Sapta PURI (Haridwar, Dwarka, Kanchipuram, Ujjain, Varanasi, Ayodhya,

Mathura) The Sapta Puri are places of birth of religious and spiritual masters, places where Gods have descended as avatars (incarnations) such as Ayodhya where Rama was born, and places considered as Nitya tirthas, naturally endowed, with spiritual powers since ages such as Varanasi and Haridwar. Kanchipuram is known for its Kamakshi Amman Temple dedicated to the Mother Goddess. Dwarka represents the place where God Krishna, after leaving Mathura spent 100 years before He left for His Divine Abode from here, according to the epic Mahabharata. Mathura is the embodiment of events in the life of Krishna during His childhood and young days. Haridwar with shrines of both Shiva and Vishnu represents the gateway to Uttarakhand, as the sacred river Ganges emerges from the hills into the plains at this place. Varanasi is the place of salvation as it is strongly believed that death at this place will bring salvation. Varanasi is the holiest of all and it is favorite to Lord Shiva, thus it is often referred as City of Lord Shiva. In Hinduism, one should visit the major temples in Varanasi in his/her life. Ujjain, also known by the ancient name Avanti, has one of the 12 Jyotirlingas installed in the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Each of these cities is also famous for the spectacular melas or fairs held. Haridwar and Ujjain are famous for the Kumbh Mela held once every 12 years. Marriage festival of Kamakshi at Kanchipuram is a special occasion. Krishna Janmashtami ( birth day of Krishna - generally held in August as per Hindu calendar) is a special occasion in Dwarka and Mathura

Char Dham The Char Dham ("four abodes") are four places which the Hindus believed will help them achieve Moksha. Char Dham are the names of four pilgrimage sites in India that are widely revered by Hindus. It comprises Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. It is considered highly sacred by Hindus to visit Char Dham during one's lifetime. The Char Dham defined by

Adi Shankaracharya

consists of

four Vaishnavite pilgrimages. According to Hindu Dharma, Badrinath became prominent when Nar-Narayan, an avatar of Vishnu, did Tapasya there. At that time that place was filled with berry trees. In Sanskrit language berries are called "badri", so the place was named Badrika-Van, i.e. the forest of berries. The particular spot where the Nar-Narayan did Tapasya, a large berry tree formed covering Him to save Him from the rain and the sun. Local people believe that Mata Lakshmi became the berry tree to save Lord Narayan. Post-Tapasya, Narayan said, people will always take Her Name before His Name, hence Hindus always refer "Lakshmi-Narayan ". It was therefore called Badri-Nath i.e. the Lord of Berry forest. This all happened in the Sathya/ Sath-Yuga. So Badrinath came to be known as the first Dham.

The second place, Rameshwaram got its importance in the Tretha-Yuga when Lord Rama built a Shiva-Lingam here and worshiped it to get the blessings of Lord

The third Dhaam Dwarka got its importance in the Dwapara Yuga when Lord Krishna, The Supreme Lord, made Dwarka His residence instead

of Mathura, His birthplace. The fourth Dham is Puri popularly referred as Jagannath Puri. The main deity is Shri Krishna, celebrated as Lord Jagannatha. It is the only shrine in India, where goddess, Subhadra, sister of Lord Krishna is worshipped along with her brothers, Lord

Jagannatha and

Lord Balabhadra.

The Four Shankaracharya Peeth (Seats) at the Chaar Dham school of Hinduism, created at least four Hindu monastic institutions.

He organized the Hindu practitioners under four Maṭhas

(Sanskrit: भठ) (institutions/monasteries), with the headquarters

at Dvārakā in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the South and Badrik ashrama in the North.

Pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith, although sometimes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone's own beliefs. Many religions attach spiritual importance to particular places: the place of birth or death of founders or saints, or to the place of their "calling" or spiritual awakening, or of their connection (visual or verbal) with the divine, to locations where miracles were performed or witnessed, or locations where a deity is said to live or be "housed", or any site that is seen to have special spiritual powers. Such sites may be commemorated with shrines or temples that devotees are encouraged to visit for their own spiritual benefit: to be healed or have questions answered or to achieve some other spiritual benefit. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.

A person gets spoilt when he is at home. He gets addicted to worldly luxuries. When he goes on pilgrimage, he automatically gets into a daily routine, self discipline and he altogether experiences a new way of living.

“अग्ननष्टोभाददभबमयऻेरयष्टवा ववऩुल्दक्षऺन ् | न तत्परभवाप्रोतत तीथयभबगभनेन मत ||” (As per Padma Purana the ‘good’ that can be achieved by pilgrimage is much more than one gets by performing Yagna which includes grand rewards, donations!)

“तीथायटनं याजसबा प्रवशेे, व्माऩायं ववद्वतजन संगततश्च | सवेषु शाष्रोषु ववरोकनं च चातुथय बुरातन बवग्तत ऩंच् ||

“प्रबावाददबुताद बूभे् सभररस्म च तेजसा | ऩरयग्रहातभुनीनां च तीथायनां ऩुण्मता स्भतृा || तस्भादौबभषेु तीथेषु भानसेष ुच तनत्मश् | उबमेष्ववऩ म् स्नातत स मातत ऩयभां गततभ ्||” (One who holy bath during pilgrimage attains salvation.)

“मे तीथायतन प्रचयग्तत सकृाहस्ता तनषडडनंणन् | तेषां सहस्रामोजनेव धतवातन ततभसी ||” (शुक्र मजुवेद अ० 16, भ० 61) (A person on pilgrimage is always protected by lord Shiva with Sword, Bow (Pinak) in his hands.)

“तीथैस्तयग्ततप्रवतो भहीयीतत | मऻकृत् सुकृतो मेन मग्तत | अरादधुमयजभानाम रोकं | ददशे बूतातन मद्कल्ऩमतत् ||” (अथवयवेद, का० 18, अ० 4, सू० 4 भ० 7) The way, a seeker performes Yagna is relieved from sins of this mortal world and secures place in heaven, similarly, a seeker on pilgrimage is relieved from all sins and secures place in heaven.

“वऩतरय प्रीती भाऩतत े

वप्रमतते सवय देवता | गम्मातमवऩ च तीथायतन कीतत यतातमगभातन च

भनसा तातन गच्छेत सवयतीथय सभीक्ष्मा ||” (भहा, वनऩवय 85/104.5, ऩद्मऩुयाण आददखंड 39/8) (It is the absolute duty of a person born on this earth to respect his forefathers and please them all the time. A person on pilgrimage pleases his forefather manes as the good is shared by the manes even.) This tour is being conducted by Ms. Magadh Tour and Travels which is appropriately registered with concerned government departments.

सवे देवा् ग्स्थता देहे, सवय देवभमी दहगौ्

(व.ृ ऩायाशय स्भतृत) Magadh Tour & Travels was established in the year 1992 with an object to conduct such pilgrimage, cultural, educational tour/ excursions etc.. This pilgrimage tour is being conducted mainly for the desi (Indigenous) cow protection, so that the pilgrims on tour would be blessed by Gau Maata apart from the obvious good bestowed upon them due to the pilgrimage. Char Dham, Sapta Puri, Barah Jyotirlinga and other places of religious importance enroute, would be conducted by Air Conditioned Luxury Busses and Train (AC) and accommodation provided. During the pilgrimage tour, satvik food made of pure cow Ghee would be served. Specially, Pravachan, Kathaa and Bhajan-Keertan would be organized by

Tour Programme

1. Indore (Arrival) – Mahakaleshwar – Omkareshwar – Ghrishneshwar – Ajanta Caves – Ellora Caves – Shirdi – Shingnapur Shani Temple – Bheemashankar – Trayambakeshwar – Nashik (Departure) – 9 Days

2. Ahemedabad (Arrival) – Dwarakapuri – Bhet Dwaraka – Porbandar – Nageshwar – Somnath – Gir Wildlife Sanctuary – Ahemedabad (Departure) – 7 Days

3. Varanasi (Arrival) – Ayodhya – Mathura – Gorakhpur – Pashupatinath (Kathmandu) – Royal Chitvan National Park (Nepal) – Manokamana – Janakpur Dham – Bodh Gaya – Gayaji – Baidyanath Dham (Deoghar) – Shree Jagannath Puri – Bhuvaneshwar (Departure) – 14 Days

4. Hyderabad (Arrival) – Mallikarjuna Swami (Shree Shailam) – Shree Tirupati Balaji – Rameshwaram – Madurai – Trichirapalli – Kanyakumari – Padmanabham Temple – Shivakashi – Vishnu Kashi – Kanchipuram – Chennai (Departure) – 15 Days

5. Haridwar (Arrival) – Rishikesh – Yamunotri – Gangotri – Kedarnath – Badrinath – Haridwar (Departure) – 12 Days

For Registration Please Contact

Magadh Tour & Travels

106, Shiva Enclave, Kankarbagh, Patna

Bihar – 800020

Ph : 0612 – 2384848/ 2630056 9431025356, 7766913300/ 01/ 02

Magadh_travels@yahoo.com

Magadh Tour & Travels

PRESENTS

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Barah Jyotirling TEERTH YATRA

सौयाष्रे सोभनाथ ंच श्रीश रे भग्ल्रकाजुयनभ।् उज्जतमतमां भहाकारभोङ्कायभभरेश्वयभ॥्

ऩयल्मां व द्मनाथ ंच डाककतमां बीभशङ्कयभ।् सेतुफतधे तु याभेशं नागेश ंदारुकावने॥

वायाणस्मां तु ववश्वेशं त्र्मम्फकं गौतभीतटे। दहभारमे तु केदायं घुश्भेशं च भशवारमे॥

एतातन ज्मोततभरयङ्गातन सामं प्रात् ऩठेतनय्। सप्तजतभकृतं ऩाऩं स्भयणेन ववनश्मतत॥

एतेशां दशयनादेव ऩातकं न व ततष्ठतत। कभयऺ मो बवेत्तस्म मस्म तुष्टो भहेश्वया्॥:

द्वादश ज्मोततभरिंग स्तोरभ ्

Shiva. The Name Rameshwaram means "Rama's Lord". Rama himself is an Avatar of Lord Vishnu.

(There are five ways to attain wisdom viz. Pilgrimage, Political Awareness, association of wiser, doing business, studying scriptures, whereas pilgrimage stands first.)

renowned Sadhakas.

www.magadhtravels.com

12 Jyotirlingas of India

According to Hindu Mythology, Jyotirlinga means “The Radiant sign of The Almighty Shiva”. India has a total of 64 Jyotirlingas spread all around the landscape of India, 12 are popular for being extremely auspicious. People from all walks of life visit these sites to be blessed by the divine.

Somnath Jyotirlinga

Somnath means "Lord of the Soma", an epithet of Shiva. The Somnath temple is known as "the Shrine Eternal". The Somnath temple located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat, is believed to be the first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. Legend goes that the moon was married to the 27 daughters of Daksha Prajapati. He was partial to Rohini, his favorite and neglected the others. An angered Daksha cursed him to wane into nothingness. A disturbed Chandra, came down to Prabhasa with Rohini and worshipped the Sparsa Linga of Somnath after which he was blessed by Shiva to grow and shine in the bright half. As the moon regained his light here, this town came to be known as Prabhasa. Brahma, one of the trinity, installed the Bhramasila, and paved way for the construction of the temple.

Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Lord Shiva of the Srisailam hill is a Swayambulinga (self-manifested) and is revered as one of the 12 Jyothirlingas of India The devout believe that one can attain mukti by taking birth at Srisailam. The sanctity

of the hill is extolled in Mahabharatha, Skanda Purana and many other religious scriptures. The name of Srisailam kshetra is chanted with reverence in the sankalpa mantra during ritual bath in holy places. The hills are also sacred to the Buddhists. Saint Nagarjuna lived here in the first century

AD. Chinese travellers Fahian and Hieun Tsang have described this pilgrim centre as Sri Parvatam and a Bhuddhist centre. This celebrated mountain on the

The presiding Deities of this kshetram Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy is one of the twelve Jyothirlingas and Goddess Bhramaramba Devi is one of the eighteen Mahasakthis and both are self-manifested. The unique feature of this kshetram is the combination of Jyothirlingam and Mahasakthi in one campus, which is very rare and only one of its kind.

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

One of the seven Moksha Puris, Ujjain is the abode of Mahakaleshwar, the Shiva who incarnated to protect his devotees from untimely death. Temple of Bhagwan Mahakal is situated in the town of Ujjain. One of the 12 Jyotirlingas

Temples in India, the lingam at the Mahakal is believed to be swayambhu (born of itself), deriving currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams which are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti. The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti, facing the South. This is a unique feature, upheld by tantric tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas.

Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga

The Temple of Lord Omkareshwar is situated on on the mountain Mandhata and banks of River Narmada, in between Indore & Khandwa in the Malva area. The Shiv Purana speaks of the greatness of Omkareshwar and Mammaleshwar. Omkareshwar is undoubtedly amongst the 12 Jyotirlingas but another name often comes up in this context is Mammaleshwar. Not only the name but the existence of these two are also thoroughly different. The temple of Maleshwar is situated south of the river Narmada, but both the forms of Shiva have been counted as one.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

Popularly-narrated legend holds that subsequent to the Kurukshetra war of the epic Mahabharata, the Pandavas on the advice of the god Krishna and other sages wished to atone for their sins of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya, committed by them during the war by seeking pardon from the god Shiva and also pray for his blessings before attaining salvation. But Shiva was not willing to meet them since he was annoyed with them for the unjust events of the war. He, therefore, avoided meeting them at Kashi and went incognito as the bull Nandi to Guptakashi. But Pandavas pursued him to Guptakashi and recognized him in the disguised form of Nandi. When Bhima, the second Pandava brother tried to hold the bull by its tail and hind legs, Nandi vanished from Guptakashi, into the ground (into a cave for hiding), but reappeared later as Shiva in five different forms namely, hump at Kedarnath, face at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath, navel and stomach at Madhyamaheshwar and the locks at Kalpeshwar.

Bheemashankar Jyotirlinga Bhimashankar Temple Jyotirlinga is situated in the ghat region of the Sahyadri hills in the village of Bhavagiri, 50-km north west of Khed, near Pune in Maharashtra. Bhima Shankar Temple lies on the banks of the river Bhima.

Bhimashankar is also the source of the river Bhima, which flows southeast and merges with the Krishna River near Raichur . It is believed that once upon a time in the place called Kamrup a great devotee by the name of King Kamrupeshwar would reside. He would be constantly abandoned in the worship of Shiva. During the same a demon named Bhima emerged and started harassing the people. He had heard many a things about the sublime devotion of Kamrupeshwar. He wanted to kill King Kamrupeshwar. No sooner he attacked the king absorbed in worship, his sword fell on the linga instead of the king. Instantly Lord Ashutosh appeared and destroyed Bhima along with his army.

Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Kashi is One of the seven cities, considered by the Hindu's as Mokshadayikas or the cities leading to salvation. Varanasi has a temple of almost all the major Hindu Gods and Goddesses. As the name suggests the supreme brilliance shines here and thus it is obviously chosen as his abode by Lord Shiva to emanate in his blazing linga form. Here he is known as Vishwanatha, the Lord of Universe. This city is also known as Varanasi as it is located between the two rivers Varana and Asi. The importance of this place lies in the fact that it

Trayambakeshwara Jyotirlinga

Trimbakeshwar is a religious center having one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The extraordinary feature of the Jyotirlinga located here is its three faces embodying Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Rudra. The Lingas are covered by a jeweled crown which is placed over the Gold Mask of Tridev (Brahma Vishnu Mahesh).

Baidyanath Jyotirlinga

Vaidyanath Temple, also called Vaijnath Temple and Baidyanth Temple is located at Deogarh in the Santal Parganas region of Bihar in the south west of Keeul Station. Baidyanath shrine is revered as one of the twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva.

Nageshwar Jyotirlinga The Jyotirlinga enshrined in the Temple of Nagnath is known as Nageshwar Mahadev and attracts thousands of pilgrims all round the year. This powerful Jyotirlinga symbolizes protection from all poisons. It is said that those who pray to the Nageshwar Linga become free of poison. The Rudra Samhita sloka refers to Nageshwar with the phrase 'Daarukaavane Naagesham'.

Rameshwar Jyotirlinga

The jyotirlingam was worshipped by Lord Rama to atone the sin of killing Ravana. Hanuman flew to bring the Linga from Kashi, for Lord Rama to worship. As it was getting late, Rama worshipped the Lingam that was made of sand by Sita Devi. This Lingam worshipped by Lord Rama is known as Ramanathar. When Hanuman returned he was disappointed that his Lord had not used the Lingam that he had brought. Lord Rama pacified Hanuman & named this Lingam Kasi Viswanathar. Devotees have to worship Kasi Viswanathar before worshipping Ramanathar

Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga

Grishneshwar temple, sometimes referred to as the Ghrneshwar

Jyotirlinga or Dhushmeshwar temple, is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana. The word Ghrneshwar means "lord of compassion”. On this holy pilgrimage of the JyotirLingas of Lord Shankara, the last one, with out which the pilgrimage will not be considered as complete, is the twelfth JyotirLinga, of Grishneshwar.

right side of the River Krishna is also named as Siridhan, Srigiri, Sirigiri, Sriparvatha and Srinagam. It has been a popular centre of Saivite pilgrimage for centuries.

The temple, at an height of 3,583 m (11,755 ft), 223 km from Rishikesh, on the shores of Mandakini river, a tributary of Ganga, is an impressive stone edifice and the structure is believed to have been constructed in the 8th century CE, when Adi Shankara visited.

encompasses one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in its folds.