Vinayagar worship. Vinayagar Chaturthi 2026. Chozha and Pandya period, Vinayagar images from as individual to bas reliefs in Rock Cut Caves, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

ஐந்து கரத்தனை ஆனை முகத்தனை
இந்தின் இளம்பிறை போலும் எயிற்றனை
நந்தி மகன்தனை ஞானக் கொழுந்தினைப்
புந்தியில் வைத்து அடிபோற்றுகின்றேனே! 

 One of the earliest 5th-century Vinayagar, with inscriptions at  Yamadhandeeswarar Temple, Alagramam, in Viluppuram Dist., Tamil Nadu

LEGEND OF GANESHA

Vinayagar (Lord Ganesha) was created by Goddess Parvati from turmeric paste to guard her door while she took a bath. Goddess Parvati wanted privacy during her bath, so she shaped a boy out of turmeric paste and gave him life. She told the boy to stand at the door and let no one enter. Lord Shiva returned home and tried to go inside. The boy stopped him because he did not know Shiva, and Shiva did not know the boy. Angry at being blocked, Lord Shiva fought the boy and cut off his head.

  

Goddess Parvati became very upset and angry when she saw what happened. Lord Shiva promised to fix his mistake and told his helpers to bring the head of the first living creature facing north that had passed away. The helpers found a baby elephant. Shiva placed the elephant head on the boy's body and brought him back to life.

 

Lord Shiva blessed him and said people would worship Vinayagar first before any prayer, new beginning, or journey. He is known as Vighneshvara, the lord who removes all obstacles and brings good fortune. People celebrate his birthday during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival by installing clay idols and later immersing them in water. After the celebration, the clay idol dissolves in water. It is believed that the Vinayagar idol made out of clay, i.e., earth, goes back to earth.

The different sects of worship in Hinduism are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Sauram (Sun worship), and Kaumaram (worship of Karthikeya)

Ganapatyam (also spelled Ganapatya) is a highly significant historic sect of Hinduism that centers on Ganesha (Ganapati) as the supreme, all-encompassing deity. While it is often grouped today under the broader umbrella of mainstream Hinduism or alongside Smartism, it historically stood as its own distinct and powerful denomination. In Ganapatyam, Ganesha is not just the elephant-headed god of new beginnings or the remover of obstacles. He is worshipped as Brahman—the supreme, absolute reality, creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe. Adherents primarily rely on these two sacred texts, which detail Ganesha's mythology, philosophy, and cosmic significance. Followers believe that meditating on Ganesha and reciting his mantras leads to liberation (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth.

 

In the 8th century CE, the philosopher Adi Shankara established the Shanmata system to unify various warring factions of Hinduism. He synthesized Ganapatyam into one of the six primary systems of worship alongside Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Sauram (Sun worship), and Kaumaram (Murugan/Kartikeya worship. The sect reached its peak popularity between the 10th and 21st centuries, finding its strongest roots in western India, particularly in Maharashtra.

 

Vinayagars are worshipped in the form of Idols and bas-reliefs in rock-cut caves, as early as the 8^th century in India, especially in Tamil Nadu.

Vinayagar in Ladan, 8th-century Pandya rock-cut cave. 

Mahibalanpatti, Vinayagar, believed to be 9th century, Pandya period

Believed to be of 07th- 9th century, Panayapuram, Villupuram District

Vinayagar from Perangiyur, Viluppuram District

A 9th-century Pallava-period Vinayagar, at Periyavenmani

Pillayarpatti Vinayagar, a Pandya-period rock-cut cave, believed to be from the 2nd to 5th centuries 

Vinayagar Periyanai Ganapathy in the Southwest corner of the prakara is large, and a legend is associated with Vinayagar. When Avvaiyar knew that Sundarar was going to Kailash, she also wanted to go there and do pooja hurriedly. Knowing her urgency, Vinayagar asked her to do the pooja slowly, and he would lift her to Kailash before Sundarar reached Kailash. So Avvayar sang the hymns as "Seetha kalaba Senthamarai poo..."

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சீதக் களபச் செந்தா மரைப்பூம்

பாதச் சிலம்பு பலஇசைப் பாடப்

பொன் அரை ஞாணும் பூந்துகி லாடையும்

வன்ன மருங்கில் வளர்ந்தழ கெறிப்பப்,

Thiruparaithurai, part of Saptamatrikas

Worshipped as Thumbikai Alwar, Thirumizhisai.

Vinayagar is also worshipped as Vinayaki, a female form

Uchista Ganapati, from Madambakkam 

A bas-relief from Vallam, near Chengalpattu, rock-cut cave.

A Ganga region Vinayagar brought as a war trophy, Nageswaran Temple, Kumbakonam

Kanakku Pillayar, Gangaikonda Chozhapuram, brought from the Ganga region as a war trophy

Vatapi Ganapati, Thiruvarur Thiyagesar Temple, brought from the north as a war trophy

Vinayagar at Jambai, believed to be brought from the Chalukyas as a war trophy

Kikeri Karnataka

Kasukalanju Vinayagar at Thiruvarur

Painting of Vinayagar at Sri Meenashi Amman Temple, Madurai

In addition, there are some big temples exclusively dedicated to Vinayagar, with a Rajagopuram, Temple Chariot, etc. The details are written in a separate post on our blog, and links are given below.

1. Uchishta Ganapathy Temple/ மணிமூர்த்தீஸ்வரம் உச்சிஷ்ட கணபதி கோயில், Manimoortheeswaram, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu.

2. Arulmigu Aayirathu Enn Vinayakar Thirukovil / அருள்மிகு ஆயிரத்தெண் விநாயகர் திருக்கோயில், ஆறுமுகமங்கலம்/ Arumugamangalam, Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu.

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sacred Hearts Cathedral /Chinna Koil/ திருஇருதயங்களின் மேற்றாசன பேராலயம், Thoothukudi, Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sacred Heart Cathedral at Thoothukudi was a part of the “Temples and Heritage Sites of Thoothukudi District Visit” on 15^th February 2025.

One of the biggest and oldest churches of Thoothukudi is Sacred Heart Cathedral, also known as Chinna Koil. Even though the Cathedral is very big, it was built later than Our Lady of Snows Basilica. Hence, the Snows Basilica is called “Periya Koil,” and this Cathedral is called “Chinna Koil”. This Cathedral is very close to the Thoothukudi railway station.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Pope Gregory XVI made Madurai an Apostolic Province on the 8th of July 1836, and the Thoothukudi coast became a new province that was entrusted to the Jesuit Missionaries of Thulus Province in France. Since 183,8, parish priests have been appointed in this parish. During that period, Our Lady of Snows church was taken care of by the priests of the Mylapore Diocese, which belonged to the Portuguese Mission. Hence, the Jesuit Missionaries felt that they needed a separate church.

Rev. Fr. Kasthanier, who was the Superior of the Jesuit region of Palayamkottai, which came under the pearl fishery coast, wanted to build a new church at Thoothukkudi. He bought the land where the present church stands from Mr. Manuel Viyagula Motha, and the new Church was functioning under a thatched roof.

Rev. Fr. Kanos, who became the Superior of the Jesuit Region of Palayamkottai in 1849, wanted to build a new church at Thoothukudi. A foundation was laid for the new church by Rev. Fr. Cori, who was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Piccinelli, who continued the construction work. The new church was consecrated by Rev. Fr. Kanos, as bishop of Madurai Apostolic Province, on 5^th January 1849. The new church was dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Even though the church was consecrated, the construction was completed in 1864. The church was expanded on the side by Rev. Fr. Martin in 1909.

PC - website

Pope Pius IX sent the relics of St. Fidelis as a gift to this new church. Bishop Kanos placed the relics of St. Fidelis in a separate altar and declared St. Fidelis the Patron of the town of Thoothukkudi.

The church was elevated to the Cathedral of the Thoothukudi Diocese in 1923. Further, the front towers were constructed by the Bishop in 1923. The Cathedral was renovated during the Golden and Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The Eucharistic adoration chapel was blessed by Bishop Amalnather on 06th August 1997. The Cathedral Church was renovated and blessed by Rev. Dr. Yvon Ambroise on 10th November 2017. Again, the adoration chapel was renovated and blessed by His Excellency the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen on 22nd November 2020. The front portion of the Cathedral was under maintenance during my visit.

Ref:

https://tuticorindiocese.org/cathedral.htm

HOW TO REACH

This Sacred Heart Cathedral is about 250 meters from Thoothukudi Railway Station, 3 km from Thoothukudi new bus stand, 39 km from Thiruchendur, and 48 km from Tirunelveli.

The nearest Railway Station is Thoothukudi.

LOCATION OF THE CATHEDRAL: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Our Lady of Snows Basilica/ பரிசுத்த பனிமய மாதா பேராலயம், Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Our Lady of Snows Basilica in Thoothukudi was part of the “Temples and Heritage Sites of Thoothukudi District Visit” on 15^th February 2025.

The Lady of Snows Basilica is dedicated to Mother Mary and faces east with a high mast. The locals call it Sanda Maria das Neves, which means Our Lady of Snows in Portuguese. This Basilica is on the Palk Strait seashore. The Church was elevated to a Basilica by John Paul II in 1982.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

In 1538 CE, the first Parish St. Peter’s Church was constructed with Fr. Peter Gonsalvez as the Parish Priest. St. Paul’s Chapel was constructed after the arrival of St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit Missionary, in 1548 CE. The Miraculous statue of Mother Mary was installed in 1582 CE; it came in 1555 CE through the ship named Santa Helena, after St. Paul’s Chapel was reconstructed as a concrete structure.

In 1658, when the Protestant Dutch rule began in Thoothukudi, the feast of Our Lady of Snows was banned, the Catholic Churches were taken away and made into warehouses, and celebrating the Holy Mass was prohibited. The Dutch tried to convert the Chapel into a Protestant Church and the locals from Catholic to Protestant. The Mother Mary’s statue was shifted to many places to protect it from the Protestants. In 1610 CE, Mother Mary’s statue was brought back and reinstalled during British rule. An exclusive new church was constructed and consecrated for Mother Mary and was called Our Lady of Snows in 1713 CE by Fr. Vigilius Mansi S.J. The First Golden Car procession was started on 2^nd February 1806 CE. From 1895 CE, this Our Lady of Snows came under the control of the Mylapore diocese and later came under the control of the Thoothukudi diocese after its formation in 1930.    

The church of Our Lady of Snows, Thoothukudi, was raised to the Status of Minor Basilica by Pope John Paul II due to the efforts of Rt. Rev. Bishop Amalanathar and Parish Priest Rev. Fr. L. Miranda, on 20^th July 1982.

Ref:

http://snowsbasilica.com/

HOW TO REACH

Our Lady of Snows Church is on the ECR (East Coast Road) on the seashore, about a km from Thoothukudi Railway Station, 3.5 km from Thoothukudi new bus stand, 39 km from Thiruchendur, and 48 km from Tirunelveli.

The nearest Railway Station is Thoothukudi.

LOCATION OF THE BASILICA: CLICK HERE

The Golden Car

Flag mast

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---