Kalkunte Agraharam has an old temple dating back to at least 2 Centuries.

The presiding diety in this temple is Lord Sri Ranganatha with his consorts

Sri Ranga Nayaki (Sri Maha Lakshmi) and Sri Andaal popularly called Thaayaars.

This Agraharam was once densely populated by a large Sri Vaishnava community, also known as Iyengaars (until about 60-70 years ago). And a vast of this community has left the village now and are settled all over the World with a majority f them in Bangalore.

The forefathers of the current generation of the Sri Vaishnava community have hailed from many parts of Tamilnadu. The documented original migrated family is that of the three sons and one daughter of Annadaanam Sri.Venkateshacharya from another Agraharam called DUSI located near Kanchipuram.This place is about 8km away on the Kanchipuram -Tiruvannamalai Road. This migration  must have occurred about 230-270 years ago after the fall of Gingee (Senjy in Tamil) to Hyderali. The then Maharaja of Mysore gave them this village as grant and thus an Agraharam was settled here.

There is a well documented 10 Generations of genealogy-Family Tree of all the three sons of Annadaanam Venkateshacharya.The current Generation is the 10 generation from Annadaanam Venkateshacharya.

Then there were others moving into this village due to relationship by marriage like the Chakravarthis, the Kidaambis now called the Cadaambis in Kalkunte of Kanchipuram. They were joined by the Perumaal Iyengaar family from Sri Rangam – Perumal in the Srivaishnava lingo is Lord Sri Ranganatha of Sri Rangam – the Thogare family from Thogur , there was others like the Gomatam family who were early settlers. Apart from this there is also a group migrated from Torepalli near Hosur with 5-6 generations genealogy since migration.

All of these families have a genealogy of 7-8 generations. Apart from this there were other two families who settled in another village now in Tamil Nadu near Sarjapur called Chicchurakanahalli and Sampangere in Kolar District.These families also had marital relationship with the Kalkunte families and are now settlers of Kalkunte itself.They also have a Genealogy of 8-9 generations.

The early settlers were proficient Vedic Scholars and were dedicated to God.

After settlement in the Agraharam they had established a small Temple for daily worship and the then presiding deity is known to be Lord Srinivasa.Once about 200 years ago the Lord Sri Ranganatha appeared in the dreams of a member of the Perumaal Iyengaar family and instructed to bring him from another nearby village about 15km away called Vokkaleri located in Malur Taluk,Kolar District.It is said that the Lord also appeared in the dream of the Vokkaleri Village head and instructed them to hand over the deity.

The Vokkaleri village was once ruled by Pallava kings and date back to 800A.D with copper plate inscription of that period.The close study of the iconography of the presiding deity Lord Ranganatha indicates this belonging to the Pallava architecture.

This movement of Lord Ranganatha from Vokkaleri to Kalkunte Agrahaaram must have occurred around 200 years back. The Temple was constructed right in the middle of their homes and from a small Sanctum Sanctorum was expanded into the current structure.The Raja Gopuram was built recently during nineteen seventies.

The name of the village Kalkunte is a deformed version of Kalkand ( Kallu Sakkare) According to some and another origin says Kenavil Kanda Perumaal ( The Lord seen in the Dreams).There is also a third origin where there was a Kunte a small water body totally surrounded by Kallu (Stones) located at the entrance of the village.

Today this has been land filled (about 60-70 years ago ) and is behind the Vahana Mantapam. Agraharams in the then Mysore State are the villages granted by the Maharaja for Brahmins to settle down to pursue their Vedic studies and teach spirituality to the entire community. The grant is documented in Venkatagiri Shasanam as per say.

There is a 6 line documentation about Kalkunte Agrahaaram in the Mysore Gazetteer then published by C.Hayavadan Rao in 1923 who had personally visited this village to collect the details.

The other facilities like Paakashala and the Dining Hall was added later as and when these were donated by the families migrating away from the village.

The Poojas in the Temple are conducted as per the PANCHARATRA AAGAMA method and also as per the Vadakalai Sampradayam taught by Sri Vedantha Desikan.

There is a separate sanctum for the Alwar and Aachaaryas consisting of Nammalwaar,

Sri Bhagavad Raamanujacharya and Sri Vedantha Desikan collectively called desikan Sannidhi.

The specialty of this deity is like that of SriRama and Krishna who went in search of their devotees. Sri Rama went to seek devotees like Shabari,Hanumantha,and Vibheeshana etc to the places where they stayed. Similarly Sri Krishna went to seek his devotees like Kubja, Vidhura,Pandavaas etc.Lord SriRanganatha in Kalkunte is also special for his Chaturbhuja Avataaram with Brahma in the Nabhi Kamalam.

The presence of Garuda has a Great significance.Those who are having Sarpa Dosham / Kuja Dosham / Ashlesha Dosham  (Also called Maangalik Dosh in Hindi)  etc can be ridden of all these Dosham completely by performing an Abhishekam to Moolavar  with Garudotsava Sevas.

There is Nithya Pooja conducted in this temple managed by the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Sabha,Regd,Kaklunte – a Trust founded to manage this temple about 100 years ago.

Vishnu is a Hindu god, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Narayana and Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, he is conceived as “the Preserver or the Protector” within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.

Vishnu is one of the most important gods in the Hindu pantheon and, along with Brahma and Shiva, is considered a member of the holy trinity (trimurti) of Hinduism. He is the most important god of Vaishnavism, the largest Hindu sect. Indeed, to illustrate Vishnu’s superior status, Brahma is, in some accounts, considered to have been born from a lotus flower which grew from Vishnu’s naval. A complex character, Vishnu is the Preserver and guardian of men (Narayana), he protects the order of things (dharma) and, when necessary, he appears on earth in various incarnations or avatars to fight demons and fierce creatures and so maintain cosmic harmony.

Vishnu represents Sattvaguna and is the centripetal force as it were, responsible for sustenance, protection and maintenance of the created universe.

Etymologically speaking, the word ‘Vishnu’ means ‘one who pervades, one who has entered into everything.’ So he is the transcendent as well the immanent reality of the universe. He is the inner cause and power by which things exist.

Matsya is said to be the avatar that rescued the first man, as well as other creatures of the earth, from a great flood. Matsya is sometimes depicted as a great fish or as a human torso connected to the tail of a fish. 

Matsya is said to have forewarned man about the coming flood and ordered him to preserve all the grains and living creatures in a boat. This story is similar to many deluge myths found in other cultures.

Kurma (or Koorma) is the tortoise incarnation that relates to the myth of churning the ocean to obtain treasures dissolved in the ocean of milk. In this myth, Vishnu took the form of a tortoise upon which to support the churning stick on his back.

 The Kurma avatar of Vishnu is usually seen in a mixed human-animal form.

Varaha is the boar that raised the earth from the bottom of the sea after the demon Hiranyaksha dragged it to the bottom of the sea. After a battle of 1,000 years, Varaha raised the earth out of the water with his tusks. 

Varaha is depicted as either a full boar form or as a boar head on a human body.

As the legend goes, the demon Hiranyakashipiu obtained a boon from Brahma that he could not be killed or harmed by any means. Now arrogant in his security, Hiranyakshipiu began to cause trouble both in heaven and on earth. 

However, his son Prahlada was devoted to Vishnu. One day, when the demon challenged Prahlada, Vishnu emerged in the form of a man-lion known as Narasimha to slay the demon.

In the Rig Veda, Vamana (the dwarf) appears when the demon king Bali ruled the universe and the gods lost their power. One day, Vamana visited the court of Bali and begged for as much land as he could cover in three steps. Laughing at the dwarf, Bali granted the wish. 

The dwarf then assumed the form of a giant. He took the whole earth with the first step and the entire middle world with the second step. With the third step, Vamana sent Bali down to rule the underworld.

In his form as Parasurama, Vishnu appears as a priest (Brahman) who comes to the world to kill bad kings and protect humanity from danger. He appears in the form of a man carrying an ax, sometimes referred to as Rama with an ax. 

In the original story, Parasurama appeared to restore Hindu social order which had become corrupted by the arrogant Kshatriya caste.

Lord Rama is the seventh avatar of Vishnu and a major deity of Hinduism. He is considered supreme in some traditions. He is the central figure of the ancient Hindu epic "Ramayana" and is known as King of Ayodhya, the city believed to be Rama's birthplace.

According to the Ramayana, Rama’s father was King Dasaratha and his mother was Queen Kausalya. Rama was born at the end of the Second Age, sent by the gods to do battle with the multi-headed demon Ravana.

Rama is often depicted with blue skin, standing with a bow and arrow.

Lord Krishna (the divine statesman) is the eighth avatar of Vishnu and is one of the most widely revered deities in Hinduism. He was a cowherd (sometimes depicted as a charioteer or statesman) who shrewdly changed rules.

According to legend, the famous poem, the Bhagavad Gita, is spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield. 

Krishna is depicted in a variety of forms because there are so many stories surrounding him. The most common story describes Krishna as a divine lover who plays the flute; he is also described in his child form. In paintings, Krishna often has blue skin and wears a crown of peacock feathers with a yellow loincloth.

Balarama is said to be the elder brother of Krishna. It is believed that he engaged in many adventures alongside his brother. Balarama is rarely worshiped independently, but stories always focus on his prodigious strength.

In visual representations, he is usually shown with pale skin in contrast to Krishna's blue skin.

In a number of versions of the mythology, Lord Buddha is thought to be the ninth incarnation. However, this was an addition that came after the dasavatara was already established.

Kalki (meaning “eternity” or "mighty warrior") is the last incarnation of Vishnu. He is not expected to appear until the end of Kali Yuga, the current time period. Kalki will come, it is believed, to rid the world of oppression by unrighteous rulers. It is said that he will appear riding a white horse and carrying a fiery sword.

The Dvarkadhish Temple, built in 1814, is a popular temple in the center of Mathura town. This is the most visited temple in the center of Mathura and is managed by followers of Vallabhacarya. Once you enter this temple from the street, it is fairly interesting architecturally. It is located in the eastern part of Mathura, not far from the Yamuna River. The temple is a hub of activity during the festive days of Holi, Janmashtami and Divali.

Jami Masjid on a plinth raised above street level a little way north, was completed in 1661 by Aurangzeb’s governor Abd-un-Nabi. It has long since lost its original vivid glazed tiles, but remains surrounded by four minarets and assorted outer pavilions. Around 500 m west stands another of Aurangzeb’s mosques, the impressive red sandstone Katra Masjid. This was erected on the foundations of the once-famous Kesava Deo temple, destroyed by the Moghul emperor, which had itself been built on the ruins of a Buddhist monastery. Some traces of the Hindu temple can be seen around the back, where the Sri Krishna Janmasthan or Janmabhumi complex now stands. Directly behind the mosque, approached through a corridor, a shrine marks Krishna’s exact birthplace (janmasthan); its cage-like surround signifies that He was born in captivity, when His parents were prisoners of the tyrant king Kamsa.

Vrindavan, around 15 km from Mathura, is a little town and a major place of pilgrimage on the banks of Yamuna. Attracting about 500 000 pilgrims every year, mainly during major festivals like Janmashtami, Holi and Radhashtami, it is noted for its numerous temples, both old and modern, big and small (allegedly 5000 altogether). Vrindavan is synonymous with the childhood pastimes of Sri Krishna.

Vrindavan is also the center for various Vaishava groups. In a centuries-old tradition Hindu widows have been coming to live out the rest of their lives in Vrindavan. They are expected to shed all physical adornments, including long hair, wear only white cotton saris and lead an austere lifestyle. In Vrindavan there are thousands of widows coming mostly from Bengal. They begin their day by bathing in the Yamuna and congregate at ashrams to sing bhajans (devotional songs). In return, they get a daily ration of rice and pulses and some cash. Subsisting on charitable donations made by wealthy traders, the widows pass their life in devotion to Krishna, the Supreme Lord.

The name ‘Vrindavan’ is derived from ‘Vrinda’, another name for the sacred tulsi (basil) plant. It is said that the entire place was a tulsi grove at one time. According to another tradition, it was named after Vrinda Devi, one of Krishna’s consorts. The earliest known shrine in Vrindavan is said to have been built by the local Gosvamis in a large garden called Nidhiban. According to tradition, Mughal Emperor Akbar was taken blindfolded inside the grove where he had some kind of a spiritual experience. As a result, he acknowledged the spot as being holy ground.

The four temples that were built in honor of his visit are Madan Mohan, Govinda Deva, Gopinath, and Jugal Kishore.

Madan Mohan Temple on the riverside is the oldest structure in Vrindavan. This famous temple was established by Srila Sanatana Gosvami and was the first Gosvami temple built in Vrindavan, which at that time was just a forest. The original Deity of Madana Mohana was discovered at the base of an old vat (banyan) tree by Advaita Acarya, when He visited Vrindavan. He entrusted the worship of Madana Mohana to His disciple, Purusottama Chaube, who then gave the Deity to Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami spend 43 years in Vrindavan. Worshiped along with Madana Mohana are Radharani and Lalita, who were sent to Vrindavan by Purusottama Jena, the son of Maharaja Prataparudra. 

 This 60 foot high temple was opened in 1580 on a 50 foot hill called Dvadasaditya Tila, next to the Yamuna. Ram Das Kapoor paid to build the temple. One day a ship he owned, loaded with merchandise, went aground in the Yamuna. He was advised by Sanatana Gosvami to pray to Madana Mohana for help. The ship came free and the owner of the ship made a big profit, which he used to built this temple.

The temple is associated with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who stayed here. Due to the fear of Muslim onslaughts on the temple the original murti was moved to Rajasthan (Karoli). A replica is now worshiped in the temple. The bhajan kutir and samadhi of Sanatana Gosvami, together with the puspa-samadhis of Candrasekhara Acarya and Tapana Misra are also here.

Govinda Dev Temple was a grand seven-story structure, with an altar of marble, silver and gold. Architecturally this temple is one of the finest in North India. A sculptured lotus flower weighing several tons decorates the main hall ceiling. It was built in 1590 by Raja Man Singh from Jaipur, a general in Akbar’s army, who was inspired to do it after meeting Rupa Gosvami. It was said to have cost ten million rupees and several thousand men were working for five full years to complete it. Akbar himself had donated the red sandstone for its construction. In 1670, during the rule of a later Mughal king, Aurangzeb, it was plundered and destroyed leaving only three stories of the original temple. During this attack, when few stories remained, all of a sudden the ground began to shake violently and Aurangzeb’s men were terrified and ran for their lives, never to return.

 Temple is now empty and the replica of Govindaji is worshiped in the new Govindaji Mandir (located behind the original temple). The original Govindaji is worshiped in Jaipur.

The Deity of Gopinath worshiped in Radha-Gopinath Temple was discovered at Vamsivat by Paramananda Bhattacarya, who entrusted the Deity’s worship to Madhu Pandita. On the altar are Deities of Srimati Radharani and Her sister, Ananga Manjari. Madhu Pandita’s samadhi is next to the temple.

Gopinathji was originally installed in Vrindavan by Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna. When the Muslims raided Vrindavan, the original Gopinath Deity was taken to Jaipur. The Gopinath Deity in Jaipur and Lord Krishna are said to exactly resemble each other from Their shoulders down to the waist.

Jugal Kisore Temple (Kesi ghata temple) is one of the oldest temples of Vrindavan, completed in 1627. After Akbar’s visit to Vrindavan in the year 1570, he gave permission for four temples to be built by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, which were Madana-mohana, Govindaji, Gopinatha and Jugal Kisore. It is sometimes called the Kesi ghata temple, as it is located next to this ghata.

Opposite from the Govinda Dev Temple is an imposing south-Indian temple called Sri Ranganatha (Rangaji) Temple. It is 30 meters high with three gopurams (gateways), a tall shikhara (crown) and gold-plated decorations. This South Indian style temple was built by the wealthy Seth family of Mathura in 1851 and is dedicated to Lord Sri Ranganatha or Rangaji, a form of Lord Vishnu lying down on the Sesa Naga (divine serpent). This temple has a traditional South Indian gopuram (gateway), a Rajput-styled (architectural style prevailing in the present Indian state of Rajasthan) entrance gate and an Italian-influenced colonnade. One of the enclosures within the precincts of this magnificent temple has a 15-meter-high pillar made of gold. It is one of Vrindavan’s largest temples and is surrounded by high walls. Once a year there is a grand car festival (Ratha Yatra) known as Brahmotsava during the month of Caitra (March-April). This festival lasts for 10 days. At the entrance, there is an electronic puppet show about stories of Krishna and a small museum.

One of the most popular in Vrindavan and famous all over India is the Banke Bihari Temple, built in 1864. There are curtains in front of the richly decorated murti. After the main prayers the curtains are drawn apart to give darsan (viewing) to a long line of devotees. The curtain before the Deities is not left open like at other temples but every few minutes it is pulled shut and then opened again. The Deities do not get up until 9 AM. The temple has mangala-arati only one day a year and only once a year can the lotus feet of the Deity be seen, on Akhyaya Tritiya. Many devotees come every day, especially in the month of Sravana, during Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival. The murti is said to have been discovered by the musician-saint Svami Hari Das in Nidhi Van, a kadamba grove where Banke Bihari was originally worshiped. A contemporary of the Six Gosvamis, Svami Haridasa, known for his bhajans, was the guru of the famous musician Tansen.

Radharamana Temple is the famous temple of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami. Radharamana means “one who gives pleasure to Radha”. It is one of the many names of Lord Krishna. The seva puja of Radharamana was established in 1542, after the Deity self-manifested from a salagram-sila on the full moon day of Vaisakha (April/May). This event is celebrated every year by bathing the Deity with 100 liters of milk and other auspicious items. The remnants of this abhiseka (bathing) are like nectar. Gopal Bhatta Gosvami’s other shalagram-shilas are worshiped on the altar here. The appearance place of Sri Radharaman Deity is next to the temple. Radharamanji is one of the few original Deities of the Gosvamis still in Vrindavan. The standard of worship is very high.

The land of Braj starts from Kotban near Hodel about 95 km from Delhi and ends at Runakuta which is known specially for its association with the poet Surdas, an ardent Krishna devotee. A long line of picturesque ghats – with their steps leading to the water’s edge, arched gateways and temple spires extending along the right bank of the River Yamuna, emphasize the sacred character of the town of Mathura. The birth place of Lord Krishna, Mathura is today an important place of pilgrimage.

Lord Krishna is the most popular person here. Every square foot of Mathura-Vrindavan is wrapped in timeless devotion to Lord Krishna, the eternal hero, the lover of Radha and the cowherd-prince. Mathura without Lord Krishna is like Bethlehem without Jesus. Welcome to Brajabhumi, Krishna’s land.

To enable everyone to see the area in a traditional spiritual way, every year in Kartika (Oct/Nov) ISKCON puts on a Braja Mandala parikrama. This one-month walking tour goes to all 12 forests in Vrindavan and visits most of major places in the Braja area including Mathura, Radha Kund, Varsana, Nandagrama, Gokula, Vrindavan, and Govardhana Hill. It is traditional to do this walk barefoot, although shoes are permitted.

The city of Mathura is located in the western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, in the north of India. It is a part of the great northern plains and is situated on the west bank of the river Yamuna. Mathura is 140 km south of Delhi and 60 km northwest of Agra. The climate of Mathura is extreme and tropical. Summers are extremely hot and winters are cold and foggy. It experiences southwestern monsoon rains from July to September.

An ancient city whose origins fade into the mists of history, Mathura’s strategic location at the cross roads of various trade routes – that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman Empire; northwards, via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia and the Silk Route and eastwards to China – ensured its position as a center of trade and a meeting point for varied cultures.

By the fifth century BC, during the time of Buddha, it was a major metropolis and the capital of the Surasena kingdom – one of the 16 Mahajanapadas of the period. Mathura saw its `golden age’ during the rule of the Kushanas and the able governance of rulers like Kanishka, Huvishka, and Vasishka, when the arts flourished and economic wealth grew. It remained a center of power during the Mauryan period, through the enlightened rule of Emperor Ashoka to the Gupta era (4th century AD).

It has often been said that it is easier to count the number of dust particles on the surface of the earth than to count the number of holy places in Mathura. Each of the ghats, for instance, has its own Krishna story (like Visram-ghat where He rested after killing his evil and tyrannical uncle, King Kansa).

Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell in Mathura. His father Vasudev aided by goddess Yogamaya brought him out of Mathura, across the raging river Yamuna into the house of Nanda in Gokula. Krishna spent his early childhood here and revealed His divinity. His uncle Kansa’s murderous attempts lead Krishna to leave Gokula and move to Nandgaon, a more secure home high up on a hill. From here the young Krishna the cowherd boy would wander into the Vrindavan forests to play with His friends and dally with Radha, His consort. Vrindavan, is a transcendental world, a place of Krishna’s lila. Each tree in the area speaks, as it were, of the love of the Divine Couple.

Name definition, a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.

 A name is a term used for identification. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A personal name identifies, not necessarily uniquely, a specific individual human. The name of a specific entity is sometimes called a proper name (although that term has a philosophical meaning also) and is, when consisting of only one word, a proper noun. Other nouns are sometimes called "common names" or (obsolete) "general names". A name can be given to a person, place, or thing; for example, parents can give their child a name or a scientist can give an element a name.

THE BHAGAWAD GITA SIMPLIFIED

The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the Gita, is a 700-verse Sanskrit scripture that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Gita is set in a narrative framework of a dialogue between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide and charioteer Krishna.

The Bhagavad Gita often referred to as the Gita, is a 700-verse Sanskrit scripture that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata (chapters 23–40 of Bhishma Parva). 

Religion‎: ‎Hinduism
Language‎: ‎Sanskrit
Author‎: ‎Vyasa
Verses‎: ‎700

Why do you worry without cause?

Whom do you fear without reason?

Who can kill you?

The soul is neither born, nor does it die.

Whatever happened,

happened for the good;

whatever is happening,

is happening for the good;

whatever will happen,

will also happen for the good only.

You need not have any regrets for the past.

You need not worry for the future.

The present is happening...

What did you lose that you cry about?

What did you bring with you,

which you think you have lost?

What did you produce,

which you think got destroyed?

You did not bring anything,

whatever you have, you received from here.

Whatever you have given, you have given only here.

Whatever you took, you took from God.

Whatever you gave, you gave to Him.

You came empty handed,

you will leave empty handed.

What is yours today,

belonged to someone else yesterday, and

will belong to someone else the

day after tomorrow.

You are mistakenly enjoying the thought

that this is yours.

It is this false happiness that is

the cause of your sorrows.

Change is the law of the universe.

What you think of as death,

is indeed life.

In one instance you can be

a millionaire, and

in the other instance you can

be steeped

in poverty.

Yours and mine, big & small

erase these ideas from your mind.

Then everything is yours and

you belong to everyone.

This body is not yours,

neither are you of the body.

The body is made of fire, water, air, earth and

ether, and will disappear into these elements.

But the soul is permanent - so who are you?

Dedicate your being to God.

He is the one to be ultimately relied upon.

Those who know of his support are forever

free from fear, worry and sorrow.

Whatever you do,

do it as a dedication to God.

This will bring you the

tremendous experience of

joy and life-freedom forever.

Thanks for Reading

and Honestly Trying to

Implement the same,

in your Day to Day Life.

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