Recently I ventured to a trip to a local village twin temples called Chennammal temple and Venkatramana Perumal temple at a little village called Neepathurai near Thiruvannamalai town. Usually village deities have a very interesting story behind them! This one too has one.
Chennammal is considered the younger sister of Lord Vishnu, in the local lore. Once when she was bathing in the river in this locality, she drowned into the water. The river is called Then Pennai aka South Pennar River. She took the name of Lord Vishnu, who is called Venkatramanar here, as her final words.
The place where she drowned is where the rock formations are located today and the rocks are worshiped today as Chennammal herself, and rituals include pouring milk, yoghurt etc and finally turmeric paste is applied, followed by dots of kumkum!!! Women do this ritual, after taking bath in the river nearby with the soaking wet clothes!!!
Today atop these rocks are the trees of banyan and neem, both of which are considered auspicious in Hindu religion.
It is believed that she walks through a tunnel to reach Venkatramanar temple at the middle of the night, from these rock formations. This Vishnu temple, has a separate room that has the opening to the tunnel. The locals told me that till a few decades ago the tunnel was accessible, but now, sadly, it isn’t so....
The Chennamma temple is located in the middle of the river and till about 2-3 years ago, this was accessible only by walking across the river. I was told that earlier the place had only rocks and in high tides they'd be half inside water. Coracles would be needed to access the temple which was nothing but just the rock and the trees. Today a concrete building has been built all around these rock formations, pushing it a bit away from nature! Now a concrete bridge is in place for easier access from the river bank. But then I really wished, I had the opportunity to walk across the river.
Anyways, soon my wish was partially fulfilled. Behind the Chennamma rock formations was the river in all its mighty. Quite unusually I ventured to this place wearing saree and yup, I was wet head to toe!!! My friends managed to pour water on me and that almost made me deaf for the rest of the day!!!!!
The Venkatramanar temple is a typical traditional Vishnu temple and not a village deity. I was there for very little time after spending most of the evening soaking myself in the river.... Should visit there once again to cover just this temple! Let’s see.....
TO GET THERE:
From Tiruvannamalai: 60 km via Neepathurai, Chengam
From Chengam: 25 km towards S.W
From Harur: 33 km towards N.E
On Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/UVB6A
Dedicated to Venkat
From Chengam: 25 km towards S.W
From Harur: 33 km towards N.E
On Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/UVB6A
Dedicated to Venkat
Interesting stories! Inspired by your blog did not miss to visit few temple at Kanchipuram during my recent visit.
ReplyDeleteGlad you did! :)
Deletethanks for temple tour
ReplyDeleteinteresting!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post with eye catching pictures. Wishing you a Happy and Wonderful New Year 2014.
ReplyDeletethax for getting the pics of my family god in tis site
ReplyDeleteInteresting! How did you commute to this temple - from Tiruvannamalai? It will be helpful if you could elaborate on transport facilities and the best time of the day to visit here. Thanks for this blog entry.
ReplyDeleteI took a car. I'm not pretty sure of the public transport facilities here. :(
DeleteThank you guys!!! :)
ReplyDeleteVenkatamohan 08-08-2015.can I get picture of God CHENNAMMA?. Thanks for the information
ReplyDeleteThe 1st pic is of God Chennamma!
DeleteThanks.i am searching this temple for a long time.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Glad I could give you some information on the temple!
DeleteThanks for ur kind information
ReplyDeleteHello , I read couple of your travelogues and temple visits , IMO they are short and crisp with neat writing of details.
ReplyDeleteOne temple i believe everyone should have in their list is the Paruvathamalai temple located near Thiruvannamalai.
This is a age old temple 4560 feet above the sea level and there is a temporary pathway created with iron rods as holding to climb the hill.
Legend says that before 600 years the kumbabishekam was done and post that not much info, however a group from chennai who visited this temple formed a committee to renovate, with Lord Siva's grace this is complete and now temple kumbabishekam is planned on 20th Jan 2016. So all try and visit this temple, heard it has very good positive vibrations
can u tel me its is a family god chenamma temple??? or perumal temple?? am so confused
ReplyDeletehare krishna, no doubt, kula deivam is channammal, as she is sister of perumal, all the functions will happen in the perumal temple itself-
DeleteIt is our family deity. In olden days our forefathers used to go there by walk only.Even today, at least one family members name is either chennammal or Chenni in our clan.
ReplyDeleteThis is my family deity temple. I love this place. I believe my prayers usually come true here. Hope to visit Chenniamman very soon <3
ReplyDeleteEngal kula daivame Channamma Thunai
ReplyDelete