Tag: Vishnu

Temple Junkie

Confucius say: woman who walks barefoot in Hindu temple should watch where she puts foot. Eeeuuuuw

Did actually see a yin yang symbol in Jambukeshvara Temple, along with quite a few Chinese style lions head and dragon carvings on the gopuram. I guess they have been trading for 3000+ years so exchange of art makes sense. But I’m getting ahead, distracted as I am by recollections of standing in ugh Vishnu knows what… I refuse to speculate. Anyway since last I wrote it’s been days of full on temple overload (I started this days ago, sorry, you do now have Pondicherry in between.)

We left the villa in Madurai and started winding our way north. First stop Trichy also known as Tiruchirapalli. Two temples, overnight stay, hotel not memorable. Temples totally memorable! The first Ranganatha the largest Vishnu temple in India and site of my unfortunate foot step. It was once destroyed by Muslim invaders so was rebuilt with seven walls and facilities for the entire town to hide inside in case if siege. Granaries, kitchens, sleeping quarters, cow sheds, the works. It was the penultimate day of a festival so there was lots happening. It’s an auspicious time for festivals in Tamil Nadu it seems. P’raps even festival season.

Having declined the temple involving climbing 426 steps we went instead as second of the day to Jambukeshvara a Shiva temple dedicated to water as one of the five elements. There are five famous Shiva temples dedicated to each of the elements.  Nice columns and light – site of yin yang carving. I’m being understated, apart from the elephant in chains I really did love this temple (it’s the one on the right above and these ones here below). Continue reading “Temple Junkie”