The village karuveli

In Tamil Nadu there is a kshetra by name karu veli [கருவிலி] with presiding deity Sri Sarguneswaran and His Sri Sarvanga Sundari. Hymn in praise of the presiding deity had been sung by Sri Apper swamigal in his Thevaram. The Kshetra is located between Punthottam and Nachiyar Koil. This place is now known as KaruVeli [கருவேலி] [in English the spelling remains same but ve is pronounced ‘vae’ in the second].

Why name Karuveli

‘Karu’ [கரு] in Tamil means ‘womb’ [where from birth takes] ‘Karuveli’ [கருவிலி] means birth less. The prayers to Sri Sarguneswara can make His devotee rid of birth / rebirth and bestow ‘moksha’.

To indicate this, holy water of this kshetra is known as ‘yama thirtham’. After having bath in this holy water, dharshan of Sri Sarguneswara, the devotee is bestowed the state of non rebirth. This holy kshetra which was once flourishing with activities had gone to near ruins in the recent time.

Back to glory

But it was not to remain so. In the year 1995 Dr. Sri V.Krishnamurthy Ex-Chairman BHEL, Maruti, Sail etc., and his brother, whose forefathers were hereditary trustees of this great temple paid a visit to this kshetra and things started changing.

It is an interesting incident as to how these great men were brought back to their village and how temple of Sri Sarguneswara once maintained by their forefathers got renovated by them.

The role of Sri Anjaneya is great in getting Dr. Sri V.Krishnamurthy and his brother back to their roots and the renovation of the great Siva temple done by them.

Similarity of Sri Anjaneya and Sri Sarguneswara

‘Sarva roga hara:’ is one of the namas found in ‘Astothra sada namavali of Sri Anjaneya. ‘roga’ means disease ‘hara’ means getting rid off. Sri Anjaneya has the capabilities of getting rid of all diseases of His devotee. He who carried the mountain of medicine is sure to cure us all from illness. ‘sarva’ means all / any type of. Therefore He is seen here as a Lord who can cure ‘all disease’. But as along as body is there one or the other ailment is sure to there. Therefore ‘Sarvarogahara:’ means Sri Anjaneya is sure to liberate from birth/rebirth and bestow ‘moksha’ to His devotees.

We could see that both Sri Sarguneswara of Karuveli and Lord Anjaneya both bestows liberation from rebirth – Karuveli [கருவிலி].

The Ancient Anjaneya Temple of Karuveli

In the centre of the Karuveli village there is a small temple for Sri Anjaneya. The temple was in a dilapidated condition and needed repairs to be carried out. Since the village is in an isolated place and people were having meager funds, there were not many who could spare money for renovation or repair of the temple. A devotee of Lord Anjaneya of this temple, once when in Chennai called on brother of Dr. Sri V.Krishnamurthi. He told him that the temple of Sri Anjaneya requires repair / renovation. The requisted amount was given to him.

After some time, a relative of the brothers visited the village and came to know that the amount was insufficient for the repair and the money is in safe custody of the Sri Hanuman devotee and was taken around the village. He was astonished to see the great village where once their forefathers lived. He was more wonder struck to see the great Siva temple which was in ruins.

Sri Anjaneya brought renovation to the great old Siva temple of this Kshetra

On his return, he had described the village and Sri Sarguneswara temple which once their forefathers were hereditary Trustees before it was taken over by HR&D.

This prompted Dr. Sri V.Krishnamurthi and his brother to visit village Karuveli- their root. Once in the kshetra and saw the plight of the temple and village they took a decision to renovate the temple of Sri Sarguneswara and Sri Sarvanga Sundari.

Sri Anjaneya of this kshetra had done the great job of showing/ bringing the brothers to their roots. And more great job of renovation of the huge/ very huge Siva temple of this kshetra.

Wherever He is He is a dasa, a great pious dasa.

Sri Rama connection to this kshetra

This kshetra has another connection with Sri Rama. It is said that one of their [brothers] forefathers by name Sri Rama Krishna Sarma was a great Sri Rama baktha. He was blessed by non other than Sri Lakshman himself with ‘Sankarshana Mantra’. He used to recite ‘Srimath Ramayana’ in the ‘navagam’ inside the temple. On one of such recitation while he was reading ‘Sri Vamana Avathara’ in Bala Kandam, he was given dharshan by of Sri Vamana Himself. The description as in Ramayana matching with that of the dharshan, he and his associates had. Sri Vamana slowly merged/ amalgamated in the pillar near by.

Therefore it is no wonder that Sri Rama Bhaktha Hanuman had brought the lost glory to the temple and the village.

During the renovation of this temple great temple of Shiva, a west facing sannadhi for Sri Anjaneya was added near the Gopuram. Sri Anjaneya is Sanjeeviraya here, holding the mountain in His left hand and in right hand a gadha. Fully made out of a single white marble stone is a feast to the eyes.

Sri Anjaneya Temple

The Anjaneya Temple of the village is east facing and had only garbhagraham and a mun mandapam originally, after renovation another mandapam was added in front of mun mandapam making it convenient for the devotees to assemble for bhajan/special pooja.

Sri Anjaneya of this temple is about two feet tall and seen in ‘Anjali hasta’ pose. Just behind Sri Anjaneya the complete Sri Ram parivar is present. Sri Anjaneya who had done wornders to this little village is simple looking. Prayers to Thee.

 

---

Experience

Prayers to this ‘Sarva roga haran’ Sri Anjaneya and Sri Sarguneswara of Karuveli kshetra, the devotee is sure to be bestowed the state of non rebirth.

 

Ed [February 2013]
Information Source book:
‘Nalam Tarum Karuveli’ [நலம் தரும் கருவேலி].
Published by Culture and Heritage Trust of Karuveli