Heritage

News, articles and Essays on Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism and Indian way of life.

Ananthapura Lake Temple — Kasaragod’s Sacred Shrine Amid the Waters

The temple stands in Ananthapura village, around five to six kilometres south-east of Kumbla, within the culturally diverse northern region where Kerala and Tulu traditions meet. Unlike many Kerala temples surrounded by dense groves or settlement streets, Ananthapura occupies a rocky laterite landscape, with the still water around its sanctum creating the impression of a shrine separated from the ordinary world.

Kottiyoor Temple — Kannur’s Sacred Forest Shrine of Lord Shiva

Officially known as Sree Thricherumanna alias Kottiyoor Devaswom, the pilgrimage centre is celebrated for a ritual tradition in which river, forest, monsoon and temporary architecture become inseparable from worship. Akkare Kottiyoor has no conventional stone sanctum, monumental gateway or permanent roof over the principal deity. Instead, devotees worship a swayambhu Shiva linga at the Manithara, a raised platform surrounded by the waters of the sacred Thiruvanchira.

India and Nepal Restore Historic Prathamshree Mahavihar in Patan

Prathamshree Mahavihar forms part of Patan’s historic network of Buddhist monasteries, locally associated with the traditional bahi and bahal architectural traditions of the Kathmandu Valley. These complexes serve as places of worship, ritual practice, community gathering and preservation of Newar Buddhist traditions. The project covered the Gusthal Bahi and its Agam, a sacred component of the monastic complex used for religious and ceremonial functions.

Palakkad Rajas: Guardians of Kerala’s Strategic Eastern Gateway

The early history of Palakkad contains a mixture of inscriptional evidence, royal genealogies and regional traditions. After the decline of the Chera Perumals, Kerala became divided among hereditary chiefs and royal houses exercising authority over different nadus or territorial divisions. The prominent powers of the Palakkad region included the Valluvakonathiri of Valluvanad, the Kollengode Rajas of Vengunad and the Sekharivarma Rajas of Palakkattussery.

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