This Thiru Mangai Azhvaar praised Divya Desam is at its best in many decades following a mega restoration exercise over the last few years
It has been a long time coming. Two decades after the previous consecration, the Parimala Ranganatha temple in Thiru Indhalur (Mayiladuthurai), praised by Thiru Mangai Azhvaar, is wearing a new look on a back of a Rs. 1.5crore renovation exercise. Amid the controversies over the last many years surrounding the suspension of a couple of the priests who had been performing service for decades, the consecration earlier this month comes as a breath of fresh air, especially ahead of the Brahmotsavam that will take place next month. It is easily the best that this temple has looked in the last many decades.
எந்தை தந்தை தம்மான் என்றென்று
எமரேழ் ஏழளவும்
வந்து நின்ற தொண்டரோர்க்கே வாசிவல்லீரால்
சிந்தை தன்னுள் முந்தி நிற்றீர்
சிறிதும் திருமேனி
இந்த வண்ணம் என்று காட்டீர் இந்தளூரீரே- Thiru Mangai Azhvaar
Elastromeric Painting for the first time
A well networked sripatham team along with Sridhar Bhattar and the Sthalathars have worked together in this large scale exercise. The outcome is for all to see and the first fortnight after the consecration has been one of positive feedback from long standing devotees.
The painting work has been outstanding. One of the sripatham members who runs a tech firm in Mayiladuthurai told this writer that Elastomeric paint was used in this renovation exercise to provide it an everlasting strength.
The entire electrical connection has been redone to match with the new technology. The entire temple complex now shines bright with LED lights, quite contrasted with the darkish zone in the past.
The roof above the Moolavar Sannidhi has been strengthened to prevent leaks during the rains which the temple experienced in the past. The flooring around the prakara too wears a new look. It is the cleanest that the temple has been in years. The external walls had been in bad shape with broken pieces. These too have been completely repaired and the temple complex presents a bright picture.
The Vaikunta Ekadasi, Panguni Uthiram and Vahana Mandapams had all been in damaged condition and each of these has been repaired.
Chandran’s Curse
The story goes that Chandran (Moon God) fell in love with his preceptor Brihaspati’s wife Tara and eloped with her, in the absence of his Guru. When Brihaspati found his wife missing, he sought the help of Brahmma who asked Tara to return to her husband. Later, when Tara’s pregnancy came to light, a furious Brihaspati cursed Chandra to deformity saying that the biggest sin of life is to caste one’s eyes on another’s spouse and that Chandran would have to undergo the full severity of the curse for having cast his eyes wrongfully on another's wife.
Another story goes that Dakshan was so taken in by Chandran’s handsome features that he decided to make him the suitor for his 27daughters. However, Chandran was interested only in one of the daughters, Rohini and mockingly ignored the others. Dakshan found that the handsome looks had made Chandran too arrogant and cursed him to immediately lose his youth and his strong luring features.
Repenting for wrongly casting his eye on another man’s wife, Chandran requested Brihaspati to provide him an opportunity for performing parikara that could help him cleanse his grave sins.
3Phased Parikara
As part of the 3 fold parikara, Chandra undertook penance here at Thiru Indhalur after bathing at the sacred Theertham, invoking the blessings of Lord Vishnu. Answering his prayers, Lord appeared before him and agreed to liberate him from part of the sins.(The story goes that Chandran went to Thalai Changa Naan Mathiyam, another Divya Desam about 15 East of Thiru Indhalur, where he was fully liberated from his curse and dosham).Pleased with being partly liberated from his curse, Chandran (another name of Chandran is Indhu) requested that this place be called Indhalur in his memory.
Restoration of the Madapalli
The madapalli had been in a bad shape in the past. This too has received a facelift with new flooring. At a time when historical temples are facing challenges relating to the presence of a full time madapalli cook, Kumar has been a strong presence at the Madapalli over the last dozen plus years. Hailing from Thiru Nangur, he had been initially supporting the temple during the big utsavams in Panguni and Aippasi. Impressed with his commitment, the temple roped him for a full time role at the Madapalli. He has learned on the job and now makes a wide ranging variety of sacred food during the big utsavams in addition to the Thaligai each day of the year.
He told this writer that he is happy that he has been blessed with a Divya Desam Kainkaryam. From a monthly salary of under Rs. 1500 over a decade ago, he now receives a sizeable salary much to his delight. He resides in a temple quarters opposite the temple which is another positive as there is no travel time involved in arriving at the temple on important festive occasions.
Argument between Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Lord Parimala Rangan
When ThiruMangai Azhvaar reached Indhalur, Lord Parimala Rangan shut the door on him reasoning that he was late. Upset at this, ThiruMangai Azhvaar argued vehemently Parimala Ranganatha. When a friend keeps a thing that we want and does not want to share with us, we typically say ‘Keep it to yourself’ in jest. Similarly, here, with the Lord not allowing Thirumangai Azhvaar an entry into the temple, the Azhvaar asked Parimala Rangan to keep all his beauty to himself and to enjoy it on his own.ThiruMangai Azhvaar goes on to argue that the world would talk about the Lord in bad light as he shut the door on the Azhvaar.
Despite repeated attempts to impress the Lord to allow him an entry, Parimala Rangan maintains his silence. A dejected and frustrated Thiru Mangai Azhvaar decided that he would leave the place as the Lord was stubborn at not allowing Darshan to the Azhvaar.
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar says ‘வாசி வல்லீர் இந்தளுரீர் வாழ்ந்தே போம்நீரே….’ to mean that ‘I am leaving, you yourself live here and enjoy life’.
Sensing that Thiru Mangai Azhvaar would actually leave the place without praising him enough, Lord Parimala Rangan tries to prolong the argument and asks him to sing praise of him. Thiru Mangai Azhvaar replies saying “How can I shower praise on you when you do not allow me to see you”. Lord Parimala Ranga says “You who have sung praises of other Lords, sitting in your place, do sing praise of me too so I can happily listen to your sweet songs.” ThiruMangai Azhvaar finally fell for it and composed verses of praise on Parimala Rangan.
In this new phase for this Divya Desam, R Parimala Ranganathan (Sukumaran) Dikshithar from Mannargudi who had been away in Bombay and other temples across the country for three decades has made his way back to Thiru Indhalur and well into his 70s now shares the monthly service with Sridhar Bhattar, who had played second fiddle to Ranga Mapillai Bhattar and Muralidhara Dikshithar for many years.
சொல்லாது ஒழியகில்லேன் அறிந்த சொல்லில்
நும்மடியார் எல்லோரோடும் ஓக்க எண்ணியிருந்தீர் அடியேனை
நல்லார் அறிவீர் தீயார் அறிவீர்
நமக்கு இவ்வுலகத்து எல்லாம் அறிவீர்
ஈதே அறியீர், இந்தளூரீரே
Two Priests carrying this temple in its new phase
Sukumaran Dikshithar underwent agama initiation at Tirupathi and Srirangam Patshalas before learning the practical lessons from the revered Kannan Bhattar (Vasan Bhattar’s appa) of Therazhundur Divya Desam. Following these, he joined Thiru Indhalur Divya Desam in 1969 a couple of years after the Samprokshanam and performed archaka service for close to 25years. In the early 1990s, given the extreme financial challenges at this Divya Desam, he moved to Thiruchanur to perform service there and then later performed service at Andavan Ashramam administered temples in Bombay, MP, UP and Bihar and was thus away from this Divya Desam for over 25years before his return to Thiru Indhalur following the suspension of his nephew Muralidhara Dikshithar last decade.
Hailing from Thiru Nangur, Sridhar Bhattar too went to the Patshala in Srirangam and Kanchipuram to learn the Pancharatra Agama. While he had remained in the background for a long time, his many years of quiet and selfless service is now paying rich dividend and he now plays a lead role at the temple along with Sukumaran Bhattar.
These two priests are now taking this temple into this glorious phase where the temple is seeing a positive revival both in terms of infrastructure as well as devotee support.
Parimala Ranganatha temple is located 2kms North of the Mayiladuthurai bus stand on the Northern banks of Cauvery. This is a Pancha Ranga Kshetram where the Lord is seen in a grand Veera Sayana Posture displaying his four hands. The other Pancha Kshetrams are Srirangam Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Srirangapatnam Ranganatha, Koviladi Appaala Ranganatha and Kumbakonam Madhya Rangam (Sarangapani temple).
An Auto from the bus stand will cost Rs. 80/- and from the Railway station, the usual charge is around Rs. 120. Contact:8122235403
Cab around Mayiladuthurai divya desams: jayaraj@ 97887 76365
No comments:
Post a Comment