Ramblings of a Haf-Cured - A Travelogue

[Guest guest]

The serene peaceful front entrance hit me like a blast of cool air on

entering an AC room. I had not quite expected such a blissful temple even

when my father-in-law insisted i see this.

 

We were at Tiruvavaduthurai temple of Gomuktheeswarar. We had driven from

Mayiladuthurai. The temple is about one kilometre inside a sub-road from

the main road leading to kumbakonam. The leading streets, nay they must be

lanes, are not a good introduction with the generous dose of cattles, heaps

of debris and muslim houses at every turning.

 

But, gracefully, the temple has a big pond in the front and has a big

vacant space all around it. the temple faces east and the morning sun was

gently washing it with yellowish tone. It was 8 am when we entered.

 

The temple was spic and clean. Not a single speck could be found anywhere.

Blissfully, the power was off when we entered the temple. The power came

about five minutes laer but I told the gatekeeper to switch them off. The

gatekeeper is following us closely sensing some tips at the end of the day.

He showed us some series lamps they have fitted just outside the sancum

garbhagraha. They look horribly artificial and are unworthy here.

 

The way to the garbhagraha is one straight line. We can see the huge - and

really huge - nandi at the entrance. Even before the dwajastamba, this

Nandi is standing tall and inspires us. There are again vast open spaces

inside the temple before the dwajastamba.

 

Outside the temple is my brother ganapathi. He is called "tunai vandha

ganapathy". "One who came for help" (with amba when she came here to do

tapas). He watches this noicy city picnic crowd getting down from cars and

seems surprised at our stupidity.

 

It was 24th May 2004. The season was when the recent rains in the past few

weeks have made all the plants and trees look abnormally fresh and green.

The aswatta tree - the stala vruksham - was so fresh that I felt like

sitting under it, a la our dakshinamurthy to recite gurustotram.

 

There are five cows tied on the left hand side from the entrance. All the

cows and the calfs looked up at us on entering as if they verify our soul

identities on behalf of "Gomuktheeswarar".

 

You pass the right hand spaces to enter the famous mutt of Tiruvavaduthurai

adinam. But, We never bothered. Like all orthodox smartha brahmins from

Tanjavur district, Our narrow way of upbringing did not allow any so

called "tamil" mutts to inspire us.

 

But, I have always admired the impeccable record of temple maintenance of

this mutt. It is a good fortune to have couple of these aadheenams to

manage certain temples, especaing from the evil policies of the

governmental Religious department. Long live their tribe.

 

This is the kshethram where tirumular did tapas and gave us wonderful

tirumantiram. The two things which make me proud of being a tamilian -

tirumantiram and ramana maharshi.

 

Tirukkural would have also endeared me (oh! what an arrogance ...) but for

it's flagrant politicising by modern "Kalaignars" and athesit twists.

 

This is also the place where sambandar got his money from Lord himself for

the yagna of his father.

 

These events are fascinating no-doubt but not inspiring in my personal

case. I was on the look-out for a temple, old and reputed but having the

bliss and peace. Here I am. Even my own voice is sounding an aberration

to this atmosphere. I can hear my father-in-law singing "aatma tvam

giri...". His eyes were closed and he waited for his own echo to reach him

before starting next line.

 

My family went in search of lamps for lighting. The gatekeeper charged

Re.1 each for a small agal (mud lamp) and filled it with full of dalda and

called it ghee. My wife struggled to light them but couldn't keep them

lighted. The moral - bring your own ghee when visiting temples.

 

the swami - gomuktheeswarar - was so beautiful that I felt happy to be

staring at him for a long time. He was smaller than I expected in such a

big temple but was wonderfully simple but graceful. His tripundaram was

glittering in the ghee lamp and he was wearing a very brightly flowered

silk garment under the aavudai. His body was wrapped in a cloth which

needed replacement. I was angry with myself for not bringing him a nice

cloth for this digambara (who wears only directions). The moral - always

carry a dhoti and saree for our parents when visiting temple. It costs so

little compared to our extravagenza in cars and snacks.

 

We were waiting for Dhandapani gurukkal. Earlier, the gatekeeper has

informed us that the old Nataraja gurukkal is no more.

 

Dhandapani gurukkal is our dream come true. He is 84 years old but has

voice is as clear like a brass bell. He chants mantrams with the pleasure

of a school girl reciting her rhyme for the first time. He is still not

corrupted by the fast culture of cities. He spends 15 minutes (yes, full

fifteen minutes) making us to do sankalpam for a small 108 namaavali

archana for god. The entire family gothram and stars were mentioned and

all benefits under the run were prayed for (with this Rs.20 worth of

archana plate!!. How greedy can we get). This reminded me of my father's

45 minutes sankalpa during navarathri chandi havan.

 

And, he sings each namavali. He recites some famous tevara tamil poems.

The whole praharam echoes with his words. I am sure swami would be pleased

- ashutoshi he is.

 

And, we move to nataraja sannidhi for a small niiraajanam. We then spend

more time with our favourite -dakshinamurthy.

 

This archa murthy is so wonderful that I think it was carved only

yesterday. The posture of his seating and the dogs and snakes under him

with the maharshis watching guru with folded hands. The

medha-dakshinamurthy at Vellalar koil in Mayuram is the best dakshinamurthy

you can even find. His grace is so powerful that you have to just see him

once. Whenever you need him again, You just close his eyes and there he is.

That enormous figure at Mayuram has a little competition now with this

dakshinamurthy.

 

All these superlative comparisons were only till I saw amba. Here she goes

by name amullakuchambika. here mother needs a new dress and alankaram but

looks so beautiful as it is. Her face is very clear and her eyes and nose

stand out. She is facing south and I was standing on the western side.

The light from the ghee-lamp brightened her varada mudra and reflected back

on her face. Here gurukkal is singing rajeswari stotram and my family is

struggling to light those lamps again. The archanai was made with very few

white nandiyavattai flowers and kumkumam. How I cursed myself for not

bringing more good flowers to drown her feet with flowers.

 

Gurukkal gave us prasadam. And started what turned out to be rather long

discourse on temple and tirumular. Though I know all of what he was

telling, his way of passionate telling was so good that I sat there and

listened. My tribes became restless and father-in-law nudged gurukkal

"moolar sannidhikku polaamey!". But, He wouldn't budge. At that time, He

was describing the playful curse of ambaal and her return to sivaabhayam.

It took further 10 minutes before finally my father-in-law physically

pulled him and took to tirumular sannidhi.

 

Being inside the tirumoolar sannidhi is only half-blissful as walking

towards the sannidhi. We walk through an enormous high walled compound.

The space is vast and open restricted by high walled enclosures. The whole

area is freshly cleaned and is hot with the morning sun. Any sound echoes

here so nicely that you unknowingly hear many reciting panchakshrams just

to hear it back.

 

I can hear my father-in-law singing "Anbe sivamavathu..." from

tirumandiram.

 

If love is god (anbe sivam) then I don't know where he is. But, If god is

bliss, then I know where he is.

 

The tirumular sannidhi has nice pictures of his story. The shepherd, who

became tirumuular, is from a nearby village saatanur. I want to visit

saatanur which my relations tell me was a good village with agraharams.

The gomuktheswara temple is unattended and uncared for like the rest of

temples in tanjavur district. The temple is wonderfully peaceful and very

well maintained, as it is the head quarters of the mutt.

 

I come back to the cow shed and adi-gomuktheswara sannidhi. I sit under

the aswatta tree. My eyes close and I try to take all this experience in.

I feel pity on myself. Running after some impecile bosses and careers and

spending my whole life without any pleasure. Tears roll down and I pray

sincerely for undoing all these successes and become the school boy I once

was daily attending to temple.

 

The world gives these temples a go by. The muslims have about 50% of the

agraharam now. I even see one devout muslim house painted in green with a

minaret like pillar a house called "roha illam". I have nothing against

them personally. But, I fear they will not treat my treasure with the

reverence it deserves.

 

And I feel angry at the educated who left all these and ran away. It is we

who are to blame.

 

I learn the Nataraja gurukkal is the only brahmin left at the village. He

says he doesn't know what will happen after he is gone. He is paid Rs.15

per day by the mutt.

 

He sayd People visit these temples almost each week. They come in

air-conditioned cars, chartered vans spending huge money. Mostly they are

NRIs who made it comfortably from these surrounding areas.

 

They give good money to gurukkal. But, Hardly anyone puts some money in

hundi.

 

Meanwhile, The houses in agraharams are crumbling day by day. There are no

takers from brahmin community even for Rs.50,000 for a house. Someone who

has real need for a roof in this part pays that money and takes it. And hen

we promptly say "Oh! what time has come".

 

I am not an NRI but I wonder why can't these people buy those crumbling

houses and keep it as a rest houses for pilgirmagers. This will not cost

more than their one month salary.

 

Some of the houses I saw are simply beautiful. I saw one in araya chatiram

nearby. High pillared front with open muttam, backyard and nice cow-shed.

He asks for Rs.3 lakh. In due course, Some one dubai returned bai will set

up a butcher shop there I presume.

 

I return with mixed feelings. My racist snobbish ramblings are intact.

But, somewhat more cured than before due to the wonder of gomukteeswara.

 

Have made plans already for a trip once again. June 13th, when my

grandfather's 100th birthday is in Nannilam. See you then...

 

Don't miss this temple. And, carry plenty of flowers, ghee, dhothi and

saree (all Rs.50 each). And, remember to drop some cash inside the hundi.

Gomuktheeswara donated sambandar to do yagna, but is awaiting our donations

now.

 

 

Jayaraman

[Guest guest]

A nice article. One thing you can possibly add is, how to send

contributions to the temple (address, whose name the cheque should be

drawn etc.).

 

We have to build a contributions page in ambaa.org and add such

information, in a more accessible form. If you supply this

information, we can start with this temple. And I can include your e-

mail contents along with that page. (however, edit out some of your

personal feelings). If you yourself can rewrite this information in a

form that describes a) the greatness of the temple, b) its current

plight, and c) ways to help -- That will be very useful.

 

 

Thanks.

 

Ravi

 

namaH shivAya

 

 

 

, "Jayaraman" <jayaraman.v@n...> wrote:

>

>> We were at Tiruvavaduthurai temple of Gomuktheeswarar.