MAHASHIVRATRI

TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS HAPPY MAHASHIVRATRI

MAY GOD BLESS US ALL

Today in early morning i visited the Lord Shiva Temple in Ambernath becoz of today is MAHASHIVRATRI n in Ambarnath that day very big fair that i saw yesterday n today at early morning

Somthing @ THAT temple............

Lord Shiva Temple in Ambernath, Maharashtra during Shravan

"Who wears snakes as garlands, whose eternal abode

is in the heart of the devotee, I bow to Him (Lord

Shiva) and His consort Bhavani (Uma or Paarvati)"

Month August, Hindu Calendar Month Shravan –

‘Mom, it’s raining so heavy today!’

‘The RainGods are bathing Lord Shiva dear…’

As a small child, I remember such instances quite vividly. For me, it was just the dark clouds and the cool breeze of the rainy season that came along in the months of July-August. But for her (read my mother) it was a little bit more… And it took me a few more years to understand the complete depth and significance that this month of rains contained within itself…

Auspicious Shravan also known as Sawan, The Beloved Month of Lord Shiva

…The Holy Month of Shravan it was…

Believed to be the holiest month of the year according to the Hindu traditions, this is the month dedicated to Lord Shiva and is packed with auspicious days, festivals and celebrations. The relevance finds its roots in the traditional story according to which Lord Shiva had consumed the Halahal or poison that had emanated from the churning of the ocean and stored it in His throat (this is the reason, he is also known by the name of Neelkanth). To cool him off and provide relief, The Hindu Gods and Demi Gods poured Holy Ganges water on Him. A ritual which is still honored with devotees offering special prayers and Ganga water/milk to Shivalingams in the Shiva temples all round the country to commemorate this time of the year.

Ambernath Yatra:  A Visit to the Ancient Ambreshwar Shiva Temple in Ambernath, Maharashtra during Shravan

The name Ambernath literally means Lord of the sky. Ambernath is the site of a very old temple, the ancient Ambreshwar Shiva Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the construction of which dates back to 1060 AD in the 10th century.

Way to the Ambernath Shiva Temple in Maharashtra

Located by the bank of Vadavan (Waldhuni) river, the temple is a towering structure surrounded by a fenced wall. Richly carved and decorated out of a single black stone, the intricate carvings are inspired from Hemadpanti style of architecture.

View of the temple from a distance

There are two popular accounts that form the basis of the beliefs of the local legends here.

One belief suggests that the temple was constructed by the Pandava brothers of the epic Mahabharta fame for taking a night refuge during their period of exile (vanvaas).  They could not complete the structure which is reflected even today in the missing roof directly above the main sanctum area (Garbha Griha) of the temple. It is also said that there is a km–long passageway which was used by the Pandavas to escape which lies shut and locked today.

Spot the missing roof in this picture

in the direction pointed by the fluttering flag

There is another official version that advocates that this temple was constructed by Shilahara king, Chittaraja and later rebuilt by his son, Mummuni.

Magnificient architectural stone work at the Ambernath Temple

However, the saddening part is that a historical monument like this with such an exquisite past is gradually decaying with some of the sculptural carvings falling off due to neglect and poor maintenance by the authorities.

Main Entrance to the Ambernath Temple

Inside the temple, the main sanctum housing the shivling is situated at a slightly lower level and one has to descend a few of steps to take the blessings of Lord Shiva. There are a couple of other smaller temples too in the temple premises that you will come across while circumambulation.

Ancient Ambernath Lord Shiva Temple in Maharastra

One can’t help but marvel at the beauty of the religious place of worship which not only opens the window to the state’s rich past but also brings alive the time-honored stories from our ancient texts. And then, whichever way you may deem these stories to be, true or false; one can’t deny the peace and calm and the sense of spiritual energy that one is filled with when one visits such places and that also outlines one of the prime reasons I travel for!

Festivals at the Ambernath temple

The Ambernath temple is the hub of an enormous fair during Mahashivratri (Feb/March) and the entire Month of Shravan (July-August). Mahashivratri Fair continues for 3-4 days starting 2 days prior and extending to 1 day after shivratri as well.