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Vidisha   Vidisa – Meghaduta says that Vidisa modern Bhilsa the capital of Dasarna was situated on Vetravati, the modern Betwa river. A city mentioned in Raghuvamsa – Rama gave to the two sons of Satrughna, Satrughatin and Subahu, the cities of Madhura and Vidisa. In the Malavikagnimitra Agnimitra is shown as enjoying himself on the banks of the Vidisa river and later on Pushyamitra refers to his son Agnimitra as Vidisastha (i.e. Vaidisa would mean a city on the Vidisa).   In the fourth volume of the History of Dharmasastra MM P.V. Kane has given a long list of Tirthas significant from the Hindu Dharmasastra point of view. That is from a volume which has details on Prayascitta, Tirthayatra etc., The BORI has brought out the ‘List of Tirthas’ as a separate volume for the benefit of students of Dharmashastra, history and geography of Bharata.   Vidisha, 54 km from the state capital of Bhopal and about 10 km from the UNESCO world heritage site of Sanchi, continues to b...

 Srirangam, a dream fulfilled “It is well known that I am 85-year old man. At this age Ranganatha gets into my heart and goes on dictating, non-stop”: who was that old man what was the Lord nagging him about? It was Srimad Srivansatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikan,  the 44 th  head of Sri Ahobila Matam. Ranganatha appeared in his dreams and asked him to construct, or complete the incomplete “mottai gopuram” at Srirangam. The tallest temple gopuram that has become an iconic symbol of the most important Vishnu temple, and the largest functional Hindu temple in the world happened only in the 1980s and it was the Jeeyar’s dream and the word he gave to Ranganatha that made it possible. Srimathe Srivansatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikan   The 44 th head of Sri Ahobila Matam Srirangam temple despite its importance and size was not a money spinner. In fact, people in the know say how till the time the Rajagopuram happened the salaries at the te...