CHELUVANARAYANA SWAMI TEMPLE, MELUKOTE









 Cheluvanarayana Swami Temple, Melukote

===============================

Thirunarayanapuram

===============


      Visited this temple yesterday in Mandhya District of Karnataka. It is 158 kms away from Bangalore with a fine motorable road. This temple was constructed in the early years of 12th century by Saint Ramanujar of Vaishnavite order. In the 11th century the Chola King Kulottunga I was ruling and there was a great ideological fight between followers of Saivism and Vaishnavism. Kulothunga was a fanatic Saivite and the atrocities committed by him forced Ramanujar to exile in Melukote around 1099 AD when he was in his 82nd year. He along with his thousands of followers migrated to Melukote. He lived in Melkote for 12 years and constructed this temple. The Moolavar here Cheluvanarayana Swamy  was identified by Ramanujar from the bushes of Yadavadri hills. The auspicious day in the month of January ( Makara) is celebrated every year with enthusiasm. The temple was constructed by him with the Moolavar in place and he also made administrative reforms in temple administration and laid down  different temple duties to different people/families. The temple also followed Pancharatra Agama form in its worship. 


       The temple has a hall with exquisite pillar carvings which reveals the craftsmanship of the people of that era. Ramanujar was in search of a processional deity and he was instructed by Lord to go to Delhi to bring it from the Delhi sultans. Ramanujar went to Delhi and found the idol with the daughter of the Sultan Bibi and brought it to Melukote with the help of local tribes. He called them Thirukulathar and gave special privileges to them in the temple festivities. The Utsava deity retrieved from the Sultan is called Selva Pillai/ Sampath Kumaran and is on the Mahamandapa of the Temple. Had the privilege to see nearly 1000 year old idol at close quarters. Thayar Yadugiri Nayika has a separate Sannidhi on the outer circumbulatory path. Ramanujar has Sannidhi in the temple with a statue with folded hands called Thamar  Uganda Thirumeni. 


      The Hoysala king of that period Vishnu Vardan was a devotee of Ramanujar and helped him a lot. The disciples of Ramanujar who went with him to Melukote and their descendants live in Melukote and  are running the temple, Vedapatasala, Sanskrit College. They still speak Tamil mixed with Kannada and Sanskrit. They are called Mandyam Iyengars. The Vairamudi Sevai conducted in the month of March with the Utsavar Sampath Kumaran  is a famous festival here. 


     There is a famous mess called Subanna Mess outside in the town which serves delicious Puliyodharai and Sarkarai Pongal.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Ahobila Mutt Lakshmi Nrisimha Temple, Karol Bagh, Delhi

Image
       This temple on New Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, Delhi is a temple dedicated to Lakshmi Nrisimha and belongs to Ahobila Mutt.  The Lakshmi Nrisimha Sabha was established in Delhi in 1970 at Defence Colony and registered in 1975. A plot of land was acquired in 1982 on New Pusa road and the main sanctum was constructed sometime later. In the year 1997 the temple came under the jurisdiction of Ahobila Mutt and the 45th Jeeyar also visited the temple.  Extensive renovation  additions were made including Raja Gopuram and Samprokshanam was held in 2013.  The main deity Lakshmi Nrisimha is facing East. There are separate shrines for Chakkrathazwar, Yoga Narasimhar, Mahalakshmi and Anjaneyar swami.  The Temple is well maintained.      Ahobila Mutt was established around 1400 AD at Ahobilam in Andhra Pradesh.  The first Jeeyar was Srinivacharya alias Shri Adivan Satakopa Yateendra Mahadesikan.  The lineage continu...
Read more

Thirukachi Nambi Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Poonamalle

Image
     Thirukachi Nambi Varadaraja Perumal Temple,  Poonamalle.       This temple is situated at Poonamalle 23 kms away from  Madras and is more than a 1000 year old temple and believed to have been built during the period of  Paranthaka Chola in 10th century.  Thirukachi Nambi was a great Acharya of Vaishnavite tradition  and was the  Guru of Ramanuja. He was born  in 1009 AD at Poonamalle  to Viraraghava  and Kamalamba in an orthodox  Vaishya family. He was named  Gajendra  Dasar and from  his  childhood  he was an ardent  devotee of Varadaraja  Perumal at Kanchipuram. He used to daily do Pushpa Kaikariyam to  Perumal  from his Nandavanam  and also did  Thiru Alavatta Kaikariyam (Circular fan with peacock feathers  )  He was privileged to talk to  Perumal  during such Kaikariyams.  It is believed that   Lord R...
Read more

BHARADWAJESWAR TEMPLE, KODAMBAKKAM

Image
        Thiru Valiswaram or Bharadwajeswarar Temple, Kodambakkam.  This temple is situated in a by lane off Best Hospital. It is so called because the sage Bharadwaj and Vali worshipped the Sivalinga in this temple.  There are stucco statues of both facing the main shrine  Moolavar is called Bharadwajeswarar and Ambal in a standing posture facing south is called Swarnambigai.  There are separate shrines for Vinayaka, Subramanya, Bairavar, Ramanadheswar and Navagraha.  It is said that the temple is more than 700 years old and some chola era inscriptions are there on the west and north walls.  However one cannot find anything may be due to the fact that the temple was renovated in 2015 and many additions have been made.There is a chola era Adhi Ganapathy in standing posture which is kept just outside the main shrine.  The sthala viruksha is Nagalinga Tree.
Read more