#Thread Did you know that there are 7 temples in Tamil Nadu around Thiruvarur that are known as Sapta Vitankas because they have 7 images of Somaskanda that are believed to be divinely created without a chisel? (Vi-Tanka). These were sacred to Saint Thiagaraja. #TamizhTales
Each of these shrines is associated with a certain form of dance. The Sapta Vitankas have been glorified by the Tevaram verses of Nayanmars or Saivite saints of TN from 1st millennium CE. The first one is at Thiruvarur and is known as Thyagaraja Swamy Kovil #TamizhTales
Next is the Tirunallar temple that has a shrine dedicated to the planet Saturn. This is one of the Navagraha temples as well. King Nala from Mahabharat is said to have worshipped here. #TamizhTales
Next is the Kayarohaneswarar temple of Nagapattinam, also known as the Neelayadhakshi Amman temple as it is also considered to be one of Devi’s Shakti Sthalas. Bhagwan Shiv here is also known as Sundar Vitangar. #TamizhTales
Fourth #SaptaVitanka temple is Kannayariamudayar Temple at Thirukkarayil. Lord Shiva is known here as Aadi Vitankar #TamizhTales
Fifth of the #SaptaVitanka sthalams is the Avani Vitankar or Brahmapureeswarar temple at Thirukkolili. Lord Brahma is said to have worshipped here prior to commencing the act of creation. It had an emerald lingam that was stolen from the temple. #TamizhTales
Sixth of the seven #SaptaVitanka sthalams is the Neelavitankar at Thiruvaaimur. The original brick and mortar temple at this site was rebuilt in the 12th century CE by Vikrama Chola. #TamizhTales
Final #SaptaVitanka Sthalam is the Vedanarayaneswarar temple of Thirumaraikkadu. It is believed that Rama attempted to build a bridge to Sri Lanka from Vedaranyam first and was directed by Shiva to proceed to Rameswaram to build a bridge. #TamizhTales (pics sourced via internet)
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Even as the Jewish state of #Israel is in a state of turmoil following the brutal terr0r attacks by #Hamas in October last year, I sat inside the cool, quiet interiors of the #pardesisynagogue of Kochi and thought about the Jewish kingdom that existed in Bharat for centuries in peace, in Cranganore near Kochi. @danielocarmon @KobbiShoshani #AmIsraelChai
2000 years of Jewish history in Kerala has been depicted in ten paintings displayed at the #kochi synagogue, that talk about how the Jews landed in Bharat soon after the destruction of their second temple by the Romans. While the exact date is open to debate, Jewish historians believe that Jewish people landed in Bharat as early as in 72 CE!
The Jewish kingdom of Cranganore, also known as Shingly, holds a remarkable place in the history of the Jewish diaspora. Cranganore (modern-day Kodungallur) served as an important Jewish settlement for close to a 1000 years! The Hindu Chera kings welcomed the Jewish refugees as honoured citizens.
#thread on ‘inter-faith’ murders that were reported in India over the last ONE MONTH. 1) The case we all know - #AftabPoonawalla kiIIing his live-in partner #ShraddhaWalkar and cutting her body into 35 parts! This happened after two years of physical abuse and threats to murder.
Within a week of #ShraddhaWalkar’s murder, #NidhiGupta was pushed from a 4th floor terrace to her death by her ‘stalker’ Mohd Sufiyan because she refused to convert for him. Nidhi was only 19!
22 year old #Rabita, a tribal girl from a very small mountain tribe in Jharkhand was chopped into 50 parts by her husband Dildar and his family, within 10 days of her ‘marriage’. Dildar was already married.
#ChanderiChronicles#thread The beautiful town of Chanderi, surrounded by the Vindhyachala ranges is one of the best kept secrets of @MPTourism. The town sits low below a ridge that is crowned by the magnificent #Chanderi fort.
When we say #Chanderi, most of us textile enthusiasts think of the diaphanous, light-as-air Chanderi sarees, a fabric known for its subtle jari motifs and gossamer thin translucence that made Chanderi the favourite of erstwhile royal families of Rajasthan, MP and Maharashtra
But there is so much more to #Chanderi. Once known as Chandrapuri and Chedi Nagri, the town of Chanderi and the countryside around it formed a part of the Chedi kingdom. Chandrapuri is believed to be the capital of Vakradanta, the father of Shishupal mentioned in the Mahabharat.
#Thread Idi0t’s Guide to #NoBindiNoBusiness, for the trolls who deliberately misinterpret the hashtag n the thought behind it. Repeat after me, #No_Bindi_No_Business is about CHOICE. It is not a compulsion, it is not a law. It is about the right of the ordinary Hindu to say NO!
When brands advertise for Hindu festivals like #AkshayaTritiya#Ugadi#Deepavali#GaneshChaturthi it is a reasonable expectation that they should respect the consumer’s culture, traditions, symbols. A bindi/Tilak/sindoor is one of the prominent Hindu symbols #NoBindiNoBusiness
If a brand wants Hindu money, the brand HAS to respect Hindu sentiments. The ads have to reflect the Hinduness, the joy, the spiritual significance of the festival. You want Hindus to buy gold from you for #AkshayaTritiya then show respect to Hindu culture. #NoBindiNoBusiness
#Thread This is for the outrage brigade who froth at the mouth 24/7 abusing RSS/VHP/BJP/Modi, everyone, while pretending to be ‘Hindu activists’. If you are a @BJP4India voter, you have every right to question/criticise this govt. But why the tirade against @RSSorg?
As the name suggests, RSS is a volunteer driven org. They don’t owe anyone anything. They work on ground. They have different Sewa projects from orphanages to old age homes to #gharwapsi programmes to intervening in #lovejihad cases. Do you support them in any way?
Do you give your money/time/contacts to any of these causes? Do you at least provide intellectual cover to the parivar organisations that work on the ground for Hindus? Do you write articles covering their Sewa work? Do you defend them when they are attacked by the left?
The responses to this thread were phenomenal. Collating them all together in replies to this tweet. Do check them out. #OurTrueHistory. It made this #RepublicDay very special for me. Congratulations to all the winners and participants. Watch out for the next context on 15th Aug.