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Tuesday 21 May 2013

AADHI VINAYAKAR - THILATHARPANAPURI


THILATHARPANAPURI OR AADHI VINAYAKAR TEMPLE (Here you can see lord Vinayaka with a Human face).

Swarnavalli sametha Mukthiswarar temple is located at Thilatharpanapuri 2.6kms from Koothanur. Koothanoor is near Poonthottam which is on Mayavaram – Tiruvarur Road.  The nearest railway station is at poonthottam.  The main deities here are Swarnavalli Thayar and Mukthiswarar.  The name Thilatharpanapuri comes from two words 'thil' meaning gingely and 'tharpana' is the hindu ritual of performing pithru karmas (ritual of paying tribute to ancestors).  It is also known as Sethalapathy. 

There are 7 sthalams for performing these rituals viz. Kasi, Rameswaram, Srivanchiyam, Thiruvenkadu, Gaya, Thriveni Sangamam & Thilatharpanapuri.

Pithru dosham can occur when the souls of our ancestors and departed forefathers do not get peace due to any of the following reasons,

When shradham (ritual of paying tribute to ancestors) is not performed.

Bad deeds while they were alive.

Bad deeds of the children of the departed.

Lack of fulfillment of desires.

Simple way to get rid of pitru dosham (ancestral sin) is to feed the needy on amavasya day (new moon day) and perform the tharpanam (ritual of paying tribute to ancestors)  regularly.  By satisfying the departed souls of our ancestors, we can have their blessings for a bappy and peaceful life.

Lord Rama performed tharpanam for his father Dasaratha at various places by placing four pindams (rice balls).  However to his dismay the pindams would turn into worms each time he performed the ritual.  Worried Rama prayed to lord Shiva who advises Rama to go to mantharavanam (manthaaram is the flower of the coral tree, one of the five special trees of heaven) and offer his prayers to him there.  He was instructed to take bath in the arasalar river near there, before performing the pitru tharpanam.  Lord Rama did as instructed.  The four pindams that until now were turning into worms at other places, to his amazement, became four lingams.  Dasaratha thus attained mukthi (salvation) and hence the name of the deity is Muktheeswarar.  Since then, the locals believe that performing the pitru tharpanam here absolves you of all your pitru sabams (ancestral curse) and pitru doshams (ancestral sins).  In the outer praharam (circumbalatory path) you can see the idol of Rama performing the tharpanam and also the four lingams known as pitru lingams.

Thilatharpanapuri or Aadhi Vinayakar temple is considered equivalent to Kasi or Rameswaram.  Performing tharpanam here on amavasya day is considered special.  This is Mukthikshetram like Srivanchiyam.  It is believed that the sinned will not be able to visit this temple and a planned visit to this temple is not possible.

The shrine for Aadhi Vinayakar (also known as Naramukha vinayakar) is just outside the main temple.  Here you can see Lord Ganesha with a human head and hence the name.  This place is also known as Sithalapathi.  The story of lord Shiva beheading Vinayaka who was created by Parvathi and then replacing the head with an elephant head is well known.  What is less known is, Lord Shiva instructed his troops to fetch the head of anyone found sleeping with his head placed towards north.  They found an elephant sleeping with its head towards north.  Lord Shiva named the boy Ganapathy meaning commander of his troops and granted a boon that Ganapathy shall be worshipped by everybody before starting anything new.

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