Kolhapure Mahalakshmi. Karaverapura vaasine! One of the 18 Shaktipeethams.

Legend has it that Mahalakshmi was enraged when Lord Vishnu touched the feet of Bhrigu rishi after he kicked him on the chest. She left Vaikuntham to settle in Kolhapur.
And her husband, Srinivasa pines for her in Tirupathi. A trip to Tirumala is considered incomplete without Kolhapur, the abode of "Ambabai", as she is affectionately called.

This anger/abandonment of Lakshmi is very allegorical to the fickle nature of wealth she represents.
The interweaving of Vaishnava history (through Lakshmi) and Shaiva history (through the Shakti Peeth) is beautifully done in this temple. The legends are new but the temple is old. Earliest constructions date back to the Kalyani Chalukya period.
The temple was abandoned and the main diety hidden during the Islamic invasions of the 14-15th centuries. It was rediscovered during the reign of Shambhaji (son of Shivaji) and re-installed in the present temple.
After the kingdom of Kolhapur was established, the temple flourished under the patronage of Queen Tarabai and later rulers who expanded the temple complex and added the large ceremonial gateways.
The temple is the main attraction of the city of Kolhapur, and is worth a visit surely.

May the blessings of Lord Mahalakshmi be with everyone and we be blessed with health and happiness. 🙏

End.

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More from @scarysouthpaw

17 Oct
Visited the Jotiba Devasthan located around 20 km from Kolhapur. Dedicated to a local warrior god of the same name, it's most memorable for being covered in pink Gulaal. No haldi/kumkum offered here. The whole temple is soaked in this brilliant colour.
#IncredibleIndia
The god Jotiba is worshipped here. Considered to be the amalagamation of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the anger of Sage Jamadagni, this God appears ready for war. Turban bound in the Maharashtrian style and scimitar in hand, he is a vision to see🙏
Jotiba appears to be a local tribal/village god who has been incorporated into the Hindu pantheon over the centuries. The present temple was built in 1730 by Ranoji Scindia, the founder of the Scindia dynasty.
Read 5 tweets
16 Oct
Who said we havent built great things?😍

The Kopeshwara Shiva temple at Khidrapur, on the banks of the Krishna river.
The Swargamandapa opens to the skies.
The Kopeshwara Temple is a spectacle in black basalt. Pinnacle of human achievement, you can spend all day admiring it.
Built initially by the Kalyani Chalukyas In 7th century and later expanded by the Shilaharas and Yadavas, this is a little known gem of temple architecture.
The outer walls of the temple are exquisitively carved with images of Vishnu, Shiva and Ganesha dominating the scene. Reminds you of the Hoysala architecture of Belur and Halebid 😍
Read 6 tweets
7 Oct
The 9 day Brahmotsavams of Kaliyuga Sri Maha Vishnu Lord Venkateswara in Tirupathi start today.

Today the events start with the Dhwajarohanam (Hoisting the Lord's flag). Garuda reaches the heavens to invite the gods to the festival.
#Brahmotsavam ImageImage
Technically the festivities have started yesterday with the Ankurarpanam (Initiation ceremony), where Lord Vishwaksena, Venkateswara's trusted attendant and the commander of his armies takes a round of the four mada streets to oversee the preparations.
#Brahmotsavam Image
And every day for these 9 days, Lord Venkateswara would enthrall his devotees by his ceremonial processions in various forms, and atop various celestial vehicles. It is a sight to certainly behold in one's lifetime.
Read 22 tweets
2 Oct
We have all heard of the "Navratnas" (Nine Gems) of Akbar's court. Im sure we can name a few from them as well.
But how many of us know of the AshtaDiggajas of Emperor Sri Krishna Devaraya's court at Vijayanagara?

A thread 🧵
The Vijayanagara Empire was among the greatest medieval Hindu Empires of India. Ruled by four successive dynasties- the Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu, it marked the heyday of Indian cultural renaissance. And its greatest Emperor was Tuluva Sri Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529).
Sri Krishnadevaraya was a king who never lost a battle in his career, having conquered the entire South and reaching upto the Gajapati domains of Odisha in his conquest.
Read 19 tweets
8 Aug
Elite RW aren't the standard bearers of Hinduism.

We are.
Fasting on Ekadasi, reading Vishnu Sahasranamam, carrying Ganesh idols on our heads, lighting lamps before Amla trees, worshipping rivers, walking up Tirumala hills, applying tilak to new cars.

We will never be finished
As long as we continue to invoke Ganesha before new endeavours, help our mothers draw rangolis outside, wake up at 4 to visit temples, offer food to strays outside as Dattatreya, apply vermillion to the threshold, sit listening to Meerabai and Tukaram, this dharma will survive
As long as saints congregate at Pandharpur, as long as Jagannath draws his celestial chariots out at Puri, as long as Mata Durga visits us annually for 9 days, as long as Maha Shiva rises each time at Somnath, this religion will live on.

Dont be defeatist.
Read 4 tweets
18 Jul
An officer got trolled massively for suggesting arranged marriage should be declared illegal.
Deleted his account now.

My two cents
"Welcome to the Real World. We are not protected by our UPSC status here."

Don't advertise your post, or stick to WhatsApp jokes and cat pics.
We all have prejudices and political inclinations. Leave the IRS/IPS/IAS tag out of your handle if you want to be vocal about your passions on twitter.

Or else be prepared, because your are vulnerable to damage, and the mob can tag your boss and his boss in an instant.
Twitter can be exceedingly cruel, especially when it shows you the mirror.
So be a normal citizen/anonymous handle if you want to rage against the machine.

Because right now, a babu is a part of the system and always in danger of Conduct Rules being invoked.
Read 5 tweets

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