SAMPOORNA KASHI YATRA - 8 NIGHTS For Brhamins

SAMPOORNA KASHI YATRA - 8NIGHTSFor Brhamins  (As metioned in Kashi Purana)

KASHI YATRA PERFORMED BY SOUTH INDIANS

For all Hindus it is very auspicious to visit Kashi Viswanath (Varanasi ) at least once in their life time.  South Indians Perform Kashi Yatra in which Spiritual rites in three places viz. Allahabad, Kashi and Gaya are concerned.  Given beneath, in concise are the Spiritual rites usually carry out in Kashi.

KASHI YATRA Spiritual Rites Usually Take Within 9 Days in 5 Phases

Kind Note : This Yatra is prescribed in Kashi Purana .  For who consider this as too long period in busy work shedule we suggest KASHI YATRA Spiritual Rites Usually Take Within 5 Days in 3 Phases

Phase 1

The yatra starts with a pilgrimage to Rameswaram,where Lord Rama did pooja to Lord Shiva who is called Sri Ramanatha Swami in Rameswaram Temple.

           One has to take a bath in the holy Agni Theertham there and take a Sankalpam at the start of the pooja.Then we take ritual baths in the 28 holy Theerthams in the Temple complex at the Rameswaram Temple.Then have Darshan of the Lord Sri Ramanatha Swami .

          Then we have to perform Srardham for our ancestors there either as a full Srardham or as a Hiranya Srardham, an abridged version of the ceremony with five Brahmin priests. Here instead of cooked rice, wet soaked rice is given as Pindams or offerings.

          Then we go over to the lands -end, Dhanushkodi, where one has to take dip/snaan in the sea 33 times, collect the sand from the seashore in three big scoops . This sand (about a Kg each bag) are called no more as just sand. They are named, Sethu Madhava,Veni Madhava and Bindhu Madhava after Aavahanam. Sethu Madhava and Bindu Madhava are dissolved/consigned to the sea and the other, Veni Madhava is brought with us in a cloth bag . These are to be dissolved in the Prayag, the Sangam ( confluence) of the Holy River Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswathi at Prayag (Allahabad ) at Triveni Sangam.

          Then visit the various temples in Rameswaram like Kothandarama Swami. Rama Theertham, Lakshmana Theertham, Seetha Theertham etc.

Phase 2

          We are mention Yatra days from here only . we exclude the no of days need for Rameswaram & train/ flight travel days .

Day 1

        Varanasi arrival. Transfer to our guest house . Meeting our sastri / vaadhiyar . discuss with sastri / vaadhiyar about Kashi Yatra Spiritual rites  .

Day 2

          Early morning Visit Prayag (Allahabad ) with our staff (who learns tamil & telugu ). With his assistance meet the sastri / vaadhiyar .

Allahabad rituals .

Prayag (Allahabad ) (Triveni Sangam) (Day 2)

         1.    Anugnai (Sankalpam)

         2.    Vighneshwara Puja (Prayers to Ganesha)

         3.    Prayschitta Sankalpam (atonement for sins committed, knowingly or unknowingly)

         4.    Veni Daanam (Women offer a part of their hair to the river praying for the long life of their                       husbands. The husband plaits the wife’s hair, decorates it with flowers and cuts off the tip of                   the plait and offers it to the river. It is an interesting fact that while hair normally floats on                         water, at the Sangam; it immediately sinks to the river bed. Though almost all married women               offer their hair here, there is not a single strand found floating on the river!!!!)

         5.    Triveni Sangam Snanam (husband and wife bathe together at the confluence of the 3 rivers,                 holding hands. One has to go to the confluence in a boat. A sort of platform has been erected               at the point for the convenience of pilgrims)

         6.    Hiranya Shrardham *

         7.    Pinda Pradaanam, Kshetra Pindam, Tarpanam **

Prayag (Allahabad )–    spiritual rites

     The spouses, before the Veni Dhan, seek permission from their husbands . Then the Veni Madhav and Bindu Madhava, by now dried are worshipped. Please do not call them as sands from Rameswaram.Plastic bags are banned in The Ganges so carry them in cloth bags.

        Then in a flat plate, (Muram in Tamil) keep a mirror,comb, kumkum, haldi,a blouse piece and take a boat to the Sangam With the priests,(Pandas of Kasi) Prayag) chanting divine Mantras, the husband combs the wife's hair,(Pinnal) then does pooja to the scissors and accompanied by chantings of the priest removes some hair (ritualistic) from the pleat of hair of his wife.This,with the things kept in the Muram, is offered to the river Ganges at the Sangam.

        It is observed that while the Turmeric/kumkum float,the piece of hair sinks,. It is understood as the acceptance of our offering Veni Dhanam, by the Triveni . Triveni means the confluence of the three rivers,Ganga,Yamuna and Saraswathi..

        Then offer/dissolve the Veni and Bindu Madhavas brought from Rameswaram in the sangam.

         Afterwards,collect water from the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna in a can for getting it sealed in coppeer vessels. One vessel,about half a litre or so are to be preserved for the Abhishekam at Rameswaram to conclude the Sampoorna Kasi Yatra. The other small copper vessels filled with the holy water can be used in poojas at home and for offering to friends/relatives.

         After returning from Triveni Sangam, Tharpanam has to be done at the sastri / vaadhiyar Residence.The cooked rice for making 17 pindams are prepared and given by the priests at the Shivmutt.Opposite the mutt is a place for sealing the Ganges water in small copper vessels.If we had informed them in advance, meals are provided at the sastri / vaadhiyar at a nominal cost of Rs.50/=per plate. Most people do the filling and sealing of the Holy water from Ganges at shop in Varanasi.

THIS DAY NIGHT STAY AT VARANASI GUEST HOUSE 

Phase 3

Day 3 Varanasi (Kashi Spiritual Rites ) 

i)              Maha Prayaschittam. (atonement for sins committed, knowingly or unknowingly)

ii)             Punyaa Vajanam (purification ritual), Anugnai  -Maha Sankalpam &Vighneshwara puja 

iii)            Manikarnika Snanam (holy bath at manikarnika ghat ),

iv)           Pancha Ghatta Pindam Pala Daanam , Uttaranga Godaanam , Manikarnika Teertha Shrardham (Anna roopam / Hiranya roopam)

THIS DAY NIGHT STAY AT VARANASI GUEST HOUSE 

Day 4 Varanasi (Kashi Spiritual Rites cont…)  

                       EARLKY MORNING 

                   i)        Vishwanatha Mangala aarti Abhishekham

                  ii)       Annapoorna/Vishalakshi Kumkum Archanai

                 iii)       Kashi Ganga 64 Ghats Darshan by boat ride with Legendary Ganga aarti .

              Pancha Teertha Yatra (One has to go in a boat to these 5 Ghats and perform the rituals)

i) Asi Ghat (Haridwar Teertham) – this is where the Asi river merges with the Ganga. Performing the rites here is believed to give one the fruits of performing the rites at Haridwar.

ii) Dashashwamedha Ghat (Rudra Sarovara Teertham) – this is the place where Brahma performed 10 Ashwamedha Yagnas, and hence it is considered sacred to perform the rites.

iii) Trilochana Ghat ( Vishnu Paada Udaka Teertham)

iv) Pancha Ganga Ghat ( Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirana, Doodhapappa- Sangam); Bindu Madhava Temple

v) Manikarnika Ghat (Manikarnika Teertham, Chakra Pushkarni Teertham)

              THIS DAY NIGHT STAY AT VARANASI GUEST HOUSE    

Day 5 Varanasi (Kashi Spiritual Rites cont…) 

i)              Ganga Puja (it is a tradition to bring back small sealed containers of water from the Ganges and distribute it among our near and dear ones. One container is kept at home as it is considered sacred and one is taken to Rameswaram where it is used to perform Abhishekam to the lingam. All these containers are kept and prayed to before they are distributed.)

ii)             Dampati Puja (Prayers offered to an elderly married couple, invoking them as Vishwanath and Annapurna)

iii)            Uttaranga Dasa Daanam ***

iv)           Kala Bhairava Samaradhana (invocation and prayers to Kala Bhairav)

Day 6  Varanasi (Kashi Spiritual Rites cont…) 

viii)       Kala Bhairava Samaradhanai

ix)        Worship of Kowdi Mata temple/Gavvalamma Gudi.

x)         visit other local important temples (Bhu viswanath , sankata motchan hanuman , durga ji   temple, tulasi manas temple , gowdi amma temple , saranath Buddha stupa , temple and museum & ram nagar fort ) then proceed gaya.

          It is advisable to make a day trip to Gaya from Varanasi. The journey takes about 6 hours, and the roads are extremely good. The general practice is to take a car to Gaya on the evening of the Pancha Teertha Shrardham at Kashi and stay overnight at the Mutt at Gaya. The rituals at Gaya are completed by lunch time, and one can return to Kashi by nex day evening.

AFTER KASHI LOCAL TOUR PROCEED BODH GAYA AND NIGHT STAY AT OUR 3 STAR HOTEL 

Phase 4

Day 7     Gaya Shrardham

i)    Palguni (Falguni) Teertha Hiranya Shrardham (this is the traditional Shrardham performed on the banks of any sacred river, here the Falguni.)

ii)         Vishnu Paada Hiranya Shrardham 

iii)       Akshaya Vata Anna/Hiranya Shrardham & Akshaya Vata Pinda Pradaanam 

( Ask Gaya Brahmans if they are satisfied (according to legend, the Brahmins at Gaya are not easily satisfied and it is a tradition to ask them anyway in an attempt to satisfy them)
Acharya sambhavana (payment of the fees to the pundit) )

Explanations:

       * Shrardham or performing the Vedic rites to appease one’s forefathers is of two types- Anna roopam and Hiranya roopam. Anna Shrardham is where a certain number of Brahmins are invited, and are fed at the completion of the rituals. This is considered equivalent to feeding one’s ancestors.

However, this is quite tedious, and sometimes expensive. Hence the second option, Hiranya Shrardham, where the Brahmins are fed only symbolically. This is a quicker and cheaper alternative to the same rituals.

At places like Kashi the pundits offer us the option of choosing which kind of ritual we would like to perform, depending on our time and budget.

            Naandhi and Vaishnava Shrardham refer to the rites for appeasement of one’s ancestors and the Gods,respectively.     ** Pinda pradaanam is the ritual of offering food to three (in case of Gaya, more than that) generations of our ancestors. Balls of cooked rice and Til (sesame seeds), which are thus offered are called the pindams.      *** Daanam - Strictly meaning Charity, Daanam refers to the procedure of donating things to the Brahmins in the name of our ancestors. There is a long list of things that need to be given, starting from simple things like umbrellas, fans, and mats to more expensive things made of silver and gold. Among the more auspicious ones is the donation of a cow (Godaanam) and land, both of which are usually done in symbolic terms. Poorvanga and Uttaranga Daanam refer to the things needed to be given at the beginning and end of the rituals respectively, while Dasa Daanam refers to a set of 10 things that need to be donated.

          The Akshaya Vata and the Vishnu Pada are the only two places where one can perform the Vedic rites not only for our forefathers, but for anyone, family, friends, acquaintances, whatever caste, religion or community they may belong to… and also for animals, our pets, abandoned bodies, etc.. This is the uniqueness of Gaya which draws thousands of people from all parts of India.
THIS DAY NIGHT STAY AT VARANASI GUEST HOUSE 

Day 8  Varanasi Rest Day For Marketing
THIS DAY NIGHT STAY AT VARANASI GUEST HOUSE 

Day 9 Varanasi , Departure To Home . Happy Journey

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