Dentaltrendz: New!

2026-01-24T03:37:05Z

New!

New page

{{Short description|Hindu temple}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Naimisharanyam
| image =Naimisanatha mandir.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Uttar Pradesh
| map_caption = Location in [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| coordinates = {{coord|27|20|54.90|N|80|29|11.21|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| district = [[Sitapur]]
| location = [[Naimisharanya]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Naimishnath (Devaraja) ([[Vishnu]])<br>Naimish-Lakshmi (Pundarikavalli)([[Lakshmi]])
| temple_tank = Chakra kund (Chakra Teertha temple) and Gomati river
| festivals=Purnima
| architecture = Dravida and Nagara
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Shri Naimishnath Vishnu Temple,''' also known as the Naimishnath Devaraja temple or Naimishnarayan Temple or Ramanuj Kot Temple is a [[Hindu]] temple dedicated to Lord [[Vishnu]] and Goddess [[Lakshmi]] located in [[Uttar Pradesh]] in Naimisharanya town, Sitapur district.<ref name="Ramesh">{{cite book|title=108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya Desams in Malai Nadu and Vada Nadu|last= M. S. |first=Ramesh|publisher= Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam|year=2000|page=188}}</ref> It is one of the ''[[Divya Desams]]'', the 108 temples of [[Vishnu]] revered in [[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]] by the 12 poet saints called the [[Alwars|Alvars]], specifically [[Thirumangai]] Alvar. Technically, the whole city is considered a [[Divya Desam]], not just the temple.

The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from various ruling kings. The temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified as ''Swayamvyaktha Kshetra''. The holy teerths Chankra Kunda and [[Gomati river]] are associated with the temple and it is a pilgrimage centre where people take a holy dip during festive occasions. [[Ahobilam|Ahobila]] Matt’s Nava [[Narasimha]] Swamy Hanuman Garhi temples are also located nearby.

{{Vaishnavism}}

==Legend==
[[Indra]], the king of the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]], was once driven out of [[Devaloka]] by an [[asura]] named [[Vritra]]. Vritra was granted the boon that he could not be killed by any weapon that was known till the time of the boon; additionally that no weapon made of wood or metal could harm him. On the advice of the god [[Brahma]], Indra performed penance to the god [[Vishnu]] at the Naimish forest for 2000 years. Pleased, Vishnu appeared before Indra and revealed that only the weapon made from the bones of the [[Rishi|sage]] [[Dadhichi]] would defeat Vritra. Indra requested the sage for his bones; the sage acceded the request and sacrificed his life. Indra created the [[vajra]] (thunderbolt) from the sage's spine and slew Vritra.<ref name="Saraswati131" />

==Location and Architecture==
[[File:Ugcigvivuivouv)()(-$% 940.jpg|thumb|Naimishnath Vishnu idol inside the sanctum sanctorum]]
Naimisaranya is located at the junction of the roads from [[Sitapur]] and Khairabad, 32 km from Sitapur and 42 km from the Sandila railway station, 45 miles north of [[Lucknow]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]]. Naimisaranya is also known as Nimsar or Nimkhar and is located on the left bank of the river Gomati.<ref>{{cite book|title=Four reports made during the years, 1862-63-64-65, Volume 1|first=Sir Alexander|last= Cunningham}}</ref>

The Namishnath Vishnu temple is constructed in South Indian architectural style with a [[Gopuram]] outside, while exhibiting North Indian architectural features inside. It boasts a golden [[Garuda]] stambh facing Lord Vishnu in the garbagriha, with the Garuda murti engraved on it. It has small Sabha mandap connected with garbagriha. There are three garbagrihas dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi, and [[Ramanuja|Jagadguru Ramanujacharya]]. All the three garbagrihas are aligned adjacently.

The mool garbagriha of Lord Vishnu, made of black stone, in standing posture facing Garuda stambh. There is chal (utsava) vigrahas of Lord Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi standing beside Him, made of Panchaloha. The murtis are richly decorated in ornaments.

Here, Mahalakshmi is Pundarikavalli also fondly called Naimish-Lakshmi ji, covered in red clothes and jewelry. It is located on the left of Lord Vishnu's shrine with Ramanujacharya's shrine in the right side. All the shrines have steel gates.

==Religious significance==
[[File:Namisharanya Chakra Tirth.jpg|250px|thumb|Chakra Kund (chakra teerth) is located at a distance of 600 meters from Vishnu Temple.]]
This place has also been visited by [[Shankaracharya]]<ref>''New dimensions in Vedanta philosophy, Volume 1''.Sahajānanda (Swami), Bochasanwasi Shri Aksharpurushottam Sanstha</ref> and the famous poet, [[Surdas]] resided here. [[Ugrashravas|Maharishi Suta]], the author of 18 [[puranas]] is believed to have lived here and presented his sayings to the sages. The forest is considered to be under the divine guardianship of Lord Vishnu, and therefore, the [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] (ritual worship) offered to him is regarded as an act of reverence toward the sacred grove itself.<ref name="Ayyar">{{Cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&q=Naimisaranyam&pg=PA540 |title=South Indian shrines: illustrated |publisher=Asian Educational Services |year=1991 |isbn=81-206-0151-3 |location=New Delhi |page=540}}</ref>

The temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified as ''Swayamvyakta Kshetra''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Temples of South India |first=Ambujam |last=Anantharaman |publisher=East West books |year=2006  |isbn=8188661422|page=130}}</ref> (Seven other temples in the line are [[Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple]], [[Bhu Varaha Swamy temple]], [[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple|Tirumala Venkateshvara Temple]], and [[Vanamamalai Perumal Temple]] in [[South India]] and [[Muktinath|Saligrama]] (Muktinath Temple), [[Pushkar]](Varah temple) and [[Badrinath Temple]] in [[North India]]).<ref name=hindu>{{cite news|title=Symbolising religious unity|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/symbolising-religious-unity/article3404308.ece|publisher=The Hindu|last=S.|first=Prabhu|date=10 May 2012|access-date=13 October 2014}}</ref> Naimishnath Vishnu temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham|Naalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by [[Thirumangai Alvar]] in ten hymns. The temple is classified as a ''[[divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'', the 108 Vishnu temples that are revered in the Vaishnava canon. It is one of the 5 major Vaishnavite temple located in the state of uttar pradesh along with Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ayodhya),Krishna Janmbhoomi Temple (Mathura),Kamtanath Temple (Chitrakoot) and Beni Madhav Temple (Prayagraj).

Every new moon day, a large number of people purify themselves with a dip in the holy well. If the new moon falls on a Monday, it is believed that a holy bath in the well and offering to the nearby deity Lalita will wash away all the sins committed in their lifetime.<ref name="Saraswati131">[[#Saraswati|Saraswati]] 1984, p. 131</ref>

Naimisharanya’s Chakra Tirtha is a remarkably unique hydrological feature where water emerges from an underground source and flows in a circular motion. It is revered as the spot where Lord Vishnu’s [[Sudarshana Chakra]] touched the earth.

==See also==
*[[Naimisha Forest|Naimiṣāraṇya]]
*[[Divya Desam]]
*[[Misrikh Neemsar]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|title=The Spectrum of the Sacred :Essays on the Religious Traditions of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HazzvPDMgz8C&q=The+Spectrum+of+the+Sacred+naimisaranya&pg=PA131|last=Saraswati|first=Baidyanath|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=1984|ref=Saraswati}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Shri Naimishnath Vishnu Temple}}
{{Famous Vishnu temples}}
[[Category:Divya Desams| ]]
[[Category:Sitapur district]]

Shri Naimishnath Vishnu Temple - Revision history

Dentaltrendz: New!