Karisulndamangalam Venkatachalapathy Temple (Chakrathazhwar Temple) - Thirunelveli

Address

Karisulndamangalam Venkatachalapathy Temple (Chakrathazhwar Temple) – Thirunelveli

Karisulndamangalam,

Thirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu – 627453.

Mobile: +91 75985 78254 / 94880 62925 / 75981 88716 / 75981 78716

Moolavar

Venkatachalapathy/ Chakrathazhwar

Introduction

Venkatachalapathy Temple is dedicated to God Vishnu located at Karisulndamangalam Village near Cheranmahadevi in Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. It is also called as Chakrathazhwar Temple since the presiding deity is Chakrathazhwar. Processional Deity is only Venkatachalapathy. The Temple is located at about 1km North of Pathamadai Temple on the Southern banks of Thamarai Barani. The Temple is believed to be more than 1500 years old.

Puranic Significance

Romasa Rishi penance on Lord Vishnu:

Romasa Rishi undertook penance here at this place and performed pooja invoking the blessings of Lord Venkatachalapathy.

Chakrathazhwar as Presiding Deity:

This deity possesses the characters of Varaha and Narasimha avathars. It is believed that Lord Vishnu has given Chakkarathalwar the “right” to provide the devotees long life as well as sound health in a sound body.

Panagam as neivedhyam:

It is believed that during Pradhosha Kalam, if a person offers “Panagam” as neivedhyam and worships the lord with archana for consecutive Pradhosha days, all his wishes would be fulfilled.

Shukra Parihara Sthalam:

Sudharsana Moorthy is also known as Chakkarathzhwar is the Athipathy of Sukkiran. So this temple is considered to be a ‘Sukkiran Parihara Sthalam’

Padipayasam:

Childless couples desiring progeny, come to this temple, perform abisheka aradhanai, and offer payasam as ‘neivedhyam’; then distribute the same to village children on the steps of the ‘padithurai’. This is an ancient and strong belief.

Special Features

The special feature of this temple is the Main Deity. Normally in the temples of Lord Venkatachalapathy, the presiding / principal deity and also the Urchavar are one and the same Venkatachalapathy. Here in this temple in Karisulndamangalam, the Urchavar is Venkatachalapathy where as the main deity is Chakrathazhwar. While the Utsava processional deity is Venkatachalapathy with Sri and Bhoo Devi and the temple is known by that name. Chakkarathzhwar is seen with 16 hands. Behind him is Lord Yoga Narasimha with four hands.

This idol of Narasimha, established by the Nambhoodhiris of Kerala is holding Sudarshana Chakra in all the four hands (no Sangu). As per the inscription of Sundara Pandya II, this temple was referred to as ‘Then Thiruvengadam’ and the place itself was called ‘Kali’ ‘Say’ Mangalam which over time became ‘Kali’ ‘Sul’ntha Mangalam (and later ‘Karisulntha). The distance to this place was indicated as being the Eastern Hamlet of Cheran Maha Devi Chadurvedi Mangalam in Mulli Naadu.

From the extracts of Kulasekharan it is noted that Pithusi Raguthar, heir to the Lala Kansa Raguthar, constructed the Vimana of Sri Venkatachalapathy temple. Sri Appayyangar sthanathipathy of Errathimmaraju, came to the village and established a Kodimaram (sacred flag-hoisting pillar) coated with copper. Besides this, his donation included a garuda vahanam, a silver plate and eleven vigrahas of Alwars. He donated fertile lands, the revenue thereof, contributing to the cost of daily pooja (six times a day), besides other connected rituals.

A certain ‘Then Thiruvengada Manikkam’ was appointed as the Musician of the temple with a stipulation that she and her two brothers should be the hereditary servants of the temple. Before 2000 AD the compound wall of the temple was in a dilapidated state, cracked and weak. During the floods of 1993, river water entered the temple, flooding the inside of the temple up to a height of two feet, leaving dirt and water all over the temple floor. After the flood receded, the temple was cleaned, made presentable and neat and readied for daily poojas.

During that period, there was no approach road for autos or taxis to go up to the temple. The devotees had to stop their vehicle near Kanaga Sabapathi temple, get down and then walk a distance of ½ KM; a small canal needed to be crossed; only then was the temple reached. In order to remove the hardships and provide ample facilities, it was decided that a Kumbabishekam should be performed; a Kumbabishekam committee, namely “Venkateswara Baktha Sabha” was formed and renovation work carried out. The ‘Vimana’ of the temple was renovated, a solid new compound wall built. The ‘garuda vahanam’ was provided with a new separate room. There was also concretization and strengthening of the garuda vaahana path, that is, the path around the temple. Attempts are being made to conduct ‘Ashtabandhana Maha Kumbabishekam’ of Venkatachalapathy temple in 2012.

Festivals

Purattasi Brahmotsavam, Panguni Uthiram, Masi Makam, Vaikasi Visakam, Thiru Karthikai, Vaikunda Ekadashi and Sravana Deepam are the festivals celebrated here.

References

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2017/05/venkatachalapathy-temple-chakrathazhwar.html