Cheluvanarayana Swamy Melkote
From Thondanur we travelled to Melkote. Ramanuja stayed here for 12years during his exile from Srirangam and consecrated the temple laying down detailed processes for poojas
Selva Pillai Sampath Kumaran’s Vaira Mudi Utsavam in Panguni is a must see at this temple.
ThiruNarayanapuram is referred to as ‘Dakshina Badri’
Located about 35kms North East of Srirangapatna on the banks of the Cauvery in the Pandavapura Taluk-Mandya District of Karnataka at the foot of the Yadava Giri is one of the most sacred and historical Vaishnavite temples – the Thiru Narayana Perumal Koil in ThiruNarayanapuram (now Melkote), one that dates back to the Kretha Yugam. Brahma’s sons Sanatkumaras brought their father’s pooja idol ‘Lord Narayana’ and installed it at Melkote.
An interesting feature at the Thiru Narayanan temple is that there is a separate sannidhi for the Utsava deity, ‘Selva Pillai’ (Sampath Kumaran) not seen anywhere else. Only one day in the year, both Moolavar and Utsavar deities are seen together at this temple to celebrate the home coming of Selva Pillai Sampath Kumaran(Photograph below)
The Story- Ramanuja consecrates the temple
Driven out of Srirangam by the chozhas, Ramanuja came to a place called Thondanur (Bhaktha Puri) near ThiruNarayanapuram .The daughter of the Jain King Bitta Deva, who was ruling the region with Thondanur as his headquarters, had developed a disease. Using his powers, Ramanuja cured the king’s daughter.
Later, Ramanuja found him self short of Thiruman (the special thick white ash that Vaishnavites wear on their fore head). That day Lord Narayanan appeared in his dreams and informed him that he was residing in a pit in a hill nearby and that the Thiruman he is looking for can also be found there.
With the help of Bitta Deva, Ramanuja came to Thiru Narayanapuram and located the moolavar lord and performed consecration of the temple.
Story 1 of the Utsava deity as Rama Priyan
After Lord Rama had given his pooja idol, Ranganatha, to the newly crowned Lankan King Vibheeshana, he was left without an idol for his daily poojas. Brahma is said to have provided this idol to Rama. Later, Rama passed this on to his sons Luva and Kusha. When Kusha’s daughter got married to a Yadava prince, this idol was given as part of the gifts to be given by the Bride and thus this idol landed up in the lunar dynasty from the solar dynasty.
Years later, when Balarama came to this place on a religious trip, he found the moolavar deity resembling the idol at his home, back in Dwaraka. Krishna and Balarama came back to this place with the idol and they decided that this was the ideal Utsava deity for Thiru Narayanan and placed it here. The Utsava deity having been Rama’s pooja idol was called ‘Rama Priyan’.
Story 2 of Rama Priyan becoming Selva Pillai
Coming back to Ramanuja, while he was happy to have found the moolavar deity of Thiru Narayanan, Emberumaanar was keen to have regular festivals at this temple round the year. However, he found he could not do this as there was no Utsava deity, the processional idol.
Once again, the Lord came in his dreams and suggested that his utsava idol was now under the custody of a sultan king. Immediately, Ramanuja approached the king briefing him of the situation at the temple. The king asked Ramanuja to identify his idol amongst the many that the king had taken custody of. Unable to find his Lord, Ramanuja spent the night there. The next morning he called out ‘Adiyen Vareeren Enthan Selva Pillai’ and like a small child, the lord ran up to Ramanuja, from the chamber of the princess, and sat on his lap.
Delighted at finding the processional deity, Ramanuja brought the Lord back to Thiru Narayanapuram. With the Lord having reacted to Ramanuja’s call of ‘Selva Pillai’, the name stuck and from that day, Rama Priyan came to be called ‘Selva Pillai. Unhappy at the departure of her favourite Lord, the princess followed suit and joined Selva Pillai at Melkote and she is said to have remained there ever after serving at the feet of the Lord.
Having found the Utsava deity, Ramanuja stayed here for 12 years and set up processes for daily poojas, rituals and annual festivals.
The Goddess name is Yadugiri Nachiyar and every Friday thirumanjanam is being done within 1pm .
There is a yoga Narasimhar temple on a hillock .The idol is installed by Prahlad himself and one has to climb about 500 steps from chelva narayana temple .
Now roads have been put and only about 250 steps we have to climb cars are allowed half way through.
Yoga Narasimha temple is on a small hillock, there are steps that lead to this temple. There is a road that leads to half way of the hillock which is driveable, that will reduce the no. of steps to climb. The view from the hill is very scenic and green. I would suggest to first visit Cheluva narayana swamy temple, and go to Yoga narasimha swamy temple at around 5PM. Weather gets very pleasant around this time. The sunset is also beautiful.
Melkote Thirunarayana Swami Temple
Vairamudi Sevai is one of the most important ceremony celebrated in this temple. Devotees flock from all over to see this event .During this festival the streets of Melkote are decorated in his honour.The procession of the Lord’s idol is carried on a golden garuda, along with idols representing his divine consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi. The procession takes place at night and continues until dawn. The festival is named for the legendary diamond studded crown, the Vaira Mudi which the Lord only wears during this procession. For the rest of the festival the Lord wears the Rajamudi, another crown studded with precious stones .
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