Chandrahari Mahadev Temple Ayodhya

Chandrahari Mahadev Temple Ayodhya In the famous religious city of Ayodhya, millions of devotees come every year to worship and pay homage. Ayodhya is home to the sacred birthplace of Lord Shri Ram, along with many other holy sites established by various deities. Along the banks of the Sarayu River, there is a remarkable temple where simply seeing it is considered a blessing, as it houses twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. Include this tample when your are booking your Ayodhya Tour Packages.

In Ayodhya, near Ram Padi, there's an ancient Chandr Hari Temple, known as the Gateway to Heaven. Legend says it was established by Lord Chandra (Moon God) and is mentioned in many religious texts. Maharaja Vikramaditya renovated it centuries ago, and it stands strong today. The temple houses twelve sacred Jyotirlingas along with a well. According to Skanda Purana, just entering this temple at the Gateway to Heaven can absolve sins accumulated over lifetimes. It's believed to be a powerful place of Lord Vishnu. Bathing in the temple well and donating clothes and grains brings great merit. Every year, the temple celebrates a month-long festival called Dhanurmas Mahotsav, also known as Shri Godamba Parva. Acharya Satendra Das explains that Chandr Hari means the supreme power of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, with the presence of twelve Jyotirlingas. People travel to various places to see these twelve Jyotirlingas, but the merit gained from seeing them is unique in Ayodhya's Chandr Hari Temple. The earnings gained from one's work are rewarded in a similar manner. Ayodhya is a sacred place with several such revered sites. many historical People visit this tample when they on Enchanting Ayodhya Tour

Long ago in India, both Kashi and Kashmir were famous for their great schools of learning. In Kashmir, the Sharda Peeth was considered the best place to gain knowledge and become excellent in studies. Scholars there shared their own teachings, mainly based on what they learned and experienced. One significant teaching was the Doctrine of Recognition, now known as Kashmir Shaivism. It was introduced by Acharya Vasugupta in the eighth century and later expanded upon by Acharya Abhinavgupta.

Ayodhya is very important for Hindus because it's where Lord Ram was born. It's an ancient city that dates back to the Vedic period. In the Atharva Veda, it's called "Astchakra Navdwara" or "Devpuri." According to legend, it was established by Vaivswat Manu and given to his son Ishwako as the capital of his kingdom. Back then, its boundaries stretched from Azamgarh to Lucknow, with grand gates at each end. It had four main roads leading in different directions and was well-planned with rectangular buildings and beautiful gardens. Book Your Ayodhya Ram Mandir Tour Package

In the 18th century, Pandit Gulab Rai Tikku from Kashmir came to Ayodhya during Afghan rule and rebuilt the ancient temple of "Chandrahari Mahadev" around 1770. Nobody knows who originally built this temple. There's a fascinating legend about this ancient temple in Ayodhya. It's said that the Moon himself built it. When the British formed the Faizabad district in 1858, they listed the "Chandrahari Mahadev temple" as one of the oldest temples in Ayodhya in their Gazetteer, along with Ram Janma Bhoomi, Hanuman Garhi, Nageshwar Nath, Treta Ke Thakur, and others.

This ancient temple is special because it has 12 "Shivlingas" in its innermost chamber placed on a big "Yoni." Also, in its courtyard, there are idols of Lord Ganesh, two Nandi idols, and one of goddess Durga. This collection of idols is called the "Shiva Mandal," symbolizing Lord Shiva's extended family. It's done so that devotees can pay their respects to all 12 forms of Lord Shiva in one place. By reciting the names of these 'Jyotir Lingams', devotees believe they can attain salvation. The "Chandrahari Mahadev" temple is believed to have been built during the reign of King Harishchandra in Ayodhya. It's one of the seven sanctuaries of Lord Vishnu in Ayodhya, the others being Dharmahari, Vishnuhari, Chakrahari, Guptahari, Vilvahari, and Punyahari. A European scholar named Hans Bakker conducted thorough research on the history and architecture of Ayodhya's temples. In 1986, he published a detailed document titled "Ayodhya," where he dedicated a whole chapter to the Chandrahari Mahadev temple. He suggests that this holy place might have been established during a visit by King Chandra Deva to Ayodhya in 1093 AD, as per legends linking the temple's origin to the king's pilgrimage and his installation of a Lord Vishnu idol for worship.

Hans Bakker suggests that the idea of Seven Sanctuaries of Lord Vishnu in Ayodhya became popular around the 18th century. Five of these sanctuaries, named Chandrahari, Dharmahari, Vishnuhari, Chakrahari, and Guptahari, were established, but the other two may not have been finalized yet. Bilva Tirth later became known as Bilvahari. However, the name of the seventh sanctuary is still uncertain. Some believe it could be related to King Bharat, the son of Dushyanta from the Lunar dynasty's early lineage. However, there's no mention of a sanctuary dedicated to King Bharat in other sources. Records only mention Punyahari as the seventh sanctuary, located about 17 kilometers southeast of Ayodhya.

A notable thing about the Chandrahari temple is that it's dedicated to Lord Shiva, not Lord Vishnu as described. It's situated near the west side of the Ganga Mahal (Palace) and is part of its compound. Inside the temple complex, there are several shrines, with the main one known as "Shiva Mandala." To the left of the main shrine is the Chandrahari sanctum, which holds two beautiful idols of Lord Krishna and Radha. This temple was built in the second half of the 18th century by Gulab Rai Tikku, a Kashmiri Pandit who migrated to Ayodhya from Srinagar.

During Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula's rule, many Kashmiri Pandit families settled in Faizabad, feeling the need for a Shiva temple for their religious gatherings and rituals. Rama Kak, another Kashmiri Pandit, repaired the temple in 1805 and also built a guesthouse for pilgrims. Since then, the temple and guesthouse have been managed by Kashmiri Pandits, who generously donated money for their upkeep.

One notable feature of the temple is the idol of Radha dressed in Kashmiri attire, symbolizing its Kashmiri connection. Pt. Amar Nath Kaul from Lucknow also had connections to the temple and spent his final years there in the early 20th century. Book your Ayodhya 2N|3D Tour Packages

Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Sudhakar Adeeb, a new trust called "Sri Chandrahari Mahadeva Trust, Ayodhya" was formed on May 1st, 2000. The trust includes members like Swami Krishnakantacharya, Pt. Prem Krishna Shangloo, Pt. Ram Chandra Kaul 'Anam', Pt. Gadadhar Prasad Wantoo, Pt. Anand Kaul, Dr. Sudhakar Adeeb, and Shri S. Kumar. The executive body of the trust includes Pt. Sanjay Shangloo, Mrs. Shobha Adeeb, Mrs. Kirti Gandru, Arvind Wantoo, Arvind Kaul, Yatin Mohan Pratap Misra, Alok Bansal, Ajeet Garg, Misrilal, and Prabhat Kumar Tandon. Swami Krishnakantacharya will serve as the chairman and Pt. Sanjay Shangloo as the secretary until the next elections. The trustees will manage the shrine and its properties and work towards making it a major tourist spot by providing facilities to pilgrims and tourists.

During festivals like Shivaratri and Navratra, the shrine sees a large number of devotees seeking blessings from the deities for salvation. The managing committee organizes festivals and performs Vedic rituals like havans and yagnas for peace and prosperity in the country. Kashmiri Pandits have been the caretakers of the shrine for over 200 years, managing its affairs with dedication. It's hoped that they will continue their noble work for many more years. The lines from the Hindi poet Jai Narain 'Arun' hold deep meaning in this context.

Tips of Travel Chandrahari Mahadev Temple Ayodhya Tour

How To Reach:

By Air : The nearest airport to Ayodhya is the Lucknow International Airport, which is about 152 kilometers away. Ayodhya is approximately 158 kilometers from Gorakhpur Airport, 172 kilometers from Prayagraj Airport, and 224 kilometers from Varanasi Airport. Book Ayodhya Tour Packages by Flight

By Train : The main railway stations of Faizabad and Ayodhya districts are well connected to almost all major cities and towns. Faizabad is connected via railway routes to Lucknow at 128 km, Gorakhpur at 171 km, Prayagraj at 157 km, and Varanasi at 196 km. Ayodhya is connected via railway routes to Lucknow at 135 km, Gorakhpur at 164 km, Prayagraj at 164 km, and Varanasi at 189 km. Book Ayodhya Tour Packages by Train

By road : The Uttar Pradesh Transport Corporation service is available 24 hours, and reaching here from all major and minor places is very easy. Faizabad is connected via bus routes to Lucknow at 152 km, Gorakhpur at 158 km, Prayagraj at 172 km, and Varanasi at 224 km. Ayodhya is connected via bus routes to Lucknow at 172 km, Gorakhpur at 138 km, Prayagraj at 192 km, and Varanasi at 244 km. Book one Day Ayodhya Tour Packages by Car