6 Brahma Temples in India That You Need to Know About
Lord Brahma is one of the most prominent deities of the Hindus. He is the creator of the universe. He is one of the three principal deities of the Hindus. The other two deities are Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Lord Brahma is shown with four heads and sits on a lotus flower. Brahma is also the creator of the Vedas and other ancient Hindu scriptures. However, he is not worshipped as the other gods of the Hindu universe. There are very few Brahma temples in India.
Why do the Other Gods don’t Worship Lord Brahma?
Some legends tell us why Lord Brahma is not worshipped like the other Hindu gods.
- According to one popular story, Lord Brahma once created a goddess called Shatarupa. In Sanskrit, Shatarupa means one capable of assuming a hundred forms. Brahma was so attracted to Shatarupa that he followed her everywhere she went. Brahma grew five heads, one in each direction, so that he could see Shatarupa and follow her. Lord Shiva did not like this attraction of Brahma towards Shatarupa and cut the fifth head of Brahma. Since then, no one prays to Lord Brahma.
- The second tale also comes from Hindu mythology. Brahma and Vishnu once debated as to who among them was the most powerful god. They asked Lord Shiva to determine the most powerful. Shiva assumed the form of a flaming pillar. The pillar went upward in the heavens and also underground. He told Vishnu and Brahma to seek out the ends of this pillar. Whoever would find it first would be the winner. Brahma became a swan and flew towards the heavens. Vishnu took the form of a boar and went under the earth. Vishnu could not find the lower ends of the pillar and knew that Lord Shiva was the most powerful god. But Brahma came up with a trick. He took the Ketaki flower and instructed it to tell Shiva that Brahma had found the upper end of the flaming pillar. Shiva knew that Brahma was lying. He cursed Brahma that he will never be worshipped.
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1. Brahma Temple, Pushkar, Rajasthan
The Brahma Temple in Pushkar is one of the most famous Brahma Temples in India. It is also called Jagatpita Brahma Mandir. The temple is located on the banks of the famous Pushkar Lake. In November, which coincides with the Hindu calendar month of Kartik, devotees come from far and near to take a dip in the holy lake and get rid of their sins.
The temple was constructed during the 14th century. Marble and stone slabs were used to build the temple. There is the idol of Brahma and Gayatri in the main garbhagriha of the temple. The shikhara or domes of the temple are red.
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2. Asotra Brahma Temple, Barmer, Rajasthan
There is a Brahma temple in Barmer Rajasthan and it is known as Asotra Brahma Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Brahma. Stones from Jaisalmer and Jodhpur were used in the construction of this temple. The royal priests of the kingdom built the temple. The idol of Lord Brahma is made of marble stone.
3. Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Tirupattur, Tamil Nadu
The Brahma temple in Tirupattur is called Brahmapureeswarar Temple. The presiding deity of this temple is a self-originated shiv linga. There is a separate shrine dedicated to Lord Brahma in this temple. Lord Brahma is seated in Padmasana pose on a lotus flower. Lord Shiva is also worshipped here and there is 12 shiv linga around the temple. According to a legend, Lord Brahma visited this temple and created the 12 shiv lingas to pray to Lord Shiva.
4. Adi Brahma Temple, Khokhan, Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh
The temple that is dedicated to Lord Brahma in Kullu Valley is called Adi Brahma Temple. The temple has a typical Pagoda-like architecture which is usually seen in temples in Himachal Pradesh. Many legends are famous about this temple. It is said that Adi Brahma answered the prayers of the king of Kullu and cured the people of this region of evil and diseases.
The Adi Brahma temple is between two other temples, and these are of Gadh Jogini and Manikaran Jogini. A huge procession takes place and the idol of Adi Brahma is taken around the entire town to protect the people from the evil effects of diseases and evil spirits.
Read More: Himachal Pradesh Tour Packages5. Brahma Karmali Mandir, Panaji, Goa
The temple of Lord Brahma is very old and dates back to the 5th century. The temple deity is Lord Brahma whose black stone idol dates back to the 12th century when the Kadamba dynasty ruled this region. The idol is the original idol that was chiseled out of black rock during the Kadamba period. The name of the temple comes from Karmali, which is a small village called Karmali or Carambolim. Lord Brahma is shown as a Trimurti, along with Vishnu and Mahesh.
6. Brahma Temple, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
The temple in Kumbakonam is dedicated to Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma is shown with four heads. The head on the front and the two sides are seen, whereas the face on the backside is not seen. Saraswati and Gayatri are the two goddesses, whose idols are on two sides of Lord Brahma. The temple of Lord Brahma is a separate shrine. Parents of children do the Brahma Sankalp Pooja in this temple to pray for the success of their children.
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