The absence of ancient Hindu structures in Kashi is something I have always lamented about. The shrines are certainly ancient, and that is something that has always attracted me to the city. However, I miss the beauty of the ancient structures that we see at other sites. This feeling is intensified when I see marble and concrete and tiles in temples that once would have been beautifully adorned with evocative sculptures, and worn by the passage of time, touched by the hands of seekers who came before. This time , this desire to see some remnants of an ancient Hindu structure in Kashi came true when I managed to visit the Kardameshwar Temple. The Kardameshwar temple is not one of the main temples in the city. It is part of the temples on the Pancha Kroshi yatra, a pilgrimage which takes one on a circumambulatory tour of the whole city. The temple is located on the outskirts of the city, on the western bank of a tank called the Kardama Kund. The Kardameshwar temple is one of the...
The Sri Kalahasti temple is as important to Shaivites as the Tirupati temple is to Vaishnavites. It is home to one of the Pancha Bhoota Lingams (lingams related to the five elements), it is a shrine associated with a great saint – Kannappa Nayanar; and is also a parihara sthalam – where special pujas are conducted to appease the twin deities Rahu and Ketu. There are several stories associated with the Sri Kalahasti temple, most prominent among which is the one which gives the temple its name. As the legend goes, this Shiva Lingam was discovered in the forest by three animals – a spider, an elephant and a snake. Each of them prayed to the Lord in their own manner. The spider wove a web over the lingam to protect it from the elements, the snake placed precious stones on it to decorate it, and the elephant carried fresh water from the nearby river to clean it up. The three animals were unaware of each other, and each considered himself to be the sole guardian of the lingam. However...