Milaku Pillayar (Pepper Ganapathy) Temple @ Cheran Mahadevi...Enroute to AMBAI...Nellai Dist.

Milaku Pillayar (Pepper Ganapathy) Temple @  Cheran Mahadevi...Enroute to AMBAI...Nellai Dist.

DESCRIPTION..............

This Milagu Pillayar Pepper Ganapathy Temple is 1000 years to 2000 years old temple. The deity of this auspicious temple is Lord Milagu Pillayar Pepper Ganapathy. This temple is located in Cheranmahadevi of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu state. You will find a lot of Vinayagar temples in Tamil Nadu and this is one of those special Lord Vinayagar temples in Tamil Nadu.

HISTORY......

There is a quite interesting history associated with this Cheranmahadevi Milagu Pillayar Pepper Ganapathy Temple-Cheranmahadevi, Tirunelveli, in Tamil nadu. There was a king who was suffering with a very different disease and this disease did not have any treatment or cure. But one day he heard a voice when he was sleeping and that voice advised him to make a big doll of his size and fill it with pearls and donate it to a Brahmin. Next day king did as per the voice he heard when he was sleeping and made and doll but there was no Brahmin ready to accept it.

One young Brahmin from Karnataka heard about this and came to accept this doll. He accepted it and when he was leaving the doll became alive and demanded the half share of benefits of Gayatri mantra that the Brahmin chanted all his life. But he disagreed but he felt bad for what he did later and decided to use the wealth for a very good cause.

He started thinking about what project to do with this wealth but could not come to any conclusion. So he thought of visiting Sage Agastyar for suggestion and he handed over the doll to another Brahmin whom he trusted and left. On the way he had to face many obstacles created by sage Agastyar but this young Brahmin faced all and reach the sage.

The sage advised him to build a canal as creating water is the best deeds among all. He showed him a cow and asked to follow the cow and gave him some instructions to follow while following the Cow. After building the canal, young Brahmin thought that what would happen if there are no monsoons and that really happened for three years. To clear this problem, he installed Milagu Pillayar Vinayagar idol and grounded pepper on him and left that idol in the pound. Immediately dark clouds started forming and it started raining. This ritual is followed still today in this place and the small pound is very huge which looks almost like a sea.

IMPORTANCE/SIGNIFICANCE......

The Canal built by the youth Brahmin is known as Kannadian Kalvai as the name of the person who built was not known. This helped the people of this place to get water as there was already scarcity of water in this place at that time. There were no Monsoons in this place for three years and grinding pepper on Lord Vinayagar idol made water pour from the sky. This is a fact and this ritual is still performed in this temple till today.

FESTIVALS/EVENTS/GATHERINGS......

Ganesh Chaturthi and Navaratri are the special festivals of this temple.

His Holiness Sri Kanchi Mahaswamigal...............Milgau Pillayar Temple.

His Holiness Sri Kanchi Mahaswamigal, in His “Voice of Divinity” (Deivathin Kural) has mentioned about this canal quoting from a book ‘Kavyamala’ published by Nirnayasagar Printers in Mumbai based on some old and other copper epigraphy collected by them. There is also a mention about Milagu Pillayar worship in the Government Gazette published in the year 1916 in page 367. It would be very useful if the Government takes up this temple that would be useful to promote national unity.

Legend and stories.............Milgau Pillayar Temple....

According to a story, there was a king ruling Kerala who was suffering from an incurable disease. One night he heard a voice in his dream instructing him to make a doll of his height, fill it with emerald pearls, place his disease also into it and donate the idol to a Brahmin. Following the divine voice, the king created the doll according to the specifications but no Brahmin accepted it. A young Brahmin from Karnataka heard the news, came to the king and accepted his donation. As soon as the doll changed hands, it came alive. The doll demanded that a part of the benefits of the Gayatri Mahamantra that the youth was chanting all his life be given to it so that the disease in the doll would not affect him. The Brahmin obliged but later regretted the fact that he had wronged due to his desire for the wealth. He decided to spend the wealth for a charitable cause. But when he was unable to decide a particular project, he went to meet Sage Agastya for his advice. Before departing to meet Sage Agastya, he left the pearl filled doll with a Brahmin in Abasamudram whom he trusted and told him that he would take it back on his return. Sage Agastya, in order to test the determination of the youth, created many obstacles on the way, but the youth endured all the hardship and reached the sage.

The sage granted him his wish and asked him what he wanted. The youth expressed his desire. The sage told the boy that of all the good deeds, creating water facility was the best. He told the youth to follow a cow that he would come across on his return. The sage asked him to follow it holding its tail and dig a canal. He instructed the youth to build dams wherever it left its dung and make storing places where it urinated. Also create lakes where it rested. The cow would disappear at a place where he could complete his project. The youth did everything as instructed by sage Agasthya. The youth then went to the Brahmin to get the doll back. On opening the doll he found only pulse grains instead of the pearls. He went to the king and explained his predicament and how he was cheated. The king summoned the Brahmin and demanded that he swear in front of God Shiva in a temple. The Brahmin was burnt there when he swore falsely.

The youth then got back the priceless pearls. Cheranmahadevi is supposed to be the place where the youth found the cow. The cow disappeared at a place called Prancheri where he created a big lake. Till date nobody knows the name of the youth hailing from Karnataka. Hence, the canal is named in Kannada. He was about what would happen if monsoon failed and it happened for three years. The youth installed a Vinayaka, ground pepper on his body, performed abhishek and in such a way that it fell in the canal. Dark clouds gathered and heavy rains followed. The farmers of Cheranmahadevi follow this form of worship even today.

Significance............

When monsoon fails, even now,the Farmers’ Association of Cheranmahadevi pray to this Vinayaka by grinding pepper on him, perform abishek in a way that the abhishek water falls in the canal so that monsoon would set in.

Temple Timing

The temple is open from 08:00 am to 11:00 am and from 06:00 pm to 07:00 pm.

Accessibility......

Cheranmahadevi is 16 km from Tirunelveli on the road leading to Papanasam. The temple is on the banks of the Kannadian canal near the bus stand. The temple is under renovation now.

Address.....

Sri Milagu Pillayar Temple,

Cheranmahadevi,

Tirunelveli district.

Significance............

Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-

To pray for adequate monsoon.

For Health Prosperity and peaceful living.

For All Karyasiddhis..Fulfilment of wishes.

Shlokas.to be chanted in the Temple............

Vakratunda Mahakaaya Suryakoti Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kuru Mey Deva Sarva Kaaryeshu Sarvada

Meaning -I pray to thee O Lord, who has a curved trunk and a strong body, the shine of a million suns, to remove all the hurdles that may block me from all the tasks I intend to perform.

Agajaanana Padmaarkam Gajaananam Aharnisham Anekadantham Bhaktaanaam Ekadantam Upaasmahey.

Meaning -The sun to Mother Parvati's lotus face, I worship Lord Ganesh, with the elephant face, the one who grants a lot of wishes, the one with the single tusk, I salute thee to grant my wish.

Gajaananam Bhoota Ganaadhi Sevitam Kapitta Jamboophaala Saara Bhakshitam Umaasutam Shoka Vinaasha Kaaranam Namaami Vighneswara Paada Pankajam.

Meaning -Oh elephant-faced Lord, who is served by all the Ganas, who consumes the essence of Kapitta and Jamboophala, His favourite fruits, who is Uma's son, who destroys the gloom of His devotees, who handles hurdles, we worship your lotus feet.

Tatpurushaaya Vidmahe Vakratundaaya Dheemahe Tanno Danthihi Prachodayaat.

Meaning -We meditate on the great power, we call upon the single tusked Ganesh, who grants wishes.

J.KANNAN, M.Com, FIATA

"WE DON'T THINK TO BREATHE

 WE BREATHE TO THINK"