Temple Renovation at Kattu Mannar Kovil,

[Guest guest]

Sri:

SrimathE Ramanujaya Nama:

AzhwAr emperumAnAr jeeyar thiruvadikalE Saranam.

 

Dear Members,

 

I take this opportunity to inform the renovation efforts taken up at the birth

place of our beloved acharyas Sriman Nathamunikal and Sri Alavandar, who, we all

acknowledge as the pioneering and foremost acharyas of Sri Vaishnavam. I am

enclosing an apeal to complete the renovation of the shrines of these two

acharyas at their avathara sthalam. Your kind and timely help will go a long way

in completing this renovation effort.

 

adiyEn

Venkatesh Elayavilli

 

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The Renovation of the Shrines ofAcharya SrimanNathamunigal and Sri Alavandar

Avatharasthalam Sri Veeranarayana Perumal Temple at Kattumannarkoil. (Cuddalore

Dist., Tamil Nadu, India.)

 

Of all the religions of the world, Vaishnavism is unique in that it has set

forth the ideal of monotheism, stressing the observance of self-surrender to the

Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent God-head, Sriman Narayana. Sriman

Narayana in His unbounded mercy to save the people from the cycle of births and

deaths, took several 'Avatars' but only very few seized that opportunity. He

then manifested Himself as Vyasa, Parasara, Valmiki and other Seers, upholding

Vaishnavism and preaching the philosophy of dedicated life and right conduct for

the benefit of the world. This too, touched only a fringe of the masses. The

supreme Purushothama condescendingly descended to the form of mortals-viz.,

Alwars - to propound and re-establish His immortal 'Dharma'. The Alwars were men

of vast vision and great imagination and propaged the tenets of Vaishnavism

through their devotional songs. But the inexorable hand of time wiped out these

hymns and very few could retain their lustre. His mission, thus, remaining

unfulfilled, the Lord ordained the Acharyas to inspire the people through their

teachings. Such a hierarchy of Acharyas starts from Sriman Nathamunigal and

Alavandar, descending to Vara Vara Muni, Ramanuja adorning the centre.

 

Nathamunigal and Alavandar were the pioneering and foremost Acharyas of

SriVaishnavism. They were the worthy predecessors of Sri Ramanuja. It was given

to Nathamunigal to restore, through his Yogic vision, all the 4,000 divine

musings of the Alwars. It was he who set these hymns to Vedic metre, rythm and

music and introduced their recital in temples and homes. He also estabilised the

authority of the Pancharathra mode of worship.

 

Then came the renowned Yamunacharya, popularly known as ' Alavandar' the

grandson of Nathamunigal, who won wide recognition as a powerful champion of

Vasishtadvaidic philosophy and religion through his immortal words and works. He

it was who recognised the spirtual genius of Sri Ramanuja and inspired him to

compose his magnum Opus Sri Bashyam, the great commentary on the Brahma Sutras.

 

No exaggeration is it to over, that, but for these Acharyas, Vaishnavism would

have been stifled, the divine Prabandams of the Alwars scotched, the 108 sacred

Vishnu temples unrecognised, the great Vasishtadvaidic philosophy decadent, and

the precious commentaries and works on Vaishnavite religion unborn. And it is no

mean claim to say that the whole world of Vaishnava elite owes its existence to

these Mahacharyas.

 

Kattumannarkoil, (situated on the banks of the vast Veeranam Lake) hallowed by

the birth of these Acharyas is the only place with magnificent temples dedicated

to Nathamunigal and Alavandar. These Chola-period temples are in a dilapidated

condition. The Vimanans of Perumal, Thayar, Andal, Nathamunigal, Sri Alavandhar,

the Rajagopuram, rampart wall, the Asthana Mandapam, Maha Mandapam, Madaipalli,

Rama Temple, Hanuma temple, the prakaram and the Vahanams need urgent repairs,

They have to be renovated beautifully and the Maha Samprokshnam to be performed

in a fitting manner on an appropriate scale.

 

Invoking the blessings of Sriman Nathamunigal and Sri Alavandar.

 

Thanking You,

adiyEn,

S.Muralidharan

3/406, III Street, Kamaraj Nagar,

Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District,

Tamilnadu, India 612 002

Phone : (0435) 2443664. Cell : 98430 - 09664