It was a long wish to this temple. Initially I
couldn’t locate this Dattatreya Temple. Ms Srividhya’s article helped me reach
the temple at Baby Nagar, a part of Velachery and near Vijayanagar bus Stop.
Main Deity :
Sri Dattatreyar
Consort :
Sri Anagha Devi
Some of the salient features of this
temple are…
The temple is facing east. Stucco
image of Dattatreya with his consort, Dogs and Rishabam are on the top of the
entrance. Stucco Elephants are on both sides of the temple entrance.
Dattatreya, Vishveshwara and Rajarajeswari sannidhis are in a row -South to North
facing east.
In Dattatreya’s sannidhi, Dattatreya is
with his consort Sri Anagha Devi. Dattatreya is in standing posture with 3 heads
and 6 arms. The centre head is Maha Vishnu, right is Brahma and Left is Shiva.
The lower hands are holding accamala and kendy / kamandalam. The Middle hands
are holding Damaru ( some cases trishul with Damaru or without Damaru ) and lotus flower ( some cases a gatha ) and
Upper hands are holding Chakra and Sankha. His consort Anaka Devi is with
abhaya varada hastam.
Sri Rajarajeswari is in a separate
sannidhi facing east. Vinayagar and Balamurugan are at the entrance of the
sanctum sanctorum. In koshtam Varahi, Durgai and Gayatri.
In praharam Kariya Siddhi Hanuman, Vishveshwara,
Dakshinamurthy, Danvantri, Sri Lakshmi Hayagreevar, and Navagrahas.
Dattatreya with his consort Sri Anagha Devi - PC Website
Vishveshwara, PC Website
Danvantri, PC Website
ARCHITECTURE
The complete temple was built with bricks and
cement concrete. All the three temples are only with sanctum sanctorum. The
Sanctum sanctorum are built with upana ( about 3 feet ), padabandha adhistanam
and pattika. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The prastaram is with valapi and
kapotam. Eka tala dravida vimanas are on the sanctum sanctorum.
Vimanas
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
This Dattatreya temple was established by the Mysore
Datta Peetadhipati Parama Poojya Sri Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachidhanantha Swamiji in
1987. Kariya Siddhi Anjaneya sannidhi was established in 1999 and
Rajarajeswari are established in the year 2004.
The temple was badly damaged during 2015 flood and
2016 vardha cyclone. The total temple structure was pulled down and temples are
constructed on the same place. Dakshinamurthy, Danvanthiri, Lakshmi
Hayagreevar, Vishveshwara sannidhis are added during the reconstruction. The
reconstructed temple’s maha kumbhabhishekam was initiated on 28th February
2018, with Dattatreya Homam, Chandi Homam, Anjaneyar Homam, Rudra Homam, etc,… Maha
Kumbhabhishekam was conducted by Datta
Peetadhipathi Parama Poojya Sri Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachidhanantha Swamiji and Ilaya Peetadhipathi poojya Sri Swamiji
Vijayanantha Theertha Swamiji, on 4th March 2018.
LEGENDS
As per the legend, Dattatreya is believed to be
combined incarnation of Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva. He is considered as an exceptional Rishi with
extraordinary insights and knowledge. In Puranas he is considered as a Guru and
avatar of Maha Vishnu. As per puranas, Dattatreya renounced this worldly life
and left home at an early age to attain gnana. Dattatreya is shown with 3 heads,
in which centre is Vishnu’s head, Brahma and Shiva’s heads are on the right and
left side. He is shown with 6 hands. The upper hands holds the sankha &
chakra, the middle hands holds Trishul
with Damaru & Lotus / gatha and
Lower hands holds accamala and Kamandala, portraying Maha Vishnu, Brahma and
Shiva.
Dattatreya was the son of Atri Maharishi and
Anusuya. Atri was born from Brahma and his wife Anusuya was the daughter of the
sage Kardama and Devahuti. He did penance on Brahma to attain Brahma Gnana. Anusuya
devoted her life sincerely to her husband Atri, as Chastity & Sacred and followed the path of Dharma.
Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva wants to show Anusuya’s supremacy and Chastity to
this to this world, through testing her. All the three came to the ashram in
the form of 3 saints, when Atri was away. All the three told her, they will
have their food, only if Anusuya serve food in naked, since they practice
different austerity. Anusuya readily accepted the saint’s request. Since She
followed Dharma and superior in chastity, She turned all the three saints in to
newborn infants. She fed all three with milk from her breasts. In the mean time
Atri Maharishi returned home and found his wife is feeding to the three children.
Through his third Vision he came to know that all the three babies are none
other than Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva, those came in the form of saints.
When Maha Lakshmi, Saraswati and Parvati came to
know that their husbands are in Atri’s ashram as Children, they came pleaded
Atri and Anusuya to change back to their original form. All the three offered Anusuya a boon, that whatever
she wants. Anusuya asked a boon of, Trimurtis should born to her as her
Children. All the three granted the boon to Anusuya. Hence Dattatreya was born
to Anusuya with three heads and 6 hands, to signifies Maha Vishnu, Brahma and
Shiva.
The 24 Gurus that Dattatreya found in nature and
society has become famous and a part of puranas and scriptures. Some of them
are earth, wind, fire, sky, water, moon, sun, pigeons, python, snakes, dogs,
Cow, and few more. He is closely
associated with many legends and puranas, like Kartavirya Arjuna with 1000
hands, Bhakta Prahlada, etc. One such legend goes like this…
As per the legend, the Demon Jamba defeated the Devas
and Chased them away from three worlds. He started ruling all the three worlds and
gave frequent troubles to Devas. Unbearable Devas sought the help of Dattatreya,
as advised by Brihaspati. At that time MahaLakshmi was in the ashram with
Dattatreya. When Jamba came to know that the Devas went to Dattatreya’s ashram
for help, he came to the ashram along with his army, to fight with Devas and
Dattatreya. On seeing the beauty of Maha Lakshmi, Jamba, fell in love and wants
Maha Lakshmi to take with him. The demon Jamba and his army lost their strength
and power after seeing the beauty of Maha Lakshmi. The Devas immediately
attacked Jamba, their army and chased away from three lokas / worlds.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas special poojas are also
conducted. The ashtami day in Margazhi month is observed as Anaghashtami
Vratham. This signifies the worship of Anaka Dattar who gained the ashtama
siddhis as children. Dattatreya utsavam is also celebrated in grand
manner.
One of the special prayer is offered to Sri Anjaneyar in this temple. Those who has some wishes has to tie a coconut at this Anjaneyar sannidhi. It is believed that their wishes will be fulfilled within a month.
Hanuman with Coconuts are tied as a part of prayer.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to
11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The land line numbers +9144 2233879 and mobile
number +919600003651 and +9198840277369 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH
This Dattatreya Temple is at Sachchidananda
Nagar, near Baby Nagar, Seshadripuram
Main Road a part of Velachery.
The Temple is about 500 meters from baby Nagar bus
stop and about a KM from Vijayanagar Bus Stand.
Nearest MRTS railway station is Velachery.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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