kilometres. And then arrives at a river whose bed is like no other! The Stung Kbal Spean River flows here, later merging into the Siem Reap River before its waters reach the Tonle Sap Lake. At Kbal Spean, leveraging sandstone rocks the river passes over, a stretch of about 200 metres of the riverbed has been extensively carved. The patron of this carving was a minister of the Khmer ruler in the 11th century CE, who created a thousand Shiva lingas on the riverbed. Close by are other carvings believed to have been done by hermits who dwelt here – carvings of Brahma, Vishnu atop his celestial serpent, Shiva-Parvati and others. Their intricacy is breath-taking. On one icon of Vishnu lying on Sheshnag, a lotus flower emerges from his navel and has a Brahma carving touching it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A reclining Vishnu icon at Kbal Spean The elaborate carving at Kbal Spean is no mere embellishment, but had a spiritual meaning attached. The Khmers believed that the water flowing into the Tonle Sap Lake near Angkor had been blessed by touching the sacred carvings at Kbal Spean. It is also mentioned that in 1059 CE King Udayadityavarman II consecrated a golden Shiva linga here. Given how much Cambodia has lost in terms of antiquities being looted, perhaps it is a blessing that the Kbal Spean carvings are on a riverbed, else they too could have ended up in a European museum. The list of Cambodia's less-known heritage nuggets can be a long one. The region has emerged from decades of horrific conflict and welcomed visitors. More and more stunning heritage seems to be emerging from the countryside. One hopes that both Cambodia and Thailand can resolve their differences and the Preah Vihear and Ta Muen Thom temple complexes can also be visited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.


Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Japanese businessman leaves empire behind to become Shiva devotee in Uttarakhand: ‘That dream changed everything'
A 41-year-old Japanese man has traded his business empire for a life of spiritual pursuit in India. Hoshi Takayuki, now known as Bala Kumbha Gurumuni, was once the owner of a successful chain of beauty product stores in Tokyo. Today, he is a saffron-clad Shiva devotee, walking barefoot on a pilgrimage through Uttarakhand. Accompanied by 20 Japanese followers, Mr Takayuki was recently spotted participating in the Kanwar Yatra, carrying holy Ganga water. He also organised a two-day food camp for fellow kanwariyas in Dehradun, offering meals as part of his spiritual service. According to a report in The Times of India, Mr Takayuki's spiritual journey began nearly 20 years ago during a visit to Tamil Nadu, where he encountered Nadi astrology, an ancient Siddha practice involving palm-leaf manuscripts. The reading reportedly revealed that he had lived a past life in the Himalayas and was destined to follow a path rooted in Hindu spirituality. The turning point, however, came in a vivid dream. 'I saw myself in Uttarakhand in a past life. That dream changed everything,' he told TOI. Following this experience, Mr Takayuki gave up his business and adopted a new spiritual identity. He converted his Tokyo home into a Shiva temple and built another shrine soon after. In July, he returned to India to join the Kanwar Yatra. His friend Ramesh Sundriyal, an Indian-origin resident of Japan, shared that Mr Takayuki has also purchased 35 acres of land in Puducherry, where he plans to build a major Shiva temple. An ashram in Uttarakhand is also on the cards. 'I feel deeply attached to Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. I believe I spent my past life here and am still searching for my village in the hills,' Mr Takayuki said.