The Journey to NeelKanth Mahadev Temple.....

When I look back at those days of my journey in search of spirituality and peace I find the most etched memory and at that exciting was of the journey to reach Neel Kanth Mahadev Temple which is 31 KM away from Rishikesh. This place is on top of a hill surrounded by many other hills equally special and pious.

I wanted to start earlier in the late night or lets say early in the morning but the local Forest officials turned us down as the road meanders through a jungle where the famous Indian elephants roam at night in search of food and water. So we three could only set out for Neelkanth Temple at early morning.

The road which lead first all along the river Ganges and I could see after 10 Kms the Ashram where I was staying on the other side of the river (We had to go back 10 kms to cross the river as with our car as other suspension bridges all along the route can only take pedestrian or two wheeler crossings) which was looking serene in the early morning mist. After almost a 15 kms we left the banks of river ganga and started tracing the path by one of the tributaries which is supposed to give anyone the power of 3 years of meditation if one takes a dip and then slowly the journey changed its tack …. The route became all uphill with the tyres of our car screeching over loose gravel and gave me quite a fright just by looking at the side of those loose gravel roads which dropped down almost 1000 feet’s… and then I came across a strange sight of a Crane removing debris at such a height that I started wondering how it could reach such a place with its huge crane and big tracks.

The place is powerful as its believed that the Lord Shiva himself came there to meditate. The story is that Lord Shiva was finding it uncomfortable keeping the Poison inside his Adams Apple (That is why Lord Shiva is called Neel (Blue) Kanth (Adam’s Apple) as he took the poison when it came out of great churning of sea in the war between Gods and Evils) so he went out to search for a cool and comfortable place to sit and relax. Finding the Hill on which the temple is located he sat down and started his meditation. After nearly 40,000 years His wife Sati (Goddess Parvati) started getting worried about Him so went out in search of him and found Him deep in meditation here. Not willing to disturb his meditation she also started meditating while waiting for him to come out of his Dhyaan. Soon almost all the Gods and Goddess started coming over there and occupied all the hill around and after 20,000 years Lord Shiva broke his meditation of 60,000 years and blessed all … Its supposed that the Shiva Linga that is there in the temple is Lord Shiva himself and the tree under which he meditated still is there after the Vat Tree was completely overshadowed by Pipal Tree and then by a shrub….

The most exciting experience that I spiritually felt was when I was 5 Kms away from temple. I suddenly felt light hitting between my eyes and I felt overwhelmed with sense of calm and an electric sensation ran down my spine. I felt a dejavu which is hard to explain and I felt a cloud of light over my head through out the remaining journey. I went into meditation and started my mantra Jaap (Continuous chanting of mantras) while still in the car …

We reached the temple premises at 7 AM and removed our shoes, clothes and had a bath. I took out the Holy Shiva Lingams that I was carrying from Varanasi and went to do Puja at the sanctum sanctorum near the Swayambhu Shiva Linga. The complete bliss and the happiness to be where I have had missed last time completed my euphoria. I meditated for an hour there in the presence of Lord Shiva and then reluctantly came out….

This place is very powerful to be in and as I had long chat with one of the Sadhus there who gives as a blessing ash from the fire he does homam. According to him that even now some times Five Gods came to do prayers to lord Shiva.

Om Namah Shivaya
Virtual

My journey towards spirituality....

Hi..After a 10 days I am back to Chennai after visiting Varanasi, Rishikesh, Devprayaag and Haridwar. It was an exhilarating experience.

First stop
Varanasi:

Stayed in an Ashram called Kachcha Baba and Sachcha Baba ashram near Kapil Dhara slightly far away from Varanasi on the banks of Ganges. Meditated on the banks, bathed and did Puja and more importantly did Mantra yoga by reciting mantras Om Namah Shivaya and others given by my guru ji.

Second Stop
Rishikesh:

The land of saints and mahatmas. The place is full of so much energy and concentration that the moment one closes eyes; one can instantly get the feeling of peace. I was fortunate to meditate on the bank of Ganga close to 12 o'clock in the night and start from early morning again at 4 am. The power that I felt reciting mantra in my practice of Mantra Yoga is great. Here I performed puja for the Shivalinga that I have had brought from Varanasi.

Third Stop
Devprayaag:

90 Kms away from Rishikesh is a place where the Bhagirathi meets Alaknanda and continue its onwards journey towards the plains of India as Ganges. It’s a most energizing place where I could perform puja to absolve all my sins as well as for the moksha of all my ancestors like how rishi Bhagirath has done. Here again I did abhisheka of the Shivalingas.

Fourth Stop
Neel Kanth Temple near Rishikesh:

The Neel kanth temple is situated 31 KM away from Rishikesh. This temple is the place where Lord Shiva meditated for almost 60,000 years under the Vat Tree and the shivalinga is Swayambhoo (Lord Shiva Himself). The most profound thing what I felt there was the fact that I could feel energy hitting me a good 5 Kms away from the temple. A very powerful place and the meditation there gave me an exhilarating feeling. I could feel a ball of light exploding over my head during the course of the meditation.

Fifth Stop
Haridwar:

At the Har Ki Pauri, a bath took away all my tiredness from the journey and made me fresh like new. Most like a rebirth and pious feeling one gets in the waters of Ganges there.

Virtual
Om Namah Shivaya

Following is pictures what me or my driver has taken on the tour.

Meditation at the Devprayaag at night.. in the back ground is the river bhagirathi rushing to meet alakananda river and continue the holy journey of cleansing people of India along with Saint Bhagirath's relatives died in Holy war..... 

Another Statue of Lord Shiva and Shiva linga in the back ground .. my driver is standing on the steps in white shirt at the bottom... this is on the way to Dev Praaag.... 

Huge statue of Lord Shiva at Haridwar.... 

Some Devotees and saints performing rituals in Haridwar....in the back ground is an old Shivalinga ...on the top usually is a pitcher which has a hole under it so that the holy river ganges water keeps pouring on shivalinga as its in our religious scriptures that the Ganges when coming to earth from heaven ...came on lord shivas head as he could have only taken the force of the ganges falling down from heaven 

Abhishekam of Shivalinga's at Haridwar...  

River rafting at the Ganges in Rishikesh....The jutting out stone in the back ground where I meditated last night and early morning today... 

The famous Ram Jhula at the Rishi kesh....in the back ground ...  

A place to meditate.. in the back ground is the tent for the people who come here in Rishi kesh for wild water river rafting... 

Abhishekam of shivalinga from the water of a tributary from the neel kanth temple to Ganges.. the place is in a cave... and most unusual find... a powerful shivalinga is situated here.... 

The most powerful temple of Lord Shiva on this trip... Neelkanth Temple where lord Shiva after getting the heat unbearable of the Poison that he took in Manthan went in search of a cool place and found it here , 31 Kms away from rishikesh on the mountain top. Here Lord Shiva meditated for 60,000 years. I felt the power of the spirituality here 5 Kms before the temple like a ring of spiritual power engulfs this place...  

The Shiva Linga that I carried from Varanasi to five holy pplaces and performed abhishekam (Bathing with holy Ganges water) ...  

on the Way to rishikesh in the back ground you can see the river Ganga with an old ropeway bridge... 

The priest is performing Abhishekam of Shivalinga's ..in the back ground is fast flowing river alaknanda which meets Bhagirathi which is on the left hand side of the pic 

Meditating at Devprayaag and in front of Shiva Linga's that I have brought from Varanasi.... 

Varanasi plays host to many old age people .. staying on the ghats and in ashrams near river ganges in the hope of dying here and attaining niravana as its believed in Hindu Religion, any one dying in Kasi (Varanasi's old city name) attains moksha... 

Taking a tour of river ganges .. and in the middle of the river filling a bottle of pious water for performing puja at my house ... 

The Kachcha and Sachcha Baba Ashram where I stayed... a place to meditate... and be close to the river ganges... the one in the pic is Kapil Dhara not River Ganges.. From River Bank I have taken this pic. 

A sadhu at the ashram I meditated... This person is content on sweeping the floor and performing puja at the ashram since ages...  

The aarti at Ghat in Varanasi 

The famous stupa made by King Ashoka to spread the knowledge of Buddha.... 

The famous pictures on the wall of the Temple at sarnath....Here Lord buddha after attaining nirvana at under the bodhi tree recieves a devotee ... 

The Sarnath temple of Budhism famous stop.  

Varanasi on the banks of Holy Ganges... 

The Dashashwa Megh Ghat ... in Varanasi. Here is where people from all over india and more from abroad stay to attain nirvana. A bath in these holy waters absolves one of every sin in this as well as other life time 

The tree at yamuna seems to meditate on its own for ages...