A 600 year old temple located within the city of Madurai.
The Story:
Thirumalai Naicker, King of Madurai used to pray to Venkatachalapathi of Tirupathi from his very palace and would take food only after the prayers. He built some Mandaps from the temple up to his palace with bells ringing to know the puja timings. Sooner the puja commences in the hills the bells will start ringing one by one, the final sound reaching his palace. One day no bell rang. The shocked king mounted on his horse and proceeded to the Mandap. His horse suddenly stopped at a place where once an orchard of pomogranate existed. The king found an archa-vigraha of Lord Anjaneya. He also heard a voice of Venkatachalapathy advising him to build a temple at the sport. According to history, the temple was built here by the king.
As the Venkatachalapathy in the temple appeared to (Prasanna) to Thirumalai Naicker, the Lord is called Prasanna Venkatachalapathy. Those who are unable to visit Tirupati consider this temple as a substitute. During the Chitra Poornima festival, the Azhagar coming in procession on the golden horse comes to this temple, wears the Srivilliputhur Andal garland, accepts pujas and then only proceeds to Vaigai river. Every day Gomatha puja is performed in early morning in the temple.
Prayer to Prasanna Venkatachalapathy ensures removal of obstacles to education, marriage affairs etc. Devotees also are blessed with children and job opportunities. Offering Agathikeerai (palak) to the Gomatha (cow) in the temple helps fulfillment of the aspirations of the devotee. The staunch belief in devotees is that praying to the Anjaneya in the temple brings in success in litigation and total remedy of illness.
A sannidhi for Sri Chakkarathalwar can be found.
The temple, built 600 years ago, is designed to face the Thirumalai Naicker Mahal facilitating worship of the lord from this distance. The Anjaneya on the right side of the Lord looks furiously. With a view to contain his anger, on the opposite side the Conch and Wheel are installed on a pillar. Every sculpture in the temple is testimony to the temple architecture of Tamilnadu.
Prayer commitments:
For fulfillment of aspirations, devotees offer flower designed upper clothes to Prasanna Venkatachalapathy besides abishek and food offerings. Devotees also offer garlands to Lord Anjaneya made of Vada (a popular dish in Tamilnadu), Tulsi leaves and betel leaves. Farmers gaining profits in crops offer grains, paddy, millet, chillies, groundnut etc.
Festivals:
– Tamil New Year Day
– Adi Pooram
– Purattasi Brammotsavam
– Vaikunda Ekadasi, Pongal,
– Rappathu)
– Chithirai Thiruvizha is very famous.
Quick Facts:
Moolavar : Sri Prasanna Venkatachalapathy
Moolavar : Srinivasan
Godess : Sri Devi, Bhoo Devi
Timings : 5.30 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. (confirm for timings)
How to Reach there?
Madurai is a well-known town of Tamil Nadu and is well connected by air, road and train transports
