Sanatana Dharma - Aka Hinduism (3rd Bin)

[Husky]

Post 4/?



While there are of course lots of temples to the Pandava side and Karna, there are also several to Duryodhana all over, at least one of which includes Shrines to chief persons on Duryodhana's side:



mirrortoindia.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/here-they-worship-the-villain/

Now, let me take you to this village named Poruvazhy in Kollam district of Kerala. Here, we have a temple where Duryodhana is the principal deity. The villain of the Mahabharata has been deified here, is adored by the people and they flock in during the festival season to worship and offer their prayers to him. The Malanada Temple at Poruvazhy, much different from a structural temple without a garbhagriha and idol, lets the devotee imagine the deity -which is placed on a raised platform- according to their understanding of divinity.



Like every temple, this one too has a legend behind how it came into existence. It is said, years after the Pandavas were exiled after losing the game of dice, spies and wandering mendicants would bring in their news to Hastinapura. While Duryodhana rejoiced at the suffering of his cousins, he also was envious learning about their achievements like that of Arjuna acquiring celestial weapons, following which he went into depression. Karna who could not stand his dear friend being restless came forward to comfort him saying that he had all the Pandavas’ wealth and was the ruler while his foes lived like beggars, foraging for fruits and berries in forests. When Duryodhana could not be comforted by his words, Karna suggested that they go to the forests in search of the Pandavas, find them out and mock at their plight.



Incited by Karna, Duryodhana marched off to the southern forests and eventually reached the location where the Malanada Temple is located now. He was exhausted after the long journey and went to a nearby house and asked for water. He did not realize that it was the house of a Kurava (a Shudra Tribe) chieftain who was the ruler of that region. The elderly woman present there gave him toddy to drink, which is customary as a mark of respect to the Supreme King and gave him a herbal concoction to get rid of his fatigue. Refreshed, Duryodhana rose to thank the lady and then he noticed her mangalsutra, which indicated she was from the Kurava tribe. As per customs, it was not proper for a Kshatriya to have food or drinks offered by the lower classes, and Duryodhana decided to console himself and perform penance for this deed.



He was touched by the helping mentality and divinity of the lady, and appreciated the knowledge of the community in medicine, and thereby, he sat on the nearby hill and worshiped Lord Shiva for the welfare of the tribe as they were his subjects and that no divine wrath must be cast on them for offering food to the Kshatriya King. Duryodhana formally granted the title of “Siddha” to the tribesmen and prayed that they be never robbed of their wealth of knowledge. He also donated 101 yojanas of land around the hill to the tribesmen, which the tribals surrendered back to the King nominally and promised to build a temple in his honor on the place where he sat and prayed. Duryodhana then requested them to build shrines for Karna, Gandhari, Dussala, Bheeshma, Dronacharya & Shakuni and rode off.



Accordingly, the Kurava tribesmen built a raised platform and a temple around it, and began to worship Duryodhana as an avatar of Shiva. Within the complex, sub-shrines, devoted to Karna and others as named by Duryodhana came up. The concept of “Sankalpa” takes prominence here, as the devotees bow down to Duryodhana the avatar of Shiva, thus mentally submitting themselves to Lord Shiva through their beloved King. The story of 100 yojanas of land around the temple which was nominally given back to the King still holds importance, as the present temple and land belonging to it have been registered in the name of “Mr. Duryodhana” as per Kerala State Revenue records and Temple Endowment Board records!

Initially a tribal shrine, the temple is now thronged by people from all paths of Hinduism although it still follows the tribal customs like the main offering being toddy and chicken curry.

[...]

A spin-off to the legend again adds more insights into the embracing nature of our culture which can find the best in the supposed-to-be-worst . There is a temple nearby, dedicated to Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son who was brutally slayed in the Chakravyuha. It is said that after the death of Abhimanyu, Duryodhana was repentant about the act, although he did not express it. That night he appeared in the dream of the Kurava chieftain and asked him to build a shrine for Abhimanyu and worship him, but build it in such a way that it faces away from his own shrine, as his conscience makes him ashamed of facing Abhimanyu. The temple was built. Now, once a year, during the annual festival, the idol of Abhimanyu is taken to the Malanada temple, symbolizing the nephew visiting his uncle to pay obeisance and Duryodhana apologizing for his deed !

Didn't know Duryodhana is regarded as an incarnation of Shiva by some. Well the entire thing was a divine play featuring many Gods, so it's not inconsistent. However/Pre-emptively: note how Duryodhana is NOT worshipped as any entity antagonising Hindu/Vedic religion, but still remembered as someone who is of the Hindu cosmology alone - the worshippers even tie him back to Shiva (and as a Hindoo worshipping Hindoo Gods, incl Shiva, as seen in the excerpt above) - and who is ultimately not really a villain: the Hindus worship Duryodhana as fundamentally good, and even celebrate an annual rapprochement between Duryodhana and Abhimanyu, which further underlines that Hindoos see how Duryodhana is not actually a villain beyond his role in the Divine Play (nor even a total villain in that role) and see in him another part of the divine hand(s) guiding the events in the MBh to their intended outcome.







https:// answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110205212707AAnA9v2

shows that there are Duryodhana temples in Uttarakhand and other parts of India too.

Peruviruthi (Duryodhana) Ambalam(Temple)



Malanada Temple in Poruvazhy, Kollam Dist , Kerala State

KOLLAM: The `malakkuda’ festival of Poruvazhi Peruviruthi Malanada temple will be held on March 21. It is considered to be the only Duryodhana temple in the entire South India. The Malanada temple is the centre of the 101 hillshrines spread over Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts. The `malakkuda’ festival is held on the second Friday of the Malayalam month of Meenam. `Eduppukuthira’ from the seven karas are brought to the temple on the festival day. Tens of thousands of devotees will visit the temple on the festival day. The temple is administered by an elected body of 25 members. The entire Hindu community of the seven ‘karas’ vote to elect the 25 representatives. The Ezhava, Nair and Kurava communities have 8, 6 and 4 members respectively in the temple trust. Other Hindu communities are also given representation. 12 km from Adoor (the nearest town) in Pathanamthitta district. Nearest railway station: Chengannur about 30 km away.

Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 91 km.



In Kumaon region of Uttranchal, several beautifully carved temples are dedicated to Duryodhana and he is worshipped as a minor deity. The mountain tribes of Kumaon fought along with Duryodhana armies in the Mahābhārata war; he was venerated as a capable and generous administrator.



Temple of Duryodhan, Osla (Uttarakhand, India)

The Duryodhan Temple in Tons Valley was built by the local inhabitants of Saur who worship the Kauravas as their ancestors. It is believed that the local people wept so much at the defeat of the Kauravas and the death of Duryodhana at the battle of Kurukshetra that their tears became a river named Tamas (literally meaning sorrow). Tamas is also known as Tons. According to the local populace, the tear still flows and hence, the river water is never used for drinking. Duryodhan Temple is 13 km from Sankri. Duryodhana is worshipped in the upper valleys of the rivers Tons, Yamuna, Bhagirathi, Balganga and Bhilganga. This is the biggest temple dedicated to Duryodhana in Uttaranchal and other Duryodhana temples can be seen at Osla, Gangar and Datmir.



Duryodhana Temple, Mori

Mori’s local inhabitants claims or believed themselves as the ascendants of the Pandavas and Kauravas. They worship the Kauravas as the God. The Duryodhana temple, the temple for the eldest Kaurava, in Jakhol near Mori was constructed by the local folks. The main deity is Duryodhana. This is the biggest temple in the state dedicated to Duryodhana.



Folk stories say that Tons river, known anciently as river Tamas, is formed by the tears of the local people who wept over the defeat of Kauravas in the great battle of Mahabharatha. This river water is not being used for drinking, since according to the local belief, still the tear flows. This is a nice temple to visit having a variety of customs and of course for the deity also.



Nearest airport is Jollygrant which is 175 km away from Mori and is situated in Dehradun. Jollygrant airport is connected to Delhi airport. Taxi services are available from airport to Mori and it costs about Rs 3300. Delhi is the nearest international airport which is 410 km away. Delhi is well connected to all major cities in India and many cities abroad.



Nearest railway station is also Dehradun, which is nearly 175 km away from Mori. This station is connected to all cities in India. Taxi services are available from Dehradun to Mori, costing about Rs 3300.



Duryodhan Temple

The local inhabitants of Saur built the Duryodhan temple. Legend goes that Krishna, who had stage - managed the show granted Bhubruvahan eternal life after the war. Consequently, his head was placed on the top of a tree that overlooked the war field. And so, his helpless head watched the Kauravas lose the war, making protesting noises, inciting them to fight harder; advising them about new strategies; shedding tears at their every defeat.

Bhubruvahan's tears still flow today, so say the local people. It is those tears of intense, helpless, uncontrollable sorrow, that now make the river Tamas or Tons. That is why waters from this river are never used for drinking.

Along with the Duryodhan temple, the inhabitants also built the Karna Devta Temple at Sarnauli and both together forms the Kshetrapal of the area.

The above further shows that Duryodhana is only ever worshipped as part of Hindu cosmology again, including as being an ancestor of the locals. So, pre-emptively again: non-Hindoo ideologies can't hijack Duryodhana for peddling their own religions.



The statement in bold above - "Krishna, who had stage - managed the show" - indicates the common Hindoo perception of the MBh. And another obvious Hindu observes in the same vein in a comment at that link:

There is nothing to be surprised as Duryodhan was not a bad man but was just a part of bigger objectives that Shri Krishna wanted to show us for the sake of establishing Dharma.