Athithi Devo Bhava! Pilgrimage in Tamilnadu – Sri Rangam, Samayapuram, Brahmapureeswarar Temple and Thirupanjali

Sairam friends,

The other day one of my friend showed me a news story that Tamilnadu is second to Andhra in bringing most number of visitors from other states of India. People come to Tamilnadu for their business, Job, Education and as tourists to visit as beautiful places and of course on a Pilgrimage to ancient Temples of Tamilnadu. We still have to keep our cities clean and provide better hospitality to encourage tourism in our Tamilnadu.
I write about Hospitality for tourists because a traveler from another Indian State doesn’t take back their travel experiences alone. They take with them, our culture. They experience what we are and how we take care of them. Even a small argument with a Taxi driver or any inconvenience caused by any individual or organization will register in their mind for life time.

One of my Sai devotee friend from another state had come to Chennai for her U.S Visa counseling and told me Tamil people are……..( something bad about us). I felt really pained and asked her what happened?. She said that she was cheated by auto men charging lots and in Hotel some arguments etc.

I told her, There are good people every where, may be you came across people with whom you had problems and can’t judge everyone to be bad.

I lost contact with this Sai friend but got a lesson. If you find a tourist in your area, sitting near you or in any places roaming around, if they ask for any help, please guide them and try your best not to argue or disturb them.

We as Indians have responsibility of spreading Love and not hatred among each other.

This is not just for Tamilians, As Indians we have to be good and kind to tourists or Visitors who come from foreign countries. Never disturb them and let them have a good time here. If someone comes to you for help, try to do your best for them and never hurt them. It really hurts me when ever I read news stories that foreign women who come to India face some problems.

There are numerous websites in India with the name Athithi Devo Bhava – Guest is God

Atithi Devo Bhavah [Atithi devo bhavaḥ] (Sanskrit: अतिथि देवो भवः; English: ‘The guest is God’ or ‘Guest become God’) is a Sanskrit verse, taken from an ancient Hindu scripture which became part of the “code of conduct” for Hindu society. Atithi devo bhav regards a procedure of the Host-Guest relationship. – Wikipedia

I hope Sai helps me to make a travel site spreading good message. You know lots of women and children all over the world travel alone for various purpose and they have to be safe. Men too travel various places and God must bless them with good people around.

I am writing this article especially because I will be coming back to Coimbatore only on Sunday night and will be missing my Sai friends though Sai always lives in my heart. Thanks to Wikipedia authors for most of writings. Am too tired today and parents will ask me to sleep soon as I have a train to catch early morning.

Pilgrimage in Tamilnadu

There are various places of worship and ancient Temples in Tamilnadu. This time, I shall write about few temples I am planning to visit by Gods grace. These temples are around 5 to 30 Kms distance from Trichy also called Tiruchirappalli

1. Sri Rangam – Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

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 Tirupati,

Periyakoil,

Bhoologa Vaikundam and

Bhogamandabam.

Sri Rangam Temple History

According to Hindu mythology, the vimana (adornment on top of the main tower) of Srirangam temple is believed to have come out of the ocean of milk (Tamil: “paarkadal” – பாற்கடல்) with the powers of Brahma deva (One of the three main Gods of Hinduism).

The incarnation of Lord Vishnu called Ramavathara has performed poojas to Vishnu’s idol (deity in a reclining posture). As a symbol of love he gifted the idol to Vibishana (brother of Ravana of the Hindu epic Ramayana) to take back with him to Sri Lanka. There was a condition that he could not set the idol on earth and if he did it would set itself permanently.

Vibishana took this idol and was traveling towards Sri Lanka, and came upon the banks of the river Cauvery, during when utsavam (festival) for the god had to be performed and he placed the idol on banks of river Kaveri. When the utsavam got over, the lord refused to move as he loved the place (Srirangam).

When vibhishana requested him to come along with him, the lord refused but promised to bless Vibhishana by always facing South (the direction of Sri Lanka, home to Vibhishana) Hence it is that the deity (in a reclining posture) faces South. Then Chola kings Dharmavarcholan and Killivalavan developed the shrine into the big temple seen now. They built the basic foundations and main buildings.

Sri Rangam Temple website – Srirangam.org

2. Samayapuram Mariamman Temple

My Amma used to like the Mariamman temple in Pollachi and I was remembering the Goddess.

I got a dream of Samayapuram Mariamman before 2-3 years and was telling my parents that Mother Goddess is calling me and I wish to go. At times, My parents don’t encourage me always going to temples..he he…so they told me go sometime later and its been years since I got a call from Samayapuram Mariamman. So I hope to go get darshan of the Goddess during this Pilgrimage.

Samayapuram Mariamman Temple is a Hindu temple in Samayapuram near Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, India. The main deity, Samayapurathal or Mariamman is made of sand and clay like many of the traditional Mariamman deities, and hence unlike many other Hindu deities there are no abhishekams (sacred washing) conducted to the main deity, but instead the “abishekam” is done to the small stone statue in front of it.

Samayapuram Mariamman is very powerful goddess and hence I believe she will bless me with happy darshan.

3.  Thirupattur near Trichy – Brahmapureeswarar Temple

Make sure you are going to Thirupattur near Trichy if you want to have darshan of Lord Gneelivaneswarar in Brahmapureeswarar temple as there is another Thirupattur in Tamilnadu.

Very beautiful Vivid dream of Thirupattur Brahmapureeswarar temple

I am really happy for this pilgrimage because I am going to temples where the Goddess and Gods has called me years back with a divine dream. In december 2012, I was blessed with a very vivid dream of Brahmapureeswarar temple. I can’t express what I saw in words friends. Its so graceful. It was as if I see some sacred inscriptions about life and divinity of soul inside a pond. I forgot the dream now but if I meet someone in person, I might be able to explain better.

History of Brahmapureeswarar Temple

Mythological references recount Lord Brahma’s overwhelming pride as the Creator of the Universe. Lord Brahma felt that He was more prevailing than Lord Shiva – since He had the supremacy of creation.This sense of pride provoked Lord Shiva, who destroyed Lord Brahma’s Fifth Head, and also cursed Him that He would lose His power of creation.

To relieve himself of this curse, Lord Brahma started out on a pilgrimage of Lord Shiva Temples.

During the course of His pilgrimage, Lord Brahma also visited this temple and installed 12 Shiva Lingams around Brahmapureeswarar and worshipped Lord Shiva here for a considerable time.

Being moved by Lord Brahma’s prayers, Lord Shiva, on Devi Parvathi’s appeal, gave him Darshan under the Magizha tree and liberated Him from His curse. Lord Shiva also restored the power and responsibility of creation to Lord Brahma.
Lord Shiva also blessed Lord Brahma that He would have a separate shrine at this temple. He also advised Lord Brahma that since Brahma himself had His destiny rewritten here; He should rewrite the destiny of His devotees visiting this temple.

Since the fate of Lord Brahma, the Creator, Himself was changed by Lord Shiva at Tirupattur, one can expect a turning point in life by praying at this temple.

There are 12 Shiv Lingams in the Temple complex, which includes the garden adjacent to the temple. These Shiva Lingams were installed and worshipped by Lord Brahma.Most of these Shiv Lingams are housed in separate shrines, which are situated around the Brahma Theertham. Brahma Theertham is the pond from which Lord Brahma took water for performing puja to Lord Shiva.

These 12 shrines of Lord Shiva which comprise the Bramhapureeswarar Temple complex are :

Sri Brahmapureeswarar Presiding Deity
Sri Pazhamalai Nathar
Sri Pathala Eswarar
Sri Thayumanavar
Sri Manduga Nathar
Sri Ekambareswarar
Sri Arunachaleswarar
Sri Kailasa Nathar
Sri Jambukeshwarar
Sri Kalathi Nathar
Sri Sabthagereswarar
Sri Sudharaneswarar

Brahmapureeswarar Temple –  Brahmatemple.org

4. Thirupanjali – Gneelivaneswarar

One of our family friend who is a priest in a famous temple in Coimbatore was so kind that he wanted me to go to Thirupanjali and do a Pooja in this temple to be blessed with Good married life. So many people wait to see this priest but he was so affectionate with me and said he himself will take me to these temples. I finally got some guidance from him and will be going on this pilgrimage and do the Pooja.

God Shiva in this temple is called as Gneelivaneswarar. Shiva is in the form Suyambu linga – A Shiva Lingam which was formed on its own.

Melai Chidambaram

There is Rathina Sabha in this temple also like Chidambaram. One time, Viyakirapatha munivar and Pathanjali Munivar went to Kailasam to see Shiva’s dance, that time shiva told, go to Chidambaram, there I will give my Nataraja Darshan. As per shiva’s words, they went to Chidambaram, Shiva gave his darshan to them on the day of thaipoosam.

By hearing this incident, Vasista Munivar asked Shiva, “When I will see this Darshan in Chidambaram?” Shiva told him,

“I will give Nataraja Dharshan to you in Gneelivanamagiya Thirupangneeli”.

As per that, Shiva gave Nataraja Dharshan to Vasista Munivar in Rathina Sabha of this temple. So this temple is also called as Melai Chidambaram.

Courtesy – Thiruppanjili Sivan Temple

OK friends, Am very tired now. Just want to make sure Sai children and devotees have something divine to read until I come back home. I have to wake up early and by Lord Ganesha’s grace have a good pilgrimage.

I was planning to write this article from evening in Nagasai mandhir and felt good am able to do it by Sai grace. I like what I wrote about being good to tourists and devotees who go on a Pilgrimage. – Athithi Devi Bhava.

If you wish to reach me, write to

starsai27@gmail.com

Aum sri Sainathaya Namaha

Love,

Venkat

Always in the holy feet of Shirdi Saibaba