With the sincere service of Sridhar Bhattar who has dedicated himself to this temple, devotees have been visiting in good numbers in recent years to have darshan of the 18 Feet Ranganathaswamy
Encroachments have meant that the hereditary trustee has had to fight tooth and nail to secure the lands back
Hailing from Edur Village in Gummidipoondi, Sridhar Bhattar joined the privately managed Ranganatha temple in Devadhanam just under two decades ago. He had learned the agamas from vidwan Santhanam Bhattar at Pattanam Koil (Parrys). He had participated in the Samprokshanam at the Ranganatha temple and soon after took solo charge as the archaka.
When this section wrote a story on the temple a dozen years ago, there were no proper roads leading to the temple both from Ponneri and Minjur. Devotees visited in small numbers. Against this backdrop, Sridhar Bhattar started off with one kaala pooja for which he was presented an annual Sambhavanai of 32 Mootai paddy.
Over the next decade, his sincere service attracted devotees to the temple. When he joined the temple, he had decided that he would not go out to any other temple to perform service or be involved in any other vaideeha activity.
Saligrama stone 18 feet Ranganatha in Bhoga Sayanam
At this temple, the 18feet long Ranganathaswamy is seen sleeping in a Bhoga Sayanam posture on the serpent bed with 3 folds formed by the 5 headed Adisesha with the right hand of the Lord placed beneath his head and the left hand stretched forward. The moolavar deity is made out of Saligrama stones. Even the jewels of the sleeping lord are of Saligrama stone. At the feet of Lord Ranganatha are Sri devi and Bhoo devi. Anjaneya is seen with folded palms along with Maha Rishi Thumburu inside the sanctum.
Snake Hill behind the Sanctum
On the Western side of the temple behind the sanctum is a snake hill. The belief is that this snake protects the temple and the devotees who visit here.
Prarthana Sthalam
A visit to the temple is said to provide immediate job opportunities, help in marriages and progeny.
Sincere Service lures devotees
Sridhar Bhattar's sincere service led to devotees visiting the temple in good numbers especially for the Thiru Kalyanam on Panguni Uthiram and Bhogi, Rama Navami, Aadi Pooram and Vaikunta Ekadasi. In recent times, they have also been thronging the temple on Pournami with an expansive Thaligai being organised on that day. He also began performing two Kaala Pooja at the temple. In the decade gone by, with growing popularity of the temple, with devotees wanting to having darshan of the huge Ranganatha in Sayana Kolam, proper roads were built making access to the temple lot better compared to the past.
Encroachment Challenges
However the temple has had to face some challenges in the recent past. The hereditary trustee of the temple, A.R. Gopinath, has been managing the temple for the last several decades having followed in the footsteps of his forefathers who were Zamins of Anuppampattu . Unsurprisingly for a remote temple, 'political' encroachments have come in the way of the growing popularity of the temple. Over three acres of land belonging to the temple has been illegally occupied with politicians campaigning against the trustee. Gopinath has been fighting a legal battle to secure the land back. “I have produced the documents in courts based on the Old Survey Register (OSR) dating back to the middle of the 19th Century and have secured an eviction order.”
He has also put a big notice around the temple stating the historical ownership rights relating to the temple.
Despite its remote location, there has been a surge in number of devotees visiting the temple from far and wide. Sridhar Bhattar, who does not have children, has committed his lifetime to this temple, while the hereditary trustee has said that he would fight tooth and nail to secure the lands belonging to the temple.
Devadhanam is located 30kms North of Madras, 4kms from Minjur and about 7kms from Ponneri The temple is open from 7am-11am and 430pm-7pm. Contact Sridhar Bhattar @ 97868 66895
How to reach the temple
Take a Suburban train from Chennai Central/ Beach and get down at Minjur (27kms- 45minutes) – Gummudipoondi section. From Minjur, take an to reach the temple in about 15minutes. Buses ply between Broadway (Parrys Corner) and Minjur. Metro is available till Wimco Nagar from where there are regular buses to Minjur.
When here, also visit Varadaraja Perumal temple in Minjur
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