Shiva temples are not just places of worship, but gateways to the divine and the ultimate truth.
Shiva is a Hindu god of destruction and renewal. The word Shiva means “auspicious” or “kind” one. Shiva is the destroyer, but also the creator and maintainer of life.
In this section, we will be exploring how we can experience Shiva in our day-to-day lives. This can be done in many ways: through meditation, yoga, prayer, or by being kind to others.
- The first way to experience Shiva is through meditation. When you meditate, your thoughts are cleared from your mind and you are able to focus on yourself and your surroundings with a calm mind.
- Another way to experience Shiva is through yoga practice which helps you connect with your body and inner peace by focusing on breathing techniques that allow you to become more mindful of yourself and what's going on around you in the present moment.
- The third way to experience Shiva is through prayer - when you pray
Witnessing The Lord of Destruction and Creation at His Holy Place in Kedarnath. Kedarnath is a holy place in the Himalayas, which is one of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage. It is situated at an altitude of 3,583 meters (11,755 feet) and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
The Kedarnath temple was built in the 8th century and has been destroyed and reconstructed a number of times over the centuries. It was rebuilt after being destroyed by an earthquake in 1855. It is a place which is not just a temple but also a holy place where the Lord Shiva resides.
In Hinduism, there are many gods and goddesses. These deities are called Devas or Gods. They take various forms and have different tasks. For example, some gods like Indra are in charge of rain while other gods like Shiva are in charge of destroying the world.
The three most important deities of India are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma is the creator god who was born from a lotus flower that came out of the navel of Vishnu, the preserver god who is always in a reclining position on the coils of Ananta Shesha (the snake) and Shiva, the destroyer god who destroys everything with his third eye.
