Appan Venkatachalapathy Temple, Cheranmahadevi,
Thirunelveli
Appan Venkatachalapathy
Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Vishnu located at Cheranmahadevi in
Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. The Temple is located at about 1 km North
of Ramaswamy temple on the Cheran Maha Devi - Kallur- Thirunelveli route. This
Temple was recently renovated after having remained closed for almost 50 years.
It is believed to be built during the Vijayanagara dynasty. It has inscriptions
on Tamil as well as Sanskrit on its wall.
The Lord
Venkatachalapathy who adorns the temple is worshipped as equivalent to that of
Lord Balaji of Tirupathi. The Temple is situated amidst picturesque paddy
fields and banana plantations; Appan Venkatachalapathy Temple offers peace and
tranquility to worshipers. River Thamirabarani flows within a km from the
temple. Spring Festival for the Appan Lord and 6 offerings to the Lord on New
Moon days are conducted during ancient times.
Legends
The
story goes that a Cheran king, who could not find a solution from the doctor,
for his daughter’s stomach pain approached an astrologer who asked to give
‘Milagu Rasam’ to his daughter. To his surprise, his daughter recovered. Hence,
Milagu Rasam is special at this temple.
The Temple
Presiding
Deity is called as Appan Venkatachalapathy facing east in Standing Posture.
Thayar of this Temple is Alarmel Mangai and Padmavathy Thaayar. Utsavar is Srinivasan. The Lord Venkatachalapathy who adorns the temple is
worshipped as equivalent to that of Lord Balaji of Tirupathi.
Inscriptions
There
are about 60 inscriptions at this temple the earliest of which dates back to
the 12th Century AD to the rule of Jatavaraman Pandya (Kulasekhara
I) who in 1200 AD on the suggestion of his brother in law Ravivarma ordered
that the land of Karungulapparru, an Eastern Hamlet of Cheran Maha Devi Chadurvedi
Mangalam, be made completely tax free for daily offerings to the Lord and for
the recital of Vedas and Puranas at this temple.
Monthly requirements of the Lord:
Also,
inscription dating back to 1209 AD indicates that provision was made for
Sandal, Camphor and all other monthly requirements of the Lord.
Garland for the Lord:
Also,
during the rule of Sundara Pandya Deva, there was a gift of money by Virasinga
Deva for providing Garland of flowers in the Cheran Narayanan Nandavanam in
return for some prasadam from the temple. There was also an agreement given by
the temple authorities to Pillai Vijayarayan for the 8 Achchu given by him for
maintaining the flower garden and supplying garlands to the temple.
40 Kalam of Paddy for Services to the Appan Temple:
A 1267 AD
Inscription during the rule of Vira Pandya II records an agreement deed given
to Sriranganatha Bhattar by the Pandarikal Sri Vaishnavas and Nambiman of the
Appan temple of Cheran Maha Devi Chadurvedi Mangalam. As per this deed, the
latter agreed to measure out 40 Kalam of Paddy to the temple for certain
services in lieu of interest on a sum of 20 Achchus as they were in arrears to
the temple.
Kulasekharan Sandhi:
Maravarman
Pandya who reigned Malai Nadu, Chola and Kongu Kingdom, Ilam and Thondai
Mandalam registered the remission of all kinds of taxes by assembly of Cheran
Maha Devi Chadurvedi Mangalam on certain lands in Idaigal for conducting
service called ‘Kulasekharan Sandhi’ instituted in the Appan temple by
Veenaadudaiyan.
Gifting of Aanai Achchu:
A 1288 AD
inscription on the Eastern Wall of the temple records a gift of 2 Aanai Achchu
for a lamp by pupils of Pinsenra Villi Jeeyar of Mudivalangum Perumal Mutt. The
interest on each Achchu was one Ulakku of oil per day.
Recognizing the work of Smith:
In an
interesting recognition, Kulasekhara Deva records a gift of an annuity of Paddy
and a portion of the ‘deity offered food’ to the Smith Cherai Mangai Silpasari
for doing stone work in the Appan temple.
New Moon Day and 6 offerings for the Lord:
On the
side wall of the temple is a record that states the gift of money for providing
6 offerings to the God on New Moon days.
Feeding Sanyasins and maintaining a Teacher for the
Paatshaala:
On the
wall of the South Verandah in the first prakara of the Appan temple contains
yet another inscription in Tamil that provides interesting insights about the
functioning of the temple in the 13th Century AD. As per the request of
Malavaraayan, Sundara Pandya II promised to make a gift of a tax free land at
Karungulam, in the Eastern Hamlet of Cheran Maha Devi Chadurvedi Mangalam for
benefit of a service instituted in the name of Nakkan Irattai (Thondai Maanaar)
for feeding every day 17 persons including Tridanda Sanyasins and for
maintaining a teacher for the Sastras in the mutt called Mudivalangum Perumal
Mutt at the temple.
On the
same wall, there is a record of a gift of land by the temple authorities to
Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar, one of the Tridandi Sanyasins who was in charge of
the above mutt on the Northern side of the temple for conducting the spring
festival of God every year. Interestingly, the renovation has not spoilt any of
the inscriptions at the Appan temple and they see to be intact on all sides
including the pillars.
Temple
Opening Time
The
Temple remains open from 6 am – 8 am (Saturday and Sunday 6 am – 11am)
Festivals
With the
Appan temple having been just renovated after several decades, the temple
authorities are currently in the process of working out the festival details
for the year ahead. With their passion in bringing the temple to wear a new
refreshing look, one can expect the temple to also bring back the festivals of
centuries gone by that this temple was home to.
Contact
Appan Venkatachalapathy
Temple,
Cheranmahadevi,
Thirunelveli District
Mobile: +91 89036 69263 / 04634 265268
Connectivity
The Temple
is located at about 1 km North of Ramaswamy temple on the Cheran Maha Devi -
Kallur- Thirunelveli route. Cheranmahadevi is located at about 50 Kms from
Tenkasi, 17 Kms from Ambasamudram, 6 Kms from Veeravanallur, 30 Kms from
Thirunelveli, 190 Kms from Madurai & 155 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram.
Thirunelveli
bound buses (Kallur route) stop at the Rama temple. Buses are available every
15 minutes from Thirunelveli to Cheranmahadevi. The temple is 2 kms North of
Cheran Maha Devi bus stand and railway station. Nearest Railway Station is
located at Cheranmahadevi and Nearest Airport is located at Madurai and
Thiruvananthapuram.
