Vaishno Devi Temple - One Cannot Possibly have Darshan/Visit of Mata, Unless she herself calls the Devotees

Vaishno Devi Temple - One Cannot Possibly have Darshan/Visit of Mata, Unless she herself calls the Devotees

Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess Mahalakshmi.  Vaishno Devi Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu Goddess, located at the Trikuta Mountains within the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. More than 10 million pilgrims visit this shrine every year.

It is believed that at some point of time each one of these 33 koti (type) deities have worshipped Goddess Vaishno Mata, and left their symbolic marks inside. It is also believed that during the pooja and Aarti, these Gods and Goddesses arrive at the Holy cave to pay their obeisance to Mata. Hindus believe that one cannot possibly have Darshan of Mata, unless she herself calls the devotees.

‘Chalo bulawa aya hai, Mata ne bulaya hai’. Meaning ‘Let us go to Vaishno Devi as Mata has beckoned us to come for darshan and blessings’.

The town of Katra in Jammu and Kashmir is the base point of the 13 km trek to the Holy Cave, where an elaborate Bhawan exists taking care of every possible need of the devotee. The trek from the Banganga check post in Katra to Mata’s Bhawan is an arduous 13 km long one. The Bhawan is open for darshan 365 days and the Shrine Board, the governing body of the Bhawan has made it possible to do the trek 24 by 7.

The trek is divided into two parts. The first part of the trek up to Adkuwari is roughly half way at a distance of 7 km from Banganga starting check post. At Adkuwari the road to the Bhawan bifurcates into two. One road goes via Adkuwari while the second one goes via Himkoti.

One can cover the trek by four different methods:

1. By Helicopter - Book 60 days in advance through the official website of Shrine Board

2. By foot - get a "travel slip" from Shrine Board Office at Katra Bus Stand. Trek of 13 km                         can be completed in about 5 to 8 hours.

3. By horses – The horses are allowed on the Adkuwari trial.

4. By Palki – human palanquin

On reaching the Bhawan one can take a bath at the bathing ghats. Having done so, one needs to deposit all luggage, mobile phones, cameras and leather items in lockers provided by the Shrine Board. Also it is here that a group is provided a number for darshan on showing the "travel slip". Devotees enter through Gate No 3.

The Bhawan provides accommodation for the devotees to stay overnight at the Bhawan. The booking for this needs to be done online, well in advance. The Bhawan is buzzing with activity at any given time of the day. Devotees irrespective of their class arrive at the Bhawan to receive blessings of Vaishno Mata.

On most days, the queue leading up to the Holy cave keeps moving. Moreover, the whole Bhawan reverberates with the devotees chanting, “Jai Mata Di” and one totally becomes unaware of the fatigue of the long trek.

The Shrine board has taken immense care to provide all amenities for a comfortable darshan of the devotees. So you will find shops, restaurants, PCOs, Cloak rooms, Prashad shops and police posts.

"BHAINT" The Prasad offered by the devotees to Mata is called BHAINT. There are several shops at Bhawan selling Bhaints. These can also be bought from the office of the Shrine board packed neatly in Eco friendly jute bags, with the logo of the Shrine Board, a souvenir in itself. A typical Bhaint comprises prasad, fuliyan, chunri, mouli, coconut, pooja samagri including itra, bangles and sindoor.

Outside the exit tunnel and just beyond the Amrit Kund lies the PRASAD counter. The blessings of the Mother Goddess in the form of Prasad pouches are handed over to the devotees by the temple priests. Each Prasad pouch comprises the Mishri Prasad plus a blessed coin, carrying the image of Holy Pindies. In addition, Khazana (coins) are given to the devotees. It is believed to be a good luck coins(s) and devotees would do well to keep it in their cash boxes, temples or other important places in their homes or establishments. it is not only a belief but a fact that the Khazana Prasad wherever kept, has brought in prosperity and luck.

These are readily available at the souvenir shops run by the shrine Board at Katra, Adkuwari, Sanjichhat and Bhawan. Gold and Silver coins of the Holy goddess are also available.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji is considered to be an incarnation of the three Supreme Energies. Inside the Holy Cave there are in the form of natural three rock formations called Pindies. These three heads in a natural rock form are known as the Holy Pindies and are worshipped as the revelation of the Mother Goddess. Towards the right of the devotee is the Holy pindi of Mata Kali (the supreme energy of dissolution) in the color of Black. Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess Mahalakshmi. In the centre is the Holy Pindi of Mata Lakshmi (the supreme energy of maintenance) in the color of Yellowish-red. In the extreme left of the viewer is whorshipped as the Holy Pindi of Mata Saraswati (the supreme energy of creation & knowledge) in the color of white. Vaishno Devi is the most widely visited shrine in North India and the second most visited shrine in the country after Tirupati Balaji. Important festivals: Navratri, Durga Puja.

Visit to Vaishno Devi's temple is not considered completed until the visitor goes to Bhairav Nath Temple. Because of not visited Bhairav Nath Temple, I again visited after two years. Bhairav Nath Temple is the place, according to the myths, where the head of mythological villain fell after it was taken off by Maa Vaishno. Although, Bhairav Nath Temple is just 5 km above Vaishno Devi's Temple it is very hard to be there because of the crooked and haphazard road. 

Katra By Air : Jammu Airport is also known as Satwari Airport which is located just about 48 kilometers away. It is the nearest airfield that can be accessed to reach Katra by air. Some of the major airlines operational at the Jammu Airport include Air India, IndiGo, GoAir, SpiceJet, JetKonnect and many others. Jammu Airport is connected to Delhi, Leh, Srinagar, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmadabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa and others. Nearest Airport : Jammu Airport, Jammu 

Katra by Railways : If you are planning to reach Katra via railways then the nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi. This railway station is well linked with major cities in the country especially the northern part. Trains are considered as a better option by most pilgrims who plan to travel to Katra.

Address: 

Vaishno Devi

Katra, Jammu and Kashmir

St. Antony of Padua

ST. ANTONY

Saint for the recovery of lost items, and is credited with many miracles involving lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods!

St. Anthony - He is especially invoked and venerated all over the world as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items, and is credited with many miracles involving lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods.

I visited St. Antony Church, which is also a holy Pilgrimage center at Nagampadam, Kottayam, Kerala. Because of many miracles reported, every Tuesday thousands of devotees from all parts of Kerala attending mass.

Saint Anthony of Padua (born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 1195 – 13 June 1231) also known as Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his forceful preaching and expert knowledge of scripture, he was the second-most-quickly canonized saint after Peter of Verona. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946. He is also the patron saint of finding things or lost people.

In 1212, he asked to be transferred to the motherhouse of the congregation, Fernando Martins was born in Lisbon, Portugal. The Abbey of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, then the capital of Portugal. There the young Fernando studied theology and Latin.

After his ordination to the priesthood, Fernando was named guestmaster and placed in charge of hospitality for the abbey. While he was in Coimbra, some Franciscan friars arrived and settled at a small hermitage outside Coimbra dedicated to Saint Anthony of Egypt. Upon his admission to the life of the friars, he joined the small hermitage in Olivais, adopting the name Anthony (from the name of the chapel located there, dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great), by which he was to be known.

St. Anthony then set out for Morocco, in fulfillment of his new vocation. However, he fell seriously ill in Morocco and set sail back for Portugal in hope of regaining his health. On the return voyage the ship was blown off course and landed in Sicily.

From Sicily he made his way to Tuscany where he was assigned to a convent of the order, but he met with difficulty on account of his sickly appearance. He was finally assigned to the rural hermitage of San Paolo near Forlì, Romagna, a choice made after considering his poor health. There he had recourse to a cell one of the friars had made in a nearby cave, spending time in private prayer and study.

The reason St. Anthony's help is invoked for finding things lost or stolen is traced to an incident that occurred in Bologna. According to the story, Anthony had a book of psalms that was of some importance to him as it contained the notes and comments he had made to use in teaching his students. A novice who had decided to leave took the psalter with him. Prior to the invention of the printing press, any book was an item of value. Upon noticing it was missing, Anthony prayed it would be found or returned. The thief was moved to restore the book to Anthony and return to the Order. The stolen book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna

Anthony became sick with ergotism, a disease which is now known also under the name "Saint Anthony's Fire", and, in 1231, went to the woodland retreat at Camposampiero with two other friars for a respite. There he lived in a cell built for him under the branches of a walnut tree. Anthony died on the way back to Padua on 13 June 1231 at the Poor Clare monastery at Arcella (now part of Padua), aged 35.

According to the request of Anthony, he was buried in the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini, probably dating from the late 12th century and near a convent which had been founded by him in 1229.

When his body was exhumed thirty years after his death, it was found turned to dust, but the tongue was claimed to have glistened and looked as if it was still alive and moist; apparently a further claim was made that this was a sign of his gift of preaching. On 1 January 1981 Pope John Paul II authorized a scientific team to study the saint's remains and the tomb was opened on 6 January.

Anthony was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on 30 May 1232, at Spoleto, Italy, less than one year after his death.

South Indian Drums - Pancha Vadyam and other Chenda Melangal

South Indian Drums - Pancha Vadyam & Chenda Melams

pancha vadyam

Panchari Melam

Pandi Melam

Thayambaka

Shingari Melam

The Chenda (Malayalam: ചെണ്ട) is a cylindrical percussion instrument used widely in the state of Kerala, Tulu Nadu of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in India. In Tulu Nadu it is known as chande. A Chenda is a cylindrical wooden drum, and has a length of two feet and a diameter of one foot. Both ends are covered (usually with animal's skin) with the "Chenda Vattam".

A "Chenda Melam" means percussion using Chenda.

Panchavadyam( പഞ്ചവാദ്യം Malayalam), literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four — timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka — belong to the percussion category, while the fifth, kombu, is a wind instrument.  panchavadyam is characterised by a pyramid-like rhythmic structure with a constantly increasing tempo coupled with a proportional decrease in the number of beats in cycles.

There are 7 types of "melangal"  Panchari melam, Champa, Chempada, Adantha, Anchadatha, Druvam and Pandy melam. The earlier 6 melams are called "Chempada melangal". Other than these seven "melams"" two more melams are there in Kerala "Navam" and "Kalpam".  "Shingari Melam" is not considered as a classical form of art.

Panchari melam, comprising instruments like chenda, ilathalam, kombu and kuzhal. Panchari is a six-beat thaalam (taal) with equivalents like Roopakam in south Indian Carnatic music and Daadra in the northern Hindustani classical.

Pandi Melam - the chenda and accompanied by ilathalam (cymbals), kuzhal and Kombu. A full-length Pandi, a melam based on a thaalam (taal) with seven beats, lasts more than two-and-a-half hours, and is canonically performed outside temples. It has basically four stages, each of them with rhythmic cycles (thaalavattam) totalling 56, 28, 14 and seven respectively.

A thayambaka performance on the chenda has thus its focus on the stick-and-palm rolls produced on the itantala (treble) of the chenda, while the rhythm is laid by his fellow instrumentalists on the valanthala (bass) chendas and ilatalam (cymbals).[1] Thayambaka, believed to have flourished during the feudal era, spans an average of 90 minutes. It begins at a slow pace before scaling on to a medium tempo and eventually culminating in high, frenzied speed.

"Kaalam" (കാലം) is a degree of geometric speed. A "Kalam" starts with an "Onnam Kaalam" (ഒന്നാം കാലം) or the first degree of geometric speed. Which is the "thalam" (താളം) or the basic rhythm throughout the percussion performance (melam). Once the "Onnam Kaalam" is practiced the students learn to exercise the "Randam Kaalam" (രണ്ടാം കാലം) or the second degrees of geometric speed, then the "Muunaam Kaalam" (മൂനാം കാലം) or the third degrees of geometric speed Then the "Naalam Kaalam" or the fourth degree of geometric speed and so on. Depending up on the practice and experience a Chenda performer can perform in 7, 8, 9 or even 10 "Kaalam".

Thalam : Thalam is the division of time.

Thalavattam : Thalavattam is the prescribed time to complete the rhythmic cycle.

Kalam : Kalam is the variation in speed to complete the assigned job. (e.g. Onnam Kalam, Randam Kalam etc.)

Aksharakalam : Time to recite one akshara (nearly one second). This is used to understand the structure of thalam. (eg. Na Ka Da etc.)

Kalasam : A seto of Thalavattams

Nerkol : Beating directly perpendicular to the surface of chenda 

Kerala Kalamandalam, deemed a University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major center for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the small town of Cheruthuruthy in Thrissur, Thrissur District on the banks of the Bharathapuzha river.