Skill India

A minor shrine dedicated to Lord Shani can be seen within the temple’s grounds.The “Shani
Temple” is situated within the main complex of the Bhimashankar temple.
Between the two pillars in front of the “Shani” shrine, there is an enormous antique Portuguese
church bell. Behind the temple, there is a narrow walk that goes to the riverbanks. Outside the
temple, there is a large area of forest that is sometimes broken up by forts on the mountains
nearby.Jyotirlingas are sacred shrines of Lord Shiva; it is believed that Lord Shiva himself visited
these places and hence they have a special place in the hearts of devotees. There are 12 of
them in India.
Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The ‘stambha’ symbol represents that there is no
beginning or end.
When Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had an argument about who was the supreme god, Lord
Shiva appeared as a column of light and asked each one to find the ends. Neither could do it. It
is believed that the places where these columns of light fell is where the jyotirlingas are located.
Set amidst dense forests filled with a variety of flora and fauna, and lakes and mountains, the
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is a popular destination for nature-seekers as well as pilgrims.The
Bhimashankar temple is a testament to the skills of the Vishwakarma sculptors. It was built
around the 13th century. Structures such as the shikhara (spires) were added by Maratha
empire statesman, Nana Phadnavis, in the 18th century.
The Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is also believed to have facilitated worship here
through his endowments.
Special features of Bhimashankar Temple
It is believed that the ancient shrine was built around a swayambhu linga i.e. a linga that
originated on its own. The linga is exactly at the center of the floor, in the temple’s sanctum.
There are intricate carvings of divine and human beings on the pillars, and doorframes of the
temple. You can also see scenes from mythology depicted here.
There is also a shrine for Lord Shaneeshwara inside the temple. A statue of Lord Shiva’s mount,
Nandi, can be found at the entrance of the temple as is common in Shiva temples.According to
one legend, a demon called Tripurasura performed penance in the Bhimashankar jungle to
please Lord Shiva and ask him for the gift of immortality. Lord Shiva was pleased with his
devotion and granted him immortality on the condition that he would use his power to help the
local people. Tripurasura agreed with Him. However, over time, he forgot his promise and began
to harass both humans and the gods. When the gods begged Lord Shiva to do something to
stop the ensuing chaos, the Lord prayed to his consort Goddess Parvati. Both of them appeared
as Ardhanari Nateshwara and killed Tripurasura, after which peace prevailed.
According to another legend, in the Dakini forests on the ranges of the Sahyadri Mountains lived
an asura (demon) named Bhima with his mother Karkati. He was, in fact, the son of
Kumbharkarna, the younger brother of King Ravana. When he learnt that Lord Vishnu had killed
his father in his avatar as Rama, he was furious. He vowed revenge and performed severe
penance to please Lord Brahma.
In return, Brahma blessed him with immense strength, which he used to terrorize the world. He
imprisoned an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Kamrupeshwar and demanded that he pray to him
instead of Lord Shiva. When Kamrupeshwar refused to do so, Bhima raised his sword to
destroy the Shivalinga. That is when Lord Shiva appeared before him and reduced him to
ashes. The place where Lord Shiva manifested himself is the spot the Shivalinga is believed to
be now.
Interesting facts about Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga
Bhimashankar has been declared a wildlife sanctuary; it is a reserved forest area, and as it is
part of the Western Ghats, it is rich in flora and fauna.
The state animal of Maharashtra, the Malabar Giant Squirrel, is a rare animal found here.
While Bhimashankar is accessible round the year, at 3,500 feet above sea level, it would be
best to visit it post monsoon as it experiences heavy showers in the monsoon period. You can
also visit it in the winter months; so August to February is a good time for a visit. It would be
ideal to visit this divine destination during Mahashivratri.
[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Ellora Caves are a multi-religious rock-cut cave complex with
inscriptions dating from the period 6th century CE onwards, located in the Aurangabad District
of Maharashtra, India. They are also called verul caves.There are over 100 caves at the site, all
excavated from the basalt cliffs in the Charanandri Hills, 34 of which are open to public.The
Ellora caves are situated in state of Maharashtra about 29 kilometres (18 miles) northwest of the
city of Sambhaji Nagar, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east-northeast of Mumbai, 235 kilometres
(146 miles) from Pune and about 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the Ajanta Caves, 2.3
kilometres (1.42 miles) from Grishneshwar Temple (India).
Ellora occupies a relatively flat rocky region of the Western Ghats, where ancient volcanic
activity had created multilayered basalt formations, known as the Deccan Traps. The volcanic
activity that formed the west-facing cliff that houses the Ellora caves occurred during the
Cretaceous period. The resulting vertical face made access to many layers of rock formations
easier, enabling architects to pick basalt with finer grains for more detailed sculpting.
The construction at Ellora has been studied since British colonial rule. However, the overlapping
styles between the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves has made it difficult to establish agreement
concerning the chronology of their construction.The disputes generally concern: one, whether
the Buddhist or Hindu caves were carved first and, two, the relative dating of caves within a
particular tradition. The broad consensus that has emerged is based on comparing the carving
styles at Ellora to other cave temples in the Deccan region that have been dated, textual
records of various dynasties, and epigraphical evidence found at various archaeological sites
near Ellora and elsewhere in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.The Great Kailasa
temple (Cave 16) is attributed to Krishna I (c. 757–783 CE), the successor and uncle of
Dantidurga. A copper plate inscription found in Baroda, Gujarat, states that a great edifice was
built on a hill by Krishnaraja at Elapura (Ellora)The carvings at Ellora were at one time profusely