Temples of Western India

'Temples of  Western India', by Ambujam Anantharaman is an excellent well researehed book on the temples of  the western provinces of India. This is her second book after 'Temples of South India'.The author has made research on each temple in detail and given a coverage of historical and mythological facts associated with each temple.

The book is divided into (a) Temples of Maharashtra, (b) Temples of Gujarat, (c) Temples of Rajasthan, (d) Temples of Goa and (e) Temples of Jain Shrines.

13 Temples of Maharashtra, 14 temples from Gujarath, 9 temples from Rajssthan, 1 temples of

Goa and three jain temples of western India is covered in this book.

If you are in a 'tirth jatra' the book comes very handy. You hardly need a guide. Many aspects, which you would have otherwise overlooked, would come alive, as you would have visited. 

The begins with Moreshwar, at Morgaon, established by Ganesh Yogindra, who is credited with realizing the Mudgal Purana, the textual foundation of the Ganesha cult in Maharasthra. She has studied the Eliphanta cave only 10 KMs away from Gateway of India into the sea. 

Then there is the Ellora rock temple, which took 150 years to complete. It is estimated that 3 million cubic feet of rock was removed to chisel the temple top down. And the Ajanta temple, in addition to the splendid rock architechture, holds the artistic brilliance of painting.

The three famale deities of the Hindus, Kali, Mahalaxmi and Sarawasti are found side by side in the famous Mahalaxmi temple of Mumbai.

Then there is this Sani (Saturn ) temple at Sani Shinganapur. The idol here stands in a quadrangle and there is no roof on the head of the idol. In this village, it is told there is no robbery or theft because of this deity.

The last temple covered in the book is Mangueshi temple of Goa. The deity was shifted to its present place from a location called Kuthali. It is built in seven stories. Near by is the Shanti Durga temple. Here goddess Durga has in her two hands, two serpants, they say these represent Shiva and Vishnu, whose fight was ended by Shanti Durga.

It also covers the Jain Shrines of Mount Abu, Kharataravasi Temple ( also has the idols of Judhisthir, Bhima and Arjuna, besides all Tirthankaras), and the Girnar Temples.

A very readable book for travellers and believers....