Fremont Mission Peak Trail

Mission Peak Trail in Fremont

Mission Peak Trail is a 5.5 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Fremont, CA that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. 

This is a moderate to strenuous trail with a constant uphill climb until you reach the summit. The trail is a well maintained gravel base until the last half mile. From this point the trail is hard pack dirt and rocky. Difficulty would definitely increase during the rainy season.

At the summit, you’ll see the steel post with pipes inserted at seemingly random angles. This is a clever observation scope pointing out several landmarks visible from Mission Peak.

Ø  Highlights:  Spectacular Views Of The South Bay, Scenery

Ø  Near:  Fremont, CA

Ø  Distance:  Around 6 miles round trip

Ø  Elevation Gain: 2517 ft

Ø  Difficulty: Challenging and Strenuous

Ø  Trail Condition: Well maintained trail

Ø  Trekking Duration: Around 4hrs

The Stanford Avenue staging area is also the western access to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, a 29-mile hiking and riding trail through some of Southern Alameda County's most beautiful wilderness, and provides access to Mission Peak's 2,999 acres.

For More info About the Mission Peak Click this link : Mission Peak Regional Preserve

Mission Peak Regional Preserve

Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Fremont

Mission Peak is a peak east of Fremont, California. It is part of a ridge that includes Mount Allison and Monument Peak. Mission Peak is located in the Mission Peak Regional Preserve and is a part of the East Bay Regional Park District.

Mission Peak is served by three trails from its western face. The Peak Trail starts at Ohlone College and heads southwards to the summit. While this trail is generally the least steep of the three, it is still quite challenging for casual hikers and requires considerable endurance due to a steady 6 mile uphill hike and 2500 feet elevation change. The other two trails, the Hidden Valley and Peak Meadow Trails both begin their ascent from Stanford Avenue and ascend the western face. They offer regular panoramic views of the Bay Area, however they are considerably steeper than the Peak Trail.

Views from the peak vary with weather conditions, but it is common to be able to see the other high peaks of the Bay Area, including Ohlone Regional Wilderness, Sunol Regional Wilderness, Mount Diablo, Mount Hamilton, and Mount Tamalpais. Furthermore, the peak provides good views of the cities of Oakland, San Jose, San Francisco, and Fremont. 

Under the right conditions (usually a crisp and clear winter day) even the Sierra Nevada range can be seen approximately 100 miles to the east.

For More info About the Mission Peak Trail Click this link : Mission Peak Trail 

Balaji Temple - San Jose,CA

Balaji Temple in San Jose CA

San Jose Balaji Temple is a spiritual non-profit Hindu Temple dedicated to sharing the universal truth of the Vedas and the Upanishads of India, namely that God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent and man's purpose in life is to realize this Oneness with everything.

The purpose of Balaji Temple is to form a Hindu Temple and Vedic Cultural Center on the Peninsula in the heart of Silicon Valley where people can come together to study and worship, regardless of our different backgrounds. This Temple aim is to promote the feeling of universal love and unity among all people.

Balaji Temple has the following idols to worship:

Lord Venkateswara and Goddess Padmavathi
Lord Shiva
Lord Vinayakar
Lord Murugan
Lord Anjeneyar
Goddess Durga
Goddess Meenakshi
Lord Krishna
Saibaba
Navagragha Idols 

Temple Address:

5004 N.First St, San Jose (Alviso), CA 95002 

Temple Retreat Address:

642 Bolado Road, Tres Pinos, CA 95075  

Mount madonna - Hanuman Temple

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple in Mount Madonna

The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple is a project sponsored by the Hanuman Fellowship and is located  within the grounds of the Mount Madonna Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences, a residential private retreat and conference center. Established in 1978 by the students of Baba Hari Dass, Mount Madonna Center is a community designed to nurture the creative arts and the health sciences within a context of personal and spiritual growth. Residents of the Center are a group whose talents and interests are unified by the common practice of Yoga.The American priest recited the Sanskrit shlokas flawlessly and with love and devotion.

Baba Hari Dass  was born in 1923 near Almora, India. He is a silent monk and guru who was classically trained in the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga. He has maintained a continual vow of silence since 1952. He and his teachings have inspired the Mount Madonna Center and Mount Madonna Institute near Santa Cruz, California, The Salt Spring Centre in British Columbia and the Sri Ram Ashram in Haridwar, India.

Baba Hari Dass was initiated into the Vairagi Vaishnava order in 1942 by Baba Raghubar Dassji Maharaj, a renunciate and Sanskrit scholar. He has not spoken since 1952 and communicates by writing on a small whiteboard. His silence is a yogic discipline, which quiets the mind and develops inner peace.

Babaji has lived in the United States for nearly forty years, coming several days a week to the Mount Madonna Center, founded by his students in 1978. Through his practice of selfless service or Karma Yoga, he has helped to build and maintain the Center as well as develop the Temple complex. Anjaneya's World Cafe located within the Center provides snacks and refreshments.

The Madona Hanuman Temple and Mount Madonna Center are open to day visitors:

Temple Hours: Monday through Saturday 6:00am - 7:00pm and Sundays from 4:00pm - 7:00pm only.

Address :  Mount madonna - Hanuman Temple ( Nearby Gilroy Premium Outlets  )

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, 445 Summit Rd, Watsonville, CA

Kollur Mookambika Temple

Kollur Mookambika Temple

Kollur or Kolluru (கொல்லூர் மூகாம்பிகை) is a small temple town situated about 60 kilometres from Hosanagara Town, about 120 kilometres away from Shimoga City in Karnataka state in the southern part of India.

The kollur  village lies at the foot of the Western Ghats and is famous for the Mookambika temple, a Hindu pilgrim center. Kollur also called Kollapura one of the important places of pilgrimage in Karnataka State, which has a temple dedicated to Mookambika.

Mookambika temple is located exactly on the banks of the perennial river Souparnika that runs close to the foot hills of the Western Ghats. River Sauparnika has its attribute to the eagle called Suparna that did penance in this bank and attained salvation. Kollur is regarded as one of the Seven Mukti sthalam pilgrimage sites in Karnataka which are (kollur), Udupi, Subrahmanya, Kumbasi, Kodeshwara, Sankaranarayana and Gokarna.

The goddess is called Mookambika as she is said to have slain the demon Mookasura. The goddess is described as in the form of a jyotirlinga incorporating both Shiva and Shakti. The panchaloha image of the goddess on Shri Chakra is stated to have been consecrated by Shri Adi Shankaracharya. The Divine Mother is said to be a manifestation of trigunas or triple forms. The shikhara of the temple which is well gilded with gold is said to have been donated by Sankanna Savantha. Around the chief shrine of Mookambika, there are many other shrines. The idol of Chandramaulishvara is said to have been installed by Shri Adi Shankara.

Souparnika River is a river flowing through Kundapur taluk in Karnataka, India. It joins with the Varahi River, Kedaka River, Chakra River, and Kubja River and merges into the Arabian Sea. It flows near Mookambika temple, Kollur and is considered holy river by devotees of the temple.

It is a believed that Garuda (eagle) called Suparna performed penance on the banks of the river and attained salvation hence the name Sawparnika. It is also believed that river absorbs the elements of 64 different medicinal plants and roots as it flows, therefore it cures diseases of those who bath in it. Sowparnika River Origin is located very close to Mookambika Amma Temple.

மூகாம்பிகா கோவிலின் சிறப்புகள் :

Ø  மூகாம்பிகை ஆலயம் சௌபர்ணிகா நதி கரையில் அமைந்துள்ளது.

Ø  ஆதி சங்கரரால் அமைக்கப்பட்ட ஸ்ரீ சக்ரத்தின் மேல் தான் மூகாம்பிகா அம்மனின் பஞ்சலோக விக்கிரகம் அமைந்துள்ளது.

Ø  லக்ஷ்மி,பார்வதி மற்றும் சரஸ்வதி மூன்றும் சேர்ந்த ஒரு சக்தி தான் மூகாம்பிகை அம்மன்.

Ø  சிவனும் சக்தியும் இணைந்த ஜோதிர் லிங்க ஸ்தலம்.

Ø  ஏழு முக்தி ஸ்தலங்களில் ஒன்று . 

How To Reach : Frequent bus facilities are available to Kollur from Mangalore (140 kms).

Temples in Karnataka

Temples in Karnataka

The seven mukti stalas in Karnataka are   (  7 முக்தி ஸ்தலம்  )

Ø  Udupi - Bala Krishnan Temple,  

Ø  Kollur - Mookambika temple, 

Ø  Kukke Subrahmanya - Murugan Temple , 

Ø  Kumbasi (Anegudde ) - Ganesh Temple, 

Ø  Kodeshwara - Kotilingeshwara Temple, 

Ø  Sankaranarayana - Shiva Temple, &

Ø  Gokarna - Shiva Temple. 

Temples in Karnataka

• Kateel - Durga Parameshwari Temple
• Kudroli - Gokarnanatheshwara Temple 
• Mangalore - Kadri Manjunatha Temple

Kurinji Andavar Temple

Kodaikanal - Kurinji Andavar Murugan Temple

Kurinji Andavar kovil (குறிஞ்சி ஆண்டவர்) is situated 3 kms from the lake, is a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Muruga. In Tamil literature Kurinji means 'hill region' and Andavar means 'God'. Hence Lord Muruga is referred as 'God of hill'. This temple is associated with the Kurinji flowers, which carpets at hill sides and bloomes once in 12 years. From this temple one can have a view of Palani (Murugan Temple) and Vaigai dam.

The temple is located at the height of 6990 ft. to 7000 ft. It was constructed 1936 by an European Lady who came to India and get belief in Hinduism and converted to Hindu. Kurinji Poo (Flower) will bloom once in every 12 years. This temple is under the management of Arulmighu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thiru Kovil, Palani.  

In Tamil literature, land is classified as 5 types

Kurinji             Mountains and Hills

Mullai              Forests , sloppy plains

Marudam       Agricultural farming fields

Neithal            Coastal lands

Palai                 Dry area  like a desert

குறிஞ்சி :  மலையும் மலை சார்ந்த பகுதிகளும்.

முல்லை:   காடும் காடு சார்ந்த பகுதிகளும்.

மருதம்:       வயலும் வயல் சார்ந்த பகுதிகளும்.

நெய்தல:     கடலும் கடல் சார்ந்த பகுதிகளும்.

பாலை:        நீரற்ற வற‌ண்ட பகுதி. உதாரணம்  பாலைவனம்

Kurinji Flower

Each ecological zones has assigned with different gods. Kurinji – Murugan, Mullai – Thirumal, Marudham – Vendhan, Neidhal – Katalon, Paalai – Kotravai/Kali. So Kurinji becomes a sign of Lord Muruga.

Address : Kurinji Andavar Temple, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101