Amar Granth Stories

Mount Kailash
15 interesting and must know facts about Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash in Tibet, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, is sacred to four religions - Hinduism, Jainism, Bon, and Sikhism - and out of... Read more...
Nandi, the vahana of Lord Shiva
Story of Nandi, The Vahana of Lord Shiva
At every Shiva temple, you'll find the sculpture of a bull just outside the main shrine - this is Nandi, the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva, seated on a platform... Read more...
Katas Raj Temples, Pakistan
Katasraj Shiva Temple, How neglect is ruining a historical and cultural monument of Pakistan
The Katas Raj Temples comprise seven temples, the Satgraha, surrounding a sacred pond in the Potohar Plateau of Pakistan. The oldest structures date to the 6th century. The pond is... Read more...
Panch Kedar temples
Kedarnath, Tunganath, Madhyamaheshwar, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar. The Story of Panch Kedar
Kedar itself means a natural rock formation or glacial moraine. The most famous legend of the Panch Kedar relates to the Pandavas, heroes of the Mahabharata, who wished to atone... Read more...
Rudraksha tree and beads
What is Rudraksha ?
"Rudraksha" combines "Rudra" (Lord Shiva) and "aksha" (eyes) - according to the Shiva Purana, a tear fell from Shiva's eye after deep meditation and grew into the Rudraksha tree. Wearing... Read more...
Meenakshi and Sundareshwar, Madurai
Did Lord Shiva marry Meenakshi ? What name is given to Shiva in Meenakshi temple ?
According to legend, more than 3,500 years ago, Indra installed a small tower over a naturally formed stone lingam as a sign of devotion to Shiva. Other gods followed his... Read more...
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Ujjain
The complete story of Mahakaleshwar, the only south facing jyotirling
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, on the banks of the River Shipra, is the only Jyotirlinga in India where the deity faces south (dakshinamukhi), symbolising Shiva as the conqueror... Read more...
Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple
The Complete Story of Somnath, A Jyotirling that Stands Strong Despite 17 Destruction Attempts
The Somnath Temple in Gujarat is counted as the first among the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, located in Prabhas Patan and mentioned even in the Rig Veda and Bhagavata... Read more...
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Temple, Srisailam
The Complete Story of Mallikarjuna Jyotirling, Also known as the Kailash of South
Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga in Andhra Pradesh is one of the twelve main Jyotirlingas, and also one of the eighteen Shakti Peethas of India. Origin Story: When Shiva and Parvati decided it... Read more...
Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
The complete story of Omkareshwar, a jyotirling situated on an island
The river island of Mandhata in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, is home to the Omkareshwar Temple, enshrining one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Origin Story: When the sage Narada visited the mountain... Read more...
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple
The complete story of Kedarnath, a jyotirling nestled in himalayan peaks
Kedarnath, the eleventh of the twelve Jyotirlingas, sits at an elevation of 3,583m in the Himalayas of Uttarakhand, near the origin of the River Mandakini - one of the most... Read more...
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple
The complete story of Bhimashankar, a beautiful and serene jyotlirling amidst the sahaydri hills
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is enshrined in the Sahyadri Hills near Pune, Maharashtra, its panoramic setting and grand architecture making it a magnificent pilgrimage site. Origin Story: After Lord Rama killed Ravana,... Read more...
Rudrabhishek ritual
Detailed step by step procedure to perform Rudrabhishek
Rudra is one of Lord Shiva's many names, representing his fierce, destroyer aspect. Rudrabhishek is the ritual of bathing a Shivling with a sacred sequence of liquids - milk, Ganga... Read more...
Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi
The complete story of Kashi Vishwanath jyotirling situated in Varanasi
Vishweshwar (Vishwanath) Jyotirlinga is located in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh - a city continually inhabited for at least 3,500 years, believed to have been built by... Read more...
Triambakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
The Complete Story of Triambakeshwar Jyotirling and the Origin Story of Godavari
Triambakeshwar, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is located in Nashik District, Maharashtra. A puranic legend links its origin to the birth of the River Godavari. Origin Story: Sage Gautama and... Read more...
Baidyanath Jyotirlinga Temple
The complete story of Baidyanath, a jyotirling established by Lanka king Raavan
Vaidyanatheshwar, believed to be the fifth of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is located at the Baidyanath Dham (also called Baijnath Dham) in Deoghar District, Jharkhand. Origin Story: According to the Koti... Read more...
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
The complete story of Grishneshwar, a jyotirling located right next to famous Ellora caves
Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, the twelfth and final Shiva Jyotirlinga, is located near the Ellora Caves in Maharashtra. Destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries, its current structure was built by... Read more...
Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
The complete story of Rameswaram, a unique temple which is both a jyotlirling and a dham
Rameswaram, on a small island between peninsular India and Sri Lanka, is home to the Jyotirlinga installed and worshipped by Lord Rama himself - making it one of the Hindu... Read more...
Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Dwarka
The complete story of Nageshwar, a jyotirling situated right next to dwarka dham in gujarat
The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga in Dwarka, Gujarat, is the tenth of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. According to the Shiva Purana, it is located in the ancient forest of Darukavana, believed today... Read more...
Nataraja, Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer
Know Everything About Nataraja form of Shiva
Nataraja, meaning "King of Dance", is Lord Shiva in his dancing form, revered as the ultimate symbol of cosmic energy and the triumph of the spiritual over the material -... Read more...
Shiva temples around the world
7 Famous Shiva Temples outside India
Shiva, the Destroyer, is one of the three supreme divinities in Hinduism, alongside Brahma the Creator and Vishnu the Preserver. Rather than destroying out of malice, Shiva ends each cosmic... Read more...
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga Temple
Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga: Understanding the Controversy and Its Spiritual Significance
According to the Shiva Purana, there are 64 Jyotirlingas in India, of which 12 are considered Maha Jyotirlingas of utmost importance. The sixth of these, Bhimashankar, is at the centre... Read more...
Pancha Bhoota Stalangal temples
A complete Guide to Pancha Bhoota Stalangal: Lord Shiva and the Five Elements of Nature
Om Namah Shivaya, known as Shiva Panchakshara, is composed of five syllables believed to represent the five elements of nature: earth, water, fire, air, and space. It is believed Lord... Read more...
Top 10 children's storybooks on Indian mythology
Top 10 Children's Storybooks on Indian Mythology and Culture
Indian mythology is an incredibly rich and diverse tapestry of stories, gods, goddesses, and mythological creatures that have shaped Indian culture for centuries. While rooted in Hinduism, these stories aren't... Read more...
Shiva Nataraja statue at CERN
Why is there a Shiva statue at CERN Switzerland ?
On 18 June 2004, CERN unveiled an unusual new landmark: a 2-metre-tall statue of Lord Shiva in his Nataraja form. The statue was a gift from India, celebrating CERN's long... Read more...
Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur
The Majestic Brihadeshwara Temple in Thanjavur: A Living Testament of Splendor and Spirituality
The Brihadeshwara Temple, also known as Thanjai Periya Kovil, is a Shaivite Hindu temple in Thanjavur, on the southern bank of the Cauvery river. Built in the 11th century CE... Read more...
Kailasa Temple, Ellora Caves
Kailasa - The temple of architectural marvel
The Great Pyramid of Egypt was built from more than 2 million blocks of rock. But the Kailasa Temple, within the Ellora Caves in Maharashtra, is made of just one... Read more...
Bharat and India name origins
Why is Bharat called India?
India carries two ancient names debated to this day: Bharat and India. As per Puranic geography, the earth consisted of seven islands, with Jambudvipa at the centre - within it... Read more...
Rudraksha for children
Rudraksha for Children: What are They and How do They help?
A Rudraksha bead is a unique seed with deep spiritual significance in Hinduism, derived from the dried fruit of the Rudraksha tree (Elaeocarpus ganitrus), now found mainly near the Himalayas,... Read more...
Tara Tarini Temple, Odisha
A Temple Etched in Time and Tradition: Tara Tarini Adi Shaktipeeth of Orissa
Atop the green Kumari hills of Odisha, overlooking the Rushikulya river, stands the Tara Tarini Temple, home to twin goddesses Tara and Tarini, and one of the 51 Shaktipeethas. Its... Read more...
Vimala Devi Temple, Puri
Exploring Vimala Devi Adi Shaktipeeth: A Puri Landmark Where Shiva and Vishnu Merge
The Vimala Devi Temple lies within the celebrated Jagannath Temple complex in Puri, Odisha, and is one of the four Adi Shaktipeethas, the oldest and most important of the 51... Read more...
Kalighat Temple, Kolkata
A Guide to the Kalighat Temple of Kolkata: One of the 4 Adi Shaktipeethas
The Kalighat Temple in Kolkata is said to be the place where Sati's toes fell, making it one of the four 'Adi Shaktipeethas', the oldest and most significant of the... Read more...
Kamakhya Temple, Assam
The Mystical Kamakhya Temple: An Adi Shaktipeeth on the Nilachal Hills of Assam
The Kamakhya Temple, one of the 51 Shaktipeethas, sits atop Nilachal Hill in Assam, 7 km from Guwahati, overlooking the Brahmaputra River. According to Shaktipeeth legend, when Lord Vishnu cut... Read more...
Amarnath Cave Temple
The complete story of Amarnath Cave Temple: a mystical natural shivling formed from Himalayan ice
The Amarnath Temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, is one of the most revered and enigmatic pilgrimage sites in India, situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters in Jammu and Kashmir,... Read more...
Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar
Embarking on the Sacred Journey: A Complete Guide to Kailash Mansarovar
Mount Kailash, together with nearby Lake Mansarovar, forms Kailash Mansarovar - one of the most revered yet least-visited Hindu pilgrimage sites in the world. Standing at 6,638 metres in Tibet,... Read more...
Murudeshwara Temple Shiva statue
The Complete Story of Murudeshwara Temple: Where Heritage Meets Holiness in South India
Murudeshwara Temple, home to the second tallest statue of Lord Shiva in the world, is a revered landmark on Karnataka's western coast, on Kanduka Hill, surrounded on three sides by... Read more...
Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu
Pashupatinath Temple: The Celestial Abode of Lord Shiva in Nepal
The Pashupatinath Temple, devoted to Pashupati ("lord of animals"), a form of Lord Shiva, is a 1500-year-old pagoda-style temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, gilded with gold and frequented by deer, goats,... Read more...
Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar's Crown Jewel: Lingaraj Temple's Timeless Grandeur
The largest temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, is a 1000-year-old Shiva temple adorned with a pinak (Shiva's bow) instead of the usual trishool on its pinnacle - the Lingaraj Temple, whose... Read more...
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
The complete guide to Meenakshi Amman Temple of Madurai
The Meenakshi Amman Temple, one of the most iconic temples of South India with more than 30,000 sculptures, is located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on the southern bank of the... Read more...
Narmada River
Know Everything About Narmada River: Origin, Interesting Facts and Tourist Attractions
The Narmada River originates in the Amarkantak Plateau of the Maikal Hills in Madhya Pradesh, beginning its journey from a small water body called the Narmada Kund. It is the... Read more...
Godavari River Delta
Know Everything About Godavari River: Origin, Interesting Facts and Tourist Attractions
The Godavari River originates in the Trimbak Plateau near the Brahmagiri Mountain in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. It is the second-longest river in India after the Ganga, and the... Read more...
Periyar River
Know Everything About Periyar River: A Vital Artery in the Heart of Kerala
The Periyar River originates from the Sivagiri Hills of Sundaramala in Tamil Nadu, part of the Western Ghats. It is the longest river in Kerala, its name meaning "big" or... Read more...
Saraswati River system map
Know Everything About the Mystical Saraswati River: Location, Existence and Importance
The Saraswati River is as mysterious as it is important in India from both mythological and historical perspectives, considered a physical river, a deity, and a sacred concept in ancient... Read more...
Hirakud Dam on Mahanadi River
Know Everything About Mahanadi: The Largest River of Orissa
The Mahanadi River originates in the Sihawa Hills, in the forests of Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh, fed by streams from the foothills of the Eastern Ghats. Its name means "The Great River"... Read more...
Brahmaputra River
Know Everything About The Mighty Brahmaputra: The Lifeline of Northeast India
The Brahmaputra River originates at the Angsi Glacier in the Tibetan Himalayas, near Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar - the highest origin point in the world for any continuously flowing... Read more...
Krishnabai Temple, origin of Krishna River
Know Everything About Krishna River: The 2nd Longest River of Peninsular India
The Krishna River originates in the Western Ghats of India, near the Mahabaleshwar temple in Satara District, Maharashtra. It is the third longest river in India and the second largest... Read more...
Kaveri River
Know Everything About Kaveri River: The Largest River in Tamil Nadu
The River Kaveri originates in the Western Ghats at Talakaveri, atop the Brahmagiri hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is the largest river in Tamil Nadu and the... Read more...
Tapti River
Know Everything About Tapti River: A Sacred Journey Across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat
The Tapti River originates from the eastern slopes of the Satpura Range at Multai in Madhya Pradesh. It is the tenth longest river in India, and one of the few... Read more...
Yamuna River and Taj Mahal
Know Everything About Yamuna River: From Himalayan Origins to Krishna’s Playground and Beyond
The Yamuna River originates from the Yamunotri Glacier near the Bandarpunch Mountains in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. It is the only right bank tributary of the Ganga, and the... Read more...
Rudraksha beads
Understanding Rudraksha: Answers to Common Questions
Rudraksha is a seed that comes from the fruit of the Rudraksha tree, believed to have spiritual significance and various benefits for those who wear it. Here are answers to... Read more...