Karuvelli - Navarathri Festival

During and after independence there were exodus of people from villages to cities in search of government jobs or in quest for upgrading their life style. This continuous migration of previous generation lead to huge vacuum in small villages and in turn it impacted the temples that prevailed for centuries before.

Even now the impact is being felt in several villages where we can see lot of temples in dilapidated and ruined condition. This according to me is no different from the ruins created by Moghuls and British during their reign where they demolished lot of Hindu temples and ransacked the available treasure.

The Current generation have realized the loss and started tracing the history of ancestors and their association with temples. Few of them have joined as part of the village team that reconstruct those temples which are good signs that will save and restore our culture and lost inheritance.

One such village is Karuveli near Kumbakonam and the temple is called “Sarguneswar Temple”. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva in the form of Sarguneswaran and his consort is Sarvanga Nayagi.

Similar to other temples this one too was in a neglected and was in ruined condition till 1990, then with efforts from Shri V Krishnamurthy former chairman of BHEL, Maruthi and SAIL and his brother Shri Vaidhyanathan president of Kalki group of publications took efforts to reconstruct this temple, whose forefathers hailed from this village. Mahakumbabishegam was performed in 1997 and slowly the temple is being restored to its past glory.

Recently got an invitation(refer the above picture) through a common friend of them asking to participate in the Navarathri festival where they perform LAKSHARCHANA for Goddess Sarvanga Sundari. Thought of sharing the invitation to a bigger group and help in mobilizing some fund that will help their efforts that are planned for ongoing temple maintenance. I would suggest not only to contribute but personally participate and get the blessing during festival.(Tap on the invitation to get enlarged picture and bank/contact details)

About temple – The temple is believed to be 1300 years old and according to the sthalapurana it is one among the 51 Shakthi Peedams. After the humiliation incident of King Daksha, the Goddess has to take rebirth and got united with Shiva in her next birth. During the time of separation Lord Shiva did severe penance and saw Parvathi here and they both danced in ecstasy. After marriage both stayed in this village and the story further states that whoever comes and offers prayers at this temple will not be subjected to next birth and get only Motcham. Worshipping in this temple will have the eternal happiness of total salvation. 

Hence the place came to be known as Karu Illai meaning that there would be no entering into a womb (Karu) again. In other words an unseen fence (VELI) will be installed to prevent one to become a fetus (KARU) again. Thus, the village got the name Karuveli. Even the divine Mother had to be born again to get back Her Lord so that she would not have to be born again.

The place is believed to help one to retain all his/her noble traits for ever and also reform him/her completely from previous wicked qualities. The Lord therefore is praised as Sarguna Nather. Sargunam-noble traits.

Lord Siva with the best of his known soft behaviors resides at the temple as Sarguneswarar (self-manifested lingam) and the most beautiful Parvathi as Sarvanga Sundhari. Mother Sarvanga Sundari, as the names suggests looks superlatively beautiful with four hands. 

The idol is 5.5 feet tall. The face of the Amman reflects only peace and a disposition to free you from all the stress or emotion. The mental status and inner feelings of any one who stand before the deity cannot be explained in a few words and it is to be felt in person to know it.

Sri Sarvanga Sundari, consecrated on Yogagni peeta, blesses all devotees.When Goddess Parvathi came to know that Lord Shiva is in penance at the forest on the banks of river Harisruta (Arasalaru) appeared before Lord Shiva in penance with all her beauty only in order to make Her Lord return to family life. She danced before Lord Shiva, married Him and at the request of all Devas and Rishis the divine couple stayed permanently at Karuveli where the present temple stands.Devas and Rishis prayed that whoever comes and offers prayers at this temple will not be subjected to the tangle of birth & death.

Yama Raja constructed a temple tank opposite to the temple and offered prayer to Lord Shiva after taking a dip in the tank to get solace and overcome a curse. The tank is still called as Yama Theertham.

The amount that has been fixed for this event is less than the cost we will incur if a family of 3 go out for a movie.Would request people to come forward and join hands in uplifting the old temples to regain its glory.