SRI VEERA ANJANEYA SWAMI TEMPLE, THIRUPATHIRIPPULIYUR, CUDDALORE, T NADU...
sri govindarajan, pondicheery
Shri Divya Desam
Great devotees of Lord Vishnu and Achariyas who spread Sri Vaishnavoom
are known as Azhvargal in Tamil. They visited many Lord Vishnu’s temples in
course of their time and had sung in praise of the presiding deity of the
place. Such sthalas thus visited by Sri Azhvargal is known as Shri Thivia
Desam. There are one hundred and eight sthalalas that are frequented by the
followers of Sri Vaishnavoom philosophy. The praise in the name of the Lord
(the hymn) by these Great saints are known as passuram and sung today by the
devotees with great reverence.
Thiruvaheendrapuram
Thiruvaheendrapuram, which is known for the influence of Lord Anjaneya’s
presence, situated five Kms west of Cuddalore, the historical coastal city,
is one among the 108 Divya Desams sanctified by the visit of Alwars. The
temple of Lord Devanatha is flanked by the inspring Oushada giri (herbal
mountain), an herbal drop from the hands of speeding Anjaneya to the
battlefield of Lanka and serpentine holy river Garuda nadhi also known as
Ketila River. The importance of the Thiruvaheendrapuram sthala has found
place in many Puranas.
Along the Garuda nadhi- Cuddalore
This beautiful Ketila River (Garudanadhi) flows through the historical
coastal city of Cuddalore. The city of Cuddalore is also known by the name
Thirupathiripuliyur. The river flows from North to South in western end of
the city. The place is known, as Cuddalore since this river is amalgamating
with the Bay of Bengal near this town, Cuddal in Tamil means joining. It is
natural that this city that is near Thiruvahendrapuram also has the influence
of Lord Anjaneya's presence.
Treasure found
Around
hundred and twenty years ago a booking clerk by name Sri Srinevasa Iyer was
working in the Thirupathiripuliyur railway station. During those days on both
the banks of the river there were thick wild growth of shrubs. One fine day
Sri Srinevasa Iyer who was a devotee of Lord Sri Rama, dreamt of having seen
Lord and was directed to search for the idol of Lord Anjaneya on the banks of
river Ketila. The search was organised and the Lord Anjaneya's idol was found
on the western bank of the river Ketila. The shrubs around were cleared and
the idol was installed in the same place where it was found. The idol was
seen by pundits and was named Veera Anjaneya. Sri Srinevasa Iyer constructed
small tenement in that very place for Lord Veera Anjaneya with the
contribution made by devotees. It is told, he uses to collect quarter of an
anna (the then coin-an anna is valued at six paisa of today) from whom ever
he knows and started building the temple.
Temple for Lord Veera Anjaneya
In
the mean time the city started developing and more citizens came to know of
the temple. The Lord Veera Anjaneya temple started drawing large devotees.
Devotees started contributing and the temple was developed in bits and
pieces. An undivided family owned the land on which the temple stood. The
trust was then formed and the land measuring about 1.05 Acres was purchased
during 1982. The temple is measuring eighty-five feet east west and fifty
feet in breath. As the temple was built in bits and pieces, it was decided to
rebuild the temple with more accommodation and at the same time as a compact
complex. It was decided, in order to maintain the sanctity; the location of
the original installation of the idol will not disturbed while reconstruction
of the temple was undertaken.
Therefore work to this end was started during January 1990 and the present
temple construction was finished during 1992. A beautiful arch welcoming and
indicating the entrance to the temple had been build on the main road near
the ketila river bridge.
The Vigraha
A two-minute walk will bring you to the main temple complex entrance and
the impressive vimana welcomes you. As you enter from the south in to the
complex, you will find the main entrance to the temple in the eastern side.
The main idol (moolavar) is seen in ‘arthashila roopa’ facing the east. Sri
Veera Anjaneya Swami of this kshethra is seen walking north and with His
right hand in ‘abhaya mudra’ and the left hand is resting on his hips. The 'maha
kumbabishekam' was performed on 30th August 1992.
Pujas and Festivals
The pujas of this temple is performed as per the 'panchararthra'
Agama
rules. With the participation of the devotees the Hanumath Jayanthi is
performed every year on the new moon day of the 'Markazi' month of the solar
calendar. 'Uthsava moorti’ is seen in standing posture with gadha in lift
hand and with his right hand offers abhaya to his devotees. Every month on
the new moon day the 'uthsava moorti' of Lord Veera Anjaneya is taken in
procession around the temple. Sri Rama navami celebrations are conducted for
thirteen days and ends up with Anjaneya uthsavam on the following full moon
day. The Tamil new years day is celebrated in this temple with lighting up of
one lakh oil lamps known as 'lakshadeepa' with the participation of devotees
in many numbers, which is unique to this temple.
A visit to this Lord Veera Anjaneya temple in this coastal city will give us an immense pleasure and satisfaction of having seen the Lord who had presented Himself before the devotees and who is a 'patithapavanaa' to bless us with all rightful thing we wish to achieve.
[ed. 02.01.03]