Melkote / Thondanoor trip Nov 2016

Mysore , Its Maharajah’s and  quaint small towns

Mysore is always half in darkness which lends it a sort of black and white quality. The people are mild, polite and pleasant. We stayed in a small hotel called Iyengar’s plaza, very near the Jayachamaraja wodeyar’s summer palace, a small palace, near the Parakala mutt. The summer palace is now an Art gallery. This hotel has rooms but no restaurant, so coffee or tea or tiffin need to be sourced from outside and the hotel boys help the guests

We hired a cab from here to take us to some temple towns nearby . First stop was the Thonnoorkare …..also known as Thondanoor lake. It’s a fairly big lake and we three decided to have a dip. We did so fearing the slippery steps, but there were rough  hewn rocks so we held on for dear life while we filled bottles of water to bathe!.

This lake is famous because the great Seer Ramanujar  came here every morning during his stay in Melkote and found the small Krishnar idol here in this lake . Now this idol is kept in Ahobilamutt mantaapa in all glory and is the dolai Kannan. It was very refreshing and we went on to see Nambi Naarayanan, one of the huge temples  where Ramanujar gave lectures to 2000 Jains who later became followers of the great Seer. There is a stone “peetam” from where the Seer had been giving lectures on Sri Vaishnavam to these  Jains , is still kept here.

                                  

The Seer has established the PanchNarayana kshetrams near here while he was staying in Melkote. They are i) Nambinaryanan, ii) Sowmyanarayanan , iii) Keerthinarayanan , iv) Selvanarayanan and v) Veeranarayanan.

Also there is a sculpture of the seer in dasya mudra.

                  

Then on to Parthasarathy perumal temple, just opposite to Nambi Narayanan temple, where He is without mousctache. The utsavar is Gopalakrishnan with a rare dancing posture of keeping the left leg in front of right.

Behind NambiNarayanan temple,  there is a small hillock on which there is a Yoga Nrishimhar temple ,where the famous statue of Raamanujar is kept. It is said that when it was time for the Seer to leave Melkote , the disciples  were very sad , so Ramanujar  had an idol made to his liking and when it was ready he gave it a hug and  approved of it . So it is called Thamarugandha Thirumeni. The idol of Raamanuja here is very penetrating with sharp features , resembling a snake almost, with a serpent as his hood, The basket that he used is kept here in a glass case  and it is worth mentioning that it is now 1000 years old.

                                                                          

In the Narisimhr sannidhi  is kept a stick that Ramanujar used  to drive away the Brimha rakshasa that had descended on the princess of that city. After she was cured of her   mental illness the Jain king  was converted to Raamanujas philosophy….which is Vishishtadvaita  and had his subjects convert to this too.

As his courtiers were not convinced , they asked for a debate with Ramanuja  .They laid down the condition that they would ask questions to which Ramanuja had to answer simultaneously. He agreed. Almost a 1000 Jains shot questions at him. Ramanuja also had one condition …he said when he answered no one should look at him .Both sides agreed. Ramanuja sat behind a screen and answered all the questions at the same time thus convincing all of them .This is the kshetram where this happened.

The archakar showed us that the statue has a snake carved around the stomach of Ramanuja, and the archakar also said that everyday and always there is a snake lying in front of the sannidhi.

Melkote is 18kms away from these small villages and takes around 30 minutes to reach from here.

Moolavar…SelvaNarayanan Stands  tall with both his hands held very near his shoulders, as if he wants to hear the Panchajanya and reassure himself of his Chakraa. Thayar stands at his feet, very small but clearly Thulukka Nachiyar. Thani koil Nachiyaar is Yadugiri  thayar ,looking very pretty with sharp features. This SelvaNarayana  perumal is said to have been handed down from Yadavas .Krishnar worshiped this Lord. The small hill is called yaadagiri.              

When Ramanujar found an empty temple he wondered who could be its occupant? And in his dream he found an answer. So he went to the Kalyani pushkarani there according to his dream and had the Thulasi vanam dug up …and Lo Behold he found this SelvaNarayanan. But….wondered Ramanujar…where could he find the utsavaar? And yet again he had a revealing dream…and he went to Dellhi to the Badshahs court.  Yes..the muslim invasion again!

At the court Ramanujaar asked the Muslim King to hand over the idol…to which the King replied that Ramanuja was free to go and inspect and take what he wanted……but Ramanujar searched in vain. Back to the king and this time Ramanuja was directed to the ladies chamber where He found the princess playing with an idol which resembled the Moolavar. It is said that Ramanuja called out and this idol came to his arms as would a baby to its mother. Hence Ramanujar called him Chella Pillai.

Chella pillai is looked after like a baby…woken up only at 9, not disturbed much and sent to bed very early.

                  

As we wondered about what we could do to have lunch …out of the blue a man came smiling at us…….and engaging us in conversation and directed us to the Desikan sannidhi/temple there . We had food there, very simple affair…more kuzhambu, rasam and curd , but very filling. The puliyodhare here is very famous and is available in Subbannas mess.

A visit to the Brindavanam of our first Acharyan Sri Adivan Satagopan is a must. It is in the Ahobila mutt premises, close to the temple.

A word of advice to anyone cares to listen…please visit all these places

when age is your advantage.

.