kanchipuram Trip

Hi All


Today is a great day in my life (8th July 2006)
When I woke up I have not seen any difference. Usual morning exercises and other routines like brushing, bathing etc were done. Then my wife told me to take leave for the office so that we can go out with family & enjoy. I also liked the idea. I felt some butterflies were flying in my stomach. Then I called my boss for the leave, surprisingly he granted.

Then I called Ravi travels and arranged for a Mahendra van to take our family members. At 10.30 am the van came to my home. In the meanwhile we prepared the food, snacks & drinks. Van started at 10:45 am and reached to Thirumazisai at 11:30 am

A village with a small temple where Prakaras are covered with Ramayana & Bhagavatam paintings. We had a good darshan of Moolavar Jagannathan. This deity is called Madya Jagannatha. One is in north (Puri called Jagannathan) and another in south Thirupullani Kalyana Jagannathan. Then we had a darshan of Thirumazhisai Aalwar Sannathi where he was born and called as Sthalaalwar.
At 12.00 noon started for Kanchipuram which is also called Temple City, famous for temples and silk sarees. All ladies in the van were talking about their silk saree experiences and the cost. Debate is going on which has more temple kumbakonam or kanchipuram.At 1:15 we are at kanchi mutt. it is very famous and old mutt it is started by adi sankaracharya 2500 years ago. It is a chaturmasya time. So the elaborated pooja to chandramoulieswara is performed by the acharyas. Today bala acharya is performing the pooja. We sat and watched the archana and sodasa upcharas.
then we went inside the mutt and saw Sri Jayaendra periyaval. He asked my father and me " enkenthu varel" we replied "from madras". Periaval told his helper to give kalkandu to my kid srinath he was wandering in the room.

We saw the adistanam of maha periyaval & spell bounded by the statue of maha periyaval. It looks like periyaval sitting in a floor. The same pose we had seen him some years back. We came out at 3.00 and ate our all pulliasadam, thairsadam with chips & urgaai. Wandered in the street for some time

Went Ekambareswarar koil. It is one of the oldest temple 57 meter high kopuram is welcoming us as we enter into kanchipuram from the main highway. The renovation work is in full swing. The doors opened at 4.00 pm. had a darshan of ekambaresewarar.
here Siva in linga form it is narrow Siva. This Siva was build by parvathi herself. We had close darsan due to balalayam (siva of outside the main prakara).
In backside we saw a very old mango tree last time it was big in size and shape but without leaves. This time we saw a small tree with greenery leaves thanks to the agriculture dept. Who made this mango tree to grow? Then we sat few minutes at temple tank.

We moved in van to visit kamakshi amman temple. Here chakra is placed in front of kamakshi this is done by adi sankaracharya. So deserve the sannithi here. The other two famous amman temples are Madurai Meenakshi and Kasi Visalakshi.


Next we visited Varadaraja perumal it is a big temple in 32 acres of land. The moolavar is called athi varadha. It is a birth place for poigai alwar & desikan. All the sannithi's are 10 to 15 steps above the ground. Moolavar is 30 - 40 steps above the ground. All in our family, are very tired and sat outside after the darsan. I went to chakrath alwar sannithi & rome in side the Nanthavanam. It is very good to see the land has been utilized for nandavanam & Vazai(plantain) is planted in the big prakaras. Very good utilization other temples also should follow this.

Next we went to Thiruvekka. Yathothakari also known as sonnavanam seitha perumal. one of the diva desam. Small temple had a good darshan. Saraswathi is sitting at the end of moolavar. Moolavar is in pujanka sayanam. moved komalavalli thaayaar sannithi. The Battar is very kind, explained the story of moolavar and thaayaar


Next we went to Astapujathan temple 200 meter from thiruvekka. One of the Divyadesam. Moolavar with 8 hands and hold Sangu, Chakram, Arrow, Bow, Sword, Kedayam, Gadha and Flower. Thayar is in sitting position with smiling face named padmaasana thayar.

Then we returned to madras via perugalathur. At tambaram vasantha bhavan we finished our dinner at 9.30 and reached home at 10.30.