Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple, Mamandur,
Thiruvannamalai
Lakshmi
Narayana Perumal Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu located at Mamandur
Village in Thiruvannamalai District of Tamilnadu. Lakshmi Narayana Perumal is
seen seated with Goddess Lakshmi seated on his left lap. Mamandur is a small
village very close to Palar River and situated on the road from Kanchipuram to
Vandavasi. This village is popularly known as Doosi-Mamandur as it is situated
near the village of Doosi and in order to distinguish it from another place
also known as Mamandur.
Legends
Legend
has it that Lord Varadharaja Perumal used to visit this place on every Chitra
Pournami day.
History
It is
difficult to believe that this sleepy village was once a bee-hive of activity
way back in the 7th century A.D. This place, which is rocky terrain,
is situated approximately 10 Kms from Kanchipuram, the capital city of the
Pallava dynasty who ruled over north Tamilnadu and parts of south Andhra
Pradesh from 5th to 9th centuries A.D. Mahendravarman I
(600-630 A.D.), one of the best known Pallava rulers, began in north Tamilnadu,
the tradition of excavating cave temples in order to create permanent
structures for the deities. He selected Mamandur, because of the rocky outcrop,
to many of his magnificent cave-temples.
Viewing
these caves created out of granite, one cannot but marvel at the level of
architectural skill, reserves of patience and dexterity which the architects
and sculptors of that era possessed. This was an epoch when many experiments
were made with regard to temple architecture in stone, since the temples
preceding this period were made only of perishable material like wood, clay or
brick and therefore have not survived the ravages of time.
The
Temple
The
temple for Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal, which is small in size, faces east as
does the Moolavar enshrined in the central sanctum-sanctorum. The stone image
of medium size is Lord Vishnu, seated with his consort, Lakshmi on his left
lap. Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal is four-armed, the upper two hands holding
the conch (sankhu) and discus (chakra), the lower right hand in abhaya hasta
and lower left hand encircling Lakshmi. The processional image, known by the
same name as the moolavar is four-armed Vishnu in a standing pose with Sri Devi
and Bhu Devi on either side.
This is
a single prakara temple. In front of the main sanctum is a smaller one
enshrining the stone image of Goddess Sundaravalli Thayar and utsavamurti of
Mother is kept in the Perumal sanctum. Also worshipped in the central shrine
are the processional images of Andal, Navanita Krishna and Chakrattazhwar (Sri
Sudarsana). In the passage leading to the sanctum are the stone idols of the
Azhwars and the Acharyas. Two images of Anjaneya which had been worshipped at
the rear of the temple have now been consecrated in a small shrine to the left
of the main sanctum in the prakara.
Festivals
At
present, only a few festivals are celebrated in this temple, which is governed
by the Vaikhanasa Agama. The festival for Manavala Mamuni, one of the
Srivaishnava Acharyas, is celebrated in the month of October-November during
the Moola nakshatram. In the month of Karthigai, a satumurai for the well-known
Azhwar, Tirumangai Azhwar is held in Karthigai nakshatram. The satumurai for
Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal is Moolam and special pujas are done every month
during this Nakshatram. The samprokshanam of this temple in Mamandur took place
on the 5th of September, 2010.
Connectivity
Mamandur
is a small village located very close to Palar River and situated on the road
from Kanchipuram to Vandavasi. It is located at about 15 Kms from Kanchipuram.
Nearest Railway Station is located at Kanchipuram and Nearest Airport is
located at Chennai.