Veera Mangala Anjaneya Temple, Nallathur, Thiruvallur
Veera
Mangala Anjaneya Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman located in
Nallathur Village in Thiruthani Taluk in Thiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu.
The Temple is situated on the banks of the Kusasthalai. Presiding Deity, Veera
Anjaneya is also popularly known as Bala Anjaneya.
Legends
It was
here that sage Jamadagni, father of Lord Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord
Narayana, did penance. So, the holy place was in existence long before the
Ramayana period in the Tretha Yuga.
History
For
brief details, please refer below link;
The
Temple
Though
the presiding deity is Lord Veera Anjaneya, he is popularly known as Bala
Anjaneya since his features resemble those of a small child. The idol of
Anjaneya, carved on a single slab of stone, faces north and is known as Veera
Mangala Anjaneyar. It is one of the nine forms of Anjaneya, according to
the Parasara Samhita. Lord Anjaneya is seen as walking towards North
direction where Tirupati abode of Lord Venkateswara is situated. Lord Veera
Anjaneya's right hand depicts 'abhaya mudra' with lotus petals in the palm, the
left is found holding a lotus bud close to the chest.
The
lotus is known as the symbol of Gyana, Aishwarya, and a symbol of Vijaya;
representing Goddess Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Durga. The tail is raised over his
head with a bell tied at its end. The small-sized carving of Lord Rama is found
over his head. On the back of the idol is found the description of the ten
incarnations of Lord Narayana. On his chest is found a carving in silver of
Sita-Rama. As the best ornament of a Brahmmachari, he has a tuft and this long
hair is tied up and he wears the Vaishnava symbol Thiruman in his long
forehead.
He gives
his darshan to the devotees through Pingaksha as his eyeball has a golden hue.
Vishnu in his incarnation as Narasimha is said to have long sharp teeth known
as gorapal. Bala Anjaneya also has gorapal. His long ears ever listening to
Ramakatha wears a Panchamukha earring in kundala form. There are also garlands
sculptured around his neck. He adorns a mala made of Saligramam – a rare fossil
stone, found normally in Nepal. His both arms are adorned with armlets known as
keyura, a bracelet known as parihariyajha and a bangle known as kankana in his
wrist. He has a dagger at his hip and a long belt around the waist.
In his
lotus feet he has two different types of anklets one resting in the foot known
as Noopuram, one on his ankle known as thandai. Lord Veera Anjaneya's shrine
has a single - tier vimana. On the southern side of the vimana Yoga Anjaneya
with Sangu chakra and mala is found. On the east side is the Bhakta Anjaneya.
On western side of the vimana is the Panchamukha Anjaneya with five faces and
ten hands. On the northern side of the vimana is the Veera Anjaneya with the
right hand lifted towards the sky left hand resting on his waist.
In the
main shrine of Anjaneya are also found the Utsava idols of Sri Lakshmi
Narasimha, Sri Sudarsana and a dancing Navaneetha Krishna. A small silver idol
of Anjaneya with Panchayudha is also found here. On either side of the Moolavar
idol of Anjaneya are the images of Sri Sudarsana (Chakra) and Panchajanya
(Shanka). Two more shrines — one for Vishnu Durgai and another a Shadgona
shrine for Sri Sudarsana with Sri Narasimha on the back have been built
recently. The temple rituals are conducted according to the Vaikanasa Agama. A
snake, which guarded the temple in the past, is said to be a regular visitor
and provision has been made in the outer wall for its entry.
Lord
Rama's shrine has a two tier vimana and in the shrine Lord Rama is found in the
"Panchhtra" pose along with his consort Sita, Lakshmana, and Anjaneya.
A 26 ft-high Dwajasthambam has been installed before the shrine of Lord Rama. Lord
Vinayaka is housed in the shrine which has a single tier vimana. The Navagrahas
have a separate shrine, the Navagrahas are found with their vahanas. Saneeswara
faces Anjaneya and hence will be more benevolent towards those who worship the
Lord here, it is believed. All of them are adorned with silver Kavacham.
A
42-ft-high Sudhai image of Anjaneya, in sitting posture, blesses
devotees at the entrance of the temple facing east and laid with marble floor.
It has been constructed by the sthapathis of Mahabalipuram, who have also
carved the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Sudarsana, Vinayaka and the
Navagrahas. The maha Kumbabishekam was performed on July 7, 1998 after
reinstalling the idol of Lord Veera Anjaneya in accordance with the Pancharatna
Agama rules by the Shri Veera Anjaneya Bhaktha Samaj.
The
temple is not a stranger to VIP devotees. Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Ranil
Wickremesinghe, who visited the temple when he was the Opposition leader, went
there again after he won the elections. He spent some time offering worship to
the deities and taking part in the many rituals conducted at the temple.
Connectivity
Nallathur
is located near Thiruthani, en-route to Tirupati. The Temple is located at
about 15 Kms from Thiruthani, 16 Kms from Thiruthani Bus Stand, 14 Kms from
Thiruthani Railway Station, 16 Kms from Thiruthani Murugan Temple, 66 Kms from Tirupati,
37 Kms from Thiruvallur, 85 Kms from Chennai Airport and 90 Kms from Chennai.
When you
travel further beyond Tiruvallur on the Chennai – Tiruvallur – Thiruthani
route, there will be a point where the road forks into two. You have to take
the branch that goes to the right and immediately take a right turn (yes, one
more right turn) as soon as you enter it. There is a sign board here that says
the temple is 12 Kms away.