Oottukkadu Kalinga Narthana Temple

[priyaram78]

The Samprokshanam of this renowned temple where Sri Venkatakavi composed the immortal krithis is due in october. Construction work is going on. Few photographs of the temple are posted in oottukkadu venkatakavi group in Facebook. Sacred temple where Kalinga Narthanar Krishna inspired Sri Venkatakavi to compose the immortal gems.

[parivadini]

we were there (unaware of the construction work) on Saturday. Although, we couldn't have a darshan of the great composer, we were fortunate to meet the deity that inspired the immortal compositions. With no offense meant to the contributors and enablers just wanted to add the enamel paints and the granite/marble flooring some how take away a little bit of sheen from a divine/nostalgic/travelling to the past experience.

[Rsachi]

Folks, Visiting these temples is an act of our piety, inspired as we are by those immortal compositions by the masters. After visiting many such "hallowed" temples, I am convinced that such visits are fraught with the risk of being underwhelmed! The deities live on in their full splendour enshrined in those krithis, and temples of stone and paint hardly preserve the sanctity or the original inspiration, at least to lowly mortals like me.



This derelict temple in Kulikarai is where Dikshitar composed Annapurne Vishalakshi and Srivishwanatham! I was deeply underwhelmed when I went there a xouple of years ago.

[priyaram78]

Nice to know Parivadini team was there. Wish I had met them. My humble opinion is the powerful Divine vibrations of the Vigrahams and temples remain forever. Facilities and changes are made for devotees. And change is inevitable. Devotees from all over the globe now flock to sacred temples of India. If the facilities, floorings, paintings make devotees happy to have come all the way, I feel there is no harm. Yes old memories are nostalgic but we have to make changes from time to time for future generations to keep coming to these temples.

[Rsachi]

Priyaram,
I am not against maintenance and sprucing up with some paint!

If it's technicolours or garish flooring etc, speaking for myself, it is in poor taste! I found the Kamakshi temple, Meenakshi temple, and Srirangam temple to be all crowded but I didn't find such ugly things. I was, as you say, able to feel the vibrations. (also Rameshwaram!)

[harimau]

Priyaram,
I am not against maintenance and sprucing up with some paint!

If it's technicolours or garish flooring etc, speaking for myself, it is in poor taste! I found the Kamakshi temple, Meenakshi temple, and Srirangam temple to be all crowded but I didn't find such ugly things. I was, as you say, able to feel the vibrations. (also Rameshwaram!)

Madurai Meenakshi Temple does have garishly painted gopurams. In addition, as you walk through the halls, look up at the ceiling and you will see the efforts of Michaelangelos of Tamil Nadu!

There have been several news items about trustees of temples ordering the painting of walls which completely cover up centuries-old murals.

I remember my visit to Rameswaram in 1993. As you entered the sea for the ritual bath, you could see through the clear water the soft sand and the rocks at the bottom of the shallow sea.

Today, the area is filled with muck. The reason? The large sewage pipeline dumps its flow hardly 200 meters from the bathing ghat. In any other country, a simple study would have been undertaken to determine where the ocean currents deposit the muck. But not in India. The muck ends up precisely where the bathing ghat is located. The water is murky and your feet dig into the muck. Yuck!

The temple itself is partially paved with ceramic tiles along the paths to the other 26(?) wells where one is supposed to pour water on oneself or ave it poured by the attendants.

There are signs all over town saying Rameswaram will be made into a mega-tourism site.

They really mean mega-muck town.

[sridhar]

Some of the UNESCO world heritage temples kept in original pristine condition without garish paint:
Thanjavur Peria kovil
Gangaikonda cholapuram brihadiswarar temple
Airavateswarar temple in Darasuram
Kudumiyan malai shikanathar temple (where you will see very old musical inscriptions)
Kanchi kailasanathar temple
Nellaiappar kovil Tirnelveli (not sure about this)

besides these there are other temples in various corners of TN that are really huge and majestic (Thirubuvanam temple near kumbakonam comes to mind). During my last visit I visited the sivan temple in Konerirajapuram (it was very difficult to find and well past evening puja when we arrived there). You will see one of the largest Natarajas here - the sight of lord with sivakami at his feet in traditional 9 yard saree was a sight I can never forget. I stood there wide eyed for several minutes.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Konerirajapuram is the birthplace of Shri P. S. Narayanaswamy !

[Rsachi]

Harimau, i did turn away from those frescos you mention in Meenakshi temple but several inner parts have stone carvings of exquisite quality. Yes the gopurams in many temples look like cheap cinema. Wonder who likes them that way.

[Ponbhairavi]

When temples are controlled by. Chamchas of atheist Dravidian rulers devoid of any aesthetic sense or sense of fine arts appreciation what else can we expect? Temples have become "anna satiram" of propaganda value for the rulers.
At various levels temple golds are looted.fertile agricultural lands and shops which the original temple builders meant for long term maintenance are being looted, priceless idols are being stolen to be sold as status symbol decorative pieces for drawing rooms as " owners'pride and neighbors envy "
In the name of tourist promotion places meant for worship meditation and perpetuation of fine arts are " on sale "

[Rsachi]

Sridhar,
Thank you for that list!
Priyaram,
I feel you may feel your lofty feelings and piety expressed in the original post, and your great feeling for Oottukadu Kavi... have been derailed here.
That was surely not Parivadini's, or my, or Harimau's, or Ponbhairavi's intention. Please do not take offence.

When someone says he felt an elevating experience when he visited a temple, and on the other hand when someone else says he was disappointed by the decor or uncleanliness or the tyranny of priests or hawkers, I think the root cause is the same in both... our sensitivity to the tradition and our hope/expectation that these are preserved well.
That's all.
I am grateful to Sridhar and you for lifting our spirits when you mention the good places.
Thanks

[priyaram78]

Thanks Rsachi Sir for your kind words. No I am not offended. Each one has their own opinion and we here have to be understanding and respect each others opinions. By the way just now returned from Srirangam temple and huge renovation work is going on. Temples are sanctified because of the Vigrahams. Paintings or floorings or lightings nothing can lessen the divinity of the temples. If tourists are eager to come to these temples and also spend in terms of offerings, donations some facilities and sprucing up must be done to make their visits memorable, stress free and make them come back again. That is my humble opinion.

[Rsachi]

I was in Srirangam some months ago!

[priyaram78]

Nice snaps. Thanks Sir. I think to upload photos in rasikas it has to be in some shared server.....i dont know how to upload photos here. Else would love to upload the photos of these temples I visited in the last 3 days. oottukkadu temple, brihadeeswar temple, thirukarugavur garbharakshambigai, mannargudi rajagopalan, vadavur Raamar, oopilliappan, tirucharai saaranathan, naachiyaar kovil, chakrapaani, saarangapani, srirangam temples and yet to visit few more.

[Rsachi]

Do you have a google photos/google+ account?
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☺

[parivadini]

priyaram78, it looks we have crossed each other a few times last weekend. We were at Srirangam, Thanjavur, thiruvalanchuzi, Koothanur (had a glimpse of semmangudi, maharajapuram and injikudi en route), Vaitheeswarankoil (someone actually was singing Bhajare rechita), Thiruvidaimarudhur (did I hear rajaratnam's nagaswaram ringing on the prahaarams?), Thirubhuvanam, Darasuram, Oothukkadu, Thirukaruhavoor, Kumbakonam Saragapani Nageswarankoil and finally Thiruvaiyaaru. It would be nice to meet up some time.

[Ponbhairavi]

Post 12: " some facilities and sprucing up must be done "
I agree.The most important thing to do overriding ALL OTHERS incl granite flooring ,paint coating etc, is to build a clean toilet nearby.

[priyaram78]

Agreed. Saw a big pay and use toilet outside Srirangam temple. But am sure it is by the local Government authorities. Such facilities must be provided outside all temples. But with funds donated or offered to the temple, I presume priority work inside the temple premises would be carried out. Concluded the pilgrimage with visit to Tiruvellarai Pundarikaakshan temple, Gunaseelam Prasannavenketachalapathi, Uttamar koil and KaatuAzhagiyasingar temple.

[priyaram78]

The Samprokshanam of Oothukkadu Kalinga Narthana Temple will be conducted on 26th October, Monday. Elaborate preparations are in full swing for the grand function. As told by the Temple office staff, Celebrations will start from 25th October itself, with a grand carnatic concert in the evening by Smt. Aruna Sairam. On 26th October Samprokshanam will be held in the morning. There will be an UpanyAsam by Sri Krishna Premi Swamigal in the evening. Hope many attend the function and get the blessings of the deities in Oothukkadu Kalinga Narthana Temple !

[harimau]

The Samprokshanam of Oothukkadu Kalinga Narthana Temple will be conducted on 26th October, Monday. Elaborate preparations are in full swing for the grand function. As told by the Temple office staff, Celebrations will start from 25th October itself, with a grand carnatic concert in the evening by Smt. Aruna Sairam. On 26th October Samprokshanam will be held in the morning. There will be an UpanyAsam by Sri Krishna Premi Swamigal in the evening. Hope many attend the function and get the blessings of the deities in Oothukkadu Kalinga Narthana Temple !

Wow!

There are times when you know God wants you to do certain things. You know, like Noah building an ark.

This is one of those events.

I shall have to bid goodbye to my friends, stay an extra day and listen to the Snake Dance Song as sung by the Proprietress of Ye Olde & Originale Abhangerie in the temple of the Snake Dance God!

How else do you explain the fact that I, not having read this post, have been planning for the last three weeks to hang around this area of the Tanjore delta this particular weekend?

My life will be fulfilled and I shall die a contented -- nay, happy -- man!

[kvchellappa]

Is not Ravikiran around for the event?

[priyaram78]

With just a few hours for the Divine occassion to take place, hope some rasika who is attending it shares a detailed description of the occassion here. A live webcast would have been great !

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Dear Rasikas,

The drop box link of a video clip of the great Oothukadu Venkatakavi krithi is given below where in Smt.Aruna Sairam
had intelligent sung the krithi.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/354 ... 0divx.divx

Enjoy the video clip and music.

S.NAGESWARAN.
24.10.2015.

[priyaram78]

http://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A% ... F_lbho&s=1