Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Caves named Elephanta by which the island is now known originated with the Portuguese, after they found a massive elephant structure on the Island in the 18th century A.D. This is now displayed at the Jijamata Gardens in Mumbai. The basalt rock carved Hindu cave temples of Elephanta are dedicated to Lord Shiva and date back to the 5-7th century A.D. Island with an ornately sculpted, 7th-century cave temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

This stone elephant stood at the entrance to the rajabunder Jetty at Gharapuri or Elephanta Island. The Elephant symbolised royalty and the rajabunder jetty was used excusively by the local Rajas. The island is home to some of the most extraordinary early monolithic Hindu sculptures which are carved out of the hill's rocky surface in 540 AD.

The origins of these temple caves is still quite vague, though there are believed to date back to about the 7th century. The island was originally a Hindu place of worship and was called Gharapuri, until the Portuguese rule began in 1534. They renamed it Elephanta after they found a large stone statue of an elephant near their landing place. Unfortunately, the figure collapsed in 1814 and has been reassembled and placed in the garden outside the Bhau Daji Lad Museum at Jijamata Udyan in Mumbai. Moreover, many of Elephanta’s priceless statues were damaged or destroyed by the Portuguese, who apparently used the Hindu gods for target practice.

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Rameswaram Temple

This Shivastalam is considered to be one of the holiest  shrines in India. It represents the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India and has been a time honored pilgirmage center held on par with Banaras. The island-temple town is located off of the Sethu coast of Tamilnadu (south eastern). This shrine  is regarded as the 8th of the Tevara Stalams in the Pandya region of Tamilnadu.
 

Rameswaram is an interesting temple both from the standpoint of its association with Rama and from a structural standpoint. A. huge temple in the island of Rameswaram (reached via the Pamban bridge across the sea), Rameswaram is known for its long ornate corridors and towers and 36 theerthams.Legend has it that Rama worshipped Shiva in the form of a Shiva Lingam made of earth by Sita, while returning to Ayodhya.  Legend has it that Hanuman was entrusted with the task of bringing an image of Viswanathar from Benares. Anticipating delay in Hanuman's return from Benares, Rama is said to have offered worship at a pre-chosen auspicious moment to a Shivalingam fashioned out of earth by Sita. This lingam is referred to as Ramalingam and the town is known as Rameswaram.

There is yet another Shivalingam here - Viswanathar   said to have been brought by Hanuman from Banares. This Shivalingam is referred to as Kasilingam and Hanumalingam. Prayers are offered to Viswanathar before they are offered to Ramanathaswamy. Legend has it that Rama  worshipped Tilakeswarar at Devipatnam nearby enroute to Sri Lanka. There is also a shrine to SethuMadhava and Lakshmi in Rameswaram. Sethu Madhava is also referred to as Sweta Madhava, the term Sweta referring to the white stone with which the image is made.

Brihadeeswarar Temple

Peruvudaiyar Kovil is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva that is located in the city of Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is an important example of Tamil architecture achieved during the Chola dynasty. Vast Chola-dynasty temple complex dedicated to Shiva, with 64-metre tower and fresco-lined interior.

Location: Membalam Road, Balaganapathy Nagar, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu

The temple was consecrated in 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola I & in 2010 a celebration commemorated the temple's thousandth anniversary. The temple maintained a staff of 1000 people in various capacities with 400 being temple dancers Besides the Brahmin priests, these included record-keepers, musicians, scholars, and craftsman of every type as well as housekeeping staff. In those days the temple was a hub of business activities for the flower, milk, oil, and ghee merchants, all of whom made a regular supply of their respective goods for the temple for its poojas and during festival seasons. Moreover as evidenced by the inscriptions that found in the compound wall of this temple, the temple had always been serving as a platform for the dancers who excelled in the traditional dance form of Bharatnatyam. vallamuthu minnadi generation worshipped this temple.