My Spiritual Travelogue - Visit to Kammangudi Sri Maha Sastha Temple

Visit to Kammangudi Sri Poornamba - Pushkalamba samedha Sri Nalla Sevugar Dharma Sastha Temple

Kammangudi is a very small tiny village surrounded by vast paddy fields, situated near Nannilam (also taluk headquarters) in Tiruvarur District of Tamilnadu, around 35 Kms away from Kumbakonam.   One can get into Nannilam Bus Stand by means of a pulic transport either from Kumbakonam or Mayiladuthurai and from there auto rickshaws are available to fetch you to Kammangudi temple which is about 3 KMs.  The road leading to this village or leading to the town is not very good, has many potholes and there is no proper public transport facility available.  The village panchayat has a primary school and for higher studies the children have to pedal their way through bicycles/bikes to the nearby town.  But, one thing for sure, it is a divine place, far away from the madding crowd and the traffic snarl;  quite calm, surrounded by green fields lazed with cool breeze and the birds chirping sounds..    

Not many known temples are here in this Kammangudi village but a temple known to my in-law's family is there - their  குலதெய்வம் கோயில் (Family deity temple) for Sri Maha Sastha, also known as "Sri Nalla Sevugar Dharma Sastha with His consorts Sri Poornamba and Sri Pushkalamba and a 300 years old Sri Sivan temple which is now in a dilapidated condition."  

The main entrance to the temple is centered in the thorny bushes that are fencing it and one has to closely look out for the same. From there a carpeted stone path leads to the main temple gate.  The color painting done at the temple and its precincts are beautiful and very pleasant to the eyes.  The upkeep maintenance in this small temple is really a wonder.  Neither this temple is a pilgrim spot nor frequently visited by devotees but, its cleanliness and regularity in performing daily poojas by the gurukkal who lives nearby  clearly shows how the sevaks/archakas fully embed their lives with devotion and nithya-anushtana karmas.   When we visited the temple in the middle of August 2023, renovation work was going on.

Temple entrance

நுழை வாயில் உட்புறம் 

         

                                          

கோயிலருகிலொரு சிறிய  குட்டை 

கோயிலின் முகப்பு தோற்றம் 

கோயிலின் மற்றொரு தோற்றம் 

                                                     

Sri Poorna-Pushkalamba samedha Sri Nalla Sevugar Dharma Sastha sannidhi

கோயிலின் உள்ளே நல்ல வீரன், குதிரை வீரன், விநாயகர், நாகர்,  ஸ்ரீ மஹா சாஸ்த உடனுறை ஸ்ரீ பூர்ணம்பாள் -ஸ்ரீ புஷ்க்கலாம்பாள், பிடாரி அம்மன் ஆகியோருக்கு தனித் தனி சன்னதிகள் இருக்கின்றன.

குதிரை வீரன் சன்னதி

நல்ல வீரன் சன்னதி 

பிள்ளையார் சன்னதி 

நாகர் சன்னதி 

ஸ்ரீ பிடாரி  அம்மன் சன்னதி

கம்மங்குடி சிறப்பை விளக்கும்  சுலோகம் 

The above sloga was written by Sri Narayana Dhikshithar, brother of  Revered Sri Sengalipuram Ananatharama Dhikshithar,  seeking the benign blessings of Sri Maha Saastha for this village Kammangudi.        

இந்த ஸ்லோகத்தின் பொருள் : "பசு மடியிநிருந்து பால் கரக்கும் பொழுது எழும் தொனியும் பிறந்தவுடன் குழந்தை எழுப்பும் தொனியும் சதா சர்வ காலமும் நிறைந்த வண்ணமாக இந்த கம்மங்குடி கிராமம் திகழ சாஸ்த்தா  ரக்ஷிப்பாரக." 

We have made all prior arrangements with the gurukkal for the pooja to be performed. Gurukkal  started the initiation for the pooja on our arrival. Vedic hymns were chanted while performing abhishegam for the deity with all paraphernalia. Then the deity was fully adorned with flowers, vasthrams etc. Gurukkal then performed the Aarti.  It was a great feast to our eyes and we offered our prayers to God.   Then prasad was distributed to all present at the temple.

அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்ட ஸ்ரீ மஹா சாஸ்தா , ஸ்ரீ பூர்ணாம்பாள், ஸ்ரீ புஷ்கலாம்பாள் 

After the darshan here,  we proceeded to Kammangudi Sri Sivan Temple which is in a very short walk away distance.  

We had a very nice darshan here.  Though, this is a very small temple, the wall paintings around the sannadhi are very colorful and very attractive.  Here also renovation/repair work are undergoing.

The day was an yet another important and a special day in our life and we prayed to our Sri     Poornamba-Pushkalamba samedha Nalla Sevugar Dharma Sastha Ayyanar to bestow all those devotees come here with His Devine Blessings and Divya Darshan forever.    

With everyone's Kaingaryam, who visit Kammangudi and these temples, its nodoubt,  these temples can be changed into a very powerful one with more and more festival celebrations in a grand manner and attract even more devotees far and near.  Let us all pray Lords  Sri Ayyanar and Shiva shower their Blessings and grace on us and lead us in a good path.

வணக்கம்