Lord Murugan is the deity of the Tamil Land. Palani (Tiru Avinankudi) is the third Padai Veedu. The temple at Palani is an ancient one, situated at an elevation of 1500 feet above sea level. The deity of Palani is known as Dandayudhapani Swami, the Lord having the Staff in his Hand. The deity at the sanctum sanctorum is made out of an amalgam of nine poisons popularly called Navapashanam.

One of the many legends associated with the origin of Lord Muruga states that Lord Shiva emitted sparks from his third eye and these fell into the Saravana Poikai (lake) to become six infants. The wives of six rishis nurtured the babies and were subsequently rewarded to appear as the constellation Pleiades. When the divine consort Parvati beheld the beauty of these children, she embraced them all forcibly together to become one form with six heads and twelve arms. In this form Lord Muruga is known as Shanmukha or Arumuga Swami.

On the evening of Raksha Bandhan, 18th Aug 2005, after visiting the Devidura Mela, where there is a heroic stone-fight in time-honoured tradition, I stopped at Paharpani where I spent a few days in solitude and sadhana, or spiritual practice.

About five hundred years ago, Sri Chaitanya on his pilgrimage to Puri from Nadia Navadweep visited Gopinath Temple at Remuna, situated in the Balasore district of Orissa. During the aforesaid pilgrimage, the Lord stayed for some time in the tiny Gadjat kingdom of Mangalpur, about 30 km away from Remuna. The king of the said tiny kingdom was initiated by Sri Mahaprabhu into the Vaishnava cult. The successors of the king later on took the pioneership in spreading the Vaisnava cult in the region by constructing several temples.

Bishnupur, formerly known as MallaBhum, is famously known as the temple town of West Bengal for its architecturally exclusive temples, built by the Malla Rulers from AD 695 onwards. The town remained as the capital of MallaBhum, ranging as a territory containing the entire of the Bankura District and extending up to a quantitative part of today’s districts of Bardhamman and Midnapore. Any and every visitor to Bishnupur is sure to be stunned by the exquisite workmanship and architectural elegance of these historic creations.

The Gopuram (literally Cow-Gate), was erected primarily to emphasize the importance of the temple within the city precincts without in any way altering the form of the temple itself. The formal aspects of the Gopuram were evolved slowly over time. It had to be towering, massive and impressive. But it was not felt necessary to repeat verbatim the square-based form of the temple Vimana. This could be due to the fact that the square was a essentially a static form, signifying calm and rest, while the entrance gateway needed to have some dynamism.

At an altitude of 2,150 ft, Kapilash Temple is known fondly by the devotees as the 'Kailash of Orissa'. The temple is located atop a lush green hill at Dhenkanal district, a region that was once part of the ancient capital of Keshari kingdom, known as Chowduar Surrounded on all sides by the Eastern Ghats, Kapilash is stunningly picturesque. The people of the region believe that Kapilash is the abode of Lord Shiva Chandrasekhar.

Sonamukhi, a municipal town located 42 km from Bankura and 36 km from Bishnupur, is connected by motorable roads, and regular bus service makes the area easily accessible to pilgrims and visitors. This town was mentioned in 17th century manuscript, Deshaabali-bibriti written by Jaganmohan Pundit, as a village of weavers (Tanti).

"Rajarajesvaram in the Tanjavur district of Tamil Nadu has often been called `the temple of temples'. Built round the turn of the first millennium A. D. during the heyday of Chola rule, it is perhaps one of the best expressions of artistic excellence that could be conceived of. For the Cholas, temple building was not merely an outpouring of artistic talent but also a way of life, for the entire fabric of the society was woven round the temple.

Located in the western Godavari district, the village Antarvedi is located 15 km. from Sakhinetipalli mandal and 10 km. from Narsapur. The village is placed at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Vasishta Godavari, one of the seven branches of the Godavari River. It is said that the sage Vasistha brought the River Godavari to its place, and this is one of the most sacred bathing spots in the entire Godavari delta. The place of confluence is known as the Sapta Sagara Sangam Pradesam.

In the East Godavari region, Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, is the village of Korukonda, an ancient and historical temple and Vaisnava divya kshetra that is home to Sri Laksmi Harasimha Swami. Korukonda is approximately 20 km. from Rajhmundry and 60 km from Kakinada.

The holy dhama of Ahobilam is populated by nine prominent Forms of Lord Narasimha, worshipped throughout the Ahobilam Hills. These Nava Narasimha Kshetra manifestations of the Lord are surrounded by many other Nrsimhadeva shrines located throughout the countryside of Andhra Pradesh.

Another of Andhra Pradesh's famous temple abodes of Lord Narasimhadev is found in the Nalgonda region, in the town of Yadagirigutta, 70 kms from Hyderabad. Because the sage Yadarishi is said to have been granted his wish to see the Lord here, the place became known by the name Yadagiri (giri means hill in Sanskrit, and gutta, which means hillock in Telugu. (The "gutta" seems to have been a latter-day suffix.) Being reputed as a place of worship for the sages, Yadagirigutta is also known as Rushi Aradhana Kshetram.

In the Huzurnagar taluq, Nalgonda District of Andhra Pradesh is the town of Mattapalli, which is home to another famous temple of Lord Narasimhadeva. Here, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami (also known as Sri Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy) resides in His maha kshetram cave dwelling beside the Krishna River. The other presiding Deities of Mattapalli dhama are Sri Raajyalakshmi Thaayar and Sri Chenchu Lakshmi Thaayar, who are present alongside Lord Narasimha.

Simhachalam, the Hill of the Lion (Simha means "lion", and chalam means "hill"), is located 18 km from Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Here we find a most beautiful 11th century temple in which resides the presiding Deity, Sri Varaha Laksmi-narasimha. Millions of devotees each year come to visit Lord Varaha Lakshmi-narasimha, Whose form combines the iconographic features of Varaha and Narasimha.

Three of the most well-known shrines of Lord Narasimhadev in Andhra Pradesh are found in Ahobilam, Simhachalam, and Mangalagiri. Today we move on from our first three segments on Mangalagiri to the Karimnagar district, Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh. There, in the town of Dharmapuri is found the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Devasthanam, in which Yoga Narasimha resides.

Thotadri is the present Mangalagiri. Lakshmi Devi has done tapas on this hill, and that's why it was named "The Auspicious Hill". There are three Narasimha Swamy temples in Mangalagiri. One is Panakala Narasimha Swamy on the hill, another is Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at the foot of the temple, and the third is Gandala Narasimha Swamy at the top of the hill.

The Varahi temple of Caurasi is unique in many ways. The image enshrined in this temple is exquisitely beautiful and considered to be one of the masterpieces among the images of the Deity found all over India. Structurally marvelled, it stands different from all other contemporary temples of Orissa (10th-11th century A.D.). A curious combination of Vaisnavism and Tantricism can be marked in the sculptures of this temple, which are at once amazing and thought provoking.

Goa, India is home to one of India's most unique temples - the Devaki-Krsna temple in Marcel. Marcel, in Ponda Taluka, is located about 17 km. from the state capital of Panaji. Here is found India's only temple where the presiding Deity is Sri Devaki-Krishna, which is Sri Krsna and His mother together in Deity form. Sri Sri Devaki-Krsna are joined in the temple by Bhumika Devi, Laxmi Ravalnath, Mallinath, Katyayani, Chodaneshwar and Dhada Shankar.

The sacred shrine of Gangotri dham is the first of the four Char Dhams to be visited on pilgrimage. Located 99 kilometres form Uttarkashi, it is situated at an altitude of 10,500 ft. and marks the source of the River Bhagirathi. The site is surrounded by mountain peaks known as Shivlinga, Satopanth and the Bhagirathi sisters.