Tiruvallikkeni - Triplicane - Sri Parthasarathy Temple

I not sure if there is any particular order in the divyadesams but nevertheless yesterday was my first visit to Sri Parthasarathy Temple at Triplicane. Our day started at 4am in the morning and we left Kilpauk by 5:00 am and were in the Temple by 5:15 am! We noticed several waywards using the temple premises to sleep. Devotees trickled in slowly with மஞ்சள் (Turmeric) Paste and கோலம் மாவ் (Rangoli Powder) and the guards woke those sleeping and chased them away. We were told that the temple would open at 6:00 am and so we had time for coffee at the modest "Krishna Bhavan" just opposite the temple.

The temple doors opened at 6:00 and all devotees assembled at the Sri Parthasarathy shrine for a first glimpse of the lord. A temple official led a cow which appeared restless, up to the sanctum sanctorum and tied it to the rails. The Purohits then went in with some water and burning Camphor and let the curtains down for the waiting devotess to have a first glimpse. Amid cries of Krishna... and Govinda, Govinda we had the first glimpse of the moustached Sri Parthasarathy. The devotess were then allowed into the shrine.

Sri Ashtalakshmi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Narayana Swamy - Vepanjeri

Drove down to Vepanjeri a small village near Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh to visit the Sri Ashtalakshmi Sametha Sri Lakshmi Narayana Swamy Temple. We started from Chennai in the evening at 5:30 pm and we were given very brief directions. I was aware of the route till Sholinghur, a Divyadesam, having driven (or rather my driver drove! I enjoy the ride) to that place several times. So after stopping by several villages and being misguided this is how we reached Vepanjeri.

We started from Kilpauk took the Anna Nagar Main Road, Tirumangalam Signal and onto Ambattur Estate and filled the tank ofthe Esteem Vxi. Then onto Ambattur OT, Thirumalvoyal, Avadi, Pattabiram to reach Thiruvallur and then to Thirutanni and took the route to Sholinghur. After driving for about 30 km's we reached R.K Pet where the road splits the one on the left leads to Sholinghur and the one on the right leads you to "I don't know where!" but then after about 6 kms we reached "Balijagandiga" and took a left onto "Thookondram" which is about 20kms drive through a narrow stretch of road through lush green ground-nut and sugar cane fields. "Vepanjeri" is about 4 kms from "Thookondram" and is easily recognisable by a temple (Ashtalaksmi) on your right . I guess when you drive from Chittoor its about 19kms from the old bus stand.

The temple has a rich history of about 1500 years and draws a large number of devotees. The temple is well maintained by the trustee, K.S. Sridhar who was an advocate by profession and hails from Vepanjeri. Afer his retirement he wanted to give back something to his place of birth and the result is the renovation and maintenance of this beautifiul temple and the పుష్కరిణి (Pushkarini, Temple Tank). Vepanjeri has about 75 families and you are unlikely to find even a tea shop so pack food if you plan to visit this place, However if your are lucky there could be an అన్నదానం (Annadhanam, Offering food to the public). There are a few cottages and you can opt to stay over the night (which we did) amidst rustic village surroundings and enjoy the pure unpolluted cool air void of any humidity, the chirps of insects, the ocassional moo of a cow. The dogs on the street are surprisingly friendly.

Of particular interest is the garden near the పుష్కరిణి (Pushkarini, Temple Tank) which the associated tree of all the 27 నక్షతిరం (Birth Stars) it also contains the Trimuthis and their associated trees. Also see the 6 trees (Banyan, Peepal, Neem, Tamrind, Vilva..) growing together entangled.

Mr. Sridhar maintains a informative web site at Vepanjeri.com