Tituppatur is an ancient town of present Tamilnadu and is located on the Bangalore-Chennai main Train route. Jolarpet junction is around eight kilometers from here. Since the revenue from is high even during British this was a Revenue circle. Even during Chola rule it was known for the productivity and this area was known as "Sri Madhava Chaturvedi Mangalam" and covered under as "Nigarili Chola Mandalam" during their rule. From the inscriptions so far surveyed by Archaeological Survey of India in Tirupattur, it is estimated that this town is more than 1600 years old.
The name Tirupattur means a group of ten villages/small towns. There exists a village called Aathiyur (Aathi means Begin) in the southern fringes of the Town and Kodiyur (Kodi means End) in the northern fringes of the town indicating how this place had come to be known as “Tirupattur”.
This place was under different rulers and known earlier by other names like Sri Madhava Chaturvedi Mangalam, Veera Narayana Chaturvedi Mangalam, Tiruperur and Brahmapuram (Brahmeeswaram). There is a second version which says that present name "Tirupattur" might have got derived from "Tiruperur".
There existed a fort in the eastern part of the town around eight hundred years ago. It is not known who first constructed the fort and when it was demolished. But even today a huge area abutting a huge lake is known as fort area. Since the town had been under the rule of VijayaNagara Dynasty, Hoysalas it is believed the fort would have come up during their period of rule. The nearby places like Ambur etc. was war prone area during eighteenth century and end of eighteenth century British had consolidated their hold in this region. British initiated steps to demolish all forts. In all probability during this time the fort could have been demolished.
The Mysorean army under Hyder Ali set off on its fresh round of campaigning against British at Vaniyambadi in the beginning of November 1767. The main army marched towards Vaniyambadi while another detachment had been sent earlier in the direction of Tirupattur. For some time Tirupattur was under the rule of Mysore also.
This town had a fort and under the rule of Hoysalas, Vijayanagar and Mysore dynasty. All these rulers are devotees of Sri Anjaneya. All these rulers had seen Sri Anjaneya as the protector of their boundaries. It was a practice to build a temple for Sri Anjaneya at the boundaries of each village even. Without exception these rulers had a temple for Anjaneya built for the fort they had built. Therefore it is no wonder that this town must have had many temples for Sri Anjaneya. But the political upheaval during eighteenth and nineteenth centuries had not allowed the rulers to do any welfare measure for the people. Mid this chaos, in this war-torn town many of the temples must have gone un attended and neglected turning them to ruins. In such circumstances many of deities were thrown into lakes, rivers, huge water bodies etc., for their safety. This practice was in vogue during those times. [See also our Vellore narrative].
The Lord emerges from such self-exile once He decides to bless His devotees. Mid nineteenth century few fishermen went for fishing in the River Thazampudar [on way Tirupattur to Jolarpet] in Tirupattur. That day their catch was heavy, all of them put together pulled the net. They found a huge stone in the net. They threw the stone in the river and lobbed the net again in the river for their next catch. To their surprise the same stone was caught in their net. On the second thought they saw it is something mysteries; since a stone of its own cannot enter the net. They pulled the stone this time up shore and to their surprise it turned out to be a vigraha of Sri Anjaneya and not a simple stone as they thought. They did not know what to do, and at that time they heard oracle directing them to install the vigraham where peepal tree and neem tree had grown entwined on the western side of their place of living.
The elders were called and consulted. The place that was indicated by the divine was identified. A small temple was constructed and the regular poojas were started. All most all the festivals like Hanumath Jayanthi, Ramanavami, Krishna Jayanthi were celebrated in this temple. During SriRamanavami celebrations Sita Kalyanam is performed. There is unique festival celebrated in in this temple which goes by name “Sri Vishnu Deepam”. During the month of Karthik in accordance with Tamil calendar [oil] lamp is lighted on the top of the pillar which is facing the main temple. Normally we see deepa stambham along with dwaja stambham in the temples, installed at the entrance of the temple. But here in this temple the deepa stambham is just opposite the temple, but the road divides these two.
From immemorial lighting of the “Vishnu deepam” in the month of Kartik in this temple was conducted as a celebration. But in the year 1900 permission to erect the lamp post in the piece of land was denied. The owner of the land had refused permission to hold the celebration from his land. This land was just opposite to the temple. The lamp could be lighted just opposite to the temple only, therefore it was not known as to how to convince the owner for permission to use the particular land. To the surprise of all, next day morning the owner had given permission to host the function from the land, since he had a divine direction to this effect in his dream earlier night by non other than Sri Anjaneya Himself. Even today the place is maintained by the dynasty of Janab Meekkiri Nayapu where every year the “Vishnu deepam” is lighted.
During 1910 the unity between two major communities of Tirupattur was in doldrums. Again there was resistance for holding of “Vishnu deepam”, playing of drums etc. The administrative chief Sir Arthur Hall had given the ruling that the function be stalled. That day evening at dusk as soon as he stepped out of his bungalow he started shouting “Shot him, shot him”. All people came out of the bungalow and enquired as to what has happened. The officer was showing his fingers at the gate and said “look at the black faced monkeys. Look they had beaten me. Look at the blood in my arms”. He was scared and was screaming. But none of those present could see anything abnormal. His wife understood as to what has happened and told him that it the divine the Hindus worship who had come and given him the message.
He revised his earlier order of the day denying permission and granted permission to hold the “Vishnu deepam”. And protection was ordered to avoid any untoward incident.
These two incidents are proof enough to show the might of Sri Sundra Veera Anjaneya Swamy of Tirupattur and spread of His fame. He has large number of devotees from neighboring village and town, even from far away town like Selam, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore etc. Over the years the temple has been renovated with the liberal contributions from these devotees. A attractive three tier rajagopuram for the temple was built. Kumbhabishekam was performed in the year 1939. Sannidhi for Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana is very attractive and the processional deities of Sri Rama parivar are mesmerizing beauty. A wide corridor around gharbhagraha has been festinated for devotees to make parikrama. On Tuesday, Saturday and new moon day the number of devotees are large. Sri Ramanavami, Vaikunta Ekadesi, Hanumath Jayanthi are celebrated with all gaiety. During Sri Hanumath Jayanthi Sri Anjaneya will play the “Unzal” [swing].
The idol of Sri Anjaneya Swamy is about seven feet made of hard granite. Swamy is seen is standing posture with both His palms joint in”Anjali Hastha” mudra. Lord’s lotus feet are adorning with nupuram and thandai. Lord is wearing the doti in a kacham style. An ornamental waist belt is seen in the hip. His bosom is well ornamented with garlands with beads. He is wearing necklace close to His neck. Both the arms are well decorated with keyur in upper arm and Kankan in wrist. He has both His palms joint in “Anjali Hasta” mudra. His tail could not be seen from outside but is in the rear, raised till back of His head. His straight looking face attracts the attention of His devotees. His kesam is neatly tied. He is wering kundalam in the ears and it is touching the shoulder. He is wearing karna pushpam in the ears. Alluring eyes of the Lord is beaming with compassion, bestowing blessing on His devotees.
Sundara is not only beauty and alluring; it also means enduring even on odds. Sri Sundara is here to bless all, show the way to persevere the goal against all odds and come out successful.
Ed: August 2020
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SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST, THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE.
Our salutations to this Hanuman who always brings subham - everything that is good - for His devotees and eliminates the bad and the evil. He removes even the traces of bad thoughts and deeds from His devotees. i.e He makes them pure in words, thought and deed.