Vishnu related - Remedy for Kaliyug evils

The Kaliyug is a period where the human beings will be subjected to several temptations and evil effects. At the start of the Kaliyug Sage (Maharishi) Narad was very much upset and sad. Sage Narad went to Naimisharanya, a forest where Sage Vyasa was meditating. Sage Narad stated to Sage Vyasa that the Kaliyug has started. He said further that he is worried that the people will be weak in mind and body and will have to suffer from poverty, different kinds of diseases and the people will forget their duties. How the people can get relief from these and other evil effects of the Kaliyug? Sage Vyas said that there is still hope. Chanting of the sacred name of Kesav (Lord Vishnu), reading of Sreemad Bhagavatham, Bhagavath Geetha etc will give relief from the evil effects of Kaliyug. 

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Goddess related - Rare or wonderfula idol of goddess Mriamma

 Normally the temple idols are made out of granites or tree trunks of sturdy trees like Rose wood, Teak wood, Jack fruit wood etc. Brittle and easily spoiled/damaged tree trunks are never used for making temple idols which are supposed to last for centuries.

But there is a temple in Tamilnad (a State in India with hundreds of famous and gigantic temples with many of them specialty temples) which is having a rare or a wonderful idol of Mariamman made out of the 'Muringa maram' (drumstick tree). This idol of the drumstick tree of this temple is believed to be of more than 600 years old. Though the drumstick tree idol is supposed to get damaged very fast, this wonderful idol is still in good condition in the temple worshiped by millions of devotees annually.

The Mariyamman temple is as mentioned earlier, in Tamilnad. It is in a village called Chatrapetti about 6 km from a town by name Rajapalayam, famous for a special breed of dogs.

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Siva related - Bhagavat Geetha from Sri Krishna devotee by Siva

This is an incident reported to have happened in  Kottiyoor Sri Mahadeva temple in Kannur District of Kerala. In the Kizhattoor village of  Perinthalmanna taluk of Malappuram District of Kerala, there is an ancient Namboodiri family by name Poonthanm Illam (Poonthanam house - illam means house of Namboodiris). In the 15th century, there was a Namboodiri popularly called Poonthanath Namboodiri. He was devotee of Lord Krishna and is believed to have the power to see the lord at his will. and the Lord used to play in the form of a boy and help the Namboodiri in his worships. This Poonthanath Namboodiri used to wander from temple to temple in Kerala and make his visit to the famous Guruvayoor Temple in Thrissur District. He was a simpleton with the Guruvayoorappan (Lord Sri Krishna) in his mind. He used to read Bhagavatham in temples wherever he goes. Once he came to the Kottiyoor Sri Mahadeva temple in Kannur District of Kerala. Wherever he goes people of the place will pester him to read the Bhagavatham. He read the verses of Bhagavatham. When he came to the tenth verse of (10th) chapter which is a verse on devotion to the lord his reading was so impressive that the listeners were taken to the feeling of devotion to the god at  its peak. Whenever Poonthanam stops reading for the day he makes a mark from where he is to start the reading on the next day. On this particular day he kept the marker as usual in the book and retired for the night. Next day when he opened the place marked for his reading he found that the marker is in the same place where he started reading on the previous day. He though that he might have made a mistake and on this day also read the same passage and marked for the next day. On the next day also the same incident of his marker in the same place where he started on the previous day. When this happened on the third day also, he wanted to investigate as to what is happening. He lied down  in front of the temple door and was getting sleep. At that time he heard someone reading the same passage he read on the last 3 days. He slightly opened the door and saw that the Lord Mahadev (Siva) was reading the passage to his consort Goddess Parvathy, the sister of Lord Vishnu. After reading the passage, Lord Siva asked his consort as to  how his reading today was? The goddess told him that it was better, but was not as touching as that of Poonthanam's reading.On hearing this Poonthanam prostrated the divine couple chanting the name of god.

The Lord said to Poonthanam that he (the lord) himself was changing the marking made by Poonthanam so as to hear again the verse from him (Poonthanam) as both he and his consort were very much impressed and moved by his reading. The Lord Mahadev of Kottiyoor temple became a fan of Poonthanam for the deep and selfless devotion to his Lord (Lord Krishna). 

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Ganapathi related - Worships of Lord Ganapati and the boons available

Various types of worships of Lord Ganesh and the expectations

Lord Ganapathi is 'Agra Poojya' meaning the first one to be offered pooja for any functions or festivals or Poojas to any deity according to Hindu Religious customs. He is the remover of then obstacles in the path.

Besides Lord Ganesh, Ganapathi, Vinayak or Vighneswar (he has several names) is also worshiped for realization of various desires. Let us see some of them.

The most favorite offering to the lord Ganesh is Modak (a preparation out of rice flour, jaggery, coconut shavings etc). The rice flour is made into batter and small portions are flattened. In this flattened flour is placed a small quantity of a filling made out of the coconut shavings and jaggery cooked. The rice flour flat piece with the filling is closed to make it in the shape of a ball (not perfect round). This ball is either steamed in water steam or deep fried in oil. This is offered to the lord. This is supposed to fulfill whatever is desired by the devotee.

Offering sugar cane is expected relive the bone related illnesses.

Offering Jambul (Syzygium cumini) will bring wisdom to the devotees.

Offering Guava/Koyya Pazham/Amrood will remove Anger

Jack fruit offering will bring energy to the body.

Banana offering is expected  help in family progression. (Vamsa vridhdhi). 

Offering coconut to the Lord will remove fear and remove the 'dhrishti dosha'  (evil eye effect removal)

Offering Ghee will increase longevity; Milk will remove poverty; curd mixed with jaggery will give children and will improve wit; Jaggery pongal or jaggery gheer (paayasa) will result in harmony between couples; Vada will result in bodily health and chickpeas will help in unity.

If pooja is done with white Calatropis Gigantia (Erukku) will bring all round prosperity;  Leucas plant (Thumba) flower will result in recognition; jasmine flower will bring family bliss; lotus flower - wealth; Crepe jasmine (carnation - nandhyarvattom) will bring wisdom; bilva (bael) leaves will increase religious feelligs and the mos proffered Bermuda grass (bahama or kweek grass) will remove the fear of death.

Lord Ganapathi the symbol of simplicity 

The Hindu philosophy teaches to love and appreciate everything in the nature. Even in the idols of the gods and worship this aspect of love and appreciation towards nature is reflected. We can find several animals and birds as the vehicles of various gods and goddesses. Coming to the lord Ganapathi who is the first deity to be worshiped and appeased to remove all obstacles in the path and at the start of any function.

Lord Ganapathi, Ganesha, Vinayaka, Vigghneswara, there are several names and cannot be mentioned here as the names itself will occupy pages and pages of the article. The Lord is the symbol of simplicity. The form of the lord itself is a symbol of simplicity. It is a combination of a human and an animal. This is to reflect the relation in nature to the human beings and the animals. The lord accepted the body of a man with the head of an elephant for his form. The man is proud of his head – brain which is in the head which is not taken by the lord. The elephant has the body the strongest amongst the animals and that also is not taken by the lord. Instead he had opted for the frail body of the human and frail head of the elephant leaving out the strong parts of both. Now let us see his vehicle or carrier. It is the mice. An animal of the most ordinary level and normally despised by all. What is the most preferred offering in place of flowers to Lord Ganapathi? It is the ordinary Dhurva (Berumuda, doob, karuka, garge etc in different languages) grass, a kind of commonest among the common grass. He will be pleased by the offer of the Dhurva grass. Now coming to the neivedya (food offering) the preferred items are the sugar cane, coconut and jaggery (bella, vellam - unrefined sugar in molded form) which are also the most common items. Thus the lord is pointing out that even the common and ordinary things of the nature are valuable. He is considered as the most helpful god for all and removes the obstacles if pleased and at the same time he can create obstacles which cannot be solved by anything or anybody if he is displeased. Even the ultimate of the gods the thrimurhtyees offer worship to Lord Ganesh before starting any task. 

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