Temple, known as “Mandir” in Hindi language, is a sacred place of worship for followers and a place which gives an environment for the human mind to calm itself. It can be a part of a building or distinct structure. Presence of Idol is must in every Hindu temple and before entering to temples worshipers are required to remove their shoes and other footwear. Here is the list of temples which are slightly different and has something unique characteristics.
1. Maa Jwala Ji Temple
Maa Jwala Ji is an ancient temple and in the group of the major Shaktipeeth Temples and Maa Bhagwati Temples. It is located in Himachal Pradesh at Dharamshala - Shimla road. People come to get their wishes fulfilled. Jwala means flames and group of flames burning off natural gas is Jwalamukhi. There are 9 jyotis (small fires) around the temple which are constantly burning for centuries. It is said Mughal Emperor Akbar tried to stop the flames with streams of water, however was unsuccessful.
2. Chinese Kali Temple
Chinese Kali Temple is located in Tangra's Chinatown in Kolkata. On the day of Kali Puja, temple is full of worshippers. However most of the people who come are Chinese and temple is run by them only. These Chinese are either Buddhists or Christians but also are great worshippers of the Kali. Also the Prasad offered to the devotees is Chinese dishes like chopsuey, rice, vegetable dishes and noodles.
3. Bharat Mata Temple
Bharat Mata Temple is situated in Varanasi and was built in 1936. It has a huge map of undivided India on the ground. Statue is made up of the marble; it illustrates plains, mountain and oceans of the India.
4. Stambheshwar Mahadev
Stambheshwar Mahadev is an ancient Shiva temple situated between Bay of Cambay and the Arabian Sea in Gujarat. It is also known as the disappearing temple. At the time of high tide, for hours the temple totally sinks into the sea and when low tide comes it again starts coming out of the sea.
5. Kal Bhairav Nath Temple
Kal Bhairav Nath Temple is located in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. Kala Bhairava is a Hindu god, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. What makes the temple unusual is that offering ‘chadhava’ to the lord is liquor, generally wine.
6. Visa Temple
Visa Temple is in Chilkur Village, Hyderabad. It is a Balaji Temple however also known as visa temple. It is said that a bunch of students from Chennai in the 80’s were facing problems with their US visa. Then they offered prayers and their problems got resolved. Since then people those who want to go abroad and clear their visa interview come here to worship.
7. Hadimba Temple
Hadimba Temple is situated in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. It is on the name of Hidimba (Wife of Bheem and mother of Ghatotkach) and here Hidimba meditated and became Devi. The strange thing in the temple is that it is made up of wood and it is a three-storey temple made in the pagoda style.
8. The Kali Singh Temple
The Kali Singh Temple is situated in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Here people come from far off places to offer prayers. It is a temple where cattle, especially cows are worshipped. A Kheer is made by women from their cattle inside the temple compound and later it is offered to the deity.
9. Om Banna / Bullet Baba Temple
Om Banna / Bullet Baba Temple is a temple located in Jodhpur. It is believed that Om Banna met with an accident and later died, when his bike (350cc Royal Enfield) collided with a tree. Then local police seized the motorcycle and took to the police station, where it was kept for further enquiry. However to everyone surprise the bike kept on disappearing from the police station and only found again at accident site. Thus that spot has become sacred. Several devotees come and offer prayer for a safe journey.
10. Karni Mata Temple
Karni Mata Temple is a very popular temple situated at Deshnoke, near Bikaner in Rajasthan. The temple is dedicated to an incarnation of Maa Durga (Goddess Karni). It is widely known as the Temple of Rats. There are around 20,000 rats and are respected and admired by the worshipers. Rats are fed and protected. Most of the rats are black, hence a brief view of white rats is considered as auspicious and fruitful.
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