Tag: Temple timings

Ramanujacharya Temple:

This is The newest spiritual-tourist attraction in Telangana.The Statue of Equality, a vast temple complex on 45 acres.Statue of Equality also referred to as the Ramanuja statue, is a statue of the 11th-century Vaishnavaite Saint Bhagavad Ramanuja,The statue made of pancha-loha, would be “dedicated to the world,” to mark the 1,000 years since the birth of the Hindu reformist saint. The Statue of Equality is located on the premises of the Chinna Jeeyar Trust at Muchintal,near the Hyderabad international airport at Shamshabad and about 3 kilometres east of the Hyderabad-Bengaluru highway.

the four entrances of Sriramanujacharya Samata-kendram are shaped in Kakatiya style ornate thoranam, just beside the archways are two “Hampi-rathas.” These chariots made of sandstone are inspired by the iconic stone chariot lying in a dilapidated state in the Vijaya-Vittala temple complex in Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the Vijayanagara district.

However, the ratha in the Sriramanujacharya Samata-kendram has the vimanam, which is missing in the original structure.

The Hampi-rathas here also have another variation from the original, an image of which can be found on the 50 rupee note. In place of two elephants with their trunks broken standing guard at the short staircase, one elephant larger in size stands in front of each chariot at the Samata-kendram. The structure of pillars of the 108 divya-desams in the complex symbolizing the 108 sacred shrines across the country like Tirupati, Srirangam, Badrinath, Dwaraka is in the Hoysala architectural style. The black marble stone used for the 468 pillars is from Rajasthan.

A 50 feet Vijaya-stambham (victory pillar) is erected outside the complex entrance, facing the statue. A 77-tonne stone was brought from Krishnarajapura near Bengaluru for the purpose, which thinned down to 30 tonne after molding.

Who was Ramanujacharya?

Born in 1017 in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, Ramanujacharya is revered as a Vedic philosopher and social reformer. He travelled across India, advocating equality and social justice.He revived the Bhakti movement, and his preachings inspired other Bhakti schools of thought.According to the ancient scriptures, he lived for 120 years.According to his followers, Ramanujacharya fought against social, cultural, gender, educational, and economic discrimination.

Several scholars followed his path and the works of many ancient poets like Annamacharya, Bhakt Ramdas, Thyagaraja, Kabir, and Meerabai were inspired by him.He made education accessible to those who were the most deprived in those days and came up with the concept of Vasudhaiva kutumbakam.He is also believed to have taught about the protection of nature and its resources like air, water, and soil.He opened the doors of temples to all people, including those subjected to extreme discrimination.

About the Statue of Equality|What is Statue of Equality:

• The Statue is made of a combination of five metals called ‘Panchaloha’, which includes gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc.
• It is the world’s second tallest statue in a sitting posture. The Buddha statue in Thailand is said to be the world’s tallest statue in a sitting pose.
• The statue has been mounted on a 54-feet high base building named ‘Bhadra Vedi’. The building has floors meant for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, and an educational gallery detailing the works of Sri Ramanujacharya.
• In the complex, a temple of Ramanujacharya covering an area of about 300,000 square feet has also been constructed, where a 120 kg gold idol will be placed for daily worship.
• The statue has been conceptualised by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram. The foundation stone for the structure was laid in 2014.
• It is located at the 45-acre scenic Jeeyar Integrated Vedic Academy (JIVA) at Muchintal near Shamshabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
• The statue is also encircled by the replicas of 108 sacred shrines from the many parts of the country including Tirumala, Srirangam, Kanchi, Ahobilam, Badrinath, Muktinath, Ayodhya, Brindavan, Kumbhakonam, and others.

Statue of Equality Timings:

Statue of Equality Height in Feet:

The Statue of Equality is 216 feet tall.

Statue of Equality Meaning|Why Statue of Equality?

Ramanujacharya is referred to as an icon of Equality.Equality Across Religions,Equality Across Castes,Equality Across Social Status,Equality Across Gender.

Ramanujacharya is that gigantic reservoir from which, all present day schools of thought that advocate Equality, have flowed out as creeks, rivulets and tributaries. This is a historical fact.

It’s been over a thousand years that this divine personality sanctified the earth by his presence. The world is advocating his ideology, without giving credit to him. His name remains in the shadows. So, the magical essence is missing and values are disappearing in society.

Invisible, but invincible, walls have been built, dividing society. Equality has become just another name. The need of the hour is the effulgence of Sri Ramanuja’s ideology.

His form and his word can inspire society. What better time to experience this inspiration, than the millennium of his birth!

Today, the caste system still exists in our modern and so called educated society. No one even likes to talk about the caste system in our country. But Ramanuja liberated millions of people through his voice, stood against all odds in those days only for one sake ‘Equality’.

That is why the Statue Of Equality has emerged. Let the Statue reverberate within you, echoes of Equality. Let these echoes become a yearning for Equality. Let this yearning get translated into actions leading to Equality.

Over the 75 years of independence, casteism has been made into a cancerous growth in Indian society. The very purpose of The Statue Of Equality is to provide a panacea for it. Let the rulers and society be inspired.

Equality Across Gender:

There was a time, women were not even allowed to pray, chant God’s name!!!! Unimaginable, but true! They were not taught scriptures, rituals , slokas . We are talking about 1000+ years ago, the time when scriptures were the primary source of education in Vedic culture. Girls were denied this! Can you believe that males did not learn in front of the females so as to keep the knowledge secret!!! Today, though women have broken through many glass ceilings, we are still talking about gender equality.

Ramanujacharya showed his concern for women in those tough days and opened learning channels for women . This is 1000+ years ago…But there was no social media to create a commotion… it was a single Acharya who sensed the need to educate all, so that everyone could experience knowledge… irrespective of their gender.

Equality Across Religions:

The daughter of the then Sultan of Delhi, was intensely attached to the deity of Sampath Kumar Perumal, who had been lifted by Mughal rulers from Melkote and gifted to the Sultan. When the deity chose to return to Melkote with Ramanujacharya, she missed Him so much that she had to travel to Melkote. On seeing the deity, the thought of separation once again, led to her passing away on the spot. Ramanujacharya drew an analogy with Goda Devi, who united with Lord Ranganatha in a similar fashion. The muslim Sulthan’s daughter was named “Bibi Nachiyar” and her statue was installed and worshipped in the precincts of the temple.

Ramanuja set up a Jeeyangar organisation at Tirupati, and let them do rituals to Lord Venkateswara. He fought for Dalits’ entry into temples against Cholas and other Vaishnava traditions, and he even converted some Dalits as Vaishnavas, allowing them to perform poojas as priests in some temples.

Equality Across Social Status:

One experiences happiness when a group of like minded people, come together to ‘party’. Well, food is prominent when partying, isn’t it? In short, having food with someone indicates how close you are, and sharing food shows an even closer relationship. And guess what, eating someone else’s leftover food, infers that you treat the other person as an equal.

Ramanujacharya was born in a brahmin family, but he was desirous of having the leftover food of a great devotee from Kanchi, called Kanchipurna, though he was from a lower social status. He said, social status is not a barrier when you truly enjoy and cherish the companionship of people with a common goal.

He gave importance, at par with the Vedas, to the songs sung by alwars about the glory of the Divya Desams. Some of these a:lwars were of the lower castes, but their songs were made mandatory in the temples.

In his old age, Ramanujacharya, while going for a bath to River Kaveri, would take the support of a bramhin scholar Dasaradhi. However, while returning he used to lean on the shoulder of Dhanurda:s, a low caste by birth. This talks volumes about the importance he gave to devotion over physical status by birth.

Equality Across Castes:

The world identifies Bharat with casteism, not realizing that it began as a division based on vocations. It’s unfortunate that untouchability burst forth as an issue.

In the times of Ramanujacharya, temples were the centers of administration, under the control of one section of society, one particular caste. Ramanujacharya, encouraged inclusiveness by allotting 50% of tasks to persons belonging to the rest of the castes. That’s the reason, from then on, there are no restrictions based on caste, to enter temples.

However the relapse of casteism occurred during the foreign rules in Bharath. Caste was used as a ploy to divide and rule.

Over the 75 years of independence, casteism has been made into a cancerous growth in Indian society. The very purpose of The Statue Of Equality is to provide a panacea for it. Let the rulers and society be inspired.

See how Ramanujacharya ensured equality among all castes:

Vasihanava tradition believes in a mantra called ‘Ashtakshari. Until he/she belongs to Vaishnavas, the others are not allowed to utter and listen to this Mantra. But Ramanuja broke this rule, he loudly said this ‘Ashtakshari Mantra’ to all people by climbing the temple’s Gopuram at Kanchi.

He shared the Mantra with everyone irrespective of the caste. The only qualification he wanted was their being devoted and eager to learn.

He made sure that people from all castes had a role to play in the upkeep of temples, the sources of inspiration. Note that temples were the hub of knowledge, employment and culture, in those days … they were the universities, shopping centers, meeting points.

Ramanujacharya Teachings:

Ramanujacharya got inspiration from many sources. So powerful was this inspiration that he was able to inject it into society during a time when such thoughts were unheard of. Of course it helped that there was no pseudo democracy or pseudo secularism prevalent at that time. He was able to take a stand and convince everyone to follow his ideology in word and spirit. This, in spite of initial resistance and attempts on his life.

Finally, for almost 600 years, everyone across the length and breadth of Bharat of those days, followed Ramanujacharya’s ideology.

He taught, preached, raised his voice for all against caste discrimination in those days. He believed and said to people that the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in His grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of union with Him.

Bhagawad Ramanujacharya’s Messages/Teachings:

• Shed your ego. Serve all beings as service to God.
• Serve society which is the universal form of God.
• Nobody is infallible.
• Do not humiliate anyone.
• What is of supreme importance is purity of mind and deed.
• All castes have the equal power to pronounce his (God’s) name.
• Everyone is allowed into temples beyond the caste, religion, gender and nationality.

Sri Ramanujacharya Swami, is a spiritual revolutionary:

• He Brought the treasure of Vedic literature to the doorsteps of the common man.
• He Advocated the philosophy of Visista:dvaitha, qualified monism.
• He Dispelled the Mayavada concept, the world is illusionary.
• He Became the preceptor of the Bhakthi movement and the source for all other Bhakthi Schools of thought.
• He Was an inspiration for mystic poets like Kabir, Meerabai, Annamacharya, Bhaktha Ramdas, Thyagaraja and many others.
• Initiated the concept that Nature and her resources like Water, Air, Soil, Trees etc., are sacred and should be protected from pollution.

Sri Ramanujacharya wrote 9 scriptures, the Navrathnas:

• Vedartha-Sangraha: A treatise presenting the tenets of Visishtadvaita, a reconciliation of different conflicting srutis.
• Sri Bhashya: A detailed commentary on the Vedanta Sutras. Sri Bhashyam is Sri Ramanuja’s magnum opus, which is the greatest commentary on Bramha Sutras. This monumental contribution was part of the 3 wishes Sri Ramanujacharya fulfilled for His revered master and Guru Sri Yamunacharya, who breathed His last even before meeting Sri Ramanuja in person.
• Gita-Bhasya: A detailed commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita.
• Vedanta-Dipa: A brief commentary on the Vedanta Sutras.
• Vedanta-Sara: Another brief commentary on the Vedanta Sutras meant for beginners.
• Saranagati-Gadya: A prayer of complete surrender to the lotus feet of Lord Srimannarayana.
• Sriranga-Gadya: Manuals of self surrender to Lord Vishnu.
• Shri Vaikuntha-Gadya: Describes Shri Vaikuntha-loka and the position of the liberated souls.
• Nitya-Grantha: A short manual intended to guide the devotees about day to day worship and activities.

What is Dvaita,Advaita,Vishishtadvaita:

Dvaita:

Madhvacharya propounded this philosophy . It considers Brahman and Atman as two different entities, and Bhakti as the route to eternal salvation.

According to Dvaita, Jivatma are many and Paramatma is one. Concerning the soul Madhvacharya says that no two souls are alike. They each have different characteristics, different states of happiness/sorrow…the soul becomes similar to God in some respects when it is liberated, yet even in these respects it is much inferior to God.

Advaita:

Adi Shankaracharya is considered the propagator of this philosophy .This is the oldest school of Vedanta, and it states that Brahman is the only reality and the world is illusory (Maya). Ignorance of the reality is what causes suffering, and liberation can be obtained only by true knowledge of Brahman. It states that both the individual self (Atman) and Brahman are the same, and knowing this difference causes liberation. The quintessence of Shankara’s philosophy is “Brahma satya jagat mithya, jivo Brahmaiva na aparah“. meaning Brahman (the absolute) alone is real; this world is unreal, and the jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman. The Jiva or the individual soul identifies itself with the body-mind complex due to Avidya (ignorance). Its individuality lasts only as long as it identifies itself with its limiting adjuncts. The moment the Jivatma understands its infinite power by jnana (knowledge), it loses its individuality and realizes its Satchitananda nature (infinite nature).

Vishishtadvaita:

This philosophy was pioneered by Ramanujacharya during the 11th century. Vishishtadvaita literally means the Unique Advaita, that is, Advaita with some amendments. While it accepts Brahman as the unified whole, it states He is characterized by multiple forms. According to Ramanujacharya, souls are intrinsically the same and all souls are alike in their quality. God stands for the whole universe and matter and souls form His body, He being THEIR soul. God is viewed as the cause and also as the effect. Ramanuja’s philosophy is a fusion of the Vedas and the Bhagavata Purana. He was enormously influenced by the Tamil Bhakti Saints called Alvars. Vishishtadvaita is qualified monism, where God alone exists, but it admits plurality of souls. It is midway between Advaita and Dvaita philosophies. God and the individual souls are inseparable, just like the fire and spark. In liberation, the Jivatma understands Paramatma, but do not merge in Paramatma.

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