The coveted Brahmotsavam festival would be celebrated from 26th April to May 7, this year at the reverred Devanatha Swamy temple in Thiruvaheendrapuram at Cuddalore district, in Tamil Nadu, marking Chittarai month. It is not surprising when the devotees are requested to visit the temple and participate in the function, bearing the significance of the occasion in mind. The presiding deity Lord Devanatha Perumal (God) and Thayar (Goddess) Hemambujavalli at Devanathaswamy temple needs no introduction to the connoisseurs, especially to the ardent devotees of Lord Maha Vishnu. The renowned temple is ranked as one among the 108 Divya Desams. The well known temple is also providing a viable alternative to the people, who are unable to make it to Tirupati, another popular temple town with a maximum record collection of amount in the world, due to unavoidable circumstances.
It is pertinent to note that Lord Devanathaswamy is believed to be the brother of Lord Balaji. A large number of families belonging to the Vaishnavite community offer worship to Lord Devanathaswamy by reverring him as their family deity. The ‘Sthalapuranam’ in the temple depicts that Sri Vaishnava Guru Swami Vedanta Desika reached the destination as a human incarnation of the Lord’s Ghanta (bell) to attain fulfilment of his penance that was carried out on the hill. The concerned Swami had mastered all Sastras when he was barely attained the age of 20. Later, he proceeded to the temple and offered his worship to Sri Hayagriva in the hill, besides praying to Garuda, after he appeared before him and initiated him in ‘Hayagriva Upasana’. This incident facilitated the process for Swami Desikan to attain religious knowledge with redoubled vigour.
It is important to note that Desikan spent nearly four-decades of his illustrious career in this Divya Desam. The devotees make it a point of visiting Desikan Thirumaaligai at Thiruvahindrapuram time and again with utmost devotion. Devanathaswamy temple, also known as Thiruvanthipuram Kovil, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, as mentioned above, is worshipped as Devanathaswamy and his consort Lakshmi as Hemabhujavalli. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the sixth to nineth centuries AD. The temple in its current form is believed to have been built during the Medieval Cholas, which was subsequently expanded by Pandyas, Hoysala Empire and Vijayanagara Empire, among others.
Devanatha Swamy temple is situated at ground level, which is very oranate with much of artwork on stone. The temple is very pleasant and the swamy diety is of a huge size. Its ambience is eye-catching to the devotees, especially in the evening hours. The gigantic temple is famous for ‘Lakshmi Hayagreeva’, too, which is situated on the hillock that begins from the back door of the Devanatha Swamy temple. There are around 80 steep steps for those who can walk. A path has been provided for the vehicles to move, but, whenever there is a massive crowd, the devotees will end up walking for a few minutes. However, the devotees feel there is always a room for improvement and scope for development of the temple surroundings. Basic problem like toilet facilities poses a considerable obstacle to the people. Accountability and transparency of the concerned authorities needs a brush-up.
A huge push from shopkeepers would make the devotees buy books, pen, elachi garland and honey. The cost is obviously on the higher side. The hillock temple is not that big, but the Lord is undoubtedly powerful and greets the devotees with his charm, poise and finesse. Almost all students will seek his blessings before any major examination. The stumbling block, however, is that the parking space is limited and only as few devotees are lucky enough to occupy the spae. The tonsuring and ear-boring ceremonies for kids in the families are performed at the courtyard of Goddess Thayaar. Many devotees visit Hayagriva temple to perform ‘Aksharabhyasam’ (the ceremony conducted for commencing education). The former Indian cricket captain and ex-chairman of the team India selection committee, Krishnamachari Srikanth has a residence, nearer to the temple and is believed to have donated liberally for this unique Kovil.
The temple is located around seven km from Cuddalore main bus station. If the people are travelling by train or bus, it would be ideal for them to reach before 12:00 hrs, or else they are expected to wait with patience, till evening. Importantly, and last, but, not the least, keeping the significance of the temple in mind, the government can initiate better facilities for the tourists from other parts of India and abroad to visit this fabulous temple without any hindrance or obstacle. After all, proof of the pudding lies in its eating! The devotees are hoping against hope.
K.V. Venugopal
