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January 29, 2006
Central VSNA Information
State of the Samaj and other information:
http://www.vsna-tx.org/VSNA-Central/
The lingapooja demonstration is also available as a
Windows executable program,
http://www.vsna-tx.org/VSNA-Central/LINGAPOOJA.EXE
-Basavaraj
Posted by bpatil at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
January 22, 2006
Q405 newsletter and Cruise Info
From: Prabhu Patil
Dear VSNA Member,
As per the promise, I am happy to publish the Fourth Quarter VSNA
e-Newsletter. Please read it on our website at http://www.vsna.org and
click "News Letter" link. You can also click the following link to go
directly to the page.
http://www.vsna.org/q4_2005_newsletter.htm
We are all set for 2006 VSNA cruise. You can start booking online and
get the great rates. You have link to online registration from the above
newsletter. You need user id and password to register. The details are:
User ID: VSNA
Password: vsnamaharaja
Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. Please pass
on the email to your chapter members.
Thanks,
-Prabhu Patil
Posted by bpatil at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)
January 10, 2006
Sankranthi
URL to this article: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan102006/spectrum113612200619.asp
One for holy Shankranthi
To visit a Shiva Temple on Makara Shankranthi and pay obeisance to the Shiva linga, it is believed, is an insurance for peace and happiness for the rest of the year. Head for the Kotilingeswara temple in Kammasandra this Shankranthi and be blessed a thousand-fold by paying obeisance to the thousands of Shiva lingas there,.
Are you thinking of viewing the holy Shiva linga on the auspicious day of Makara Shankranthi? It is believed that those who visit a number of temples of Lord Shiva on the pious day, will be blessed with peace of mind and happiness during the rest of the year. That is why there are serpentine queues before all Lord Shiva temples on the day of Shankaranthi. If that is the case, how many Shiva lingas do you wish to see? Ten, hundred, thousand….? In that case, the ideal place for you to visit would be the Kotilingeswara Temple. As the name suggests, one can have darshan of thousands of Shiva lingas, at this holy Kshethra! Then, where is this place and how can one go there to have the blessings of Lord Shiva? This place is called Kammasandra near KGF and one can go to this place in the morning and come back to Bangalore in the evening as there are plenty of KSRTC buses available from the Bangalore bus station.
Biggest in the world
The moment you alight at this place, you can see a gigantic Shiva linga which is said to be the biggest in the world. This huge Shiva linga is 108 feet in height. This is installed in an open place of seven acres of land. As you go near the temple, you will be surprised to see plenty of Shiva lingas of various sizes, spread all over the temple complex. And the moment you land inside the temple premises, which is very spacious indeed, you can see a galaxy of Shiva lingas, dotting the place like stars in the sky. Who has installed these Shiva lingas? What is the significance and importance of installing Shiva lingas here? That is an interesting story.
Normally, when we go to a temple, we go with coconuts and other pooja items to offer to the Almighty. But in this place, a large number of devotees go to the temple with a Shiva linga to be installed within the temple premises! Every day a number of devotees visit the temple and install Shiva lingas of various sizes, which are readily available for a price at the entrance of the temple. As a result, this holy place is now flooded with a number of Shiva lingas.
It is strongly believed that if a devotee installs a Shiva linga at this place, all his or her desires would be fulfilled. Since these lingas are available in large numbers and in various sizes, for different rates, devotees can buy them depending on their financial capacity. One can buy these Shiva lingas ranging from Rs. 251, 501, 1001, 1501, etc.
In this serene and peaceful location, apart from the numerous Shiva lingas, one can also have darshan of various other deities including, Lord Subramanya, Lord Ganesha, the Navagrahas, Lord Shaneeswara, Goddess Annapurneswari Devi, to mention a few.
Special poojas
There will be special poojas for Lord Shiva on special occasions like Shankranthi and Maha Shivarathri, and on all Mondays, which is an auspicious weekday for Lord Shiva.
The temple is also involved in many social service activities like the following: Sri Sri Shambhashiva Murthy, who heads this temple, is a great devotee of Lord Shiva. Under his able guidance, many social, spiritual and cultural activities take place throughout the year.
Every afternoon, all devotees are provided with food in the Annapurneswari hall. Irrespective of the numbers, food is served to all between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm. This arrangement is made possible because of the number of donations the temple receives from the general public.
On contributing an amount of Rs. 501/- for this purpose, the temple authorities will feed devotees in the contributors name on one day.
Every year, during mid April-May, a mass marriage for nearly 501 couples is arranged. All expenses for the mass marriage are borne by the temple authorities. Apart from the marriage expenses, the temple authorities also give a mangalasutram and a sari to all brides free of cost!
The temple authorities also give a pair of clothes to sadhus and sanyasis free of cost once a year.
There is also a school and an old age ashram, which are run by the temple trust for the sake of the poor and the needy.
Posted by bpatil at 05:07 AM | Comments (0)