VEENAVAADHINI PILGRIMAGE WITH DIKSHITAR TO MADURAI AND OTHER TEMPLES
VEENAVAADHINI PILGRIMAGE WITH DIKSHITAR –PANDIA NADU (MADURAI AND NEARBY TEMPLES)
Article by Uma Venkatramani
The trip began on happy note and a birthday, on Friday evening.
Participants were Jaysri Mam And Jeyaraaj Sir, Smt. Geeta, Smt. Prabha, Smt. Latha, Smt. Uma, Smt. Karthika, Smt. Kamakshi, Ms. Meenakshi, Sri Krishna, Sri Murali.
We received news of the prestigious Sri P. Obul Reddy Endowment award (Senior Veena Artist Award) being awarded to our gurus Vidushi Smt. Jaysri Jeyaraaj Krishnan and Vidwn Sri. JT Jeyaraaj Krishnan, by Narada Gana Sabha and that it will be conferred to them on the inaugural day of their December Concerts.
It was also the birthday of Krishna Shankar, which we celebrated with cakes and samosas and vegetable puffs , idli generously coated with milagai podi, potato chips and had loads of fun in the train.
We reached the temple town of Madurai on Saturday early morning, checked into a cosy hotel, which was very close to the temple. After a little rest, bath etc., the ladies in their madisar(9 yards) finery, in green colour, and the gentlemen in matching green kurtas and veshtis, went to the temple at 5.30 am. The ambience was divine in the temple, as at that hour, there was no crowd. We were privileged to see Sri Chokkanathar being taken to his sanctum
sanctorum, from the PALLIARAI (place for divine resting, considered very holy) located within by music. The Devi is dressed every night, in white saree with contrast border, to give darshan to her devotees, when the Lord is brought to the Palliarai, every night. It is a very charming ritual, followed in many temples.
A green saree and Veshti was donated on behalf of Veenavaadhini by Mam and Sir to Meenakshi Amman and Chokkanathar. It was Sani pradosham that day and we were fortunate to be able to witness the abhishekam of the mulavar from close quarters and the Gurus with their students sang the kriti Somasundareshwaram in raga Shuddhavasanta sitting in front of the Lord.
We next went to the Meenakshi Amman Sannidhi and the Goddess blessed us by wearing the saree that we had given. The very special kriti Meenakshi Memamudham Dehi was sung there facing the Goddess . We were also asked to sing one more, and Mamava Meenakshi was then sung.
Brief History of the temple, description and a few interesting facts about the temple:
Arulmigu Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar temple, is a historic Hindu temple, situated on the ancient temple city of Madurai, on the southern bank of the Vaigai river.
The outer walls of the temple, have four towering gopurams or towers, allowing access to the devotees to enter the complex, allowing entrance to the temple from anywhere in the city.
After the city’s destruction in the 14th century, the temple complex was rebuit by the King Viswantha Nayaka, in accordance with the principles laid down in the Shilpa Shastra. The temple complex is spread over 14 acres. The courtyard is a rectangle, with 2 sides about 800 ft, and the oher 2 sides, 50 ft longer. The complex has numerous shrines inside, the 2 most important being that of Meenakshi Devi and Sri Sundareshwarar or Sri Chokkanathar.
The complex has a golden lotus sacred pond, which was meant for pilgrims to bathe in, but now that facility has been stopped. There is a 1000 pillar mandapam,with extensive sculptures, kalyana mandapam, elephant shed etc amongst other offices, for the administration of the temple.
The temple has 14 colourful Vimanas or gopurams, two of the main gopurams are covered in gold, and are visible from specific points inside the temple.
The distinct feature of Meenakshi Amman, is the green parrot on her raised right hand, which hold a lotus. The goddess herself is a green stone image (emerald), maragadam in Tamil
The Sundareshwarar shrine has a stone lingam which is shaded under a stone cobra hood. There is also a symbolic metal image of Shiva or Chokkar, in thw form on embossed feet in metal, which is every night, taken to in a palanquin to the Palliarai, inside Meenakshi Ammans Chamber, as mentioned earlier.
There is also a huge tall sculpture of Pillaiyar, carved out of a single stone, outside the Sundareshwar Srine, as we reach there from Meenakshi Ammans Shrine.
He is the MUKKURUNI PILLAIYAR, as his neiveidyam is of a single kozhukattai or ball of rice, made of 3 Kurunis(a measure).
The golden lotus pond or POTTRAMARAI KULAM, is also referred to as ADI TEERTHAM
The marriage of Meenakshi Amman with Sri Sundareshwararar is celebrated every year with pomp and splendour, in the tamil month of Chithirai (April).
Lord Vishnu, Meenakshi Amman,s brother, gives her hand in marriage to Lord Shiva.
Thus, the temple also represents the intermingling of Shaivism and Vaishnavism, in the Hindu Culture.
The shrine of Sundareshwarar is considered as one of the PANCHA SABHAI, where he is supposed to have performed the cosmic dance. There is a huge Nataraja Sculpture in silver depicting this and called VELLIAMBALAM (silver abode)
According to folk lore, Madurai is the city, in which Lord Shiva has appeared and walked in human form, as a bangle seller, as a wood cutter etc. and hence the entire city is given a divine persona.
AZHAGAR KOVIL
Our second destination was one of the prominent DIVYA PRABHANDAM temples, Azhagar Kovil, which is one of the 108 DivyaDeshams dedicated to MahaVishnu. Mahavishnu is worshipped as KALLAZHAGAR here and his consort lakshmi is THIRUMAMAGAL.
The temple is constructed on an area of 2 acres, with a seven tiered RAJAGOPURAM. The presiding deity is Sundarabahu Perumal, in standing posture, with the images of Sridevi and Bhudevi, on either side. The temple also has 2 life size images of Narasimhar, one of the avatarams of Maha Vishnu. One of them is shown holding the demon Hiranyakashipu and the other slaying him.
The rajagopuram stands tall at 187 ft, making it the seventh tallest gopuram in the world. It was supposed to have been by the Pandian kings. Jatavarman Sundara Pandian (1251/1270 AD) beautified the Gopuram of the sanctum sanctorum with Golden Plates.
This temple is famous for its famous Chithirai Tiruvizha, when Lord Kallazhagar leaves the village of Azhagar Kovil, where the temple is situated (21 Kms from Madurai), to Madurai on chithira Pournami or the full moon day which falls in the tamil month of Chithirai (April 16th to May 15th),. He is then taken into the Vaigai river ceremoniously in KUDIRAI ( Horse) Vahanam, warmly and devotedly welcomed by the devotees of Madurai.
The prominent festivals here are the Float festival (Theppotsavam) in February/March (Maasi month), Navarathri in September/October (Purattasi), Vaikunta Ekadasi (December/January).
Abhishekam here is only performed using the waters of NUPURA GANGAI, a lake on the top of the hill. As water from other sources is believed to discolour the image.
On the day of our visit to the temple, the Utsava Moorthy of Kallazhagar had been taken to NUPURA GANGAI Rakkayi AMMAN temple for Abhishekam . We were also lucky to be able to witness this abhishekam of Nupura Gangai on the Kallazhagar. Nupura Gangai is located in the hills of Solai Malai or Azhagar malai, abobe Pazhamudir Cholai, one of the ARUPADAI Veedu.
The Muthuswamy Dikshitar Keerthanai, Sri Sundararajam, set in KASHIRAMAKRIYA Ragam, adi talam, was sung by the Veenavaadhini Gurus and students here. In this song there is particular mention of the Nupura Ganga in the Charanam of the kriti, again bearing the testimony to Dikshitar’s greatness.
PAZHAMUDIR CHOLAI
From Azhagar Kovil, we proceeded to Pazhamudir cholai, one of the six Arupadai Veedu temples of Lord Murugan, situated in the Solai Malai Hills.
SInce, it was the auspiscious day, when the Utsava Murthy of Lord Azhagar was taken to the sacred Nupura Gangai for Abhishekam, we were fortunate to see Murugan, Valli And Deivanai, in the resplendent Vaira Angi, or Full Diamond Dress/Alangaram. The Vel of Lord Murugan was also similarly covered in full diamond decoration. The kriti ValliDeva Senapathe, of our Gurus paramaguru Brahmasri A Ananthakrishna Iyer in ragam Kamas, was sung by the Veenavaadhini students and Gurus’ there. The temple priest appreciated the rendition of the song, on the auspicious day.
It is the place where the Great Tamil Poetess and Saint AVVAIYAR was subjected to a divine drama by Lord Murugan, who wanted to test her and also listen to her tamil knowledge and her tamil songs.
It is the place, where Lord Murugan comes in the form of a cowherd, when she is resting, tired under the shadow of a fruit tree, in the hot sun. He proceeds to ask her, “Do you want roasted fruits or unroasted fruits? {Sutta pazham venuma? Sudatha Pazham Venuma?). Avvaiyar realises, he is no ordinary cowherd and pleads with him to reveal his identity. The boy disappears and Lord Muruga appears there. She prays to him to bless her and to continue to bestow his infinite grace on her.
Pazhamudirsolai on Solai Hills, is a dense forest, and a very fertile, green hill. It is the hill, where Valli, the consort of Lord Muruga is supposed to have lived.
There is a shrine for Lord Muruga, with Valli and Deivanai, and a separate shrine for his Vel or Spear. The hill itself is located 25 kms north of Madurai. The temple is about 3.4 kms from the foot of the hill.
There is also a temple for Rakkayi Amman, very popular amongst the local people. The Nupur Gangai is situated above this temple. And on the day of our visit, there was a near stampede there, as it was the last day of the Abhishekam of Lord Azhagar at the Nupur Gangai. But with his grace we did manage to get a glimpse of the abhishekam.
THIRUPPUVANAM
Next on our visit, was one of the PADAL PETRA SHIVA KSHETRAM (Temple where songs have been written by saints about the deity), Thiruppuvanam. The presiding deity there is Sri Pushpavaneswarar, and has been revered in the TEVARAM, the Shaivite works written by NAYANMARS, the saint poets of ancient Tamil Nadu.
We were fortunate to participate in the Sani Pradosha Pujai there too. The temple was very crowded, and the devotion of the devotees was very palpable. The temple has a broad corridor, all around, which effectively separates the Sannidhis of the God and His Consort, Soundaranayagi.The Devi’s sannidhi is to the right of the main shrine.
The Utsava Moorthy was taken in a palanquin, thrice around the temple, as part of the pradoshaPoojai, with hundreds of devotees following it, chanting HARA HARA SANKARA JAYA JAYA SANKARA.
Location and about the temple: 
The temple is located on the banks of Vaigai River, on the NH 87 on Madurai-Rameswaram Highway, 18 km east of Madurai, in Sivagangai District. The temple is built in the Dravidian Style and is believed to have been constructed during the Chola period in the 7th century. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines. The temple has a seven-tiered Rajagopuram.
This is one of the places, where Lord Shiva is supposed to have played his TIRUVILAIYADAL (divine drama or play). There was a dancing girl called Ponanaial, who was a staunch devotee of Lord Poovanathaswami. Her only goal in life was to make a golden idol of Shiva and perform puja but could not afford to do so. Impressed by her devotion, Lord Shiva took the form of a metallurgist (Rasavathi) and converted all metals in her holdings – iron, bronze, aluminium – into a golden statue of Shiva. Impressed by the beauty of the idol, she in turn, pinched the cheeks of Lord Shiva, and the mark is still supposed to be even there. There is a statue of Ponanaial in the front mandapam.
The lingam at the temple is supposed to be a swamayambu lingam, under the Parijatham tree.
After Kasi and Rameshwaram, funeral rituals are conducted at Thiruppuvanam temple, as it is located on the banks of Vaigai River.
The kshetra kriti SarasaSauvira, of Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar, in Ragam Sauviram, set to Adi Tala was sung by us there. The pallavi goes as Sarasa sauvira rasavaada karana samastatara pushpavanaadhipate. Rasavaada refers to the metallurgy .
The samashticharanam goes as – Hari BrahmhendraadAyrArdhita… referring to the legend that The Gods Indira, Hari and Brahma have prayed here.
TIRUPPARANKUNDRAM
Our last destination was Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple, one of the 6 arupadaiveedu temples, located at Tirupparankundram, which is 8 kms away from Madurai. Sandha Sashti festival is the most prominent festival celebrated here, during October/ November, (Tamil month AIPPASI)
The temple is built in rock-cut architecture style, and is believed to have been built during the Pandiya reign in the 6th Century.
According to legend, LordMurugan is supposed to have stayed here after killing the demon Surapadman and married Deivanai, the daughter of Lord Indra, king of the Devas. This finds mention in the Skanda Puranam. Lord Muruga is said to have split Surapadman into two parts…they became his VAHANAMS or carriers, peacock and rooster.
The temple has life sized sculptures in the mandapams, built in the Nayaka period during the 16th century. The Aasthana mandapa has several artistically carved pillars, leading to the 150 ft towering Rajagopuram. There is a granite hill behind the temple which has the shrine of Kasi Viswanathar. There is an image of Vinayaka in the temple, holding sugarcane and fruits.
The three halls leading to the sanctum sanctorum are at varying elevations in this temple. The main shrine houses idols of Subramanya, Durga, Vishnu, Siva and Vinayagar. The statues are all carved on the wall of the parankundram rock, which is a speciality of this temple.
The presiding deity Siva is known as Paranginathar here and his consort Parvathi is known as Aavudai Nayaki.
Another special feature in this shrine, is that the idols of Siva and Vishnu face each other.
In front of the Dwajasthambam, or the flag staff, there is a carved Nandi facing Lord Shiva, Mayil (Peacock) and Mouse, Peacock and Mouse are the carriers of Murugan and Vinayagar respectively. The temple also has rock carvings of Mahishasuramardhini, karpaga vinayagar, aandarabaranar and Uggirar. Before the arthamandapam, there is a flight of 6 steps called Shadashara Padigal. SIx is a number strongly associated with Lord Murugan. The water body, Saravana Poigai, again associated with Lord Murugan is in this temple.
Saint Sambandar, has visited this temple and has sung a Tevaram on Lord Shiva. Sundarar has also composed Tevaram about the shrine here. The well known poet Nakkirar also has composed songs about this shrine. Tiruppugazh, Kandapuranam are other evergreen literary works which speak of the glory of this shrine.
The song Gajamba Nayako, in Janjooti Ragam, Mishra Chapu by Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar was sung here by the Veenavaadhini group in the sanctum sanctorum. In front of the Utsavar the priest asked us to sing another song. Our gurus sang another Dikshitar composition Gajadhishad Anyam Na Janeham in raga Nattaikurinji.
The day ended with wonderful North Indian Dinner in Mohan Bhojanalaya in Madurai. It was time to board the train back to Chennai and we were fortunate to complete another memorable Veenavaadhini Pilgrimage with Dikshitar with the guidance and blessing of our Gurus.
Research and compilation: Uma Venkatramani
