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वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय, सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ ।

निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव, सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥

One of the most popular festivals in India, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated annually to mark the birth of Lord Ganesh, the younger son of Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati. The festival falls on the Shukla Chaturthi of Bhadra month according to the Hindu calendar and in the month of August/September according to the Gregorian calendar. Lord Ganesh is the symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.

Today, is the birthday of Lord Krishna. All over India, Janmashtami is celebrated with high enthusiasm, dancing and chanting of what might be the most recognizable mantra globally

हरे राम हरे राम । राम राम हरे हरे ॥

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण । कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ॥

This mantra is commonly associated with Hare Krishna movement pioneered by International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Founded in 1966, in New York city, the ISKCON spiritual society was established by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, on the principles laid by a 15th century scholar Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारं मुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम् | अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थं वन्दे महाकालमहासुरेशम् ‖ 3 ‖

– Meaning:

I salute that Maha Kala, Who is the lord of all devas, Who has incarnated in the city of Avanthi, For giving salvation to good people, And to save people from untimely death.

The third temple in the series of Jyotirlingas is the Mahakaleshwar temple of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Located on the banks of river Shipra, Ujjain is among the most ancient cities of India.

श्रीशैलशृङ्गे विविधप्रसङ्गे शेषाद्रिशृङ्गेऽपि सदा वसन्तम् |
तमर्जुनं मल्लिकपूर्वमेनं नमामि संसारसमुद्रसेतुम् ‖ 2 ‖

– Meaning

I salute him who is the bridge to the ocean of life,
Who is in the company of all gods,
And living in the union of Sri Shaila,
Who resides on the peak of Thula,
And who is called Mallikarjuna

The second Jyotirlinga, Mallikarjun is situated on Mount Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh. Mount Srisailam is also called Kailash of South India. It lies in the NallaMala hills and one has to pass through dense forest to reach the temple. The temple is located on the bank of river Krishna, which is here in the form of Patal-Ganga (underground spring). The unique feature of this temple is the combination of Jyotirlinga and Mahashakti in one campus and only one of its kind.

सौराष्ट्रदेशे विशदेऽतिरम्ये ज्योतिर्मयं चन्द्रकलावतंसम् | भक्तप्रदानाय कृपावतीर्णं तं सोमनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ‖ 1 ‖

– Meaning

I seek refuge of the Soma Nadha,
Who is in the holy and pretty Sourashtra,
Who is dazzling with light, Who wears the crescent of the moon, Who has come there to give,
The gift of devotion and mercy.

The Somnath Temple is located near Veraval (in Saurashtra region) in the west coast of Gujarat. It is the first Jyotirlinga among the twelve listed by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The temple is considered sacred due to the various legends connected with it. The temple is known in history for the number of destructions and reconstructions it went through. The site of the temple has been a pilgrimage site since ancient days. It was known as Triveni sangam, a confluence of Three Rivers - Kapila, Hiranya and Saraswati.

Image credit: religionworld.in

According to the Hindu calendar, this is the beginning of the holy month of shravan. The month is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is worshipped in the form of a lingam. There are numerous Shiva temples across the country, some of them are centuries old and very famous. Among these, the twelve Jyotirlingas are considered the holiest. The Jyotirlingas are said to have self- manifested ‘swayambhoo’ on earth. Each Jyotirlinga is considered to be a different manifestation of Lord Shiva. The Jyotirlinga looks like any other Shivalinga. However, it is believed that a person who has attained a certain degree of spirituality sees these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth. Every Jyotirlinga has a different story behind how it came to be.

Today is the first Monday of the month of July. This year, coincidentally, it is also the first day of the month of Shravan in Hindu calendar. Shravan (श्रावण) or Sawan is the fifth month of Hindu Lunar calendar. An auspicious month dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. All Mondays of this month are considered highly auspicious. People keep fast and visit temples and pray for a happy family life.