Udumalpet Sri Prasanna Vinayagar Temple – Coimbatore

Address

Udumalpet Sri Prasanna Vinayagar Temple – Udumalpet, Coimbatore district- Tamil Nadu 642126 Phone: +91 – 4252 221 048

Diety

Prasanna Vinayakar, (Mettu Vinayakar)

Introduction

Sri Prasanna Vinayaka temple is located in Udumalpet town, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and is about 500 years old. Lord Prasanna Vinayaka, under his Ekadala Vimana (roof tower of sanctum sanctorum) graces with a majestic appearance.

Puranic Significance

The place was a dense forest once and was under the rule of Tippu Sultan. It also had a natural security with a semi-circular mount. It was a safe place to Tippu Sultan. One day, Lord Vinayaka appeared in his dream and asked him how he could forget to offer him a contribution for protecting him from enemies. The Sultan gave Vinayaka himself as a contribution by immediately building a temple for him in the west part of the place on the banks of a tank. Later rulers renovated the temple from time to time. It is a big temple today in the heart of Uduamalaipettai. Six feet tall Lord Vinayaka grants his darshan majestically to the devotees. His mouse vehicle – Mooshika – is also big in size. The front hall has a sculpture depicting the Zodiac circle in all artistic beauty. Divine trees, Vilwa, Vanni and Arasu are the holy trees of the temple. Lord Adi Vinayaka, worshipped by Tippu Sultan is behind Lord Kasi Viswanatha under the Arasu tree. Lord Kasi Viswanatha graces from His sanctum sanctorum opposite the main tower – Rajagopuram with Mother Visalakshi to His left. Lord Muruga graces with Valli and Deivanai on the side. Lord Brahmma graces under the Vanni tree. Lord Sowriraja Perumal with His consort Kannapuranayaki graces from the Northwest with Sri Anjaneya to His left. As the temple have shrines for all three Lords. Brahmma, Vishnu and Shiva, it serves as bridge between those following different faiths of Hinduism. Lord Vinayaka comes in procession on Adi Kruthika day (JulyAugust) in silver car.

Beliefs

For total relief from all types of bad aspects and family problems and for progress in academic achievement, devotees submit their prayers to the Lord. Realizing their needs from the Lord, devotees break coconuts, offer Kozhukkattai – also a pudding – and perform abishek with milk.

Special Features

Sri Vinayaka is gracing in the temple demanding contributions from the devotees. Lord Adi Vinayaka worshipped by Tippu Sultan is installed behind the Lord Kasi Viswanatha under the Arasu – bothi tree. The temple serves as a bridge between the Saivites and Vaishnavites with due importance to the three Lords, Brahmma, Vishnu and Shiva. Lord Prasanna Vinayaka, under his Ekadala Vimana (roof tower of sanctum sanctorum) graces with a majestic appearance. Sweet pudding is offered as nivedhana to the Lord. As the hill is of a semi-circular shape as a natural security to the place, it is called Chakkarapuri. As the hill had Udumbus – a lizard-like gigantic creature in large numbers, it was named Udumbumalai which in course of time changed as Udumalaipettai.

Festivals

Chitra Poornima in April-May, Vaikasi Visakam in May-June, all Ekadasi days (11th day either from new moon or full moon day), Aadi Perukku in July-August, Hanuman Jayanthi, Tirukarthikai in November-December, Fridays in the months of Aadi (July-August and Thai (January-February, Navarathri in Purattasi-September-October, Thai Poosam in JanuaryFebruary, Maha Shivrathri and Masi Magam in February-March, and Panguni Uthiram in March-April are the festivals celebrated in the temple.