Thennangur

Thennangur (also known as Dakshina Halasyam) is a village located in

Tiruvanamalai district of Tamil Nadu. The village is the site of a uniquely designed Hindu temple and is also regarded as the birthplace of the Hindu goddess Meenakshi.

Location
Located on the Kancheepuram - Vandavasi state highway 116, the village is 110 km from the state capital, Chennai. It is serviced by regular buses from Kancheepuram and vandavasi.

History
Thennangur was previously known as Dakshina Halasyam, (sanskrit) for a place where the wise drink nectar. According to Hindu scriptures, the Hindu goddess Meenakshi was found as a 3 year old child by the Pandya king here. Later, the human settlement was centred around the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple which used to exist before getting dilapidated. Only a pillar of this temple remains today. Without a surviving temple, the village virtually vanished.

Thennangur was given a rebirth when Swami Haridas Giri, a disciple of Swami Gnanananda Giri chose this nondescript village for setting up a centre to spread divine knowledge through the medium of Namasankeerthanam. The Rajagopuram at the main entrance is fashioned in the South Indian Style, while the 'Karuvarai Vimanam' (turret over the sanctum of the temple) is in the Jagannath Temple (Puri) (Orissa) style, and the idols of Pandurangan-Ragumayi are replicas of the idols in Pandaripuram (Maharashtra). Thus the Thennangur Poori Panduranga-Ragumayi Temple is a mixture of three distinct cultural styles This temple is situated near Vandavasi (Thiruvannamalai District ). Thennangur was previously known as 'Dhakshina Halasyam', meaning a place where the learned and wise drink nectar. There are bus facilities from Chennai to Vandavasi and from there to Thennangur.

Master and Disciple

Among the four Peetas established by Adi Shankara, the Jyothir Mutt in Pithrikashrama (North) is the one where Sree Gnananda Giri Swamigal was the Peedathipathi. He entrusted the Mutt to his disciples and went to the Himalayas to do penance. Later, he established an Ashrama called Thapovanam in the Northern side of Thenpennaiyaru. Sree Swami Haridas Giri was one of his prominent disciples. "I live neither in Vaikunda nor in the hearts of Yogis who meditate thinking of me, but live in the midst of my devotees who chant my name and dance merrily", so said Krishna Paramathma, and Haridas Giri after hearing these words from his Guru worked tirelessly in spreading Bhagawan's Nama Sangeerthanam throughout the country. Thennangur Panduranga-Ragumayi Temple is the outcome of his tireless efforts.

Pandurangan-Ragumayi
The gopuram over the sanctum of the temple is 120 feet in height and the golden part of the dome alone is 10 1/2 feet tall. Before entering the sanctum sanctorum, men are required to remove their upper-garments as part of the temple regulations. The idols of Pandurangan and Ragumayi (10 1/2 feet and 8 1/2 feet in height respectively) are a visual treat. The Panchaloga Vigraham of Varadaraja Perumal with SreeDevi and Bhoodevi and Achdharaya Perumal idol can also be seen here.

Varieties of adornment
Panduranga-Ragumayi appear in different adornments. On Saturdays, they are dressed up like Thirupathi Venkatesaperumal, on Thursdays it is Nijapadha Dharisanam, on Fridays it is Velli Kavasa Alangaram, on Sundays it is Rajagopalan alangaram with a Rajasthan type of turban and on other days they are in their own attire.

Krishna Leela in fibre glass

In 'Artha Mandapa' there are many paintings of Krishna made on fibre glass that can be seen on its walls. Even in the 'mahamandapa' one can find the paintings depicting the life of Krishna and of Gnanananda Giri and Haridas Giri. Next to this is a huge meditation hall.

Pandaripura Bhagwan
Why Haridas Giri thought of building such a temple is another story. Once he undertook a holy Yathra to villages around Pandaripura to learn about the devotees there. At that time, his Guru appeared in his dream and told him to leave for Pandaripura. When he entered the Pandurangan Temple, the temple priest performed Abhishegam and handed over the idols of Pandurangan-Ragumayi and told him that Gnananda Giri Swamigal appeared in his dream and asked him to hand over the idols. That is when the seed of thought to build a temple was sown in his mind and the temple seen now is the outcome. These idols were placed in the temple. As main deities, bigger statues were made and installed. There is a Bhajana Mandapa near the temple where the devotees sing and dance merrily chanting the Bhagwan's name. The statues of Namadevar, Sobani and Muktha Bai can be seen in this Mandapa.

Thulasi Brindavan
A Mutt known as Sree Gnananda Giri's Peedam lies at the backside of the temple and in the middle of the Mutt there is a thulasi maadam. It is called Thulasi Brindavanam. When Haridas Giri Swamigal was on his way to Badrinath, he attained Jala Samadhi in the river Alaknanda ( near Rudraprayagai). Thulasi Brindavanam was built in his memory and the sanctum sanctorum of Gnanananda Swamigal lies opposite to Thulasi Brindavanam. Their Swarna Padhukas are kept in the Mutt for daily pooja.

Maha Shodasi Ambal

The Sanctum sanctorum of Ambal lies on the left side of the Brindavanam facing North. As Kamakshi is to Kanchi Kamakoti peetam and Sarada Devi is to Sringeri, the main deity for Jyothir Mutt is Maha Hodasi. She is one of the incarnations of Shakthi.

A Goddess with twelve hands, like Thirupura Sundari holding Angusam, Pasam, Karumbuvil, and Panjapushpa Panangal, like Saraswathi holding Veena, Manikka malai and Book, Like Mahalakshmi having a Lotus, Abayamuthirai in one hand and Varadhamuthirai in one hand, she sits majestically in this temple. The sannadhi is unique and first of its kind in South India.

Ainthozhil Nayaki
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudhran and Eswaran form the four legs of her seat and Sadasivan forms the main seat of her Panjapradosana Manjam. It is believed that she is the Lalithambigai of Lalitha Sahasranamam recited by Adi Sankara. She is said to be in charge of five activities of creating, protecting, destroying, hiding and blessing. A sanctum sanctorum like this cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. In the Srividya Upadesa Kramam, this is the only temple available for the devotees for worship.

Meenakshi Sthala Legend

Sree Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and Sree Lakshmi Narayana Temple in Thennangur are the holy Sthalas that should be visited by one and all. Once when a Pandya King prayed for a child, he was asked to perform a special Yaga with the help of Saptharishis living in Thennangur. The girl child which appeared from the Yaga was taken to Madurai by the King and she grew up as Meenakshi. So this Sthala was named as 'Meenakshi Thonriya Sthala' by Kanchi Paramacharyar.