Temple Visits of Parantharami Mani

       Ahobila Mutt Lakshmi Narasimha  Swamy,  Triplicane.   The Mutt situated  in Theradi  Street , Triplicane is one of the  important mutt  for  Vadagalai Vaishnavite  Brahmins and is better known in the  area. The  place where the mutt is situated was given  by the  British government  as a grant in the  year 1888  when  the  36th head of the  mutt Srivan Satakopa Sri Srinivasa Yathindra  Mahadesikan was at the  helm of affairs. The  idols of  Lakshmi  Narasimha,  Sri Desikan  and Srimad Adivan Satakopa  Swamy were installed and worshipped. The  mutt was developed during the period of  40th,  43rd and 44th peetathibathis. During the stewardship of the  45th head  Srivan Satakopa  Narayana  Yathindra  Mahadesikan  the  land adjacent to the mutt were purchased and the  shrines of Lakshmi  Hayagreevar and  Sudarsana Sakrathazwar along with place for doing religious ceremonies were built.  The  Ashtabandana  Saprokshanam  was done during March 2011 with the mutt attaining the prese

      Anjaneyar Temple, East  Tank Square Street, Triplicane.   This  nearly 300 year old temple is attached  to  Parthasarathy  Temple. The Lord Anjaneyar is facing  West towards the sanctum of Venkatakrishnan   ( Parthasarathy swamy).  According to the book on the  History of Triplicane  the place  was originally  used as a Siva Temple which subsequently became Hanumar  Temple. During the Brahmotsavam of  Parthasarathy  Temple  the Hanumantha Vahanam is alighted in front of this temple for Mantakapadi which is done  by  goldsmith community.  The walls of the  mandapam in front of the Anjaneyar shrine are adorned with  exquisitely drawn pictures of the various episodes of  Ramayana which is a pleasure to see. Vishnu Sahasranama  parayanam is done daily by group of devotees here. The  Lord here is supposed to be very powerful and fulfills the desires of his devotees 

     Visited the 1000 year old Sankaranarayana  Swamy temple  at Sankaran  Kovil around  50km from  Tirunelveli today. This is a temple  dedicated to  Lord Siva and was built  around  1076 AD by Pandian  King Ukkirapandian. A statue of the king is there as you  enter the  temple on the  left side of  Rajagopuram. The  presiding  deity  is Sankaralinga swamy in a small Linga vadivam on a line direct from the main gopuram. It is believed that he revealed himself  from a  Snake Putru and is also called Vanmeega Nathar. Goddess here is called Gomathiyambikai having a separate sanctum on the north side.  The statue of the goddess is exquisitely beautiful. In between  there is a separate sanctum for Sankaranarayana  Swamy where  Sankaran  and Narayanan  are together in one form called  Sankaranarayana Swamy which god revealed himself  at the request of Parvathy.  The  beautiful  gigantic  Temple  tower is 125 feet  tall consisting of 9 storeys. The gigantic gates of the  

    Srikaileswaram Temple,  Kappithavathai,  Colombo. This  is  the oldest Hindu temple in Colombo consecrated in the  year 1783 by Vanniga  Vysya Chettiar community. In the  last quarter of 18th century Ceylon was ruled by Dutch people. The  Chettiar community earliest Indian settlers to emigrate to  Sri Lanka settled in Colombo in the  area called  Captain  Gardens  which has now turned to  Kappithavathai. They were trading in Pepper, Kopra, Oil, Coconut  and Coir. They exported the goods to  Goa Nagapattinam, Trivandrum, Karaikal. Intially they installed an Idol of Siva Linga in their Gardens and worshipped. But over a period of time  a small temple was built in the garden of Veerabhadran  Chettiar around 1783 and worship was done as per Siva Agamas. The  old temple has been fully renovated in the  last 50 years. The  Ambal here is called  Karunakadashi and is facing south. Kailasanathar the main deity is facing East in Linga form.  There are separate shrines for M

    This temple called Kandy  Kathirkamam  Temple  is situated in the UNESCO   heritage city of Kandy. The moolavar in the  form of Balamurugan  is always kept  behind  a screen of Murugan on peacock and it is open only once in a year  on Vaikasi  Visakham  day. The  temple has a beautiful elephant  and is visited by both  Tamil Hindus and Sinhala  Buddhists. There is a shrine for  Buddha at the  back of  the  Murugan  shrine and is worshipped by all. A symbol of God as unitary force.

      ANURADHAPURA  the UNESCO heritage city was the  Capital of Srilankan  kingdoms for more than  1500 years from  400 BC to 1000 AD. It was attacked by Tamil  kings during  various periods in its 1500 year history. It contains  many Buddhist  Dagobas ( Stupas) which are more than  2000 years old. The  most  important  religious place  is the  Mahabodhi tree which is more  than 2200 years old. A branch of the  Bodhi Tree from  Bodhgaya  in India  was brought  here by Sangamitra daughter of  Ashoka the  Great when she was sent by Ashoka to  spread  Buddhism in the  Island.  It was planted here by King  Devanampiya  Tissa in 288 BC who converted to  Buddhism. Our guide said that  a majority of the Buddhists visit the holy place at least once a year and pray here and invariably their prayers are answered.  I could see the  Srilankan  Buddhists in their white attire praying profusely. The  compound  wall of the place was built by last Kandy Sinhalese king Vikrama Raja

    The  Murugan Temple in Sea Street, Colombo  built in the year 1839 by Nattukottai Nagaratthar Community. They were the early  Indian Tamils who came and settled  in Sri Lanka in early  19th century.  A community of  Philonthropists. I was told that  more than 10000 Tamils visit  Sabarimala  from  Colombo alone.

Thirukoneswaram (Triconamalle) the  ancient Siva temple on the  eastern side abetting Bay of  Bengal and a beautiful  Natural harbour.  The  temple is an ancient one snd sung by Thirugnasambandar in 7th century.  It was destroyed by Portuguese Colonists in 1624.    When the  local municipal council were digging a well in 1952 they found the statues of Koneswarar,  Madhuwammai, Ganesh, Chandrasekar in the earth. These statues were kept buried under the earth when the temple was destroyed by Portuguese in 17th century.  The  present temple is of recent origin built around  1952. The  temple priest  Shanmugha Ratna Gurukal was kind enough to explain the  details of the  temple. Found many Sinhala   Buddhists  also visiting  the temple and offering  prayers. You can spot blue whales in the  ocean  surrounding the bay. There is a beautiful  17th  century  Fort Frederick  with well maintained colonial  building ( unlike  our  Fort.St. George ) through which you have to acces