Manamadurai

Manamadurai is famous for its earthen pots and other clay items. This is one of the big businesses of this place. The River Vaigai flows through this town. Earlier, this was one of the finest agricultural lands. This place was governed by many great kings. The course of the Vaigai here is considered auspicious, hence kings built temples of great magnitude.

I was planning a trip to Madurai and wanted to visit Manamadurai, too. As usual, I went on the internet to find out about Sri Hanuman Temples there. There was a spot marked as ‘Brindhavan Hanuman Temple’ with a few photos on the map. However, the photos did not show anything about the temple; they were of stone pillars with inscriptions.

After I visited the place and inquired about the pillar, I learned that the inscriptions relate to Rajaraja Cholan1. The inscription shows that there are two inscriptions of Rajaraja1 with a gap of around twenty years in the same pillar. The spot has nothing to do with the Hanuman temple.

Name Manamadurai

Manamadurai I had a special interest in visiting from the day I visited SV Nagar Anjaneya temple and Brindavan of Sri Sathyavijaya Teertha of Uttaradimath and wrote the article about Sri Anjaneya temple. The only connection I know between SV Nagaram and Manamadurai was Sri Sathyavijaya Teertha and the next peetathipati of Uttaradimath Sri Sathyapriya Teertha. SV Nagaram is the only place named after a Madwa guru in present Tamilnadu. An incident in the life of the next guru Sri Sathyapriya Theertha had given this place the name ‘Manamadurai’ As per the local legend the name of this place was ‘Veera Vanara Madurai’ with time became Vanara Madurai then Vana Madurai and later Mana Madurai.

For details about Sri Sri Sathya Vijaya Teertha and Sri Anjaneya consecrated by Sri Vyasaraja please visit ‘Sathyavijaya Nagaram Sri Anjaneya Temple’.

Legend

Sri Sathyapriya Teertha went on a pilgrimage to Rameshwaram, and on return, he halted on the banks of Vaigai at present-day Manamadurai. In those days, the area was a dense forest. While he was camping at that place, some thieves attacked the Math and stole away the Pooja box, thinking it was a jewel box. Guru was wonderstruck to see this mishappening and started praying Mukhya prana [Sri Hanuman] to restore Mola Rama pooja in the mutt. [Normally the bell used for pooja in the mutt has Sri Hanuman idol on it – see the photo given along.] As a miracle sprang a monkey from the idol of Hanuman on the bell kept for pooja in the Mutt. Following this first monkey, many more came. Shocked were the thieves when they saw the huge number of monkeys screaming wildly at them. Frightened thieves sought forgiveness from Guru and pleaded that they would work and earn their food henceforth.

This incident brought the name ‘Veera Vanara Madurapuri’ to this place. With time it became Vanara Madurai then Vana Madurai and later Mana Madurai.

A second version of the legend says that Sri Hanuman was on an en-tour to Lanka after Vibheeshana became king of Lanka, along with vanara. On the way they saw this kshetra so pleasant they stayed for a long period. Vibheeshana after waiting for some time to receive Sri Hanuman and entourage at Lanka, came to this kshetra itself. He placed his crown on Sri Hanuman and took him along to Lanka. Since Veera Vanaras along with Sri Hanuman stayed in this place, this came to be known as ‘Veera Vanara Madurapuri’ which became Manamadurai at a later stage.

Saints of this Kshetra

Two great saints had obtained Moksha in this kshetra. Sri Sathyapriya Theertha who professed dvaita philosophy and the other Sri Sadasiva Brahmendral who professed Advaita philosophy. Moola Brindavanam of Sri Sathyapriya Theerthar is located in Uttradi Mutt on the eastern bank of Vaigai. The adhishtanam of Sri Sadasiva Brahmendral is located in the Sri Somanather temple on the bank of Vaigai. Every year, a music festival is conducted in his honor at Manamadurai. [It may be mentioned that his adhishtanam is located at Nerur also and is believed to have taken moksha at more than one place]

Veera Azhagar Perumal Temple

Maavali Vaanathi Raya was then ruling this place. He had the practice of going to Azhagar Koil to worshipping Kallazhagar. For a few days in a row, he could not go over to Azhagar Koil and have the darshan of Lord Kallazhagar. Kallazhagar gave darshan to him and instructed him to build a temple there. A place on the banks of Vaigai was indicated by the Lord for the building of the temple. The place is none other than the place where Sri Hanuman had stayed and Sri Vibheeshana met him.

The King had built a grand temple for Sri Azhagar and a special grand place for Sri Hanuman in the temple. The presiding deity is Sundararaja Perumal and is east-facing as in Azhagar Kovil of Madurai. Sri Azhagar the utsava murthi is in the main sanctum. A separate sannidhi for Sri Soundaravalli Thayar is on the eastern side of the main sannidhi.

Three-tier rajagopuram has a lot of inscriptions on the outer wall of the temple. The sannidhi for Sri Hanuman is facing south. The festivals celebrated at Azhagar Kovil of Madurai are replicated in this temple as well. The Hanuman idol facing south is said to predate the temple. The temple is under the administration of Sivaganga Devasthanam.

Sri Hanuman

Sri Hanuman idol of this kshetra is around six and a half feet tall. Lord is in standing posture facing south. In His lotus feet, He is wearing thandai. He is seen with His folded hands and joined palms in an 'anjali' posture. In the wrist, kankan is seen. In the neck, the Lord is wearing a necklace. He is wearing a kundal in the ears. karna puspam is also seen on the ears. He is seen wearing a crown on His head. His eyes are seen sharply looking with a bright glow. As per the legend, the lord is looking at Vibheeshana the Rama devotee, and his kingdom – the reason for the glow seen in the eyes.

 

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SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST
THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE

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Ed [September 2019]
Updates: [Jan 2025]

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