Pratinandan Voyage - 4(Final)

God takes the form of a Guru and appears to the devotee,The Guru will come to us when we are ready. We simply need to make ourselves ready and the rest is automatic. 

Finally taking this series to an end.The intent of sharing these information is to create interest so that everyone should visit these temples atleast as a mark of respect to those who spent their time and energy in building these wonders. Even for non-believers these have plenty in store, if someone from other country can find an architecture marvel why not we? 

Many of us think that Kumbakonam is only the nine Navagraha temples for all our dhoshams and a little more but actually it is much much bigger indeed!
Please reserve a full day for other temples and have a plan to cover as much as possible in each of your visit.

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES

Gangaikonda CholapuramThis particular temple was picked when I was reading an article about how HH MahaPeriva started the Annaabhishegam in year 1986. So got fascinated and wanted to visit and thus included in my list.

 Also prior to that HH ensured that abhishegam to Brahadheeswara is performed by Ganges water that was brought from Haridwar in a huge lorry.(If interested goggle to find the entire episode). 

When I visited this temple around 10.00 am I was the one and only devotee in this huge temple.
This temple was built by Rajendra Chola son of Raja Raja Chola after his victorious invasion of Northern India. In the year 1012 to 1044 he expanded to south east Asia and Srilanka and made Cholas as supreme power.

The Shiva Linga in the temple is the biggest(bigger than Tanjore) in size among the Lingas in Tamilnadu temples. Nandhi is also bigger than Tanjore, made of a single lime stone 200 metres far from the sanctum. Rays of Sun light falls on the Nandhi each day reflecting on the Linga. Even if all lights in the sanctum are put off, devotees can see the Lord in the sunlight. Similar to Tanjore Big temple, the shadow of the Kalasa on the tower does not fall on ground.A stone, called Chandrakanta stone is installed under the Linga with a rare power of making the place cool during summer and comforting warmth during winter. This is experienced by generations of priests of the temple. Mother Durga in the temple graces the devotees as a 9 year old pretty smiling little girl with 20 hands killing demon Mahishasura. She is the family deity of King Rajendra Chola.

This temple was abandoned by people and wore a deserted look till late 80’s until HH Mahaperiva installed a Sri Chakra at the feet of the Mother Periyanayagi. People say that only after the installation of the Sri Chakra , the crowd began to swell in the temple.

Outer wall was destructed during British rule to reuse the material (rocks) for constructing a dam across Kollidam.

I have provided a link from youtube where you can get full view of the temple.

http://view360.in/virtualtour/gangaikondacholapuram/

Thirubhuvanam - Kampaheswarar Temple

This is on the way to Mayiladuthurai from Kumbakonam. This is similar to Thanjavur, Dasarum, Gangaikonda Cholapuram in the architecture style where structure of main sanctum is mightier than first gopuram. Again this was built as a memorial to a successful North India campaign by Cholas and more than 1000 years old.

Main deity is Sri Kambahareswarar and Ambal is Sri Dharmasamvardhani there is a seprate shrine for Sarabeswarar.

Narashimma avatar is the most ferocious forms of Vishnu avatars, after slaying the demon the presence of the evil demon’s blood made Narashima more furious. All Rishis and Devas got frightened on the situation and pleaded to Lord Shiva to save the world from his intensity. Lord Shiva took a Sarabeswarar form and started chasing the Narashimma Avatar of Vishnu. Sarabeswarar is a form of as half animal and half bird with 8 legs, 4 hands, 2 feathers and sharp tooth, nails that was looking more ferocious than Narashima. Narashimma got frightened by looking at Sarabeswarar and started running away. At one point of time, Sarabeswarar touched Narashimma then Narashimma’s anger went away and he got calm. Lord Sarabeswara took Narasimha above the gravitational sphere to prevent his blood falling on earth. The form of Sarabeswara comprises four Gods – Shiva, Kaali, Durga and Vishnu.

Performing abishegam to main deity is like performing Ashwamedha Yagna and every month for the last 25 years on a full moon day this is being performed by Thinamalar family and I was fortunate to be there on 23 rd Jan(full moon day).

Thiruvidaimarudur - Mahalingaeswaraswamy
Lord Shiva is called Mahalingeswaraswamy and referred to as Jothimayalingam and the consort is Brihathsundarakujambigai. Some people consider this temple equivalent to Kasi and pooja is performed to main deity and then only to Lord Vinayagar. This is one of the huge temples I have visited and later on came to know that it is largest in Tamilnadu. Having heard about the association of this temple with HH Maha Periva, how can this not be in the list and hence included.This huge temple is one of the greatest Saivite shrines in Tamilnadu and is referred to as Madhyarjuna Kshetram and is said to be on par with Chidambaram and Varanasi.

The Shiva lingam is suyambu, in the process of teaching and demonstrating the worship to sages it is believed that Shiva worshipped himself (Advaitha Philosophy). Devotees use different gopurams to enter and exit and there is story(Brahmahatti dosham) behind this where a Pandyan King was constantly haunted by a Brahim ghost who was killed by the King’s horse. As per the divine guidance King visited this temple through eastern gate and left through western gate where the Ghost was waiting in the eastern gate for him to return thus the king was relieved of Dosam.

This temple has 3 praharamas, Aswamedha pradhakshina praharam(should be more than half km), Going around this will give the effect of doing Ashwamedha yaga. Kodumudi praharam – circumambulation this will give the effect of going to Kailash. Pranava praharam – Going around this will give Moksha.

The temple car(Ther) is one of the biggest of Tamilnadu, The Ther was donated to the temple in 1800 AD.Swamiji in the below picture will have reference in my next

 

When I visited the temple, 5 car festival happened after 180 years and due to HIS grace able to get a glimpse of the Majestic ther moving.

Govindapuram

Finally reached the destination which did ignited this travel. Visited Dakshina Pandaripuram which is a replica and a Maharashtrian style temple for Sri Rukmini sametha Sri Vittal.

Since I requested for Kanchi madam the driver took me to the Brindhavan of Srimad Bhagavannama Bodhendral – the 59th acharya of the Sri Kamakoti Peetha, spent some and rushed to Tapovanam since it was almost noon.

Tapovanam - The divine form of Sri Mahaswami which is in a seated posture has been sculpted in green stone by Sri Ganapathi Sthapati. Encircling Sri Mahaswami, are Sri Adi Sankara in sculpted form and all the other Gurus in the form of Banalingas. All these banalingas have been brought from the Narmada river. Wondrous indeed, that by the grace and penance of Sri Mahaswami, all these lingas were found on a single day. Here in their subtle presence are all the 68 Masters starting from Sri Adi Sankara onwards, in one and the same place. Sri Mettur Swami, who received sanyasa directly from Sri Mahaswami and who was personally overseeing the performance of the Nithya puja and abhisheka entered his brindavana here. Since HH is in mid of his Guru the posture is that of making his pranams to his Guru. 

 Tapovanam was closed even before I went and initially had a poignant mood, then realized the purpose is to chant so recited the verses and left the main mandapam. A person who was managing the premises called me and the purpose of the call was they are about to open the main mandapam for a Visitor, the same swamiji I saw in the Ther vizha. He was the one among the elite members who occupied the dais and started the Ther vizha. This made me to realize the power of the slokas recited by me, especially Chamakam. 
Chamakam when chanted with devotion assures granting of what you ask. Not only I had a wonderful darshan and details of the tapovanam described but also delicious lunch with vada payasam etc., 

I am sharing a link where you can find more details and would encourage everyone to have a look and if possible participate in the nityapoojai and homa and get his blessing. Let us all share a small portion to our Guruparampara.

https://mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/sri-kanchi-mahaswamigal-tapovanam-govindapuram-2/