One of the disadvantages of being a reader in this blog is that you cannot escape from reading my travelogue! So, here is my 2015 trip – part 1. So, prepare yourselves for Part 2!!!
First stop at Avudayar Kovil – Yogambal sametha Athmanathar – shivalingam with no lingam – just avudayar – maha kshetram built by holy saint Sri Manickavasagar. Until I went there I did not know that visiting this kshetram on a Thursday is a most auspicious one – we went there on a Thursday! Why? Lord Shiva gave mantra upadesam to Manickavasagar at this kshetram! This place is as important as Alangudi. There is an amazing thevara pathigam that is sung as thirupalliyezhurchi for Parameswaran (போற்றியென் வாழ் முதலாகிய பொருளே…)…This temple has amazing architectural beauty and known for its unique roof on the temple…
Next stop was at Thirupunavaasal – near Mimisal. This kshetram requires a separate post by itself. There is so much to write. In short, only those who have moksha praapthi can visit this temple. When Mahaperiyava visited this temple, He took off the padhukas even before He approached the boundary of this village due to the sthala puranam. This kshetram dates back to 4 yugas!!! Beautiful village – right near the ocean – this temple is managed by a yound and very passionate gurukkal who is extremely courteous and accompanied by his brother who has an outstanding voice and sang a thevara pathigam for us in front of the swami. Please stay tuned for a detailed post on this.
I tried my best to go to my family deity – Kumaramalai, near Pudukottai – a day before Panguni Uthiram – intentionally to avoid the crowd at the temple, It seems Lord Subrahmanya wanted me to come only on Panguni Uthram and had a beautiful abishekam and darshan!
Thiruvayaru – Lord Ayyarappan darshan was outstanding on Panguni Uthiram day…..Besides Lord Ayyarappan temple, visited our Ummachi thatha temple in Thiruvayaru. A devotee from Mumbai had purchased a house and built a small temple for Mahaperiyava and nithya puja is going on here! Never heard about this before…It was a scorching heat outside but inside this house, it was absolutely cool – thanks to tall ceiling – didn’t feel like leaving that place!
Headed to Eachangudi – Periyava’s birthplace – visited the holy gruham where Periyava as an avatar of Lord Parameswaran came down to earth to bless us all. . Warmly welcomed by Sri Ambi and took me to the house and spent some time with me. With some courage I took a close-up of Periyava. Even in the photo, I couldn’t see His eyes – it was penetrating!!! The padhukas you see in the photo was the one Periyava wore on the day He attained siddhi to be installed at Eachangudi! Although I write about the avatar etc now, at that time when I was there at most hottest day, the only thing I remembered enjoying was the best quality “more” made at ganapadigal’s house from the ghosala!! 🙂 Oh boy – I drank nearly half a gallon of it! My bakthi got easily distracted by “more” 🙂
Next day was at the feet of akilanda kodi brahmanda nayagi Akilandeswari ambal sametha Jambukeswarar. Best darshan…Thanks to Sri Atirudram Ravi for making arrangements for me.
Million thanks to Shivaraman for accompanying me for most part despite his health and Smt Mahalakshmi mami for making arrangements for darshans, food in most of the places. Only when you go to these temples, you know who mami is!!! Everyone knows mami – period!!!
I have to mention here about Sri Ramanan, who was continuously pouring me with series of incidents from his experience with Mahaperiyava. Although, his atma bodha lecture, slokas and meaning were little too much for my pea-brain at 2 PM on a hot day (pun intended!!), if I look back, I was probably the luckiest one to hear such an excellent topics and wonderful experiences from a great devotee like Sri Ramanan. I hope I remember most of the incidents and will share with you all here…
