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Sri
Thursday, July 06, 2006

PILGRIMAGE TO LORD VIJAYA VARADARAJA TEMPLE]
Dear all
I had an opportunity to visit a temple of Lord Vijaya
Varadarajaswamy. I want to share my experiences and
feelings with you.
I read about it  in a journal. As the details were
very interesting I decided to have a trip to the
temple. 
We proceeded towards the our targeted temple. Afar
passing Acharapakkam (approx100kms from Chennai on
Chennai-villupuram Highway)we come across an over
bridge on the national Highway. We went under the
bridge and took a right turn and went to the western
side of the road. After traveling some 6 kms I found
nothing except some people moving in scooters and
cycles and working in fields. Though' I know the phone
No. of the Battachariar who is living some 5 kms away
from the place where I parked my car, my cell phone
did not have the signal. I stopped one gentleman who
was passing thro' me. He obliged his cell phone (BSNL
card) and contacted the battachariar. He asked me to
stay where I was, and promised to come and take me. He
came in his scooter in 15 minutes from his residence
at ORATHI. He guided me. We traveled for some 4 kms in
the northern direction. At one point he asked me to
park my car, as there is no road unto temple. That
place is known as BABUROYANPET. We got down and
followed him thro karuvela tree jungle for half a
kilometer. There was no trace of any living near the
temple. He showed me an unfinished dilapidated bush
covered construction which was the main gopuram and
entrance once upon a time. We entered thro another
gopuram which was frightening us when it will fall on
us. Then we went near Dwajastambam (there was no
dwajasthambam) and there was half balipeetam.
Battacharya requested us to wait outside till he
opened the doors and switched on the lights and
lighted a small lamp near moolavar. Some thousands
(not exaggeration) of bats flew here and there
touching our heads as our entry disturbed their
living. At the entrance there were Dwara balakas which
are beautifully made. Lord Vardakas was standing alone
waiting for devotees and battacharya, at whose mercy
he was living whereas we have to live on his mercy.
The moolavar idol about some 5-1/2 ft.height was made
of salagramam stone His nose, eyes are so beautiful,
but seeing his plight we were in tears. The specialty
is he is standing on three pedestals. Usually idols
are placed on one pedestal. Here at the bottom it was
yogha stanam, over this again a square pedestal called
boga stanam and over it there was lotus stanam.
Battacharya said that though' he is Varadaraja, his
pedestal is that of Lord Narasimha.Tho lord does not
have any costly clothes, jewels, kavachams, aradhana
vessels of silver he is grace in giving to the
devotees the required by them. We slowly moved to the
prakaram, where stones from roof are hanging making us
to feel when it will fall on us. The tress have fully
grown and the stems and roots are so thick .whether it
is possible to remove is a question. Vijayavalli
thayar is beautifully standing like Varadaraja
expecting the arrival of batttacharya for her daily
neivedyam.
If we cautiously move to the other side Andal sannidhi
is there. Andal's idol though not of saligramam like
that of perumal and thayar, is beautifully
carved.Battacharya showed the sun and moon kondai in
her head.  In the next prakaram all the alwars,
Ramanuja, Desika are waiting for their turn. They have
not seen oil for decades I think. If they are given
sambirani thailam bath their beauty may be seen, A
small idol of Lord Krishna (flute missing) with
rukmani satya bama and Rama with sita (Lakshmana
missing) are also seen .Anjaneya in three poses are
there to take care Lords and temple. If come out of
4th Prakara there is a dried Pushkarini on the
southern side. There is some shrub covered structure
which battar says was once a big thayar sannidhi.
Similarly on the other side he showed some shrub
covered structure as Andal Sannidhi. There is Garuda
Vahanam  showing signs of utsavams some centuries ago.
Really we should appreciate the courage shown by the
battacharya for visiting the temple daily for pooja in
spite of absence of devotees risking his life amidst
reptiles like snakes and scorpions.

I am told it is managed by paramparai trustees of some
Rao families. This temple was built by one Rayar
(whose figure is in a pillar) during Arcot nawab rule
He was a minister in his cabinet. King gave the land
for building the temple, as the rayar used to worship
Kanchi Varadar daily. It is said that Kanchi Varadar
used to come fir a day in a year to this temple. It is
also believed there is a suranga padai beneath this
temple for going to Kanchi.  It is believed that this
temple is some 500/600 years old.Pujas are performed
under vaikanasa Agama.

But it is impossible to reconstruct the temple with
sapta prakarams in its original style. But it is
possible to reconstruct to house the present idols in
the Agama way. The tank can be renovated as it will be
a source of ground water to the neighboring villages.

Battacharyar said that some philanthropists are taking
steps to renovate the temple. Only Lord Varadaraja can
find the way for this.

Though we had a darsan of Lord we returned with a
heavy heart seeing the condition of the temple and our
helplessness in this regard.  I am giving below the
phone No. of Battacharya: 914427549632. Persons
desirous of visiting the temple may contact him so
that he will take care of the devotees.

With best wishes - dasan rajagopalan


-rajagopalan

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