|
Lakshmi Narasimha Perumal Pazhaya Seevaram
Kanchi Varadar makes his annual 20km trip to this temple on
the day after Pongal
Lord Narasimha with Goddess Lakshmi
Located about 20kms east of Kanchi Varadaraja
Perumal koil on the Kanchipuram-Chengalpet State Highway is the Lakshmi Narasimha Perumal koil in Pazhaya Seevaram.
The Story
Wanting a darshan of Lord Narasimha, Rishi
Aathri Anusaya was undertaking penance at Naimisaarinyam. With his prayers not being answered there, the Rishi increased the
intensity of his penance.
One day, he heard an invisible voice that asked him to move southward to the foot of Padmagiri
parvatham where there is a confluence of three rivers
He is said to have to come this place and undertaken penance,
facing East ward, on the banks of the three rivers- Palar, Cheyyar and Vegavathi- that meet here.
Lord Lakshmi Narasimha
is said to have appeared before him and provided darshan facing the west. And as per the wishes of the Rishi, Lord Narasimha
remained here, ever after and is seen in a grand sitting posture, west facing, with Goddess Lakshmi on his lap.
Historical Reference
One finds a reference to this episode
in chapter 17 of the Brahmanda Puranam relating to Padmagiri Mahaatyam.
Lord Varadar’s
yearly trip to Pazhaya Seevaram
The big highlight at this temple is the annual trip of Kanchi Varadar.
The story goes that the moolavar deity of Kanchipuram Perumal Koil (Lord Varadarajan) is said to have been damaged during
the invasion of the Muslim rulers. As a damaged deity could not be worshipped, it was immersed in the temple tank (This moolavar
deity- Athi Varadan- is taken out once every 40 years and placed outside for worship for a period of 10 days. This event will
take place next in 2019).
The moolavar that we see today at Kanchipuram Varadarajar Perumal Koil was brought from Pazhaya
Seevaram. In memory of this event, the Utsava idol of Kanchi Lord Varadarajan is taken on a procession once a year, on the
‘Maatu Pongal’ day during the Tamil month of Thai (Jan-Feb) to Pazhaya Seevaram.
Paari Vettai Utsavam
Lord Varadarajan leaves Kanchipuram on the evening of
the Pongal day and reaches Pazhaya Seevaram Lakshmi Narasimha koil at 6am the next morning (He is scheduled to leave on the
evening of 14th January 2009 to reach Pazhaya Seevaram at 6am on 15th January 2009).
The morning of Maatu Pongal day
is one dedicated to the people of Pazhaya Seevaram, celebrating this once in a year ‘Paari Vettai’ Utsavam where
they play host to Kanchi Varadar as the Lord goes on a procession around the streets of Pazhaya Seevaram.
At around
9am, Kanchi Varadar climbs the 250 odd steps( atop the Lakshmi Narasimha temple) to the hill top where he originally belonged
!!!
That evening, along with Lord Narasimha of Pazhaya Seevaram, Kanchi Varadar is taken on a procession to Keezh Seevaram
to the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal koil at Thiru Mukoodal. Lords from five different temples congregate here that evening.
Back
at Pazhaya Seevaram after about 3 hours, Kanchi Varadar bids good bye to Lakshmi Narasimhar at around 930pm at the Pazhaya
Seevaram Temple and makes his way back to Chinna Kanchipuram for another year!!
Rivers
in full flow
Devotees who have been to this temple in the 1960s/70s say that they used to reach here by bullock
cart (there were no buses then) and would stay here for a month enjoying the cool breeze and peaceful surroundings. The rivers,
they say, used to run full through the year which would make a wonderful sight from the top of the temple.
At the time
of writing this piece, Palar was completely dry.
Management of the temple
Interestingly, this temple
has been managed by a private Gujarathi trust (at least for the last 300 years) and has been maintained very well.
Quick Facts
Deity : Lakshmi
Narasimha West Facing Sitting Posture
Temple Time : 730am-11am and 4pm-630pm
Priest
: Srinivasa Bhattar
Contact : 94437 18137
Festivals : Brahmotsavam
in Aani, Pavitrosavam in Aavani, Narasimha Jayanthi
|
