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Saturday, August 20, 2016

Sree Anjaneyar temple, Namakkal


Sree Anjaneyar temple, Namakkal

After having darshan at Ugra Narasimhar temple, next I went to the nearby Sree Anjaneyar temple.   The Uchchikala pooja aarthi was in progress with the distribution of the prasada thulasi being served later.  He was adorned with the Silver Kavacham and also with draped with a blue silk cloth. (Photo can be seen).
  
                                  




The Anjaneyar vigraha is 18 feet tall and of a single monolith stone.  He worships with folded hands the Ugraha Narasimhar opposite to this temple.  He graces with a Japamala in his hand and a sword in his waist.   Sree Anjaneya who fetched the Sanjeevini herbs for Rama and Lakshmana from Himalayas, while replacing it  and bathing in Kandaki River found a saligram and brought the saligramam. He found goddess Mahalakshmi performing penance and asked her to help in holding the saligrama until he performed the Sandyavantham.  After performing Santhyavanthanam he could not take the Saligram from the ground.  Confused Sree Anjaneya prayed and the saligram grew as a hillock and a voice arose advising him to go to help Sree Rama at Lanka and the Lord would stay there.  He was also informed he would pray after the Ramavatharam in front of him in Kaliyuga and thus Sree Anjaneya stands in the open air on the western side of the hillock and facing Sri Ugra Narasimhar offering his prayers.









Devotees offer Thulasi, flowers and Betel Leaves Malas which are available in plenty in front of the temple. Offering Vada mala is a speciality.  

As had been posted by me in the blog on Ugra Narasimhar, Namakkal, about the Saligrama stone and Sree Anjaneya was asked by Narasimhar to help Sree Rama in Sree Lanka and in Kaliyuga will pray on him and thus the temple of Anjaneya.  

Though in open, the temple opens from 7 a.m to 01.00 pm and 4.00pm to 9.00 pm.Namakkal is at a distance of 255 kms from Bangalore and 370 kms from Chennai.


Wednesday, August 17, 2016

UGRA NARASIMHAR AND NAMAGIRI THAYAR, NAMAKKAL

                Sree Ugra Narasimhar and Namagiri Thayar, NAMAKKAL





It was a sunny day and the time I could go was just in the noon and it was really hot for walking around the prahara of the temple of Sree Ugra Narasimhar and Namagiri Thayar of Namakkal.  On after returning from Sree Vedanarayana Perumal temple, Thirunarayanapuram to Thottiam, I took the bus to Namakkal and after alighting in the bus stand, took an auto to this temple.  

                                          Ugra Narasimhar temple     
                                    

As usual you had to adjust in the space available around the Lord Ugra Narasimhar and the Bhattars were explaining the importance why one should not stand just opposite the Ugra Narasimhar and asking people to line up on either side.   The customary five minutes darshan was allowed to the sevarthees with collection of thulasi/flowers and further archanai and deepa arathanai and the prompt request/orders to leave to the benefit of others waiting for the darshan.  But this time the Thayar Sannidhi was not crowded and I had ekantha sevai and no one asked me to leave.  The beautiful thayar of Namakkal was a treat to watch and I told the Bhattar, this is the first time I am able to get such a darshan.   


                                                  Namagiri Thayar



Ugra Narasimha Perumal

The Ugra Narasimhar is in a sitting posture and it is said that the blood marks are there in the nails of the Lord as he killed Hiranyakasibu.  Rishies in Kurtha Yuga curse the gatekeepers of Vaikundam and they were born as Hiranyakasibu and his younger brother Hiranyaksha.  Hiranyaksha, for his harmful deeds, was killed by Mahavishnu in the Varaha Avatharam.  Hiranyakasibu by his fervent prayers gets boons from Lord Brahma, by which he could not be killed by a human being, animal, earth or in sky, in and out of the houses etc.,  Hiranyakasibu thus was powerful and he was troubling rishis and devas and even compelled them to say as Hiranyaya Namaha to prove his supremacy and also did not allow anyone to utter the name of Narayana.   The worried Rishis and Devas with Brahma then approached Lord Vishnu and told of what was happening with Hiranyakasibu.  Lord Vishnu decided to end the attrocities of Hiranyakasibu and the opportune moment came when Prahalad replied his father Hiranyakasibu that the Lord is everywhere and he would recite only Lord Narayana’s name and not his father’s.  When the angry Hiranyakasibu banged the Pillar with his mace, Lord Vishnu emerged as the Narasimha, a form not of human, animal but a combined one.    That surprised Hiranyakasibu and in the ensuing fight the Lord kept Hiranyakasibu in his lap and with the claws of the lion, pierced the stomach of Hiranyakasibu and killed him to overcome all the conditions stipulated in the boons given by Brahma.  The Devas and even Mahalakshmi initially feared to approach the Lord in the Ugram state, Bhaktha Prahalatha prayed and Lord disappeared in a saligram form in his Kingdom which Prahalatha worshipped with devotion.  Sree Anjaneya who fetched the Sanjeevini herbs for Rama and Lakshmana from Himalayas, while replacing it brought the saligramam and he placed it here at Namakkal.  After performing Santhyavanthanam he could not take the Saligram from the ground.  Confused Sree Anjaneya prayed and the saligram grew as a hillock and a voice arose advising him to go to help Sree Rama at Lanka and the Lord would stay there.  He was also informed he would pray after the Ramavatharam in front of him in Kaliyuga and thus Sree Anjaneya stands in the open air on the western side of the hillock and facing Sri Ugra Narasimhar offering his prayers.  Mahalakshmi’s prayers made the Lord to calm down and he bestowed many boons and the thayar was named as Namagiri Lakshmi and the lord Lakshminarasimhar.   In the sanctum sanctorium, the beautiful sculpture of the Lord is in a sitting posture and sanathkumarar, sanakar are present and Surya and Chandra are holding the chamaram.



In the Arthamandapam walls, beautiful sculptures of Vaikunda Narayana with Lord Siva, Brahma, Bhoomadevi and sun, moon and  Markendeya can be seen and thus this sthlam is also known as Trimoorthy Sthalam. 

In the next wall, we can see Sri Ugra Narasimha tearing the Hiranya's chest by nails. On the other side wall Sri Vaamanamoorthy is getting danam by Mahabalya Chakravarty. Sukrachari is punished by Garuda for disturbing the Dhyanam. Jambavan is drumming in the sky.




In the same wall Sri Mahavishnu as THIRUVIKRAMA is measuring the earth and sky. In the next wall, Sri VARAHA MOORTHY is bearing the four VEDAS all power heads on the nose, and holding Sri Bhoomadevi by two hands.



There are sannidhis for Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, Udayavar (Ramanujar) sannidhi, Nammalwar sannidhi, one for Sri Krishna, Bama and Rukmini and a Desikar sannidhi.

                                                 Ramar sannidhi 



                                         Krishna, Bama and Rukmani


After having darshan at this temple, I went to the nearby Sree Anjaneya temple.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Thirunarayanapuram near thottiam


THIRUNARAYANAPURAM NEAR THOTTIAM

                                        Sree vedanarayana Perumal




The temple at Thirunarayanapuram is unique in several ways that though the temple is NOT one of the 108 divya desams, the importance of the Lord by way of the temple history and connected to Tirunaraiyur Araiyar is noteworthy.  The temple is a little over  4 kms Southwest of Thottiam between Tiruchy and Namakkal. 

The temple is in the quiet and pictureque village of Thirunarayanapuram and can be reached by any bus plying to Kattuputhur from Trichirapalli.  Since I had first visited Mahendramangalam (where a Chandramouleeswarar temple is being built and also a small temple is being constructed for Adi Sankara) I went by an auto to this temple with arrangements to leave me back at Thottiam.

Vedanarayana Perumal temple history connected with King Mahabali Vaanavaraya who was taking to his army to Mysore for a battle and rested at this place.  Lord Vedanarayanan appeared in the dreams of the King and asked to build a temple for him here and also assured the King of his victory in the battle at Mysore.  The Vigraha was completely covered with sand and the same was taken out by the King and a temple was raised was this place.

Sree Vedanarayanan who is in a sayana rests his head on the four vedas.  The thayar here is known as Vedanayaki and has a separate Sannidhi.  Sree Anjaneya adorns the Dwajasthambam.


                                      Anjaneyar in Dwajasthambam




Lord Narayanan is said to have initiated the Education on Vedas to Brahma here and hence known as Vedanarayanan.  Having played the role of the Acharya and Brahma being the disciple this temple is also known as “Guru” and “Budhan” Sthalam.  Prahalathan who has seen the Lord as fiery Narasimhar prays to the Lord and sees him as Shanthaswaroopi here.

Thus the Vighraga of Sree Vedanarayan depicts all these aspects with Brahalatha as a 3 year old boy standing at the foot of the Lord. Sree Devi and Bhoodevi also are present at the foot of the sleeping lord and offering prayers. 



PARAMAPATHA VAASAL




Thiru Naraiyur Araiyur who was a fervent devotee of the Lord was directed to seek him by prayers to attain Moksha and he along with his wife and 6 children were worshipping the Lord along the banks of river Cauvery and reached this place. The Lord tested him here with a fire in the palm leaves covering over him and in his effort to quench the fire and not to reach the Lord, Araiyar threw his children but to no avail.   Then as he threw himself, the Lord appeared and gave moksham to the entire family.   Hence this place is also known as Pillai Thirunaraiyur Araiyar Abhimana Kshetram.

More info can be had in the site:
and also can be contacted at:
ARULMIGU VEDANARAYANA PERUMAL THIRUKOVIL
Thirunarayanapuram,
Balasamudram Via,
Thottiyam Taluk,
Trichy Districts,
Tamilnadu. India. Pin - 621 203.
Phone-04326-254338
E-mail : info@thirunarayanapuram.com


Sunday, August 14, 2016

MAHENDRAMANGALAM NEAR THOTTIAM

MAHENDRAMANGALAM NEAR THOTTIAM

On 9th August 2016, I left Tirchy by bus and reached Thottiam in the morning. As work was in progress near the bus stand, there was a diversion prior to the Bus Stand and bus stopped near the Police Station.   Autos were available near the Police Station. Now the regular bus route has been restored.   I went by an auto to Mahendramangalam and where local buses stop, just by the roadside Chandramouleeswarar temple is being built by the Sri Kamakoti Seva Samiti Trust.



The above photo was by me today, which shows the level of construction on date. The prathishtai of the Sivalingam worshippedby Mahaperiyava, Lord Chandramouleeswarar is to be done here.  The next picture shows the Siva Linga to be installed.   

Sree Chandramouleeswarar 

Previous temple with thachet roof



 Ambal Tirupurasundari


After some enquiries, I learnt that the earlier Barnasalai in which Mahaperiyava stayed in 1911/1914 is in Aththangarai road (riverbanks) and a temple is also coming up at that place. I was just in time for the Arthi after the morning Pooja.  Shri Ramamurthy Sastrigal who is performing the daily Pooja and  Homam during Anusham days explained that the temple work is in progress here.  He has been instructed by Kanchi Mutt to look after the interest of the devotees visiting the place.    He said the Adi Sankara was installed by Mahaperiyava and the Mahaperiyava by the Mutt.
The photos below are of the temple and Vigraghas at this site (Barnasalai).


                                               Temple under construction






Adi Sankara and Mahaperiyava Vigraghas  



The Trust who have taken the work of construction of the temple of Chandramouleeswarar and temple of Adi Sankara can be reached by the link:
Mahaperiyava@mahendramangalam.

I left Mahendramangalam and went to Thirunarayanapuram next.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

TEMPLE TOUR BETWEEN TRICHY AND NAMAKKAL

TEMPLE TOUR BETWEEN TRICHY AND NAMAKKAL

On 9th August 2016, I was fortunate to be at temples between Trichy and Namakkal.  I started from Trichy by bus in the morning and returned in the evening to Trichy, while taking an auto to be at Mahendramangalam and Srinarayanapuram.   I had darshan at Mahendramangalam in the Kanchi madam temple in the morning of Adi Shankara installed by Mahaperiyavar and Mahaperiyavar installed by Madam.  

                                     
                                    Adi Shankara and Mahaperiyava Vigrahas




Sree Vedanarayana Perumal of Thirunarayanapuram



Later I proceeded to Srinarayanapuram and had darshan of Lord Sree Vedanarayanan and Sree Vedavalli Thayar.   After getting down at Thottiam, I took an auto to visit the above places and got dropped back at Thottiam Bus Stand.   Later, I proceeded to Namakkal by bus and had darshan at Sree Ukra Narasimhar/Namagiri Thayar.  

                                Sree Ugra Narasimhar and Namagiri Thayar



After having lunch at Namakkal, I took a bus to Gunaseelam and the temple was opened at 04.30pm. Had Darshan of Sree Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal and also of Sree Dharmmeega Easwaran in the nearby temple.   

                                         Gunaseelam temple as you enter


                                            Dhaarmeega Swamy temple
               




Returned to Trichy in the evening by bus.

Separate blog posting done for each temple:

Mahendramangalam -