Entrance to Sri AdiShankara Janam Bhoomi Kshetram. In May 2014 visited for Thrissurpuram Festival. 7 kms from Kochi Airport is birth place. On reaching Kochi first drove to Janam Bhoomi and on my way out spent about an hour here. Entrance to Kshetram, on right is a temple dedicated to Shankara.
Inside kshetram area is this board which gives Shankara''''''''s life (788-820 a.d.) at a glance. In those days he travelled from Kerala to Kashmir Valley and established 4 maths at Dwarka (Gujarat),Puri (Orissa), Joshimat (Uttaranchal) and Sringeri (Karnataka). He attained Samadhi in Kedarnath. To read PDF biography of Sankara by Pujya Swami Chinmayanandaji Click here
Gives you details in brief of Sri Adi Shankara''s life. To see pics of Dwarkadish Temple in Gujarat Click here
A few minutes away from the temple entrance is the Crocodile Ghat. To know why this name see next pic. To see pics of Kedarnath Mandir Click here
While taking bath in Periyar river that you saw in previous pic a crocodile caught Shankara who told mother Aryadevi to permit him to take Sanyasi - then the crocodile would leave him. Mother said ok, Sankara took sanyas and left Kalady. To see pics of Badrinath Mandir Click here
Close to the ghat is Sri Krishna Temple. To see pics of Puri Temple Click here
Board is self-explanatory. To see pics of Sringeri Mutt Click here
On left you see Dwajastambha. On important occasions like temple festivals, the flag is hoisted for the duration of the festival. In Guruvayur temple an image of Krishna was on top of the Dwajastambha. Instead here you see CROSS at St George Jacobite Syrian Church, Kalady. Saw churches with Deepsthambs or metal oil lamps. When I expressed surprise locals told me that this is found in churches of all denominations i.e.Catholic, Syrian, Church of South India etc. They added the Indian words are used in lieu of Christian ones ie Veda for Bible, Devalaya for Church, Abhishekam for Consecration etc.
Building of Sree Kanchi Sankara Public School, Kalady. Very impressive building. To read about Kurisumala Ashram where Christians wear saffron robes Click here
A close up view of entrance to Sri AdiShankara Janam Bhoomi Kshetram. When I entered bhoomi kshetram felt very relaxed, at peace with myself and happy. I meditated on Shankara''s image for a while - very powerful. Chant 108 names of Sankara called the Sri Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Shatanamavali link is Click here
Sri Shankara Samadhi at Kedarnath - was there when I visited in 2001, am told it got swept away in 2013. To see movie called Adi Sankara (very good, in sanskrit with english sub-titles) on YouTube Click here
Image of Sri Shankara inside Samadhi. To visit Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady Click here