Bangaru Kamakshi Temple, Thanjavur
Bangaru
Kamakshi Temple is located in the West Main Street, which is called a Mela
Masi Veethi in Tamil language, is a well-known locality for the citizens
of Thanjavur. The word "Bangaru' in Telugu language means
"gold". As the idol of the Goddess Kamakshi in this temple is made of
gold, the temple is named as 'Bangaru Kamakshi' temple.
This
temple is located in the heart of the city, where the image of the goddess
Kamakshi is in pure gold. The idol is said to have been originally brought from
Kancheepuram during the Muslim invasion of the city.
Adjacent
to the Bangaru Kamakshi Amman temple are three other temples – the Vijaya
Rama Temple, the Navaneetha Krishna Temple and the Pratapa Veera Anjaneya
temple. All these are fairly big temples, considering that they are in the
heart of the commercial part of the city, and are calm and peaceful, certainly
worth a visit. Also worth a visit is the Samadhi of Kongana Siddhar, one of the
18 Siddhars, saints who attained salvation.
History
This
temple is administered by the Shankaracharya Math of Kanchipuram. In
the 18th century CE, there were series of military conflicts between many independent
rulers of India and also there were struggle for dominance between the British
and the French. The historians named these conflicts as the Carnatic Wars.
The holy city of Kanchipuram was also affected due to these conflicts. The
continuous political instability leads the head of Kanchi math, Sri
Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal V, to shift the base of his math
from Kanchi to some other place. He was invited by Pratap Singh, the King of
Thanjavur. Swamiji shifted his base to Thanjavur.
The presiding
deity is a gold idol in standing posture. The Bangaru kamakshi idol
in Thanjavur was originally in the kamakshi temple at Kanchi. The idol of
Goddess Sri Kamakshi made of solid gold was shifted from Kanchipuram main
shrine (Kanchi Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple) in order to protect from the
Mughal invasion. Due to the invasion of Kanchi by hostile powers,
Shankaracharya Shri Chandrashekarar Saraswathy IV of
the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam shifted the idol to Udayarpalayam and later
to Tanjore.
The
idol was wrapped with cloth and the shiny surface was smeared by black
punugu (secretion of the civet cat) covered with a cloth and smuggled out in a
palanquins as if it was a child with small pox while shifting from Kanchi
to Tanjore and it has been re installed at Tanjore. Even today the
idol is routinely smeared with punugu and appears black. During annual
Navarathri abhishekams also it does not wash off!! The herbs (Punugu)
applied on the idol gives out a stunning appearance of Goddess Sri Kamakshi
black in colour.
This
Temple is the site where the current temple of Bangaru Kamakshi is located.
However, later the Swamiji shifted his math from Thanjavur to Kumbakonam. Nevertheless,
Bangaru Kamakshi remained in Thanjavur. Thus, the Utsava (mobile idol) idol of
Kanchipuram became an immovable idol of Thanjavur.
Shyama
Sastri was one of the three most important composers of Carnatic music.
Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Deekshithar were called as Trinity of
Carnatic music. He was born in the family which served as the priests in
Bangaru Kamakshi Temple. Even, he was serving as the priest in this
temple.
Temple
Architecture
This
temple is simple in design and is facing towards the north direction. It has
small tower. At the entrance of the temple, there is a big stone idol of
Ganesha called as 'Varada Maha Ganapati'.
The
sanctum sanctorum enshrines the golden idol of Kamakshi called as
'Bangaru Kamakshi'. She is found in the standing posture and holds parrot in
her right arm. Her face alone looks black in color.
It is
said that the idol was wrapped with a cloth and the face was smeared by Punugu
and was brought in a palanquin from Kanchipuram to Udayarpalayam. Punugu is a
substance extracted from the secretion of a kind of cat called as Punugu Poonai
a.k.a. civet cat. The objective was to fool the enemies and thieves. Later, it
became a ritual and even today the face of idol is smeared with Punugu. Hence,
the face of golden idol is black in color.
Near the
main shrine, there is another shrine facing the east direction. It is dedicated
to Kamakoti Amman. The temple has just one prakara (circumbulatory
passage).
Temple
Opening Time
This
temple remains open from 6.00 AM to 12.00 PM in the morning and 4.00 PM to 9.00
PM in the evening.
Festivals
Panguni Uthiram,
Navarathri, Thiru Karthikai, Masi Makam, Vaikasi Visakam and Adi Pooram are the
festivals celebrated in this temple with much fanfare.
Connectivity
The
temple is located at a distance of 1 km behind the big temple and easily
accessed by a straight road. Next door is the Navaneetha Krishna temple with Krishna
Rukmini Sathyabama and Kodhai. It is also a peaceful temple. Nearest Railway
Station is located at Thanjavur & Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.
References
