Gurukulam

 

It is the earliest schooling tradition in Hinduism.   It is a non-profit organization. The venue of the school is the Guru or Master's residence or house. The guru allows the students to live together with him.  The Guru  shelter the students and dispel the the darkness of their ignorance with the torch of his knowledge.  The students to live together with him for the entire the time of their courses or education.

It is called as Guru-Sishya parampara (tradition). 

These Gurukuls (school), preserve and spirited the knowledge handed down to us by the Rishis. Till to this date these Gurukuls are the one keeping alive our Vedas, Upanishad, agamas, yogas and also other body of knowledges (vinyana).

In a Gurukul, the sishyas will live under the same roof, irrespective to their social or economic status. A king's son will stay together with a pauper's son. For example, Krishna was Gurukul at their Guru Santipani, together with Kushela (a poor boy). They will be treated equally by the Guru. He let them live together with him. He act as a parent or substitute as a parent, with all the normal forms of parental disciplines. 

He teaches them formal and informal education. The formal education will be the course he is adjoint for. It will be either learning of vedas and religious based knowledge or other skills such as yoga, astrology, medicine, alchemy, language, grammar, martial arts, weaponry,  music, agriculture etc. 

The basic principle of the system is learning by serving. The serve the Guru during the course as he lives in a remote area. The Guru acting as a  parent,  nurture them mentally, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually. The Guru observes the students' characters and temperaments each and everyday. Then, he imparts the knowledge accordingly. The students make the Guru as their role model. They will learn from him and also help him in doing the mundane things like washing, cleaning, gardening, herding the domestic animals, looking for firewoods and etc. The Guru with his flawless character, imbibe moral and ethical values for the students to lead a successful life.  

Till today there is a Gurukul in every part of India

Arulmigu Bala Thandayuthapani Hilltop Waterfall temple, Penang

Original waterfall temple

The original temple was located within the ground of Penang Botanical gardens. A sadhu (holy man) has chose a spot close to the waterfall (see picture) to build a temple for Murugan around mid of 18th century. It was called as Tanneer malayaan temple. The early Tamil traders, merchants-bankers and moneylenders (Chettiars) and laborers (ferried water to Georgetown) are the devotees of the temple. Since 1800 the temple shrine become the centre for Thaipusam celebration. But, in 1850 the temple was replaced with a new one, when the Penang population swelled drastically and the need for clean water increased. British government  planned to build a reservoir and the site is reserved.  

Now, the temple is in a restricted area controlled by Penang Water Board. Every Thaipusam celebrations the temple committee members with the priest will have a special prayers at the temple and five pots of water will be carried from the waterfall for Abishegam to Lord Muruga and the presiding deities of the old temple.  

 Old temple

The old Thandayuthapani temple was dates from 1850. The British Government has offered an eleven acre land on hillside to build a new temple at the hillside.  A temple was built in a new site (see picture) with name Waterfall temple. Thaipusam celebration was continued. It draws a huge crowd year after year. Though it has undergone renovations in every 12 years cycles (punarutharanam), according to Agamas, the temple site was too small and unable to handle the devotees needs and welfare. Besides Thaipusam, the devotees also increased in number during Chitra Pournami, Kanda Sasti, Karthigai, Adi Pournami festivals. A new temple site was planned to accommodate the increasing number of devotees (estimated up to 700,000 visitors at a time).

New waterfall Hilltop temple

The new site was located at the top of the hill. One has to climb 511 steps - leading from the foothills to reach the temple. The world renowned temple architect  and vaastu expert Dr V. Ganapathy Stapathi was consulted in building the temple. Skilled Indian craftsmen were brought to complete the temple structure according to the temple Agamas. Now, it stands magnificently -  with 21.6m tall raja gopuram (equal to seven storeys building) and 20, 000 sq ft hall (maha mandapam).  It temple interior and exterior was ornately adorned with intricate south Indian architecture. The temple pillars feature the 14th and 15th century Chola and Pallava kingdoms temple designs. The Maha kumbhabishegam or consecration ceremony was done on 29th June 2012. 

maha mandapam

Mukthinath

Mukthinath is located at Thorong  La mountain pass (3710 meters above sea level) at Mustang district, Nepal.  It is a holy place for both Hindus and Buddhists. Hindus call it as 'Moksha-shetra'. It is a Narayana temple. Its ancient name was 'Thiru Saligramam'. It is one of the 108 Thivya Desam (holy places for Vaishnava Sect).

Few more steps to reach the temple 

One can have a quick snana (bath) in the freezing cold sacred water which flows from 108 pipes around the temple complex before offering prayers to the presiding deity.

Snana at 108 pushkaranis

                                                                    Mukthinath temple

  

Lord Narayana is the presiding deity of the temple. The temple houses the saligrama sila (sacred stone for vaishnavas) considered to be naturally available form of Sriman Narayana.

There is Jwala-Mukhi temple just next to the main temple. It is considered as one of the 52 Sakthi Peethams (sacred abode of Sakthi).Jwala Maa is in a physical form of an eternal flame burning off the natural gas.

                                                                     Jwala-Mukhi temple

March till June are the best months to visit this temple. It can be accessed by flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then from Phokhara to Jomsom. There is hard way too, to reach the place by a tedious journey by jeeps. But one will not the resist the serenity, beauty and breathtaking views of Annapurna -Dhaulagiri ranges and the ever flowing sacred Kali-Gandaki river. The sacred stone Saligramas are collected from the this Kali-Gandaki river.

Kali Gandaki river

Accommodations are available throughout the journey.

Sanathana Dharma/ Hinduism

Sanathana = eternal (never beginning nor ends)

Dharma = dhri (hold together or to sustain)

This religion is;-

a) Experince based not belief based

b) No historical date of founding

c) Love all and exclude none

d) God centred not the prophets

e) Both immanent(sarvikalpa) and trancedent (nirvikalpa)