SRI
VEERA ANJANEYA SWAMI TEMPLE, ANANTHAMANGALAM, T NADU
gk kaushik
Ananthamangalam
The highway connecting Myladuthurai and Nagapattinam runs via Tharangambadi
and Thirukkadaiyur in the Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu.
Ananthamangalam is located about a kilo metre from the highway connecting
Tharangambadi and Thirukkadaiyur.
Tharangambadi [known then as Tranquebar] was a famous harbor along the
eastern coast used by Portugese. Thirukkadaiyur houses the famous temple of
Abirami [Ambal in a child form]. Abirami threw her ear ring to make it look
like a moon on the sky with a view to upholding a mistaken statement made by
her ardent devotee Sri Abirami Battar. Sri Battar had told the then king of
that place that the moon will appear on the sky though actually it was a new
moon [Amavasya] day.
Thri Nethra Anjaneya Swami of Ananthamangalam
Ananthamangalam is famous for the temple housing the Anjaneya Swami, having
three eyes and ten arms holding different armament. The temple is located in
the pleasant looking environment adjacent to Sri Rajagopala perumal temple,
and was built during Vijayanagara kings' period. Anjaneya Swami with
chathurbuja [four arms] holding shanku, chakra, navaneetha, and pasham
is housed in the
 main
temple and is north facing while Sri Rajagopala perumal temple is east
facing. The tank in front of the temple is known as Haunmar thirtham
and is believed to cure many of the illnesses. The idol of "Thri Nethra
Dasa Bhuja Sri Veera Anjaneya" [Veera Anjaneya with three eyes and ten
hands] is about four and half feet tall and made of panchalooka [alloy
made of five basic metals]. This 'uthsava moorthi' [the deity taken
out in procession] is so pleasing spreading 'Aanandha' to the devotee,
one would never want to take his eyes off from the deity. The Veera Anjaneya
is south facing in the Sri Rajagopala Swamy temple.
Anecdote of The special roopa
The story behind this special roopa of Anjaneya goes like this:
After killing Ravana, Sri Rama and Seetha start back for Ayodhya for the
Pattabhisheka when the sage Narada discreetly informs Sri Rama of some
impending danger for him from two of the rakshasas belonging to the
Lanka dynasty. While all the rakshasas of Lanka were killed in the
holy war, two of them - Raktha Bindu and Raktha Rakkadhan - survived the war
and wanted to avenge the killings of their people by destroying Sri Rama and
his army. For achieving this end the two had undertaken a severe penance by
placing themselves at the bottom of the Ocean. If they complete the penance
they will get powers to destroy the world and therefore sage Narada tells
Rama to fight them before leaving for Ayodhya. Even as Rama is inclined to
complete this task, he remembers that his brother Bharatha is waiting for his
return to Ayodhya, and if the return is delayed Bharatha is likely to commit
suicide by falling into the fire he has set for this purpose. Appreciating
this predicament of Sri Rama, Anjaneya offers to fight the two demons and Sri
Rama agrees. All the Devas, who were concerned because of the penance
undertaken by the to demons, were pleased with this development and blesses
Anjaneya for his victory over the two demons.
Thri Nethra Dasa Bhuja Anjaneya
Sri Rama gives his peerless bow [Kothandam] with arrows and a weapon called
Navaneetha to Sri Anjaneya to fight the two demons. Vishnu helps by giving
the conch [Shanka], Chakra [Sudarshana] and also a weapon called Maththaksham.
Brahma gives him a powerful Ankusha. Siva gives his third eye and his Trishul
to Anjaneya. Parvathi Devi gives him her whip [Pasham]. Laksmi gives Padmam
and Garudan gives his wings to Anjaneya. Thus Sri Anjaneya armed with all
these weapons acquires the form of "Thri Nethra Dasa Bhuja Sri Veera
Anjaneya" [Veera Anjaneya with three eyes and ten hands]. This form of
Anjaneya is what is depicted by the deity presiding the temple at
Ananthamangalam. He carries in his five right hands the Sudharshana,
Trishulam, Ankusham, Arrows and Maththaksham. His five left hands carry
Shanka, Padmam, Pasham, Kothandam and Navaneetham. The third eye
decorates his forehead. He carries a quiver full of arrows on his back.
Aanandhamangalam & Ananthamangalam
Because of the blessings he got from the foremost of the Gods he was able to
imbibe their capabilities as well and thus was able to defeat the two demons
with ease, by acquiring his famous vishwaroopa [collosal] form. The
size of the form was such that normal eyes would not be in a position to
fully visualize the entire form. After accomplishing the task of killing the
two demons he decides to be with His Lord Rama [full of Aanandha]who
is chief deity at Mangalam by the name of Rajagopalan. This village
was originally named as Aanandhamangalam but later came to be known as
Ananthamangalam. Thus the Anjaneya deity of this place has a special
significance for all the devotees.
While a visit and prayers at Tirupathi will bring about a change in the
circumstances in which a devotee is placed in his personal life, a visit and
prayers at Ananthamangalam brings about cheer and happiness to the devotee.
May His blessings be to all those who just read about his special deified
form described above.
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