சிதம்பரம் உழவாரப்பணி

Chidambaram Natarajar Koil uzhavaarapani was carried out on 16.12.2012.

About 180 volunteers including 20 from Sri Malolan Arts & Science College, Madurantakam and 11 from Vivekananda College, Chennai took part in this activity.

Nearly 150 volunteers came the previous night (15.12.12) and stayed in Virudhunagar Hindu Naadar Thirumana Mandapam adjacent to South Gopuram and in Arupathumoovar Madam in South Street, Rest of the volunteers reached early in the morning on 16th.

We commenced the work by 6 am cleaning the praharam walls , Nayanmaar sannadhi and Pillaiyar & Dhakshinamurthy sannadhi situated near the south Gopuram. We colour washed the areas which were  already colour washed. 

In addition, women volunteers cleaned “Kavachams” . 3 Water Jets were used to clean the Oorthuva Thandavar Sannadhi near Dwajasthambam. In the afternoon, after the “Nadai” was closed, Kanaga Sabai(Thiruchitrambala Medai ) was cleaned with water jets.

In the mean time some of the volunteers went to Govindaraja Perumal Sannadhi and did some cleaning – clearing the cobwebs, clearing the water flow ways etc. We had limited time available for cleaning the Perumal Sannadhi on account of Recital of Paasurams , that day being Margazhi 1st.

We started returning home in batches from 4.30pm onwards.

Sri Srinivasan, Security Officer of Annamalai University arranged food on 15th night and 16th morning. Sri Natarajar and Sri Govindaraja Perumal’s prasaadhams were our lunch.   Sri.Elangovan Senior Manager, Canara Bank arranged water cans, helped in purchasing of materials for colour washing etc. He also arranged for food packets to all to have their food en route to their homes.  The authorities of Sri Malolan College of Arts & Science, Madurantakam heped us to overcome our transportation  problems.

Sri Natarajan Dhikshidar and Sri Rathna Bushana Dhikshidar were with us through out guiding us in our work and extending all possible assistance from the Temple.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who helped us financially, physically and morally in our miniscule service to Lord Natarajar.

The popular Tamil Daily Dinamalar came out with a report of our activities and the same can be seen here @ Dinamalar Report.  We gather from local sources that Dinamani also covered this, but we are unable to trace the link.

A few of the snaps during our Chidambaram Temple work can be seen here @ Chidambaram Uzhavarappani.

ஏரி காத்த ராமர் கோவில் உழவாரப்பணி

Usually whenever any Uzhavarappani team takes up  temple  cleaning work, the localites normally remain as mute spectators.  Once in a while, in certain towns or villages the people in the vicinity  may join .  But such help is always a rarity.   Therefore we were pleasantly surprised when a group of twenty students of the Sri Malolan College of Arts & Science, Madurantakam,  joined us in our cleaning operations.  We are sure, this could not have happened without the divine Blessings of Lord Rama Himself.

The local reporter for the Tamil newspaper Dinakaran, who happened to visit the temple made it a point to cover the event through his media under the title:  

ஏரி காத்த ராமர் கோயிலை சுத்தம் செய்த கல்லூரி மாணவர்கள்

மதுராந்தகம்,: மதுராந்தகம் ஏரி காத்த ராமர் கோயிலை கல்லூரி என்எஸ்எஸ் மாணவர்கள் சுத்தம் செய்தனர். 

மதுராந்தகம் நகரில் ஏரி காத்த ராமர் கோயில் உள்ளது. இது பிரசித்தி பெற்ற பழமையான கோயில். இப்பகுதியில் உள்ள ஸ்ரீ மாலோலன் கலை அறிவியல் கல்லூரி என்எஸ்எஸ் மாணவர்கள் மற்றும் சென்னையில் உள்ள அண்ணாமலையார் நற்பணி மன்றம் சார்பில் கோயிலை சுத்தப்படுத்தும் உழவாரப் பணி நேற்று நடந்தது. 

கோயில் வளாகத்தில் உள்ள மூலவர் சன்னதி, தாயார், ஆண்டாள், சக்கரத்தாழ்வார், தேசிகர், உடையார், லட்சுமி நரசிம்மன், கருடாழ்வார் சன்னதிகள் மற்றும் கோயில் கோபுரம், எதிரில் உள்ள ஆஞ்சநேயர் சன்னதி ஆகியவற்றை சுத்தம் செய்தனர். தண்ணீர் பீய்ச்சி அடித்து சோப்பு பவுடரால் சுத்தம் செய்தனர். இப்பணியில் 70 பேர் ஈடுபட்டனர். 

இந்நிகழ்ச்சியில் கல்லூரி செயலாளர் சந்தான கோபாலன், நற்பணி மன்ற நிர்வாகிகள் ராமச்சந்திரன், ராஜகோபால், கோயில் செயல் அலுவலர் வஜ்ரவேலு, வீரராகவன், நாட்டு நலப்பணி திட்டத்தை சேர்ந்த நாராயணன், ஐயப்பன், மற்றும் பத்ரிநாத் உள்பட பலர் கலந்து கொண்டனர். 

The above report in Dinakaran depicts in brief the nature of work carried out by the volunteers.

The authorities of Sri Malolan College deserve a special mention.  They readily provided a bus to transport our volunteers from Chengalpet railway station to the Madurantakam temple and also provided us a good breakfast and lunch at their college canteen, besides dropping our people back at Chengalpet after our work was over.   More importantly, they have assured to send their NSS team volunteers to join us whenever we take up any temple cleaning work in the Kanchi district.  

We are immensely grateful to them for providing us this opportunity and we returned with a sense of satisfaction that we have made a beginning to rope in the next generation to involve them in temple cleaning activities.

More photos of our உழவாரப்பணி can be seen at the following link:

Madurantakam Uzhavarappani

Mamandur Uzhavarappani

Our uzhavarappani activities planned at Chandramouleeswarar Temple,  Mamandur(near Ocheri) was successfully carried out last Sunday(28.10.2012).  Due to the remoteness of the area from Chennai, not many  could participate.  Only 35 of our volunteers turned up.  The first group reached Mamandur on the previous night and the second group landed on 28th morning by 8.00am.

In our earlier visit , we had noticed some wild growth of plants on the gopuram.  Therefore a few of us climbed up the wall to clear it.  They were taken aback to see the entire roofing of the temple covered with wild growth of weeds, plants and creepers, that was invisible from the ground level.

Nature's own roof-garden

This was something not anticipated by us.  Hence there was no alternative than to deploy everybody in clearing the temple's roofing as a top priority.  Most of these bushes were of thorny type and almost invariably all of us had to bear with thorn pricks in hands and feet.  Our guys also encountered a few snakes that slithered away on seeing us and a number of leeches while clearing this roof garden.  A few who were not used to life in rural areas had the opportunity of seeing the shed-skin of a snake for the first time in their lives.

Skin shedded by a snake

As the temple was not sufficiently cared for during the last 50years or so, the old pattern of brick roofing, though nearly two feet thick, has crumbled in the top layers and nature has taken over the rest.  No wonder, we encountered snakes, leeches and varieties of thorny bushes.  The following pictures will give an idea of the situation that we faced.

Local lads giving us a helping hand

Ashok & friends removing wild growth on the mottai gopuram at the entrance 

Spraying of weed-killer on the roofing

After clearing all the wild growth in the temple's roof, weed-killer solution was sprayed to inhibit further growth. It is possible that this might have got washed out in the subsequent rains on account of the cyclone Nilam.  Therefore we have decided to visit the place again after a month to review the situation.

Cleaning the temple praharam was comparatively an easier job.  We made use of our high pressure water gun.  However, we had to hire a generator as power cut was in force.  Besides, there was no water source available as the temple well had gone totally dry.  Just as the grown up lads joined us in clearing the roof garden,  the village kids not wanting to be outdone, came to our rescue.  They gleefully ferried water from their homes, atleast 500 yards away and filled up a big drum for our use.

For clearing the shrubbery adjoining the temple's compound wall, we had already arranged for an earth mover.  That was fully made use of to clear the thorny bushes outside.

Before leaving, we told the little kids of the village that we would upload their snaps in the internet, as a mark of our appreciation for all the help they rendered us.  And here it is.

This young generation of the Mamandur village did not simply watch us work.   They readily identified themselves with their village and their temple and joined us without any hesitation.  For us too, this was a different experience, since we are accustomed only  to curious onlookers and by-standers, whenever we go for any temple renovation work.  We are quite confident that Lord Chandramouleeswara will definitely bestow these kids with a  bright future.

Open Letter to the Divine God

Chandramouleeswarar Temple at Mamandur (near Ocheri on the Chennai-Vellore Highway)

Shortly after the previous post  describing the present condition of the Chandramouleeswarar Temple  was uploaded,  a mail in Tamil was received from a Sivanadiyar belonging to our group. The anguish of our volunteer on noticing the plight of the temple and his resolve to do something concrete is aptly described in this open letter.  The letter, of course, is addressed to the Omnipresent Lord Siva Himself.  The same has been reproduced verbatim hereunder:  

என் பிரியமுள்ள மாமண்டூர் சந்திரமௌலிக்கு,
"நற்றுணையாவது நமசிவாயவே " என்றார் அப்பர்.
நீ யாருக்கு நல்ல துணையாக இருக்கிறாய்? கள்வர்களுக்கும் கயவர்களுக்கும்தான் நல்ல துணையாக இருக்கிறாய் .
"என் உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன்" என்று உன்னை சம்பந்தர்  அழைத்ததினாலா ?
"சேயினும் நல்லன், தாயினும் நல்லன் " என்று  உன்னைத் திருமூலர் புகழ்ந்தார். அதற்காக இப்படியா ?
உன்  மனைவியையும், மகனையும், உன்னையே நினைத்து உன்னருகிலேயே எப்போதும் இருப்பவனையும் ஒருவன் களவாடியபோது எதுவும் நடவாதது போல இருப்பதுதான் நல்லவனுக்கு அடையாளம் என்று நினைத்தாயோ ?
அப்படி என்றால், உன் கையில் எதற்காக ஆயுதம் ஏந்தி உள்ளாய் ? அவை வெறும் காட்சிப் பொருள்தானோ ?
எதற்காக மாமண்டூரில் இந்த அட்டூழியம் நடந்தபோது மெளனமாக இருந்தாய் ?
மதுரையில்  64 திருவிளையாடல்கள் ஆடியும், அண்டம் கடந்த ஜோதியாய் அருணாச்சலத்தில்  நின்றும், சிதம்பரத்தில் நடனமாடியும் , நாயன்மார்களிடத்தில் விளையாடியும் களைத்துப் போய் அயர்ந்து ஓய்வெடுக்கிறாயோ  இங்கே ?
உன் உறக்கத்திலிருந்து எழுப்ப மாணிக்கவாசகர் வந்து திருப்பள்ளியெழுச்சி  பாட வேண்டுமா ?
" எல்லைக் காப்பதொன்று  இல்லையாகில்  எத்துக்கு இங்கிருந்தீர் எம்பிரானிரே " என்று சுந்தரர்  வந்து உன்னை உசுப்பேத்த வேண்டுமா ?
எதற்காக காத்துக்கொண்டு பொறுமையாக  இருக்கிறாய் ?
நீ சிரித்தே மூன்று உலகங்களையும் அழித்தாயே ? ஏன் உன்னருகில் களவு நடந்தபோது அப்படி சிரிக்க கூட முடியவில்லையா உன்னால் ?
காரணம் என்ன ?
திருநீலநக்க நாயனாரிடம் அவரது மனைவியைக் கேட்டாய். இப்போது என்ன ஆயிற்று ? உன் மனைவி சௌபாக்யவதியை ஒருவன் களவாடி விட்டான்.
உன்னையே கதியென்று இருந்த சண்டீசனோ , தன் தந்தையையே கொன்றான். அவனை உன்னருகிலேயே வைத்துக் கொண்டாய். இன்றோ , சண்டிகேசனை மற்றொருவன் கொண்டுபோய் விட்டான் .
சிறுதொண்டரிடம் பிள்ளைக்கறி கேட்டாய். பலன் ? எவனோ ஒருத்தன் , உன் பிள்ளை முருகனோடு வள்ளி தெய்வானையையும் அள்ளிக் கொண்டுபோய் விட்டான் . இதுதான் வினைப் பயன் வட்டியும் முதலுமாக திரும்பி வரும் என்பதா ?
தன் வினைத் தன்னைச் சுடும் என்பதற்கு நீயும் விதி விலக்கல்ல என்பது தெள்ளத் தெளிவாகிவிட்டது .
எல்லோரும் தத்தம் வினைகளைக் கரைப்பதற்கு    உன்னிடம் வருகிறார்கள். உன் வினைகளை எங்கே கரைப்பாய் ? அடியார்களிடம் நீ கொஞ்சமாகவா விளையாடியிருக்கிறாய் ? அவர்களது பக்தியை உலகறியச் செய்வதற்கு உனக்கு சாத்வீகமான வழியே தெரியவில்லையா ? என்ன சோதனை ? என்ன கொடூரம் ? அந்தப் பாவங்களை எங்கே கரைக்கப் போகிறாய் ?
கவலைப் படாதே. நான் இருக்கிறேன். என்னிடம் உன் அனைத்து வினைகளையும் தாரை வார்த்துக் கொடுத்துவிடு . நீ புனிதனாகவே , மாசற்ற ஜோதியாய் , மாசிலமணியாகவே இரு.
சௌபாக்யவதி, முருகன், வள்ளி, தெய்வானை மற்றும் சண்டீசன் மீண்டும் உன்னருகில் வர வேண்டுகிறோம்.

"வேண்டத் தக்கது அறிவோய் நீ,  வேண்ட முழுதும் தருவோய் நீ " என்ற  மாணிக்கவாசகரின் வாக்குப் பொய்க்காது.

அருள்வாயாக .
இப்படிக்கு
மீளா அடிமை

Chandramouleeswarar Temple, Mamandur

Wherever we plan to do Uzhavarappani,  a few of our volunteers will visit the temple at least a month in advance to assess the work requirements.  Accordingly, we proceeded to visit  the Swayambunathar Temple at Ocheri (on the Chennai-Vellore Highway), which no doubt needs a face-lift.

We had requested Shri Venkatesan of   CHENNAI SIVAPATHIGAL    to join us.  As he was busy touring temples in  the Kancheepuram district, he expressed his inability.  However on hearing that we were proceeding to Ocheri, he very much  insisted that we should visit the Mamandur temple near Ocheri and come back with a few snaps of the place.  Beyond that he did not provide  any specific info about the temple at that point of time, as probably he might have  wanted to hear our views first.

After visiting Swayambunathar temple, we proceeded to Mamandur (about four km from Ocheri) taking directions from the local villagers.  It was late in the evening with the sun about to set in the next  15 minutes.  As we neared the temple, we could see the damaged super structure and gopurams.

What should have once been the foundation for a Rajagopuram awaited us at the end of a desolate mud road leading to the temple. After scouting for local people, we got hold of a few lads, who brought in a few more villagers to open the temple for us.  

As we entered through this foundation on the southern side, we came across the inner compound wall of more than 10 feet high on on all four sides; but except for a small footpath leading to the temple, the rest of the area was surrounded by wild growth.  We could also see remnants of what should have once  been an outer perimeter wall.

Remaining portion of the compound wall surrounded by wild growth

 At the entrance to the temple on the eastern side, Nandikeswarar is seated majestically on a mandapam, the top of which can be seen in a shattered condition.  Behind Nandi, two raised platforms can be seen.  One should have been the base for the Kodimaram, while the other one should have been a Balipeedam. 

The eastern gopuram is in a terribly bad shape, with only the brick works remaining .At the time of our visit, power cut was in force and with a small torch we entered the temple, only to be greeted by flying bats brushing our face.  These bats were so big in size that we initially mistook them in the dark  for doves.  The stink of bat droppings permeate the entire atmosphere inside.

The state of utter neglect was evident everywhere..  But what shocked us to the core was that except the moolavar and a Vinayagar( inside the praharam), other deities were missing.  The first image below is the place were Chandikeswara was once seated. and the second one is the Ambaal Sannidhi(with Ambaal missing).   Like wise in the vayu moolai of the praharam, the statues of Valli-Devasena-Subramaniar are missing and only the pedestal, where they were earlier installed is there.

When we asked our village escorts,  they told us a sad story.  A few years ago, all the panchaloha idols of the temple along with the stone idols of Amman, Chandikeswarar and Subramaniar were all stolen by idol thieves.  The temple is situated on the outskirts of the village surrounded by paddy fields,with no human habitation nearby.  There was a time when it was raining continuously for about three to four weeks and none of the villagers ventured out of their homes.  They feel that this idol theft should have happened during that period.  Since no regular pooja  had been  going on in  the temple, the theft of the idols were taken note of by them only after a long time.

Presently a group of villagers have realised the need for a regular pooja and they have appointed one of their men as a pujari to keep the temple open  and light the lamps. At the time of our visit, we could see a few young girls  from the village worshipping the moolavar.  Missing idols have not deterred the faithful. We observed a kolam and a few mud lamps in front of the Subramaniar pedestal, indicating that some form of a worship is going on despite the absence of the idols. The villagers told us that, they have already decided to install another statue of Sowbhagyanayagi Amman in the place of the missing one.  Presently they have arranged for a new Rishaba Vahanam in the place of the damaged one and we were informed that Pradhosha Pooja is being held regularly.

The newly acquired Rishaba Vahanam

The temple needs a total renovation on a massive scale.  We hope that the day may  not be far off when some philanthropists come forward to re-build the temple restoring  its earlier grandeur.  Strange are the ways of the Divine Almighty Lord Shiva and ordinary mortals like us cannot guess why He allowed His Place of Abode to be vandalised by miscreants.  However from our side, as a mark of our respect to the villagers who adore this temple and pray here, we have decided to clean up the place and clear the bushes & weeds from the surroundings, so that more local people evince interest and start praying at the temple regularly.

Local villagers (clad in dhoti/lungi) who presently look after the temple 

அருள்மிகு கோகிலாம்பிகை சமேத திருக்காமீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில். வில்லியனூர்

அருள்மிகு கோகிலாம்பிகை சமேத திருக்காமீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவிலில் திருப்பணி செய்யும் பாக்கியம் நமது குழுவிற்கு இறையருளால் கடந்த ஞாயிற்றுகிழமை (16.09.2012) அன்று கூடியது. பாண்டிச்சேரியில் இருந்து விழுப்புரம் செல்லும் சாலையில், பாண்டியில் இருந்து 10 km தொலைவில் இத்திருக்கோவில் அமைந்துள்ளது.


இத்திருக்கோவிலின் சிறப்புகள் :    கோயில்களில் தீபாராதனையின் போது "ஓம் ராஜாதி ராஜாயப்ரசஹ்ய ஸாகினே' என்ற மந்திரம் கூறி தீபாராதனை காட்டுவார்கள். இந்த மந்திரத்தில் "காமேஸ்வரோ'  என்ற வார்த்தை வரும். இவரை தரிசிக்க வேண்டுமானால் புதுச்சேரி அருகிலுள்ள வில்லியனூர் கோகிலாம் பிகை சமேத திருக்காமீஸ்வரர் கோயிலுக்கு செல்ல வேண்டும். எந்தக்கோயிலில் இறைவனை வழிபட்டாலும் அதில் காமேஸ்வரரின் திருநாமம் உச்சரிக்கப்படும்.(நன்றி: தினமலர் )

1200 வருடங்களுக்கு மேற்பட்ட பழமையான கோவில்.  சுயம்புவான சிவலிங்கத்திருமேனி மண்ணால் உருவானது. எனவே, இங்கு அபிஷேகம் செய்யும்போது ஒரு லிங்க வடிவிலான செப்புப்பாத்திரத்தை சுயம்பு திருமேனியின் மீது கவிழ்த்து , அதன் மீது அபிஷேக வழிபாடு செய்யப்படுகிறது.

இந்திரன், மன்மதன், நாசிங்கமுர்த்தி, பிரம்மா, சூரியன், சந்திரன்,ஆதிசேஷன் ஆகியோர் வழிபட்ட சுயம்பு முர்த்தி. ஆதி சங்கரர் பூஜித்து நிர்மாணித்த ஸ்ரீ சக்ரம் அம்மன் சன்னதியில் அமைந்துள்ளது.  சுகப் பிரசவம் நடந்திட அம்மன் அருள் வேண்டி இங்கு உள்ள சிறிய பிரசவ நந்தியிடம் பக்தர்கள் தங்கள் வேண்டுதலைக்கூறி வழிபடுகின்றனர்.

காசியில் இருப்பது போலவே இங்கும் பைரவர் தனது வாகனமான நாய் இல்லாமல் காட்சி அளிக்கிறார்.  ஆண்டுதோறும் பங்குனி 9,10,11 ஆகிய நாட்களில் சூரியக்கதிர்கள் சிவலிங்கம் மீது விழுவதால், சூரிய பகவான் இக்காலத்திலும் சிவனை வணங்கி வருகிறார்.

தேவாரத்தில் வில்வேச்வரம் என்று  கூறப்படும் வைப்புத்தலமாகும்.  கோவில் முழுவதும் எண்ணற்ற கல்வெட்டுக்களும் கலை நயம் மிக்க சிற்பங்கள் கொண்ட தூண்களும் நிறைந்துள்ளன.

1.8 ஏக்கர் பரப்பளவில் அமைந்துள்ள திருக்குளம் பிரம்மதீர்த்தம் என்று அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.இத் திருக்குளத்தின் மகிமை வில்லைப்புராணத்தில் மிக  அருமையாக உரைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

1000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முற்பட்ட கோவில் திருத்தேர் 67 அடி உயரம் உள்ளது. புதுச்சேரியின் பெரும் புகழ் பெற்ற திருவிழா வில்லியனூர் தேர்த்திருவிழா.
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Aboout sixty volunteers reached on the night of 15.09.2012 itself to commence uzhavarappani on Sunday.  Ten more joined us the next day.  Excellent arrangements  for our stay and food were made by Shri N Manoharan, Special Officer cum Executive Officer of the temple.  He deserves a special mention here, as under his instructions, the temple staff also were very helpful and cooperated with us fully in executing our cleaning work

We commenced our work by 6 am, splitting ourselves into various groups to clean the outer praharam of the temple.  It was observed that the abhishega water from inside the temple was stagnating in a pit on the outside, due to its normal outlet getting blocked.  With the help of a lengthy pole, our members cleared the block to drain out the stagnated water.

Wooden logs from fallen trees were lying scattered in the southern and western side of the outer praharam.  They were removed to a corner and arranged neatly.  One particular piece of a lengthy teak wood log, posed a big challenge and more than a dozen people had to be assigned to lift and remove it.

After removing the dried leaves and broken twigs from the temple  gardens, weed killer solution was sprayed to prevent unwanted growth of weeds and bushes.  Weeds that were growing on the temple walls were also removed and weed-killer applied.

In the meanwhile, the other groups that were assigned work inside the temple were removing the grime and soot accumulated on the walls and removing cobwebs from the ceiling.  Jet spraying machine was used clean the walls, ceiling, pillars and floor

Lady volunteers cleaned and polished the lamps and vessels used in pooja.  They also cleaned the swami and amman sannidhis.

This historic temple situated in a vast sprawling complex being very big and the size of our work force limited to about 70 only,  we took upon the task of cleaning only certain limited areas of the temple, which we did to the best of our ability and to the satisfaction of the temple authorities.  We are aware that much work needs to be done here.  As all of us had to return to Chennai that night itself, we worked till 2.00pm only.  After finishing lunch, we thanked the E.O. Shri Manoharan for all the excellent arrangements and co-operation extended to us and left the place with the viboothi & kungumam prasadam from the temple.

காளிகாம்பாள் கோவில் உழவாரப்பணி

நம் குழுவினருக்கு அருள்மிகு அன்னை காளிகாம்பாள் கோவிலில் உழவாரப்பணி செய்யும் வாய்ப்பு இறையருளால் 26.08.2012 அன்று கூடியது.

More than 70 volunteers turned up and participated happily in the process. Usually, every Sunday , the  Kalikambal temple attracts devotees from various parts of Chennai.  No wonder, we were stunned to see the regular flow of devotees even after 12.00 noon.  Since we had taken up the task of cleaning the inner praharams and sannidhis, we had no alternative than to wait till the general public finished their darshan.

As directed by the temple authorities, we started bringing out the huge சர விளக்கு from the various sannadhis, besides other brass pooja articles and vessels  to clean them.  Separate teams of men and women started attending to the same near the goshala area, which continued till 4.30pm

நடை சாத்தியபிறகு, our volunteers started cleaning the various shrines in the inner praharam. Grime and dirt accumulated over the years were removed to the best of our ability.  Simultaneously, another group of volunteers were cleaning the shrines in the outer praharam.  

All the various groups put in their maximum efforts to keep the temple ready and open for the devotees when  the evening worship commences.  












After we finished the work, the Sivachariyars performed a special archana for the welfare of all of us combined and  the temple administration presented each volunteer with Ambal Prasadam.  We all returned home with the immense satisfaction of getting an opportunity to do our mite in this historic and powerful  Shakthi Sthalam.

யாதுமாகி நின்றாய் காளி -எங்கும் நீ நிறைந்தாய்

யாதுமாகி நின்றாய் காளி -எங்கும் நீ நிறைந்தாய் 


ஆம் நண்பர்களே.  பாரதியார் வழிபட்ட அதே தலம்..  நமது அடுத்த உழவாரப்பணி சென்னை முத்தியால்பேட்டை  தம்புசெட்டி தெருவில் வீற்றிருந்து நம் அனைவருக்கும் அருள்பாலிக்கும் அன்னை அருள்மிகு  காளிகாம்பாள் திருக்கோவில்.

நாள் : 26.08.2012 ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை
நேரம் :  காலை 10.30

This powerful Shakthi Temple was earlier in the Fort St George area and shifted to the present location after the Britishers bought that place and built the fort.  It is believed that a fierce ugra form of the Goddess worshipped earlier has been replaced with the Shantha Swaroopa form of Kamakshi Amman.  

The great Maratha Ruler, Chatrapathi Shivaji worshipped the Goddess here when he was on a tour of the south during 1677.  Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathi worshipped the Goddess here regularly and it is inferred that his song  யாதுமாகி நின்றாய் காளி is sung  in praise of this Goddess.

Besides its great historic significance, the temple has a rich tradition of festivals that are celebrated throughout the year in great splendour.  Goddess Kalikambal Grants All Her devotees happiness . peace and prosperity.  No wonder, thousands of devotees throng this temple every day.  
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Niranjeeswarar Temple, Chinna mandali

திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்.

As informed in the previous post, uzhavarappani was done yesterday (29 July 2012)  Shri Niranjeeswarar Temple, Chinnamandali village.

Location: This place Chinnamandali is about 4 km from Perambakkam, Thiruvallur District.  The nearest railway link is Kadambattur station on the Chennai-Arokkanam route and one has to get a bus to reach Perambakkam, which is 8 km away from Kadambattur.  Alternative mode is   MTC buses form Poonamalle to Perambakkam.  The place is about 70 km from Chennai.  From Perambakkam, one has to take a share auto to reach the temple.  The auto guys charged us Rs. 20/- per head, while the locals simply paid Rs.10/- only.

The Temple:  Presently, Shri Niranjeeswarar Temple appears to be a small one.  But in its glorious past, this should have been one of the famous temples on the lines of Koovam / Thakkolam.  Adjacent to the temple is a very big tank, atleast  thrice the area of the present temple itself.  This should have once served as the temple tank.  Decades of continued neglect resulted in the temple ending up in ruins.  The late Sri Selvaraja Mudaliar of Purasawakkam took the initiative and along with other villagers renovated the temple to its present level and did a Kumbabishegam on 30.08.2000, about 12 years ago under the guidance of  Mambalam Murugasramam Swamiji.

The village elders confirm that Manavai Munuswamy Mudaliar, known for his Nataraja Paththu hailed form this place only.  The present Chinna Mandali was then know as Siru Manavai.  Some of the elders remember that there were several  stones containing some inscriptions, however, as they had no idea about the importance of it, they were simply used to fill up the foundation and flooring during the earlier renovation.  However, I could observe two stone slabs--- one, a semicircular slab containing a Bhairavar like image accompanied with a dog and the other one, a square slab inside the main entrance depicting a full circle  and a wide arc (Probably Surya-Chandra) with some illegible inscriptions.  It is for the experts to decipher them.  It is believed that Shri Aadhi Shankarar  had visited and prayed at this temple enroute to Thiruvalangadu.  Village elders remember that Shri Maha Periyava had also come here and offered prayers.

Apart from the  main deities, Maragathavalli Amman Samedha Niranjeeswarar, there are separate shrines for Vinayagar, Subramanyar, Chandikeswarar, Natarajar and Navagrahas.  A separate Urchava Moorthy of Subramaniyar, which appears as a recent addition,  can also be found in the Nataraja shrine. Narthana Ganapathy, Dakshinamoorthy, Vishnu, Brahmma, Durga, Bairavar , Suryan, Chandran and Anjanayer are  found as Ghoshta Devathas.  Besides, one can also find the statues of நால்வர் and வள்ளலார் here.

Our group had the privilege of being invited and assigned the work of White washing and painting the temple in connection with the forthcoming Kumbabishegam  which is scheduled on 30.08.2012.  A dozen of our volunteers stayed on the previous night at the spacious "Meenakshi Ramakrishnan Kalyana Mandapam" at Perambakkam, thanks to Shri Dhanasekaran, the kind-hearted owner of the place who provided the accomodation to us freely.  Another thirty volunteers reached the temple on Sunday directly .  With the Divine Grace of Shri Niranjeeswarar, the entire work was happily finished by 2.00 pm itself.  

More snaps of our activity @ : Chinna Mandali Uzhavarappani