Dhamal, Dhamordhara Swamy Temple
A beautiful temple located in a village called Dhamal in Kanchipuram district.
The Deity: "Sri Thirumal Azhagi Samedha Dhamodhara Perumal.
I would tell it as a temple set up in a garden than a regular temple. Felt like standing in middle of beautiful trees and flowering plants. The street leading to the temple is long with old fashioned home on either sides with beautiful Thinnais (Resting place for the passer by or chit chat place for the localities in front of house). Few of the houses have been remodeled to today's houses. But I personally loved the old style houses with wooden pillars and door which we will have to bend to enter in. A large hall with an opening in the Middle for the sun light to pass in (Called in Tamil as Mittham)
The temple has the Deity- Lord Vishu and Lordess Lakshmi in the names Dhamodhara and Thirumal Azhagi respectively. There are also Sri Andal, the Azhawars, and Anjaneyar Sannadhi. As you enter, you can see the Lordess first and to her left is the Lord mounted little above the ground level. He is beautiful wearing anklets and all the deities are beautifully decorated. A special mention about the priest here is necessary for his devotion is quite obvious.
As the Name Suggests- The Lord is Dhamdaran- The Lord when He was tied with a cord (daama) around His waist (udara)", denoting a divine pastime in which Krishna's mother Yasoda bound Krishna for being mischievous. (Used by various Vaishnava adherents.). One can see the mark of the rope aroundthe lord's waist every month-on the day when the star Rohini falls.
The Garuda Sevai:
The procession begun with The God gigantically seated on the Garudar. Dressed blissfully in silk and wearing all the gems and flower garlands. As he walked through the street, there were women dancing with the sticks (Kollattam),there was the music of Nadaswaram played my a man and women, followed by the people chanting sacred Matras. The Lord stopped in front of every house, where people offered him with beautiful vastras (Dresses), fruits, dry fruits, garlands. He wore the dresses happily and looked beautiful in every one of them. As the procession moved, people came every house came out offering to the god & offereing water/ butter milk for the devotees. I totally enjoyed the procession listening to the beautiful songs played by the Nadaswaram Vidwans. As the procession was about to end, The Lod danced for the song "Thandananahi"- Annamacharyar Krithi & entered back in to the temple.
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| Garuda Vahanam |
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| The Procession from the temple |
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| Kollattam & Nadaswaram in front of the procession |
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| Damodara swami wearing all the clothes offered by devotees |
For more details of this temple:
http://anudinam.org/2013/08/26/dhamal-dhamodhara-perumal-temple-thirupavitrotsavam/
