Sri Mahalingaswamy temple car goes for a trial

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Trial run of the newly constructed car of the Sri Mahalingaswamy temple at Thiruvidaimaruthur near Kumbakonam was held on Thursday. The run is a prelude to the car festival to be conducted on January 19th, which was last held on 1933.

Hundreds of people, braving the heavy rain, pulled the beautifully sculptured new car. With umbrellas up in their hands, devotees watched the movement of the car chanting "Mahalinga." Abishekam was done to the new car and an aarthi was performed before it was pulled. Fitted with iron wheels manufactured at the Bharath Heavy Electricals Ltd, the car was taken around the four sprawling main streets- east, west, north and south before being brought back to the stand. Dozers pushed the car from behind.

Ko.Si.Mani, Minister for Co-operation, Sri Sivaprakasa Desika Paramacharya swamigal of Thiruvavaduthurai adheenam, which owns the temple, Dayananda Saraswathi, managing trustee of the Mahalingaswamy Seva Trust, which took up the construction of the new car, members of the trust: Pollachi N.Mahalingam, Sri Onkarananda Swamigal of Sidhbavananda Ashramam, Bababji Rajah Bhonsle, Raya R.Govindarajan, R.Ramasubbu, R.Kannan and K.Rajagopal participated in the function.

Our Mentor Sri Individual Subramaniam, T Mohan, Mahalingam Mahadevan, Ramakrishnan also went to Tiruvidaimarudur and participated in the function.  They have taken exclusive photos for TDR Times.

According to Babaji Rajah Bhonsle, the temple had five cars in the past . Mr.Dayananda Saraswathi, wanted to revive the car festival, which was stopped long time ago for unknown reasons. A trust was formed to take up the construction of the big car of the temple first. G.Radhakrishna Sthapathi, government recognised sthapathi and Ramesh, another sculptor were entrusted with the work of construction of the car which was going on for the past two years.

"Another major work done along with the construction of the car was the renovation of five car stands at the temple premises . Renovation of the five mandapams was completed and Kumbabishekam was performed to them on April 4, 2010. The five mandapams were constructed during the period of Maratta king Pratap Singh who ruled Thanjavur . A sthapathi called Sithanna Aiyyan constructed them" Mr.Bhonsle said.

Four more cars will also be newly constructed for the temple by the trust, he added.

Called as Booloka Kailasam, Mahalingaswamy temple has four Raja gopurams and three small gopurams inside.

Exclusive Photos taken by: Sri Individual Subramaniam / Sri T Mohan / Sri Mahalingam/Sri Ramakrishnan

News courtesy: The Hindu: 

திருத்தேர் திருப்பணி

An eMagazine for TDRities

கும்பகோணம்: கும்பகோணம் அருகே திருவிடைமருதூரில் திருவாவடுதுறை
ஆதீனத்துக்கு சொந்தமான பெருநலமாமுலையம்மை உடனாய மகாலிங்கசுவாமி கோவில்
உள்ளது. இங்கு எட்டு கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில் திருத்தேர் திருப்பணி நடந்து
வருகிறது. ஐந்து தேர்களில் ஒன்றான மகா ரதம் நவம்பர் 25ம் தேதி
வெள்ளோட்டத்துக்கு தயாராகி வருகிறது. தேரின் உள்சக்கரம் மற்றும் உள்
இரும்பு பார் திருச்சி பெல் நிறுவனத்தில் இருந்து வந்தது. தேருக்கு
மொத்தம் ஆறு இரும்பு சக்கரங்கள் பொருத்தப்படுகிறது. இதில், இரண்டு
சக்கரங்கள் உள்ளே பொருத்தப்படுகிறது. பல டன் எடை கொண்ட உள் சக்கரம்
இரண்டும், இரும்பு பார் ஆகியவை திருச்சில் இருந்து நேற்று காலை லாரி
மூலம் வந்தது.



திருச்சி பெல் நிறுவனம் திருவாரூர் தேருக்கு முதன் முதலில் இரும்பு
சக்கரம் தயாரித்து வழங்கியது. அதன்பின் 500வது தேராக திருவிடைமருதூர்
மகாலிங்கபெருமான் கோவில் தேருக்கு இரும்பு சக்கரங்கள் செய்துள்ளது.
நவம்பர் 22ம் தேதி தேரின் வெளிப்புற சக்கரங்கள் நான்கும் பொருத்தப்பட
உள்ளது. 25ம் தேதி நடக்கும் வெள்ளோட்டத்துக்கு தேர் விறுவிறுப்பான
பணிகளுடன் தயாராகி வருகிறது.

Courtesy : http://www.dinamalar.com/  maavattam : thanjavur
Individual Subramanian



The dilapidated Rishipuriswarar temple

In Tiruvidaimaruthur, Thanjavur district, where the famous Mahalingaswami temple is situated, is Rishipuriswarar temple in a dilapidated condition. Legend has it that the place was a grove of vilva trees where sages Agasthiar, Pulomasa and Romachar did penance to attain wisdom which Siva bestowed with his Consort on the left. The presiding deities thus came to be called Rishipuriswarar and Gnanambika.

The temple tank is called Kaka Kulam (after a rishi in crow form attained mukti in the water) and sthala vriksham is vilvam. Considered a parikara sthalam for Rishaba rasi, people of Makham do archana for Ambal and those of Tiruvathirai for Siva. Devotees take a dip in the tank on the first day of the Tamil month of Panguni.

There are four Siva temples in the four directions. Neglected for a long time, regular pujas were recently resumed at the Rishipuriswarar temple, which is in ruins, thatches serving as roof. For information and contributions contact 28152533 and 9840053289.

Courtesy:

THANJAVUR, November 4, 2010