Meenakshi Devi From Kongu Nadu

The Trinity of Goddess Shakti are Kanchi Kamakshi, Madurai Meenakshi and Kasi Visalakshi. When we talk of Madurai, the first thing to strike our mind would be Meenakshi also Vice versa. Madurai and Meenakshi are inseparable identities. But for me, Now Devi Meenakshi’s name reminds me of one divine friend of mine from Coimbatore, ‘Vignesh Balan’, who got Deeksha from his guru and has surrendered himself to Devi Meenakshi.

Last year Navaratri 2018, I wrote about my favorite “Bangaru Kamakshi of Thanjavur”. For this year I’m presenting you my blog about Meenakshi Devi from Coimbatore.

About Vignesh - The Meenakshi Priyan

Vignesh Balan is my friend whom I met recently through Facebook. Initially when I gone through his Facebook posts, all I found is he’s madly devoted towards Goddess Meenakshi. Vignesh is in his mid-20s’, previously working somewhere in Thiruppur, now in Coimbatore. He was always speaking and sharing about his Goddess Meenakshi. This made me more interested to know about how he’s got into such devotion. Whatever he has shared with me about his experience, I’m keeping short because going into details might make you all confused.

Rare Sitting Posture of Meenakshi

Making of The rare Meenakshi

Vignesh Balan got Deeksha from his guru Agasthiya Shiva Siththar back around 2013 probably. After few years, Vignesh had this dreams of Devi Meenakshi appearing in his dreams frequently, especially in sitting posture, whereas Meenakshi Devi is actually in standing form. In the year of 2015, when he went to meet his Guru in Pudhukottai, he met another person who’s an ardent devotee of Arunachaleshwarar. His name was  Muralidharan, who sponsored for the making the idol of Devi out of the intention of serving a noble cause. Finally Vignesh and Sthapathi decides to make an idol of Devi Meenakshi in sitting form, for which they had just one photo of Raja Mathangi deity.

Meenakshi Before Alangaram

When the Stapathi poured in the heat metal into the shape of Devi Meenakshi, other workers notices that the deity even before getting its complete structure is shining like a bright sun, which doesn’t normally occurs for any other idols while making. Then they realizes the presence of cosmic power in it. The day when heated metal was poured in, unfortunately Vignesh loses his father. 

Finally, the idol making of Devi Meenakshi got completed in 2016. Vignesh took the idol after opening the eyes of the deity to various temple including Lalithambigai temple, Thirumiyachur, Kumbeshwaran Temples, Patteeswaram temple and Finally to Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. There as surprise to Vignesh, one of his known priest takes the Meenakshi idol in sitting form into the shrine of Meenakshi, there it was kept for around 90-minutes and pooja being carried out. He then brings his Meenakshi Devi to his home with lot of Pooja already being done and could be able to feel the presence of Meenakshi Devi in his idol. 

After 3 months of Pooja to the Meenakshi Devi in the posture of sitting, he then eventually made to buy an idol of Meenakshi, made of Sand from Madurai. Since then he considered the Utsava Moorthy of Meenakshi as the Moolava Moorthy. Once the Moolava Moorthy Meenakshi came in the hands of Vignesh, he then continues his pooja. During Aarthi time, he finds Meenakshi smiling gently towards him. He didn’t cared about that, as he was thinking that it was an effect of the light from the lamp, but this regular occurrence of Meenakshi Devi intrigued him. As he observed it wasn’t because of the light, he actually felt the Meenakshi Devi breathing as the fire in the lamp was shaking, which was kept at the left side of the Moolava moorthy Meenakshi.

With the divine grace of Meenakshi Devi, Letchumanan Subbiah, who is working as a doctor in Singaapore came forward to decorate Meenakshi with Kavacham and more jewels. He had a dream of Meenakshi Devi, later found Vignesh in his contacts through Facebook.

All this happened and eventually everything fell at place just because of the grace of the divine Shakti. Also Vignesh says everybody just came forward to donate for Devi Meenakshi. Vignesh never misses his Pooja to Meenakshi Devi and also prepared Neivedhyam for Meenakshi, as prescribed by his Guru (Generally he follows the Siththar’s method).

Vignesh as for me is a blessed being, never expects any help from anyone and also said that nothing would have happened without the right guidance of his Guru. I had a conversation of one and a half hour to get to know these incidents in detail. Unfortunately when I went to Coimbatore in the month of June, I couldn’t make it to Devi Meenakshi at his residence. In the beginning of our friendship I thought nothing just normal, when I got to know these details, I found it to be a surprising one. Devi Meenakshi showers her blessings where her ardent devotees call her. Here in Vignesh’s case, she’s showering her blessing in sitting posture in Coimbatore (Kongu Nadu).

Yours East Gaterr

Important Goddess Temples to visit during this Sacred Aadi Month in Thanjavur

Thanjavur, always attracts large number of tourists, who mainly come to admire the heritage and historical beauties. Also the number of tourists, who specifically comes to Thanjavur mainly for offering prayers and visiting important ancient temples are never low compared to those who comes for the sake of sightseeing.

Simple Vilakku Pooja picture from my relative's home

As I’ve previously written that, ’Aadi month is the perfect time to worship the women deities’. In every home during Aadi Fridays’, Tuesdays’, Aadi pooram and Aadi perukku is celebrated divinely. In every house, people light lamps (Deepaam) in front of the deities in their Pooja room, chant Lalitha Sahasranamam, Abhirami Andhadhi, Soundarya lahari and many more Devi Stotrams to gain prosperity, happiness and heathy life. Many people offers special Neivedhanam (Prasadam) to goddess in their home as well as in temples. 

The Delicious Thanjavur Special Ashoka Halwa for Neivedhyam in my relative's house

I planned to write about the Shakti peethams of Thanjavur every Friday, but couldn’t cope with, as I was travelling.

In this post I’ve written about 6 important goddess Temples to visit during this Aadi month. I’m restricting myself to write about the temples which are in and 6 kms radius from the heart of the main city.

• The first important Goddess is Varahi Amman, located in the mighty Brihadheeshwara Temple. The shrine here is exclusively dedicated to Goddess Varahi, which you can’t witness in any other part of the World.

Varahi Amman

• The Bangaru Kamakshi Amman temple is dedicated to Bangaru kamakshi. I’ve written elaborately about this temple in one of the previous posts of mine. This temple is located in the heart of the main city, in the West Main Street, which the street itself is filled with more number of temples.

Bangaru kamakshi

• Punnainallur Mariyamman Temple is one of the ‘Must-Visit’ temple. The main deity, Mariyamman is made up of sand, so no abhishekam to the goddess here. It’s located in the outskirts of the city, which is 7 kms from the Town Bus stand (Old bus stand).

Punnainallur Mariyamman 

Image Courtesy : Public Domain, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12290744

• Kodiyamman Kovil, this temple is located at the entrance of Thanjavur itself, if you come from Kumbakonam or Thiruvaiyaru. My recent post was about the history of the temple only. She’s a powerful goddess comprised of both the powers of Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. This temple is located around 6-7kms from the Town bus stand (Old bus stand), Thanjavur.

Kodiyamman 

• Nisumbasudhini Amman temple is located in the area of East Gate (Keezha Vasal). This Amman (Goddess) is also known as Vada Bhadra Kali Amman, Raaghukaala Kaali Amman etc. She (Kali) is the war deity of Chozhas. This temple is one of the ancient temple established by Vijayalaya Chozha. This temple is located within 2 kms from the Town bus stand (Old bus stand).

Nisumbasudhini Amman

• Ekauri Amman temple is located in the village of Vallam, in the highway which runs from Thanjavur to Trichy. This temple offers lime juice as Prasad. The goddess here is with 2 faces, one with ferocious and anger and other face is calm and peaceful. This Amman (Goddess) is also known as Vallathu Pattikai, Makali etc. This temple is located within 6 kms from the New Bus stand of Thanjavur.

 Image courtesy : http://wanderingtamil.blogspot.com/2018/03/vallam-ekavuri-temple.html

Egowri Amman

The reason I’m writing about this temple is to help my readers to know of many unspoken powerful and ancient temples located in and around our places. This Aadi month, may everyone be blessed with all the happiness by Goddess Parvathi aka Shakti.

Yours East Gaterr

Kodiyamman

Thamizh Month Aadi

17^th of July, began the divinely important Thamizh Month Aadi. It’s also known as Aashada month and this is the perfect time to worship the Shakti form or the women goddess in the Hindu Mythology.

To go with the flow, today 19^th July, is the first Aadi Friday of the Thamizh month Aadi this year, I’m writing about Kodiyamman, her avatar, her temple and her connection to Thanjavur, Thanjapureeshwarar temple and Brihadheeshwarar temple.

As I said, Aadi month is a perfect month for spiritual worship of deities. Every Fridays’ during the Aadi month is so special to worship women deities, the form of Shakti. 18^th and 28^th day of Aadi month, River Cauvery is worshipped and welcomed into our state for flowing untiringly and helping lakhs of families for earning their livelihood through agriculture.

People worship various forms of Goddess Shakti in every Thamizh month. Kaalarathri is the goddess and form of Shakti worshipped in Thamizh month Aadi. She looks like Batrakaali but is a different form of Shakti. Special offering of this Aadi month to Kaalarathri is Guava fruit. Worshipping Kaalarathri helps to forget all the sorrows of life and stabilizes happiness in one’s life.

Kodiyamman Temple, Thanjavur

Kodiyamman temple is located near Palliagrahaaram, Thanjavur. She is one of the guardian deity of Thanjavur. By roadways, if one wants to leave or enter Thanjavur, they have to come across her and shall have dharshan of Kodiyamman just sitting in their vehicle. Every vehicle that passes by this temple, is compulsorily stopped their, worships Kodiyamman and then people continue their journey.

Kodiyamman Temple

History of Ambal Kodiyamman dates back 2000 years old, 1000 years older than the Thanjavur Brihadheeshwarar temple. The main deity in the Garbhagriha is made up of wood carvings and lime material. The main deity Kodiyamman is facing northeast, whereas the Anandavalli ambal faces southwest direction, consort of Thanjapureeshwarar, a temple located nearby. The connection between these two temples is given in the below story.

This Kodiyamman comprises powers of both Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. That’s why the vehicle of Kodiyamman is Nandi. Generally women deities’ vehicle is lion, as Kodiyamman comprised herself with the power of Lord Shiva here, Nandi is the vehicle for Goddess. It’s because of the demons Thanjan and Tharan, who got boons from the trinity and were stronger than any other deity. 

During that time the places around these temple were used by devas’ to conduct yagnya and meditate towards Gods.

The great Parasara Muni (Sage) who was doing yagnya, there was no water at all. He prayed to Goddess Parvathi, in turn she creates the river Vadavar, tributary of River Cauvery by throwing the pearl chain around her neck. This river Vadavar back in those times was also known as Mani Mutharu.

Thanjan and Tharan

Sages and saints were conducting yagnya who might gain some knowledge and powers, as Thanjan and Tharan wanted no one to be powerful as them, they disturbed all thos sacred happenings. They disturbs the saints in the form of rain and air in order to cool down the fire in thee Yagnya. All the saints and Devas’ requesting all the trinity but trinity failed to protect them as they don’t harm their devotee. When these Devas’ approach Goddess Parvathi, she incarnates into a peaceful form of Kaali, who is green in color, in Kaalimedu (Now known as Kalimedu, near Srinivasapuram, Thanjavur). Kodiyamman becomes the last avatar of Anandavalli Amman of Thanjapureeshwarar temple. That’s why Kodiyamman faces Anandavalli Amman, in northeast and southwest direction. In those days, one Aarthi was offered to both the women deities, where the light of the aarthi shown to Kodiyamman falls on Anandavalli Amman.

Kodiyamman 

To escape from Goddess Parvathi, Thanjan and Tharan cloned themselves in crores of numbers, Goddess Parvathi too cloned herself into crores to destroy the demon. When she destroys all the clones of demons, her face turned into red color, color of coral, signifies the anger.

Thanjan requests Kodiyamman to rename the place where he was destroyed after him, so Goddess renames this place to Thanjai + Aavur = Thanjavur. Earlier this place was known as Alagapuri.

Important Festivals and Poojas

• One important festival of this temple is Pacha Kaali – Pavala kaali aatam, happens in the Thamizh month of Maasi. Where Kodiyamman starts from the temple and stays in Kalimedu for a day as it is her birthplace, then comes to her ‘in-laws’ house at West main street of Thanjavur.
• Aadi Fridays’ are special, as it’s an auspicious day for worshipping women deities.
• Special prayers are offered to lift up the black magic sufferings, marriage barriers and poojas for new vehicles as she is one of the guardian deity. Pournami (Full moon) Poojas are another important occasions.

Marriage play of Kodiyamman

The Marriage story of Kodiyamman is a small play by Lord Shiva himself, who comes in a normal human form and asks out Kodiyamman to marry him. She warns the man not to play with her, but the man is firm in his idea to marry her. When she gets married to the man, she curses the family of the man to carry no lineage in future. Later finds out that the man is none other than the Supreme Lord Shiva himself. Kodiyamman then shares the solution for the curse.

Chozhas Connections to Kodiyamman

Vijayalaya Chozhan, great grandfather of Raja Raja Chozhan, worshipped different Kaalis’ as their guardian deities. Even for guarding their territories as well as their families. Even before the times of Vijayalaya Chozhan, each and every decisions regarding country’s welfare, personal family decisions were made only after praying and considering Kodiyamman.

Kodiyamman, Brihadheeshwara temple and Raja Raja Chozhan

So when Raja Raja Chozhan wanted to construct such huge temple for Lord Shiva, having doubts on his capabilities and worried about the blessings from Lord Shiva, he asked Kodiyamman about all his worries regarding the temple. Raja Raja Chozhan geared up the work for the temple only after getting permission granted from Kodiyamman. After this they’ve constructed an underground pathway from the Brihadheeshwara temple to Kodiyamman temple. They have proof of this in the palm leaves.

This fact was even surprising for me. Raja Raja Chozhan is undoubtedly a great king of Chozha dynasty. I know that he’s an ardent devotee of Goddess Kaali. Seeking permission or blessings from Kodiyamman is a surprising fact.

That’s how Kodiyamman is connected to Brihadheeshwarar temple and Thanjapureeshwarar temple and also the main reason behind the city got its name after a demon.

Also feel free to contact priest Selvaraj of Kodiyamman temple for any offerings and Poojas in 9367182045.

Stay tuned for such Aadi special posts. I’m planning to come up with more such Amman temples around Thanjavur for this Aadi month.

Yours East Gaterr.

East Gaterr's Maha Shivarathri Experience

Maha Shivarathri is one of the biggest spiritual festival in Hindu Dharma. 
Every Shivarathri for me was a different experience since 2016.

Sri Sankara Narayanan, West Main Street

• In 2016 Maha Shivarathri, I was there at Shringeri’s Shankara Vidya Kendra’s Temple at New Delhi. After completing the 4 Kaala Poojas, I took a bus to my college, directly from the temple.

• In 2017 Maha Shivarathri, I was a part of Veda group in Malai Mandir, New Delhi. So we were Chanting Rudram for the 4 Kaala Poojas. Next day I slept for the whole day.

• In 2018 Maha Shivarathri, I experienced a totally exciting Shivarathri. Few students from our Veda Group in Malai Mandir goes to a Private party’s temple, where they used to chant Rudhram and do abhishekam and alankaram. I got the divine opportunity that year to do abhishekam and alankaram to Mahadev. In the month of February the winter makes our spine cool. Sitting in a wide open area, where the temple is located, chanting Rudhram and shivering all the time was totally fun filled experience. I miss those moments this time.

 

Random temple's decoration for poo Choridhal

2019 Maha Shivarathri

Maha Shivarathri this time was really cool.
 

Sri Vishwanathar, palliagraharam

This time, being in hometown, I had this opportunity to witness the First Kaala Pooja in a 400 years old temple, about which I’ve already wrote about in my previous post.

As the house, where we recently moved in, has a Shiva temple with his son Lord Ganesha accommodated, I had to do 4 Kaala Poojas in the house temple as well.
 

Sri Vishalakshi, Palli Agraharam

Big Temple Scenes

Crowded big temple on MahaShivarathri day

In between, I have visited the King of Thanjavur, Lord Brihadheeshwara. 1000s of people gathered together in the premises to energize Lord Brihadheeshwara. Brahan Natyanjali’s dance programs were going on as usual. 

I noticed different types of people there. Many people, came as a family, packed dinner for the whole night, brought bed rolls for sleeping. So almost those who thought they had come for picnic, slept in the temple itself.
 

People standing, sleeping, littering the big temple

Many college students, who were hanging out there with camera and with bunch of friends, came for photoshoots. 

Some tech-savvy people who were busy with their gadgets, listening to some cine songs inside the temple as if some party is going on. I found one girl peculiarly watching Tik-Tok videos sitting in the temple premises. Also these huge gathering of people resulted in huge dumping of garbages. The dhonnais’ and cups which were used for distributing prasadams were thrown over all the places. 
 

ThanjaPurishwarar Temple, Thanjavur

After witnessing ironic incidents I thought and prayed to the big guy Lord Brihadheeshwara and said him that “Brihadheeshwara nee dhan da Kapathanum”.

I’m not blaming anybody, people were at least present there in the temple for Shivarathri. Whatsapp-ing, texting and talking in phones are all different. But watching videos and listening songs is something out of the box for the place you were present in.

But I’m overwhelmed by the people who were dedicatedly meditating and chanting shlokhas and Sivapuranam.

In between each Kaala Poojas, My mom and I visited Shiva temples. 

Then we headed to Thanjapuriswarar temple. This temple where God of wealth Kuberan worshipped Lord Shiva with Goddess Lakshmi.

After that we went to Sri Vishalakshi sametha Vishwanathar temple. The special temple, which opens only for the Maha Shivarathri throughout the year, is built by Venkata Rao, who was the Prime minister of Raja Serfoji. We were blessed to have dharshan of this temple. This is the 400 years old temple I was talking about. Again, I have elaborately wrote about the temple in my previous post.

Then after completing the 4^th Kaala Pooja, We went and had dharshan of Bangaru Kamakshi and 3 temples of Kasi Vishwanathar that are located in the West Main Street of Thanjavur. 

Witnessed a simple and blessed Maha Shivarathri this time. 
 

Classic b/w picture of Bangaru Kamakshi

Yours East Gaterr