Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Usually
I prefer early mornings to visit temples, so that I can save some time from the
traffic congestion. Fortunately, the roads were free and did not find any over
crowd at the temples. Our driver sab patiently moved through the gallies. I
informed him that I wanted to go to Thiruneermalai, he said 'Madam, angey 250
padi yeri pokanum kovilukku.' This was absolutely a new piece of information
for me. I was doubtful, whether I could make up to the hill or not. He said '
Madam, malaikovillukku road irukkum vandila povom'. I felt in that case I could
make up to the hill.
As
soon as we reached the temple premise, driver sab ran after the people to find
out the route map for malaikovil. He came out rushing and informed me that
there was no way to reach up to the hill other than the stairs. I got out of
the car like a marathon champion all set to move, I told him ' Babu Sir, parava
illai nan padiyeri poyittu varen'. He was doubtful ' Madam, ungalala mudiyuma
theriyala'. I said ' Parava illai Babu Sir poyi pathu than vareney'. He said '
Sari Madam, poittu Vanga'.
Initially,
I went to Thiru Neervanna Perumal (Lord Rama)Temple at the foot of the hill.
There was no one other than the two people, one priest and his assistant. As
you enter, you could see a big statue of Lord Anjaneya folding hands together,
just opposite to the Sannidhi of Neervanna Perumal. There were other sannidhis
too, but they remained closed. As soon as I entered the temple priest led me to
the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The priest has vast knowledge about the
temple history and explained in such a way the listener never miss even a
single line. Moreover, he beautifully sang the compositions of Thirumangai
Alwar and Boothathalwar. I thoroughlly enjoyed every moment standing very close
to the Perumal and unknowingly it brought tears into my eyes. Definitely it was
tears of joy. I moved through the praharam and got out of the temple.
My
next mission was to reach the hilltop temple. Once again the driver sab
reminded me saying that there are more than 200 steps to climb up. I made him
to wait and assured him that I could manage very well. At that moment, the
temple priest who is in charge of malaikkoil opened the entry gate to the hill
temple. There was no one around, other than a lady with her brother climbing
along with me. They crossed me like a wind, I found it little tedious to climb
up. After crossing some hundred steps or so I was swetting and breathing hard.
The lady who crossed already, called back and informed that there was not much
stairs to climb. She asked me to relax for sometime and climb up slowly. I felt
that was encouraging. I seated near the small wall at the edge of the stairs
for sometime and the weather was pleasant. I took sometime to write the temple
history that I have heard from the priest. I slowly started walking through the
steps thinking of the temple history and imagining the condition of the
pathways to the hill and its surroundings in the olden days. Finally, I reached
at the tophill. 'Arey wah, kya kamal kardiya meney' I took some beautiful shots
of Pushkarani at the foot of the hill.
Thiruneermalai
is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Maha Vishnu. The speciality of this
Divyadesam is that Lord Vishnu gives dharshan to His devotees in all His four
forms: Nindran (Standing Posture) – Lord Balaji of Thirupati, Iruthan (Sitting
posture) – Yoga Narasimhar, Kidanthan (Reclining posture) – Sri Ranganathar and
Nadanthan (Walking posture) – Ulakalantha Perumal/ Trivikrama Perumal at the
hilltop.
Presiding
deity at the foot of the Hill: Thiru Neervanna Perumal / Neelamukhil Vannan
(standing posture with Abhaya Hastham)
Thayar
: Animamalar Mangai Thayar
Vimanam
: Thoyagiri
Pushkarani:
Manikarniaka Pushkarani, Kshetra Pushkarani (contains water of Ksheerabdhi),
Swarna Pushkarani (waters from Ganga and Viraja), Siddha Pushkarani (waters
from Ganga and Viraja) , Karunya Pushkarani ( contain tears of joy of Lord
Narasimha seeing the firm devotion of Prahlada)
Kshetram:
Swayam Vyaktha Kshetram, Thoyadri Kshetram, Kandararanya Kshetram
Mangalasasanam
: Boothatalwar and Thiru Mangai Alwar
Pratyaksham
to: Thondaman Chakravarthi, Sage Brigu, Maharishi Valmiki and Sage Markandeya
Festivals
: Brahmostavam in Chithirai, Kalyana Ustavam in Panguni, Vanabojanam in
Karthigai,
Sannidhis:
Chakravarthi Thirumagan and Animamalar Managai Thayar
Puranam:
Brahmanda Puranam
The
legend has that Anirudha - son of Lord Krishna fell in love with Usha, daughter
of Banasuran. The most raged Banasuran imprisoned Anirudha. In order to release
Anirudha from the custody of Banasuran, Lord Krishna declared a war against
him. In a ferocious battle between Krishna and Banasuran, Banasuran lost his
nine hundred and ninety six arms and left with four arms. Later, Banasuran
arrived at Thiruneermalai praying to Lord Neervanna Perumal and attained
salvation.
Maharishi
Valmiki after finishing the great Epic Srimad Ramayan, longed to see Lord Rama,
Sita, Lakshman with Anjaneya. He came down to Thiruneermalai and Neervanna
Perumal gave him dharshan as per his wish. Perumal appeared to him as Sri Rama,
Sri Mahalakshmi Thayar as Sita, Adishesha as Lakshman, Chakra and Conch as
Bharatha and Shatrugna respectively. The most compassionate Lord gave dharshan
to Maharishi Valmiki with His entire 'Parivara', Vikshasena, Sugriva,
Vibhishana, Garuda and Anjaneya. Maharishi Valmiki prayed to Perumal to remain
as Neervanna Perumal adorned with a garland of Salagrama at Thiruneermalai.
Presiding
deity at the Hilltop : Sri Ranganathar/ Azhagiya Manavalan,
Thayar:
Sri Ranganayaki Thayar
Sannidhis:
Yoga Narasimhar, Sri Ranganathar and Trivikrama Perumal .
Hastham:
Abhaya Hastham
Vimanam
: Sri Ranga Vimanam
Pushkarani:
Manikarniaka Pushkarani, Kshetra Pushkarani (contains water of Ksheerabdhi),
Swarna Pushkarani (waters from Ganga and Viraja), Siddha Pushkarani (waters
from Ganga and Viraja) , Karunya Pushkarani ( contain tears of joy of Lord
Narasimha seeing the firm devotion of Prahlada)
Festivals:
Brahmostavam in Chitirai, Kalyana Ustavam in Panguni
The
legened has that Thirumangai alwar and Boothathalwar praised the glory of
Perumal here. Thirumangai Alwar arrived here and found that this place was
under water and realised that the Perumal Neervannan had sunk. He waited at the
top of the hill for six months to get the water dried. It is believed that on
the top of the hill Thirumangai Alwar got the dharshan of Lord in the form of
Yoga Narasimhar, Sri Ranganathar and Ulakalanda Perumal. Once the water got
dried, Thirumangai alwar came down to pray Neervanna Perumal down the hills and
praised the glory of Lord Vishnu. Ucchavamurthi is Sri Maha Vishnu with Sridevi
and Boodevi Thayar. There is a swayambu idol of Maharishi Valmiki. It is
believed that after writing Srimad Ramayanam Maharishi Valmiki came here to
Visit Neervanna Perumal.
The
distance from Pallavaram, GST Road to Thiruneermalai is just 4 Km. Lord
Neervanna Perumal Temple - at the foot of the hill and Temple for Lord Sri
Ranganathar, Yoga Narasimhar and Trivikrama Perumal at the top of the hill
remains unchallenged forever.
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
No comments:
Post a Comment