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Sunday, August 9, 2009

மசானி அம்மன், ஆனைமலை,பொள்ளாச்சி,கோயம்புத்தூர்,



Masani amman
The name masani comes from the word mayana sayani which means one who sleeps in graveyard.
In the Sangam Era, Anaimalai was known as Nannanur and ruled by a chieftain called Nannan. There was a dense grove of mango trees belonging to him. Appointing checkpost officials, he had proclaimed punitive measures against trespassers. An unfortunate young girl who was bathing in the river Aliyar stumbles upon a mango fruit coming to her, floating on the water. Unable to resist temptation, she at once picked it up and bit it. The prying officials reported the news to the ruler. The poor girl was produced before the chieftain with her clothes dripping water. She pleaded not guilty and prayed to the lord to set free.

She explained that she never committed any offence; if at all it was considered an act of stealth, it was more by chance than by choice. Although the father of the woman offered to give an image made of gold equal to her weight by way of compensation together with 81 elephants, the ruler did not relent and ordered her execution.

Filled with fury and indignation, the kith and the kin of the ill-fated woman took arms against the unscrupulous chieftain and killed him in a battle near Vijayamangalam. The body of the hapless women was buried in the graveyard. An image of her was made and people started worshipping it every Thursday and Friday. Soon a temple was built for the women, commemorating her martyrdom.
Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple, often referred as Anaimalai Masani Amman Temple, is a highly revered shrine situated at Anaimalai, in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu. The temple, nestled amid grassland interlaced with criss-cross pathways and rivulets against the backdrop of Anaimalai Hills, is about 24 km south-west of Pollachi. It is situated at the confluence of Aliyar River and the Uppar stream.
Anaimalai Masani Amman Temple enshrines Goddess Arulmigu Masani Amman as the presiding deity. Other deities worshipped include Neethi Kal (stone of justice) and Mahamuniappan.
Shrine as a grievance cell

Most noteworthy feature of the Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple is that it serves as a welfare government listening to the grievances of the public, as a clinical dispensary rectifying the physical ills of people and as a court of justice easing the suffering of men and women.
Hundreds of devotees flock to the temple, especially woman, during Tuesdays and Fridays. The annual Kundam Festival celebrated here is a major draw attended by thousands of devotees amid much pomp and splendor.
The idol of Masaniamman is very powerful one and offer blessing to all devotees who have a stunt belief in her. Devotees also expect that Goddess will respond their prayer within three weeks. There is a stone image in the temple representing as a Goddess of Justice with the body of serpent.

Merchants meeting loss in their business, people hassled by enemies, women or men who lost their belongings take bath, sport holy ashes of the shrine, grind red chillies in stone grinder of the temple, smear the paste on stone of Justice called ‘Neethi Kal’.
In the sanctum, the extensive image of Masaniamman lying on her back measures about 15 feet long from head to foot. The gigantic image of Masaniamman is painted with flashy colours.

Here, one can see Goddess Masaniamman in the lying posture. The idol has four hands, two hands placed on the ground, two hands raised above. While the top left hands hold a skull and snake and other two hands holding drum and a trident.

On Tuesdays and Fridays devotees rush to this temple, during Krithigai and New Moon day they undergo special pooja.
Nannan is one among the seven great kings who were great philanthropists. (kadai elu vallal)(the last seven philanthropists.) But the case of mayanasayani has given Nannan a black mark.
It is also believed that Lord Rama on his way in search of Seetha was attracted by this powerful temple and made meditation over here which adds glory to this temple. So, once you visit Pollachi don’t miss to worship Masaniamman.

Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple

WELCOME TO ARULMIGU MASANI AMMAN TEMPLE

Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple, often referred as Anaimalai Masani Amman Temple, is a highly revered shrine situated at Anaimalai, in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu. The temple, nestled amid grassland interlaced with criss-cross pathways and rivulets against the backdrop of Anaimalai Hills, is about 24 km south-west of Pollachi.
It is situated at the confluence of Aliyar River and the Uppar stream Anaimalai Masani Amman Temple enshrines Goddess Arulmigu Masani Amman as the presiding deity. The deity is seen in a lying posture measuring 15 ft from head to foot. The deity is depicted with four hands; two placed on the ground and two raised above. Other deities worshipped include Neethi Kal (stone of justice) and Mahamuniappan. Legend has it that during Lord Ram wanderings in search of Sita, he stayed in Anaimalai in a graveyard.
Most noteworthy feature of the Arulmigu Masani Amman Temple is that it serves as a welfare government listening to the grievances of the public, as a clinical dispensary rectifying the physical ills of people and as a court of justice easing the suffering of men and women. Hundreds of devotees flock to the temple, especially woman, during Tuesdays and Fridays. The annual Kundam Festival celebrated here is a major draw attended by thousands of devotees amid much pomp and splendor.
This temple comes under: HRCE Inspected division of Anamalai. 

Friday, August 7, 2009

thiruvarangulam,pudukkottai,

Mythological stories:

There are a number of myths and legends associated with this temple.
Pushbadandan who was carrying the golden umbrella for Lord Shiva in Mount Kailash is settled here as God is the legend.
for poojas and abhishekams contact:

P.Kumar Gurukkal  .....   9751956198

P.Kannan Gurukkal  ......   9443604207


About the origin of the temple
The following account of the legendary origin of the temple is taken from an old Tamil prose manuscript.
A Rishi who was doing penance in the forest near Thiruvarangulam happened one day to restore to a hunter his wife whom he had lost in the woods. Out of gratitude, the hunter brought him everyday some tubers and fruit to eat. The hunter was in turn amply rewarded for his service, for a Palmyra tree sprang up miraculously in the jungle, and dropped a fruit of pure gold every day at the hunters feet as he brought food to the hermit. But unaware of the value of the fruit he sold them all to a Chettiyar of Vallanad for some rice, salt, chilly, and tobacco. A dozen years passed, and the Chettiyar had amassed thousands of these gold fruits.
At this time the Chozha king who held sway over these parts had built a fort near Thiruvarangulam. The hunter finally discovering his stupidity one day demanded additional payment for his fruit from Chettiyar, and when this was refused he appealed to the king who made inquiries. The king examined the miraculous fruits and found them to be pure gold. They then sought for the hermitage of the sage, but both he and the Palmyra tree had vanished, and in their place stood a lingam.
It also happened that a shepherd who carried milk for the king's use from Kadayakkudi (கடையக்குடி) stumbled every day at this hallowed spot and broke his milk pot over the lingam, thus unintentionally performing the daily ablution of the God with cow's milk. When the shepherd one day examined the spot with pickaxe and spade, he inadvertently cut the top of the lingam and the cut may have seen to this day - and was horrified to see blood issuing from the cut. The king decided that a temple must be built to the God, and he was pleased to find that the Chettiyar of the golden fruit was himself willing to build one at his own expense in six months. After completing the temple in this manner and providing it with a car and some jewels, 3000 of the gold fruits were still left and they were locked up in the temple cellars.

The monument: Hara-theerthesvara temple

Thiruvarangulam is noted for its fine ancient temple dedicated to Hara-tirthesvara (ஹரதீர்தேஸ்வரர்) and Brahadambal (பிரகதம்பாள்). A Nataraja bronze of superlative quality from this temple is now on display at the National Museum, New Delhi.
The place was once a centre of iron-ore mining and contained in outcrop of ochre on the bunds of one of the temple tanks, called the Brahma-kundam (பிரம்ம குண்டம்).
The main shrine of the temple, which has been expanded down the ages, was built in the 12th century Chozha epoch. The earliest inscription in the central shrine is dated in the fortieth year of Kulottunga Chozha III (மூன்றாம் குலோத்துங்க சோழன்) (1218-19). The temple may have been built either in the reign of Raja Raja II (இரண்டாம் இராஜராஜன்) or early in the reign of Kulottunga III - the reign of Raja Raja II is considered to be more probable judging from the architectural features.

The Temple Architecture

The garbha-griham (கர்பகிரகம்) of Hara-tirthesvara is having the Chozha style of architectural features. The pilasters over the plinth have simple idhazh-s (இதழ்) without petals, large palagai-s (பலகை) with two vyali-s (யாளி) over each palagai-s as if supporting the architrave above. Above the pilasters a line of bhutha-gana (பூதகணம்) supporting a convex moulded cornice. The kudus (கூடு) are formed of foliage scrolls with figures of human heads within. There are niches on the wall, that on the south has a very finely carved figure of Vina-dhara Dakshina-moorthi (வீணாதார தக்ஷிணாமூர்த்தி), that on the west one of Lingod-bhava and that on the north one of Brahma. The niches are surmounted by makara-torana-s (மகரத் தோரணங்கள்).
The ardha-mandapam (அர்த்த மண்டபம்) and maha-mandapam (மஹா மண்டபம்), which are in front of the shrine, are also of the Chozha style.
The main shrine, ardha-mandapam (அர்த்த மண்டபம்) and maha-mandapam (மகாமண்டபம்) are surrounded by a hundred-pillared mandapam, the construction of which the Statistical Account of Pudukkottai attributes to Gopulingam, a Chozha minister. Along the walls of the southern cloister are large figures of the 63 Saiva saints. In this mandapam are sub-shrines of Ganesa, Lakshmi, Subrahmanya, Bhairava, etc. In the front part of this mandapam are the processional (உத்சவ மூர்த்தி, utsava-moorthi) images, which are fine specimens of late Chozha or early Pandya bronze.
From this mandapam one passes out through the second gopuram erected by a Gangaiyaraya (காங்கேய ராயன்) chief. It is in the Pandya style. Between the second gopuram and the first or main gopuram is a large corridor with massive monolithic pillars (anivetti-k-kal, அணிவெட்டிக்கால்) with carved lions on top supporting the roof. The pillars are elaborately sculptured with figures of donors, like, the Vallanad Chettiyar-s (வள்ளநாட்டுச் செட்டியார்), local chieftains, etc. In the middle part of the ceiling are sculptured the signs of zodiac. To the north of the mandapam are the sabha-mandapam (சபா மண்டபம், hall of dance) and a separate enclosure for the Amman shrine, which is much simpler than that of the God.
Architectural features of the Amman shrine mark the transition from the Chozha to the Pandya epoch. The vyali-s (யாளி) and bhutha-gana (பூதகணம்) found in the central shrine are absent here. The earliest inscription on this shrine says that the structure was built by Kannudaya-perumal (கண்ணுடைய பெருமாள்), queen of the Nishada-raja (நிசதராஜா) chief of Piranmalai (பிரான்மலை) and daughter of the Nishada-raja chief of Ponnamaravathi (பொன்னமராவதி).
The main gopuram may be assigned to the late Pandya epoch and has the decorative pilasters motif.

thattaththimoolai,nannilam

THATTATHTHI MOOLAI

Thattaththimoolai is in the bus route of Tiruvarur and Nannilam. Get down
at Anaikkuppam and go 1 km towardswest. Can be reached by bus from
Kumbakonam to Nannilam also.

The main deity is KARUMBAYIRAM KONDA AYYANAR (thousand cane sugar god)
He is with Bushkalamba andPoornamba. A historical event happened 2000 years
back is the reason for that name. A farmerby name Sengodan has brought sugar
cane in a cart from Karaikkal to Needamangalam to crush it and make
jaggery. On the way as night settled he washes himself and take rest at the bank
of Varatharaja pushkarani near the border of Thadakanthapuram. Some boy
approaches him and ask some sugar cane to eat. He refuses and say that they
are only grasses. Let it be as it is say the boy and disappeared in the dark.

In the morning farmer goes to the mill and the crusher incharge tells why are you
cheating us by bringing grasses as sugar cane. He sees the cart and there is only
grasses. He weeps and returns to his village. In the next night in his dream the same
boy comes and asks how much you have got for your grasses. He tells that I am the
Thadakanthapuram chieftain "maha sastha". But you cheats me by saying there
are only grasses. Farmer weeps and Sastha advices him to put a big panthal
(tent like that) by 1000 sugar canes. Former does it and donate some lands for
the temple for maintaining oil expenditure for the lamps.

This is one among the famous Sastha temples in Tiruvarur District. Friday,
sunday and tuesday are auspicious. Give seven children I will tide one sound
producing bell in your temple is a famous prayer here. To get the theft articles
to return and to join again for the couples after separation application are written
and tied in the temple.

Sapthamathas (seven mothers), Madurai veeran, Muniswaran, Veeran,
Ganapathy are also in the temple. At the east side of the village Mariamman temple,
vishwanathar visalakshi temple, at west sridevi, poodevi, varadharaja perumal
temple are there. During Chithrai (April) month ten days festival will be celebarated.
Come and get the blessings of Karumbayeeram konda Iyen.

vettudaiya kali, ariyakurichi,sivaganga



Vettudaiya Kali,Ariyakurichi,Sivagangai.





This Vettudaiya Kali dwells in a small Village, 13 k.m East of the town "Sivagangai", called Ariyakurichi, on the way to the coastal town 'Thondi' Ariyakurichi is 2 k.m south from the village 'Kollangudi', which is located on the way to 'Thondi' from Sivagangai.



The queen of Sivagangai was on her way back to Sivagangai after attending the funeral of her husband who was killed by the British General Kernel Joseph at Kalayarkoil. The British force was following her secretly. At Ariyakuruchi they asked an young girl who was there to feed her cattle about the whereabouts of the queen, who refused to reveal anything. The soldiers killed her by cutting her head. She was then prayed as Kali. Later the queen of Sivagangai, Velu Natchiar, donated a lot of arable land to this temple. She even gave away her diamond mangal sutra to the goddess as an offering. Kali upholds morality and punished the evildoers and perjweers when the affected devotees pray her for justice. They pray her and cut some coins into two with a chisel and mallet, praying to her to do justice to them. As she was killed by the rulers without any justice she will be very angry with the people who are misusing their power on innocents.


To wipe out bad things to make the bad people understand their faults the "God" - a supreme power took the incarnation of "Kali"- the destructive Goddess of evil in the world. The great saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was inspired by the Goddess Kali - who dwells in Calcutta. In the north of India, many great men like Kalidasa - a great Sanskrit poet and Vikramaditya – an honest king who ruled Ujjain worshipped "Kali" and got benefited.
This Vettudaiya Kali dwells in a small Village, 13 k.m East of the town "Sivagangai", called Ariyakurichi, on the way to the coastal town 'Thondi' Ariyakurichi is 2 k.m south from the village 'Kollangudi', which is located on the way to 'Thondi' from Sivagangai.

Nearest Railway Station : Sivagangai- 13Kms.

Nearest Airport : Madurai- 57 Kms.

The temple is amidst paddy fields at Ariyakurichi. It has a small tower at the entrance and Lord Muruga and Lord Ganapathi on either side of it. The God, who can be seen through the main tower entrance, is Lord Vettudaiya Ayyanar. Wearing Panjakatcham and Yogasana Pattai. hip near the left leg and Thanda at right hand with Sandal Puttu at magudam he appears. Instead of convoluted lock, which Ayanar generally has, He has a lock of fire. Ayyanar is called as 'Maha Sastha' like 'Bala Sastha' of Sabarimala, Ayyappan. Ayyanar is with His consorts 'Poorna' and 'Pushkala' 'Artha Mandapam' , a building which leads to sanctum sanctorum, has the idols of Lord Murugan and Lord Vinayagar. Karuppa Velalar statue is situated outside the Arthamandapam right side to Ayyanar, who performed poojas on the back of the hearts around 60
villages. He sitting on the horse appears beneath Dwaraga Palagar. They are
 Kurichi plants are abundant in the forest area hence it is called Ariyakurichi.
 Diagonally apposite to Ayyanar has the Sanctum sanctorumof Goddess 
'Vettudayar Kali', looking towards the west. There was no idol 200 years
 ago at the spot, where the stone idol exists now. The stone idol
 replaced the mud idol some sixty years ago. The corridor next to
 sanctum sanctorum features the paintings of Goddess blissful adventures. 
The temple has the idols of Lord Anjaneya, Solama1aisamy, 
Lord Meenakshi Sundareshwarar and Lord Thirumal. Lord Karupanaswamy
 is not inside the campus of the temple.



Once Parvathi, the consort of Lord Siva, playfully closed the eyes of Lord Siva. That resulted in the black out of fourteen worlds. She was punished by Lord Siva to be born in the world as Kali. 'Kalam’ in Tamil means 'Black'. 'Kali' is one who is black in complexion. Kali killed Sandasuran, an evil demon who had been giving trouble to the Devas. The place in which the Devas stayed is 'Devakottai', the place where they saw 'Kali' or 'Devi' is 'Kandadevi', the place where the Sandasuran Therkodi broken is called 'Kodikulam' , the place in which 'Kali' defeated Sandasuran is 'Vetriyur', the place he conquered is called 'Vettriyur' and the place where the Devas showered the flowers is called 'Poongudi'. After which she went to Kalayarkoil to worship 'Kaleeswarar' (Lord Siva) and to get redeemed from Her punishment and then she became 'Umadevi' (Parvathi).

Special Aspects
Kali is the symbol of courage and Valour. She is in a sitting posture with Her
 left leg crossed and the right leg lying on the demon and with a 
Trident (Scepter) symbolizing a weapon to uphold goodness and honesty.
 People of this area have a belief that they should worship another Goddess
 who dwells in 'Karungulam' near Kandaramanickam (Tiruppattur)
 'ParaNachiAmman', within one year after worshipping Kali. Kali has 
eight hands with weapons of many sorts, meant only to destroy that
 evil things, in each hand. She is facing the Western direction but is 
capable of removing evils an around Her. She appears with Sulam,
 Angusam, Vall, and Arrow in her four right hands, Pasam, Gedayam, Vil 
and Kabalam in her four left hands.