In this series of blogposts, it is not my intention to recapitulate the sthala-purana of each of the 6 Divya Desam temples I visited and worshipped at. That would be superfluous since much of the history of these great Sri Vaishnavite temples are already published both in the print and also available on numerous sites on the digital (internet) media.
What however I will be recording are a few of my personal, rather subjective impressions and experiences gathered as I travelled to these places of worship upon whose sacred soil the Azhwars had tread and had described to us through their wonderful devotional Tamil hymns, the “divya prabhadhams“. I will also share some photos and video-clips that I was able to capture which may be of interest to some people.
Sri Parimala Ranganatha Perumal at Tiru Indhaloor (Mayavaram)
The Deity here is a majestic archa murthy in a majestic, reclining pose … Both in terms of size and divine effulgence, the idol here reminds one instantly of Sri Ranganatha Perumal at Sri Rangam. The temple itself is quite large and sprawling but certainly not as vastly expansive as the one at Sri Rangam.
One remarkable feature of this temple — and indeed as it is indeed with several others today in Tamil Nadu — is that the walls, ramparts, towers and concourses (praakaara) are all too vividly (if not garishly) painted in water-colours.
Many years ago, most of our Sri Vaishnava temples, both in the exterior as well as interiors, used to be painted in monochrome. Now, however, the temple precincts are all found to be painted in almost a psychedelic splash of riotous multichrome paint. This switch to multichrome vividness is of very recent origin … maybe just around 25 years, I would reckon. And it makes me wonder why and when it all began… and whether it truly enhances the air of sanctity or solemnity of the temple surroundings.
The old monochrome tint, hue and wall-pigmentation did exude a certain holy gravitas which somehow — at least to me — seemed to be missing in the new scheme of colours that now profusely bathe the temple walls and towers. Maybe modern day pilgrims, especially the youthful ones, seem to prefer a phantasmagoria of colour more than the dull uniformity of greystone hues that used to describe the temple environs in an earlier clime. Times and demography change… The old order changeth yielding place to new, yes, even in places of worship…
So be it.
As I left the temple gates, I began to remember the beautiful lyrics of the song composed by Sri Muthuswami Deekshitar in praise of the Deity of this temple:
परिमळ रङ्ग नाथम् – रागं हमीर् कल्याणि – ताळं रूपकम्
पल्लवि
परिमळ रङ्ग नाथं भजेऽहं वीर नुतं
परिपालित भक्तं पुण्डरीक वल्ली नाथम्
समष्टि चरणम्
हरिं अप्राकृताकृतिं मत्स्यादि दशाकृतिं
अन्तरङ्ग शयनं अब्ज नयनं नारायणम्
गुरु गुह विदितं सततं गुणि जन मुदितम् सततं
परमेश्वरं रमेश्वरं मेश्वरं ईश्वरम्
Meaning:
I worship Parimala Ranganatha, the one extolled by the brave,
the protector of devotees, the beloved lord of goddess Pundarikavalli,
He is Hari, the one whose form is supernatural, beyond matter; the one who took ten incarnations beginning with the fish; the one reclining in seclusion; the lotus-eyed one,
He is Narayana, and this Guruguha understands him as the one who is
Perpetually pleased with virtuous people,
He is the great lord, the lord of Rama (Lakshmi), the lord of Ma (Lakshmi),
He is the supreme ruler.
Sudarshan Madabushi