Unusual ShrinesUnusual ShrinesOffbeatList of most unusual shrines in India.Mahima <html>
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Belief is one of the biggest forces that drives human beings. Owing to our beliefs we bow down our heads to the deities of our choice that we believe in. India is a country where more than 33 crore gods are worshipped some are conventional while some are mind-boggling. Temples in India can be found at every step of the way of which only some are odd, peculiar and strange. These mysterious temples of India get famous for their unconventional beliefs and deities. From temples devoted to animals and non-living things, to alcohol offerings made to god and exorcism there are a lot of places in India that you can explore. In this blog we have curated a bunch of unusual temples that will make you think twice with their bizarre practices. If you want to know about the uncommon shopping of India then do read the blog <b><a href="https://blog.trainman.in/blog/unusual-markets/" target="_blank">Unusual Markets in India</a></b>.
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<b>Stambheshwar Mahadev Temple, Gujarat</b><br>
Willing to know about a temple that appears and disappears throughout the day? Located near Vadodara in Gujarat the Stambheshwar Mahadev temple is one temple on the coast of the Arabian Sea that submerges completely in the water during high tide. Thus devotees can only visit here in low tide. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Tourists from all over the world come here to watch the splendid view of the disappearing temple. As per the legend the Arabian sea itself comes to shower the 'Shivling' with its water twice a day. The temple lies in a small town of Kavi Kamboi at the outskirts of Vadodara and along the bay of Khambhat in Arabian Sea.
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/stambhashwar.jpg" alt="Stambhashwar" width="100%">
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<b>Karni Mata Temple, Bikaner</b><br>
Located in a town Deshnoke which is approximately 20 km away from Bikaner, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Karni. This temple is known for its devotion to the little furry animals - rats. It is believed that the rats are the incarnations of the Goddess Karni Mata who is an incarnation of the goddess Durga and her four children. In this temple the rats are protected and food is offered to them. There are more than 20,000 rats in the temple that are fed, worshipped and well taken care off. One can also find white rats in the temple which are rare in India. The devotees come and feed the rats milk, grains, sweets and coconut shells kept in large plates. Constructed in a Mughal style one must visit the temple to see the rats in action!
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/karni-mata.jpg" alt="Karni Mata" width="100%">
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<b>Om Banna Temple, Jodhpur</b><br>
Also known as Bullet Banna temple it is located on the Pali-Jodhpur National Highway 65 which is around 40 kilometres from Jodhpur is a shrine devoted to Om Banna aka Bullet Baba. The deity at this temple is 'Royal Enfield Bullet' bike. The temple has a fascinating story. In 1988 Om Singh Rathore while riding this Royal Enfield met with an accident. He died instantly after colliding with a tree. The bike was seized by the police and chained at the station many times but it kept ending up at the accident site. After that the bike was permanently placed at the spot which is now a shrine. It is believed that the spirit of Om Banna protects the travellers.
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/om-banna.jpg" alt="Om Banna" width="100%">
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<b>Chinese Kali Temple, Kolkata</b><br>
This temple is a spectacular example of assimilation, unity and acceptance. Situated in the Chinatown of Kolkata this temple is dedicated to Maa Kali. It is run by the Chinese residents of Tangra in Kolkata. The inhabitants of this town are migrated Chinese who have lived here for generations. In this temple people offer noodles, chopsuey and fried rice as prasad for the Kali idol. It is a unique temple that is very popular among the locals and the chinese people that live nearby.
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/chinese-kali.jpg" alt="Chinese Kali" width="100%">
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<b>Kal Bhairav Nath Temple, Ujjain</b><br>
One of the oldest Kal Bhairav Temple in Ujjain is an unusual temple for sure! The most peculiar thing about it is that the deity is offered Alcohol as prasad. Here Lord Shiva is fed with alcoholic drinks and devotees are also given wine as prasad. In this temple the alcohol is poured directly into the deity’s open mouth. Unlike the other ships that sell flowers and sweets as prasad for temples, the stalls outside the Kal Bhairav Temple in Ujjain offer only alcohol for sale. If you plan to visit Ujjain then this place should definitely be included in your itinerary.
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/kal-bhairavs.jpg" alt="Kal Bhairavs" width="100%">
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<b>Nidhivan Temple, Vrindavan</b><br>
Another temple that is counted as the top mysterious temple in India - Nidhivan Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. As the name suggests it is located in the dense forest. It is believed that after sunset Lord Krishna arrives at the temple to do raasleela with the gopis. Localities and other people have claimed that they have heard the sound of ghungroo at night. Such folktales have heightened the curiosity level in the devotees that has ultimately led to the heavy footfall of the worshippers at this temple.
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/nidhivan.jpg" alt="Nidhivan" width="100%">
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<b>Naugaja Peer Baba, Rohtak</b><br>
Naugaja Peer Baba is located on the Grand Trunk Road near Kalyana Village between Ambala and Kurukshetra. It’s one of the most mysterious peers which is always surrounded with mystical stories and beliefs. A remarkable feature of this shrine is that it’s an abode of a Muslim saint’s tomb and a Hindu Shiva temple. The term "Nau Gaza/Gaja" means nine yards (a unit of length). It is believed that the people who pray here reach home safely and on time. Apart from Chaddar and incense sticks devotees also offer watches and clocks here. It is believed that these offerings to the god brings good luck to the worshippers.
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<img class="replace-for-mobile" style="text-align: center;" src="/static/blog/images/peer-baba.jpg" alt="Peer Baba" width="100%">
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<b>Channapatna Dog Temple, Bengaluru</b><br>
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There is a temple in India where dogs are worshiped. Situated in the Channapatna's Ramanagara district, as per the legend the dog temple was built for the protection of goddess Kempamma’s temple. The goddess instructed the villagers to find two dogs that had disappeared from the village, so that her temple could be protected from evil. When the villagers could not find the dogs they built a temple and installed the two dog statues inside it. It is believed that the dog has powers to stop any wrongdoings in the village and keep the negative energy away. Another legend associated with this temple says that the temple was built to celebrate the loyalty of dogs.
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Tell us your experience in the comments below if you have been to any of the shrines. If not then, book your tickets now to any of these places through Trainman app. Download Trainman App and check <a href="https://www.trainman.in/pnr">PNR Status</a> of booked ticket, <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.trainman.trainmanandroidapp&hl=en_IN">Running Status</a> of your train, Seat Availability and so on.
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Unusual Shrines
9506 views ·
Sept. 1, 2020
Belief is one of the biggest forces that drives human beings. Owing to our beliefs we bow down our heads to the deities of our choice that we believe in. India is a country where more than 33 crore gods are worshipped some are conventional while some are mind-boggling. Temples in India can be found at every step of the way of which only some are odd, peculiar and strange. These mysterious temples of India get famous for their unconventional beliefs and deities. From temples devoted to animals and non-living things, to alcohol offerings made to god and exorcism there are a lot of places in India that you can explore. In this blog we have curated a bunch of unusual temples that will make you think twice with their bizarre practices. If you want to know about the uncommon shopping of India then do read the blog Unusual Markets in India.
Stambheshwar Mahadev Temple, Gujarat
Willing to know about a temple that appears and disappears throughout the day? Located near Vadodara in Gujarat the Stambheshwar Mahadev temple is one temple on the coast of the Arabian Sea that submerges completely in the water during high tide. Thus devotees can only visit here in low tide. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Tourists from all over the world come here to watch the splendid view of the disappearing temple. As per the legend the Arabian sea itself comes to shower the 'Shivling' with its water twice a day. The temple lies in a small town of Kavi Kamboi at the outskirts of Vadodara and along the bay of Khambhat in Arabian Sea.
Karni Mata Temple, Bikaner
Located in a town Deshnoke which is approximately 20 km away from Bikaner, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Karni. This temple is known for its devotion to the little furry animals - rats. It is believed that the rats are the incarnations of the Goddess Karni Mata who is an incarnation of the goddess Durga and her four children. In this temple the rats are protected and food is offered to them. There are more than 20,000 rats in the temple that are fed, worshipped and well taken care off. One can also find white rats in the temple which are rare in India. The devotees come and feed the rats milk, grains, sweets and coconut shells kept in large plates. Constructed in a Mughal style one must visit the temple to see the rats in action!
Om Banna Temple, Jodhpur
Also known as Bullet Banna temple it is located on the Pali-Jodhpur National Highway 65 which is around 40 kilometres from Jodhpur is a shrine devoted to Om Banna aka Bullet Baba. The deity at this temple is 'Royal Enfield Bullet' bike. The temple has a fascinating story. In 1988 Om Singh Rathore while riding this Royal Enfield met with an accident. He died instantly after colliding with a tree. The bike was seized by the police and chained at the station many times but it kept ending up at the accident site. After that the bike was permanently placed at the spot which is now a shrine. It is believed that the spirit of Om Banna protects the travellers.
Chinese Kali Temple, Kolkata
This temple is a spectacular example of assimilation, unity and acceptance. Situated in the Chinatown of Kolkata this temple is dedicated to Maa Kali. It is run by the Chinese residents of Tangra in Kolkata. The inhabitants of this town are migrated Chinese who have lived here for generations. In this temple people offer noodles, chopsuey and fried rice as prasad for the Kali idol. It is a unique temple that is very popular among the locals and the chinese people that live nearby.
Kal Bhairav Nath Temple, Ujjain
One of the oldest Kal Bhairav Temple in Ujjain is an unusual temple for sure! The most peculiar thing about it is that the deity is offered Alcohol as prasad. Here Lord Shiva is fed with alcoholic drinks and devotees are also given wine as prasad. In this temple the alcohol is poured directly into the deity’s open mouth. Unlike the other ships that sell flowers and sweets as prasad for temples, the stalls outside the Kal Bhairav Temple in Ujjain offer only alcohol for sale. If you plan to visit Ujjain then this place should definitely be included in your itinerary.
Nidhivan Temple, Vrindavan
Another temple that is counted as the top mysterious temple in India - Nidhivan Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. As the name suggests it is located in the dense forest. It is believed that after sunset Lord Krishna arrives at the temple to do raasleela with the gopis. Localities and other people have claimed that they have heard the sound of ghungroo at night. Such folktales have heightened the curiosity level in the devotees that has ultimately led to the heavy footfall of the worshippers at this temple.
Naugaja Peer Baba, Rohtak
Naugaja Peer Baba is located on the Grand Trunk Road near Kalyana Village between Ambala and Kurukshetra. It’s one of the most mysterious peers which is always surrounded with mystical stories and beliefs. A remarkable feature of this shrine is that it’s an abode of a Muslim saint’s tomb and a Hindu Shiva temple. The term "Nau Gaza/Gaja" means nine yards (a unit of length). It is believed that the people who pray here reach home safely and on time. Apart from Chaddar and incense sticks devotees also offer watches and clocks here. It is believed that these offerings to the god brings good luck to the worshippers.
Channapatna Dog Temple, Bengaluru
There is a temple in India where dogs are worshiped. Situated in the Channapatna's Ramanagara district, as per the legend the dog temple was built for the protection of goddess Kempamma’s temple. The goddess instructed the villagers to find two dogs that had disappeared from the village, so that her temple could be protected from evil. When the villagers could not find the dogs they built a temple and installed the two dog statues inside it. It is believed that the dog has powers to stop any wrongdoings in the village and keep the negative energy away. Another legend associated with this temple says that the temple was built to celebrate the loyalty of dogs.
Tell us your experience in the comments below if you have been to any of the shrines. If not then, book your tickets now to any of these places through Trainman app. Download Trainman App and check PNR Status of booked ticket, Running Status of your train, Seat Availability and so on.
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