One of the 70 Mada Koils built by
Ko Chenganan Chozhan
Thiru Gnana Sambanthar praises Senganoor as a prosperous location on the Southern Banks of Cauvery
Located just over 10kms from
Kumbakonam off the Madras Highway is the Sakthi Gireeswara temple in Senganoor,
a place praised by Thiru Gnana Sambanthar as flourishing with activity on the
banks of the Cauvery. This is the birth place of Chandeswara Nayanar.
Sathya Gireeswarar temple is
located facing the East and is one of the 70 Mada Koils built by Ko Chenganan
Chozhan (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2014/12/thiruvanaikaval-jambukeswarar.html).
The temple has three prakaras and the Lord goes out on a procession
around the four Mada Streets on festive occasions. There are three agraharams –
Keezha Veethi, Nadu Veethi and Mela Veethi. Senganoor also stands testimony to
the unity between Saivites and Vaishnavites.
100 yards from the temple facing
the West is the Srinivasa Perumal Temple, whose idol was brought from Tirupathi
and installed by Vaishnavite Acharya Periya Vachan Pillai (http://prtraveller.blogspot.in/2017/09/periya-vachan-pillai-senganoor.html).
In centuries gone
by, Kola Villi Rama from Thiru Velliyankudi Divya Desam came here and went with
Srinivasa Perumal on a joint procession to Kollidam for the Theerthavari
Utsavam.
Reference in Periya Puranam
In the Periya Puranam, Senganoor
is praised as being wealthy. Periya Puranam also refers to the place being on
the Southern banks of Manni (Cauvery) river.
பூந்தண் பொண்ணி என்
நாளும்
பொய்யாது அளிக்கும் புனல்
நாட்டு
வாய்ந்த மண்ணித் தென்
கரையில் மன்ன
முன் நாள் வரை
கிழிய
ஏந்தும் அயில் வேல்
நிலை காட்டி
இமையோர் இகல் வெம்
பகை கடக்கும்
சேந்தன் அளித்த திருமறையோர்
மூதூர் செல்வச் சேய்ஞ்லூர்
It is said that Lord Subramanya
came here to invoke the blessings of his father and took the ‘Sakthi’ weapon
from here. After the Soora Samharam, he is believed to have come back here and
created the ‘Kumara’ Theertham.
100s of Brahmin
families lived here
To liberate himself from a
disease, Sibhi Chakravarthy built 360 houses in this region and brought 360
Brahmins from across the country to reside here so one could hear the Vedic
Recital continuously all through the year in Senganoor. He provided a home to
each of them. One Brahmin lady gave birth to a child as she was about to enter
Senganoor and hence could not reach here.
With one Brahmin less, Sibhi was
worried that a house would remain unoccupied. It is believed that Shiva and
Parvathi took the form of an old Brahmin couple and occupied the last house in
the agraharam. When Sibhi came on his morning rounds around the agraharam to
enquire about the well being of the residents, he found this house locked from
inside and without a response. When he broke open the door, he found to his
delight Lord and Ambal providing darshan from inside the house. This house on Southern tip of the Agraharam
still exists and is referred to as the ‘Lord’s home’.
After a bath in the Theertham,
the king is believed to have been liberated from the disease.
Sathya Giri
Kshetram
When Adiseshan held on to the
Meru Mountain to show his superiority over Vayu, the God of Wind retaliated by
blowing away the mountain with his power. Pieces from the mountain spread far
and wide, one of which fell here in this region. Hence this is referred to as
Sathya Giri Kshetram.
Chandeswara Nayanar
A Brahmin Echathathan belonging
to the Kaasiya Gothram and his wife Pavitra had a handsome looking son by name
Vichara Sarma. He took upon himself the responsibility of grazing the cows and took
them daily to the Manni river bank. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. On
one such trip, moved by devotion, he made a Shiva lingam with the pure white
sand from the river bank and began performing abhisekam for the Lord with the
milk that the cows gave.
When his father heard this
bizarre episode from the villagers, he came to this place and called out for
his son. But the son who was immersed in Bhakti did not respond to the father’s
call. Angered at this the father kicked the sand mound with his leg. Upset with
his father’s action, the devoted Vichara Sarma hit out at the father’s leg with
the grazing stick. The stick turned into a weapon and cut off the father’s
legs.
Pleased with the devotion of
Vichara Sarma that he took action even against his own father, the Lord
provided darshan to Vichara Sarma at this place and blessed him as Chandesan
and provided him with Mukthi. Those who offer worship to Chandesan at this
temple are believed to secure the blessings that Chandesan himself had
received from the Lord.
Brahmotsavam in
Thai
Harischandra stayed here for a
period and created the Appan Kulam (Oma Kunda Theertham) East of the temple. He
also introduced the annual festival in Thai beginning on Uttaratadhi. The
Chariot Festival is celebrated in a grand way on Punarpusam with the
Theerthavari Utsavam the next day.
Krishnapremi and
his childhood days at the temple
It was at the Dakshinamurthy
Sannidhi at this temple that Krishnapremi Swami spent a major part of his
childhood in penance like prayer. Thanks to his efforts over the last decade,
this entire place stands transformed.
Saint Poet’s Praise
Thiru Gnana Sambanthar in his
praise of Senganoor says that Senganoor was surrounded by groves that gave out
honey / nectar in huge quantities and the bees were seen buzzing around
rendering sweet music. The temple was surrounded by beautiful mansions with
greenery all around.
பாணடைந்த வண்டுபாடும்
பைம்பொழில் சூழ்ந்த
அழகார்
சேணடைந்த மாடம் மல்கு
சேய்ஞ்சலூர் மேயவனே
He also points out in the 6th
verse that this was a temple built and worshipped as Mada Koil by Ko Chenganan
Chozhan.
காடடைந்த ஏனம் ஒன்றின்
காரண மாகிவந்து
வேடடைந்து வேடனாகி
விசயனொடு எய்ததென்னே
கோடடைந்த மால்களிற்றுக்
கோச்செங்கணாற்கு அருள்செய்
சேடடைந்த செல்வாழும்
சேய்ஞ்சலூர் மேயவனே
Kanchi Periyava stayed in this agraharam in 1949 for one long month. In those decades, dating back over half a century, this entire agraharam was vibrant with several Saivite and Vaishnavite families. There were dozens of kids in each house and entire place was buzzing with activity says 67 year old S Chandramouli who spent his entire childhood here in the agraharam in the 1950s and 60s. His forefathers were trustees of the Sathya Gireeswarar temple. He studied in the Government School till 5th and then had to move to Thirupananthal for his high school and higher secondary education.
He says that the anti Brahmin movement in the 1960s and 70s drove residents out of the agraharams into cities.
In those days, when he was a young boy in the 1950s, residents lived a contended and happy life. They consumed healthy home food throughout their lives. He could see happiness all around.
A Vibrant Senganoor
The temple was rich in glory and
there were positive vibrations all around. Peacocks were seen fluttering their
wings and dancing around in happiness. Bees were seen playing music that was
sweet to the ears. Repeatedly he refers to the place being amidst green fertile
groves and amidst singing and dancing birds.
வீசடைந்த தோகை யாட
விரை கமழும் பொழில்வாய்த்
தேசடைந்த வண்டு பாடும்
சேய்ஞ்சலூர் மேயவனே
After decades, he is back in Senganoor after retirement from his corporate job and has settled down in the traditional long agraharam home of his in the East Street. Over the last decade, he has been performing Kainkaryam at the Sathya Gireeswarar temple.
He says that many of the original inhabitants of Senganoor are now buying land here and is hopeful that this place will once again be vibrant like the centuries gone by.
The temple is open between 9am-11am
in the morning and between 430pm - 730pm in the evening. Contact TK
Ramakrishnan Gurukal 93459 82373 / S Chandramouli @ 70948 29225 / 96006 30839
7 comments:
Very Very Useful and precious information.
We r also blessed to be born at senganoor and could stay visit during our childhood. Even now since travelling is easier than those days we r able to visit our native With our cousins
Well explained the grreatness of this holy place.wish that the village regains its old glory .
Visited and stayed in Senganoor many times. It is the birthplace of my mami ( mouli's sister). Divine place indeed. Glad n proud of Mouli - he settled down at Senganoor. God bless all of us. Om Nama Shivaya.
Excellent article. Happy to see Sri Chandramouli Mama too :-) Radhe Krishna 🙏
Excellent Article. Happy to see Sri Chandramouli Mama too. Radhe Krishna 🙏
Excellent Article. Radhe Krishna 🙏
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