Rajarajeswari Temple, Nanganallur – The Temple
The temple is facing east with an entrance from North.
The temple is constructed like a big house. Devotees should go around the
temple in anti-clockwise direction. Shrines for Dattatreya and Bhairava can
be found immediately after the entrance on the both sides. The stucco
images of female forms of various deities such as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and
Kartikeya are found at the entrance of the temple. Presiding Deity is called as
Rajarajeswari. She is housed in the sanctum. Sanctum is situated in an elevated
level with 16 steps. Dwajastambam and Simha vahana can be found before the
entrance of the sanctum steps.
At the start of the steps, Sanganidhi and Padmanidhi can
be found on both sides of the steps. There are 16 steps on Poorva Paksham
(climbing side) and 16 steps on Amara Paksham (climbing down side) with Ambal’s
incarnation statues on each step with Agastya Munivars hymn engraved below
that. Each step has a small metal idol of Goddess that depicts 15 days starting
from Ekadashi. In addition, 51 Yantras are installed in these steps and hence,
it is considered to be equal to visit 51 Shakti Peethas. It is believed that in
the first step, Sukla Pradhama, Krishna Pancha Dhasi Kameshwari resides here.
Sage Agastya has dwelt about her which is engraved on
the stone walls. The yantras of Nithya Devi are placed on both sides of the
steps on the walls. Daily poojas are performed and neivedhyam offered to the
yantras. Similarly, on the second step Sukla dweedhiyay Krishna chatur dashi
Pagamalini Nithya resides. On the third step, Nithya Kalyani and in the fourth,
Perunda. The fifth step is dedicated to Vahini Vasini, and the sixth to
Vajreswari. In the seventh step we find Siva Dhoothi and in the following
steps, Kulasundari, Nithya, Neela Padhaka, Vijaya, Sarva Mangala Jwala Malini,
Sukla Pancha dashi, Krishna Pradhama and Chitra Nithya.
Sanctum will be reached after climbing 16 steps. Idol of
Rajarajeswari covered in gems with a parrot in hand graces the devotees from
the sanctum. She also poses as Maha Tripura Sundari. The main idol of the
goddess is made of an amalgam of Maragadham (green) with gold imprints. Mother
is in the Sarva Mangala Yantra form and Brahmi, Kowmari, Vaishnavi, Varahi,
Mahodhi, Chamunda, Manonmani, and Mahalakshmi have been consecrated in the Maha
yantra Swaroopa.
Rajeswari's idol is a utsav idol and she looks very
attractive and beautiful. She is found seated and she has four arms and holds
sugarcane in her lower arms. Similar to Kerala type temples, here too only oil
lamps are lit and not the electric lights. It really enhances the beauty of the
Goddess as well as the positive energy. The sub-shrines of Matangi and Varahi
are found on either sides of the sanctum.
Since Mother is installed on Mahameru with Yantras,
gents are asked to remove shirt and baniyan to absorb the good waves emanating
from the main sanctum. The special pooja in this temple is the Kumkum pooja. It
will be supplied along with Archana and has to be deposited in the Box along
with name, birth star, Thithi, Thithinithya. When Sri Rajagopala Swamigal
touches the Kumkum packet, the person who had deposited wishes will come in the
mind of Swamiji.
Lord Sarvamangala Mahaganapathy is housed in a shrine.
He is guarding Ambal. Durga is housed in a tiny enclosure near Lord Ganapathy. There
is also a shrine for Dattatreya in the Temple premises. There is a water body
called Varuna Dhanvandhri Theertham inside the temple premises. It is believed
that some thousands of years ago, the god of rain, Varuna, meditated upon
Dhanvandhri, god of medicine, at this place. Since this holy water has
medicinal effect, devotees drink this water for curing illness. Sthala
Vriksham is Magizham Tree.
