Tiruvalangadu is an amazing place, strongly recommended for all. The village is between Tiruvallur and Arakonam. It was a horrible 15 km, 1 hour ride from Arakonam on what was a cross between an archeological excavation site and stone quarry.
But, the temple is huge, beautiful and well maintained. Sung by Sambandar, Appar (1, 2), Sundarar, Karaikal Ammaiyar. one of five sabhais. Known to be abode of Karaikal Ammaiyar, "mother of south indian music". Also, Tiruvalangadu copperplates ...
The temple does not close for an afternoon break. Sabharatna Sivacharyar (99407 36579) (How wonderful the Sivacharyars are named after the Swamy they worship. We had Palugandanadha Sivacharyar at Palugandanathar temple) His son, Karthik Sivacharyar (about 17 years) is fantastic. Just finished his training at Patasalai at Needamangalam.
Photos here
14 December 2008
Sholinghur....2
Someone has innocently asked whether I actually bought the stick. How can you ask such a question to a person from Tippi, that too, nephew of TVR? I have learnt my lessons from TVR, and asked the stick seller if he would return my money if I return the stick at the end of the trip. He looked puzzled, nobody appraently has ever asked him such a question. The discussion became like a la Senthil - Vazhapazham.
Advice to Sholinghur aspirants:
1 Temple is under renovation, so you cant see the Moolavar until kumbhabhishekam (not yer scheduled).
2. Go during extended vacation, as you cannot walk for a couple of days after the steep climbs
3. No decent food joint (if Saravana Bhavan is your standard) at Sholinghur or Arakonam.
Advice to Sholinghur aspirants:
1 Temple is under renovation, so you cant see the Moolavar until kumbhabhishekam (not yer scheduled).
2. Go during extended vacation, as you cannot walk for a couple of days after the steep climbs
3. No decent food joint (if Saravana Bhavan is your standard) at Sholinghur or Arakonam.
07 December 2008
Sholinghur, Tiruvalangadu & Tiruvenpakkam
We visited Sholinghur, Tiruvalangadu and Tiruvenpakkam on 6 Dec 2008.
We started at 6 in the morning, took the Bangalore highway (NH4), had breakfast at Sri Motel (there aren't too many places to eat after this till Sholinghur) , took a right turn at Kaveripakkam (SH128) and reached Sholinghur by 915 (29km from Kaveripakkam) . SH128 wasn't too good for the first few kms and got better as we went along.
Sholinghur is a Divya Desam, sund by Alwars. Narasimhar is atop a 1300 step hill (Periya malai) and Anjaneyar, atop 400 step hill (Chinna Malai). The place is called Thiru Kadigai. There are 4 pasurams. Periya malai is a 45 minute climb and the Chinna malai, 15min. There are dolis available for faint hearted and feeble bodied.
Here is yet another proof for Ramar Sethu. This is not a Ramar Petrol story. Rama, along with vanara sena, was returning to Ayodhi from Lanka. He came to rest at Sholinghur. Vanara Senai got excited, as was their wont, and started jumping from tree to tree, eating fruits, plucking flowers, throwing stones in a general mayhem. It was time to leave. As Rama left, some of the vanaras could not join him as they had gone to the other side of the hill. Descendants of vanara sena still exist in Sholinghur. I think archeologits, looking for proof of Ramar Sethu, are climbing up the wrong tree.
Big business here is 'Stick business'. The hill is full of monkeys, which take away your eatables, snatch your mobile phones etc. Many shops here sell 5feet long sticks to protect you against the simians.
Krishna Bhaktas are establishing Gosalas to protect "descendants of cows grazed by Lord Sri Krishna Himself." So far, noone has taken steps to protect monkeys which are descendants of vanara sena. They snatched our waterbottle!
The world is abound with people with sense of humour. Some of them could also be Nayanmars. When the Lord asked her what was that she wanted, Karaikal Ammayar said she wanted to be a Ghost! She resides these days at Tiruvalangadu. We were curious. More about it later
We started at 6 in the morning, took the Bangalore highway (NH4), had breakfast at Sri Motel (there aren't too many places to eat after this till Sholinghur) , took a right turn at Kaveripakkam (SH128) and reached Sholinghur by 915 (29km from Kaveripakkam) . SH128 wasn't too good for the first few kms and got better as we went along.
Sholinghur is a Divya Desam, sund by Alwars. Narasimhar is atop a 1300 step hill (Periya malai) and Anjaneyar, atop 400 step hill (Chinna Malai). The place is called Thiru Kadigai. There are 4 pasurams. Periya malai is a 45 minute climb and the Chinna malai, 15min. There are dolis available for faint hearted and feeble bodied.
Here is yet another proof for Ramar Sethu. This is not a Ramar Petrol story. Rama, along with vanara sena, was returning to Ayodhi from Lanka. He came to rest at Sholinghur. Vanara Senai got excited, as was their wont, and started jumping from tree to tree, eating fruits, plucking flowers, throwing stones in a general mayhem. It was time to leave. As Rama left, some of the vanaras could not join him as they had gone to the other side of the hill. Descendants of vanara sena still exist in Sholinghur. I think archeologits, looking for proof of Ramar Sethu, are climbing up the wrong tree.
Big business here is 'Stick business'. The hill is full of monkeys, which take away your eatables, snatch your mobile phones etc. Many shops here sell 5feet long sticks to protect you against the simians.
Krishna Bhaktas are establishing Gosalas to protect "descendants of cows grazed by Lord Sri Krishna Himself." So far, noone has taken steps to protect monkeys which are descendants of vanara sena. They snatched our waterbottle!
The world is abound with people with sense of humour. Some of them could also be Nayanmars. When the Lord asked her what was that she wanted, Karaikal Ammayar said she wanted to be a Ghost! She resides these days at Tiruvalangadu. We were curious. More about it later
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)