Description
The Thirumogor Kalamegha Perumal Temple which is also known as Thirumohur is a hindu temple located near Melur in the Madurai district. This temple is one of the108 divyadesams and is located twelve km to the north of the largest city of Tamil Nadu which is Madurai.
History
Kalamegha perumal temple is one of the pandiya naadu divyadesas of Shri Vaishnavas. There are 4 entries in the temple. The Kalaamegha perumal is the moolavar who is in nindhra tirukolam (a posture) and in the same posture like Varadaraja perumal of kanchipuram blessing with hisright hand and gadhe in the left hand. Thirumogur aapthan is the utsavar and he is found with panch ayudams. The Garuda mandapam of the temple has the sculptures of Lord Lakshman, Kondanda Ramar, Kamadevan, Rathidevi and Sita. The temple's speciality is the Shrine of Chakhratalwar with sixteen hands and each hand holding 16 different weapons. Lord Narasimha with shanku chakra is behind chakratalwar. There are pictures of 48 gods and 154 alphabets imprinted in the six circles. Chakratalwar is seen in rathyaaletha posture. This posture signifies the willingness to help the devotees all the time.The temple got its name as mogur because of Lord Vishnu's Mohini avataram to make sure that the Devaas got the amurdham which came out of the stirring of the ocean rather than the asura; so that the Devas could retain the lost power. It is believed that, in the temple tank, a drop of amurdham fell and hence it is known as periya tirupaarkadal and siriya tirupaarkadal.There is another perumal sannidhi with the god giving darshan on adhiseshan in Prarthana Sayaana tirukolam with Bhoomidevi thayaar and Sridevi pleadig at the Lord's feet. An appealing characteristic is that adiseshan has a thanga kavacham which means Golden Shell and this avatar of the god was before the Lord captivating Mohini avataram .
Importance/Significance
The Thirumogor Kalamegha Perumal Temple is estimated to be built approximately 2000 years ago and has a five tier Rajgopuram. The temple has been mentioed in akhananuru, Paditrupathu, Madurai kanchi and also in one of the 5 greatest epics of Tamil literature, silappadikaram. Four entrances are there inside the temple. The chief deity (Moolavar) is Kalameghaperumal in panchyudha kolam and he is in a standing posture, Thayaar - Moghavalli, Utsavar - Thirumoghur Apthan, Thirtham - Kshirabta Pushkarni, Thala Vruksham - Vilavam and Vimanam - Kethki Vimanam. In none of the 108 divyadesam temples The Prathanasayan appearance is found, it can be found only in theThirumogor Kalamegha Perumal Temple.Chakkarathalwar or also known as Sudarsanar has 16 hands with 16 different weapons in each hand, a rolling feet and the idol bears sacred mantra letters. This is the only temple present where Sudarsanar has all these exceptional characteristics. Though there are Sudarsanar's shrines in other famous Vaishnava temples as kancheepuram, Srirangam and Srivilliputhur, this is the only shrine where he is observed with such special aspects. Behind the Chakkarathalwar or sudarsanar is Yoga Narasimhar who is also known as Narasimha Sudarsanam. The temple is very popular as the prayers of the devotees especially for business development and marriage end in success.
Festivals/Events/Gatherings
The main festivals in the Thirumogor Kalamegha Perumal Temple are a 10 day Vaikasi Brammotsavam (May-June), Gajendra Moksham in the Masi Poornima day in February – March, Krishna Jayanthi, Vaikunta Ekadasi (December-January) and 2 day Panguni Thirukalyanam (March-April) are the main festival observed in the temple. Also on all new moon days, both English and Tamil New Year days, Deepawali and Pongal are the festival days in the temple.
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