My Spiritual Travelogue - Visit to Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple,Vasavappapuram, Tuticorin District, Tamilnadu.

Vasavappapuram is a tiny village in Tuticorin district of Tamilnadu which is about 18 Km from Tirunelveli junction.  The road leading to the temple diverting from the highway is not a laid one but more like a path used by bullock carts etc.  Four wheelers had to plough through the path to reach the temple.  The temple is not frequently visited by the devotees and more so, is located in a place isolated from the habitat and hence,  proper developmental work to reach the temple is not in the prime agenda of the authorities.

As per details given by the Archaka (Pandit) and also through other sources, and the nearby locals, it is given to understand that this place was once a small village some hundreds of years back with thin populated village farmers.  These farmers were doing cultivation in the lands and making their livelihood and they worshipped this Sri Varadaraja Perumal.  

The perennial river Tambraparni flows through Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts and on the banks of the river on both sides one can see vast  stretch of lush green paddy fields and thick green vegetation.      Once, some hundreds of years back cultivation was one of the prime sources of income for many in the villages around these districts.  The village farmers, in addition to cultivation, grow cattle to supplement their income and to cater to their daily needs.  They lead a calm, quite and self contended life.  Further in search of divine peace and spiritual need, they constructed temples for different Gods  as per their wish to seek blessings and boon to overcome miseries, struggles in life etc.   When all such  needs are at their reach, their mind diverted to attain more earthly comforts to add more charm and happiness to their life.   Aiming these material pleasures, they displaced to other big cities, desserting the villages to perish or to take its own destruction.  One such village is this Vasavappapuram.  Though the village is not there now, yet, one can find some of the reminiscent facts of being a village was in existence once.   

கிராமத்தின் தற்போதைய நிலை  

தனித்து விடப்பட்ட ஒரு கல்வெட்டு  சான்று 

    

The villagers and the village might have gone but, the spiritual fervour is still in existence which can be seen by the presence of Lord Varadaraja Perumal temple who bestows His blessings and boon to His devotees whoever approaches Him.  All these show that spiritualism can never be destroyed.  

கோயிலின் தோற்றம் 

கருடன் சன்னதி 

சன்னதிக்கு முன்னால் உள்ள மண்டபம் 

 

The main deity in this temple is Sri Varadaraja Perummal.  

திவ்ய அலங்காரத்தில் ஸ்ரீ வரதராஜ பெருமாள்  

Some of the old timer local villagers who are alive and migrated from here while narrating their good time in Vasavappapuram, their eyes are gleaming and droven to their old thoughts.   According to details available about this temple, the temple dates back to the 13th century, built by one ruler Seemara Seevallaban of A.D. 835-852. Later in A.D. 1216, this temple was renovated by King Sundara Pandian. Subsequently, when the Nayakkars  ruled the place, they further developed the temple. 

Now, the Pandit who do the pooja for the deity lives in the nearby town.  We made all arrangements with him in advance for performing the pooja.  He accordingly, readied himself for the task and really, did a commendable job.  He has got in him a very good taste and talent to make appeasing alankar to the deity with various beautiful flowers and other paraphernalia.  His spiritual devotion is very much praiseworthy.  When the pooja was over, to those who present there were given prasadams and sumptuous food.

At the back of the temple, a small water channel is flowing catering to the cultivation in the fields of the adjoining villages.   The bridge connects the path and the main road. 

கோயிலின் பின்னே வாய்க்கால் பாலம் 

There are a couple of nearby temples dedicated to village protecting god  (கிராம காவல் தெய்வம் ).   Villagers from nearby worship this Amman deity and do pooja regularly.  In the tamil month of Aadi (ஆடி மாதம்) special poojas are performed to the deity and lot of villagers throng the temple to offer their prayers during the festival times.  

கிராம தேவதையின் கோயில் 

  

கண்களுக்கு விருந்து கொடுத்த ஒரு ரம்மியக் காட்சி 

எல்லாம் இனிதே நடைபெற ஸ்ரீ வரதராஜப் பெருமாளை வணங்கி விடை பெற்றோம்.

வணக்கம் 

My Spiritual Travelogue - Visit to Temples in and around Pappankulam in Ambassamudram Taluk, Tirunelveli Distirct, Tamilnadu

While we were in Pappankulam to participate in the Maha Samprokshnam festivities of Sri Ramaswamy Temple, we had opportunities to visit other temples in and around that village. One among them is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Arulmigu Vadakalai Nayaki  Samedha Thiruvengadar Thirukovil (அருள்மிகு வாடாகலை நாயகி சமேத திருவெண்காடர் திருக்கோவில்). This temple is situated  just opposite to Sri Ramaswamy temple, a little far away on the eastern side.  This  is a beautiful temple and its peaceful admosphere will be liked by the devotees.  

கோயிலின் நுழைவு வாயில் 

கோயிலின் முன்னால் விருட்ஷம் 

அழகிய குட்டை 

கோயில் விமானம் 

கோயில் உட்பிரஹாரம்

As per details, this temple was built by a Pandya King  Adhithya Varman, some thousand years back.  This temple has its own uniqueness viz.  the Shivalinga was made by precious Chandrakantha stone and this type of Shivalinga will be very rare to see anywhere;  another rare uniqueness to this temple which  cannot be seen in any other temple is that the main deity Shivalinga will appear in a bigger size when you are seeing it from near the dwajasthamba area or near kodi maram and if you see the Shivalinga from near the sanctum sanctorium  the Shivalinga will look like a small Shivalinga;  

Legend says that Lord Shiva had once came to this temple from the snow clad mountain Kailash and thus this temple has got its importance.  Devotees throng this temple to worship Lord Shiva even now.  It is also a genuine belief that during monsoon failure times, devotees perform Dhara Homa praying for rains and obtain instantaneous result of getting rain.  Devotees also pray for their well being of protecting them from enemies.  

The goddess Vaadaakalai Nayaki Ambal (ஸ்ரீ வாடாகலை  நாயகி அம்பாள்) deity is sculpted in very special way depicting Her 32 expressions (Samudrika Lakshnam) with minute skill in the single sculpture.  Hence the Ambal deity is being called Vaadakalai (never fading beautiness).

Lord Guru Bhagwan shrine, the sculpture is sculpted with a nagam ( snake) under his feet which goes with the legend that whoever worship Lord Guru Bhagawan here He will save them from the clutches of their Raghu Kethu dosha; 

ஸ்ரீ விநாயகர் சன்னதி 

ஸ்ரீ குரு பகவான் சன்னதி  

Another special feature among the shrines in this temple is Lord Subramanya with His concert Valli and Deivaanai,   is sculpted in a single stone very beautifully perfectly sitting on the mayil (peacock) vahana; 

ஸ்ரீ சுப்பிரமணியர் , வள்ளி, தெய்வானை சன்னதி 

Lord Shaneeswara shrine is also sculpted in a very beautiful manner  and the crow, his vahana in stone  sculpture will appear as if a real crow standing under His feet, such a beautiful craftmanship done by the sculpture.  

ஸ்ரீ சனீச்வர பகவன் சன்னதி

நவக்ரஹா சன்னதி

The legend also says that the Pandya Kings worshipped Lord Shaneeshwara here and through His Blessings got victories over their enemies in wars;   Thus, each and every deities here have been sculpted in its own uniqueness.

Inside the main deity shrine, in one corner there is a open shrine for a siddhar who attained moksha here and He is laid to rest here, about whose details are not available.  It was learnt that on every  full moon day,  this siddhar shrine is beautifully decorated and special poojas are performed to this siddhar and large number of devotees will attend the poojas to seek siddhar's Blessings.

சித்தர் சமாதி பீடம் 

நாயன்மார்கள்  சன்னதி

A big and tall compound wall protects and surrounds the temple.  The temple needs complete renovation to preserve its uniqueness and other special features.  Last Maha kumbhabhishekam to this temple was done in 1945 as per culvert findings.  Now the Thiruppani Committee of this temple has taken up the great task of renovating this temple and to perform Maha kumbhabhishekam for this temple in the not too distant future.  They are seeking funds from devotees, donors, philanthropists and others to complete the task successfully.  

Monthly Pradoshams, Mahashivarathri and other important festivals are being celeberated in this temple.    

Temple timings are:  6.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Contact details:  Arulmigu Thiruvengadar Temple, Thirunavukkarasar Thiruppani Arakkattalai, Pappankulam - 627423,  Contact No. +91 98949 62523.  

Next we visited another small Lord Shiva temple inside the Agraharam street, situated on the way to river Gadana nadhi. Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva - (Sankaranarayanan) and His concert Sri Gomathi Amman have separate shrines in this temple and are worshipped by the devotees.  The temple needs complete renovation.    

அக்ரஹார தெரு சிவன் கோயில்

There is another temple called Sri Sadavudaiyar Sastha temple at the end of the street leading to the river side.  The main deity of this temple is Sri Sadavudaiyar Sastha and His concerts are Sri Poornakala Ambal and Sri Pushkala Ambal.  We can see devotees after taking their morning dip at the river, on their way back they will visit and worship this Sri Sadavudaiyar Sastha temple and the Lord Siva temple regularly. Festivals are being conducted at these temples and lot of local devotees participate in the festivities.  Since these temples are isolated from the main village we can see a thin crowd in these temples.    

  

ஸ்ரீ சடவுடையார் சாஸ்தா கோயில்       

Then, we had the opportunity to visit another Shiva temple dedicated for Sri Paramakalyani Samedha Sivasailapathi at Sivasailam, a beautiful village situated on the banks of the river Kadana Nadhi (river), a major tributary of the  river Tamiraparani.  This village is situated near Alwarkurichi (around 3 KM from here) and Pappankulam (around 5 KM from here).  This village Sivasailam is named after Sivasailappar and Paramakalyani Amman.  

Surrounding the temple, greenary vegetation around the temple and the flowing Kadana Nadhi and a cool breeze laced with flowering plants smell will give a feasting view to the soring eyes.  

ஸ்ரீ சிவசைலநாதர் கோயில் நுழைவாயில் 

கோயில் மதில் சுவர் 

கோயிலை சுற்றி இயற்கை காட்சி 

 மரங்களுக்கு இடையே கோபுரம் 

கோயில் உள்முகப்பு தோற்றம் 

நதிக்கரையில் மண்டபம் 

First we enter the tall main mantap where you can on both sides stone pillars adorned with beautifully sculpted various simha figured sculptures.  On the south side Sri Vinayaga shrine, shrine for 63 Nayanmars, on the northern side shrine for Lord Muruga and shrine for Sri Dakshinamurthi  facing south are there.   As we further enter inside we can see a big Nandi  near the dwajasthamba or kodi maram or flag mast.  The dwajasthamba looks majestically very beautiful covered with shining copper sheets.  Regular daily poojas are being performed for this dwajasthamba.   Druing important annual festival times, on the first day special poojas are performed to mark the beginning of the festival and a flag will be hoisted on top of this dwajasthamba.  This flag will ply fast during the entire festival celeberations and on completion of the festival this flag will be lowered down from the dwajasthamba.
It is a belief that the locals not to leave the village during the festival time once the flag is hoisted and to take part in the entire festivals and seek Lord Sailappar  & Amman Paramakalyani blessings.

Beautiful dwajasthamba or kodi maram

Passing this dwajasthamba, we can come to the Nandeeswar sannadhi.  This Nandi is sculpted in a very attractive manner and one can visualise how the sculpture could have made taking into mind all the minutest curves does a real nandi (bull)  have while sitting with its legs folded and tail moving around fanning away the flies.  It is so sculpted that you don't want to take away your eyes from seeing the nandi just like that.  It is so beautiful, giving a majestic look and automatically everybody  bow their head to the nandi to seek blessings.  On a particular day, i.e. on the last Friday of tamil month Aadi (ஆடி மாதம்) every year, this nandeeshwar will be very beauty fully decorated with sandal paste and adorned with beautiful garlands of different color flowers and special poojas will be conducted.  The festival on this day will be considered one of the special days in this temple. Regular monthly Pradosham days poojas are performed for this nandi.   

 

    

                           

Then, we enter further to worship Lord Sailappar in Linga rupa.  The main deity will be adorned beautifully everyday with various flowers and poojas are performed regularly.  We can see Lord Sailappar with ஜடா முடி (long tresses) which is unique in this temple. Nearby, there is a separate shrine is the for His concert Goddess Paramakalyani.  Whoever worship the Goddess will be bestowed with Her boon and blessings and fulfill their prayers.  After worshipping here,  we go round to worship other shrine in the praharas.  Separate shrine for Goddess for Durga is there.

This temple is one of the ancient temples nurtured by the then rulers who ruled south India. These details are available in culverts detailing about the temple history, whoever did renovation or further development to the temple which are dates back to 15 - 16th centuries.  

This is a very beautiful temple with calm and quite atmosphere on the banks of Gadana river (a tributary of river thambraparni) with its crystal clear flowing water perennially in the front,  laced with cool breez and chirping sound of various winged birds, picturesque greenary vegetation, long stretch of paddy fields and the smoky clouds covering the western ghat in the long view surrounding the temple will all attract every visitor to this place.

வணக்கம்