THENNANGUR (6 kms NEAR WANDHAVASI)

RADHE KRISHNA 13-09-08
HISTROY OF ALAYAMS AT THENNANGUR
MATAM

PANDURANGAN RAKUMAYEE TEMPLE

LAKSHMI NARAYANAN TEMPLE


MEENAKSHI SUNDHARESWARAR TEMPLE


NAMOH SADGURO

THE HISTORY OF ALAYAMS AT THENNANGUR

(Dakshina-Halasyam)

In Kaliyuga - as Rishi Sukha says -Kalau Sankeerthaya kesavam(the singing in praise of kesava) is the easy path to attain godhood and sprituality.

Naham vasami Vaikunte

Na yogi Hridayae Ravow

Math Baktha Yathra Gayanthi

Thatra Thishtami - Narada

"I do not reside in Vaikunta. Nor do i reside in the hearts of Yogis meditating on me. But then I do dwell in the hearts of my bakthas, singing, dancing anf chanting my name Oh! Narada" - so says the Lord and in true translation of this into parctice in Kaliyuga, Swami Haridhos Giri - the principal disciple of Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami of Tapovanam (Near Tirukoilur) and 'Guruji' to many of us (affectionately so called) set out to propagate 'Nama Sankirthanam' as his Chief mission in life. This helps one to attain sayujya, i.e. oneness with the Lord.

This mission to propagate nama sankirthanam throughout the country and abroad, motivated Guruji to build an alayam for sri Panduranga, at Thennangur and this avatar of Lord Krishna is to do and propagate Namasankeerthanam.

The Panduranga alayam is unique in several respects; it blends the cultures of the North and South roclaiming the national oneness and integration. The main Gopuram is in the architectural style of puri jagannath temple, its Rajagopuram in the South India Chola temple style; and the presiding deity of Panduranga from Maharashtra. What better example is possible for cultural integration of India, than this unique edifice?

It is this great temple to which we go and where we all pray and get blessed. it was built by the untiring efforts of our revered Guruji, with the Blessings of His Great Master.

PADA POOJAS

The Blissful Golden Padukas of both Gurumaharaj and Guruji are housed in the complex for daily worship by devotees, by performing Padapoojas, which offers unlimited Grace and Welfare both in this world and above. Donations for the Padapoojas, both ordinary and by Swarna Pushpam, are included in the enclosure.

As true disciple of Guruji, we have to surrender ourselves to Guru and in this surrender and motivation, we can always achieve things not ordinarily attainable. This Guru bakthi must be our driving force.

The temples that are built by this great saint and guru need to be visited often and participating in the activities of the shrines, can attain greater and greater successes and the blessings of Guruji. Words become redundant to convey this message. It needs to be experienced. "Guror Angri Padme Thathah Kim" says Adi Sankara.

CONCLUSION

Surrender to the Guru and true bakthi could make even an ordinary person attain great heights of fame and achievement. Our Guruji is a shining example of this truth. In a short span of time, as an individual and all alone, dependent on the nurturing bhakthi to Guru Gnanananda and with remarkable courage, our Guruji could build this vast temple-complex. This is an achievement of great dimension.

Radhe Krishna.

MADAM
The history of the Matam, takes us back to the times of Adi Sankara. Adi sankara established four Peetams of which Jyotir Matam is one, with Thotakacharya as the main functionary (Thotakacharya was Sankara's disciple). In this lineage the Fifh Peetathipathi was Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamiji. Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami was his principal disciple disciple viz. Sixth Peetathipathi.

Sri Gnanananda Giri Swami, not able to bear the separation of His Guru, who attained Samadhi on a chitra Pournami Day, left this Peetam, went to Manasarour, handing over the charge to his disciple. There at Manasarovar, he practised vigorous penance for a number of years and travelled by foot, to a number of places in India, Malaya (now Malaysia), Burma (new Myanmar) and Sri Lanka, and interacted and blessed his devotees. At last he reached Tirukoilur, South India and on the northern banks of South Pennar river, established an Ashram named Sri Gnanananda Tapovanam. He is a Siddha Purusha, transcending time and space, blessing all of us.

Swami Haridhos Giri - our Guruji - is his chief disciple and by the grace of His Guru Gnanananda, he propagated the 'bakthi' cult all over the world. He stood as a shining example of Guru-Sishya relationship and lived true to the maxim: "no grace is possible without the blessings of Guru". He entered into Jalasamadhi on 4.9.1994 at Koteeswar in Alakananda river near Rudraprayag situated in the Himalayas - en route to Badrinath.

The Thulasi-Brindavan in the centre of the Matam at Thennangur (Dhakshina Halasyam) is in memory of this great saint.

On the western side of the Matam directly facing Guruji's Brindavan is the shrine for Sri Gnanananda Swami who inspired and made people aware of the greateness of 'namasankirthanam' throughout the world through His chief disciple. He formed the very life-breath as it were, of our Guruji, and made it possible to achieve the object of constructing this Ashram complex.

On the northern side of the Matam, is the Maha Shodasi shrine, who is the presiding deity of Jyothir Mutt like Sri Kamakshi for Kanchi Mutt and Sri Sharadha Devi for sringeri Mutt. Sri Chakra and Maha Meru, manifestations of Sakthi, are taken for upasana of Ambika all along and for the first time, a rupa or form is manifested of Devi viz Maha Shodasi with all its Anga, Prtyanga Devathas such as Ganapathy, Murugan, Rudra, Varahi, Vaishnavi etc. so that devotees of all faith can have their wishes fulfilled through different arjitha sevas like Homam, Archana etc.

Timings

SRI GURUNATHAR SANNATHI / AMBAL SANNATHI

GOH POOJAI 6:00 A.M.
SUBRABATHAM / PRARTHANAI / DEEPAJYOTHI 6:15 A.M.
GANAPATHY HOMAM / ABISAEKAM / AAVARNA POOJAI 7:00 A.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 7:30 A.M.
DARSHAN / ARCHANAI / ASHTOTHRAM UPTO 12:00 NOON
ARCHANAI / ASHTOTHRAM FROM 4:00 P.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI / AAVARNA POOJAI 6:30 P.M.
DARSHAN / LALITHA SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI UPTO 8:30 P.M.
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 8:30 P.M.
PAADA POOJAI 6:30 A.M.

Aarjithasevaigal

ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. SRI GURUNATHAR ABISHEKAM Rs.500 -
2. NAVAVARNA SAHASHRANAMA ARCHANAI Rs.300 -
3. LALITHA SAHASHRA NAMA ARCHANAI Rs.100 -
4. GANAPATHI HOMAM Rs.100 -
5. NAVAGRAHA HOMAM - Rs.150
6. SRI CHANDI HOMAM - Rs.1000
7. SRI VIDYA HOMAM - Rs.1000
8. SRI MAHA SHODASI ABISHEKAM Rs.1000 -
9. POURNAMI POOJAI - 12 MONTHS Rs.300 -
10. NITHYA PADA POOJAI Rs.500 -
11. PADA POOJAI - SWARNA PUSHPAM - Rs.1000
12. NITHYA ANNADHANAM - Rs.3500
13. ANNADANA KATTALAI [ONE DAY IN EVERY YEAR]
- Rs.25,000
14. THULABARAM - [Minimum]Rs.500
15. VASTHRAMS TO BRINDAVANAM / PADUKAIS & DEITIES - Rs.3000


REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF

G A TRUST,

31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,

MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028

PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax: 24953098
MAIL:
gatrust@hathway.com
namaji@hathway.com

SRI PANDURANGA-RUKUMAYI TEMPLE

In Srimath Bhagavatham, Sri Krishna has told Uddava, that in Kaliyuga, Bhakthi through namasankirthan is the only easy way to attain spiritual salvaation and that there is no separate Avatar in Kaliyuga. All the great souls like Narada, Valmiki, Vyasa, Sukha etc. of the pervious three yugas will be appearing in the earth in different parts of the country as Purandaradasa, Jayadeva, Thulasi, Kabir, Namdev, Gnaneswar etc. to spread the cult of Bakthi and Lord Krishna will descend as Lord Panduranga at the request of Saint Pundalika and He will be gracing these saints and Bakthas to spread the greatness of Bakthi cult through His different Leelas in their lives. That time onwards devoteesstarted thronging to pandarpur to have the Blessings of Lord Panduranga, particularly on Ashada Ekadasi and Karthigai Ekadasi.

With Gurunathar's Blessings, Sri Guruji started visiting the places of these Bakthas and saints to know about their lives and infuse the same to the devotees as Maha Baktha Vijayam during his discourse sessions. On one occasion, in the course of his travels, Guruji visited the village around Pandarpur and wanted to know more about the bakthas there. In his dream, Sri Gnanananda appeared and directed him to go to pandarpur. As per this direction, when Guruji arrived at Pandarpur, the priests (Pandas) of the Panduranga temple received him and took him round the temple; after perfirming Archana and Abishekam gave him the idols of Sri Panduranga and Sri Raghumayi (Utsava Murthis) which were worshipped there for their doing so, the priests said that Sri Panduranga appeared in their dream and wanted them to do so.

From that time onwards, the idea to have a shrine for the idols, sprouted in Guruji's mind. It is the materialisation of this idea that is now making it possible for us to have this alayam for our worship at Thennangur.

As one can see, it is the blessing of His Guru alone, accomplished out Guruji to build this great alayam which provides access to the bakthas from the south to easily reach and pray here instead of going to Pandarpur. The North-South meet at the temple signify our national solidarity and integration.

The uniqueness of this alayam is reflected in the following. The Garba-Griha, Gopuram (sanctum-sanctorum) on the model of puri jagannath; the Chola type of Rajagopuram in its artistry and the presiding deities from Maharashtra. The tiny idols of Panduranga-Raghumayi manifested to a big-size (viswarupam) are a feast to the eyes. The main mandapams are decorated with mural paintings of the leelas of Sri Krishna. Bhajans and Kirtanams could be performed at the sankeerthana-mandapam, a gigantic construction with life size statues of the saints.

The Sankeerthana-mandapam presents a beautiful panorama of bhakthas of Panduranga. Is it any wonder that this comples attracts devotees of all classes, castes and creeds every day ?

As in Pandarpur, Ashada-Ekadasi in the month of Adi(June/July) Brahmotsavam is celebrated as Bhakthotsavam with bhajans in the morning and evening and the idols taken around the streets. All these festivities are for five days every year.

Timings

SUPRABATHAM -VISWAROOPAM 6:00 AM
UDHAYA KAALA THIRUVAARADHANAM PAHCHAANGA SRAVANAM, AAHVAANAM 7:00 AM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 7:30 AM
KAALA SANDHI THIRUVAARADHANAM THALIGAI/BALIGARANAM 10:00AM
UCHI KAALA AARADHANAI, RAAJA BHOGAM 11:45AM
THIRUKKAAPU 12:00AM
MANGALA HAARATHI 4:00 PM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 4:30 PM
HAARATHI, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI 7:00 PM
SAAYA RATCHAI, THIRUVAARADHANAM, MANTHRA PUSHPAM, GOSHTI 7:30 PM
SUDHHI 8:15 PM
EKANTHA SAYANAM, THIRUVACHAKAM, THIRUKKAAPU 8:30 PM

Aarjithasevaigal

ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. NITHYA AKANDA DEEPAKATTALAI Rs.2000 -
2. ABISHEKAM ONLY ON THURSDAYS Rs.2000 -
3. NITHYA BOGA DEEPA KATTALAI Rs.1000 -
4. SRI VENKATACHALAPATHI DARSHAN ON SATURDAY Rs.1000 -
5. KALYANA UTHSAVAM SRIVARI SEVAI - Rs.2000
6. PERUMAL SIX TIMES THALIGAI Rs.500 -
7. PUSHPAKATTALAI - ONE DAY Rs.500 -
8. SAHASRANAMA KATTALAI - ONE MONTH Rs.3000 -
9. PRATHYEKA OONJAL SEVAI - Rs.500
10. SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI Rs.100 -
11. NITHYA ASHOTHRA ARCHANAI - MONTHLY Rs.300 -
12. PRATHYEKA SAYANOTHSAVAM Rs.100 -
13. NITHYA HARATHI KATTALAI - MONTHLY Rs.150 -
14. MOOLAVAR - KOILALWAR THRIUSUDDHI Rs.2500 -
15. GARUDA SEVAI- INSIDE THE TEMPLE (Silver) - Rs.2500
16. NITHYA ABHISEKAM - SILVER PERUMAL Rs.500 -
17. MUTHANGI SEVAI - MOOLAVAR - Rs.1000
18. MUTHANGI SEVAI - UTHSAVAR - Rs.500
19. UTHIRATATHI SWAMI PURAPADU Rs.500 -
20. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.10000
21. CHANDAN KAAPU ALANKARAM - Rs.10000
22. VENNAI KAAPU ALANKARAM - Rs.10000

REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF

G A TRUST,

31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,

MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028

PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax : 24953098

gatrust@hathway.com
namaji@hathway.com

SRI MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE

The ancient name of the place now called "Thennangur" was Dakshina Halasyam. As this area was once full of forests, this was also known as Shadaranya Kshetra(6 Forests).

Pandya King, desiring to have a child, was exhorted to have a yagna done with the help of Sapta Rishis. It was here, in Shadaranya this yagna was said to have been done and a girl child appeared in this yagna. The king took the child to Madurai, and named her Sri Meenakshi; therefore Dakshina Halasyam is the birth place of Sri Meenakshi. As told by Kanchi Paramacharyar in this episodical background, this temple was built.

Every year the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar Kalyanam and othe festivals are performed in this temple.

Timings

SUPRABATHAM 6:00AM
ABISHEKAM TO ALL DEITIES 6:30 AM
NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 7:30 AM
DARSHAN / ASHTOTHRAM UPTO 12:00 Noon
UCHI KAALA NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 12:00 Noon
ASHTOTHRAM / DARSHAN From 4:00 PM
ABISHEKAM / NIVEDHANAM / DEEPAARADHANAI 6:00 PM
ARDHA JAAMAM 8:00 PM

Aarjithasevaigal

ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. PRADHOSHA POOJA Rs.125 -
2. ABISHEKAM TO ONE DEITY Rs.300 -
3. NAVAGRAHA POOJAI Rs.300 -
4. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.2500
5. MEENAKSHI KALYANAM (ON PANGUNI UTHIRAM DAY) - Rs.5000
6. SWAMI PURAPPADU - RS.1000

REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF

G A TRUST,

31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,

MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028

PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 2493062 Telefax: 24953098

SRI LAKSHMINARAYANA TEMPLE

This is a very old temple in the village. It was in a dilapidated condition when guruji took upon himself to renovate it. By the grace of Gurunatha, Guruji has done this in a very grand fashion. It is customary in this temple to have Sita kalyanam festival, every year conducted by the Bhagavatha bakthas in the Bhajan tradition.

Timings

SUPRABATHAM -VISWAROOPAM 6:00 AM
UDHAYA KAALA THIRUVAARADHANAM PAHCHAANGA SRAVANAM, AAHVAANAM 7:00 AM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 7:30 AM
KAALA SANDHI THIRUVAARADHANAM THALIGAI/BALIGARANAM 10:00AM
UCHI KAALA AARADHANAI, RAAJA BHOGAM 11.45AM
THIRUKKAAPU 12:00AM
MANGALA HAARATHI 4:00 PM
ASHTOTHRA ARCHANAI 4:30 PM
HAARATHI, VISHNU SAHASRANAMA ARCHANAI 7:00 PM
SAAYA RATCHAI, THIRUVAARADHANAM, MANTHRA PUSHPAM, GOSHTI 7:30 PM
SUDHHI 8:15 PM
EKANTHA SAYANAM, THIRUVACHAKAM, THIRUKKAAPU 8:30 PM

Aarjithasevaigal

ROUTINE SPECIAL
1. ANJANEYAR VADAMALAI Rs.250 -
2. ANJANEYAR VENNAI KAPPU Rs.300 -
3. VASTHRAM TO DEITIES - Rs.2500
4. ALL OTHER ROUTINE ITEMS - SAME AS PANDURANGAN ALAYAM - -

Radhe Krishna.

REMITTANCES SHOULD BE SENT IN THE NAME OF

G A TRUST,

31, SADAIAPPAN STREET,

MANDAVELI, CHENNAI-600028

PHONE NO : +91 44 - 24952498, 24993062 Telefax : 24953098