Bade Ganesh Ka Mandir

This temple enshrines a huge, red Ganesh in the foyer, flanked by his two wives. Inside the shrine is a bronzed idol of a five-faced, panchmukhi, Hanuman. If you do a parikrama, or circumambulatory, walk leaving the Hanuman idol to your right, you will come to an idol of the baby Krishna in the arms of his mother Yashodhara with a background of black serpents with extended hoods. Next there is a red Hanuman with five heads and Lord Ram's name inscribed on his heart. He is reputed to be a great devo¬tee of Lord Ram and Hanuman and his monkey army helped Ram build the land bridge to Sri Lanka.

A line of rocks still thrusts out of the sea between the southern tip of India and the north-eastern shores of Sri Lanka. After the idol of Hanuman is an unusual one of a Black Goddess, riding on her lion vehicle. The Black Goddess, or Kali, is the vengeful aspect of the powerful yellow goddess Durga who is the enemy of evil and ignorance. This idol seems to be a composite of both aspects of the Mother Goddess. Finally, at the end of the parikrama, visitors pass a silver swing holding an image of Baby Krishna. It is customary for devotees to give the swing a slight push and set it into motion.