Renovation Needed for gopuram of Attigiri Arulalar

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> SITUATED AT the eastern end of Kancheepuram, about 76 km from Chennai, is

> the Arulmigu Devarajaswami Temple. According to legend, after He created

> the

> Universe Brahma wanted Lord Vishnu to come down to the Earth. He heard the

> Lord's voice and began to perform the Aswamedha Yagam. When the Yagam was

> drawing to a close, Lord Varadaraja and His Consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi

> appeared out of the flames of the Yagam. Brahma prayed to the Lord to stay

> on Earth and bless devotees. The Lord agreed and remained in Hasthagiri.

>

> The temple, which has two gopurams, is more than 1,000 years old, and was

> built over centuries by various rulers - the Chola (1018 - 1278 A.D.),

> Chera

> (1312 - 1342) and Vijayanagara kings (1400 - 1600 A.D.) Five spacious

> corridors and two temple tanks - Ananda Saras and Golden Lotus tank - add

> to

> the beauty of the temple. The deity of Lord Atthi Varadar made of Atthi

> wood, is consecrated in the four-pillared mandapam inside the Ananda

> Saras.

> The idol is taken out of the water once in 40 years and placed for darshan

> for 48 days before it is again put into the water. The last time the Lord

> gave darshan was in 1979. It is believed that the ill effects of lizards

> can

> be cured by the Vaiyamaligai Lizard at the Devarajaswami Temple. The

> annual

> Brahmotsavam of the temple is conducted for 10 days in the Tamil month of

> Vaikasi (May - June). Garuda Seva on the third day of the Brahmotsavam is

> an

> important part of the festival. The Car festival is celebrated on the

> seventh day.

>

> The Float Festival is held three times every year, which includes a

> three-day celebration at the Ananda Saras. It is also conducted in the

> lake

> in the village of Thenneri, 25 km from Kanchipuram and at a village tank

> called Rajakulam. Besides these several other temple festivals are

> celebrated throughout the year.

>

> The temple is in need of renovation and the work is estimated to cost Rs.

> 1.3 crores. Devotees may send their contributions to the Executive

> Trustee,

> Arulmigu Devarajaswami Temple, Kancheepuram - 631 501.

>

>

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