Bhakti List Archives

thoo nilA muRRam - part 18 - thiru gOpura nayinAr

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sampath Rengarajan • Sat May 29 1999 - 17:45:34 PDT 


thoo nilA muRRam - part 18  - thiru gOpura nayinAr

Dear bAgawathAs,

	One can distinctly see the Raja gopuram of Sri Amudhan from
a very far distance. Sometimes one can see it from the somewhat far
away  places  as  one  is  approaching  this  temple.  This  gOpura
dharishanam  must itself stir us up  with an electric feeling and a
tornado must instantly take  place originating from our stomach and
raise  through our whole system.  The  "baya bhakti" of seeing  Sri
ArA amudhan on Sri AdisEshan  will  quickly occupy one's mind. This
gOpura  dharshanam  itself  will  bring  one "kOdi  kOdi" (billion)
punniyam.

	This  gOpuram  is situated at the eastern side and the main
entrance of the temple. This gopuram has a big thiruman in it.  The
gopuram is designed with so many siRpams from many purAnams and one
will see that there is not even an inch space there  that  is  left
plain  and without any sirpams. There are so many beautiful siRpams
that are part  of  this rAja  gopuram.  There  are  11  stages that
constitute this rAja gopuram. There is a wooden spiral ladder  that
g0es  inside  these 11 stages such that one can go inside these and
climb up to the  top  level.  There is a tamil proverb that goes to
centuries past as "kumbakOnatthil gOpuram azhagu". This proverb  is
maintained even today.

	While climbing the gOpuram one can  also  see  the greenary
and  the  "nagar vaLam"  all around  Sri ArA amuthan  temple.  This
gOpuram stands very tall as if it is made of  11  high  peaks. Even
for those who are unable to come inside the temple and pray to Lord
Sri amuthan and thAyAr,  this  gopuram presents its dharshanam even
at a far away distance. The gOpura darishanam  itself  provides one
with the puNNiyam  of  coming  inside  the  temple  and  doing many
kainkaryams. Many  folks,  elders  and  almost  every AshthikA will
automatically fold their hands  and  pray  to Sri ArA amuthan while
having this "Sri gopura  nayinAr".  It  looks  as  though  only  an
AchArya purushAL had constructed this gOpuram due to the  "deiveeka
thanmai" that one will instantly feel on seeing this goupruam.  The
gambeeram of this gopuram gives a confidence  everyday morning when
we  pray  to  it  and start our  daily  routine. The  height of the
gopuram is 146 feet. The lowest stage  is  90 feet width by 51 feet
breadth.

Sri  kOmaLa  vaLLi  thAyAr  samEtha  Sri  ArAamudhan  thiruvadikaLE
saraNam
Sampath Rengarajan
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