Dandeshwar group of Temples near Almora

ranasafvi — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 06:39:44 +0000

Near Almora (35 km away) are a few clusters of ancient Shiva temples. The Jageswar valley became a major tirtha sthan in middle India. It was an area occupied mainly by Pasupata novices and adepts in these centuries. They placed immense value on Himalayan ‘‘Devadaruvana’’ (deodar forest).

One of these clusters, the largest is Jageswar with around 125 monuments. A km before that in the middle of the valley where the Jataganga turns due north is the Dandesvara temple group consisting today of fifteen monuments.

The largest of the temples named Dandesvara with a rocky outcrop in the sanctum seems to have been spurred by the promise of attaining liberation from the cycles of birth and rebirth. It faces south and has a vestibule and sanctum.

“A high base-molding unit supports a masonry wall frieze with pilasters on the corners and niches sunk into its center. Above the wall frieze springs an atypical tower consisting of three enormous cornices separated by prominent neckings. A modern wooden canopy shelters a crowning cogged disc.”

A smaller one is a superstructure supported on pillars capped by a slab and and a series of cogged discs, several of which have been set in recent decades. It is open from all four sides and at the center of the space is an abraded chaturmukhalinga.

Prof Nachiket Chanchani writes that “The etymology of the word ‘‘Dandesvara’’ can cast some light on the siting and historical functions of the temple that bears this name. The forename Danda may refer to a staff-bearing guardian deity variously named Danda, Dandapanı ̄, or Dandanayaka. In early medieval India, Danda was commonly associated with the southern quarter, portrayed on temples right beside Yama, the god of death (as at the seventh-century Parsurames ́vara temple at Bhubaneshwar), and repeatedly linked to Kasi.”

According to him this cluster was built one kilometer southwest of Jageshwar “as a ‘‘simulacra’’ of Varanasi’s Danda temple and as a shrine protecting the valley’s sanctity.”

Dargah of Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Mahimi in Mahim, Mumbai

ranasafvi — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 16:42:04 +0000

When I visited in 2017, the khadim in Dargah of Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Mahimi were letting men and women come into the dargah at intervals of 15 minutes

I went in and really felt blessed.

Makhdoom Ali Mahimi (1372-1431) was born into a family of Arab travellers who had settled down on the island of Mahim, one of the seven islands that later formed the city of Bombay (now Mumbai).

Mahimi is revered by both the Muslims and Hindus.

After his death in 1431, he was buried in Mahim itself. The site later became a dargah (shrine) for the faithful.

#dandeswara #shivatemple #almora #deodar #himalayas – Rana Safvi

Dandeshwar group of Temples near Almora

Dargah of Hazrat Makhdoom Ali Mahimi in Mahim, Mumbai