Latest news with #Mahakaleshwar
India.com
6 days ago
- General
- India.com
IRCTC Launches Ashta Jyotirlinga Shravan Special Yatra: Book Your Journey Now!
IRCTC Shravan Special Train: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation also called IRCTC has announced a special spiritual train journey for devotees during the holy month of Shravan. This train is named the Ashta Jyotirlinga Shravan Special Yatra and it covers 8 sacred Jyotirlingas across India. This is a golden chance for people who want to explore the spiritual side of India and visit these famous temples in a single tour. The bookings for this journey are now open and seats are filling fast. What is the Ashta Jyotirlinga Yatra? In Hindu belief Jyotirlingas are the sacred shrines of Lord Shiva There are 12 main Jyotirlingas in India and this IRCTC tour covers eight of them in one trip. These eight temples are known for their spiritual power and beauty. The yatra includes the following Jyotirlinga temples: Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain Bhimashankar in Maharashtra Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh Trimbakeshwar in Nashik Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh Grishneshwar near Ellora Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi Baijnath in Jharkhand These are some of the most famous temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and each one has a unique story and spiritual importance. IRCTC Launches Special Jyotirlinga Yatra: Key Details Below IRCTC invites you on a soul-stirring Ashta Jyotirlinga Shravan Special Yatra aboard the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train. Be a part of this prominent tour and collect countless memories. Book Now: @RailMinIndia — IRCTC Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train (@IR_BharatGaurav) May 13, 2025 Special Features of the Train Journey This yatra is designed to give a comfortable and spiritual experience to travelers The tour is done by a Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train which is a fully air conditioned train with modern facilities. The train has clean sleeping arrangements hygienic food and friendly staff to assist passengers during the journey. It also includes comfortable bus transfers to temples clean hotels for freshening up and all meals throughout the trip. There will also be guides onboard who explain the importance of each temple and help devotees with temple visits and darshan. How to Book Tickets for the Yatra? People can book their tickets easily on the official IRCTC Tourism website. They can also visit the nearest IRCTC tourist facilitation center for offline booking. IRCTC has made different packages for different budgets so that more people can join this holy journey. There are budget options as well as premium ones depending on the traveler needs. Seats are limited so people are advised to book their places early to avoid missing out. Why You Should Not Miss This Spiritual Trip Shravan is one of the most important months in the Hindu calendar for worshiping Lord Shiva and this yatra is a great way to do it in a peaceful and organized manner. Instead of planning temple visits one by one this train tour covers 8 Jyotirlingas in one single journey with no worry about transport food or stay. It is safe convenient and spiritually fulfilling for all age groups and especially ideal for families and elderly people who may find individual travel difficult. IRCTC have started Jyotirlinga yatra package priced at 22,820 to 54,660 INR class wise IRCTC Budget berths are filling up fast due to high demand Now bookings are available on IRCTC's tourism portal where it has generated quite a bit of interest among the travelers. This is not just a train journey it is a spiritual path that takes you closer to faith and peace. So if you have always wanted to visit the Jyotirlingas, now is the best time to go ahead and book your seat.
Hans India
09-05-2025
- General
- Hans India
South India to Welcome Its First Monolithic Mahakaleshwar Statue in Mangaluru
Gurupura (Mangaluru taluk): A towering spiritual landmark is taking shape on the banks of a river in Gurupura near Mangaluru. The region, known for its deeply rooted spiritual traditions and temple heritage, is soon to become home to South India's first monolithic statue of Mahakaleshwar—a formidable 23-foot-tall depiction of Lord Shiva in his Mahakaleshwar form, sculpted in a standing posture atop a 25-foot pedestal adorned with intricate iconography. Once completed, the structure will also be India's largest standing monolithic statue of Mahakaleshwar, adding a significant chapter to the country's legacy of monumental Shiva worship. Uniquely, the statue stands upon a large sculpted lotus base—Padma—symbolising purity and cosmic emergence. The pedestal features meticulously hand-carved motifs of elephants, horses, serpents (Nagas), humans (Naras), and sacred symbols, bringing together a confluence of mythological and spiritual elements from traditional Agama Shastra. What makes the effort even more compelling is the story of the man behind the vision—Vardhaman Durgaprasad Shetty, a 56-year-old spiritual seeker from the coastal region, who attributes the concept to a divine calling. Shetty, known for his devout lifestyle and having undertaken a staggering 22 barefoot pilgrimages to the Himalayas, said the inspiration for the statue came during one such journey in solitude. 'I experienced a powerful vision during one of my foot pilgrimages to the Himalayas. It was not just about building another temple—it was about embodying Mahakaleshwar's eternal presence in stone, right here in the South,' he said, speaking to this reporter near the construction site. My mentor and Guru KS Nityananda Guru of Chikkamgaluru had shared his vision with me which has now culminated in this monolithic statue of Mahakalehwar Shetty told. Set across 25 acres of land, the shrine is nestled amidst serene surroundings with a river flanking one side—a geographical feature considered auspicious in Hindu temple architecture. President of the BrahmaKalasha Utsav committee and former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said Shetty envisions the site not only as a place of worship but also as a spiritual retreat and cultural centre, attracting seekers, scholars, and pilgrims from across the country. Going forward we perceive that this will become the southern sojourn for pilgrims from all over the country. A Southern Homage to Ujjain's Timeless Deity The Mahakaleshwar form of Lord Shiva is famously worshipped at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas in India and a prominent Shaivite pilgrimage centre. In Hindu belief, Mahakaleshwar represents the 'Lord of Time and Death' — the one who transcends cosmic cycles and grants liberation (moksha). The Ujjain shrine, situated on the banks of the Kshipra River, is particularly revered for its Bhasma Aarti, a pre-dawn ritual where the Shiva Linga is worshipped with sacred ash—symbolising the transient nature of worldly life. The Gurupura initiative draws symbolic parallels to Ujjain's spiritual heritage. 'While Ujjain represents the northern tradition of Mahakaleshwar worship, this new installation in Karnataka reflects the southern cultural lens—yet both are anchored in the same devotion,' said a local scholar of temple architecture and Agamic texts. The statue's carving, done in accordance with Agama sculpture standards, ensures its alignment with time-honoured temple-building traditions that govern the size, proportion, materials, posture, and spiritual potency of sacred icons. With installation work in its final stages, the site is already drawing visitors and devotees, curious to witness the emergence of a new spiritual destination. Plans are underway to open the shrine to the public later this year, with rituals, homas, and cultural events planned around the consecration. For Shetty and his team of sculptors and priests, the effort is more than just the erection of a statue—it's the embodiment of a cosmic vision. 'Mahakaleshwar is not just the destroyer of time—he is the stillness within it. We are merely instruments in realising this form,' Shetty said, gazing at the looming silhouette of the deity against the coastal sky.
