VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Ashtabhuja Bala Madhana Venugopala Swamy Temple / Ashtabhuja Venugopalaswamy Temple, Belur, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

Thursday 23 February 2017

Sri Ashtabhuja Bala Madhana Venugopala Swamy Temple / Ashtabhuja Venugopalaswamy Temple, Belur, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

…. A continuation post ( Sri Theerthagreeswarar Temple Kurichi )

19^th February 2017

This is the last stop of our Belur, Salem heritage walk. This Perumal temple is on the banks of Vashistanadi. This temple is dedicated to Perumal and his sister Parasakthi in the name of Maragatha valli.

Moolavar sanctum and left side yellow colour sannidhi is Thayar sannadhi.

Moolavar : Sri Ashtabuja Bala Madhana Venugopala Swamy.

Ashtabhuja Venugopalaswamy

Thayar : Sri Poongothai

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with a three tier Rajagopuram. Anjaneyar and Garuda thoon are in front of the Rajagopuram but not on the same line. In the sanctum moolavar Sri Ashtabuja Bala Madhana Venugopala Swamy is with Sri Devi and Bhoodevi. ( Urchavars are kept at Sri Thanthondreeswarar temple considering the safety).

Moolavar is in the form of a relief panel with eight hands holding various weapons and articles including a sugar cane ( signifies to remover the bad desires of sex ). The upper two hands holding the Conch and disc belongs to Sri Vishnu. The two hands below belongs to Krishna avatar. The bottoms 4 hands belongs to Balaraman an incarnation of Sri Maha Vishnu. The cheeks on both sides has the different characters. The left cheek is smooth belongs to feminine character and right cheek is little rough belongs to masculine. The dress on the left is chiseled like pancha kacha saree and on the right leg like male. On the top of the head, the 7 hooded adiseshan.

In the artha mandapam moorthams of Alwars. In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Chakrathalwar & Yoga Narasimhar, Thumbikkai Alwar ( Vinayagar ), Poongothai Thayar, Maragatha Valli Ambal, and Andal.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, artha mandapam and front mandapam. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Garudalwar are in the front mandapam. Chakkarathalawar Sannidhi is in Dravida style of construction from the base.

Chakkarathalwar Sannadhi

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It was believed that Vashistar installed this moortham. The mandapam was built during Nayak Period and their emblem of sanctum Sanctorum with sun and moon are in the form of reliefs. ( the dog in the moon signifies what? ). A kannada / Telugu inscription is on the entrance steps of the artha mandapam.

Nayaks emblem of Prastaram nasi koodu

LEGENDS

Maragatha Valli Ambal is in a separate temple like sannadhi. Ambal looks old age. As per the legend, Ambal took different incarnations like Kamakshi, Visalakshi, Ulagammai, Parvati, Thatchiyaayani. The story starts at Madurai. A devotee ( Kanchanamalai in the next birth ) treated Meenakshi as a child and used to sing thalattu to make her to sleep. Ambal was pleased by her devotion and promised her that she will take rebirth as Meenakshi to her. The devotee was blessed to take rebirth as Kanchanamalai and married to Pandya king. Perumal as a brother conducted the marriage of Sri Meenakshi with Lord Shiva. So Ambal Maragathavalli took the form of a old mother and bless the devotees in this temple.

Since Garudalwar belongs to Rama avatar period, the wings are in chopped condition ( who fought with Ravana while Seetha was taken to Lanka ). Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the artha mandapam looks beautiful.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 Hrs to 11.00 Hrs and 16.00 Hrs to 20.00 Hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 30 KM from Salem and 6 Km from Valapady.

Town bus and share autos are available from Valapady.

The temple is on the other side of the Vashistanadi a walk-able distance from the bus stop.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE