The Maha Kumbhabishekam of Sri Kariya Manicka Perumal Temple, Ponnur, will be performed on August 29, by 7.15 a.m., followed by that of Seethala Devi Sri Mariamman Temple by 8 a.m. and Sri Brhannayaki Samedha Sri Aabathsahaayeswarar Temple between 9 and 9.20 a.m., also in Ponnur, on the same day.
Originally called Anniyur, Ponnur- Pandu, as it is now known, is nine km from Mayiladuthurai. It is said that King Harischandra’s trying times came to an end after he worshipped Lord Aabathsahaayeswarar, in Ponnur.
Ponnur-Pandu must have got its name from the fact that the land was filled with several lemon trees, whose fruits are golden yellow in colour. (‘Pon’ in Tamil means gold, and hence ‘Ponnur’ stands for ‘land of gold.’) And as the five Pandava brothers are said to have stayed here to worship the deity, the name ‘Pandu’ got added to Ponnur. The place is also known as Bhaskara Kshetram because the Sun God is believed to have paid obeisance to the God here. And the temple tank is referred to as Surya Pushkarani. During the last five days of the Tamil month of Panguni the rays of the Sun fall directly at the feet of the deity in the sanctum sanctorum, at the centre of the temple complex. A phenomenon that fascinates devotees!
Legend goes that after a ritual performed by Brahma and Indra, Agni fell ill. He found relief only after he took a dip in the holy water at the place and worshipped Lingusaranyeswarar. Hence the tank is also called Agni Theertham. And as the Lord manifested himself under a lemon tree, it is the sthala vriksha of the temple.
Saints and Tamil poets such as Thirugnana Sambandar and Thirunaavukkarasar have sung paeans to the greatness of the Anniyur Temple. Besides the Sri Brhannayaki Samedha Sri Aabathsahaayeswarar Temple of the Saivites, the town boasts of the Sri Karia Manicka Perumal Temple for Vaishnavites.
Donations may be sent as cheque or DD favouring Iraivan Narpani Mandram to any of the following addresses:
V. Rajamani, No. 1, II Cross St., E. K. Raghava Reddy Colony, Jafferkanpet, Chennai-600083. (Ph: 044-2489 4000).
S. Ramakrishnan, No.130, Balasubramanian St., Second Cross, K.K. Pudur, Coimbatore-641 038. (Ph: 0422-2448301)
K. Vedamurthy, ‘Sri Krishna,’ New No.62, Old No. 44, 28{+t}{+h} Cross St., Indira Nagar, Chennai -600020. (Ph: 044-24413670)
