Raghavendra Swamy Mutt, Srimushnam, Cuddalore
Raghavendra Swamy Mutt is a Hindu religious mutt located
at Srimushnam, in Cuddalore district of Tamil
Nadu. Raghavendra Swamy Mutt is situated at about 500 meters
from the famous Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam. Raghavendra Swamy is by
far one of the most popular Madhwa saints. Srimushnam, one of the ten most holy
Vaishnava shrines in the world. If Ayodhya is known as the birth place of Lord
Rama and Mathura is associated with Krishna, Srimushnam is the revered Varaha
Kshetra or the abode of Lord Vishnu or Hari. Apart from being home to the
Varaha Swamy temple, Srimushnam has another distinction which many are not
aware of.
It is here that Raghavendra Swamy is supposed to have
spent close to twelve years. A staunch Madhwa, Raghavendra worshipped the
Varaha diety here and stayed in a house. Raghavendra was born in Bhuvanagiri
which is just a few kilometers from Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Srimushnam too
is near Chidambaram and Raghavendra spent much of his formative years in the Madurai,
Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Srirangam and Srimushnam belt for several years.
If he learnt Vedas, Shastras and other religious texts
at Madurai, he took Deeksha at Thanjavur, joined the Sri Matha of Vijendra Theertha
at Kumbakonam and spent years meditating at Srimushnam and worshipping Vishnu. Raghavendra
stayed for years at a house in Srimushnam and this house can still be seen. The
Nanjangud Mantralaya Matha, or the Sri Raghavendra Matha, took over the house
in 2010 and constructed a temple dedicated to Raghavendra Swamy here.
The Nanjangud Raghavendra Swamy Matha is the official
matha of Raghavendra Swamy and its name stems from the holy city of Nanjangud
near Mysore which has a Raghavendra temple where there is an exquisite
idol of Raghavendra Swamy. Since many seers of the Matha spent time here, the
samshtahan came to be called as Nanjangud Mantralaya Matha. The then seer of
the Raghavendra Swamy Matha, Sushameendra Theertha, had wanted to develop a
Raghavendra Swamy Matha at Srimushnam so that devotees and pilgrims can get
accommodation and Theertha Prasada.
He wanted to provide overnight accommodation to people. He
also wanted to renovate the house where Raghavendra had lived. His successor,
Suyateendra Teertha Swamy, brought this idea into action. On November 24, 2010,
he performed the Pratishtapana of Sri Raghavendra and Sri Mukhyaprana in the
premises of the old home of Raghavendra. Incidentally, the stone for
constructing the Brindavana was taken from the same segment in Madhavara, where
the stone for the Moola Brindavana at Mantralaya was brought.
It was Raghavendra himself who had asked Dewan Venkanna
to construct his Brindavana from the rock at Madhavara, which is near
Mantralaya. This makes the Brindavana of Raghavendra Swamy at Srimushnam the
only other Brindavana apart from Mantralaya to be sculpted from the same stone.
Today, the house of Raghavendra in Srimushnam has been transformed into a
temple of Raghavendra. The Mantralaya Matha maintains the home and matha and
provides several facilities for pilgrims and devotees.
Another interesting fact about Srimushnam for Madhwas is
that Madhwacharya spent time during a Chaturmasa here and he gave some
excellent discourses on Vishnu Purana, Bhagavat Geetha and other topics. This
is also the place where Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha and his guru, Sripadaraja,
spent time as did Raghuttoma Theertha of Tirukoyilur.
Contact
Nanjangud Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matha,
No 1, North Car Street,
Srimushnam, Cuddalore – 608 703
Mobile: +91 94865 68218 /
80981 80166
Connectivity
For brief details, please refer below link;
Location