Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri, Vellore

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri, Vellore

Balamurugan Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Murugan located at Rathnagiri Village atop Thirumanikundram Hill in Vellore District of Tamilnadu. The Temple is believed to be built around the 14th century. It is situated on top of a hill. There are 130 steps to the hillock top. Ancient Hindu scriptures say where there is a hill, there is Lord Murugan. Over the passage of time an ordinary sand structure was converted into a stone shrine.

Ratnagiri is a small village near Vellore on the way from Chennai to Bangalore in South India. Saint Arunagirinathar had sung Thiruppugazh on this temple. Of these Tiruchendur, Tiruparankundram, Tiruvavinankudi, Tiruveragam and Palamuthircholai are famous shrines, collectively called 'Kundruthoradal'. The holy shrine at Rathinagiri also features in this category.

History

For brief details, please refer below link;

http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2018/01/bala-murugan-temple-rathnagiri-history.html

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2018/01/bala-murugan-temple-rathnagiri-temple.html

Temple Opening Time

·        Darshan Timings: 6.00 am - 1.00 pm & 4.00 pm - 8.00 pm.

·        Abhishekam Timings: 6.00 am to 10:30 am & 5:30 pm.

·        Temple office working hours: 9 am to 1 pm & 3 pm to 6 pm.

Festivals

Skanda Shashti is the most important and auspicious festival of the temple when thousands of people gather. In the month of July-August, Aadi Kruthikai is also celebrated with great joy. During the festivals, the idols of Lord Muruga and his wives are decorated with gold and silver. The idols are then taken for a procession on a Golden chariot around the temple.

As the Lord is a Bala – child, Surasamharam does not take place during the Skanda Sashti festival. Tamil New Year Day; Aadi Velli (auspicious Friday in the month of August or September); Navaratri (Nine Nights of the Goddess Festival); Panguni Uttiram; January 1st; The anniversary of Swamiji's enlightenment 20th March are the other festivals celebrated here with much fanfare.

Singers

The temple is praised in the Thirupugazh hymns of saint Arunagiriar. The 14th Century poet Arunagiri Nathar has sung about this temple as ‘RathinakiriVazh MurukaneIlaya Vaaramarar Perumaley’, which means ‘Murugan, the God of Devas resides in Rathinagiri’.

Contact

Balamurugan Temple,

Rathnagiri.

Keel Minnal, Walajah Taluk,

Vellore District – 632 517

Phone: +91 4172 266 350 / 266 330

Mobile: +91 94436 25887

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2018/01/bala-murugan-temple-rathnagiri-connectivity.html

Location | Photos

References

http://murugan.org/temples/ratnagir.htm

https://shanthiraju.wordpress.com/around-vellore/

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri – Connectivity

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri – Connectivity

Ratnagiri Temple is located at about 3 Kms from Arappakkam, 3 Kms from Ratnagiri Kilminnal, 10 Kms from Arcot, 7 Kms from Thiruvalam, 4 Kms from Melvisharam, 13 Kms from Ranipet, 15 Kms from Vellore, 18 Kms from Katpadi, 20 Kms from Timiri and 124 Kms from Chennai. Ratnagiri Temple is situated right on the Chennai-Bangalore highway just before Vellore when you travel from Chennai. It is very difficult to miss it from the highway as the temple is on top of a small hillock.

You have the option of parking your vehicle and climb the Hill (100-150 steps) or taking your vehicle (provided it is a small car or less) to the top or taking an Auto (Fixed price) to the top. If you decide to climb, it will hardly take 10 minutes and the whole pathway is covered. TTDC runs a package tour from Chennai every Saturday and Sunday to Sripuram Golden Temple and Ratnagiri Murugan Temple. AC Bus costs about Rs.600 for this one day trip. Nearest Railway Stations are located at Vellore, Katpadi and Ranipet. Nearest Airport is located at Chennai.

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri – History

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri – History

As the 14^th century saint Arunagiri Nathar has sung about Ratnagiri Bala Murugan temple, this temple should be at least 600 years old. However, it was not in a good shape. A devotee visited this temple in 1968 and after looking at the bad state of the temple, he became a saint and started living in this small hill. It was due to his devoted work and sacrifice, this temple was reconstructed and standing as a great structure today. The name of the saint who sacrificed his whole life just for the upliftment of this temple is Bala Murugan Adimai.

Swami Balamurugan Adimai:

Bala Murugan Adimai Ratnagiri Swamigal, aged about 69 years, also has been living nearby for the past 50 years. He has many disciples. Born on the 24th of January 1941 (in the Vikrama year of the Tamil calendar on the 11^th day of the month of Thai) in the small village of Kilminnal adjacent to Rathinagiri, he was the fourth child born to Kandasamy Mudaliar and Singarammal. He was named Dakshinamurthy and Sachidanandam, both being names of Lord Shiva.

On completion of his schooling he entered the services of the Electricity Department. Soon after, he entered into holy matrimony with Sivakami and was blessed with two daughters and a son. One day in his 27^th year, on his way to work, he climbed the hill to offer his prayers. There was neither camphor nor incense available at the temple. He walked around the shrine with a heavy heart and was suddenly overcome with divine awakening.

He fell in a faint to the ground and on waking up was unable to remember his own self. He dressed himself in a loincloth. He took a sacred vow not to leave until the temple was restored to its former glory. This memorable event of Swami's spiritual awakening took place on 20^th March 1968. Ever since then Swami's spiritual wellbeing of his devotees has continued unabated.

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri – The Temple

Bala Murugan Temple, Rathnagiri – The Temple

As Ratnagiri Bala Murugan temple is located on top of a small hill, there is flight of steps to reach the hilltop. However, nowadays the vehicles go right upto the temple. The very first shrine that would welcome the devotee is Karpaga Vinayaka. After that there is a shrine that enshrines Lord Murugan along with his consorts Valli and Devasena as metal (procession/Utsava) idols. Adjacent to that, there is another shrine of Shanmukha (Murugan with six heads) along with Valli and Devasena. These are also metal processional idols. The rare depiction in this shrine is that you can find Brahma on top of elephant in front of Murugan.

The sanctum enshrines Bala Murugan along with his consorts Valli and Devasena. The idol of the presiding deity Bala Murugan is very beautiful. The wall surrounding the shrine has the small niche images of Ganesha, Dhakshinamoorthi, Murugan, Brahma and Durga. Chandikeswara is found near Brahma. Separate pathways were laid to ascend and descend the hill. A chariot made of granite was made and the main deity was installed there to facilitate renovation of the sanctum sanctorum. Two temples for Lord Ganesha were built at the foothill and uphill. A golden chariot was made for the Lord Murugan to circumambulate the shrine. Ornaments of gold, silver and precious stones were made to decorate the idol.

The entire Temple is covered by 3 storey high ceilings with Hugh pillars which ensure that pilgrims are protected from the heat\Sun and at the same time have sufficient air circulation. The sannidhis are well spaced out and should accommodate a decent enough crowd. The granite floors ensure a soothing walking surface. The temple is also maintained clean and spotless. One of the special feature of this temple is that the prayers and archanai or holy verses are recited in the local language Tamil.

It is believed that the divine power in the temple manifests its blessings in three forms

1. In the form of the Lord Murugan idol in the shrine

2. In the form of the guru Swami Balamurugan Adimai

3. In the form of the devotee.

Bindhu Madhava Perumal Temple, Thuthipattu, Vellore

Bindhu Madhava Perumal Temple, Thuthipattu, Vellore

Bindhu Madhava Perumal Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located at Thuthipattu in Vellore District of Tamilnadu. The Temple was renovated during the King Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagar kingdom and completed by Narasimha Ballala. This temple is considered to be one of the Pancha Madhava Temples in India.

The Pancha Madhava Temples in India are;

1) Bindu Madhava is one among them in Thuthipattu near Ambur in Tamilnadu and another similar Madhava Temple is in Varanasi.

2) Veni Madhava at Prayag or Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh in North India.

3) Kunti Madhava at Pitapuram near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

4) Sethu Madhava at Rameshwaram in Tamilnadu.

5) Sundara Madhava at Thiruanantapuram or Trivandrum in Kerala

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

http://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.in/2018/01/bindhu-madhava-perumal-temple-legends.html

The Temple

The Rajagopuram of the temple is 45feet height the temple is rich in architecture. Presiding Deity is Bindhu Madhava Perumal with Sridevi and Bhoodevi by his sides. There are separate sannidhis for Thaayar and Andal. The Sanctum Gopuram is surrounded by Lakshmi Narasimha, Hayagriva, Vishnu Durga etc., There is a separate sannidhi for Chakkarathalwar with Narasimha and Anjaneya. Sthala Vriksham is Athi Tree.

Festivals

Annual Chithirai Brahmotsavam, Purattasi Utsavams, Navarathri and Margazhi Utsavams are celebrated with religious fervor and piety.

Prayers

All Naga Dosha and Angaraka Dosha are completely washed out if one who does Pradikshina for 7 times around the temple daily during early hours and Lit Ghee Deepas for 21 Days.

Connectivity

This temple is located on the main road 2 Kms before Ambur on the Gudiyattam-Ambur Road. The Temple is located at about 2 Kms from Ambur, 4 Kms from Ambur Bus Stand, 3 Kms from Ambur Railway Station, 17 Kms from Vaniyambadi, 55 Kms from Vellore and 190 Kms from Chennai. Nearest Railway Station is located at Ambur and Nearest Airport is located at Chennai.

Location