SRI VEERA ANJANEYA SWAMI TEMPLE, ANANTHAMANGALAM, TAMIL NADU...
gk kaushik
Ananthamangalam
The highway connecting Myladuthurai and Nagapattinam runs via
Tharangambadi and Thirukkadaiyur in the Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu.
Ananthamangalam is located about a kilo metre from the highway connecting
Tharangambadi and Thirukkadaiyur.
Tharangambadi [known then as Tranquebar] was a famous harbor along the
eastern coast used by Portugese. Thirukkadaiyur houses the famous temple of
Abirami [Ambal in a child form]. Abirami threw her ear ring to make it look
like a moon on the sky with a view to upholding a mistaken statement made by
her ardent devotee Sri Abirami Battar. Sri Battar had told the then king of
that place that the moon will appear on the sky though actually it was a new
moon [Amavasya] day.
Thri Nethra Anjaneya Swami of Ananthamangalam
Ananthamangalam is famous for the temple housing the Anjaneya Swami,
having three eyes and ten arms holding different armament. The temple is
located in the pleasant looking environment adjacent to Sri Rajagopala
perumal temple, and was built during Vijayanagara kings' period. Anjaneya
Swami with chathurbuja [four arms] holding shanku, chakra, navaneetha, and
pasham is housed in the main temple and is north facing while Sri Rajagopala
perumal temple is east facing. The tank in front of the temple is known as
Haunmar thirtham and is believed to cure many of the illnesses. The idol of "Thri
Nethra Dasa Bhuja Sri Veera Anjaneya" [Veera Anjaneya with three eyes and ten
hands] is about four and half feet tall and made of panchalooka [alloy made
of five basic metals]. This 'uthsava moorthi' [the deity taken out in
procession] is so pleasing spreading 'Aanandha' to the devotee, one would
never want to take his eyes off from the deity. The Veera Anjaneya is south
facing in the Sri Rajagopala Swamy temple.
Anecdote of The special roopa
The story behind this special roopa of Anjaneya goes like this:
After killing Ravana, Sri Rama and Seetha start back for Ayodhya for the
Pattabhisheka when the sage Narada discreetly informs Sri Rama of some
impending danger for him from two of the rakshasas belonging to the Lanka
dynasty. While all the rakshasas of Lanka were killed in the holy war, two of
them - Raktha Bindu and Raktha Rakkadhan - survived the war and wanted to
avenge the killings of their people by destroying Sri Rama and his army. For
achieving this end the two had undertaken a severe penance by placing
themselves at the bottom of the Ocean. If they complete the penance they will
get powers to destroy the world and therefore sage Narada tells Rama to fight
them before leaving for Ayodhya. Even as Rama is inclined to complete this
task, he remembers that his brother Bharatha is waiting for his return to
Ayodhya, and if the return is delayed Bharatha is likely to commit suicide by
falling into the fire he has set for this purpose. Appreciating this
predicament of Sri Rama, Anjaneya offers to fight the two demons and Sri Rama
agrees. All the Devas, who were concerned because of the penance undertaken
by the to demons, were pleased with this development and blesses Anjaneya for
his victory over the two demons.
Thri Nethra Dasa Bhuja Anjaneya
Sri Rama gives his peerless bow [Kothandam] with arrows and a weapon
called Navaneetha to Sri Anjaneya to fight the two demons. Vishnu helps by
giving the conch [Shanka], Chakra [Sudarshana] and also a weapon called
Maththaksham. Brahma gives him a powerful Ankusha. Siva gives his third eye
and his Trishul to Anjaneya. Parvathi Devi gives him her whip [Pasham].
Laksmi gives Padmam and Garudan gives his wings to Anjaneya. Thus Sri
Anjaneya armed with all these weapons acquires the form of "Thri Nethra Dasa
Bhuja Sri Veera Anjaneya" [Veera Anjaneya with three eyes and ten hands].
This form of Anjaneya is what is depicted by the deity presiding the temple
at Ananthamangalam. He carries in his five right hands the Sudharshana,
Trishulam, Ankusham, Arrows and Maththaksham. His five left hands carry
Shanka, Padmam, Pasham, Kothandam and Navaneetham. The third eye decorates
his forehead. He carries a quiver full of arrows on his back.
Aanandhamangalam & Ananthamangalam
Because of the blessings he got from the foremost of the Gods he was able
to imbibe their capabilities as well and thus was able to defeat the two
demons with ease, by acquiring his famous vishwaroopa [collosal] form. The
size of the form was such that normal eyes would not be in a position to
fully visualize the entire form. After accomplishing the task of killing the
two demons he decides to be with His Lord Rama [full of Aanandha] who is chief
deity at Mangalam by the name of Rajagopalan. This village was originally
named as Aanandhamangalam but later came to be known as Ananthamangalam. Thus
the Anjaneya deity of this place has a special significance for all the
devotees.
While a visit and prayers at Tirupathi will bring about a change in the
circumstances in which a devotee is placed in his personal life, a visit and
prayers at Ananthamangalam brings about cheer and happiness to the devotee.
May His blessings be to all those who just read about his special deified form described above.
[ed. 13.01.02]