Sri Rama Temple,Solok York, George Town

Sri Rama Temple is one of the earliest temples to be built it Penang. Although it is not known exactly when the temple was first built, according to available documents, it must have existed before 1872. This is confirmed by the existence of a will dated 12 July, 1872 that mentioned the temple.

According to the will, the land on which Sri Rama Temple stands was donated by an Indian woman by the name of Ranee Dhoby. Ranee Dhoby is of course a title rather than a proper name; it translates as "Dhoby Queen" in respect of her position over the laundrymen. Ranee Dhoby was the matriach of the dhoby community that settled along the banks of the Ayer Itam River as early as the turn of the 19th century. A land grant dated 2 May, 1802, stated that she was given a piece of land by the order of Sir George Leith (for whom Leith Street was named), the Governor of Prince of Wales Island, by virtue of the authority of the Governor General of Bengal. Somewhere between 1808 and 1811, Ranee Dhoby is said to have sold off a section of the Sungai Pinang riverbank to William Edward Phillips, so that he can have access to the estate of Francis Light which he acquired from James Scott. Phillips then built on the foundation of Light's garden estate the mansion that is now known as Suffolk House.

Before she died, Ranee Dhoby created a trust for the building of a temple, to be known as the Ranee Dhoby Koil.

Sri Rama Temple was renovated in 1982, and deities such as Rama, Sita, Hanuman and Ganesh were installed. There is also a memorial to Ranee on the walls of the present temple. The inner sanctum follows the original octagonal design. Sri Rama Temple is a Vaishnavite temple, that is to say, a Hindu temple where Vishnu and his associated avatars or incarnation are worshipped as the supreme deity. This is one of the two Vaishnavite temples in Penang, the other being the Sri Kunj Bihari Temple

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang

The Balathandayuthapani Temple, officially the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil, and better known as the Waterfall Hill Temple or Hill Top Murugan Temple, is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. It was originally located within the grounds of the Penang Botanical Gardens.

According to popular belief, a sadhu (holy man) chose a spot close to the waterfalls for a shrine dedicated to Murugan. The place was called thanner malai, meaning water hill, and the deity itself was known as Thannermalaian, The "old" Balathandayuthapani temple dates from 1850, when the British authorities took over the site of the Original Balathandayuthapani Temple, and provided the Hindus an eleven-acre plot of hillside land for their temple. The Balathandayuthapani temple became the focus of the annual Thaipusam celebrations since then.

At the foot of the staricase leading to the Balathandayuthapani temple is a shrine dedicated to the deity Ganesha. The Sree Ganeshar Temple has since developed into a separate temple in its own right, and with its own devoteesor "he who resides by the waterfall".

The Balathandayuthapani temple has undergone several major renovations. This is in keeping with the requirements of the Hindu agamid tenets, that renovations be done for every mamangam, or 12-year cycle. Over the years, as the number of devotees and worshippers increased, the Hindu Endowments Board found that the hill top temple could no longer accommodate the numbers. This is especially true in the past decade, with more and more visitors converging on the temple particularly during the Thaipusam celebration (other feast days of smaller scale include the Chitra Pournami, Kantha Sasthi, Thirukarthigai and Aadipournami).
A feasibility study was conducted to ascertain the viability of expanding the old hill top temple. Consultants engaged in the study discovered that the temple was sited over several subterranean springs. This makes its location unstable. After deliberating over the various reports, the Hindu Endowments Board made a decision to relocate the Balathandayuthapani temple to a new, safer location.

The new Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani temple is planned to accommodate up to 700,000 visitors, a number expected for every Thaipusam Festival. In keeping with its position as a major Hindu temple, it will have a huge maha mandapam, the pillared outer hall in which public rituals are performed.
Visitors to the new Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple has an even longer climb than before, but the view makes the effort worthwhile. With over 500 steps (some estimates put the figure at 512 steps, though this is difficult to judge, as there are more than one route to the top), it is longer than the 272 steps up Batu Caves.

The winding route allows you to stop several times to enjoy the scenery. Half way to the top, you arrive at the Old Hill Top Murugan Temple, the former site for the Thaipusam celebrations. Next to it is the Arulmamani Arumugam Pillai Mandapam, a pavilion built in 1956. It acts as a staging area for visitors and pilgrims. From here, you get a good view of the new Arulmugam Balathandayuthapani Temple before you continue your ascend. As you climb higher, the skyscrapers of Gurney Drive and eventually the rest of George Town come into view.
Arriving at the top, you enter the temple through a main gate topped by a gigantic seven-storey rajagopuram, or kingly temple tower, which is intricately embellished with multi-tier statues of deities. The maha mandapam surrounds the garbhagriha, or sanctum sanctorum, where the image of Murugan is placed. There will also be alcoves or shrines for other deities.

The maha mandapam is supported by rows of intricately carved pillars. Hanging down from the ceiling are chandeliars that cast their light over the well-polished floor. Devotees gather in groups on the floor or awaiting their turn to perform prayers and rituals.

Kamal's 'Viswaroopam'

Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan is multi-faceted and has contributed to the film industry in several ways. The ace legend is acting, directing apart from producing 'Viswaroopam' which will literally showcase his various avatars to eager fans.

The film was initially supposed to be helmed by Selvaraghavan however the duo parted ways and Kamal decided to wield the megaphone for this project, where his younger daughter Akshara Haasan is assisting him in direction.

The film is touted to be made in a whooping budget of 150 crore rupees and is produced by Kamal Haasan and PVP Cinema. Music is by Shankar Ehsaan Loy.

A major hunt was on for the heroine and several changes were made. Names right from Sonakshi Sinha to Vidya Balan to Sameera Reddy were buzzed for this spot whereas Pooja Kumar bagged the role.

Rahul Bose plays baddie and Andrea Jeremiah will be seen in a pivotal role. There are some high voltage action scenes Kamal and Rahul Bose will be seen in and it is said that the duo pulled these off without a body double!

However, everything about the concept of the film has been kept under wraps and has been closely guarded by Kamal. Rumours are abuzz that Rahul Bose plays a terrorist in this flick.

'Viswaroopam' is taking shape in a fast pace and has extended post production work scheduled

Angkor Wat the biggest temple in asia

Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត) is the largest Khmer temple complex in the world. The temple was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century in Yasodharapura (Khmer: យសោធរបុរៈ, present-day Angkor), the capital of the Khmer Empire, as his state temple and eventual mausoleum. Breaking from the Shaivism tradition of previous kings, Angkor Wat was instead dedicated to Vishnu. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia,^[1] appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.
The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple" in Khmer; Angkor, meaning "city" or "capital city", is a vernacular form of the word nokor (នគរ), which comes from the Sanskrit word nagar (नगर).^[2] Wat is the Khmer word for "temple grounds", derived from the Pali word "vatta" (वत्त).^[3] Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok (Vara Vishnuloka in Sanskrit), after the posthumous title of its founder

Neither Karthi nor Surya but it is Jeeva

Mouna Guru is a film which had Arulnidhi in the lead role. This film turned out to be a great success at the box office. Debutant director Shanthakumar had directed Mouna Guru.


There were lots of wild guesses going around that which actor Shanthakumar will direct next and who will be its producer.
At this juncture, it was confirmed that Studio Green will be producing the film which will be directed by Shanthakumar but it was not confirmed that who will don the lead role.

Jiiva, Arya, Rajesh and the laugh riot

Earlier, we have reported that actors Jiiva and Arya are also set to don a new avatar: that of a producer! Jiiva and his brother Ramesh along with Arya will soon start producing films under their newly-formed banner Spiral Dreams. There were reports that their first production venture will have Jiiva and Arya in the lead roles and will be directed by Rajesh.

But the latest buzz is that the project will go on floors after the release of Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, which has Udhayanidhi Stalin and Hansika in lead roles. So the duo's maiden production venture is likely to be a full-fledged comedy entertainer on the lines of SMS and Boss Engira Bhaskaran.

Sri Maha Karumariamman Muneeswarar Temple, Ipoh (Perak)

 

Goddess Karumariamman, is the Goddess of Rain and is celebrated and humbly worshipped by the Hindus of Tamil Nadu in India. The devotees display great significance in worshiping Goddesses Karumariamman as it is believed that she is the symbol of sacrifice and motherhood. This spiritually exhilarating temple based in Ipoh is the bastion of Goddess Karumariamman, and has a vivid and vibrant history. The current temple was built by Kakaji, a Hindu devotee of Punjabi origin. It was initially a shrine built over 200 years ago by the early Hindu settlers of Perak. However, the shrine was destroyed by Japanese soldiers during World War 2.

In 1998, when Kakaji was a still a young boy, he grew up in a remote village near the outskirts of Ipoh town. As the area was in the thick of jungle, movement of people was limited after dusk, as superstition claimed that evil spirits roamed around at this time. Also during this period, Kakaji always noticed a dazzling lady always clad in a glittering golden saree walking through the jungle, and was extremely curious about her presence. He had spotted her frequently, and followed her back on one particular day. She walked to the middle of the jungle, and turned around to speak to Kakaji. She told him of her plight, that she was of divine origin, and her spiritual abode was wrecked by humans. She asked him to help rebuild the temple, and take charge of her abode. Soon after Kakaji dug the spot where he met the divine Goddess, and discovered an ancient copper yantra, ‘kolusu’ (anklets), a Trisulam, gold coins and gemstones. He soon established a temporary shrine, but later built it into a magnificent spiritual dwelling for Goddess Karumariamman. She provided spiritual instructions to Kakaji, on performing ‘abhishekam’ (pouring libations on the deity), ‘alankaram’ (arrangement of ornaments on the deity), and recitation of Sanskrit hymns and verses. Although Kakaji had become accustomed to the spiritual messages conveyed by the Goddess, he still did not know her name. During the consecration ceremony of the temple, the officiating priest asked Kakaji for the deity name whereby Kakaji replied it is Amman. The priest had then requested for the specific Amman ‘avataram’ (manifestation). Kakaji requested Amman to reveal her true self. At that moment, a tape recorder playing devotional music had suddenly jammed, emitting only the words Karumariamman. A huge ‘naga’ (cobra) appeared unexpectedly to confirm the Goddess identity. Simultaneously, an escaped cow charged towards the shrine of the temple, knocking flowers and ‘kumkumam’ (red powder), thus scattering the offering to Goddess Karumariamman all over the temple.

Many Hindu devotees have had visions of the Goddess in this temple. She is known to wear a diamond crown, and has a penchant for ‘Natyam’(classical dancing). During the festival of Navaratri, devotees hear her footsteps performing classical dances in the middle of the night. Many Hindu devotees come all over Malaysia to receive ‘darshan’ (spiritual blessing) from the Goddess, especially to cure disease, such as chicken pox, cancer, heart abnormalities, diabetes, and so forth.

Sri Mahalaxmi Alayam, Ipoh (Perak)

As there is very few temples dedicated to Goddess Laxmi in Malaysia, this shrine stands out like a blooming pink petal lotus on murky mud. In the 1960’s, a Hindu devotee by the name of Mr.Samy brought a Laxmi statue to Malaysia from the sacred Tiruvanamallai hills from Tamil Nadu, India. He chose to build a shrine for Goddess Laxmi in the outskirts of Ipoh town, as there are plenty Hindu residents in this area. In addition, the selected area was in a jasmine orchard, therefore more apt for the worship of Goddess Laxmi. In 1990, the shrine was renovated, and was completed during “Varusha Pirappu” (Tamil New Year), hence a yearly festival was held during the “Varusha Pirappu”. During this period, the previous cement statue was replaced by a granite statue, to allow the pouring of ritual “Abhisekham” (liquid oblations).

This shrine is renowned for the blessings of offspring to childless couples. Many Hindu couples from around Malaysia come to this temple to seek Goddess Laxmi’s blessings to have children, and are never disappointed. In addition, Goddess Laxmi always takes care of her ardent devotees, ensuring their welfare is her priority. There was an old lady who used to take of this shrine. She used to clean the shrine daily, and light the “Kuthu Vilakku” (Oil Lamp). Her spiritual chores were taken over by a full time priest, as she was getting old. Due to ill-fate, the old devotee became paralysed. Despite her disability, she visited the shrine daily, praying to Goddess Laxmi. Her spiritual endeavour was blessed by Goddess Laxmi, as the devotee soon recovered from her ailment. Another dedicated devotee used to offer lotus flowers every Friday to Goddess Laxmi at this shrine. On the way to work by motorcycle, the devotee was knocked by oncoming vehicle. Despite the motorcycle becoming a total wreck, the devotee was completely unscathed. A crowd of onlookers claimed to have witnessed a bright light hovering around the devotee during the accident. Some devotees have also had visions of Goddess Laxmi, giving spiritual advice when necessary. The vision of Goddess Laxmi, was described that she was seated on a pink lotus, had brilliant golden complexion and was wearing a luminous green sari with pink borders.

There is also an idol of Nagamman at this shrine, who is the guardian deity of this shrine. Her existence is confirmed by the presence of a very large cobra, which frequents the shrine after dusk. Devotees who come late to the shrine have witnessed the cobra slithering out of the shrine. In addition, there is a “Trisulam” in this shrine, which is supposed to have been located in this shrine since the establishment of the shrine.

Address: 142, Jalan Lahat, Ipoh, Perak. Phone: 019-5128110 (Mr.Tamil Selvan)

Arulmigu Arumugaswamy Dhevasthanam, Kangar (Perlis)

Originally built in 1968, this majestic temple is distinctive as it is one of the rare temples in Malaysia whereby Lord Muruga is in his fierce battle form, ever ready to annihilate evil ‘asuric’ (demonic) forces. The mighty Lord Arumugaswamy presides here as a six faced deity with his two consorts, Sri Valli and Sri Devayanai in the main ‘moolasthanam’ (inner sanctum). Lord Arumugaswamy’s statue is made from ‘Karungkal’ (black granite), whereby his front three faces are face forward and the other three faces the back. Each of Lord Arumugaswamy’s twelve hands holds a weapon to suppress the ‘asuras’.

A significant historical moment of this temple was in December 1981 when the late Swami Kirubanantha Varriyar visited the temple. In July 1992, the temple was again blessed by the visit of the late Swami Kirubanantha Varriyar. He counselled the temple management to take great care of this temple, as there were only few temples in the world that had Lord Arumugaswamy, in his six faced form in the ‘moolasthanam’ (inner sanctum). In January 2005, the temple was visited by an Australian Hindu, Carl Vadivel Belle. He was on his holy pilgrimage to Malaysia for Thaipusam and made a visit to the temple. He felt the mystical spiritual presence of Lord Arumugaswamy when he entered the temple.

Another important aspect of this temple is the Golden ‘Vel’, which was donated by a spiritual aspirant in Perlis. The Golden ‘Vel’ has been since used in many major temple festivals, particularly for ‘Vaigasi Vishagam’. The festival ‘Vaigasi Vishagam’ is observed in the month of May-June, on a full moon day. The day is supposed to be whereby Lord Arumugaswamy incarnated in this world to battle evil ‘asuras’.

Address: Jalan Jubli Perak, Bukilt Lagi, 01000 Kangar, Perlis. Tel: 04-9764441

Sri Thendayuthapany Alayam, Cameron Highlands (Perak)

This massive spiritual edifice was planned, constructed and managed by the early Hindu settlers of Cameron Highlands, mostly from Department of Road Works. It is believed to have been initiated by Govinda Chettiar, a pious devotee, who wanted the Hindu community of Cameron Highlands to receive the divine blessings of Lord Thendayuthapany. The initial structure of the temple was built in 1930, and was later renovated several times to accommodate the growing number of the Hindu community in Cameron Highlands. To date, it is the biggest Hindu temple in Cameron Highlands, and serves the Hindu community to its utmost capacity.

The temple’s yearly ‘Tiruvila’ (Temple Celebration) is held on Chitra Pournami, and is conducted in a grand scale. Hundreds of staunch devotees descend from all over Malaysia, and Singapore, to participate in the ‘Tiruvila’, and show their gratitude to Lord Thendayuthapany. The temple has a strong following of the Chinese society, mostly from the business community. These businessmen seek the blessing of Lord Thendayuthapany before a business endeavour, and if successful, contribute back to the temples as an act of gratitude. Lord Thendayuthapany in Cameron Highlands is also famed for blessing offspring to childless couples. Many couples seek Lord Thendayuthapany’s spiritual intervention to obtain an offspring, and their pleas are mostly answered. Some ardent Hindu devotees have had the vision of Lord Thendayuthapany in this auspicious temple, as a youthful deity, holding the eternally powerful ‘Vel’ (Divine Spear). The statue of Lord Idumban has also been consecrated at this temple, and his ‘shakti’ (divine energy) is supposed to be very strong. Many devotees seek his blessing to cure ailments, black magic curses, financial difficulties and domestic problems.

The ‘shakti’ (divine energy) of this temple is alluringly powerful due to the gold ‘yantra’ (sacred diagram) consecrated at the bottom of main sanctum. As gold contains the highest spiritual element amongst all metals, hence it is able to transmit divine blessings from the heavens upon the visiting devotees to this temple. Another important aspect is the ‘Vel’ and ‘Kodi’ (flag) of this hilly temple. Both are the primary symbols of Lord Thendayuthapany, and are made from silver, which is the second most auspicious metal after gold.

Jayam Raja ropes in Karthi

STR victim of attack!

STR is the victim of a hack attack! Apparently his facebook account - Silambarasan Tesingu Rajendar has been hacked. Earlier his twitter account @strhere had been hacked and STR had become wary of putting up information on social networking sites as such mischief mongers were causing trouble for him.

Now he is active on Twitter but has warned his fans about the imposter masquerading as him on the Facebook. It is recommended that his fans ought to consider the informtion put up as not real till he resolves matters from his end.

No Rajini in '3'

There were reports in a section of the media that Superstar Rajinikanth would do a cameo in '3', the debut directorial vehicle of his elder daughter Aishwarya, which has his son-in-law Dhanush in the lead role.

However, circles close to the project have denied this, saying: "This is just a wild guess. There is no special appearance by the Superstar. But he is closely watching how the film is taking shape, since this is Aishwarya's dream venture."

On Thursday, it was confirmed by Dhanush's father Kasthuriraja that '3' would hit the screens on March 30 in three languages (Tamil, Telugu and Hindi). With Shruthi Haasan as the female lead, the movie has music by Anirudh.

"The success of 'Why this kolaveri di...' has generated huge expectations on 3 all over India. Hopefully the film should surpass the hype on it. We are planning for a grand pan-Indian release," Kasthuriraja said.

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Yuvan, Imman and Ezhil

It was initially expected that Yuvan Shankar Raja would compose music for director Ezhil's comeback venture 'Manamkothi Paravai', which has television star Siva Karthikeyan in the lead. But D Imman is at the helm of affairs now.

Explains Ezhil: "The budget of this film could not afford to have Yuvan as the music composer. So I opted for Imman. He is the best replacement for Yuvan I believe. Imman has done what Yuvan would have for this film."

On the film, he says, "The story is inspired by real life incidents I witnessed in my native place near Nagapattinam. It is a feel good love story, loaded with romance and humour from scene one till the end."
The director of hits like 'Thulladha Manamum Thullum' and 'Poovellam Unvasam' heaps laurels on Siva Karthikeyan. "Having worked with stars like Ajith, Vijay, Jayam Ravi and others, I can say Siva has all the qualities to become a top actor

Dhanush says ‘Anushka is my role model’

Actor Dhanush while speaking to the media said that actress Anushka is his role model. He said, “ Anushka is a very practical person. That is why I like her

Similarly I like super star Rajnikanth, my wife Soundarya, Richa gangopadhyay, Priyamani and Genelia. The person I adore most is super star Rajnikanth. I spent most of the time with him when he was not well. Next my wife is a very understanding person.
No rumours will affect us. I still love the role Thulasi which Priyamani donned in Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam and the role Yaamini donned by Richa gangopadhyay in Mayakkam Enna. Genelia is the most suitable pair for me. My brother Selvaraghavan is the cause for my progress in my career.”

On Thandavam and Vikram & Anushka

What with the ongoing strike, shoot schedules of many upcoming movies are being held outside Tamil Nadu. Thandavam's shooting is being held in and around Delhi with a few flashback scenes and songs being shot. The song Oru Paadhi Kanavu Neeyadi was shot recently with Vikram and Anushka in the lead.

After the shoots in Delhi are over, the crew will fly to US where significant portions are being planned to be shot. Thandavam, directed by Vijay, is produced by UTV motion pictures that earlier produced the Vikram & Anushka starrer Deiva Thirumagal. The movie also has Amy Jackson in the lead.

Billa 2 status

The Billa 2 team is gearing up for a May 1st release, coinciding with Ajith's birthday. Shoots are in full swing in Ramoji Rao Film city in Hyderabad owing to the FEFSI strike happening in Chennai. The movie's cast including Parvathy Omanakuttan, Bruna Abdullah, Prabhu, Rahman, Sriman, Jayaram and Vidyut Jamwal are participating in the shoots.

There is also news about Billa 2's audio release. Yuvan, when he was recently contacted, confirmed that he has finished tuning up the movie and that the audio is now in final mix stage. With this, expectations are abuzz for the movie's audio.

SRI AYYANAR TEMPLE, TAIPING, MALAYSIA

The temple is located at street named KUIL SRI AYANAR, near TAIPING, ULU SEPANG, MALAYSIA.  At Malaysia 2^nd tallest statue. Distance  2080km may  three and half hours from Kuala Lumpur.  It being before Japanese rule over Malaysia.  Build by Indian worker  from Madurai in Tamil Nadu named Periamma.  This women bring hand full of sand from India and worshiped her god under tree. After few years the temple build by Damotharan. He construction this temple  1998.The Ayyanar idol is biggest at south asia.

''Viswaroopam'' bytes

Kamal Haasan is donning the hat of a producer, director and an actor in 'Viswaroopam'. This action thriller is touted to be the biggest project in Kamal's career so far and is taking shape at a fast pace, however those associated with the film are tight-lipped about every little detail.

Sources close to the unit now spill the beans that an interesting car chase scene has been canned in the busy streets of New York. Apparently, the team also has a helicopter fight sequence for which three helicopters have been used. Also, since the film revolves around terrorism, a scene featuring a huge American army was canned recently for which a number of foreign artists were used.

Kamal is touted to play a Kathak teacher in 'Viswaroopam'. This film that has music by Shankar Eshaan Loy has Pooja Kumar and Andrea Jeremiah on board as well.

Aishwarya Dhanush registers 'Kolaveri'

Aishwarya Dhanush, the smart director that she is, has registered two film titles, 'Why This Kolaveri' and 'Why This Kolaveri Di', not to make films with such titles, but to just retain them!

Aishwarya Dhanush doesn't want random people to cash in on the success of this international chartbuster. While speaking to a media house she revealed, "Yes I have registered these two titles not to make films with those names in near future but to secure these titles as I don't want random people to use this phrase and make a film. With me copyrighting the names, no one else can make these as their film names".

Aishwarya Dhanush is currently busy with the post promotion work of '3', a film that's eagerly awaited by film patrons all over India, thanks to the 'Kolaveri' success and the songs that have managed to strike a chord among audiences.