For a long time me and my husband have been thinking of visiting the navagraha temples down south but somehow it could not materialize. Around July 2014 we got an invite for one of our relative’s daughter’s wedding to be held in Chennai in august end.
We thought this was the best time to combine our much wanted Navagraha tour. So we decided to go to Trichy and from there visit navagraha temples and any other temples possible and then come to Chennai to attend the wedding
This time we decided to take train t Chennai instead of a flight for a change. So we booked our tickets by train from Mumbai to chennai and from Chennai to Trichy. From Trichy we would hire a pvt car and see all the temples and take train to Chennai from Kumbakonam. One of my friends staying in Trichy helped us book a car and also drew a broad iternary as to the temples we could cover.
24th August 2014
We left for CST station at 11.45 pm and as there was hardly any traffic we reached quite early. Our train was scheduled for departure at 2.pm.AS our train was to arrive in platform no 14 we had to hire a porter to carry our luggage. Hiring a porter after ages.
Train arrived at around 1.30 and even though our tickets were RAC we got confirmed seats. The entire journey was pleasant and we had good company.Had a decent sleep in the night and reached Chennai next evening at 4.45 pm. The train was on time. Our connecting train Rockford Express to Trichy was in the night. So since it was just for about 5 hours we had booked the waiting room at Chennai. We however forgot to get our confirmation slip and had to literally please with the attendant to allow us without the slip.
The room was pathetic and could not have been more dirty and unkempt. Wished we had booked a hotel room. Anyway after spending some time in that stupid room we boarded our train to Trichy. We occupied our seats and soon went to sleep as it was just an overnight journey to Trichy. Reached Trichy at 5.30 am. Took an auto rickshaw to hotel Femina where we had booked a room. We checked into the room had breakfast and our friend came with the vehicle promptly at 7 am.
Our friend had prepared a very good iternary for us Fist local temples in Trichy,then temples on the way from Trichy to Kumbakonam then local temples at Kumbakonam. Since we visited many temples an this blog is pretty long, I will first provide the list of temples visited in the order that we visited them and since the list of temple covered was more I am providing the write up in four parts.
The first part of write up consists of temples covered on day 1
Day 1
1. Samayapuram Mariamman koil –Trichy
2. Temple of Lord Prasanna Venkatesh- Gunasheelam
3. Ranganadhaswamy temple- Srirangam
4. Jambukeshwara Temple-Thiruvanaikaval
5. subramanian swamy koil at Vayalur
6. Vekkalai Amman temple-Woraiyur
7. Uchipilaiyar temple-Rockford Trichy
8. Lord Ayappa temple-Trichy
Day 2
9. Brihadeeswara Temple-Tanjore
10. Ayiarappar temple Thiruvaiyaru
11. Thingalur-Navagraha Temple for Moon
12. Lord Subramanya-swamimalai
13. Shwetha Vinayakar-Thiruvalanchuzi
14. Durgai Amman-Pattiswaram
15. Alangudi-Navagraha Temple for Guru
16. Natchiyar Temple
17. Thirunageswaram-Navagraha Temple for Rahu
18. Uppiliappan Temple
19. Pratyangira devi-Ayyawadi
20. Kampeshwara Temple-Thirubhuvanam
Day 3
21. Rahu-Ketu Temple-Thirupampooram
22. Thiruneechiyar-lalitha ambal temple
23. Thirunellar-Navagraha temple for lord Shani
24. Thiruvengadu_navagraha temple for lord Budha(mercury)
25. Amritha Kadeswarar temple-Thirukadaiyoor
26. Keeza perumabalam-Navagraha temple for Kethu
27. Vaideeswaran Temple_navagraha temple for Mars
28. Nataraja Temple-Chidambaram
29. Kanchanur_navagraha temple for Shukra
30. Suriyanar Temple-Navagraha temple for Sun
31. Vithaldas Rukmini Temple
Day 4
Day 4
32. Kumbeswara temple-Kumbakonam
33. Sarveshwara Temple-Kumbakonam
34. Chakrapani Temple-kumbakonam
35. Sarangapani temple-Kumbakonam
36. Garbarakshambikai Temple-Papanasam
37. Darasuram Shiva Temple
day 1 -27th august
Our temple tour started with a visit to Samayapuram Mariamman koil at Trichy. Samayapuram Mariamman koil (Koil in tamil means temple)Samayapuram is an important place of pilgrimage to the devotees of Goddess Sakthi. It is one of the few popular temples dedicated to Goddess Sakthi and she is worshipped here as Mariamman. Samayapuram Mariamman Temple is situated just about 20 kms of Tiruchirappalli town.
The main deity, Samayapurathal or Mariamman is made of sand and clay like many of the traditional Mariamman deities. It is believed by the devotees that the Goddess has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas, made with silver or steel, of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box.We paid Rs100/- and had an excellent Darshan .
We then proceeded Gunasheelam Temple to Gunasheelam Temple. Prasanna Venkatachalapathy temple is a famous Vishnu temple in Gunaseelam about 20 Kms. from Trichy. This temple attracts lot of pilgrims and people also believe that worshipping the deity here helps one to cure mental and physical ailments. Infact Pilgrims stay here for about 48 days, worship God and partake the prasadam from the temple and get relief from their problems. The temple is well maintained and quite neat and clean.
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| Gunaseelam Temple |
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| Inside the temple |
We then went to nearby hotel to have our tea and proceeded to Srirangam the abode of the Supreme Lord, Sri Ranganatha, the reclining form of Lord Vishnu. This temple is situated in an island surrounded by the revered river Cauvery
Srirangam is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines (Swayam Vyakta Kshetras) of Lord Vishnu. It is also considered the first, foremost and the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divyadesams). This temple is also known as Thiruvaranga Tripathi, Periyakoil, Bhoologa Vaikundam etcAs I said earlier in Tamil parlance the term "KOIL" signifies a temple . This temple is mammoth in size. The temple complex is 156 acres in extent. It has seven prakaras or enclosures. These enclosures are formed by huge walls which run round the sanctum. There is temple of goddess mahalakshmi.There is also a small shrine where you can see idols of sri Rangantha with 3 goddesses. We had a very good and excellent Darshan of all the deities
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| The temple entrance |
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| Kumbams kept ready for Abishekam |
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| market street outside the temple |
Thiruvanaikaval is a beautiful small urban village at Tiruchirappalli district.Jambukeswara Temple at Thiruvanaikal is one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams.Pancha Bhoota Stalam refers to the five Shiva temples, dedicated to Shiva, each representing the manifestation of the five prime elements of nature- land, water, air, sky or space , fire. Pancha indicates Five, Bhoota means elements and Sthala means place. This temple represents water and the other
Chidambaram(Space)Kanchipuram(earth) and Kalahsthi(air) and thiruvanamalai representing Fire .As this temple represents water this temple is also called as Appu sthalam and the shiva lings is also called Appu linga.
The sanctum here which is situated below the ground level is quite dark and the shiva Linga is partly submerged in water.The goddess of this temple is Akilandeswari. The Amman is also called as Akilandanyaki. The beauty of the goddess was truly breath taking.
Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple in Vayalur is one of the famous temples of Lord Murugan in Tamilnadu. This temple was built by Cholas in 9th Century. Here Sri Subramanian along with his consorts Valli and Devayani is seated on a peacock. Behind the main sanctum, there is a temple for Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva here is said to be a Swayumbu lingam known as Agniswarar. Next to Agniswarar is the shrine for his consort Adi Nayaki also is known as Munnilai Nayaki.
According to mythology, Lord Muruga worshipped Lord Shiva here. Lord Muruga created a tank here with his weapon to worship his parents. .There is a well in front of this temple which is believed to have been created By lord subramanya’s weapon (VEL). It is at the place where lord Muruga blessed the saint poet Arunagiri Nathar and initiated him to compose Thirupugazh .The temple is surrounded by lush green fields called Vayal in Tamil and hence the name Vayalur.
Next on our list was Vekkalai Amman Temple at Worayur which is about 7 km from Trichy houses a beautiful Amman temple known as Vekkali Amman. The major feature of the temple is the absence of roof over the sanctum. The story behind this is that, in ancient times a saint by the name of Sarama Rishi was having a beautiful garden in Worayur .He used to worship the Lord offering his flowers. A Local flower seller started stealing the flowers from this garden and started to give to the king. So the sage went and complained to the King saying that the flowers meant exclusively for the lord were being stolen. The king did not pay any heed as he had started liking the flowers which were given to him.
So the sage prayed to Lord Shiva. The god faced Worayur and showed his anger, with his powerful eyes open, he created a huge sand storm in Worayur. The people of Worayur surrendered to Goddess Vekkalai amman who brought the storm to a halt. But many people had lost their roofs and hence Vekkali amman decided that till all people have roof in their house she will not have a roof. So Moolavar is open to sky be in rain or sun .The Amman is facing the north and can be seen with her left leg on the demon and the right bent, which they say is a rare form of pose of Sakthi.She is seen holding the thrisulam (trident), Udukkai, and Akshaya Patra in her four hands.
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| vayalur Murugan temple |
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| outside the temple |
So the sage prayed to Lord Shiva. The god faced Worayur and showed his anger, with his powerful eyes open, he created a huge sand storm in Worayur. The people of Worayur surrendered to Goddess Vekkalai amman who brought the storm to a halt. But many people had lost their roofs and hence Vekkali amman decided that till all people have roof in their house she will not have a roof. So Moolavar is open to sky be in rain or sun .The Amman is facing the north and can be seen with her left leg on the demon and the right bent, which they say is a rare form of pose of Sakthi.She is seen holding the thrisulam (trident), Udukkai, and Akshaya Patra in her four hands.
From here we moved to visit the Ucchi Pillayar koil,(uchi intamil meaning -Top) is a 7th-century Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Ganesh located on top of Rockfort.Mythologically this rock is the place where Lord Ganesh took seat after he ran from King Vibishana, after establishing the Ranganathaswamy deity in Srirangam.The devotees are first greeted by Manikka Vinayakar in his shrine under the rock. The next level is the temple of Thayumanavar that is located half way up to the peak. To reach the uchipillayar you have to climb almost 400 steps. Uchi Pillayar is always associated with Manicka Vinayagar at the foothills. It is a general practice to pray obeisance to Manicka Vinayagar before visiting Uchi Pillayar.
After seeing this temple and spending some time in the meditation hall we returned back to our hotel.
Had dinner at the hotels restaurant and retired for the night
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| street outside the temple |
Before returning to our hotel we decide to visit the Ayappa temple which was on the way back to our hotel. A very clean calm and serene temple, the temple encompasses Lord Ayyappa's shrine and other Deities. May not be one of the very popular temples but it is a must see temple. There are a set of rules put down by temple management for darshan. Temple with very modest architecture, but design is impressive. There is a huge meditation hall and many boards and hoardings with
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| entrance to the temple |
Had dinner at the hotels restaurant and retired for the night
