Sri Manicka Swamigal aka Satti Samiyar Gnana Peetam, Enathimangalam

My father-in-law had three framed photographs in his otherwise clutter-free pristine room. A picture of his father and two saints whom he had had an opportunity to meet and interact with in his younger days - Gnanananda Swami, whose tapovanam is found near Tirukoilur and Manicka Swamigal, commonly known as Satti Samiyar, whose samadhi is found in Enathimangalam, in Villupuram district.

During the early years of my marriage, my father-in-law would narrate numerous incidents about Satti Samiyar from his childhood. Manicka Swamigal had been in Sitthilingamadam at that time, where my father-in-law was undergoing education in his maternal uncle's house. No one really knew where he came from. Some say he walked all the way from Vellore. As young boys, my father-in-law and his cousins would bathe and play on the banks of the Then Pennai river flowing close by. Often, they would find Manicka Swamigal, either throwing sand upon himself in a state of ecstasy on simply sitting by the river, gazing into the horizon.

Shrine with lingam and photograph close to the entrance

As the boys approached, he would call them near and speak to them. Despite their age, he would call them Anna (Big Brother). Sometimes, they would find him floating on water. One day, my father-in-law found his body floating on the water while his head was watching it from a distance. Frightened, he ran home crying, only to be consoled by his grandmother, that the swami was demonstrating his siddhis.

Manicka Swamigal would not take any money if offered. He would take food in an earthen pot he always carried, which gave him the name of Satti (Pot) Samiyar. Sometimes he would eat, else he would just scatter the food around for birds and animals. He would only accept food from those he wanted to and not touch food offered by the others.

My mother-in-law for her part would proudly say that as a young mother, when she saw him visit our village, Sirumadurai, to which my father-in-law had moved to after he began working, she offered him some Omapodi,(Bhujiya) which was all she had at home, which he relished, making her very happy. In return he gave her a handful of sand from the street which she accepted as prasadam. She firmly believes that it was instrumental for them to build our house within the next couple of years.

Sri Manicka Swamigal aka Satti Samiyar, Enathimangalam

After hearing these incidents, I was very eager to visit his samadhi but it took me 29 years to do so. His Gnana Peetam is situated off the main Villupuram - Madapattu Road, in Enathimangalam where the Samiyar moved to from Siddhilingamadam. The villagers credit all their growth and prosperity to the saint who spent his days around the Murugan and Draupathi amman temples, lying in the open, eating when he felt like and accepting clothes only if he needed.

They say he would break the pot in which he would accept food often, and that the potter in the village would give him a new one immediately. Similarly, if he was given clothes, sometimes he would wear them, and in other occasions, he would either tear the garment into shreds or give it to someone else nearby. Those who assisted him saw remarkable changes happen in their lives, but then, he would not take help from any random person unless he wanted to.

Samadhi of Sri Manicka Swamigal aka Satti Samiyar, Enathimangalam

He attained samadhi on the 5th of September 1970. His Guru Pooja is celebrated on the Swathi Star in the Tamil month of Aavani each year when thousands throng his Gnana Peetam and annadhanam is provided to everyone.

The Gnana Peetam has a Murugan temple behind which stands the samadhi of Sri Manicka Swamigal. A lingam has been installed over his samadhi. There is another shrine where another lingam and his photograph are placed, which is close to the entrance. The Murugan shrine is larger and has a new idol of Muruga, while the torso of the older one has been installed outside. Not sure if it was vandalised at some point.

Abandoned torso of Murugan

It is interesting to note that the Kumbabhishekam of the Samadhi shrine was performed by Appa Paithiyam Swamigal, another renowned Siddhar. Do read about his life and times on Aalayam Kanden blog here.

The energy and vibration that one experiences in the samadhi shrine is immense, showing the divine presence of the saint there. The temple is opened in the morning for worship by the priest. But one can see the samadhi through the grills at any time of the day. You would be in the company of a couple of serious seekers who sit in meditation in different parts of the campus.

Inauguration of Samadhi Shrine of Shri Manicka Swamigal aka Satti Samiyar by Appa Paithiyam Swamigal

How to get here:

Enathimangalam is 15 kms from Villupuram, and 33 kms from Tirukoilur. The nearest town is Tiruvennainallur, the place where Lord Shiva claimed Sundaramurthy Nayanar as his slave and was instrumental in the latter singing hymns is his favour, starting with Piththa Pirai Soodi. To read more about this temple and the divine incident on Aalayam Kanden, click here.

Temple Timings:

The temple is opened in the morning around 8 am for worship. However, the samadhi can be viewed through the day behind closed grills.

Contact details:

95007 18233, 97515 52867

If you are passing by this part of the world, do stop by for a couple of minutes, to experience serenity and tranquility.

The rustic ambience that welcomes you

Acknowledgement: Many thanks to Shri. Kaushik Ramachandran, for helping me reconfirm many of the incidents I had heard, with documented evidence about the life and times of Sri. Manicka Swamigal aka Satti Samiyar of Enathimangalam.

Vyasaraja Theertha Source: Annie Gracy, CC BY-SA 4.0

As the Rajaguru and as a Dvaita philosopher, he travelled across the country extensively. During these travels, he is said to have created and installed 732 Hanumans in different places. Most of these hanumans are concentrated in South India, where the Vijayanagara rule was in place. With Penukonda having the highest number of Hanumans, the others are spread around in clusters.

It has been my long time desire to visit the Vyasaraja Hanumans and document them. The Hanumans vary in size and form, but most have the common features of a raised right arm, with the left hand holding the rare Sowgandhika flower, the feet are turned sideways, the tail is raised above the head with one or more bells swinging from it. 

The Kongu region was under the Vijayanagara rule in the early 16th century when Dharapuram which had earlier been called Paranthakapuram and Rajarajapuram during the rule of the Cholas, was the capital. Vyasaraja Theertha had travelled to and stayed in this region during which time he has installed multiple Hanuman around here.

Out of these ten have come to be identified by scholars and the first time I saw the map was in  Shri. Amman Sathiyanathan's Raghavendra Mahimai.After planning for years, finally got to visit Dharapuram last week. Prior to my trip, I tried to get help to identify the actual locations of the Hanumans depicted roughly on the map. However, I was not very successful. So I decided to leave to Guru Raghavendra Swamy to guide us and what a trip it was!

1. Sri Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy Temple

If you are planning to do this trip, then the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple would be the central point from where the other Hanumans connect. It is also the largest and most popular among the ten Hanuman temples. 

Sri Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy Temple, Dharapuram

Earlier, most part of today's Dharapuram was enclosed within a fort. There was dense vegetation around the fort and this idol was found in the open here and therefore came to be known as Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy. It is only in 1810 that the British Collector of Coimbatore District, Deelan, who had been suffering from a disorder called "Rajapilavai" (a huge Carbuncle) worshipped Sri Kadu Hanumanatharaya Swamy and was cured of the same. As a token of gratitude, he built a shrine for the deity. When an attempt was made to cover the ceiling, the Lord appeared in the dream of his devotee, asking for the ceiling to be kept open. To this day, the ceiling has an opening above the deity who is 7.25 feet tall and 3 feet wide, making the sun rays and rain fall on the deity.

Sri Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy with the opening in the ceiling

The idol falls into the standard description of a Vyasaraja Hanuman, with minor differences. The raised right hand has the thumb folded into it in the form of a Abhaya Hastha. The tail has three bells instead of one. The Sowgandhika flower is held in the left hand and the feet turned sideways.The face of the Hanuman is shaped to resemble Hayagriva. He carries a sword as well as a dagger. His waist band holds the Yali face which is the mudrika of Sri Vyasaraja Theertha.

Utsava Idols made by Sri Vijayendra Theertha

The Utsava Idols of Rama, Sita and Hanuman (no Lakshmana) are those made by hand by Sri Vijayendra Theertha, the successor of Vyasaraja Theertha and the Paramaguru of Sri Raghavendra Swamy. Sri Vijayendra was a exponent of all 64 crafts and was skilled in making panchaloka idols. He is the only person to have been the witness to two avatars of Prahalada - namely Sri Vyasaraja and Sri Raghavendra.

Wooden pillars in the Artha Mandapa

The Artha Mandapa has eight exquisite wooden pillars depicting the Dasavathara. There are cradles hanging in this mandapa bearing testimony to answered prayers of childbirth. To the right of the main sanctum, are two shrines, one that of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha and the other, the Mrithika Brindhavana of Sri Jaya Theertha, also called as Teekacharya for writing commentaries of the works of Sri Madhva. Jaya Theertha was a disciple of Sri Akshobya Theertha, who was a direct disciple and successor of Sri Madhvacharya. 

Interestingly, this temple has the Ishta Devathas of the three avataras of Prahalada - Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, the ishta devata of Prahalada who was found in the confluence of Bhavani and Kaveri rivers, Venugopala Krishna, the Ishta Devata of Sri Vyasaraja Theertha and Sri Rama, the Ishta Devata of Guru Raghavendra Swamy. In addition, there are idols of Sri Prahalada in the Mrithika Brindavana of Sri Raghavendra and Sri Madhva in the Mrithika Brindavana of Jaya Theertha.

Sri Jaya Theertharu Brindavana

There are four Brindavanas of Jaya Theertha with the original one at Malkheda and three Mrithika Brindavanas in this region in Salem, Palladam, Dharapuram and Kovaipudur in Coimbatore. A box in front of the Jaya Theertha Brindavana contains 136 Shalagramas.

The Mrithika Brindavana of Guru Raghavendra Swamy installed by Dwadasi Kattalai Subbarayar has 113 Shalagramas and faces the Rama Shrine which only has Rama with Seetha, and Lakshmana and Hanuman missing.

Sri Raghavendra Mrithika Brindavana

Shalagramas are an important aspect of worship for the Madhwas. Shri Guruprasad, the Chairman of the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy Temple has joined us by now and explains the heirarchy of worship in the temple which are based on the guidelines offered by Madhvacharya's Tantra Sara Sankraha subsequently simplified by Sri Jaya Theertha for worship of Salagramas. The first prayers are offered to the Shalagramas, followed by worship for Sri Narasimha, Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Sri Hanuman, Sri Jaya  Theertha and Sri Raghavendra Theertha in that order. He says the rules of worship are strictly followed with poojas happening only once a day.

Sri Venugopalaswamy with Hanuman

The Venugopala Swamy idol found in this temple is unique and has Hanuman at its feet. Now when did Hanuman who was part of Rama Avatara come together with Krishna? Sri Guruprasad narrates an interesting tale from the Mahabharata. Hanuman was invited to support Krishna and Arjuna. However, since he only reported to one Master - Sri Rama, he agreed to be on the flag of Arjuna's chariot. After the war was over, Krishna asked Arjuna to alight from his chariot. Once he did, Krishna too got off from the chariot. Hanuman who had been on the flag flew away and the entire chariot went up in flames. It was Hanuman who had actually held the power of all the weapons and arrows that had been directed at Arjuna's chariot.

Important point to note regarding offerings to Sri Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy

Shri Guruprasad mentioned a key point with regard to offerings at this temple. The Madhwa philosophies and guidelines are strictly followed here with regard to poojas, worship and offerings. Therefore, Thulasi garlands which are a normal offering in Hanuman temples are not accepted here. Thulasi is seen as a form of Goddess Mahalakshmi and hence considered to be adorned only to Lord Vishnu. The Hanuman can only have it placed on his head as a symbol of respect for Goddess Lakshmi and cannot adorn himself of it. Similarly, other offerings like Vadaimaalai, Betel leaf or Lemon garlands are also not accepted here.

The Brahmotsavam of the temple is celebrated on Vyasa Poornima day and on Narasimha Jayanthi, the Utsavar idols of Lord Rama are taken out in procession. Strict restrictions are currently in place to keep the devotees and archakas safe after the pandemic.

Acknowledgements:

1. Sri Amman Sathiyanathan, Author, Sri Raghavendra Mahimai, Part 6 for the map to visit the ten Vyasaraja Hanumans in Dharapuram

2. Shri Guruprasad, Chairman, Sri Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy Temple, for his time and patience in sharing valuable information and also accompanying us the Uttara Veeraraghava Swamy Temple.

3. Sri Mohan of Dharapuram, who came forward to help us with locating the Hanumans along Amaravathi river and in the fields.

From here, we will move to the other locations in search of the remaining nine Hanumans in the upcoming posts.

How to reach here:

The Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy is centrally located and can be easily identified. The GPS coordinates for all ten Hanumans is provided in this map here.

Temple Timings post Corona: 

Morning: 8.30 am to 12 pm

Evening: 5.00 pm to 7.30 pm

Contact: 04258 220749

The second part of this series of articles featuring the two Vyasaraja Hanumans in and around the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal temple in Dharapuram can be accessed here and the third part comprising of the rest of the Hanumans in Dharapuram can be accessed here

Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal Temple, Dharapuram

This is the second  in the series of articles on the ten Hanumans installed by Saint Vyasaraja Theertha, (the Rajaguru of the Vijayanagara Empire during the time of King Krishnadevaraya, believed to be the reincarnation of Prahalada and the previous avatara of Guru Sri Raghavendraswamy) in and around Dharapuram in Tiruppur District of Tamil Nadu.

Saint Vyasaraja installed 732 such Hanumans during his travels across India. He would draw the image of Hanuman on a piece of stone using his Angarakatti which would then become a sculpture. Angaram is used by Madhwas to mark their forehead before eating food. It is prepared by burning dry banana peel and adding turmeric and ash from the pooja into it. This is then kept on the forehead prior to consuming prasada.  

Out of the ten Hanumans, the first, Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy was covered in an earlier article which can be found here.

The ten Hanumans in Dharapuram are spread in clusters. One key suggestion while visiting them is to make sure you cover the ones that are open for shorter durations first, before visiting the larger temples that stay open for longer. 

From the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple, we proceeded to the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal temple in the fort area. There are two Vyasaraja Hanumans here - Veera Anjaneyar and Kottaivasal Anjaneyar.

On the way to the Veera Anjaneya Swamy Shrine

In India, there are multiple locations that associate themselves with legends such as Ramayana and Mahabharatha. In the Mahabharatha, the Pandava princes were required to stay incognito for a year and they chose to do so in the Virata Kingdom. Places that are referred to as Viratapuri or Viratapuram are found in Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Lion pillared mandapa at the Uttara Veeraraghava Swamy Temple, Dharapuram

Dharapuram in the ancient times was also known as Viratapuram. It is commonly believed that this was the place where the Pandavas stayed incognito for a year under the protection of the Virata King whose children Uttara Kumara and Uttara were named after the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal. The Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal temple is found within the Dharapuram fort and it was here that the Kings who ruled over this region coronated themselves. The Lord is also known as Uttaravu Raghava Perumal, for it is with his permission that the Kings would ascend the throne. Moreover, Dharapuram is found on a straight line to Mantralayam, where the Brindavana of Guru Sri Raghavendraswamy is found, making it even more significant.

Inscription mentioning Rajarajapuram in the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal Temple

There are several inscriptions in this temple, that speak about Dharapuram and the kings who ruled over it. Dharapuram was earlier called Naraiyanur Nattu Brahmadeyam Rajadhiraja Chaturvedimangalam, Naraiyanur Nattu Rajarajapuram and Kongu Vanchiyaana Viladapuram. The Lord was called Uttaraghava Perumal and inscriptions also speak about Goddess Perumkarunai Selvi. These inscriptions have been documented by the ASI in the Annual reports on Indian Epigraphy - 1910, 1920 and 1961-62 as well as Tiruppur Mavatta Kalvettugal published by the TN State Archaeology department. They speak about the grants provided by the Kongu Cholas and Vijayanagara rulers as well as generals to the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal Temple.

The Lord Veeraraghava Perumal is seen alone in the sanctum without his consorts. Instead of holding the Conch and Discus in his hands,they are found on his chest which is a unique feature about this deity.

Sri Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal, Dharapuram

Several wars that happened around this place have damaged the temple and one can see stones with inscriptions from a Siva temple been used while rebuilding the temple. Chadran, who works in the Revenue Department, shares that for best part of his childhood, the temple remained dilapidated and uncared for. He recalls a secret passage close to the sanctum sanctorum which used to be dark and as children they would attempt to explore if it lead out of the fort area. This secret passage has been documented by the archaeology experts as well and subsequently closed. 

2. Veera Anjaneya Swamy

Veera Anjaneya Swamy, Dharapuram

The Veera Anjaneya Swamy installed by Vyasaraja is found in a seperate shrine outside the main temple complex. The Lord is found with a child-like face, facing the South. Instead of a bloomed Sowgandhika flower as normally depicted in Vyasaraja Hanumans, he is seen holding an entire bunch of them. The tail above has a single bell tied to it and the Vaishnavaite symbols - Conch, Discus and Naamam are also found on the idol.The Veera Anjaneya Swamy was found in the open until 2004 when a shrine was constructed for him.

3. Kottai Vaasal Anjaneyar

The third among the ten Anjaneyars is found about 100 metres from the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal Temple right next to a sixteen pillar Vasantha Mandapa from the Vijayanagara Period. It is indeed painful to see this beautiful mandapa being eaten away by vegetation due to lack of upkeep and maintenance.

The dilapidated Vasantha Mandapa from the Vijayanagara Period

The Kottai Vaasal Anjaneyar is perhaps the most beautiful among the ones I had witnessed in Dharapuram. With a baby face, he faces the North while his feet are pointed in the direction of the Uttara Veeraraghava Perumal.  He is seen bare headed, with one arm raised above in Abhaya Hastha and the other holding the Sowgandhika flower. His long earlobes are found wearing Kundalams and the jewellery on his chest has the Yaali which is the Mudrika of  SriVyasaraja.

The beautiful Kottai Vaasal Anjaneyar

He is supposed to have been the guardian deity of the fort while it existed. Today, he is seen in a small shrine encroached by houses on all directions. The same priest who performs pooja to the Veera Anjaneya Swamy also takes care of this shrine. He is available in this temple after the Veera Anjaneya Swamy temple closes. 

How to reach here: The GPS coordinates for all ten Hanumans is provided in this map here.

Temple Timings: The Veera Anjaneya Swamy temple is open between 8 am and 11 am in the mornings and the Kottai Vaasal Anjaneyar opens after that from 11 am to 12 pm. However, the deity can be worshipped through the gate at any time of the day.

Contact: Suresh Bhattar - 80988 71563

The third part of this series on the other Vyasaraja Hanumans in Dharapuram can be accessed here

This is the third in the series of articles on the ten Vyasaraja Hanumans of Dharapuram. Please click here to access Part 1 and here for Part 2.

After visting the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple, which is the central temple for all the ten Hanumans, and then proceeding towards the Uttara Veeraraghava Swamy temple, where we worshipped Veera Hanuman and Kottai Vaasal Hanuman, we were in a dilemma as to which direction to proceed next. To the North was Virajimangalam, now known  as Veerachimangalam and to the South was Dalavoypattinam. The remaining five Hanumans were around the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple.

We decided to proceed to Dalavoypattinam which is about ten kilometres from Dharapuram. 

4. Dalavoypattinam Hanuman

Sri Varadaraja Perumal, Dalavoypattinam

The Varadaraja Perumal temple here houses a Vyasaraja Hanuman. Inscription found in this temple from the third year of Pandya King Sri Vallabha describe the deity as Jayamkonda Chola Vinnagar Emberumanaar. Another fragmentary inscription which only names the king asThribhuvanachakravarti Ko... calls him Naraiyanur Nattu Devanayakaperumal.

Dalavoypattinam Hanuman

Currently this temple has only two shrines - that of Varadaraja Perumal with Sridevi and Bhoodevi and of the Hanuman installed by Vyasaraja. The Hanuman is smaller than the ones we have seen so far. He is seen with the typical raised right arm in Abhaya Hasta and the left arm holding the Sowgandhika flower. 

How to reach here: The Varadaraja Perumal Temple is found near the Government Hospital in Dalavoypattinam. The GPS coordinates of all ten Hanuman shrines can be found at the bottom of this article.

Temple Timings: The temple is only open between 8 - 9.30 am in the mornings and 5-7 pm in the evenings. On Saturdays, the Bhattars are available until 10.30 - 11 am depending on the crowd.

Contact: Rangaraja Bhattar - 99764 62736

5. Veeraraghavapura Agrahara Hanuman

Veeraghavapura Agrahara Hanuman

As it was our first visit and with no one to guide us about the right order to visit, we went about  randomly which we realised was a mistake. Some shrines closed early, while others could not be approached because of their location.

It would have helped us better if we had started with the sites that closed early and then gone to the larger temples which remained open longer. Therefore, another visit is warranted to complete the ones that could not be visited this time. 

Now coming back to where we left off, we came back to the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple area, to visit the remaining Hanumans before proceeding towards Viranjimangalam (now called Veerachimangalam) which is to the North.

All the ten Hanumans have originally been installed in the open. Some have been subsequently covered with a shrine, while most still remain in the open.

Our next stop was across the road from the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple. There is a park some distance away and the lane right next to the park leads to a Hanuman temple after a drive of about a kilometre and a half. Although this Hanuman has a shrine, apparently the shrine had closed the priests had left for the day. The approach is also through the fields for about half a kilometre by foot. While we stopped at the beginning of the bund on which one has to walk to reach the temple, we found Mr Mohan and his family coming back after checking out the temple. They not only told us about the current situation, but also offered to help us visit the other shrines that were left out. Thanks to Mr Mohan's kindness we were able to quickly visit the remaining sites and worship at the ones that were open.

6 & 7. Arasamarathadi Hanuman and Bheemaraya Agrahara Hanuman 

Arasamarathadi Hanuman with the Bheemaraya Hanuman shrine behind it

From the Veeraraghavapura Agrahara Hanuman temple, we moved towards the old Bheemaraya Agraharam. This road has not been mentioned on Google Maps and therefore but for Mr Mohan's help we would not have been able to find it. There are two Hanumans here - One under a peepal tree close to the Amaravathi river, giving it the name Arasamarathadi Hanuman and the other in a shrine behind it. Unfortunately when we reached, the shrine had already closed and therefore we were only able to worship the beautiful Arasamara Hanuman.

8 & 9. Theppakula Hanuman and Amaravathi Hanuman

The Amaravathi River

Two Hanumans are found in the open about a kilometre away from here, right in the middle of the fields. One can reach them only by walking along the Amaravathi river and currently since the crops are fully grown, there was no path available to walk through. Only after harvesting can these temples be approached.

10. Veerachimangalam Hanuman

Our last stop was at Veerachimangalam. Again we would not have been able to identify this location, but for Mr Mohan who drove back all the way with us, just to show us the temple, eventhough he had already covered it.

The Veerachimangalam Hanuman

The Veerachimangalam Hanuman shrine is found next to the Shiva temple. This temple is currently closed for renovation and a new shrine is being built outside. The Hanuman shrine has been left untouched but is not in anyway controlled, maintained or patronised by the Siva temple. The Octogenarian priest is helpless. Since he does not receive any devotees at the temple nor any funds for its daily upkeep and maintenance, he keeps the temple closed unless someone specifically asks for it to be opened for worship. Even after opening the shrine, he had to search a bit to find a piece of camphor to perform the harathi. Since this was our last stop, we too had given away all the oil and ghee we had carried for distribution. 

A humble request to the devotees who plan to visit this temple. Please carry pooja materials and contribute whatever you can to the priest. Even at this advanced age, he is taking care of the temple and doing whatever he can to keep it going.

How to reach here: Veerachimangalam is about 6 kms from Dharapuram. The locations of all ten sites have been marked here

Temple Timings: There are no specific timings. The priest and his wife stay close by and the temple can be opened on request.

Contact: Shri Namperumal Bhattar - 90474 89370

Amaravathi river near Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam

I had mentioned in Part 3 about how we were unable to see the Vyasaraja Hanumans in Veeraraghavapuram and Bheemaraya Agraharams as the temples were closed. Two other Hanumans are in the middle of cultivated fields and hence could not be witnessed, as there was no access. After I returned to Chennai, the Hanumans were still in my mind.

When there is a very strong and genuine desire, the Universe finds a way to grant it to you. Every year, through Aalayam Kanden Trust, the Sthalapuranam of a temple is written in Tamil and English and multiple copies (500-1000) are printed for free distribution at that temple. This year, it had to be Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple. The Dasa Hanumans had become very close to my heart and I wanted to go back - to see if there was a chance to see the other Hanumans.

Soon the books were ready, and I got in touch with the Chairman of the temple to see if he could help me to visit the closed temple in Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam. He was kind enough to give me the number of the trustee. Mohan, the young man who had helped me during the first visit, got all excited, for he too had not visited these temples, despite staying locally. So he got on the job of following up to see if the temple can be opened. But the answer was negative - reasons given were fair enough - the stability of the shrine and the snakes crawling about in and around the temple. 

Well, the day dawned and I set off to Dharapuram to deliver the books. Mohan had asked me to come first to Bheemaraya Agraharam as the small shrine behind the Arasamarathadi Hanuman which had another Vyasaraja Hanuman closed early. He even went over to hold the priest while we arrived. 

The Hanuman here is much smaller than those we have seen before, but with the same characteristics as identified with Vyasaraja Hanumans. As I stood praying before him, thanking him for the darshan, and asking the most significant question on my mind - will we get to see the Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam Hanuman, Mohan was already on the job. He had gone to meet the Chief priest of the temple in the room next door. The other priest seemed to read my mind - " I have been here for over ten years now. I have not seen the Veeraraghavapuram temple open", he said. My husband had already started convincing me to move on - "It is the same Hanuman everywhere, whether you worship him here or there" he said, stopping short when I glared at him.

The wait seemed endless, not knowing where Mohan was. I decided to go into the Chief Priest's room to find out what was going on, as the husband was getting impatient now. The moment I stepped in, what I saw made me catch my breath. Mohan was not there. But, there was a Brindavana inside the room, and a picture of my Guru Sri Raghavendra Swamy right next to it. It was as though the delay had been deliberate to invite me into the room. Why havent you asked me to help, he seemed to be asking me. As I stood frozen in my tracks, the man in the room welcomed me in a soft voice. 

Guru Bhakti Nidhi Theertha Brindavana

Coming to my senses, I introduced myself. When I mentioned that I had come back specifically to visit the two Hanumans and while I was glad to have seen the Bheemaraya Agrahara Hanuman, I would be delighted if I could also visit the Veeraraghavapuram Agrahara, he smiled understandingly. "I used to be the priest at that temple. That agraharam is the oldest in Dharapuram but was completely destroyed by floods in the Amaravathi river. People who lived there moved to safer locations. Since there were no houses nearby, the temple became uncared for and has lost its stability. Over the last forty-five years, several efforts have been taken to repair it, but nothing has been possible" he said. 

I was looking at the picture of Guru Raghavendra Swamy as he spoke, beseeching him to somehow help. " I have asked Mohan to go to the trustee's house in the same road, and ask if the temple can be opened for you. He should be back soon", he said. " I am a Government employee, and perform the poojas to the Hanumans, and this Brindavana in my free time as a volunteer, which is why the temple closes early" he said. Is this Raghavendra Swamy's Mrithika Brindavana? I asked. " No, this is the Brindavana of Shri Guru Bhakthi Nidhi Theertha. He was a Sanyasi who had great respect and devotion for Guru Raghavendra Swamy. When the Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy temple was closed due to Cholera in the city, he was the one who opened it and started prayers not fearing a threat to his own life" he said. I prayed silently to the Mahaan and just at that moment, my phone rang. It was Mohan. "Akka, the trustee has agreed. I am coming with the keys" he said in an excited voice.

I could not believe my ears. As I got up to thank the priest for having arranged for the temple to be opened, I asked him his name. " I am Raghavendra", he said with a smile - everyone knows me as "Guru". Tears started flowing involuntarily, as I prostrated before the Brindavana. He had come, my Guru had come to guide me - through the priest and through the untiring efforts of Mohan.

Soon, we were getting into our vehicles to go over to the Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam. A senior gentleman who has been the most recent priest at the temple was accompanying us with the keys. The other priest at Bheemaraya Agraharam too wanted to join, as he had never been there. While getting into the car, I asked the senior gentleman his name "Vijayendra" he said. It was a true goosebumps moment, for not only was Guru Raghavendra facilitating things, he was sending a representative in the name of his Parama Guru to accompany us. Can there be any boundaries to a Guru's grace when surrender happens?

Discarded Snake Skin on the way to the temple

We got down at the dead end of the lane next to the Corporation park and started walking along the field bunds to the temple. Snake skin, as long as eight to ten feet, lay here and there, making us place our steps with caution. I was not even looking in the direction of the husband, as I was pretty sure he would glare at me for putting myself and others at risk. Nothing mattered at that point more than opening the temple and worshipping the Hanuman.

The Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam Temple completely swallowed by vegetation

As we drew close, we could see the beauty of the Check dam built over the Amaravathi river on one side, and a small temple, completely swallowed by vegetation on the other. The wall on one side had fallen and the roots of the tree had penetrated the ceiling making it unstable and unsafe for people to enter. The priest stood shaking the iron door multiple times, just to make sure the creepy crawlies moved away. He then opened the door. 

The entrance to the temple at Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam

Veeraraghavapuram Agraharam Hanuman

The idol looks bone dry, and there are no signs of any materials of worship. There used to be four Hanumans in this temple, says the priest. We go around the small temple, admiring the fish motifs on the walls and looking for inscriptions if any.

I stand for a long time before the Hanuman, thanking him for his grace, for allowing us to see him, and praying that we soon meet in a better environment. If He so decides, a way will surely be found!

There are still two Vyasaraja Hanumans hidden away in the middle of cultivated fields. " The fields are being harvested Akka, we should soon be able to see them. I will send pictures" smiles Mohan as he heads back to drop the priests and we get into our car to proceed on our journey home.

Roots penetrating everywhere

If he so wills, so be it! Miracles do happen! All we need is to hold on firmly to our Guru!

To read the other parts of this four part series, click here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Sri Sammohana Gopalan Shrine at Mohanur

 It was an article by Shri A M Rajagopalan, in Kumudam Jothidam that I read way back in 2007-08 that introduced me to Sammohana Gopalan. The article carried a picture of Krishna as Ardhanari with Radha occupying the left half of his body. 

The article further mentioned that worshipping Sammohana Gopalan and reciting the Sloka dedicated to him would bring about harmony in discordant couples. I pulled out the page and saved it more out of fancy for the form of Sammohana Gopala. Soon, a colleague spoke to me about a problem her niece was facing with her husband. The girl was newly married and had moved abroad. The husband however seemed disinterested in her. In a new land, with no friends or relatives to confide in or seek advice, the girl went into deep depression and finally my colleague could make her share what was bothering her. The girl had lost her father and was the older of two daughters. Realising her mother had gone through a lot of difficulty to get her married, and fearing the future of her younger sister, the girl somehow wanted to make her marriage work, but did not know how. 

When my colleague asked me for advice, I was immediately reminded of Sammohana Gopala and so gave her a copy of the picture and sloka asking her to send it to her niece. The girl  started chanting as many times as she could in a day and was worshipping the photograph of Sammohana Gopalan with sincerity. Very soon, her faith brought about changes in the boy and in a little over a year's time, they were travelling to India with their new born to offer thanks at the temple in Mohanur.

This was the first of four occasions over the years that followed. In each of the cases, praying to Sammohana Gopala with devotion gave the desired results. With every instance, my desire to visit Sammohana Gopala grew.  Last month, I had an opportunity to go to Dharapuram and so planned to go to Mohanur as well. 

Krishna with Bama and Rukmini at the Sammohana Gopalan Temple

The Sammohana Gopalan shrine is found within the Kalyana Prasanna Venkatramana Perumal temple in Mohanur. This temple is very famous for its Sathyanarayana Puja on Thiruvonam Star when people from all over India congregate at the temple and collect "Mattai Thengais" (Unskinned Coconuts) for prayers of education, marriage, going abroad etc. These coconuts are placed in the pooja room and worshipped until the prayers are answered. They are then brought back to the temple, skinned and  offered to the Lord.

The Lord though now known as Kalyana Prasanna Venkatramana Swamy was originally known as Mohana Srinivasan. Similarly, Lord Shiva in this Kshetram is known as Achaladeepeswarar. According to the old sthalapuranam, he is referred to as Kumareeswarar. Kumari refers to Mohini.  The Lord is called Mohana Srinivasan because of his nature to attract devotees with his divine beauty. He is seen to be one with Lakshmi as he only carries the Srivatsam on his chest instead of the form of Lakshmi. Because of him, the town came to be called Mohanur. Sammohana Gopala, a Rahasya manifestation of Lord Krishna on Rasapoornima day was installed here in a seperate shrine in the form of a portrait.

With more and more people benefitting out of the worship of this very unique form, an idol was consecrated in the year 2013.

The form of Sammohana Gopalan:

The form of Sammohana Gopalan

The deity has a peacock feather on his crown on the right side, and a Kondai (hair bun) with a long plait on the left. The ears sport different earrings. There are four arms on each side. The rear arms hold Shanku (Conch) and Chakra (Discus). The Chakra destroys pain, suffering, negativity and evil. The Shanku denotes victory over evil, not losing your cool during troubled times and joy.

The two arms in the middle hold an Ankusham (an elephant goad) and a lotus flower respectively. The Ankusham is used by the Mahout to control an elephant when he loses his senses. Similarly, the Lord controls the ego and failure of intelligence between the couple to restore harmony in their lives. The Lotus is made up of the flower which denotes the wife and the stem which denotes the husband. The core of the flower represents Dhampadya Dharma which attaches the flower to the stem . The petals are dependents or family members who surround the couple. 

The Lower arms hold a sugarcane bow and a Pushpabana (an arrow made of flowers) these are the tools of Kama (the God of Love) and Sammohana Gopala holds them to rekindle romance in the life of the couple. The fourth set of hands hold the flute from which he is said to play the Mohana Ragam, to unite the couple and make them focus on true love instead of materialistic needs.

Couples seeking to overcome marital problems pray to Sammohana Gopala and chant the Sloka on Fridays for sixteen weeks and offer milk, Kalkandu (Rock Candy) and white scented flowers.

Those seeking childbirth, come here on Thursdays for sixteen weeks after performing worship of their Kula Devatha and offer Mullaipoo. They are given butter offered to Samohana Gopala as prasadam to be consumed by the couple.

For those who are unable to visit every week, the priest takes care of the offerings on their behalf after the first week, while they continue their prayers from their residences. They come back to the temple on the 16th week and then again after their prayers are answered.

Apart from Sammohana Gopalan, the temple has several other shrines such as Kalyana Prasanna Venkatramana Swamy, Goddess Padmavathi, Dhanvatri with a wooden Navagraha Panel under which the devotees receive a Churnam to relieve them of ailments, Lakshmi Hayagriva with Medha Saraswathi facing him, Lakshmi Varahar, Lakshmi Narasimhar and Hanuman.

Dhanvatri at Sammohana Gopalan Temple

Sammohana Gopala Slokam:

Sri Krishnam Kamalabhatraksham Divya Abharana Bhooshitam

Thribhangi Lalithaakaram Athi Sundara Mohanam

Bhagam Dakshinam Purusham Anya Stree Roopinam Thatha

Shankam Chakram Shanku Sanju Pushpa Baanam Sa Pankajam

Itshee Shapam Venu Vadhyam Cha Dhaarayantham Bhujaashtagai:

Swetha Gandhaanu Lipthaangam Pushpa Vastra Tragujvalam

Sarva Kaamartha Sidhyartham Mohanam Sri Krishna Masraye 

How to reach: Mohanur is a village on the banks of the river Cauvery in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. The temple is located in the Mohanur Agraharam. Mohanur is about 19 kms from Namakkal

Temple Timings: 7 am to 12 pm, 5 pm to 8 pm

Contact details: Sridhar Bhattacharyar - 94429 57143 

Aditya Mahadevar Temple, Anaikattaputhur

Anaikattaputhur is a non-descript village in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. Referred to as Anai Akkarai Puthur in inscriptions, the village is found along the banks of the Cooum river. 

Sthalapuranam: Today the temple has very little antiquarian remains. However, the Sthalapuranam states that the Lingam was installed by Sage Bhrigu, and worshipped by Sage Sukracharya and Goddess Lakshmi.

Historical Evidences : The Shiva temple now known as Ekambareswarar temple is significant from the epigraphical evidences around it. The sole inscription that has been documented in this temple is from the ninth regnal year of  Parthivendrathi Varman, (ARE 288/1895)

Who was Parthivendra Varman as mentioned in inscriptions?

There is still lack of consensus among historians about Parthivendra Varman's identity. He has been mentioned as Parthivendrathi Varman and Parthivendra Panmar too in inscriptions. Scholars like Shri. Neelakanta Sastry are of the opinion that it was the title taken by Aditya Karikala, the son of Parantaka II (Sundara Chola) and older brother of Rajaraja I on his being appointed as Crown prince and Co-regent because of the words "Virapandyan Thalai Konda" that appear in the inscriptions of Parthivendra Varman, as Aditya Karikala had been the one who took the head of Virapandya in the battle at Sevur (estimated to have been in 963 CE).

However, there are others who disagree with this view point and are of the opinion that Parthivendra Varman could have been a feudatory of the Cholas, managing affairs at Jayamkondacholamandalam (Thondaimandalam during Chola rule) and might have added the title to his name, after having assisting Aditya Karikala while he took the head of Vira Pandya. The historians further refer to the Thiruvalangadu Copper plates and the Udayarkudi inscription which mention Aditya Karikala as Karikala Chola and not Parthivendra Varman. While Aditya Karikala was indeed the co-regent with his father, it was only for a period of six years before he was killed and therefore they conclude that inscriptions which state  "Virapandyan Thalai Konda Ko Parakesari" which could be inscriptions during Aditya Karikala's period and if the inscription mentions "Virapandyan Thalai Konda Parthivendra Panmarku" it could mean Parthivendra the feudatory, whose inscriptions are available even after the death of Aditya Karikala (estimated as 969 CE) .A third hypothesis is that Parthivendra Varman could have been Rajaraja. This at the moment is an evolving theory put forth by a historian.

In the Cooum circuit, there are three temples which are believed to have been constructed by Aditya Karikala - Mappedu, Pichivakkam and Anaikattaputhur. Out of them, historians seem to agree that the Anaikattaputhur temple is among the temples directly built by Aditya Karikala  - the others being the Adityeswara Temple at Keeraikalur in Tiruvarur District and Ponsei Natrunaiyappar Temple. (Source: Varalaatril Anaikattaputhur Thirukovilgal, Dr.Ma. Chandramoorthy, Prof.Dr. T. Kalyani, Prof. Dr.K.A.Kavitha)

Aditya Mahadevar at Anaikattaputhur

The deity here is referred to Aditya Mahadevar in an inscription from the 9th regnal year of Parthivendra Varman refers to lands given to the priest, Kalineeki Bhattan as Archana Bhogam for conducting prayers at the temple by Serubosan Ezhuvan and his brothers. Since this inscription mentions 9th ruling year, historians conclude that the temple must have been built by Aditya Karikala and grants to the same may have been provided during the time of his friend and feudatory Parthivendra Varman.

Nayaka Period Doorway - Doors and compound wall missing

The temple built originally during the Chola period, has been rebuilt with brick during the Nayaka period and we see that this too has become dilapidated and is being renovated at this point in time. The deity has been renamed as Ekambareshwara and a Goddess Kamakshi shrine added during the Nayaka period renovation. The sole inscription that has been documented in 1895 has been lost to time.

As you enter the very impressive massively high brick archway, you see the Chola period Nandi in a mandapa outside the temple. There are a couple of stones with images of snakes inscribed below which is said to be the samadhi of a saint named Nandi Siddhar. Nothing further is known about him.

Nandi Siddhar Samadhi

On entering the temple, the shrine of Goddess Kamakshi comes first. This is a later period addition to the temple,during the Nayaka renovation. The wall next to the Goddess shrine had fallen earlier and has now been repaired. During the Tamil months of Purattasi and Panguni, the sun's rays are seen falling on the Goddess as if to worship her.

Goddess Kamakshi at Anaikattaputhur

Lord Aditya Mahadevar is found in the sanctum sanctorum. Not a very large deity, but one with his own charm. The niches have the remains of the old Koshta devathas including a Narthana Ganapathy (unable to make out ), Dhakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durga soon to be replaced. I have made a request to store the old deities (new machine-cut miniatures are ready for installation) in the temple itself and not to throw them away.

Nardhana Ganapathi ??

The sanctum also houses the beautiful bronze icons of Nataraja with Shivakamasundari, Ganesha and other deities. Other stone idols of Chandra, Surya, Bhairavar and an idol is titled Veerabahu are found in the circumambulatory path within the temple. Subrahmanya, with Valli and Devasena is found in a seperate shrine.

Who is this? - Photo: Nisha Kesavan

The ceiling has a snake with the Sun and Moon on either side (Eclipse Iconography?), and a Fish swallowing an Elephant. (Not sure what this depicts)

In the circumambulatory path around the main shrine, an old Ganesha and a shrine for Lord Vishnu with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi are found. They probably had individual temples in the village and have moved here over time, when their original habitats were lost.

Kalyana Perumal with consorts at Anaikattaputhur

About 200 metres from the temple is the samadhi of Saint Kumbakonam Gurupadha Swamigal who lived over 300 years ago. The samadhi attracts several serious seekers who visit here to meditate and have felt the divine presence of the saint. 

Samadhi of Kumbakonam Gurupadha Swamigal

Ongoing renovation work at the temple:

I have used pictures from my earlier trip in 2014 during the cultural mapping of Cooum temples, as the shrines are currently under Balalayam for renovation. The civil work inside the temple has been completed, However, the hereditary trustee is desirous of building a compound wall to safeguard the temple as well as construct a gopuram at the entrance, the cost of both along with Kumbabhishekam is estimated at around Rs. 20 lakhs. The renovation work has been on for over ten years now, and has stopped currently due to paucity of funds.

Renovation work underway at Anaikattaputhur

Those interested in supporting the work may contact the hereditary trustee, Mr Annamalai Mudaliar or contribute directly to the 

Adhithya Mahadevar Charitable Trust, 

Account Number: 356402010031698 

Bank and Branch: Union Bank, 13, Bazaar Street, Thakkolam - 631151 

IFSC code: UBIN0535648

How to reach here:

While going from Chennai, take a right after Saveetha Engineering College and continue on Arakonam Road upto Perambakkam. Take a right again on the Cooum bridge towards Perambakkam. Anaikattaputhur is about 4 kms from Perambakkam.

GPS Coordinates : 13.04741, 79.78562

Contact Details:

Mr Annamalai Mudaliar - 94447 29626, 97502 60484

Temple Timings:

Since the temple is currently under Balalayam, the priest comes only once a day for conducting poojas. The main temple is otherwise closed until the work is completed. Please contact the trustee before visiting.

Renovation under way at Anaikattaputhur

The Adi Annamalai Temple in Tiruvannamalai

Come Margazhi - Tamil Households, temples and sabhas come alive to the hymns of Thirupaavai and Thiruvempavai, songs that sing the glory of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva respectively. While the former was rendered by Andal, the latter is to the credit of Saint Manickavasagar, one among the quartet of Shaiva saints who sang hymns in praise of Lord Shiva. 

Thirupaavai and Thiruvempaavai have a couple of similarities - the singer along with female friends is observing the "Paavai Nonbu", a ritual followed by unmarried girls during the month of Margazhi in order to obtain virtuous husbands. Manickavasagar is believed to have taken the "Nayaki Bhavam" to render the Thiruvempaavai.

Saint Manickavasagar

Born in Thiruvadhavur in the 9th Century, as Vadhavooraar, Manickavasagar was minister to King Arimarthana Pandian (Varagunavarman II). The king entrusted him with a large amount of money to buy horses for the army. When the Minister set out on his task, he was met with by Lord Shiva in Thiruperunthurai (Avudaryarkoil) and upon receiving enlightenment, spent all the money on renovating the temple. When the king asked Vadhavoraar to present the horses, he did not know what to do and sought the help of  Lord Shiva who played a divine drama (Thiruvilaiyaadal) and converted all the foxes around Madurai into horses and sent them to the King's stables. At dawn, the foxes turned into their original selves and ran away.

(Photo Courtesy: Adbh266 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

On hearing this, the king imprisoned Vaadhavooraar. In jail, he rendered several hymns that would melt even the heartless, in praise of the Lord. Finally, the Lord made the King realise the truth. Freed from prison, Vadhavoorar who had received the title Manickavasagar from the Lord himself, for each of his verses was like a precious gem,set out on a pilgrimage, visiting several shrines, before coming to Adi Annamalai in Tiruvannamalai.

Adi Annamalai is known by other names such as Aadhi Annamalai (as sung by Arunagirinathar in his Thirupugazh - Aadhi Arunachalam Amarndha Perumaane and Ani Annamalai, a jewel decorating the foothills of Annamalai. The deity here is believed to have been installed by Lord Brahma. 

Lord Brahma and Adi Annamalai

Brahma and Thilothama

When she could run no longer, Tilothama took the form a female pigeon and started flying towards Thiruvannamalai, where the Lord had risen in the form of a pillar of light when Brahma and Vishnu were unable to find his feet and tresses. Brahma also took the form of a male pigeon and tried to catch up with her. On Tilothama entering the holy land of Thiruvannamalai, that provides mukthi to those who merely think of it, Lord Shiva took the form of a hunter, and shot down the male pigeon . Brahma was brought out of Maya as soon as his body touched the holy ground. He realised with shame, the foolishness and impropriety of his behaviour and was very repentent. He sought the forgiveness of Thilothama. In order to atone his sins, he installed a Shivalingam on the foothills of Annamalai, to the West of the main shrine, at the spot where he had been relieved of Maya. He created a Brahma theertham next to it and a tank known even today as Ayyankulam (Ayan is another name of Brahma).

Brahma Theertham, now known as Manickavasagar Theertham

It was on the banks of the Ayyankulam that Ramana Maharishi reached on arriving at Thiruvannamalai. He bathed in its holy waters and when he stepped out, he knew his calling. It was the time to renounce all that he had. He threw away the food he had carried from home, and discarded his clothes, but for a piece of dhoti to be worn as a loin-cloth. On seeing this, a barber asked if he wanted his head to e tonsured . He gave up his hair and was ready for his sadhana. A shrine for Arunagirinathar is also found on the banks of this tank.

Ayyankulam Tank

Kuzhumani Vinayakar worshipped by Saint Manickavasagar

Manickavasagar Mutt (Photo Courtesy: arunachala-live.com)

This Margazhi, let us attempt to read and enjoy the essence of Thirupaavai and Thiruvempaavai.

Shri Nateswara Swamy Temple, Aavarani Pudhuchery

Some temples are unique and the joy one gets while visiting them is immense. The purpose of Aalayam Kanden is to identify these lesser known gems and to highlight them so that those in search of such temples can visit and experience them easily.

A couple of years ago, I had written an article on the Aavarani Ananthanarayana Perumal temple in Nagapattinam district, where the gigantic 21 feet Perumal is bedecked with beautiful jewels rendered through the hymns of  Thirumangai Azhwar. The link to the article is here. Just on the outskirts of Aavarani is a hamlet called Pudhuchery (not to be confused with Pondicherry). It is here that the unique Swayambu Nateswara Swamy temple is found.

So what is so unique about this temple? To know it, we need to go into its legend.

Sage Vashista and Devathachan

Lord Ganesha at the Aavarani Pudhuchery Temple

On the banks of River Pasumpuli, lived a young boy called Devathachan. Right from childhood, he was very fond of Lord Shiva and would bathe in the river, and collect water while singing hymns in praise of the Lord. He also made a Shivalingam out of sand and started performing abhishekam with milk every day. Over time,this sand lingam tightened up and formed like an anthill.  

One night, the river was in spate. As the water levels rose, Sage Vashista who was on a pilgrimage and had set up his temporary shelter near the river, was worried that the rising water would soon dissolve the lingam so passionately worshipped by young Devathachan and therefore somehow wanted to save it. So he embraced it, attempting to shield it with his body. In the meantime, Devathachan was restless in his house. He was worried about his lingam and if he would be able to save the Lord from being dissolved in the rain. He begged his widowed mother, to allow him to go and check. However, the mother was worried about sending her young son out alone in the dark, particularly when it was raining heavily and the river was in spate. She pleaded with him to hold on till dawn. The boy wept bitterly, unable to disobey his mother and at the same time worried about the status of his loving Lord.

At the crack of dawn, the rains stopped and the river started flowing as if nothing had happened. The boy ran towards the river and found Sage Vashista in an embrace with the linga. The little boy ran towards the rishi and fell at his feet in gratitude for having saved his Lord. The Rishi opened his eyes to look at what he was holding.

To both their surprise and astonishment, the baanam (top portion of the lingam) now looked like the Shiva Kayilai and Sakthi Kayilai as it appears to those who perform the inner parikrama of Mount Kailash. It was as if Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati had appeared as the divine couple from the waters of the river to answer the prayers of their young devotee. The Sage was over joyed with the grace of the Lord and so were the villagers who had then all gathered by the river. They built a small shrine at where the Lord had chosen to stay and it came to be called "Puthira chery", the place where God had appeared for the young boy (Puthiran).

The Shivakayilai Shakthikayilai Swayambu lingam at Aavarani Pudhuchery

Over time, the name has morphed into Pudhuchery and since found on the outskirts of Aavarani, it has come to be known as Aavarani Pudhuchery. The Pasumpuli river that surrounded the lingam built by Devathachan to change it into the Shivakayilai and Shakthikayilai has shrunk into a tank known as the "Puthrakaameshti Theertham". Those seeking noble children bathe in this tank (which currently needs renovation and repairs) and worship Nateswara Swamy on Thiruvathirai day. Worshipping the deity continuously for 64 days is recommended for those having problems with conceiving naturally. The temple is commonly known as Shivakayilai Shakthikayilai. No one really knows why and how the deity came to be called Nateswarar.

Goddess Akilandeswari at Aavarani Pudhuchery

Goddess Akilandeswari is a later addition to the temple. A seperate shrine seems to have been built for her in the 14th century. Unique Chola bronzes belonging to this temple are in safe custody. The sthala puranam says the deities were worshipped by Kali and A Kali bronze has been unearthed a few years ago, while making some civil alterations in the temple. Several people throng here to worship her for Rahu Dasa Pariharam on New Moon days (Amavasai) when she is taken out on procession around the temple in a small chapparam. There is a seperate shrine for Shanaichara, facing East.

Goddess Kali at the Aavarani Pudhuchery Temple

How to reach here: The temple is close to Sikkal on the Nagapattinam - Thiruvarur Route. GPS coordinates (10.73420144,79.77142729)

Temple Timings: 8 - 11.30, 5 - 8 pm

Contact: S Kalidasa Gurukkal - 97865 82492

The entrance to the Murugeeswarar Temple, Thaiyur

I had been invited to visit the Murugeeswarar temple at Thaiyur by Kaushik, a long-time volunteer of the Aalayam Kanden Trust, about three years ago. However, due to personal and COVID-19 situations, the visit did not happen. During this time, some of my blogger colleagues had the opportunity to visit and write about this temple.

Generally, Aalayam Kanden focuses on temples that are not popularly featured. So when Mr Uma Magesh, who takes excellent care of the temple, invited me again last week, I decided to visit, and make it a part of the monthly Aalayam Kanden Trust activity of distributing oil, ghee and vastrams at ancient and lesser known temples.While there, several things struck me about the temple, that I wanted to share my thoughts through this blog post.

Legend:

Lord Muruga mounted on a peacock with bow and arrow in hand

The sthalapuranam states that Lord Muruga had worshipped Lord Shiva here before proceeding to Thiruporur to fight Tharakasura. There is an old idol of Muruga placed in the Mahamandapa of the temple, believed to be made of sandstone. The legend says sandstone in Tamil was referred to as Thaijagam which gave the village its name. A pillar at the entrance of the temple has the icon of Lord Muruga on a peacock, bow in hand, setting out to fight.

Literary and inscriptional references:

The 15th century literary work "Uththandan Kovai" gives a great deal of background about Thaiyur. This work comprising of around 450 songs on Uthandan, a local chieftain, belonging to the Kalappalan clan (Mudaliars from Aamur Kottam to which Thaiyur belonged) describes the village as it existed then. This work whose author is yet to be confirmed, has been collected in portions, in manuscript form, by various sources such as the Oriental Manuscript library, the U.V. Swaminatha Iyer library, the Institute of Asian Studies and the descendants of Uththandan. These have been compiled to the extent possible by the Institute of Asian Studies and a bilingual publication titled "Poetic Verses in the Interior Landscape" has been brought out . The book brings forth various facets of Thaiyur which are worth mentioning, before we look in detail at the Murugeeswarar temple.

The word Thai (தை ) could be used to denote beautiful, joining or full of saplings. The Jatavarman Sundarapandiyan inscription at the Maragathavalli Ambal Shrine of the Murugeeswarar temple, describes the deity as Azhagiya Chokkanaar which probably indicates that Thaiyur meant beautiful village. Prior to the period of Rajaraja I, Thaiyur had been called "Thalasayanapuramaana Thaiyur". Thalasayana refers to the reclining Vishnu of Senganmal. Senganmal was a part of Thaiyur until the 15th century before it was seperated out as Irandaayiramvelipatru, and Thaiyur was labelled Ayiramvelipatru. We come to know this from the Senganmal temple mandapa inscriptions. 

Inscriptions at the base of the Murugeeswarar temple Thaiyur

Six inscriptions found in the Nithyakalyana Perumal temple of Thiruvidanthai mention grants given by people of Thaiyur. While three of them that belong to a period prior to Rajaraja I, refer to the word Thalasayanapuram, from the time of Rajaraja I it came to be called Jayamkonda Chola Mandalathu Aamoor Kottathu Aamoor Nattu Rajakesarinallur. During the Vijayanagara Period, Aamoor Nadu came to be referred as Kumuzhi Nadu. Kumuzhi referring to a place surrounded by water bodies extending from ponds and lakes to the ocean. It is during the time of Veerapratapa Achutharaya (1536 CE) do we find the mention of the word Thirumurugeeswara Nayanar which is the current name that the deity is referred to. This inscription spreaks about grants given by a person from Thiruvidanthai to the temple to repair it and carry out worship.

Period of the temple:

The Chandikeswara at the Murugeeswarar temple, Thaiyur

From some of the deities such as Ganesha and Chandikeswara present in the temple, we can derive the original period to be between the 9th and the 10th century CE. Majority of the current construction dates between 13th and 15th Century CE with the external superstructure a classic representation of the Nayaka period.

Antiquity:

Ganesha with the inscription "Sri Urumetru" at the Murugeeswara Temple, Thaiyur

The oldest deities at the temple are the Ganesha found in the Mukha Mandapa and the Chandikeswara in his destined position. The Ganesha is found without the usual pot belly with a single line inscription at the base which reads "Sri Urumetru". Dr Ramachandran, Senior Epigraphist, has interpreted this word as denoting heavy thunder. He states that this could probably refer to the Pallava title "Pagapidugu" and might belong to the later Pallava (Aparajitha or Kampavarma) period. However, he urges further research into this.

Lord Muruga believed to have been made of sandstone

There is no mention about the Muruga found in the Mukha Mandapa in any inscription so far read. His consorts are of a later period, and there are other deities like Chandikeswara, Mahavishnu, Kasi Viswanatha and a goddess, probably moved here from another temple, that was lost to time, placed in a tableau around him. Research says that there was a Vishnu temple in the village that had become dilapidated, and fearing invaders, the deities had been buried. Chances are that some of them were subsequently excavated and placed here. It also explains why there are three Murugas around the same place.

The pavilion around Lord Muruga at the Murugeeswarar temple, Thaiyur

Deities:

Lord Shiva is found in a beautiful sanctum with typical Nayaka period miniatures on either side of the door jamb, including a donor (mentioned in the inscription) who is lighting a Nanda Vilakku. The Artha Mandapa has the Ganga and Yamuna depiction, which would usually be found while entering the temple. The bronze Bhoga Shakthi of this temple has been moved out for safe keeping, and a stone replica has been placed at a later date within the sanctum. Apart from the two inscriptions already mentioned, a stand-alone stone inscription from 1565 CE of Thirumalai Deva Maharaya period refers to the deity as Thirumurugeeswaramudaiya Thambiraanaar. So it is evident that from the Vijayanagara period, the current name has been in vogue.

Lord Murugeeswarar of Thaiyur

Goddess Maragathavalli Ambal is found in a seperate shrine, holding Pasa and Ankusha. The shrine seems to have been constructed/renovated during the Pandya period. 

Maragathavalli Ambal of Thaiyur

The Koshta deities are all beautiful and the depiction of various mythological stories, such as Kirata-Arjuna, Kannappa Nayanar and Vyagrapatha and Bheema have been shown in the exterior walls in sequences. 

Vyagrapadha and Bheema episode at the Murugeeswara temple Thaiyur

Whatever is shown on the walls in the Southern side, goes up into the Naasikoodu (Alcoves) in the Northern side, showing that by worshipping God, a devotee can get spiritual elevation. The vimana of the temple is a three tiered structure, more like a Gopura. 

The vimana with the beautiful Naasi Koodus

The Kumbapancharas have playful monkeys jostling about with each other. There is another Ganesha shrine and a Subramania shrine in the circumambulatory path.

Kumbapancharas showing playful monkeys at the Murugeeswara Temple Thaiyur

Social initiatives:

The temple has a beautiful Nandavanam and Mr Uma Magesh has been taking special efforts to grow several herbal plants and trees within its campus. Mango tree is the sthalavriksham of the temple. He is nobly supported by a good team of volunteers from the nearby apartments who come every week, to clean the temple, clear the nandavanam and water the plants, wash vessels and clothes. The temple  even has a washing machine for this purpose. It was a pleasant sight to see these highly placed men and women contribute their weekend towards the upkeep of their neighbourhood temple. If only many more people come forward to spend a couple of hours at the temples in their neighbourhood, every temple would look as clean and green as this one.

The Nandavanam at the Murugeeswara Temple Thaiyur

While all this is appreciable, the whitewashing of the exterior walls is an eyesore. The nuances of the sculptures as well as the inscriptions are hidden within. If the temple gets help from volunteers to clear this without damage, it would restore the original look and identity.

Other temples in the vicinity:

Two other Shiva temples - the Mareeswarar temple and the Jalagandeeswar temple are found close to the Murugeeswarar temple. Two Ganesha temples, one built by Uthandan, next to where his palace was, and another of a later period are also found.

How to reach here:

Thaiyur is situated about 12 kilometres from Mamallapuram and 3 kilometres from Kelambakkam on the Old Mahabalipuram Road in Chennai. Once a very fertile agricultural village, surrounded by Thaigai hill (today's Pudhupakkam), tanks, ponds, lake and the sea, today is part of the IT corridor. The GPS coordinates of the temple are: 12.7780677,80.1913894

Temple Timings:

The temple is open between 7.30 am and 9.30 am in the morning and 6 pm to 8 pm in the evening

Contact details:

Mr Uma Magesh - 9940126814

 In the first part of the Nepal Yathra series, we had covered the visit to Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. On Day 2, we started to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Although there are flights available from Kathmandu and Pokhara, we took the road with a view to visit Manakamana Devi temple on the way.

The bumpy ride from Kathmandu to Manakamana Devi Temple

The temple is located at an altitude of 4300 ft (1300 metres) above sea level atop the Kafakdada hill in the Gorkha district of Nepal and can be reached via cable car from the Kurintar base station. The cable cars cross three hills to reach Kafakdada. Each cable car can house a maximum of 6 adults comfortably. Offering of animals is very common in Manakamana and therefore, there are open cages too that intersperse passenger cars, where these animals can be tied to and then received once the passengers reach the hill.  Two rivers, Trishuli and Marsyangdi flow on either side of the Kafakdada Hill, and it is a pleasant sight to watch river Trishuli in flow as one goes up the cable car. None of the rivers in Nepal are clean and crystal clear. They are all muddy and murky, evidence to the massive construction work as well going on around and the dumping of different kinds of waste in the Himalayas by the trekkers about which we will see in a later article in this series.

The name Manakamana is self-explanatory. Mana refers to the heart and Kamana to desire. The Goddess is believed to fulfill genuine desires of her devotees, and hence they throng her temple in large numbers - particularly, newly wed couples and those seeking the boon of child birth, apart from tourists. There are several interesting studies that connect Nepal with Kerala.  These studies speak about the Newaris of the Nepal becoming the Nairs of Kerala. Interestingly, the Goddess Parvati's incarnations are referred to in Nepal as Bhagawati, similar to the same name in Kerala. How Manakamana Bhagawati took her abode atop the Kafakdada hill is an interesting legend.

According to The History of Ancient and Medieval Nepal by D.B. Shreshtha & C.B. Singh, Purnendra Shah was the second Gorkha King who ruled for over 35 years. After his demise, his elder son Chatrapati Shah succeeded him. But not for long. Chatrapati Shah passed away without a heir within seven months of becoming the monarch and hence his younger brother Ram Shah became the ruler in 1606 CE. Ram Shah was a fair and conscientious monarch, who brought about many reforms in his State, such as uniform weights and measures, penal code, grazing lands in each village for cows, and standard rates of interest for borrowing. The Gorkha Palace was constructed by him in 1610 CE where his statue has been installed at the Chautari in the Gorkha Darbar where he would provide justice.

Statue of King Ram Shah at the Gorkha Durbar (Photo: Google)

According to an article by Dr Shapalya Amatya in the Ancient Nepal Journal, King Ram Shah's wife Champawati, possessed divine powers. These were recognised by a saint Siddha Lakhan Thapa (not to be confused with the first Martyr of Nepal of the same name, who is a descendant of the original Lakhan Thapa). One day, King Ram Shah had a vision of his wife as a Goddess and Siddha Lakhan Thapa as a lion, her vahana. When he spoke about this to Queen Champawati the next day, he was immediately overcome with a mysterious ailment to which he succumbed shortly.

Shops selling Pooja Articles on the way to Manakamana Devi temple

The queen, as per the custom those days, got ready to perform Sati along with her husband. Unable to bear this, Lakhan Thapa was struck with grief and lamented loudly. The queen promised to him that she would return soon. During the reign of King Prithvipati Shah, a farmer named Dhan Deo Gurung was ploughing his field, when he hit upon a stone. When he unearthed it, he saw blood and milk flowing from it. The news reached Lakhan Thapa. When he arrived at the spot, the flowing of blood and milk stopped and he started worshipping the goddess at the spot where she had reappeared. Even today, it is the descendants of Lakhan Thapa who perform tantric worship to Goddess Manakamana Devi.

Closer look of the structure of Manakamana Devi Temple

Outside the Manakamana Devi Temple

The building has a two tiered roof with golden mirrors and a central pinnacle with the sanctum facing the South. There are huge crowds that throng the temple each day, particularly after the cable car was introduced. A large courtyard is seen outside the temple, where hundreds of pigeons are seen. When we visited Manakamana Devi temple, the serpentine queue was very long and it was impossible for us to have waited in it to worship the Devi, given that we had to get to Pokhara before it became dark. So after reluctantly attempting to get a glimpse of the deity, which we could, we satisfied ourselves with worshipping the Bali Peeta outside and obtained Kumkum from those coming out of the temple. '

The picturesque cable car ride over the Trishuli river and the beautiful and divine ambience of the temple are indeed visit worthy. An official photographer is around to click pictures as people board the cable cars which do not actually stop! One has to get in and alight while the cars are in motion. After coming back to the base station, the prints are available for sale. 

Cable car memories

Our next stop was Pokhara . It was our base station before we set out to Jomsom and from there to Muktinath. Pokhara is the capital of the Gandaki Province and the second busiest city after Kathmandu. It is also known as the Trekker's Paradise as it serves as the base and recharge unit for all those who visit Nepal for mountain tourism and trekking. The word Pokhara comes from the Nepali word Pokhari which means lake and true to its name, the city is located next to the Phewa Lake. Pokhara has a rich history and heritage and has featured as an important part of the Indo - China and subsequently Indo - Tibet trade routes.

Close up of the fish tail (Pic: Google)

Machchapuchre:

Pokhara has several temples and we had an opportunity to visit a few of them, but before speaking about them, one has to mention Machchapuchre, part of the Annapurna range of mountains whose highest peak has never been climbed by mountaineers. Although much lower in height when compared to Mt. Everest, the Nepal Government has not given approval to anyone to set foot on the Machchapuchre (literally meaning Fish Tail, the name coming from the triangular shaped mountain with a twisted twin summit which gives the impression of a fish's tail)as it is considered holy by the Gurungs of Nepal. 

A view of Machchapuchre from the rooftop of our hotel PC: Balaji Davey

Phewa Lake and the Tal Barahi Temple:

Phewa Lake is a freshwater lake on the shores of which stands Pokhara city and it is the second largest lake in Nepal. Since the lake is only 28 kilometres from the Annapurna range, it is common to see the reflection of Machchapuchre and the other peaks of the Annapurna range in the waters of Phewa. Therefore, thousands throng the lake set in pristine surroundings. 

Phewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal

The Phewa Lake not just serves as a tourist spot, and a popular shopping area (the lakeside is surrounded by shops that sell various items required by trekkers for the climb. It also sells clothing and other items for tourists, but the prices are steeper when compared to other areas) but also as a popular pilgrim location. At the centre of the lake, in an island is the Tal Barahi Temple, which is the most important temple in Pokhara. This temple can only be visited by boat, and there are several boats that ply through the day to the temple.

Boats getting ready to ply to the Tal Barahi Temple (Pic: Suresh Joshi)

A view of the Annapurna range mid-way to the Tal Barahi Temple

According to an inscription in the temple that describes the legend of Tal Barahi, a Jogi (ascetic) came to Phewa City (which existed where the lake now stands) and asked for food and shelter for the night. No one bothered but for an old lady who gave him rice and vegetables. The next morning as the Jogi left the house and moved towards the mountains, water came in to cover the entire area and everything and everyone drowned except for the old lady. Grateful that Goddess Bhagavati had saved her, the old lady started worshipping her in her house now surrounded by water as Goddess with a boar face - Barahi. After her death in 1467, the deity continued to be worshipped until King Kulamandan Shah, the first Shah ruler of Kaski built a two storeyed temple in Pagoda style in 1868. He initially installed the Goddess as a reed bush from the mountains. 

The original Structure of the Tal Barahi Temple Source: Google

The current Tal Barahi Temple

Bindhyabasini Temple

The Bindhyabasini temple is the oldest temple in Pokhara. Goddess Bindhyabasini is said to be the replacement for Lord Krishna, when he was born as the eighth child of Vasudeva and Devaki. The child disappeared in the air when King Kamsa tried to kill it and said to have reappeared in the Bindhyachal Mountain. 

King Siddhi Narayan Shah had a dream of installing a temple for Durga for the unification of Nepal. So he ordered his men to bring a deity from Bindhyachal mountains. When his troop of men returned with the deity, they placed it in the current location at night to rest and in the morning the idol could not be moved. So the king agreed to build a temple where the Goddess had decided to stay.

The Bindhyabasini temple is very picturesque and is located atop a hill approximately 3000 feet above sea level. There are steps to climb up to the temple (a lift of recent origin is also available) from the old bazaar side.

Devotees queuing up to worship Goddess Bindhyabasini

Lord Shiva shrine at the Bindhyabasini Temple

Gupteswar Mahadev Cave Temple

The elaborate entrance that has been constructed to the Gupteswar Mahadev Cave

The Gupteswar Mahadev Cave is the longest cave in the Himalayas that was discovered in the year 1950. The entrance to this cave with an elaborate staircase, water fountain and other pilgrim requirements has however been built in the early 1990s. Known locally as Patalae Chhango or the Harpan River Cave, the cave extends to about 2950 feet. According to Herbert Daniel Gebauer, who has documented the results of the first German speleological expedition to this cave, it is located in the terrace sediments between the Central Himalayas and the Mahabharat Lekh, popularly known as the Lesser Himalayas. The terrace is made up of two different sediments of calcite deposits of Pleistocene age, commonly referred to as the Ice Age.

Calcite Deposits as seen inside the cave

The cave itself is in two levels, the first level branches again into two - an "ancient Goshala" as claimed by those supervising it, and another narrow path which leads to a massive stone "Shiva Lingam". Photography is strictly prohibited around this area. 

Going down to the first level of the cave .

Base of level one - can see the Shiva Shrine

When the pilgrims further go down to a lower level through an iron ladder, it leads to an opening  through which the Davis Falls nearby is visible. 

Base of the second level from where Davis Falls is visible

The breathtaking beauty of the waterfall and the sunlight penetrating through the opening make it worthwhile to take the effort of climbing down. There is adequate lighting within the cave but as an extra step of caution, it is requested that people carry their own torchlights in case there is a sudden power failure.

Yet another worthwhile visit in Pokhara was to the International Mountain Museum about which I will write in my other blog - Thresholds of History From Pokhara our journey moved up the mountains. The mountain airline network is very comprehensive in Nepal. However, weather controls everthing. So all travel companies make backup arrangements to ferry their passengers by road if the flights are cancelled due to inclement weather. This would mean driving along the Gandaki river for over eight hours or more to reach Jomsom. Gone are the days when people would get down into the river to pick up Shalagramas. Today, most of the Shalagramas have been harvested by vendors, who sell them (or their closely made replicas) at a whole range of prices, starting from 200 Nepali rupees to about 20000 Nepali depending on their size.

Boarding our flight to Jomsom

Shalagrama cannot be carried on hand baggage in the mountain aircrafts so if you happen to be around here, and have shopped for Shalagramas make sure that you check in your luggage! Luckily for us, the flights were plying, so we got to the Pokhara airport, and took the 14 seater Summit Air flight to Jomsom. It was a goosebumps moment to see the Himalayas from the aircraft for the first time. 

First view of the snow clad Himalayas

The  outside temperate when we got down at Jomsom was 11 degrees forcing us to pull out our warm clothing. Little did I realize that was nothing when compared to what awaited us in Muktinath. About Muktinath Yatra, await Part IV! The first two parts of the series can be found here - Part 1 - Pashupathinath Temple, Kathmandu & Part 2  - Manakamana Devi Temple 

Note: This is a series of articles on the temples of Nepal which I had the opportunity to visit with Balaji Davey and Mantra Yatra. This is not a paid partnership. 

 Recently I had an opportunity to visit Ladakh along with the lovely group of travellers brought together by Balaji Davey of Mantra Yatra. The trip ranged between 12000 and 18000 feet, across peaks and valleys, rivers and palaces, monasteries and tents, providing the group with a kaleidoscope of visuals. Ladakh is definitely a must-visit for all Indians. The sombre Himalayan desert, the difficult terrain and altitudes and the trying conditions of the Siachen Glacier in which our brave soldiers guard our borders is a live lesson in patriotism and our respect for their sacrifice and selflessness is bought to go up many notches after a visit here.

The week had its highs and lows, sometimes testing our physical endurance and patience, while exhilarating us with never-before experiences. The shrines that we visited and their spiritual vibrations particularly played a calming effect in an otherwise tough geography.

As usual, I am attempting to document some of the shrines we visited during our trip. I do hope I am able to complete this series on time.

1. Gurudwara Pathar Sahib:

Extenal view of the Gurudwara Pathar Sahib

Legend:

It is believed the Guru Nanak arrived in Leh in 1517 after touring Tibet, Nepal and Sikkim. He stayed where the Gurudwara now stands, close to the river bank where people would gather for his sermons. The Tibetans called him Gompka Maharaj and in Sikkim he was referred to as Rimpoche Nanak Guru.

When the people gathered to hear Guru Nanak ji speak, they complained to him about the troubles they were facing with a demon. They prayed to their Nanak Lama to prevent the demon from terrorizing them so that they can resume their regular work without fear. Guru Nanak ji consoled the local people and said that he would pray so that their troubles with the demon would be solved permanently.

On hearing this, the demon decided to kill Guru Nanak ji. So that evening when we sat in meditation, the demon rolled a huge boulder down the hill towards Guru Nanak ji. The Guru sat in meditation, oblivious to the danger approaching. When the boulder touched the body of Guru Nanak ji, it turned pliable like wax, taking in the impression of his head, shoulders and back. Wanting to know what had happened to the Guru, the demon came downhill, hoping to find him trapped underneath the boulder.

Boulder bearing impression of Guru Nanak ji's body  Photo: Sikhiwiki.org

However, when he found that nothing had happened to the Guru and that he was meditating peacefully, he kicked the boulder with his right foot, and found that his foot impression was also registered on the boulder as if it had been made of wax. Hearing the thud, Guru Nanak ji opened his eyes. He found the demon before him. When the demon was engulfed in the compassionate glance of the Guru, he realised his powerlessness before the spiritual powers of the Guru, and regretted having atempted to kill him. He fell at the Guru's feet, seeking forgiveness. Guru Nanak ji asked him to stop harassing the local people and urged him to spend his time in serving others. 

Impression of the Demon's foot on the boulder at Gurudwara Pathar Sahib Photo: Sikhiwiki.org

A couple of centuries later, in the late 1970s the Leh - Nimmu Road was being laid. While the work was being carried out, they found a huge boulder in the course of the road to be laid, covered with Buddhist prayer flags. The bulldozer driver tried his might to remove the boulder from the course of the road, but it would not budge. When he put the entire might of the machine into the effort, the blade broke and the work had to be stopped. Not understanding why the boulder was unyielding, the driver went home. That night, he had a dream where he heard a voice telling him not to move the stone. 

In the morning, he narrated his dream to the army officer who was supervising the road laying work. The officer, thought the driver was overreacting and asked him to move the boulder without worrying too much. But as the day before, the boulder refused to budge. At the end of day, the army officer told the weary team, that they would blow up the boulder with dynamite the next day. That night, he too had the same dream as the driver, with a voice telling him not to move the boulder.

Puzzled, he got up the next day and went to the site, where a group of Lamas were waiting for him. They had been tasked with narrating to the army officer and his team, the story of Guru Nanak Dev and the boulder that had been rolled down by the demon. On hearing the tale, the team decided to leave the boulder where it was, and build the road around it. A Gurudwara was built instead and till date, the Indian Army is maintaining it.

The Gurudwara:

At the entrance of the Gurudwara

The Gurudwara has a spacious parking facility and has a waiting hall with a seperate enclosure for storing footwear. Cloth to cover one's head is also available in a box outside. The complex comprises of a long pathway and meditation hall at the ground level and a meditation hall uphill.

The main shrine comprises of the boulder which still bears the impression of the body of Guru Nanak Dev. The vibration within the meditation hall is really strong and several military men and civilians can be seen meditating here. The place is truly divine, bearing testimony to the divine presence of Guru Nanak ji. 

The Gurudwara also has a Langar where Prasad is available - amazing rotis, langar dal and subji is served by military men who volunteer their services here. The path leading from the langar dining hall to the entrance is lined with inscription stones that speak about various offerings made to the Gurudwara by the different battalions to celebrate their military successes.

Inscription stones mentioning the offerings made by different battalions

Just like any other Gurudwara, no one returns hungry from here. Tea, and Boondi Laddus are available close to the entrance for anyone passing by to partake. All vehicles passing by the Gurudwara stop for a few seconds here as a token of respect to Guru Nanak Dev ji. The Pathar Sahib Gurudwara is close to the Magnetic Hill, Sangam, the confluence of Indus and Zanskar Rivers and the Hall of Fame in Leh and hence well within the tourist circuit. So if you are in Leh, do not miss visiting here!

Opening Hours: 4.15 am to 8.30 pm

 Langar timings: 8 am, 12 pm

Entrance of the Shanti Stupa, Leh

In the series I am writing on the Shrines of Ladakh, which I visited with Mantra Yatra, this post features Shanti Stupa, the World's highest monument of peace. The earlier post on the Gurudwara Pathar Sahib can be accessed here.

The beautiful circular platform surrounding the Shanti Stupa

Shanti Stupa, a beautiful white dome of peace is found atop a hill in Chanspa, about five kilometres from the city of Leh. It was built by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order of Japan, founded by Nichidatsu Fujii, popularly known as Fujii Guruji, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Fujii Guruji is best known for establishing Peace Pagodas across the world. He arrived in Calcutta in 1931 and spent the next two years, walking across the city, chanting the daimoku while beating a drum. He met Mahatma Gandhi in 1933 in Wardha when he gifted him a statue of the three monkeys, representing see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil, which have since been associated with Mahatma Gandhi and his doctrine of peace and tolerance. He built the first peace pagoda in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and since then 80 such pagodas have been built through the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order.

Steps leading up to the main shrine

Considering the sensitivity of Ladakh region spread across the China, Pakistan and Tibet borders and the need for peace, the 19th Kushok Bakula Rimpoche, the Head Lama, who served as the Ambassador to Mongolia, after whom the Leh Airport is named, approached Fujii Guruji, requesting him to build a Pagoda of Peace in Leh. 

The Foundation of the Shanti Stupa was laid on 25th August 1985. While bulk of the construction cost was supported by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order, several Ladakhis, including school children came forward to contribute in cash, kind and labour towards its construction. A vehicular road upto the Stupa was sanctioned by the then Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi, to enable visitors to reach the Stupa comfortably. The Indian Army and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir supported throughout the construction and the Stupa was formally inaugurated in 1991 by the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso to symbolise 2500 years of Buddhism. The majestic Stupa houses Buddhist relics enshrined by him.

Buddha reliefs around the Stupa

The main image of Buddha with the Dharma Chakra and Deer

Birth of Buddha depicted at the second level

Getting here: Shanti Stupa is about 5 kms from Leh city. There is a road that goes right up to the Stupa after which one has to climb a few steps to reach the shrine. Alternatively one can choose to climb up 555 steps all the way to reach here.

Fighting the demons to salvation

It is believed that the best time to view the Shanti Stupa is early in the morning around sunrise, when the white dome glistens in the early morning sun, creates a serene and ethereal experience. 

Timings: 5 am to 9 pm

The amazing view of he Himalayas from Shanti Stupa

The beauty of Nubra Valley as seen in Diksit

In the series of posts I have been writing in Aalayam Kanden on the shrines of Ladakh, which I had an opportunity to visit with Mantra Yatra in August 2024, the third post is on the Diskit Monastery, the oldest and largest monastery in Diksit in Nubra Valley. You can access the earliest posts here: Part 1 & Part II.

Nubra, in the North eastern part of Ladakh bordering Baltistan, is among the latest districts announced by the Central Government in August 2024. Its Tibetan name is Dumra which means the valley of flowers. The inhabited areas of the Nubra Valley are cut by the Shyok and Nubra (also known as Siachen)rivers.

At the mighty Khardung La

One can reach the Nubra Valley through Khardung La Pass, the second highest motorable road in the world at an altitude of 17,982 feet. The majority of people in the Nubra valley are Buddhist. In the Western end of the Nubra Valley lies the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. Nubra is a high altitude Himalayan desert, home to the Bactrian double-humped camels, with tourist attractions being the sand dunes, the Diskit Monastery, Turtuk village in Baltistan and Thang, the last village in India next to the line of control. 

Riding Bactrian Camels in Nubra Valley

A view of the Diskit Monastery Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia

The monastery has several shrines and several ancient Mongolian and Tibetan texts have been preserved here. An interesting legend with the Diksit Monastery is that of a Mongolian demon that lived where the monastery now exists. The demon was a sworn enemy of Buddhism and used to trouble the monks who came here to meditate. Even after he was annihilated nearby, and the monastery was built, his body kept appearing again and again in and around the monastery. Therefore, in order to prevent him from resurrecting again, his mortal remains were given in the custody of Goddess Kali, the annihilator of all evil. In one of the shrines, to this day, is found a huge idol of Kali, holding a shrunken head and an arm, which is said to belong to the Mongol Demon.

Boddhisatva in the main prayer hall

The magnificent Maitreya Buddha

Mask Dance during Dosmoche Festival Photo Courtesy: Ministry of Tourism

How to get here: One can reach Nubra Valley from Leh by road through Khardung La and the Shyok river. The best times of the year to visit is between July to September.

 Over the last few weeks, I have been writing about the shrines of Ladakh I had an opportunity of visiting during my trip with Mantra Yatra in August. This is the fourth and last part of the series. You can read the previous parts here: Part I Part II Part III

This post is about the magnificent Thiksey Monastery in the Indus Valley at an altitude of about 11,800 feet. It is a twelve storied building, comprising of shrines, statues, thangkas, library and nunnery spread across a majestic courtyard.

The walkway leading to the Thiksey Monastery

The majestic monastery complex

"Even if you see this Maitreya again and again, you will never see it enough; you will always want to see more - you would never be satisfied" 

                                        

The 40 feet Maitreya Buddha

Main Prayer Hall

Buddha flanked by Boddhisatvas in the sanctum

Tara Devi in all 21 forms

 At the Tara Devi shrine, she is seen with images of all her twenty-one forms placed in a wooden cupboard. The top floor of the temple known as the Lamokhang temple, houses all the sacred sculptures to which access is permitted only to the men.

The Guardian Shrine: 

This is by far the most powerful shrine in the entire monastery complex. It comprises of the Vajra Bhairava Ekavira, the Boddhisatva Manjushri appearing in a wrathful form. Manjushri is always depicted as a terrifying and intimidating form, inspiring fear in those who look at his face. Because of this, visitors are not encouraged to face the deity and his face remains covered throughout the year but for the three days during Gustor Festival during October-November. This deity is flanked by the Shaturbuja Mahakala and Yamaraj on either side.

Guardian Deity with Mahakala

The Vajra Bhariva has nine faces, thirty-four hands and sixteen legs. The main face resembles a buffalo, with a red face above, and the top face that of Manjushri. flames swirling about the horns. Three faces are stacked up on either side with three eyes, bared fangs and a wrathful expression. The hair is curled upwards, and the first pair of hands holds a knife and a skullcup with the remaining hands holding a variety of objects, including the hyde of an elephant. Each face is adorned with a skull crown, snake necklace and a garland of fifty heads. The right leg is pressing down eight creatures and the left leg is pressing down eight birds. 

There is also a nunnery in the monastery for the female monks to stay. Apart from these shrines, there is a room on top that is used to teach local children who want to become monks as well as a library with a huge number of sacred texts. The roof top has a beautiful view of the Himalayas and the Indus valley and there is a lovely store and a cafe too here.

View from the rooftop

How to get here: Thiksey Monastery is 19 kms from the city of Leh. Do not forget to include it in your itinerary. The monastery involves a lot of climbing both up to the monastery as well as to each of the shrines.