Orikkai Mani Mandapam - Temple of holy Sri Mahaswamigal, maha Periyavaal, Sri Chandra Sekarendra Sraswathi Swamigal

Today I had an opportunity to go to the great Mani Mandapam of Orikkai with a team of devotees. We started from Chennai at 6:40 AM and reached Orikkai at about 8:40 AM (nearly 2 hours drive) in a tourist van. Though it is a peak summer, sun has just started showing its heat and it was bearable.

About the temple

The village Orikkai is blessed to have the Mani mandapam or a great temple built to commemorate the sacred memory of  Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, 68th Shankaracharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

The construction of temple is not yet fully over. For example the installation of nandhi is in progress now.. However the Kumbabishegam (consecration ceremony)  was performed by Sri Sri Jayendra Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakodi peedam on 28th January 2011.  Please view the video in youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KYh5hMtoFM)

 This temple is built with one material (Granite stone alone, no mix of stone with other materials like bricks etc) like ancient temples built by emperors like Cholas. 

• The Manimandapam has a 100 feet vimana
• a 100 pillared hall
• Paduka mandapa and Rudraksha mandapa
• Statue and padukas of maha Periyavaal

Location

About 5 KM from Kanchi, on the banks of the river Palaar. The manimandapam is located in a calm place away from the rush of the town.

 History

 Once a king in a fit of anger exiled a very devoted servant of a sage called Kanikannan which was an undeserving punishment. The master also followed him and on seeing this the Lord too went with them and halted in Orikkai for one night. Realising his mistake the king apologised to all of them and requested them to come back, which they did. Thereafter the village was called as  Orikkai (oru iravu irukkai - place of overnight stay)

Chatur masya vrata was performed by Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji at this place only.

Temple Rules

• As a matte of respect, gents are expected to remove their shirt and go with a angavasthram (towel) around the shoulder.

•  Taking snaps inside the temple is not allowed. 

Kuchanur Saneeswara Bagwan temple

What is special about this temple?

This temple is exclusively built for Saneeswarar. You may find sani bagwan or navagrahas only in Shiva temples along with other deities.But here the Shiva temple is a little away from Saneeswarar temple.

The Sani Bagwan here is called "swayambu" meaning emerged on its own. There is a Uthsava murthy nearer to the main idol.

This is the place where Sani Baghwan himself got relieved of the Brahmmahathi dosha.

The temple ambience is so excellent that it is on the bank of a flowing river called Surabhi surrounded by green paddy fields and coconut trees. The speciality is it is a running water and kept clean. It is a pleasure to take bath in this small river where the water is upto the shoulder level and we can easily take dips. It is a belief that any one who takes bath in this river is supposed to get liberated from the sins of previous birth.

Many people having Sani Dosha come here for getting the blessings of Sani Bagwan.

What is the procedure for worshipping?

1. Have Gingelly oil on the head and take bath in the Surabhi river. (They are available near the river itself).There is a belief that people who leave the dress in the river as "vasthra dhanam" will get their prayers fulfilled by te God. . Nice arrangements are made along the banks of the river to collect the dress material s left by devotees in the river. There are temple volunteers who keep collecting the dress by using a stick and keep the river water flowing.
On the day when I went there (4th Sep2010) the weather was so pleasant and the running water was upto the chest level, chill and enjoyable.
2. After the bath, buy 'arugam pull' (sacred grass)and worship Lord Ganesha and Ragu idols on the banks of the river.
3. Get a plate of  rice cooked with gingely seeds and feed it to the crows. (rice plate available in the temple)
4. Get the clay models of the crow and keep it in front of the Saneeswara Bagwan (clay models available in the temple premises)
5. Sprinke the puffed rice and salt in Kodi maram and light lamps of gingely oil.

6. Do archana for the God with a black cloth and coconut. You may consume the coconut as prasadam after the archana , but not supposed to take it home for cooking purpose.
7. You may buy food packets from reliable shops ( There is a mess called Ganapathy mess on the opposite side of the main road  who prepare the food very well for annadhanam. ) and distribute to the poor people around.

How to reach this place?

Reach Madurai by bus, train or flight. Go to Theni or Chinnamanur by bus. There are direct buses (KPN) from Chennai to Theni. From Theni go to Chinnamanur by bus. From Chinnamanur you may go to Kuchanur by bus or auto. 

Decent lodges are available in Theni for staying.

What are the puja timings?

Morning 6:00 AM to 1PM. Evening 4PM to 8:30 PM