baburayanpet

[Guest guest]

Sri

Thursday, July 06, 2006

 

PILGRIMAGE TO LORD VIJAYA VARADARAJA TEMPLE]

Dear all

I had an opportunity to visit a temple of Lord Vijaya

Varadarajaswamy. I want to share my experiences and

feelings with you.

I read about it in a journal. As the details were

very interesting I decided to have a trip to the

temple.

We proceeded towards the our targeted temple. Afar

passing Acharapakkam (approx100kms from Chennai on

Chennai-villupuram Highway)we come across an over

bridge on the national Highway. We went under the

bridge and took a right turn and went to the western

side of the road. After traveling some 6 kms I found

nothing except some people moving in scooters and

cycles and working in fields. Though' I know the phone

No. of the Battachariar who is living some 5 kms away

from the place where I parked my car, my cell phone

did not have the signal. I stopped one gentleman who

was passing thro' me. He obliged his cell phone (BSNL

card) and contacted the battachariar. He asked me to

stay where I was, and promised to come and take me. He

came in his scooter in 15 minutes from his residence

at ORATHI. He guided me. We traveled for some 4 kms in

the northern direction. At one point he asked me to

park my car, as there is no road unto temple. That

place is known as BABUROYANPET. We got down and

followed him thro karuvela tree jungle for half a

kilometer. There was no trace of any living near the

temple. He showed me an unfinished dilapidated bush

covered construction which was the main gopuram and

entrance once upon a time. We entered thro another

gopuram which was frightening us when it will fall on

us. Then we went near Dwajastambam (there was no

dwajasthambam) and there was half balipeetam.

Battacharya requested us to wait outside till he

opened the doors and switched on the lights and

lighted a small lamp near moolavar. Some thousands

(not exaggeration) of bats flew here and there

touching our heads as our entry disturbed their

living. At the entrance there were Dwara balakas which

are beautifully made. Lord Vardakas was standing alone

waiting for devotees and battacharya, at whose mercy

he was living whereas we have to live on his mercy.

The moolavar idol about some 5-1/2 ft.height was made

of salagramam stone His nose, eyes are so beautiful,

but seeing his plight we were in tears. The specialty

is he is standing on three pedestals. Usually idols

are placed on one pedestal. Here at the bottom it was

yogha stanam, over this again a square pedestal called

boga stanam and over it there was lotus stanam.

Battacharya said that though' he is Varadaraja, his

pedestal is that of Lord Narasimha.Tho lord does not

have any costly clothes, jewels, kavachams, aradhana

vessels of silver he is grace in giving to the

devotees the required by them. We slowly moved to the

prakaram, where stones from roof are hanging making us

to feel when it will fall on us. The tress have fully

grown and the stems and roots are so thick .whether it

is possible to remove is a question. Vijayavalli

thayar is beautifully standing like Varadaraja

expecting the arrival of batttacharya for her daily

neivedyam.

If we cautiously move to the other side Andal sannidhi

is there. Andal's idol though not of saligramam like

that of perumal and thayar, is beautifully

carved.Battacharya showed the sun and moon kondai in

her head. In the next prakaram all the alwars,

Ramanuja, Desika are waiting for their turn. They have

not seen oil for decades I think. If they are given

sambirani thailam bath their beauty may be seen, A

small idol of Lord Krishna (flute missing) with

rukmani satya bama and Rama with sita (Lakshmana

missing) are also seen .Anjaneya in three poses are

there to take care Lords and temple. If come out of

4th Prakara there is a dried Pushkarini on the

southern side. There is some shrub covered structure

which battar says was once a big thayar sannidhi.

Similarly on the other side he showed some shrub

covered structure as Andal Sannidhi. There is Garuda

Vahanam showing signs of utsavams some centuries ago.

Really we should appreciate the courage shown by the

battacharya for visiting the temple daily for pooja in

spite of absence of devotees risking his life amidst

reptiles like snakes and scorpions.

 

I am told it is managed by paramparai trustees of some

Rao families. This temple was built by one Rayar

(whose figure is in a pillar) during Arcot nawab rule

He was a minister in his cabinet. King gave the land

for building the temple, as the rayar used to worship

Kanchi Varadar daily. It is said that Kanchi Varadar

used to come fir a day in a year to this temple. It is

also believed there is a suranga padai beneath this

temple for going to Kanchi. It is believed that this

temple is some 500/600 years old.Pujas are performed

under vaikanasa Agama.

 

But it is impossible to reconstruct the temple with

sapta prakarams in its original style. But it is

possible to reconstruct to house the present idols in

the Agama way. The tank can be renovated as it will be

a source of ground water to the neighboring villages.

 

Battacharyar said that some philanthropists are taking

steps to renovate the temple. Only Lord Varadaraja can

find the way for this.

 

Though we had a darsan of Lord we returned with a

heavy heart seeing the condition of the temple and our

helplessness in this regard. I am giving below the

phone No. of Battacharya: 914427549632. Persons

desirous of visiting the temple may contact him so

that he will take care of the devotees.

 

With best wishes - dasan rajagopalan

 

 

-rajagopalan