Saturday, March 27, 2010

Lord Hayagriva Temple @ Chettipunyam


Temple of Lord Hayagriva - Embodiment of Knowledge

I recently went to Pondicherry while returning I took the dindivanam route and on the way visited a village called “Chetti Puniyam” where there is a temple for Lord Hayagriva. The Hayagriva in the temple, it is believed, bestows upon the devotees, education, wealth and progress in all walks of life. The avataram of Hayagriva Bhagavan took place to restore the Vedas to Brahma. Brahma became extremely conceited about his power as the creator. Lord Narayana discerning this, decided to rid Brahma of his pride. A couple of water droplets from the lotus seat of the Lord incarnated as two Asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, who stole the Vedas from Brahma. Unable to carry on his work of creation without the Vedas, Brahma beseeched Lord Narayana for help. Lord Narayana incarnated as Hayagriva and destroyed the Asuras and restored the Vedas to Brahma. Swami Desikan has very eloquently described the greatness of Bhagavan Hayagriva in the Hayagriva Stotram. Many references from the Hayagriva Upanishad are succinctly contained in Swami Desikan's tribute.

In Hinduism, Hayagriva is an avatar of Vishnu. He is worshipped as the God of knowledge and wisdom, with a human body and a horse's head, brilliant white in color, with white garments and seated on a white lotus. Hayagriva is celebrated in the Puranas for rescuing the Vedas from the demons Madhu and Kaitabha and teaching them again to Brahma. Symbolically, the story of Hayagriva represents the triumph of pure knowledge, guided by the hand of God, over the demonic forces of passion and darkness. Hayagriva is a very important deity in the Vaishnava tradition. His blessings are sought when beginning study of both sacred and secular subjects. Special worship is conducted on the day of the full moon in August (Sravana-Paurnami) (his avatara-dina) and on Mahanavami, the ninth day of the Navaratri festival. He is also hailed as "Hayasirsa" HayaSirsa means haya=Horse, Sirsa=Head.

jnAna-Ananda-mayam devam
nirmala-sphaTikAkRtim
AdhAram sarvavidyAnAm
hayagrIvam upAsmahe!

This verse is originally from the Pancaratra Agamas but is now popularly prefixed to the Hayagriva Stotram of the 13th century poet-philosopher Vedanta Desika. It is very popular among devotees of Hayagriva.
The idol, small but bewitching, was brought to Chettipunyam from Thiruvahindrapuram in 1848, and attracts many devotees. Lakshmi Hayagriva is the presiding deity of the Parakala Math in Mysore. There are also sannidhis for Hayagriva in the Desikar temple in Mylapore and also in the Soundarraja Perumal temple in Dadikombu near Dindigul.

In Thiruvahindrapuram, Vedanta Desika recited the Garuda Mantra taught to him by his uncle, Kidambi Appular and was initiated into the worship of Hayagriva by Garuda. Desika composed the Hayagriva Stotram in 33 verses. Apart from the `phalasruti' there are 32 verses. There is a reason for Desika writing the Stotram in 32 verses. The Brahma vidyas are 32 in number. His composing the Hayagriva Stotram in 32 verses is to show that Hayagriva is the repository of all vidyas. Desika says the neighs of Hayagriva are the essence of the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas. The 32nd verse which is the `dhyana sloka,' speaks of Hayagriva's right lower hand as `vyakhyamudra' - the elucidating pose and the left lower hand holds a book. Desika says that Saraswati, Dakshinamurthy and sages like Vyasa reflect a fraction of Lord Hayagriva's effulgence.


Singaperumal Koil, which is neither a village nor a city but a delightful mix of both, is about 45 km to the south of Chennai. The Devanathaswamy Temple is situated about 3 km West of Singaperumal Koil. Devanathaswamy resides in a village named Chettipunniyam, which boasts of four or five streets. The presiding deity, Devanathaswamy, sits facing East.


Though there is no direct bus from the city, route no. 60c plying from Tambaram to Vadakal takes one to the temple. The other way to reach the Devanathaswamy Temple, from the city is to reach Singaperumal Koil, by buses going Kalpakkam, Madurantakam, Chengalpattu, and then go by autorickshaw to the Devanathaswamy Temple. Though a Sannidhi for Varadaraja Perumal has been in this temple for the last 350 years, it was only in 1848, thanks to the efforts of Sirasdar Rao Sahib Rangachar that the idol of Devanathaswamy of Tiruvendipuram was installed in this temple. The year was 1848; the day Friday; month Vaigasi; date 22; and the star Makam. From that day, daily pooja is offered to this deity. Devanathaswamy did not come alone but along with Hayagrivar. These facts are corroborated by the Government Gazette records of the South Arcot Government, of the same year.


The idols of Thayar, Sridevi, Boodevi and Andal were installed after this. The idols of Sri Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman were brought to Vandalur in Chennai, in the year 1868, on Oct 5, by Mudumbai Ramaswamy Iyengar, from the Tanjore Palace. When Ramaswamy Iyengar migrated to Bangalore, he had all these Gods installed in the Devanathaswamy Temple, since Chettipunniyam, was his native village. There is a separate sanctum sanctorum for Sri Rama in this temple. It has to be mentioned here that the first Mysore Dewan Veeravalli Rangachar (1831-1883) also hailed from this village.


The villagers conduct the 'Thiruparvettai' festival in a grand manner, on a Sunday in the month of 'Thai' (Jan 15 - Feb 15), every year. The temple trust organises a number of utsavs like Sri jayanthi, Special thai velli poojas, Sri Vaikunta Ekadasi, Sri Desikan Sathumurai, Vaigasi magam and Deepa (Lights) utsavam. The devotees also conduct many utsavs - adhyayana utsav, Vijaya dasami, Adi Pooram, Panguni Uthiram, Udayavar Saathumurai and Sri Ramanavami. Another famous celebration was Sri Devanathaswamy's centenary (100 years in this temple), which was celebrated for 10 days, in grand style.


After a very long time, in 1993, the Ashtabandhana Maha Samprokshanam was performed on May 17.The devotees of the village say, as far as their knowledge goes, no Samprokshanam had been done in the last 100 years. This famous temple is under the HR & CE board. An officer has been appointed to manage the affairs of the temple. A five-member committee oversees the functioning of the temple. The temple owns about 55 acres of agricultural land and a big grove, in the village. It also owns a house thanks to Thiru Rangaswamy Iyengar, who has donated his ancestral home to the temple.

15 comments:

  1. Sir,

    pls let me know the address of lord hayagriva temple in chennai

    ReplyDelete
  2. Today we have visited Devanatha swamy temple at chettipunniyam for worshiping Both Devanathaswamy & Hayagriver who is blessing of students for knowledge.
    Special Pooja is being organised & their were lot of people especially students who is aspiring give best to perform for theirpublic exams is going to be started shortly.

    with this may I pray god Hayagriva to bless one and all for the best of their knowledge for their exams through out their life.

    G.Visahal
    No8/45 KTS Mani Street,
    Mamallan nagar,Kanchipuram

    ReplyDelete
  3. sir, please tell me the phone number for the temple's office and also when the temple is open(timings)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Regular timings are

      Mornings 07:30am to 12:00noon and in
      Evenings 04:00pm to 08:00pm.

      The closing timings are usually extended for another 30 minutes during holidays

      Delete
  4. After Singaperumal koil, comes Mahindra World City (Chengalpet). Opposite to Mahindra City a road goes to Yoga Hyegrever temple.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We have visited the temple yesterday , Sunday (29.01.2012). IT was a pleasant trip with peaceful darshan.Could see lots of students aspiring to get good marks have come and offered their prayers so also me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. THE PRASIDING DEITY SRI DEVANAATHA PERUMAL HOLDS " PRAYOGA-CHAKRA"
    WHICH IS LIKE THIRUKKANNAPURAM,SRI.SOURIRAAJA PERUMAL.
    THIVYA THARISANAM OF DEITIES IS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED.
    THE STHALA VIRUTCHAM IS POZHICHAL(I AM NOT SURE)IS ALSO FOR SINGAPERUMAL TEMPLE,IS RARE ONE WHOSE SEEDS ON FALLING REACHES THE FOOT OF THE TREE& GETS ABSORBED,DETAILS ARE MENTIONED THERE.IT HAS VEDIC DEFERENCE.
    THE IDOLS OF SRI.RAMA,WITH HIS CONSORTSREE,SEETHA, SRI. LAKMANA & HAMUMAN IS INTRICATELY MADE TO PLEASE US;
    SRI.RAMA'S RIGHT LEG (BELOW THE KNEE)IS TIED WITH A THAAYATTHU TO OBSOLVEHIS HIS DOSHA OF "AHALYA SAAPA VJMOCHANAM"WHEREI LORD'S PAATHATHOOLI TOUCHED RISHIPATTHINI'S FORM OF STONE
    I SEEK PARDON OF LEARNED PEOPLE FOR MY MENIONING THESE IN A CRUDE MANNER
    I ALSO PRAY THE ALMIGHTY TO BESTOW HIS BLESSINGS TO ALL DEVOTEES WHO
    VISIT *THIS TEMPLE.WHICH IS EASILY REACHABLE FROM SINGAPERUMAL KOIL
    THE PRIESTS OF TEMPLES ARE SAME.
    WITH REGARDS D.V.SUBBA REDDY

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Namaskaram. Today 25.12.13myself, my wife and my cobrother son visited Lord Hayagrivar temeple in Chettipunyam and had God's blessings. So many children came to the temple and the Bhattacharya in the Temple is putting the Children notebook,pencil,pen brought there for God's wish done promptly and with all the smile they are giving it back after keeping the articles in God's place. The children faces are bright and we prayed for each and every student for their best performance in the exams and wishes to come true. On 5th January 2014 they are going to conduct special POOJA for the deity and those who want to participate in the Pooja to pay Rs.50/- and leave their Name, Gothram, Star and Rasi along with address cover given by the Temple authorities. Prasadam will reach your house directly.
    GUDIVADA VENKATESA PERUMAL, Manager, IOB.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. dear sir
      pl.send the full address and landmark to my email kpadmakumar21@rediffmail.com as i am planning to visit the temple shortly

      Delete
  10. Dear Freinds.
    please send the full adderess of the temple if possible to my email id stampsmurthy@gmail.com.
    thanks to one and all in your family and freind
    Have a nice days to come

    ReplyDelete



  11. Wonderful blog & good post.Its really helpful for me, awaiting for more new post. Keep Blogging!

    Packers and Movers guduvanchery Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi this is very useful post about temples in chennai. Thank you so much this post. Good information about temples in local chennai. Also found informative for the route guide.

    Online Cab Booking

    ReplyDelete