Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – History

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – History

The existence of Bhu Varaha Swamy temple during the medieval Chola period is seen from the inscriptions from 11^th century. The temple was expanded by Thanjavur Nayak king Achyutappa Nayak (1560 - 1614 AD). The life size image of the king and his brothers are found in the sixteen pillared hall of the temple. An epigraph dated 1068 in the nearby Shiva temples indicates gifts by Vira Rajendra Chola (1063–1070 AD) to the Varaha shrine. Another inscription dated at 1100 by Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120) indicates a gift of a village to the temple, where the presiding deity is referred as Varaha Azhwar.

The later inscriptions are from Vijayanagara kings of the 16^th Century like Virupaksha Raya II (1465-85 AD) dated 1471 AD, Sriranga I (1572–86), Venkata II (1586 - 1614) indicating various gifts to the temple. The most notable contributions of the temple were from Achuthappa Nayak (1560 - 1614 AD) who built the sixteen pillars red Purushasuktha Mandapa along with other smaller shrines of the temple. The Zamindars of Udayarpalayam have contributed to the temple by offering costly jewels and commissioned additional structures, notably Udayavar Mandapam.

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – Legends

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – Legends

Varaha Avathaar:

The temple is associated with Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu. The demon king Hiranyaksha stole the earth and took it to his realm of the netherworld. The earth-goddess Bhudevi prayed to Vishnu to rescue her. Pleased, Vishnu appeared here in the form of Varaha, a boar, killed the demon. The sweat of the demon king dropped here, creating the temple tank. In his dying wish, the demon king asked Vishnu to turn towards his direction; Vishnu obliged. The central icon faces towards the demon in the South, while his human body faces the devotees in the West. The festival icon, Yagya Varahaswami, as requested by Bhudevi displays the regular features of Vishnu with his conch and Chakra in his hands. 

Lord Vishnu resides here in three forms:

It is said that Lord Vishnu resides in this particular place in three forms. First, in the form of Ashwatha tree; second, in the form of Nithya Pushkarani; and third in the form of Bhoo Varaha Swamy. The temple tank, called Nithya Pushkarani, is known for its medicinal values, which is a panacea. The Ashwatha tree, stands like a colossus near the sacred tank. It is believed that it has a beneficial effect of blessing sterile women with progeny. Meditation and chanting of 'Gayathri Mantra' under the tree after bathing in the holy tank vouchsafes a place in the heavens.

Similar to Tirupathi:

While in Tirupathi Divya Desam, Devotees should first visit Varaha before darshan of Presiding Deity, Srinivasa Perumal, here at Srimushnam, Devotees should first visit the Srinivasa Perumal Shrine at the Western entrance before a darshan of Bhoo Varahaswami.

Swayam Vyaktha Kshetram:

Srimushnam is one of the eight Swayambu Vyaktha Kshetrams in India. The others are Srirangam, Tirupathi and Vanamamalai (Nanguneri) in South India and Saligramam, Naimisaranya, Pushkaram and Badri in North India. The speciality at the Srimushnam temple is Thirumanjanam for the Saligrama idol is performed every day.

Temple Construction:

While Bhu Varaha Swamy is a Swayambu idol, the temple here in Srimushnam is said to have been constructed by Four Nayak kings- Achyutappa, Ananthappa, Govindappa and Kondappa Nayak. The story goes that Ananthappa Nayak developed severe stomach pain when they camped at Rajendrapatnam, 8 Kms East of Srimushnam. He was relieved of his pains when Lord Vishnu came in his dreams and touched his stomach with his leg. Delighted at this, he came here and constructed the temple. To this day, one can see the five fingers of the Lord below his left stomach.

Event marking Muslim-Hindu Unity:

As per another legend, a local Nawab on the county was ailing with Carbuncle and was given up by all the doctors. He is believed to have prayed Bhu Varaha and was cured off all his ailments. He made generous contributions to the temple and was later named Bhura Sahib. Each year the deity is taken to the village where his descendants make offerings to the deity. In Maasi, the Utsava deity goes on a 20 day procession to Killai and other nearby villages near Chidambaram. An interesting feature of this festival is that the Muslims in the area offer Prasadams to the Lord Yagya Varaha and they take back the flower of the Lord and offer it to Allah.

It is indeed unique that the Lord stops in front of the mosque and accepts garlands and candy from the chief kazi. After lighting the camphor in the mosque, the kazi recites verses from the Holy Koran. The Muslim devotees are said to thank Allah for having brought Varaha Swamy to their place. Srimushnam Bhoo Varaha Swamy is the only temple that brings together such unity between Muslims and Hindus and this event continues to take place to this day.

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – The Temple

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – The Temple

There are two gopurams (temple-towers at the entrance) in the temple and two precincts enclosed within large granite walls; the western tower is seven-tiered and is the commonly used entrance. The five-tiered one on the eastern side is opened only during Vaikunta Ekadasi. There is a small image of Srinivasa Perumal (Vishnu) on the upper portion of the inner side of the tower. Outside the temple, there is an 80 ft (24 m) tall monolith pillar with the image of Garuda on its top facing the presiding deity of the temple.

The central shrine houses the presiding deity Varaha (Bhu Varahaswami). The 2 ft (0.61 m)-Saligrama stone image depicts the boar-faced Varaha standing in a victorious posture with his hands on his waist; the human body faces west, while the head is turned towards the South. Lord Vishnu graces in this temple as Swayambumurthy of Salagrama stone. It is noteworthy that 8 Vishnu shrines in the country exist of themselves -1) Sri Rangam, 2) Srimushnam, 3) Tirupathi, 4) Vanamamalai, 5) Salagramam, 6) Pushkaram, 7) Naimisaranya and 8) Badrikashramam.

The is also a story that says that the Idol is actually a meteorite. There is a huge crater behind the Presiding Deity which lend credence to this Story. The Saligramam Mala adorning the Lord is also Swayamvektha.  The temple has two Dvarapalas (guarding deities) on both sides of the entrance of the central shrine made of Panchaloha, one of which is commissioned during the modern times. The older one on the left side was confiscated during the Mysore war and was having a wooden replica till it was replaced in 2004.

The vimana over the sanctum is called Pavana Vimana and is surmounted by a gold-plated Kalasa. The central shrine is topped by a conical roof. The decorated outer walls are atypical of Chola Art. The Utsavar (festival icon), Patharaavi / Yagnavaragan, is made of Pancha Loha (a five-metal alloy) and is accompanied by two consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi facing west. The festival icon is housed in the Artha Mandapa, the hall before the sanctum. Aadi Varahamurthy and Lord Kanna also graces the devotees from this mandapam.

The sixteen-pillared hall is called Purushasuktha Mandapa and it is the place where the hymns of Purusha Sukta are recited each day during sacred ablution of the presiding deity. The Purushasuktha Mandapam of 17^th century resembles the shape of a chariot with stylishly carved figures of warriors riding the horses and elephants. The 16-columned pavilion is considered a masterpiece of Nayak art built by Achyutappa Nayak. The columns are sculpted with images of musicians, dancers and miniature idols. The ceiling has lotus medallion sculptures and scroll work.

There is a shrine of Garuda and Nammazhwar facing the sanctum away from the sixteen pillared hall. There is a separate shrine for Ambujavalli Thayar, the consort of Bhu Varaha Swamy in the second precinct which also houses the shrines of Andal and Ramanuja. Udayarpalaya Mandapam, as indicated by its name was built during the period of zamindars and it houses the Kannadi Arai (room of glasses). There are other shrines for Venugopala, Vishwakasena, Vedanta Desika, Thirumangai Azhvar, Manavala Mamunigal, Kuzhanthai Amman and Tirukachi Nambi.

There is a temple for Kulandhai Amman near the northern tower with facilities for the accommodation of the friends of Mother Ambujavalli. There is a garden on the northern side of the temple that houses a shrine of Rama. In this temple there is a statue of Hanuman lifting Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders. The Adhishtanam of the 37^th Shankaracharya of the Kamakoti peetam Sri Vidhya Gyanendra Saraswathi (758-788 AD) is situated in the northern side of the outer praharam close to the wall of the main temple inner praharam.

The Sthala Vriksha of the temple is Ashwatha Tree / Arasamaram. Theerthams associated with this Temple are Agni, Chakra, Brahma, Bhoomi, Mrutyunjaya and Nitya Pushkarani. The temple is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department of Tamil Nadu government. The religious head, the Pedda Jeeyar of Tirupati is the permanent trustee of the temple.

Uttaradi Mutt, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Uttaradi Mutt, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Uttaradi Mutt is a Hindu religious mutt located at Srimushnam, in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. Uttaradi Mutt is situated at about 250 meters from the famous Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple,Srimushnam.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/01/bhu-varaha-swamy-temple-srimushnam-connectivity.html

Location

Rama Temple, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Rama Temple, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Rama Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located at Srimushnam Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. This Temple is situated outside the famous Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam. The uniqueness in the temple is that Lord Sri Rama is in sitting posture in this temple, a very rare sight.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/01/bhu-varaha-swamy-temple-srimushnam-connectivity.html

Location

Raghavendra Swamy Mutt, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

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;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/01/bhu-varaha-swamy-temple-srimushnam-connectivity.html

Location

Danda Theertham, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Danda Theertham, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Danda Theertham is a Holy pond sacred to Madhwa Sect, located in Srimushnam in Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu. Once, Sri Madhwacharya was camping in Srimushnam, observing the Chathur Masa Vratha. To quench the thirst of a pregnant lady, he struck his sannyasi danda to the ground and miraculously abundance of fresh water emerged. This Holy Spot came to be called as Danda Theertham. To this day, Danda Theertham, provides the best pure drinking water in this locality. Danda Theertham is situated at about 1.5 Kms from Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/01/bhu-varaha-swamy-temple-srimushnam-connectivity.html

Location

Ashwatha Narayana Swamy Temple, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Ashwatha Narayana Swamy Temple, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Ashwatha Narayana Swamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located at Srimushnam in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. The Temple is situated on the banks of Nitya Pushkarini of the famous Bhu VarahaSwamy Temple, Srimushnam. The Temple is believed to be 800 years Old. The Temple is situated below the towering Ashwatha tree. The Temple houses Ashwatha Narayana Swamy and Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy as its primary deity.

This temple is very well known for its beneficial effects of blessing unmarried persons with happening of marriages, also sterile women with progeny, and removal of malefic effects of Rahu and Kethu Doshas. Idols of Hanuman, Lakshmi Hayagriva and Garuda can be seen. This Temple must be visited first before going to either Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple or NitheeshwaraSwamy Temple.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/01/bhu-varaha-swamy-temple-srimushnam-connectivity.html

Location

Nitheeshwara Swamy Temple, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Nitheeshwara Swamy Temple, Srimushnam, Cuddalore

Nitheeshwara Swamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Srimushnam in Cuddalore District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as Nitheeshwara Swamy and Mother is called as Bhrihannayaki. This Temple is situated right behind the famous Srimushnam Bhu Varaha Swami Temple. This Temple appears to be very ancient and had been hugely overshadowed by the more famous Bhu Varaha Swami Temple. This Temple is one of the protected monuments under Archeological Survey of India. It is one of oldest Shiva Temples in this region. Lord Murugan of this Temple had been praised by Saint Arunagirinathar in his Thirupugazh Hymns.

The Temple

This is an east facing Temple with single prakaram. The temple tank, Nithya Pushkarini and the Sthalavruksham of the Bhu Varahaswami Temple are located in front of the Shiva Temple. Presiding Deity is called as Nitheeshwara Swamy and Mother is called as Bhrihannayaki. Both Lord Shiva and Mother Bhrihannayaki are housed in separate Shrine with Nandi in front and both are facing east. The koshta vigrahas were all unique but many were mutilated. There are shrines for Navagrahas, Uma Maheshwara and Agasthya in the Temple premises.

Contact

Nitheeshwara Swamy Temple,

Srimushnam, Cuddalore District – 608 703

Phone: +91 4144 245 090  

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/01/bhu-varaha-swamy-temple-srimushnam-connectivity.html

Location | Photos

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – Connectivity

Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam – Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 300 meters from Srimushnam Bus Stop, 8 Kms from Rajendra Pattinam, 9 Kms from Andimadam, 19 Kms from Sethiyathope, 20 Kms from Virudhachalam, 23 Kms from Virudhachalam Railway Station, 23 Kms from Pennadam, 24 Kms from Jayamkondan, 32 Kms from Kattu Mannar Koil, 33 Kms from Gangai Konda Cholapuram, 38 Kms from Chidambaram, 68 Kms from Cuddalore, 90 Kms from Puducherry, 93 Kms from Puducherry Airport and 224 Kms from Chennai Airport.

By Road:

Srimushnam is situated at about 20 Kms from Vridhachalam. Proceed on the road to Pennadam and Andimadam take a left turn at the first bifurcation and at a place called Vannankudikadu take a left to Srimushnam, the route is easy to find. You can also come from Sethiyathope near Neyveli on NH 45C and take a right at Thimma Samudram to reach Srimushnam. Srimushnam is well connected from all major towns and getting down here is hassle free. The town has very good bus connectivity from Panruti, Puducherry, Chidambaram, Cuddalore, Virudhachalam and Jayamkondam.

By Train:

One can take any South bound train from Chennai and get down at Vridhachalam Junction. Several buses are available from Vridhachalam to Srimushnam via Rajendrapatnam (about 30-45mts).

By Air:

Nearest Airports are located at Puducherry and Chennai.