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Description:
The
Vengeri Sri Subrahmanya Swami temple is believed to have a history
of more than a thousand years. Unlike other temples in the vicinity,
the
entire structure is situated on the top of an elevated land. It’s
known among devotees that Lord Subrahmanya loves to live on highlands
and hilltops. The legend that depicts the origin of the temple goes
like this.
Sometimes during the golden era of Indian culture, sculpture, tradition
and philosophy, a group of brahmins from Thanjavur happened to travel
to West for some reason. Along with their articles, they were carrying
an idol of lord Muruga also. While crossing the land where the temple
stands now, the team decided to pause and take some rest.
They put their head loads down. Kept the Muruga idol behind a Venga
tree, and for safely they leaned the idol towards the tree and moved
to the nearby river for bath and washing. Once they finished and come
back to get the idol back, to their surprise, they found that the idol
was stuck there and remained unmovable.
The
Brahmins tried their best to get their sculpture back, but all efforts
ended
up in vein. Later
they realized that, the place they kept the idol
was a sacred land and that’s the right location to construct an
abode for the lord and worship him. They found similarities to Palani
there. There was a beautiful stream on the North with fresh water. The
soil on the land smelt sandal and appeared in bright saffron in colour.
The
serenity of the place fascinated the Brahmins. They realized that
it’s Lord Subrahmanya’s
wish to sit there and bless the humanity. With the help of people living
in the village they constructed a beautiful
temple for Subrahmanya Swami. The temple was totally in Kerala architecture
style and within short period of time, become very famous.
As
the God himself found leaning towards the Venga tree, the temple
is called
Vengachari temple (chari
means “leaning towards” in
Malayalam).Venga Chari became Vengeri and later on, the village where
the temple is situated also called after the temple as Vengeri.
The temple was in ruins for a long period and devotees were having a
tough time due to the ire of the God. It was in 1990, the temple renovation
works started, and within few years Sreekovil and Nalambalam structures
completed and resurrected in to the glory with Puna-pathishta of the
God and started daily pooja. Now eminent committee of devotees takes
care of the daily routine, special programs and annual festivals of the
temple.
Venga is one of the favourite trees of Lord Subrahmanya. In Skanda
Purana, from verses 14 to 24, consists the story of Lord Muruga tries
to persuade
Valli to marry him. When Valli’s father appeared in the scene,
Lord himself has taken the form of a Venga Tree to disguise from him. |
