<!--QuoteBegin-rajesh_g+Sep 24 2008, 10:02 AM-->QUOTE(rajesh_g @ Sep 24 2008, 10:02 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Recently visited Eklingji temple in Rajasthan.
Its a wonderful temple to visit. More history of this temple in the link.
http://www.mmcfindia.org/Bappa_Rawal.asp
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Also visited Shrinathji temple in Nathadwara. The guide there came up with interesting story about Shrinathji. Two related stories actually.
1. There is a diamond in Shrinathji's chin. The guide said that diamond was given by Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb also used his beard to clean Shrinathji temple's stairs. Before this version of the story, what I had heard was that it was because of Aurangzeb's fear that Shrinathji's murti was moved from Vrindavan to Nathdwara and that it was on insistence of Mewar's Rana that the murti was established at Nathdwara.
2. The second story is again about some inscriptions on the heavily fortified main gates of the temple. Just on the entrance there are 2 inscriptions - one on left side with picture of cow on it and another one on right with a pig on it. The guide said that the inscriptions had saugand for hindus and muslims (cow/pig) that they will maintain the maryada of the temple.
Does any body have anymore insights ?
[right][snapback]88384[/snapback][/right]
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Rajesh, very interesting, thanks! Do you have pictures, can you post? (What a coincidence if things work out as planned, I might be there next week too!)
Reg. Shrinath Ji, you are right and the guide is obviousely wrong! During the first decade of awrangzib coming to power, majority of important vigraha-s were removed from mathura area and smuggled into rajputana. I mentioned something similar somewhere:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In the village are some other important temples too.
Aurangzeb was undertaking the campaign of ransacking the Mathura-Vrindavan area to destroy the important temples of the region to crush the spirit of the Hindus. It was then that some Rajput nobilities were trying to help smuggle away the important vigraha of the original deities of Vrindavana to Rajputana, to avoid destruction. Three of these: Radha-Madana-Mohana, Radha-Govinda and Radha-Gopinatha were being taken from Vrindavana to Jaipur, and on the way they were hidden in Kamyavana for a few days. Since these Deities stayed here, three temples have been established dedicated to Radha-Govinda, Radha-Madana-Mohana and Radha-Gopinatha.
Rama Setu in Vrindavana: Kamyavana Setu Bandha Kunda<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
About pig thing, the guide would be wrong again. Pig is not the same for muslims as cow for Hindu of course. Pig is hated by them and no "saugandh" on pig is possible! maybe those rajputs were gullible as well if what you described is true. Can you pls post images?
Its a wonderful temple to visit. More history of this temple in the link.
http://www.mmcfindia.org/Bappa_Rawal.asp
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Also visited Shrinathji temple in Nathadwara. The guide there came up with interesting story about Shrinathji. Two related stories actually.
1. There is a diamond in Shrinathji's chin. The guide said that diamond was given by Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb also used his beard to clean Shrinathji temple's stairs. Before this version of the story, what I had heard was that it was because of Aurangzeb's fear that Shrinathji's murti was moved from Vrindavan to Nathdwara and that it was on insistence of Mewar's Rana that the murti was established at Nathdwara.
2. The second story is again about some inscriptions on the heavily fortified main gates of the temple. Just on the entrance there are 2 inscriptions - one on left side with picture of cow on it and another one on right with a pig on it. The guide said that the inscriptions had saugand for hindus and muslims (cow/pig) that they will maintain the maryada of the temple.
Does any body have anymore insights ?
[right][snapback]88384[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Rajesh, very interesting, thanks! Do you have pictures, can you post? (What a coincidence if things work out as planned, I might be there next week too!)
Reg. Shrinath Ji, you are right and the guide is obviousely wrong! During the first decade of awrangzib coming to power, majority of important vigraha-s were removed from mathura area and smuggled into rajputana. I mentioned something similar somewhere:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->In the village are some other important temples too.
Aurangzeb was undertaking the campaign of ransacking the Mathura-Vrindavan area to destroy the important temples of the region to crush the spirit of the Hindus. It was then that some Rajput nobilities were trying to help smuggle away the important vigraha of the original deities of Vrindavana to Rajputana, to avoid destruction. Three of these: Radha-Madana-Mohana, Radha-Govinda and Radha-Gopinatha were being taken from Vrindavana to Jaipur, and on the way they were hidden in Kamyavana for a few days. Since these Deities stayed here, three temples have been established dedicated to Radha-Govinda, Radha-Madana-Mohana and Radha-Gopinatha.
Rama Setu in Vrindavana: Kamyavana Setu Bandha Kunda<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
About pig thing, the guide would be wrong again. Pig is not the same for muslims as cow for Hindu of course. Pig is hated by them and no "saugandh" on pig is possible! maybe those rajputs were gullible as well if what you described is true. Can you pls post images?