Ayyanar & Sivan Koils through a fisheye!

Some of the readers may be wondering what the title means!  Just read on.

Normal cameras with standard lens capture anywhere from 30 to 45 degrees of the viewing angle. Rest fall beyond it and therefore are not captured by the camera. Then you have wide angle lenses which capture more than 90 degrees but never upto 180 degrees. This is what a fisheye lens precisely does. It gives a near 180 degree view, as a fish sees, and hence the name - from one edge to the other of a 180 degree object plane.  In some ways, they give a sense of being there.

Given here are some views of the Ayyanar and Sivan koils taken using a Samyang 8mm fisheye lens which give an ultra wide perspective. For understanding the difference of what I mean, I have placed a few images taken with a normal lens too. Do enjoy viewing them, as much as I enjoyed capturing!

Perumal Koil Photos

The Sri Suryanarayana Perumal koil was reconstructed and consecrated by a vaishnava devotee sometime back.  This was reported in this blog earlier.  On Friday, 11th Oct 2013, I had my first darshan of the new temple.  It is a single shrine housing the deities of Sri Suryanarayana Perumal and Sri Varadha Raja Perumal, along with his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi.  Opposite them is Sri Garudazhwar.  Except for the deities of Sridevi and Bhudevi, the other deities are new.

Construction of another shrine, adjacent to the present one, to house Sri Lakshmi is under progress.

Photos of the temple and its deities can be found here.

The Perumal koil is managed by the said vaishnava devotee.

New Priest Appointed

Sri Nagarajan Kurukkal is no more in the service of Sri Mahasastha Ayyanar. His service has been terminated effective 4th Oct 2013 on the basis of adverse feedback received from devotees.

Sri Shanmugha Sundaram has been newly appointed instead. He has taken charge effective 6th Oct 2013. His mobile numbers are 9489251061 and 7598155079.

Mahabhishekam Performed on 4th Sept 2013

The annual mahabhishekam of Sri Mahasastha Ayyanar was performed on Wednesday, 4th Sept 2013 with usual religious fervor.  The temple was looking very nice, having just recently received a fresh coat of paint in muted colours while the guardian horses outside were more vibrant and colourful!

Thanks to bountiful rains this year in the upper catchment areas, river Vettar was in full flow.  The lush green surroundings, the tall coconut trees, swaying darba grass on the banks of the river, the clean air and cool breeze, call of peacocks and chirping of birds were truly invigorating indeed.  It seems our prayers of the last couple of years have been answered by Ayyanar.

This year, the homa kundam was kept in front of the Vinayagar sannadhi to accommodate more devottees inside the main temple to view the abhishekam.  As is customary, the proceedings included kalasa sthabhanam, invoking the sacred agni, offering of ahuti, abhishekam of Ganapathi, Maha Sastha and parivara devathas of the Ayyanar temple. Before that, vastrams were offered to the deities in the Sivan, Perumal and Amman temples in the village.

Retired DGP of Police, Sri R Natraj, IPS, related to one of the devotees of the temple, was present for this year's mahabhishekam.  He was honoured by the temple and prasadams offered.

Sri Balachandra kurukkal, the earlier priest, presently in Garbarakshambigal Temple, Thirukarugavur, participated in the proceedings.

The attendance this time was less than the previous years'.  Hopefully, the next year will see a larger number of devotees of Sri Ayyanar congregating for this annual event.

Photos by Sri Hari Theerthan, taken on the occasion can be found above. 

Maha Abhishekam on 4th Sep 2013

New Gurukkal at Temple

Devotees may please note that Sri Balachandar Gurukkal upon taking up a job at Thirukarukavur has conveyed his inability to continue with us but he has arranged for an immediate incumbent.

Sri Nagarajan Gurukkal who is from Kanchipuram has been performing the poojas, morning and evening, at Suraikayur from 19th April 2013.

His contact number is 98841 17040. 

He is presently staying in the guest house and will continue to stay there till alternate arrangement is found in Suraikayur itself.

Agasthiar.org on Sivan Koil

Agasthiar.org has carried in their webpages, articles about the reconstruction of the Sivan Koil in Suraikayur. They also carry images covering the various stages in reconstruction. These can be found here.

Maalai Malar Article on Kumbhabhishekam

The Tamil daily Maalai Malar has carried an article and a photo on the Kumbhabhishem of Sivan Koil with dateline, Ammapettai, Jan 26. Link to this article can be found online here.

More Kumbhabhishekam Photos & Videos - A Different perspective

Click on Slide Show below to View Album in Larger Size

I have received a set of photos and a few videos of the Sivan Koil Kumbhabhishekam that concluded just a few days back.  They have come from Mrs Sandhya Venkat.  These images give a different perspective of the intimate kind.  Some of the close-up views give a sense of being there in the midst of all the happenings in a very virtual way.  Certainly a good alternative to those who missed the event in person.  I thought these should be seen by the other devotees too and therefore I host it here.

The images include the providential sighting, in the words of Mrs Venkat, "of Vishnu's four Garudans, who from nowhere, circled the temple right through the Kumbhabhishekam, which was to those present there, an auspicious blessing directly from MahaVishnu; obviously, because ordinary humans were attempting in their small way, something of what appealed to us as a Punya Kshetra of Lord Siva".  Certainly, one can agree with her entirely.

Images can also be found in either of the two links given below:
If you have a Google Account   OR   If you don't have a Google Account

Kumbhabhishekam of Sivan Koil Performed

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Geernordharana Astabandhana Mahakumbhabhishekam of Sri Oushada Mangalambika Sametha Sri Bujapatheeswarar Temple, alias, Sivan Koil, at Suraikayur was performed in a grand manner in the morning of Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013 amid chanting of Vedas and accompanying mangala nadaswara isai.

The Kumbhabhishekam of the Sivan Koil was the culmination of three days' yagasai poojais which commenced in the early hours of Monday, Jan 21. Every event went on schedule through the three days with participation of all devotees both from within the village and outside.  The temple complex was beautifully decked up in the traditional way and wore a festive look.

At 9:00 am of 23rd, the Katams containing the sanctified water were carried from the yagasalai in a procession, in the midst of about 800 to 1000 devotees.  Consecration of the temple was performed with the pouring of the sacred water over the vimana kalasams of the Lord and His Consort followed by that of the parivara devathais.  Immediately thereafter abhishekam was performed for the deities. This was followed by alankaram, thirukalyanam, deeparadhanai and distribution of Prasadams.

Let us pray to His Almighty to bless all his devotees of all the good things in life in abundance including good rains, water in Vettar and greenary all around.

Nama Sivayam