Mohanur Sri Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple, Namakkal

Address

Mohanur Sri Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple, Mohanur, Namakkal District- 637 015. Phone: +91 – 4286 – 256 100 Mobile: +91 – 94429 57143

Diety

Sri Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Amman: Padmavathi Thayar

Introduction

The Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple, located in Mohanur, is a renowned temple with historical and cultural significance. Mohanur is a small village located on the banks of the river Cauvery, known for its religious and cultural heritage.

The presiding deity of the temple is Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar, a form of Lord Venkatachalapathy (Lord Vishnu) known for granting blessings for prosperity, well-being, and successful endeavors.
Padmavathi Thayar, the consort of Lord Venkatachalapathy, is also worshipped in the temple.

Puranic Significance

The Kalyana Prasanna Venkataramanar Temple is believed to be around 1000 years old, representing a rich history of devotion and tradition.

Legend and Origin:

The temple has an interesting origin story. It is said that a staunch devotee of Lord Venkatachalapathy lived in Mohanur. Due to a paralytic attack, he was unable to visit Tirupati for darshan (sight) of the deity.
Filled with despair, he reached the banks of the Cauvery River, contemplating ending his life. However, an unexpected event occurred. A snake emerged from an anthill near the riverbank. This occurrence changed the devotee’s intentions, and he returned home.
Later, Lord Venkatachalapathy appeared in the devotee’s dream, informing him that His idol was within the anthill. As a result, the idol of Lord Venkatachalapathy, in a wedding form along with Sridevi and Bhoodevi, was discovered.
The temple was established to house this sacred idol. Over time, a shrine was also built for Padmavathi Thayar, and the temple has been a center of worship ever since.

Beliefs

People pray to gain excellence in education, for family prosperity and healthy life without any ailments. Devotees perform Thirumanjanam to Perumal and offer Tulsi garlands and vastras.

Special Features

Other Deities and Rituals:

The temple complex includes shrines for Lord Lakshmi Hayagriva, Mother Medha Saraswathi, and Lord Prasanna Venkataramana Perumal.
Lord Vinayaka (Ganesha) and Sri Anjaneya (Hanuman) are found under the Vanni tree in the temple complex. It is a common belief that beginning any task with a prayer to Lord Vinayaka and concluding it with a prayer to Sri Anjaneya ensures success.

Holy River Cauvery:

The unique feature of Mohanur is that the river Cauvery flows from north to south in the region. Bathing in this sacred spot is considered highly auspicious.
The temple also has a shrine for Mother Cauvery, and special abhishek is performed to Her with river water on specific days.

Festivals

The temple has unique and special rituals. It celebrates a festival called “A Day in Tirupathi” on a Sunday during Navarathri in September-October. During this festival, all pujas and alankarams (decorations) are performed following the procedures of Tirupati.
The presiding deity in the temple has a distinctive feature—an inverted triangle on His chest with Lakshmi rekha, which is unusual in Vishnu temples.
There is a shrine for Lord Dhanvanthari behind the sanctum sanctorum. The temple also features wooden sculptures of the Navagrahas (nine planets) on the shrine’s roof.
Lord Narasimha has a shrine in the temple, and devotees believe that praying to Him can help alleviate ailments.
A special herbal mixture is offered as nivedhana (food offering), and abhishek is performed with water mixed with dry ginger powder, powdered jaggery, gingelly oil, and herbals. Devotees receive this prasad (blessed offering) for its purported healing properties.
The temple conducts a Sri Satyanarayana Puja on every Thiruvonam star day, which falls under the birth star of Lord Vishnu. Devotees offer coconuts without stripping the outer cover (Mattai Thengai) in this puja and take them back home to place in their puja rooms, seeking prosperity.