The Prarthana Sthalam for Guru sports a new look with a new
Raja Gopuram
A Politician undertakes the entire renovation at this remote and
ancient temple!!!
Kuruvi Thurai is a remote
location, 10 kms west of Sholavandan near Madurai. The legend of the ancient
Chitra Ratha Vallabha Perumal temple (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2012/08/chitra-ratha-vallabha-perumal-kuruvi.html) dates back to the period of the
Mahabaratha and the story of Devayani and Kacha. Legendary as its tale may have
been, it has for long been in a discarded and dilapidated temple with no very
little attention paid to it over the last century. The temple is also rich with
inscriptions dating back to the Pandya period.
No Salary is paid to the two priests at this temple with paddy having been the source of income to them. However
with failure of monsoon, that too has been stopped in recent decades. The two
priests at the temple make it every morning from Madurai (35 kms) and
Sholavandan (10 kms). Despite living through a difficult life having to come every morning from far
off destinations and staying back at the temple through the day till about
5.30 pm, the two priests have been committed to serving the Lord and the devotees with utmost devotion.
One has to walk two kms from Kuruvi Thurai bus stop to reach the
temple. There is no place to live around the temple, located right on the
Southern banks of the Vaigai. The priests say with a touch of sadness that
there has been no water here for the last 15 years or so and the farmers have
been going through a hard time.
There are no bus facilities to
the temple except on Thursday when devotees swarm from everywhere to offer
their prayers in this Prarthana Sthalam to Guru Bhagawan. It was here that Brihaspathi,
the Guru of the Devas secured back his son Kacha from Devayani’s captivity with
Lord providing darshan to him on a Chariot on the Chitra day in Chitra month.
Hence he is referred to as ‘Chitra Ratha’ Vallabha Perumal. In memory of the
historical episode, there was a very small sannidhi for Guru in the East.
Complete Renovation by a Madurai MLA!!
Over five years ago, renovation
work had started at this beautiful Chitra Ratha Vallabha Perumal Temple in
Kuruvi Thurai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2012/08/chitra-ratha-vallabha-perumal-kuruvi.html).
A single donor, the MLA from
Sholavandan Constituency (Madurai) took up the renovation work. But as with
politicians this did not sail through easily and there was quite a long delay.
Finally in June this year, after
a long wait, the Samprokshanam took place (in Vaikasi) much to the delight of
the priest, who hails from Thiru Mogur.
There is now a new tall temple
tower in the East welcoming the devotees. The entire temple complex sports a
fresh look. There is a new Golden Paramapada Vasal!!! There is now a
full-fledged Sannidhi for Guru at the Eastern entrance.
Chitrai Festival in
Thenoor
In centuries gone by, the Lord
used to leave Kuruvi Thurai on a Chariot on a long procession to Thenoor for
the Chitrai Utsavam there. He would leave Kuruvi Thurai 10 days ahead of the
full moon day in Chitrai so as to reach Thenoor on the day Kallazhagar arrives
there from Thiru Maliruncholai.
Garuda Sevai and
Horse Vahana on Vaikunta Ekadasi
On the Vaikunta Ekadasi day, the
Lord goes on a day long procession on the Garuda Vahana through the entire
village of Kuruvi Thurai. Later that night, the Lord makes his way on a
procession on the Horse Vahana. These are the only two Vahana processions in
the year.
In decades gone by, there seems to have been Vahana processions and
Brahmotsavam at the temple going by the dilapidated old Elephant and Horse
Vahanas. There was also a Chariot housed on which the Lord went to Thenoor. However, currently the Brahmotsavam is not celebrated here.
There seems to be a Vasantha
Mandapam on the North West corner of the temple, an indication that a Vasanthotsavam
too may have taken place once upon a time but this too has now become a thing
of the past.
Guru Peyarchi day is the biggest
day of the year at this temple with lakhs of devotees visiting the temple on
that day.
The temple is open between 8am -
12.30pm and 330pm-530pm. Contact Raghurama Bhattar @ 93445 73367
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