Tag Archives: Shiva

Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple

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The intricately carved honey-colored (further accentuated at sunset) Somnath temple on the western edge of Gujarat is believed to be the place where the first of the twelve holy jyotirlingas emerged in India – a spot where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. The temples lies at the meeting of Kapila, Hiran and Sarasvati rivers and the waves of the Arabian Sea ebb and flow touching the shore on which it is constructed. The ancient temple’s timeline can be traced from 649 BC but is believed to be older than that. The present form was reconstructed in 1951. 

The setting sun transforms the temple sign, in Hindi script, painted with Indian flag colors by casting a golden glow.

Somnath Temple Gujarat
Golden Glow on Somnath Sign

Somnath Temple, Gujarat

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The Somnath temple is a Hindu temple located in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus and is believed to be first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. We visited the temple at sunset and the golden glow of the sun’s rays is evidenced in all images.

Photography is not allowed on the temple site so we had to access a walkway along the ocean to capture the images.

Somnath Temple at Sunset

Old Temples in Kayavarohan

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Walking through Kayavarohan, one can find many old temples with Shiva lingam. A lingam, sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism.

The famous Kayavarohan lingam (housed at the famous Shiva Temple) represents the “formless” but a unique, exceptional iconic form of Shiva bearing the image of a meditating yogi, who holds parchments in one hand and citron (Matulinga) in the other. The image on the right has a smaller replica of the form at the location where the original lingam was first housed. The image on the middle bottom shows a lingam that is partly below the ground and is as tall as a human.

Old Temples in Kayavarohan

Kayavarohan Shiva Temple

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Kayavarohan, Gujarat, India harbors the Brahmeshwar Jyotirshivlang temple, claimed to have been founded by Maharshi Vishwamitra. It has been held that the incarnation of Shiva in Lakulish has merged with the linga. Here are images of the popularly visited temple lighted up for Diwali.

Flowers at the Temple
Color at Maheshwar Temple Kayavarohan
Colors at Maheshwar Temple
Lakulish Shiv Temple Kayavarohan

Ganesha Decorations

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Various stone sculptures of Ganesha were decorated daily at our resort in Gujarat, India,

Ganesha, a much-beloved and worshiped deity, is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. He is also known as the God of wisdom, prosperity, and auspiciousness. A Ganesha statue can be hand-carved in many postures and forms, typically with four or eight arms, holding various symbolic objects.

Decorated Ganesh

Temples in India – Sunrise Glow

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Located in Vadodara district of Gujarat, Kayavarohan Shiv temple is one of the sixty-eight ‘teerthas’ (Pilgrimage) of Lord Shiva in Lakulisha avatar. Lakulish is considered to be the 28th birth of Shiva. The temple is also called Kasi of Gujarat. The temple is built in Indian tradition with walls and pillars depicting intricate carvings of nature. The walls display various forms and asanas of Yoga.

Sunrise Glow at the Temple

Nataraja

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Nataraja is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine dancer. The sculpture is symbolic of Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts, with its style and proportions made according to Hindu texts on arts.

The dwarf (not a baby) under Nataraja’s feet is Apasmāra, which represents ‘tamas’; ignorance and nonsensical speech. Since then Lord Shiva is also known as ‘Hara’, which means destroyer of ‘Tamas’.

A statue of Nataraja at Shilparamam, Hyderabad …..

Nataraja

Temple Carvings

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Traditional architecture and intricate carvings grace this Shiva temple in Kayavarohan.

Temple Carvings

Temple Carvings

A close-up of the carving of Nataraja –  a depiction of the Hindu God Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance (called Tandavam) to destroy a weary universe and prepare for its renewal,

Dancing Shiva

Dancing Shiva

Crowds at a Temple

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Kayavarohan, a village in the Vadodara district of the state of Gujarat, India, is mostly known for it significant Shiva temple.

Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in reverence of the God Shiva. At the Shiva Temple in Kayavarohan, crowds gather to celebrate this annual event.

Crowds at a Temple

Crowds at a Temple