SRI DASA ANJANEYA OF SRI PATTABIRAMA TEMPLE, PUDHU AGRAHARAM, THIRUVIYARU, TAMIL
NADU...
gk kaushik
Thiruviyaru
Thiruviyar kshethra got its name because there are five rivers namely
Kaveri, Kudamuruti, Vennaru, Vettaru, Vadavaru are flowing through this
place. Iy means five and aarru means river in Tamil, hence the name
Thiruviyaru. This place is very popular among the lovers of carnatic music
since it is in this kshethra the Saint Thyagaraja spent most of time and
obtained mokha. Saint Thyagaraja is devoted to Lord Rama and many of his
composition are in praise of Lord Rama, and it said that he had been graced
by the dharshan of the Lord himself. Every year on the Bagula Panchami
day
the saint's aradhana day is observed, and the entire leading musician finds
it a privilege to participate in the function and sing the Pancharathna kriti
in front of the samathi of this great saint. It is almost a pilgrimage to all
the music lovers to this place during this time.
Iyyarappan temple
The main temple of this kshethra is that of Lord Siva presiding over as
Iyyarappan (Tamil name) or Panchanathiswar (Sanskrit name) and the
Sakthi is
known by the name Dharmasamvarthini. The temple built during Cholas period is
very huge. There are many Nayanmargals who had sung in praise of this Lord.
Lord is Swayambhu and is of mud, hence there is no abishekam for the Lord.
From the southwest corner of the third prakaram if you spell 'Iyaara'
you
will be astonish to hear the same echoing seven times.
Uniqueness of Dharmasamvarthini temple
As in the case of other Siva temples the sannathi for the Ambal is not in
the same compound. Ambal of this kshethra is Dharmasamvarthini and Her
sannathi is in a separate compound abetting the main temple hence known as
Dharmasamvarthini temple. Another unique point to note is that while in all
the Siva temple the Ambal is seen facing Southwards here in this kshethra she
seen facing eastwards.
From these uniqueness of the present Dharmasamvarthini temple and the
difference in the construction style and the materials used with that of the
Iyearrapan temple it is said that Dharmasamvarthini Sannathi was shifted to
the present place. It is also said that Sri Rama temple was in existence at
this place.
Maratha queen Mohanambal and Sri Rama temple
The Maratha queen by name Mohanambal had established a new town on the
southern bank of the river Kaveri, and named it as 'Panchanatha mohanambal
puram'. She had brought in many scholars and pundits to the new town hence
the place is also known as 'pudhu agraharam' which still it retains. The
queen Mohanambal feel in love at the striking beauty of the Sri Rama and his
parivara, at the Sri Rama temple adjacent to Iyerrapan temple in the northern
bank of the river Kaveri. She decided to shift this temple to the new town on
the southern bank named after her.
Presently the temple, which is in pudhu agraharam, is known as "Sri Pattabi
Raman Koil" and is maintained by Sri Ramabhadracharyar, from the meager
donations received from the devotees. The temple is well maintained and daily
arathanas are performed as per the prescribed rules.
Sri Rama and His parivara
It is a wonderful sight to look at the majestically posing Lord Rama and
his parivara. The description of the Lord quite fits the dhyna sloka :
vaithehi sahitham surathrumathale heme mahamandape
madhye-pushpaka-maasane manimaye veerasane susdhitham
aghre vasayathi prapanjanasuthe thathvam munibyeh param
vyaakiyaantham bhrathathibih parivrithem ramam baje shyamalam
vame bhumisuthaa purachcha hanuman pachchaath sumithraasudhah
sathrukno barathachcha parchvadhalayoor vaayvaathigooneesho cha
sugreevachcha vebhishanachcha yuvaraat tharasutho jambavaan
madyee neelasarooja-koomalarucheem ramam baje shyamalam
Sri Rama is seen sitting in veerasana and His left hand is resting on the
knee and the right hand is showing 'gyana mudhra'. Sri Anjaneya is seen
holding the lotus feet of his Lord with one hand and the other hand is seen
in 'dasa bhava' close to his mouth. On to the left of the Lord, (vame
bhumisuthaa) Sri Sita Devi is seen holding lotus on one hand and the other is
seen as 'ishwarya dhaana hastha'. Normally it is always customary to have Sri
Devi on to the right of the Lord of the kshethra. This is the unique in this
kshethra that Sri Devi is seen on His left. By her stands Sri Shathrugun
waving the royal fan. On the right of the Lord Rama stands Sri Lakshman with
the folded hands. Sri Bharatha is seen standing on his side holding royal
umbrella. The wonderful scene of the Lord Rama's parivara beholds the breath
of the devotees. The most mesmerising of this parivara is the Lord Anjaneya
on the left front in the sitting posture holding veena, singing Ramaganam.
Unique uthsava murthis
It is unique of this temple that both the
moolavar and the uthsava
murthis are in the same posture. Normally this arrangement of moolavar and
uthsava vighrahas in the same posture does not exist in any temple. The
uthsava Sri Rama is seen sitting in the veerasana and giving out vyakyana
holding his hand in the 'thathwa gyana' mudra. His parivar are seen as in the
posture as described above.
Another uniqueness of the Sri Lakshmana is that he holds the bow of Sri Rama
along with his. As a dasa of the Lord Rama he is seen fanning the Lord with
the samaram (royal fan).
Third uniqueness is that Sri Anjaneya is seen sitting on his knees holding
Ramayana in one hand and on the other hand he has kept in a posture as if he
is holding japamala.
Trinities of carnatic music
The three tycoons of carnatic music known as Sangeetha Trimurthi are
Saint Tyagaraja, Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshathar and Sri Shyama Shastrigal. Legend
has it that Saint Tyagaraja the follower of Narada tradition was gifted with
the "swararnavam" palm leafs by Saint Narada. Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshathar is
follower of Hanumath tradition. Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshathar visited Thruviyar
invited by Sri Tyagaraja. On a Sri Rama navami day Sri Dhikshathar came along
with Sri Tyagaraja and had dharshan of Sri Pattabi Raman of this temple and
sung a composition "Mamava sri pattabi Rama…" in raga manirungu. This temple
has the uniqueness of having been worshiped by both these tycoons.
Pancha anupam (uniqueness) of this temple
Firstly Sri Sita Devi is seen on the left side of the Lord as described
in "vaithehi sahitham…" which is not found in any other temple.
Secondly Sri Anjaneya is seen holding the lotus feet of his Lord with one
hand and the other hand is seen in 'dasa bhava' close to his mouth, which is
not found in any other temple.
Thirdly both the moolavar and the uthsava murthis are in the same posture,
which is not found in any other temple.
Fourthly uthsava Sri Lakshmana is holding the bow of Sri Rama along with his,
which is not found in any other temple.
Fifthly uthsava Sri Anjaneya is seen sitting on his knees holding Ramayana in
one hand and on the other hand he has kept in a posture as if he is holding
japamala, which is not found in any other temple.
Present temple
The temple does not have Rajagouparam and as you enter the temple you are
welcomed by the dwaja stampa and bali peedam. Sri Garuda and Sri Prassanna
Anjaneya in the mandapam near dwaja are seen with folded hands facing the Sri
Rama parivara. After taking permission from them you enter the main mandapam
and you can the Garbhagraham. The temple does not have any income other than
the denotations from the devotees. With the meager income the temple is run
efficiently with the daily puja as per the norms specified under agama rules.
The devotees who are interested in helping a noble cause of upkeep of this
unique temple in many ways may contact the octogen aarathagar Sri.
Ramabhadracharyar.
Wherever you are make it a point to help upkeep of this pancha anupam temple of pancha nadi kshethra in your way, you think is befitting to this temple. Make a visit to this temple once in your life time.
[ed. Dec. 2005]