Snakes and Bats welcome him inside the dark temple but his devotion has led him to fearlessly perform pooja
Growth of trees around the Vimana has led to the ancient stone structure falling off
The Utsava Idol has been in safety locker at the temple in Kodiyalam on the Southern Banks of Cauvery
The Centuries old Gopalakrishnan Temple in
Shozhanganallur, 5kms North of Sirugambur near Mukkombu is reminiscent of
the State of many of the ancient temples in Tamil Nadu in the 1970s and 80s.
While many, especially the Azhvaar praised Divya Desams, saw a restoration
starting from the 1990s, this one remains completely ignored with the HR & CE paying no attention to the ravaged state of the temple. With restoration in mind, Balalayam
was done 50 years ago but the repair works haven’t even started in the five
decades that has passed.
84 year old Sethurama Iyengar stays in
Killiyanallur (on the Trichy – Namakkal highway) about 10 kms from the temple.
His forefathers had performed pooja at this temple for many years in the 20th
century. His grandfather walked all the way bare footed from Killiyanallur in
the hot sun to perform pooja at this temple. There was a Madapalli too in those
decades that was fully functional. ‘Amuthu Parai’ stands as proof.
Notwithstanding his old age, he starts his TVS XL
motor cycle (gifted to him by his son!!) and rides through the pit filled road
via Sirugambur to reach the temple every morning to light the lamp.
The Hissing of the Snake
Similar to what happened in many temples (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/02/erettai-tirupathi-transformation.html) in the dark days of the 70s and 80s, Sethurama Iyengar enters the temple cautiously watching out for snakes that have lay crawled in one of the corners. Every morning, he has to undergo this trauma. He says that there were times when the snake would hiss when he entered. For a while he has not heard that hiss but is always worried that it might turn up one morning in that dark little sannidhi. There are bats as well. It is truly scary to enter the temple even during the day.
Similar to what happened in many temples (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2017/02/erettai-tirupathi-transformation.html) in the dark days of the 70s and 80s, Sethurama Iyengar enters the temple cautiously watching out for snakes that have lay crawled in one of the corners. Every morning, he has to undergo this trauma. He says that there were times when the snake would hiss when he entered. For a while he has not heard that hiss but is always worried that it might turn up one morning in that dark little sannidhi. There are bats as well. It is truly scary to enter the temple even during the day.
His daily route includes lighting the lamp and
presenting an arathi to Lord Gopalakrishnan. If there are devotees coming the
way of the temple, he stays back to help them with the darshan of the Moolavar Lord and the Azhvaars. Else, he returns carefully maneuvering the two
wheeler through pits along the muddy road to Sirugambur.
The Sacred Well
There was a sacred well too inside the temple complex but that too has remained untouched for decades with plants growing thick around the inner walls.
As seen in the story on Uthamar Seeli (http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2018/10/uthamar-seeli-venugopalan-temple.html),
the processional deity here too has been kept far away in 'safe custody' at the Perumal Temple
Kodiyalam for several decades. The Moolavar deity, Gopalakrishnan, looks
handsome but has been left alone in this remote village in the company of
snakes and bats.
Dilapidated State
The temple is currently in a badly damaged
condition now. The path leading to the temple is full of thorns. Every devotee
who enters the village is welcomed with the same message “Will the temple
finally see the light.” The villagers point out that the talk of renovation
and restoration of the temple has been going on for several years and that they
don’t believe this story any longer. The prakaram is full of sharp stones and it is unlikely anyone can escape a bleeding of the feet.
The roof is in danger of falling any time. The outer wall is broken. The entrance to the temple is bereft of any wall- it is already gone. Utsavams have not taken place for several decades, with the processional idol at Kodiyalam temple on the Southern banks of Cauvery. The Vimana is surrounded by a thick growth of trees that has caused damaged to the ancient stone structure, one that is now falling off .
The roof is in danger of falling any time. The outer wall is broken. The entrance to the temple is bereft of any wall- it is already gone. Utsavams have not taken place for several decades, with the processional idol at Kodiyalam temple on the Southern banks of Cauvery. The Vimana is surrounded by a thick growth of trees that has caused damaged to the ancient stone structure, one that is now falling off .
There is even talk of ASI taking over this heritage
structure.
The temple is administered by the HR & CE but
as is the case with ‘revenue-less’ temples, the department is not too eager to
undertake any repair works. The Villagers are hoping that some enlightened soul will turn up one day and restore this small temple.
Sethurama Iyengar @ 97875 72556 is readily
available through the day to take the 10 km ride to showcase the state of the
temple to any interested devotee.
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