51 Siddha Kshetras

The Maha Kshetras in Bharat where darshana-pujas become possibe are enumerated as follows: Kurukshetra; Badari; Narayana Kshetra or Badarikashrama; Gaya Kshetra; Purushottama / Jagannattha Kshetra; Varanasi; Varaha Kshetra near Ayodhya; Pushkara; Naimisharanya; Prabhasa Kshetra; Shookara Kshetra; Muktinath; Rishikesha; Dwaraka; Mathura; Kedara; Pampa Kshetra at Hospet; Bindusara or Siddhapur; Trina Brindavana; Dashapur/ Mandasor of Madhya Pradesha of Maha Bharata fame as also of Pashupati natha ; Ganga-Sagara Sangama; Tejovana; Vishakha Surya or Vikshapatnam; Ujjaini; Dandaka (Nasik); Manasaovara; Nanda Kshetra or Nanda Devi Parvata; Sithaasrama or Bithur near Kanpur stated to be the birthplace of Luv and Kusha, sons of Shri Rama; Kokamukha; Mandara ( Bhagalpur); Mahendra or Mandsa near Srikakulam , Andhra Pradesha famed for ancient Vasudeva Temple; Rishabha-son of Naabhi and father of Bharata after whom Bharata Desha is named ; Skanda Purana mentions of the King; Shalagrama Kshetra / Damodara Kund near Girnar, Gujarat famed for Shivaratri festival attracting lakhs of devotees to Junagad; also famed for Swami Narayan Temple; Go nishkramana; Sahyadri Mountain Range / western ghats covering the entire paschima and Dakshina seacoast of Bharata; Pandya or the Kingship of Pandyas who fought Kurukeshtra of Maha Bharata fame closely connected to Madurai; Chitrauta; Gandhamadana orRameshwar; Haridrara; Brindavana; Hastinapura; Lohargula; Devashala; Kumara Kshetra (Tamil nadu and Kerala); Devadaruvana /Assam; Lingasphota related to Sage Patanjali And his School of Yoga Practice; Ayodhya; Kundina; Trikuta; and Mahishmati.

Some other Tirthas: Pancha Kedaras: Kedar nath, Amarnath, Tunganath on way from Kedarnath to Badarinath, Rudranatha from Tunganath and Kapileshwara on crossing Alaknanda there 2km hence. Sapta Badaris: Badari Narayana, Adi Badari in Uragam Village some 2 km hence Kumhara chatti also called Dhanya Badari; Bhavishya Badari,some 7km from Jyoshimutt; Yoga Badari also called Dhyana Badari at Pandukeshwara; another Adi Badari from Kailasa to Thulinga Mutt and Nrisimha Badari at Jyoshi mutt itself. Sapta Naths: Badari natha, Kedarnatha, Amar natha, Ranga natha, Dwaraka natha, Shri Natha, Govarthana nath. Sapta Saraswatis: Suprabha at Pushkar, Kanchanakshi at Naimisha,Manorama in North Koshala, Odhavati at Kurukshetra, Surenu at Haridwar and Vimalodaka on Himalayas; Sapta Ganga: Bhagirathi, Vriddha Ganga, Kalindi, Saraswati, Kaveri, Narmada and Veni.  Sapta Punya Nadis: Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Kaveri, Narmada, and Sindhu. Sapta Kshetras: Kurukshetra, Harhara Kshetra at Sonpur, Prabhasa Kshetra at Veraval, Renuka Kshetra near Mathura, Bhrigu Kshetra at Broach, Gujarat; Purushottama Kshetra at PuriJagannatha andSookara Kshetra at Sorome.Pancha Sarovara: Bindu Sarovara at Siddhapur, Narayana Sarovara at Kutch, Gujarat, Pampa Sarovara in Karnataka, Pushkara Sarovara in Rajasthan, and Manasa Sarovara in Tibet. Navaaranyas: Dandakaranya, Saindhavaranya, Pushkaraaranya, Naimisharanya, Kururaranya, Utpalaavartakaranya, Jambukaranya, Himavadaranya and Arbudaranya. Chaturdasha Prayagas: Prayagaraj, Deva Prayaga:Alaknanda-Bhagirathi; Rudra Prayaga:Alaknanda-Mandakini; Karna Prayaga:Pindara Ganga-Alalnanda;Nada Prayaga:Alaknanda-Nanda; Vishnu Prayaga:Vishnu Ganga-Alaknanda; Surya Prayaga: Alasatarangi-Mandakini; Indra Prayaga:Bhagirathi-Vyasa Ganga;Somaprayaga:Soma Nadi-Mandakini;Bhaskara Prayaga:Bhatavari-Mallahatti; Hari Prayaga: Hariganga-Bhagirathi; Gupta Prayaga: Nila ganga-Bhagirathi; Syama Prayaga: Shyama Ganga-Bhagirathi; and Keshava Prayaga: Alaknanda-Sarasvati/

Sri V.D.N.Rao and Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham

Kamakoti.org presents the Essence of Puranas in English, condensed by Sri. V.D.N.Rao, devotee of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Compiled, Composed and Interpreted by V.D.N.Rao, Former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organisation, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India The author can be contacted at [email protected]