Friday, September 2, 2016

Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple, Mohanur, Namakkal

Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple, Mohanur, Namakkal
Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple is one of the famous temples located in Mohanur. Padmavathi Thayar is the consort for Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar. This temple is believed to be 500 years old. Mohanur is located in Namakkal district of Tamilnadu. It is a small village situated on the bank of river Cauvery. This town panchayat is located 19 km from Namakkal and 13 km from Karur. Satyanarayana Pooja will be conducted every Thiruvonam star day in this temple. Mohanur is having a special feature where river Cauvery is flowing from north to south direction.

Legends
A staunch Lord Venkatachalapathy devotee was living in this place. As he had a paralytic attack he could not go to Tirupati for Lord’s darshan. He reached Cauvery with great difficulty to end his life. A snake appeared from an ant-hill near the bank of the river. Something prompted the devotee to change his suicide thoughts and he returned home. Lord appeared in his dream and said that He was in the ant-hill in idol form. When the anthill was demolished, the idol was found. The devotee and others installed Lord with Sridevi and Bhoodevi in wedding form. Later, a shrine was built for Padmavathi Thayar. Lord was named Kalayana Prasanna Venkataramanar.
The Temple
Lord Perumal graces the devotees from under the Vedasrunga Vimana. As the temple was built with the blessings of Lord of Tirupathi, a festival called “A Day in Tirupathi” is celebrated on a Sunday during Navarathri in September-October. From the opening of the temple in the early morning till the end of the day, all pujas are performed according Tirupati procedures. The Alankarams too shall be as to Lord Venkatachalapathi.
As the presiding deity, the procession deity too has significance. Generally, Mother Lakshmi will be on the chest of the procession deity in Vishnu temples. Here, there is a triangle on his chest with Lakshmi rekha. There is a shrine for Lord Dhanvanthari behind the sanctum sanctorum. On the roof of the shrine are the wooden sculptures of Navagrahas. Lord Narasimha is opposite in the Goshta. It is the faith of the devotees that their ailments can be cured by praying these Lords. 
An herbal mixture is offered as nivedhana. Abishek is done with water mixed with dry ginger powder, powdered jaggery, gingelly oil and herbals and offered as Prasad to devotees. Sri Satyanarayana Puja is performed on every Thiruvonam star day.  Devotees offer coconuts without stripping the cover part called Mattai Thengai in Tamil.  They take back the coconut after the puja and keep it in their puja room for worship seeking prosperity. 
Lord Lakshmi Hayagriva has his shrine on the Goshta wall. Opposite to Him graces Mother Medha Saraswathi without her Veena. Special pujas are performed to Lord Lakshmi Hayagriva on Thursdays and Poornima – full moon days. Students offer honey abishek to Lord and worship Mother Saraswathi to gain excellence in their academic pursuit. 
Though Laksharchanas are conducted to many Gods for various reasons on various occasions, this is the only temple in India that conducts Lakshrachana for the success of the entire student community of the country during the annual examinations.
The temple is situated on the banks of Cauvery flowing southward from north. Bathing in this spot is considered very holy. There is a shrine for Mother Cauvery too.  On Aadi Perukku day in July-August and in Aipasi month-October-November, abishek is offered to Mother Cauvery with her own River water.
Lord Navaneethakrishna with Mothers Bama and Rukmini graces in the front mandapam with butter in his hands. There are shrines for Sri Andal and Chakarathzhwar. The sacred tree of the temple is Vilwa. Lord Vinayaka and Anjaneya are under the Vanni tree in the temple complex. The general faith is that works started with prayer to Lord Vinayaka and ending it with prayer to Sri Anjaneya would be very successful. There is another shrine for Sri Anjaneya opposite the temple.
Temple Opening Time
The temple is open from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Festivals
Lord Prasanna Venkataramana Perumal graces the devotees on the Garuda Vahana on Purattasi Saturdays in September-October and on Thiruvonam star days. During Navarathri festival times, on a Sunday a festival called” A day in Tirupathi” is celebrated here. On that festival time they follow the same procedures as in Tirumala and deity will be having same Alankaram as of Venkatachalapathy. Another remarkable pooja performing here is the Sathyanarayana pooja on every Thiruvonam star, birth star of Maha Vishnu.
On the particular day Thirumanjanam is offered to the Lord on morning and at evening Sathyanarayana Pooja is performed. The greatness of the pooja is that devotees place coconuts without stripping the outer cover in that pooja and pray to God to fulfill their requirements. In that pooja they do aavaahanam of Sathyanarayana swamy in that coconut and give it back to the devotees. They have to keep the coconut in the pooja room and should pray to the lord for their needs. It is believed that within three to five months their wishes are fulfilled.
After that coconut should be placed back again in the temple on a Thiruvonam star day with the outer cover stripped. It is said that many people got their wishes fulfilled with this worship. It is popularly called” Mattai Thengai Vazhipadu” in Tamil. Usually this pooja is performed at evening but for the last four or five months this is performed in the morning also.
Prayers
People pray to gain excellence in education, for family prosperity and healthy life without any ailments. Devotees perform Thirumanjanam to Perumal and offer Tulsi garlands and vastras.
Contact
Sri Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple,
Mohanur, Namakkal District
Phone: +91 – 4286 - 256 100
Mobile: +91 – 94429 57143
Connectivity
Mohanur is 18 kms far from Namakkal. The temple is 1 km from the bus stand. Autos are available. Mohanur can be reachable either from Namakkal or Karur. Lot of town buses and long route buses are available to Mohanur from Namakkal. Mohanur is having newly constructed railway station. However there is no train service available as of now. So nearby railway station is Karur. From Karur one can catch bus or taxi to reach Mohanur. Nearest Railway Station is located at Salem, Namakkal and Karur. Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.