Why are Mountains Sacred in India

8/7/2019 Why are Mountains Sacred in India

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Why are Mountains Sacred in India

Mountains have traditionally been regarded as abodes ofGods.Some mountains are also held sacred due to their

association with deities, mythology or legends.Hills andmountains (Parvat) have special significance withinHinduism. There are many mountains that are worshipped byhindus.Some of very famous ones are :-

Mount Abu

Mount Abu, Rajasthan's only hill station is situated at thesouthern tip of the Aravalli ranges. The mountain forms a rocky

plateau about 9km wide. The highest peak on the mountain isGurushikhar, which is the highest point between the Nilgiris in thesouth and the Himalayas in the north. Mt. Abu is one of the majorpilgrimage destinations in India. It is home to several Hindu andJain temples including the famous Dilwara Jain temple, Gaumukhtemple, Sri Raghunathji temple and the Adhar Devi temple

.As per the legends, Mt. Abu came into existence when Nandini,Sage Vashishta's wish-fulfilling cow, fell into a deep lake. Sage

Vashishta appealed to the Gods for help, who sent Arbuda, thecelestial cobra. Arbuda, carried a huge rock on his head anddropped it into the lake, displacing the water. Thus, Nandini wasrescued. The spot came to be known as (Arbudachala- Hill ofArbuda) after the mighty serpent.

Agastyamalai Parvat

This mountain falls in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts ofTamil Nadu and the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts ofKerala.It is a pilgrim centre, where devotees come to worshipsage Agasthya. Agasthya was a Dravidian sage, and is consideredto be one of the seven rishis (saptarishi) of Hindu mythology. TheTamil language is considered to be a boon from Agasthya. There


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is a statue of Agasthya at the top of the peak and the devoteescan render poojas themselves.

The most famous legend regarding the mountain relates to

Agasthya and the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvathi in MountKailasha. When the wedding was announced, all the Gods, rishisand people migrated north to the Himalayas. As a result, theearth went off balance and became dangerously wobbly. Withdisaster looming, Lord Shiva asked Agasthya to go south andbalance the situation through meditation. He meditated andprayed on the mountain, that now bears his name and once againput the world in balance.

Arunachala Parvat

The Arunachaleshwar temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of theholiest Saivite shrines in the country. Lord Shiva is worshippedhere in the form of Arunachaleshwarar, also known asAnnamalaiyar. The temple is one of the Panchabootha stalas(temples associated with the five basic elements - water, wind,fire, sky and earth) and is associated with Agni or Fire. The

temple is located at the foot of the Mount Arunachala (Aruna =red + Achala= immovable mount). The mountain is believed tobe sacred and hence, many saints and siddhas, have made ittheir home. Thousands of devotees circumbulate (pradakshina)the mountain (also known as Girivalam) on full-moon days andalso during certain festivals. The deepam festival during themonth of kartigai is celebrated with great fervour. A big brasslamp is lit at the peak of the hill. The blazing flame atop the hill iswitnessed by millions.

The mount is considered by some to be the physical embodimentof Lord Shiva himself. Legend has it that once, Lord Vishnu andLord Brahma quarrelled to ascertain the superiority of one overthe other. They sought the help of Lord Shiva, to judge as to whowas really superior. Lord Shiva transformed himself into a flame


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of light and asked them to find the root and the crown. Both ofthem failed. They requested Lord Shiva to moderate Hisappearance. Lord Shiva obliged and manifested Himself as thesacred Mount Arunachala.

Chamundi Hills

Chamundi hills are located about 13 kms from the city of Mysore.The hill gets is name from Goddess Chamundeshwari, who is thepatron deity of the Mysore royal family. The Goddess is enshrinedin a temple located on the hill top, which can be reached eitherby road or by climbing 1000 steps from the base. Half-way up the

hill is a gigantic 4.8 meters tall statue of Nandi, the divine bull ofLord Shiva. Also, close to the temple is a gigantic and colourfulstatue of Mahishasura, the demon King vanquished by theGoddess.

According to a legend in Devi Purana, Mysore was ruled by thebuffalo-demon Mahishasura. Hence, the place was calledMahishuru (now Mysore), the city of the demon king Mahisha.Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva incarnated as

Chamundi (also known as Mahishasuramardini) and killed thedemon King on top of the hill. After killing Mahishasura, theGoddess resided on the hill top, where she is worshipped eventoday with reverence and devotion.

Gabbar hill

Gabbar hill is located close to the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, nearthe origin of the Vedic river Saraswati. Climbing the Gabbar hill isan important pilgrimage and attracts lakhs of pilgrims fromGujarat and the neighbouring state of Rajasthan. The smalltemple on the hilltop is very ancient and is believed to be theoriginal abode of Goddess Ambaji. A holy lamp is constantlyburning on the top of the hill temple, facing exactly in front of the


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Shree Yantra at the famous Nij Mandir or the temple of MataArasuri Ambica in Ambaji town. (3 km from Gabbar hill) It isbelieved that the footsteps and chariot imprints, seen on the hillare that of the Goddess and her chariot.

According to Hindu scriptures, the Ambaji temple is one of the 52Shakti peethas in India. It is believed to be the place whereGoddess Sati's heart fell while Lord Shiva was carrying herburning body from the sacrificial fire of Daksha's yagna.The placealso finds mention in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. As per legend,Lord Rama and Lakshmana came to the Ashram of Shrungi Rishi,during their search for Sita. The Rishi adviced them to worshipAmbaji at Gabbar. The Goddess blessed them and gave a divine

arrow called (Ajay), which Lord Rama used in his war againstRavana.The Gabbar hill is also associated with Lord Krishna. Thetonsure ceremony of the Lord, is believed to have taken place inthe temple in the presence of His foster parents Nand andYashoda, who worshipped Ambaji during the Dwapar Yuga.

Govardhan Parvat

Govardhan is situated 26 km west of Mathura on the statehighway to Deeg. A famous place of Hindu pilgrimage, Govardhanis located on a narrow sandstone hill known as Giriraj which isabout 8 km in length.The hill is associated with Lord Krishna, whois believed to have lifted the hill with the tip of his little finger forseven days and nights, to shield the people of Braj from thetorrential rains caused by Lord Indra.

Govardhan is believed to have been 30,000 meters high about

5000 years ago. It is believed that the hill is sinking by the heightof a mustard seed daily ,due to the curse by Pulatsya Rishi.Pulatsya Rishi once reached Dronakala Hill and requested that hisson Govardhan accompany to Pulastya's abode at Kasi. Dronakalacould not refuse, but at the same time did not want to lose hisson. But, Govardhan agreed to go along under one condition. Ifthe Rishi put him down anywhere on his way to Kasi, he will not


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move further and will stay there forever. The Rishi accepted thecondition and lifted him on his palm and proceeded to Kasi.

As they approached Braj, thoughts about Lord Krishna entered

Govardhan's mind and hence, he became heavier. The Rishi couldno longer carry him and he put Govardhan down to get somerest. When he tried to lift Govardhan again, the hill refused tomove. In great anger the rishi cursed Govardhan ,that he woulddiminish in size by one mustard seed every day.

Kamagiri Hills

The Kamakhya temple, which is located on the Kamagiri hill, isone of the 52 Shakti Peethas related to Sati. It is believed bysome to be an ancient Khasi sacrificial site.Mahabaleshwar is thehighest point of the Western Ghats and lies amidst the Sahyadris.It overlooks the Krishna and the Koyna valleys. The place is oneof the most visited hill-stations in the state of Maharashtra.Mahabaleshwar is known for its two ancient temples - the Krishnaor Panchganga temple and the Old Mahabaleshwar temple.

According to legends, Goddess Sati burned herself in thesacrificial fire at her father Daksha's yagna, because her fatherinsulted her husband, Lord Shiva. Enraged by Sati's immolation,Shiva picked up the remains of Her body and began His dance ofdestruction (Tandava). The other Gods pleaded Lord Vishnu tointervene and prevent the destruction of the entire universe.Vishnu tried to pacify Lord Shiva. He started hacking Sati's corpsewith his Sreechakra (Disk). One by one the various parts fell offfrom Sati's body, until Shiva was left with nothing. Finally, the

Shiva stopped his tandava and sat down to Mahatapasya(penance).

52 pieces of Sati are believed to have got scattered across theIndian subcontinent. Her genitals (yoni) are said to have fallen onthe spot where the Kamkhya temple stands today. The holy


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mountain is believed to be an embodiment of Lord Shiva himself,hence the name Neelachala parbat or the blue mountains.

Kailash Parvat

Kailash is the home of Lord Shiva, for Hindu people it is thehighest blessing to take darshan of the mountain - to be in itspresence, to be seen by and to see it.The Tibetan people havenamed it Kang Rinpoche, or snow jewel, and the Hindus refer to itas Mount Meru. Every year, several hundred Hindu pilgrims andsadhus in thin orange robes, make the arduous trek over icy16,700 ft Lipu Lekh Pass into Tibet, to begin the 32-mile walk

around Kailash and its lakes. Pilgrims have the tradition ofwalking along the circumference of a sacred site. Walking the 54km/32-mile (parikrama) is believed to erase negative karmaand/or absolve sins. In fact, some devoted people prostratethemselves fully, so that they proceed along the rough patharound Kailash in the manner of the inch worm. This methodnormally takes them two weeks.Kailash Parvat, as it is called inIndia, is in Ngari, a remote, rugged area of Western Tibet, butthe terrain has been visited for thousands of years. The journey

to Kailash is an important pilgrimage for millions of Buddhists andHindus, in addition to Jains. Eighteen miles southeast of Kailash isthe circular, turquoise Lake Mansarovar or Tso Rinpoche (preciouslake) a 64-mile circuit, which is rarely completed except by themost devout. Bathing in the lake, or even dousing ones head withthe holy water, is said to be of enormous spiritual benefit tothose, who can brave the icy water, which many claim containmiraculous powers. Hindus are told that complete immersion intothe lake ensure they be reborn as a god.


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Kodachaadri Peak

Kodachadri is a mountain peak (altitude - 1843 m above sealevel) in the Western Ghats in South India (Karnataka State). The

name is a corruption of the Sanskrit word "Kutakachalam."Kodachadri forms a picturesque background to the famous templeof Mookambika in Kollur.This is the highest peak in ShimogaDistrict. At the peak it is believed that 'Shankaracharya' didmeditation. And to substantiate the same you will find a 'SarvajnaPeetha' at the top.This attractive Mookambika temple with goldplated crest and copper roofs attracts thousands of devotees. Thisis a well known temple in Kundapur taluq of Karnataka visited bypilgrims from all over India. Kollur is one of the seven

pilgrimages which were created by Parashurama. It is is situatedat the banks of the never drying river Sauparnika. While theother pilgrimages created by Parashurama are devoted to LordShiva, Lord Subramanya and Lord Ganesha, this is the only onedevoted to goddess Parvathi.

Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar derives its name from Lord Mahabali (LordShiva), who is enshrined in the form of a naturally occurring(swayamboo) lingam, in the shape of a Rudraksha seed. Thislingam is considered more sacred than the 12 jyothir lingams. Itis also called Trigunatmaka ,as it is believed to represent Brahma,Vishnu as well as Shiva. The Panchganga temple is believed to bethe site of origin of five rivers. There is a legend connected to thisorigin. On this site long ago Lord Brahma along with the Vishnuand Shiva, performed a Yagna (religious ritual). Brahma's

consort, Savitri was not present. Brahma forgot to wait forSavitri. Since the presence of his wife, was essential forperforming the rites, Lord Brahma hastily married a local maidenGayatri. When Savitri arrived she got enraged and in her fury,transformed Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Gayatri into rivers. Theyalso retaliated, turning Savitri into a watercourse as well. Thus,


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Brahma became the Venna river, Gayatri and Savitri became therivers of their own name, Lord Vishnu became the river Krishnaand Lord Shiva got transformed into river Koyna.

Mehandragiri Parvat

Mahendragiri is the name of a hill (mountain peak) mentioned inthe epic Ramayana. It is from this peak that Hanuman started hisjourny to Lanka, in search of Sita the wife of Lord Rama. It ishaving the same name in modern times and is the name of a hillin southern Tamilnadu, in Kanyakumari district.The 5,000 feethigh Mahendragiri hills, situated in the middle of Eastern

Ghats in the Paralakhemundi sub-division of Gajapati district is175 km from Berhampur. Though the major part of this hill rangenow comes under Andhra Pradesh, the 4,943 feet high peakMahendragiri is actually located within the district of Gajapati, 51km. to the south-west of Brahmapur. Mahendragiri Hills findsmention in the works of poets Kalidas, Sarala Das and RadhanathRay.

Nanda Devi

Nanda Devi is the second tallest mountain in India. Themountain has two peaks, Nanda Devi and Nanda Devi East. Themountain is guarded by a barrier ring of some of the highestmountains in the Indian Himalayas, 12 of which exceed 6400meters in height. This has further elevated its sacred status asthe daughter of the Himalaya (Shail Putri), in local myth and

folklore.Mount Nanda devi is regarded as Goddess Parvathi, whois known as Nanda in the Garhwal & Kumaon areas. The Goddessis closely associated with the socio-cultural practices ofUttaranchal. In fact, Nanda devi means (bliss-giving Goddess).The Goddess has many shrines and temples dedicated to Her inthe region. One of the better-known ones is located at


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Almora.The annual Nanda Devi mela is held here in the month ofSeptember.

Palani Hill

The Palani hill is an offshoot of the Western Ghats. The maindeity here is Lord Dandayudapaani (manifestation of LordMuruga), whose shrine stands on top of the hill consisting of 660steps. It is one of the Aaru padai veedu or six holy shrinesassociated with Lord Muruga.Once Narada acquired a rare andprecious mango fruit (Gnana pazham) and offered it to Lord Shivaand Goddess Parvati. Lord Shiva wanted his children - Ganesha

and Muruga, to enjoy it, but was unable to decide as to whoshould get the fruit. He set a contest to decide this and said thatthe fruit would be given to the one who returns to Him first aftergoing around the entire universe. Lord Kartikeyya withoutwasting any time got on his mount, the peacock and flew away atlighting speed. Lord Ganesha thought for a minute and then,went around his parents three times, thus declaring that theyrepresent the entire universe. His delighted parents gave him thefruit. Lord Kartikeya on his return found that he had been

outwitted by his brother. He felt cheated and got enraged. Herenounced his family and all his possessions including hisornaments and his clothes. He left Mt. Kailasa and came down toa place called Thiru Avinankudi. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvatifollowed and persuaded their son to return to Mt. Kailasa. LordMuruga refused and settled in a nearby hill in peace and solitude.While persuading Muruga, Lord Shiva described him as the - veryfruit of wisdom.This phrase in Tamil -Pazham nee, gave the placeits name Palani.

Panchachuli Hills

Panchachuli ranges are part of the Kumaon Himalayas. They formthe western boundary of the Darma Valley, through which flows


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the Dhauli river.According to legends, Panchachuli peaks get theirnames from Pancha (five) and Chuli (cooking pots), because theyare said to have been used as cooking pots for the last meal ofthe Pandava brothers, before their journey to the heavens.

Sabrimala Parvat

Mount Sabari or Sabarimala is situated in the midst of 18 hills inthe Sahyadri mountain ranges (Western ghats). The ancienttemple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is located in a valleysurrounded by dense forests on all sides. Lord Ayyappa was bornby the union of Lord Shiva with Mohini (incarnation of Lord

Vishnu). Legend has it that the divine child was found by the rulerof Pandalam on the banks of the river Pampa. The king andqueen called the child Manikandan and brought him up as theirown. But when the queen had a child of her own, she planned toget Ayyappa killed. She pretended to be ill and sent Ayyappa insearch of tiger's milk, which she said, was the only cure for herillness. She expected him to be killed by the tigers but wassurprised to see Ayyappa return to the palace riding on a tiger,with the other tigers following him.

Lord Ayyappa's divinity was revealed to one and all after theepisode. The King immediately requested Ayyappa to suggest asuitable place for building a temple for Him. The Lord aimed anarrow which fell at a place called Sabari. The King later built atemple for lord Ayyappa at this place.Mount Sabari is named afteran old woman, mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana, whoattained salvation after her meeting with Lord Rama.

Shathasringa Parvat

The Shathasringa parvat Lies in Kolar district of Karnataka.Shathasringa (hundred peaked mountain) is famous for the Shivatemple situated on it. The temple has a pond which is fed by a


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perennial spring called antaragange that comes out of the mouthof a basava (stone bull).Antaragange literally means Ganges fromdeep in Kannada. Pilgrims come here for a dip in the pond.Though much water gushes out nobody knows the source of

water or the place from where it originates. Be it summer ormonsoon,water is seen gushing in all the seasons. Thousandsconverge here on the occasion of Mahashivaratri

The hill is also associated with Lord Parasurama and his son ofJamadagni. The killing of Kartaviryarjuna by Parasurama andsubsequently murder of Jamadagni by the sons of Kartaviryarjunaand self-immolation of Renuka are found on this hill. The oathtaken by Parasurama to whole Kshatriya race are said to have

taken place on the hills. It is said that the Kolahala on the deathof Kartaviryarjuna gave its name to the town later become Kolar.

Simhachalam Parvat

Simhagiri (literally meaning-hill of the lion) is known for its 11thcentury temple dedicated to Lord Varaha Narasimha. The

uniqueness of the deity lies in the fact that He has the body of a

human being, the face of a boar and the tail of a lion. Thepresiding deity is always anointed with sandalwood paste giving

the appearance of sandalwood Shiva lingam. The paste isremoved only once every year on the third day during the monthof Vaisakha (April- May).The foundation of the temple is relatedto the well-known story of the demon-king Hiranyakashipu and

his son, Prahalada, who was also a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.Hiranyakashipu in order to punish Prahalada (who was firm in hisdevotion to Lord Vishnu) threw his son into the sea and placed

the Simhachalam hill over his head to crush him completely. LordVishnu protected His devotee by tilting the hill for Prahalada toescape. Later, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Narasimha (half-man,half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu. It is believed by some that

the shrine at Simhachalam was established by Prahalada in orderto worship Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha avatara (manifestation).


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Tirumala Hills

Tirumala hills lies in Tirupati,Chitoor district of AndhraPradesh.Lord Venkateswara is enshrined at a temple on the

Tirumala Hills, which are part of the Eastern Ghats. The TirumalaHills (also known as Saptagiri in Sanskrit) comprise of sevenpeaks - Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri,Narayanadri and Venkatadri, with the temple actually located on

the seventh peak, Venkatadri.Lord Venkateswara or Balaji isconsidered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that

he came to reside on the southern banks of Swami Pushkarini.The range of the Tirumala hills represents the body of Adi-sesha,the divine serpent on which Lord Vishnu and His consort Goddess

Mahalakshmi rest. The seven hills are believed to represent theseven hoods of the serpent.The Tirumala are also believed to bepart of the sacred and celestial Meru Parvata. According to

legends, a contest once arose between the Lord Vayu (Wind God)and Adi-sesha. Lord Vayu tried to blow out all the thousand peaks

of the Meru Parvata, while Sesha tried to protect it with hishoods. Lord Vayu after sometime got exhausted and discontinuedhis blowing. Adisesha thinking that He had won the contest raisedhis hood, when Lord Vayu blew at the peak. One part of the peak

fell at Tirupati forming the sacred Tirumala hills.

Trikuta Hills

Trikuta Hills are situated in Katra,Jammu.Shri Mata Vaishno DeviShrine is one of the oldest shrine of India, located at a height of5300 feet on the holy Trikuta Hills of the Shivalik Hill Range. TheHoly cave is 13 Kms from the Base Camp Katra. The Town Katra

is 50 Kms away from Jammu and 35 Kms from District HQUdhampur and is linked by road. The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is

one of the most popular Shrines of India.The Goddess MataVaishno Devi's abode is in 100 feet long cave with a narrow

opening. The holy cold and crystal clear water washes the lotusfeet of the Mata's "Pindian". There are three natural pindies


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representing Maha Sarswati, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali, whichrepresent creative, preservative, and destructive aspects of theSuper Power. It is an ancient shrine whose reference is found in

the Vedas and ancient scriptures.

Yadvagiri Hills

Yadvagiri hills are situated in Melkote,Karnataka.Yadavagiri Hillsare the last rocky ridges of the Sahayadri ranges and comprise ofsome of the oldest rock formations on the earth's crust. The hill isassociated with two famous temples - the Tirunarayana temple atthe foothill and the hill temple of Yoga Narasimhar. The place is

also known for its association with the Vaishnava saint SriRamanujacharya.According to Hindu mythology, the idol of

Vishnu (moolavar) in the Tirunarayana temple was originallyworshipped by Lord Brahma. It is believed to have been brought

down to earth and installed at Melkote by Brahma's son,Sanathakumara.Legend has it that the festival idol (utsavar) ofLord Vishnu was worshipped by Lord Rama himself, who got itfrom Brahma. In view of Rama's reverence for the Narayana's

idol, it gained the name -Ramapriya.The Ramapriya idol was later

inherited by Kusha's daughter Kanakamalini, who was married toa Yadava King. Lord Krishna and Balarama (belonging to Yadava

family) inherited this idol in Dwapara yuga. It is believed thatthey brought the idol to Melkote and installed it in the templethere.The Yoga Narasimha temple on Yadavagiri is believed bysome to have been installed by Prahalada, a great devotee of

Lord Vishnu.


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Sacred Hills and Mountains

In a temple in Wembley, a murti of Shiva meditating in theHimalayas. These mountains are the home of numerous ascetics,many of whom consider Shiva their worshipful deity. Lord Shiva iscalled Maha-yogi the greatest yogi

Govardhana hill as it looks today. Legend holds that it is slowlysinking into the ground by the width of a mustard seed each year.Pilgrims come annually to circumambulate the entire hill, coveringa distance of some 14 miles.


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A traditional painting of Krishna , known as Nathji (in the centre).With the little finger of his left hand, Krishna held up Govardhanahill for seven days, whilst all the residents of Vrindavana shelteredfrom the torrential rain sent by Indra. In this painting, Nathji is

worshipped by Vallabha (left), founder of the Pushti-margtradition, and Yamuna (right), goddess of the sacred river thatruns through Vrindavana.

Hills and mountains have special significance within Hinduism.Most important are the Himalayas, the vast range in North India towhich countless ascetics have retired for a life of seclusion andausterity. Shiva is considered to reside on Mount Kailash and hisspouse's name, Parvati, means "daughter of the Himalayas."Within the Himalayan range and its foothills are many places ofpilgrimage such as Haridwar, Hrishikesh, Badrinatha, andKedarnath.

The Vindhya Mountains separate the North from the Deccan(South) and are mentioned repeatedly in the Epics and the

Puranas. Another popular pilgrimage site is the cave of VaishnoDevi, north of Amritsar. Pilgrims climb many steps up to the cave,which is dedicated to three goddesses Lakshmi, Kali andSarasvati. It is the only temple in India where all three areworshipped together. Also famous, in the South, is Vyenkata Hill,whose 2,800-foot peak is crowned with the Tirupati temple (seeThe Temple).

Perhaps India's most famous hill is Govardhana, which wasraised by Lord Krishna to protect the inhabitants of Vrindavanafrom the wrath of Indra. The God of Rain was infuriated whenchild Krishna persuaded his father, head of the village, to stop theIndra-sacrifice and worship the hill instead. Indra sent torrents ofrain but Krishna picked up the hill, and, holding it on the tip of thelittle finger of his left hand, used it as a giant umbrella.
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Govardhana Puja is still a popular festival and the story is centralfor the followers of Pushti-marg, who call Krishna "Nathji."

Holy Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans

The Goddess Ganga, riding her crocodile. She plays an important role atthe beginning of the Mahabharata.

Bathers in the Ganges, which is considered to wash away accumulatedsins (image courtesy Prof. Robert Jackson)


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Near Vrindavan, Radha-Kunda (the pond of Radha) is consideredespecially sacred

Water is of special significance in Hinduism, not only for its life-sustainingproperties, but also because of its use in rituals and because of the stressgiven to cleanliness. Bathing also has religious significance, especially inrivers considered sacred. Mother Ganga (the Ganges) is considered to

purify the bather of sins (papa see The Law of Karma).

There are seven principle holy rivers, although others, such as the Krishnain South India, are also important. Of the seven, the Ganges (Ganga),Yamuna, and Sarasvati are most important. According to different opinions,the Sarasvati is now invisible, extinct or running underground, and meetswith the Ganga and Yamuna at Prayaga.

Most rivers are considered female and are personified as goddesses.Ganga, who features in the Mahabharata, is usually shown riding on a

crocodile (see right). Yamuna is shown in much iconography connectedwith the Pushti Marg sampradaya, and rides on a turtle. The famous storyof the descent of Ganga-devi is connected with Vishnu and with Shiva, whois depicted with the Ganges entering the locks of his hair.

Certain spots on the seashore are also holy. Puri is considered sanctified toVaishnavas, and Cape Commorin (Kanyakumari) is sacred to followers ofShiva and devotees of Rama.

Some lakes and ponds are also considered especially sacred. Particularly

in the South, tanks (man-made ponds) are constructed, so that worshipperscan bathe before entering the temple.
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The Seven Holy Rivers

1. Ganga North India2. Yamuna meets Ganga in North3. Godavari South India4. Sarasvati underground river5. Narmada Central India6. Sindhu the Indus, now in Pakistan7. Kaveri South India

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How Ganga came to earth.

Krishna Defeats the Kaliya Serpent (STO-502)

Are Legends Based On Fact?Are our heroes always based on actual historical fact?

Heroes have always played a vital role in the education of any community.Everyone wants stories with heroes and a social message which entailsbeliefs and concepts and ideological ways of questioning and makingsense of our chaotic world.

Dr. Thomas Lickona says, in discussing character education in EarlyChildhood, "Qualities such as honesty, kindness, compassion, cooperation,

courage, self-control, diligence or hard work are the kinds of qualities thatwe need, to both lead a fulfilling life and to be able to live togetherharmoniously and productively. Character education develops these virtuesthrough every phase of school life."


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Legends In Education:

The characters of many myths become so familiar to everybody, they takeon a feeling of having been real. Here are just a couple of well lovedlegends, which have been taught in schools for many generations.

Robin Hood:

Robin Hood gave to the poor, having robbed from the rich. He was a bravefighter, standing against injustice and tyranny, even though he was afugitive from the law. He was the leader of a band of Merry Men, the sevenoutlawed yeomen (prosperous farmers or bodyguards in a noble or royalhousehold).

William Shakespeare refers to Robin Hood in a late 16th century play, TheTwo Gentlemen of Verona. Robin Hood even has a gravestone with hisname on it, in an attempt to give the legend more credibility.

King Arthur:

King Arthur was a legendary British soldier who defended Britain againstthe Saxon invaders. The addition of Sir Lancelot and the Knights of theRound Table and the Holy Grail, were added to the legend by a 12thcentury French writer.

Father Christmas:

Did Saint Nicholas really exist and give away gifts from his extensivefortune, before the legend became the current commercial practice ofFather Christmas? His various names were St Nicholas, Kris Kringle, PereNoel, Christ Kind, Sinter Klass and of course Santa Clause and FatherChristmas.

Legends questioned:

While some say William Shakespeare is a very prolific poet and playwrightof amazing genius, there is a controversy that says Shakespeare is merelya corporate name, covering a pool of writers. The fact remains, however,


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that Shakespeares plays have been translated into every major languageand been performed more often, than plays produced by any otherscriptwriter.

Imaginary Legends:

Children of all ages have always loved imaginary characters of legends andmyths and are well able to tell the difference between fact and fiction.

Irish Leprechaun (shoemaker)

The delightfully mischievous Irish Leprechaun, with his lucky four leafclover, conceals your TV remote and steals your underwear and at leastone of your socks, in the dark of the night. Others say that anyone who

manages to catch a Leprechaun will have hidden treasures revealed toyou.

Big Creature Legends

Maybe the myths of over large and strange creatures serves some vaguepurpose of explaining the unexplainable. There are stories of oversizestrange creatures in many different cultures.

American Big Foot There is the legend of the Bigfoot, inhabiting remoteforests in the Pacific Northwest, America.

Recent reports say there have been sightings of the footprints of theabominable snowman, the Yeti in the Himalayas.

The Monster of Loch Ness makes a fabulous tourist attraction in theScottish Highlands.

A little known Australia Yowie, lurks in the Australian Outback. It rises from

the ground at night, to eat humans and whatever else it can find.

Halloween, vampires and witches have always had their place in the mythsand legends of different cultures. While ghosts take you on into a wholenew area. Its up to the individual teaching institution as to what childrenare taught about the area of the paranormal.


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By Wendy Stenberg-TendysDr.

In the Hindu Religion, one of the important gods is the sun god. By

what name is the sun god known?

Surya. The Sun god is known as Surya or Ravi. According to Hindu

legends, Surya is one of the 'Ashta Dikpalakas' or the eight protectors

of the world. The sun is also part of the Navagraha or nine planets, in

Hindu legends. The Gayathri mantra or chant is the most auspicious

of prayers and is dedicated to the sun god.

According to Hindu legends, the Trimurthi or the Trinity of Gods are

the most powerful. Who are the three Gods who constitute the

Trimurthi?

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Trinity or Trimurthi are Brahma,

Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is known as the creator, who is

responsible for the creation of the world. Vishnu is the preserver who

protects the world and Shiva or Rudra is the destroyer of evil. The

Trinity is considered the most powerful of the Hindu Gods.

In Hindu legends, who is the King of the Gods?

Indra. Indra or Devendra is known in Hindu legends as the King of the

Gods. Indra is credited with introducing the art of Indrajala or magic.

Agni is the god of fire, Vayu the god of wind and Varuna is the god of

water.

In Hindu mythology, one important legend is that of the

Dashavathara, wherein Lord Vishnu incarnated on earth for the

protection of the good and destruction of evil. Which of these is often

counted as one of the ten incarnations?
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Buddha. According to the Puranas or legends, Lord Vishnu

incarnated on earth to protect the good and destroy the evil. These

incarnations or avatars are known as Dashavatara (ten avatars): 1)

Matsya - Fish; this is similar to the Noah's Ark story where two of

each species is taken in a ship to protect it from destruction 2) Kurma- the tortoise, which helps in the churning of the ocean 3) Varaha -

the boar, which killed the demon Hiranyaksha 4) Narasimha - the lion

man, who killed the demon Hiranyakashipu 5) Vamana - the dwarf,

who banished the arrogant king Bali 6) Parashurama - the warrior

sage who killed the demon Kartaviryarjuna 7) Rama - one of the

greatest avatars, who killed the evil Ravana 8) Krishna - the god who

was born on earth to protect the good 9) Buddha - Gautama Buddha,

the founder of Buddhism, is considered to be an avatar of LordVishnu 10) Kalki - the destroyer; this avatar has not yet manifested.

When evil dominates, legend has it that Vishnu will incarnate as Kalki

and bring about the end of the world.

One of the Hindu myths is that those who commit sins go to hell or

Naraka. Who is the lord of hell who decides the fate of people after

their death?

Yama. Yama is the God of death who presides over Naraka or Hell.According to Hindu legends, when a person dies he goes before

Yama. Chitragupta is Yama's clerk who has with him a book

containing the life record of all humans. Based on the good deeds

and evil deeds (karma) done, the person is sent to hell or heaven.

In Hindu mythology who is the Goddess of wealth?

Lakshmi. In Hindu mythology Lakshmi or Shree is known as the

Goddess of wealth. Lakshmi is the consort of Lord Vishnu. Lakshmicame forth from the churning of the ocean and selected Vishnu as

her consort. Saraswathi is the Goddess of Knowledge and wife of

Brahma and Parvati is the wife of Shiva and known as Shakthi - the

mother Goddess.


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In Hindu mythology, how is an eclipse supposed to occur?

When the moon is swallowed by a planet. In Hindu mythology, the

malefic planet Rahu is believed to swallow the moon, resulting in an

eclipse.

One common aspect in Christian and Hindu mythology is the

concept of the first man and woman. While it is Adam and Eve in

Christian mythology, who is the first couple in Hindu mythology?

Manu and Shatrupa. The first man is Manu and the first woman is

Shatrupa. Both of them were created by the God Brahma. Since the

first man was Manu, the word for mankind is Manukula. Manu is

supposed to have drafted a code known as Manu Smriti. Indra is theking of gods and Shachi is his wife; Hari is Lord Vishnu and Shree his

wife Lakshmi; Surya is the sun god and his wife is Chaya.

In Hindu mythology, the crow is regarded as an inauspicious bird.

What is the reason for this?

Because the crow is the vehicle of Saturn. The God Shani or Saturn

is supposed to ride on a crow. Saturn is regarded as very

inauspicious and is supposed to bring bad luck, so even the crow isregarded as inauspicious and is avoided.

Diwali or Deepavali is one of the Hindu festivals popular throughout

the world. According to legend, why is this festival celebrated?

To celebrate the return of Lord Rama to his capital Ayodhya. Diwali or

Deepavali is the festival of lights. This festival is celebrated by lighting

lamps and bursting fire crackers. Legend has it that this festival is

celebrated to commemorate the return of Lord Rama to his capital

Ayodhya after killing the demon king Ravana and finishing an exile of

14 years. The festival of Dussehra or Dasara (Vijayadashami) is

celebrated to mark the killing of Ravana. According to some legends,

Deepavali is celebrated as 'Naraka Chaturthi' to mark the killing of the

demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna.


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