13 Tier over 125 feet Raja Gopuram on the anvil
After a Grand Consecration today, Kurungudi Mutt Jeer and Venu Srinivasan will come together again for the construction of a towering Raja Gopuram atop the existing Mottai Gopuram
Mottai Gopuram at the Eastern Entrance
It is the biggest day in the last several decades at the Azhagiya Nambi Divya Desam in Thiru Kurungudi, for a full-fledged consecration has taken place this morning (March 25) after a gap of over 110 years. The previous large-scale renovation works and consecration had taken place in 1912 (consecration of the Shiva Sannidhi a year earlier in 1911). This section had featured a story earlier this month on the extensive restoration exercise and the upcoming consecration (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2026/03/thiru-kurungudi-nambi-temple.html).
Two decades ago, when the priests were sitting at the entrance waiting for the next devotee to arrive, they would not have visualised a day when several thousands would gather on a single morning at this Divya Desam. The transformational change at Thiru Kurungudi has been made possible through the joint efforts of the Head of the Thiru Kurungudi Mutt, Ramanuja Perarula Jeer and Industrialist TVS’ Venu Srinivasan, who has contributed in a big way to the restoration over the last decade. There were 25 family members from TVS who attended the consecration this morning. Later in the evening, Nambi provided darshan atop the Garuda Vahana.
எங்கனேயோ அன்னைமீர்காள் என்னை முனிவது நீர்
நங்கள் கோலத் திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பியை நான் கண்டபின்
சங்கினோடும் நேமியோடும் தாமரைக் கண்களோடும்
செங்கனி வாய் ஒன்றினோடும்
செல்கின்றது என் நெஞ்சமே
Following today's consecration, the two will come together again on another mega project at the temple that is set to take off soon.
This section had earlier featured stories on two historical temples in the Chozha region seeing the construction of a new tall Raja Gopuram. Pundarikaksha Perumal temple in Thiru Vellarai and Venkatesa Perumal temple in Gunaseelam will both see the consecration of new Raja Gopurams in the next 2-3 years (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2024/06/gunaseelam-pichumani-bhattar-hereditary.html).
In the erstwhile Pandya region, at the Kula Deivam temple of Venu Srinivasan, a new Raja Gopuram will come up atop the current Mottai Gopuram at the Eastern entrance. Ramanuja Perarulalar Jeer has assigned this engagement to the industrialist, who following the completion of the restoration works, will now take up the task of the construction of a 13 tier Raja Gopuram that will measure over 125 feet.
The construction of the Raja Gopuram at Thiru Kurungudi is expected to take at least a couple of years.
Two New Initiatives
The Head of the Thiru Kurungudi Mutt told this writer that the large scale Thiruppani works including the restoration of the Shiva Sannidhi and consecration has brought back the devotee crowd into the temple. Today's huge crowd at this Divya Desam stood testimony to that. In the coming period, he will focus on two significant exercises. He believes that the consecration and its positive vibration will lead to a 100% recovery initiative of the dues to the temple from the tenants residing at the temple lands. And the second, the starting of the construction of the towering Raja Gopuram that the Jeer is devotionally excited about.
It may be recalled from a story in this section earlier that at Thiru Vellarai there was a call to first strengthen the foundation before commencing construction of the new Raja Gopuram on the Northern side (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/11/thiru-vellarai-new-raja-gopuram-by-end.html). Ramanuja Perarulalar Jeer said that the current foundation of 50 feet is quite strong and that will facilitate the start of the construction of a Raja Gopuram atop the mottai gopuram.
நீங்க நில்லா கண்ணா நீர்கள் என்று
அன்னையரும் முனிதிர்
தேன் கொள் சோலைத் திருக்குறுங்குடி நம்பியை
நான் கண்டா பின்
பூந் தன் மாலைத் தன் துழாயும்
பொன் முடியும் வடிவும்
பங்கு தோன்றும் பட்டும் நானும் பாவியேன் பக்கத்தவே
In the past, Ramanuja Perarulalar Jeer has been known to be a stickler to schedule. It is likely that with his devotional commitment to transform this Divya Desam completely and take it to a phase that will truly reflect the praise as seen in the verses of Thiru Mangai Azhvaar and Nam Azhvaar, he will drive the construction under his watchful eyes from a few hundred yards away. And Industrialist Venu Srinivasan is a hard task master and a disciplinarian who undertook and completed a massive restoration exercise at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam in just 15months over a decade ago. He also has wide ranging experience in temple restoration exericises. Given that these two will be driving this new project, it is likely that the devotees of Nambi will sooner than later be welcomed into the temple by a towering Raja Gopuram at the Eastern Entrance. And that's good news for the overall community in this historic temple town.
No comments:
Post a Comment