Thirukurunkudi and Vanamamalai trip - Jan 2016

Thirukurungudi and Vanamamalai

Little did we realise that a one day trip was not sufficient to enjoy the beauties of our temples and Nature.

We took the train to Tirunelveli from Trichy junction on the 5^th Jan 2016 around 11pm. It was the Kanyakumari express that we boarded and we reached Tirunelveli around 4:00 am next day, well ahead of the scheduled time of arrival. On the advice of a well meaning co passenger we went out, took an auto to the new bus stand in Tirunelveli. It cost about Rs 90/- due to the early hour. ( at a walking distance there is the old bus stand from where one can take a bus to the new bus stand.) It is an 8 km ride to the new bus stand and there we waited for a bus to Thirukurunkudi. But again on a friendly advice by a bystander  , we took a bus to Valliyur  which is nearer Thirukurunkudi . At Valliyur we got into a bus and went to Thirukurunkudi. (For information there are buses from the new bus stand at Tirunelveli to Thirukurungudi. The more popupar regular service being …Ganapathy Travels.)

At Thirukurunkudi, we alighted at Post office stop and walk into the agraharam there or the Sannidhi street. There is the Jeer family house which offers rooms , coffee, breakfast, lunch. There, a very friendly lady offered to give us coffee ,we paid Rs 10/- per coffee and went to the guest house of Sri Ahobila mutt where there are few decent rooms , ( the very first complex close to the temple) refreshed ourselves and  went into the temple.

At this juncture it must be said that the temple and the small township is being very well maintained  , very clean with garbage cans all over the place, with a “no plastic board” displayed eminently. This is done by the TVS group (late Sri TVSundaram Iyengar hailed from there).

Inside the huge   beautiful temple  the sculptures abound ,even the outside of the temple sports delicately carved statuettes, and there seem to be more than one pillared hall inside. Many spaces are filled with pillars again all carved predominantly with the upturned lotus or downward pointing lotus bud. We could see most of the pillars upholding a lion face ,but such huge tall pillars made of stone seems like it could have not been the work of humans . I would like to think of it as Mayan’s work. The temple itself has been constructed so   symmetrically with huge halls to accommodate   any number of bakthas.

The deity itself is beauty personified. He is Sundara Paripoorna Nambi or Vaishnava Nambi in Nindra Thirukkolam who also was sishyan to Emberumanar. It is said he is green in colour with red lotus lips, but the Archakar  refused to allow us nearer to look closely. HE looks like a pachama malai pol meni.

We also had dharshan of Kidandha Nambi, also green in colour, in lying down pose.

Then we saw Veetrirundha Nambi also green in colour . All the Nambis look handsome, attractive and very pleasant.

After a very sumptuous breakfast of arisi upma and thenga thogayal given us by  Mrs Gopalakrishnan, of Sri Ahobila mutt, who is a smiling host who smiles and chatters all at the same time, we hired a jeep to go up the hills.  The jeep driver charges Rs 850/- for five people, the charge is the same  for one or five. There are 26 jeeps plying up and down. The drivers are very skilled and drive very carefully.

It takes about 45 minutes up hill. The hill path is rugged ,  laid by boulders  only, any semblance of a road laid , having been washed away by rains .There are steep bends ,there are steep climbs but the jeep manages it all .We reach in one piece! Thanks to the driver.

The way to the entrance of the forest reserve is lined   on either side with   gooseberry farms, plantain farms, and coconut farms .There is a  lone guard at the entrance  as security  . A Government poster says this is a tiger /elephant/bear reserve and visitors are requested not to feed them. Our jeep driver Mr Selvadurai, a man of about 50+ tells us that tigers are seen less frequently, and not at daytime .But the way up is serene ,with the occasional pleasant tinkling noise of Nambi river flowing in and out ,finding its way down the verdant valley. We are ushered up with a battery of butterflies in all conceivable colours flying in front of the jeep welcoming us, ushering us to a silent deep forest filled with Natures Best. It is like fairy land   with so many butterflies of all hues and colours and birds chirping without end.

Beyond a point as we reach the Temple at top, the jeep stops and we take a downward path to the  bathing place which is well built up with staircases and cemented platforms. ( Thanks to TVS group) .We have a dip in the cool Nambi aaru which is crystal clear and as we sit down with our feet in the waters the fish nibble at our feet ,giving us a good foot massage. We leave the waters halfheartedly to have dharshan of Malai Mel Nambi who stands alone with Sridevi Boodevi. The temple nestles among the forest hills. There were about 20 + people having darshan already.

These hills are in the Western Ghats and are said to be Mahendragiri mountains from which Hanuman took off to Lanka.

On our return we worship Vamana Nambi , a temple for a short Vamana, on the banks of  Nambiyaru , downhill, on the southwest side of Thirukurunkudi temple.

VanamaMalai

From Thirukurunkudi we engaged an auto for Rs 250 to and fro to Vanamamalai or Nanguneri. It is 17 kms from Thirukurunkudi. There are buses if one has time. There are share autos and small vans plying between these two small towns.  One can also goto Ervadi, a bigger town near Thirukurunkudi from where one can get  frequent buses to Nanguneri or Thirunelveli.

The Vanamamali temple is again huge with beautiful sculptures and well rounded figures on every pillar. Curiously all these statues have their hair tied into a bun to a side as is wont to the Chola queens. The pillars ,quite a number of them all have different carvings ,many with a monkey holding the tail of another or monkeys .

The Moolavar is Thothadri/ Sri Sailapoornan perumal sitting pose with his consorts, with Adiseshan holding his hood as umbrella. This is as in Vaikuntam ……the archakar says. Moolava thayar is SriVara Mangai. This is one of the SwayamVaktha Kshetram.

The utsavar is Deivanayakam, and Vahulavalli thayar.

The Vanamamalai mutt leads from inside of the temple is almost attached to the temple itself. Said to be one of the richest mutt , it boasts of a  good collection of Tanjavur paintings that are a rare sight to see. The Jeer is very accessible and is friendly as he banters to us in normal tones, and immediately enquires about mutually known people with a lot of concern. We have a dharshan of his Aradya deivam which is Ranganathar and Thothadri .

As we return by auto to Thirukurunkudi we hear of the cooperative run by the TVS group to help women or home makers run their own business .These women make appalams ,sambar and rasam powders in bulk and export them to USA too in addition to feeding TVS canteens!! We see this unit and are quite impressed with TVS and the women.

Evening we have booked our train tickets from Tirunelveli by Thiruchengode Express leaving Tirunelveli at 8.45 pm. So we take the straight bus from Tirukurunkudi to Tirunelveli which cost us about Rs 20/- each. We reach the new bus stand and take a town bus to the railway station. The train arrives on time and reaches Trichy at 4am . Right outside the Trichy junction,  buses are available for the ride to Srirangam .