What's the speciality of Dharwad?

 Dharwad, is a beautiful city known for its cool climate all over the year. Climate is so pleasant that localites when shift to other places find it difficult to adjust to that place.

Image: Early morning Dharwad Railway Station

UB Hill

Kalyan Nagar

DC compound

Dharwad is known as Pensioners Paradise as the city has laid back culture and less amount of opportunities for youngsters.

The city is very well known for its classical music legends like Gangubai Hangal, Bhimsen Joshi, Savai Gandharva, Mallikarjun Mansur, Basavraj Rajguru etc. and also the city has produced legendary Kannada writers like Da Ra Bendre, V.K.Gokak, Girish Karnad, G.A.Kulkarni etc.

It is also called as Vidya Kashi because there are two universities Karnataka University and Agri University which are very reputed universities of this part of the country and you will find good number of schools and colleges with almost all the courses available, not to forget numerous houseful tutorials like Joshi Tutorials, Hanchinamani Classes, Timmanagoudar Classes, Yeri etc etc to name a few spread across the city.

Now we also have the prestigious IIT at Dharwad which is like feather in the cap, which has added a big value to the city's reputation.

Coming to the people, people are very friendly and helping, you will make good friends very soon here. One more thing is that many shopkeepers are traditional businessmen here they may speak arrogantly sometimes as they are unaware of modern era’s Marketing mantra “Customer is our king” they do not bother if they lose any customer and continue doing their traditional family businesses.

Coming to the food, Dharwad Pedha enough said. Jolad(Jowar) rotti or chapati is the staple food here, people can’t go without having this meal. Also mirchi-mandakki cha(Tea) is very commonly had as snacks.

Another speciality is Egg Rice Centres, Dharwad is very famous for this thing, you will find youngsters hanging out with friends at these joints.

I will add some more as and when I remember few more specialities. Overall Dharwad is a good place for someone who wants a very peaceful life in their retirement years.

And I am proud to say I am from Dharwad, my city my love :)

What is the specialty of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple?

 Located on the South Bank of ‘River Vaigai', Meenakshi Temple is dedicated to 'Meenakshi’ (Eswari) and ‘Sundareswarar’ (Siva). The temple complex is of 14 Acres.

The temple is one of the major temples for Sivaism. Unlike many Sivaite temples, in Madurai Meenakshi is the ‘main deity' as it is believed in some Southern parts 'penultimate (spiritual) powers rest with the women'. Vaishnavites also come in large numbers as it has many narratives of 'Vishnu'. According to them it is called ‘Southern Mathura'. It is Vishnu giving away his sister bride Meenakshi to bridegroom Shiva in Madurai.

This temple is mentioned in 6 Century CE Texts. It is also mentioned in ‘Saiva Hymns' (Padaal Petra stalam) of ‘Nayanars’ (hounds of Siva) of 6–9th Century CE Texts.

The temple has 14 ‘gateway towers' and the tallest one is of 170 feet height. The towers of Sanctums of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are ‘gold gilded' ones.

The streets radiating from temple bear the names of Tamil months — Chitrak (1st month of Tamil year), Aadi (4th month), Aavani (5th month) and Masi (11th month). In each of these months the procession of dieties (bronze forms) happens through these streets.

Major portions of the today's temple was built by Pandya King ‘Sadayavarman Kulasekara Pandyan'. After him, many Pandya Kings undertook additional constructions, alterations and renovations in the temple. King Tirumala Nayaka also undertook restoration work in 17th Century CE.

The ‘golden lotus tank' inside the temple opposite to main deity's entrance has many significant relevance. The Rishis (Saints) used to take holy dip in the tank and pray the God by reciting hymns.

Normally a Siva Temple in Tamilnadu has many dieties, some temples have more than 100 deities. You can see deities of ‘Ganesha, various forms of Siva, Eswari, Shanmugha, Durga, Brahma, Saraswati, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Dakshinamoorthy, Bhairav, etc'.

‘Kadamba’ in Tamil (Bur-flower tree) is the tree of the temple.

The temple is considered for ‘Planet Mercury'. Those who have influence or dissuaded by Mercury offer prayers here. It is advisable to those who born in Gemini and Virgo to offer prayers here. The temple is considered one of the holy places for marriages. Dakshinamoorthy in this temple is the deity for Birthstar 'Moola’ (19th Star in order).

Madurai is one of the ‘5 dancing sabhas' of Shiva. This sabha is called 'Silver Sabha’. The dancing form of Shiva is called ‘Sandhya Dandavam'.

The temple houses a ‘1000 pillared hall'. (A very few temples in Tamilnadu has).

The statues of 63 Nayanars who recited 'Saiva Hymns’ are located at South corridor of the temple. The Nayanars who wrote hymns on this temple are:

🕉️ Manikka Vasagar

🕉️ Thirugnana Sambandhar

🕉️ Thirunavukkarasar

Their hymns narrate the holiness of the Deities, Holy Water and this Holy Place.

The temple is one of the treasures of sculptures. Numerous sculpted pillars can be seen.

A ‘10 day festival' of ‘Meenakshi Marriage' with Sundareswarar takes place during April — May every year.

During that time ‘Chariot Procession' takes place around the temple. The

What makes Australia so special?

 1 – Pythons so big they can lift marsupials

In the photo, we see one of these giant snakes lifting a wallaby, which is only slightly smaller than a kangaroo.

2 – The virulent flying foxes

While catching a disease directly from these great bats is unusual, they are known to carry two viruses capable of killing.

3 – Great white sharks surfing

If you thought it was only humans who enjoyed riding a wave, then look again. In Australia it is not uncommon for these terrifying marine predators to come close to beaches.

4 – Crocodiles in the ripple

After all, it's not just sharks that can, right?

5 – Snakes that eat crocodiles

Any resemblance to a giant snake famous for a series of horror movies may not be purely coincidental.

6 – Lots and lots of spiders

The country is also famous for the number and variety of spider species, many of which are poisonous.

7 – Swarms and infestations of insects and flies

Not lethal, but not a little uncomfortable, these small beings usually fly in flocks and group themselves all over the surface – even the heads and bodies of unsuspecting passersby.

8 – Giant venomous centipedes

These scary little animals can bite if disturbed or handled improperly. Its venom can cause intense pain that takes days to wear off. Oh, and they can even feed on snakes!

9 – Very, very large crocodiles

These huge, scary, and lethal reptiles often take a stroll through the streets of Australian cities.

10 – A bucket full of lethal spiders

Captured in the Blue Mountains campground, each of these tiny Atracinae arachnids is capable of killing with one bite.

11 – Grotesque Underground Beasts

They are harmless, but these giant earthworms and mole crickets are certainly not pleasant for those who are repulsed by insects and creepy-crawlies.

12 – Big and angry birds

Invade the territory of one of these cassowaries and risk returning home with some injuries.

13 – Tiny and lethal jellyfish

Although smaller than a fingernail, irukandji jellyfish can be some of Australia's most dangerous creatures. Its venom is 100 times more potent than that of a mighty snake and a thousand times stronger than that of a tarantula.

14 - The only octopus fatal to humans

The only being of its kind whose venom is capable of killing us, the blue-ringed octopus is certainly an adversary to be feared. Although the animal is small, there is no antidote for its substance.

15 – Snail that can cause suffocation

The most venomous of the five hundred species of conical snails, the Conus mamoreus has been responsible for several human deaths. Injected by a tooth similar to a harpoon, its venom can cause paralysis of the respiratory muscles, leading to asphyxia and therefore death.

16 – One of the most camouflaged and lethal fish in the world

Stonefish are extremely poisonous and tend to lie motionless on the sea floor, looking much like simple rocks or pieces of coral. They have dorsal spines that can inject an extremely toxic venom that causes intense pain and can kill.

17 – Killer hail

More intense hailstorms can cause real ice boulders to fall from the sky, bigger than billiard balls. One of these in your head and you'll join your ancestors sooner.

18 – Snakes Everywhere

Holes in golf courses, clothing stores, and toilets, no place is sacred to Australian snakes. One of them has even been spotted on the wing of a plane flying from the country to Papua New Guinea.

19 – Even freshwater wells can kill

On days when the ambient temperature is higher than 24ºC, some freshwater places harbor species of microscopic beings capable of causing amebic meningitis. Quite rare, the disease is highly lethal, with a survival rate of less than 3%. And just get in the water to get it.