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this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
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By God’s grace I went to three countries with my wife between January and March 2025 and spent much of the time in visiting new and unseen temples.. I have written detailed articles in Tamil about most of these places; and more articles are in the line.
During this trip, I visited Temples, archaeological monuments, gardens, Tourist spots, Shopping centres, libraries, museums and palaces.
Here is a brief tour plan I followed:
January 2, 2026- departure from London LHR.
January 2, 2026- stayed in Bengaluru.
January 3- stayed in Fortune JP Palace hotel in Mysuru.
Visited Melakote Vishnu temple, Sri Rangapatna Vishnu temple, Chamundeeswary Devi temple etc.
January 4- Mysore Palace, Somnathpur Kesava Temple/Archaeological Monument, Back to Bengaluru in the night.
January 5- Left Bengaluru for Bangkok in Thailand.
January 6, 2026- arrived in Bangkok and stayed in Villa de Kaoshanon Hotel; visited the Royal Palace.
January 7- Had darshan in Mariamman Temple in Bangkok. Did some shopping; also visited one of the oldest Buddhist temples very near out hotel.
January 8- Left for Sydney in Australia.
January 8- reached Sydney just before midnight.
Stay in Australia until 2 March 2026.
January 29- had darshan at Sri Karpaka Vinayakar Temple .
January 31- Sri Durga Kovil and Sri Shirdi Baba Mandir
March 2, 2026 – left for Chennai
March 3 – Chennai shopping
March 4- reached Sri vathsam Divine Inn hotel near Kumbakonam stayed there until 13-3-2026
March 5, 2026- Vaitheeswaran Siva temple,
Mayuranathar temple in Mayiladuthurai
Sivapuram Vedapatasala in Mayiladuthurai
Sarngapani temple, Kumbakonam
Chakrapani temple, Kumbakonam
Nageswarar temple, Kumbakonam
Kumbeswarar temple, Kumbakonam
March 6- Tiruchengattankudi Shiva/ Ganapathy temple
Tiruupugalur Appar/ Shiva temple
Srivanchiyam Shiva temple
March 9, 2026-Thiruvidaimarudur Shiva temple
Tirubhuvanam Shiva temple
Tiruvavaduthurai Shiva temple
Kanchanur Shiva temple/ sukran temple
March 10, 2026- Dharasuram Shiva temple/ Archaeological monument
Adivarahar Vishnu temple – Kumbakonam
March 12, 2026- Uppilappan Vishnu Temple
Ayyavadi Pratyankara/ Shiva temple
Tirunaraiyur Shiva temple / Sani graha shrine
Swarna akarshana Bhairava temple, Sembianvararampal near Ayyavadi
March 13, 2026- Veeranarayana Vishnu Temple, Kattumannar Koil,
Aravinda/Aurobindo Ashram at Puducherry
Manakkula Vinayakar Temple at Puducherry
Puducherry Museum
Back to Chennai in the night.
March 14- Chennai Shopping
March 15- Left Chennai by BA and reached LHR same day afternoon.
I took 500 to 600 pictures during my tour.
–subham-
Tags- My tour, Three countries, India, Australia, Thailand, Hindu temples, museums, palaces, London Swaminathan, January- March 2026., Buddhist temple
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
Puducherry, also called Pondicherry, was ruled by French until 1954. The French de facto left Pondicherry on November 1, 1954, transferring control to India, with the formal de jure transfer occurring on August 16, 1962. The colony officially merged with India on July 1, 1963, ending nearly 300 years of French presence. Still we can see street names in French. Many of the residents have voting rights in France. Puducherry people cast votes in French elections.
There are many attractions in Puducherry: a few museums, Bharatiyar park, Manakkulam Vinayakar Temple Aravinda/ Aurobindo Ashram
Though I have visited the famous Ganesh temple a few times, this time, during my visit to the city on 13-3-2026, I have included all the three places. From Kumbakonam we rushed to Aravinda Ashram, knowing it would close at 11-30 am for lunch break. I entered the Ashram at 11-15 and went round the Samadhis of Sri Aravindar and Annai/Mother. One could feel the holy vibrations in the serene atmosphere. A lot of living flowering plants and a lot of flower garlands in the Samadhis are visible. But no one could stand there. Volunteers ask everyone to move forward. But you could do many rounds if here is not a long queue. Visitors touch the samadhis with both hands or their forehead to show their reverence. I spent 15 minutes there. No photography is allowed. The sentry at the entrance asks everyone to switch of their mobile phones et. Again, it opened at 2 pm and meditation is allowed.
The Ashram is located in the eastern part of Pondicherry, along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of Chennai. The main Ashram building, where the Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother is located, is open to all during visiting hours: 8.00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2.00 to 6.00 p.m. At other times, you need to have a pass in order to enter. The Sri Aurobindo Ashram Publication Department publishes the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and works by disciples on their life and teachings, in over 15 languages.
The Publication Department’s distribution unit is SABDA. It has two retail outlets, Service branch inside the Sri Aurobindo Ashram main building, and Kripa branch diagonally opposite it. The head office of the Publication Department and SABDA is at 17, Rue de la Marine (next to our Kripa branch).
I did not buy any book, because my father has left us his important works.
Aurobindo (Aravinda) was a poet, freedom fighter and a philosopher. He interpreted the Vedas in a different way, instead of translating them verbatim. His Vedic glossary give new meanings to important words.
Who is Aravindar?
Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghose, 1872–1950)
Early Life & Education: Born in Calcutta, Aurobindo Ghose was educated in England (Manchester and Cambridge) from age seven, becoming proficient in Western classics and languages before returning to India in 1893.
Nationalist Fighter (1893–1910): He was a key figure in the early Indian independence movement, advocating for complete independence (Purna Swaraj) rather than colonial self-government. He was jailed in 1908 in connection with the Alipore Bomb Case.
Spiritual Transformation & Ashram (1910–1950): Following intense spiritual experiences in Alipore jail, he withdrew from politics and moved to Pondicherry to focus on spiritual practice.
Integral Yoga & Philosophy: He taught that life is a divine manifestation and that humanity can evolve beyond the mind into a “Supermind,” uniting spiritual life with worldly activity.
Works: He was a prolific writer, with major works including The Life Divine (philosophy), The Synthesis of Yoga, and the epic poem Savitri.
The Mother: He was assisted in his spiritual work by Mirra Alfassa, known as “The Mother,” who took over the management of the Ashram after his passing in 1950.
Auroville: He is the inspiration behind the experimental township of Auroville, intended to be a city of human unity.
***
MANAKKULAM VINAYAKAR TEMPLE
It is a vibrant temple with lot of devotees visiting it every minute. Big temple with lot of Ganesh shrines inside. Walls are decorated with different forms of Ganapati/Vinayakar detailing the puranic stories. Entry is free and Thayir Sadham (Curd bath) Prasad is distributed. One can finish Darshan (Viewing ) in half hour or so. It is just opposite Aurobindo Ashram. Both the places are dotted with lot of street vendors selling different things for tourists.
Bharatiyar worshipped in the temple during his stay in Puducherry. His poem on this Ganesh made him popular in Tamil Nadu. I visited the temple on 13-3-2026, for the third time.
Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple was in existence before the French came and settled in Pondicherry i.e. before 1666. In Tamil ‘Manal’ means sand and ‘Kulam’ means pond near the sea, So the people called the god as Manal Kulathu Vinayagar means God near the pond of sand]. .The Jesuits and missionaries tried to demolish Manakula Vinayagar, but they could not demolish the temple. During 1700 French prohibited performing poojas and festivals particularly on Fridays in the temple. All the Hindus who were worshipping Lord Vinayaga objected and migrated to English Territory. Everything changed in course of time.
***
Disappointing Museum
After visiting Ashram and Temple, I visited Puducherry museum and bought Rs 10 ticket, probably the cheapest museum ticket in the whole wide world. All worn out statues are placed outside, but photography was not allowed inside.
Three things I would like to point out:
1. The Museum has beautiful bronze, numbering over 80. But you cant take pictures and no book is available with the pictures. No picture post cards are sold. Very disappointing. All over the world museums do roaring business by selling books and picture cards and mementos. I bought picture cards even in Colombo Museum. When I asked at the reception, they told me no book was published about the artifacts in the museum.
2. They must learn from other parts of the world. Ten rupees entry fee is dead cheap, ridiculously cheap; they must raise the fee and allow photography.
3. One can finish the viewing in 30 minutes. It must be placed in a larger building with more information.
Following is the summary from museum website
The Puducherry Museum presents glimpses of geological, archaeological and historical periods and seeks to highlight the many facets of its arts and crafts which have now become part of Puducherry’s rich heritage.
The following galleries/sections are set up in the museum.
The French India Gallery (One)
An issue of ‘Vijaya’ the first daily edited by Poet Subramania Bharathi is also on display there.
The Archaeology Section
The Bronze Gallery
This is the most attractive gallery.
Exquisite pieces of divine images, mostly found as treasure troves adorn the bronze gallery. The panchaloga images of the Dancing Siva (Nataraja) umamaheswara, thiripurantaka/thiripurasundari in the graceful tribhanga posture from Sorakkudi. There are specimens of bronzes of the Vijayanagar and Nayaka periods.
Display of Vehiccles (Southern Courtyard)
Sculptures (Courtyard- North and South)
A few specimen of Pallava and Chola sculptures were displayed in and around the ‘Place de Government’ since the French days.
French India Gallery (Two) Comprising
a) The Drawing Chamber/Salon (Central Hall)
b) The Dinning Chamber/Salle d’ Manger
c) The Bed Chamber/ Chambre a coucher
The Arms Gallery
Gallery of Art and Crafts (Western Wing)
Displayed in two adjacent halls respectively are a variety of hand made items and artifacts crafted by artisans in France and Puducherry.
The Geological Section (Southern Colonnade)
Puducherry Museum Visiting Hours
Opened For Public From Tuesday To Sunday
Timing: 10.00 AM To 5.00 PM(Without Lunch Break)
Monday is Weekly Holiday
Following sites show the pictures of some specimens. But the pictures are not of good quality.
That is why I ask them to allow the visitors to take pictures. They must raise the entry fee for public; concessions may be given to students. The museum needs a large venue for a better display.
–subham-
Tags: My visit, Puducherry, Museum, Manakulathu Vinayakar temple, Aurobindo Ashram, three birds, one stone
Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia – 24 January 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
My Visit to Sydney Shakti Temple and Lisgar Gardens (Post No.15,356)
During my last two visits to Australia, I covered Sydney Murugan Temple, Venkateswara temple and Nantien (Wollongong) Buddhist temple. This is my third visit and so I decided to explore new temples in New South Wales state in Australia. We went to Sydney Shakti temple, also called Durga Temple, yesterday. It is a small temple started by Hindus from Fiji Island country in the 1990s. The present temple building was constructed in 2010. Since it is in a residential area, the opening times are restricted by the local council. It is opened two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening.
In spite of restricted hours, devotees visit the temple in good numbers. I saw a constant flow of devotees entering and leaving the temple. On either side of the tall and attractive main deity Shakti, it has Lord Ganesh and Lord Skanda (Murugan in Tamil). It is a small hall which can accommodate 150 people. All the Hindu festivals are celebrated here. During weekends and festival days the opening hours are extended. It is better to consult the temple website for precise information.
Shiva linga, goddess Meenakshi are also worshipped in the main hall. Devotees come with plates filled with flowers and fruits and do the Archana through the priest there. Outside the main hall there is a shrine with Navagrahas (Nine Planets). In the outer prakara/corridor Hanuman statue is also installed. One big hall is there for Ayyappa Puja.
The temple wall is decorated with different forms of goddesss such as Bhuvaneswari, Visalakshi, Mariamman. One needs just half hour to complete the Darshan / viewing.
In the heart of busy shopping area in Hornsby Shire council in Sydney we have a beautiful gardens spreading over 6.5 acres. It is very near the Westfield shopping mall. It is a woody area bought and developed by Max Cotton about 150 years ago. It is famous for two things:
70 Varieties of Camellia Plants
Water Lizards known as Eastern Dragons
Max Cotton loved camellia flowers and so he planted 70 different varieties of the plants. Now there are 300 such plants.
The day before the temple visit, we went to Lisgar Gardens. Though we saw only few flowers, the woody area with creeks, streams and small waterfalls allowed us to breath fresh air. We could smell the fragrance of the flowers. We also saw the water lizards. The eastern water dragons grow up to 90 CMS. The Hornby Shire council bought these gardens and opened it for public. It looks like a forest and one has to go down and down. Those who are adventurous can take the loop walks and go deeper into the bushes.
The garden is closed at 5 pm and signposted to guide the visitors. A surprising thing in Australia is there are well maintained gardens and woody areas very near the cities. Public are not even allowed to cut native trees even inside their houses.
–subham—
Tags- My visit, London swaminathan, Sydney Shakti temple, Lisgar Gardens, Water Dragons, Lizards, Camellia flowers
Date uploaded in Sydney, Australia – 19 January 2026
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
xxxx
My visit to Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand (Post No.15,346)
On 6th of January this year (2026), I went to the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The main attraction in the palace is the Emerald Buddha. Though it is called emerald Buddha, it is made up of semi -precious Jade stone. The height of the image is 66 CMS including the wooden base. Now the pamphlet published by the palace says it is of 15th century Thai workmanship. But the old story is that it was made in India and was taken to many countries including Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia. The interesting story about the image is the King of Thailand changes its attire thrice a year on a particular day. Buddha wears three different gem studded golden attires in Rainy, Summer and Winter seasons.
The Hall that houses the image is visited by millions of people every year. It is the holiest Buddha image in the country; apart from this one, there are two more gold plated large Buddha images of 3 metres height.
The grand palace was constructed in 1782 by one of the kings of Chakri dynasty. The Kings took the title of Rama and there have been ten Ramas so far. Now the present ruler is called Rama X. Each king added some new constructions or statues. It is on the banks of Chao Praya River like the previous capitals.
***
The entrance fee is 500 Baht. But one must be decently dressed to go into the palace. Many westerners with exposed body parts and not decently dressed are stopped at the entrance and are asked to change the dress or fully cover the exposed parts. This is a good rule, also followed in the Mysuru palace in Karnataka, where even shoes are not permitted. They must walk bare footed inside the palace.
***
The Bangkok palace is divided into many parts and all the buildings are shining in golden colour. Only statues are gold plated but the buildings used specially made golden mosaics from Italy.
***
New statues excavated
In 2021 new statues were discovered when the road construction workers were digging the earth near the palace. Subsequent archaeological excavations revealed more sculptures. Historians say they came from China. Now they are placed in the courtyards of the temple of emerald buddha.
***
Another interesting coincidence is the Tamil new year day and the Thai new year day is celebrated on the same day in April every year. This establishes the Hindu cultural connections.
One can see lot of images of Garuda, vahana of Vishnu, nagas/snakes, concrete replica of Angkor wat temple of Cambodia; there are golden coloured images of Asura Pakshi, Apsaras, Kinnara and Gandharva etc.
Annual royal ploughing ceremony is held with the help of Brahmin priests.
178 episodes of Ramayana !
The cloisters that include the temple buildings have walls that are painted with 178 episodes of Ramakien story as composed by Rama I and follows prince Rama’s story in clockwise progression from the north door of the cloister opposite the Phra vihara chapel. Its scenes depict gods and humans, monkeys and demons, life inside and outside the palace and cities while four legged animals, birds and mythical animals of the Himavanta forest abound in jungles, plains and oceans.
7 May 2018 — Thailand has got lot of Hindu sculptures from Ganesh to Kubera. Vedic gods Indra, Yama, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma are also found in different …
Thailand and Laos have different stories associated with it. In Thailand there lived a wise man who can speak with birds. His name was Dharmabarn (Dharma …
PM Modi presented Daruma Doll in Japan: Read what is the doll, its significance in Japanese culture, and its connection to India through Bodhidharma
The Indian connection to the Daruma Doll lies in its very origin, the figure of Bodhidharma, the Zen Buddhist monk from India.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to Japan, he was gifted a Daruma Doll, a symbolic gift deeply rooted in Japanese culture and history. The doll was presented to him by Rev Seishi Hirose, the Chief Priest of the Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple in Takasaki. The Daruma Doll, a simple looking round figurine, carries profound meaning in Japan and also has a unique connection to India.
The Daruma Doll, also known as “Dharma Doll,” represents Bodhidharma, the Indian Buddhist monk who travelled to China around the 5th or 6th century CE and founded the Zen school of Buddhism. Bodhidharma is known in Japan as Daruma Daishi. Over centuries, Bodhidharma became an iconic figure in East Asia, associated with meditation, resilience, and determination. In Japan, his story inspired the creation of the Daruma Doll, which embodies the spirit of never giving up.
The handmade doll itself is usually round, hollow, and weighted at the bottom with a round base so that it always returns to an upright position even if pushed over. This feature symbolizes the Japanese proverb “Nanakorobi yaoki” (fall down seven times, get up eight), a reminder of perseverance and bouncing back from setbacks.
Daruma Dolls are made of paper mache, and are traditionally coloured red. The letter Fukuiri is written at the bottom, which means here is happiness in it. The eyebrows represent a crane and the beard represents a turtle’s tail. There is a Japanese saying that cranes live 1000 years and turtles live 10000 years, and they are regularly used as symbols of celebration.
They are known as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, and are often used to represent setting and achieving goals. Traditionally, the doll has blank eyes. When someone sets a goal, they paint one eye black, and once the goal is achieved, they fill in the other eye, completing the doll’s vision and marking the fulfilment of determination.
At the end of the year, all the Daruma dolls are brought back to the temple they were purchased from. The returned dolls are burned in a traditional burning ceremony, called the daruma kuyō. This ceremony is generally held right after New Year’s Day. People then buy new Daruma dolls at the temple to be used in the new year.
Daruma dolls at a shop
The Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple in Takasaki, where the doll originated, is the most famous centre of Daruma-making in Japan. The temple holds annual fairs where people buy new dolls, set fresh goals for the year, and return old dolls for ceremonial burning, symbolizing closure and renewal.
While the dolls are traditionally bought at the start of the new year and returned at the end of the year, they are available for purchase throughout the year. Moreover, people may keep them, instead of returning to a temple for ceremonial burning. Companies and political parties in Japan also buy the dolls to achieve desired goals.
Ceremonial burning of lucky Daruma Dolla
The Indian connection to the Daruma Doll lies in its very origin, the figure of Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma was a monk from southern India, often linked with the Kancheepuram region. His journey across Asia not only shaped the practice of Zen Buddhism but also influenced martial traditions like Shaolin Kung Fu in China.
As per legend, Bodhidharma lost his limbs by performing the Zen meditation Zazen for nine years. To represent this, Daruma dolls were made without limbs.
In Japan, his austere life of meditation and endurance became the foundation of the Daruma legend. Thus, while the doll is a quintessentially Japanese cultural object, its spiritual roots trace back to India.
For India, receiving the Daruma Doll during Modi’s visit is more than a ceremonial gesture. It symbolizes the deep cultural bonds shared between India and Japan through the legacy of Buddhism
In essence, the Daruma Doll is far more than a decorative artifact or a religious symbol. It is a centuries-old reminder of how Indian philosophy travelled abroad, adapted into new traditions, and continues to inspire millions with its message of unwavering determination.OPINDIA REPORT.
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Tamil and Vedas 
