Mar

Panchavadi and Thiru Arisili Temple. Pondicherry to Dindivanam.

Posted by Shamala Krishnan

Panchavadi:

Pancha mukha anjaneyar. the place is 9kms from pondy,to Dindivanam route.

Main deity: pancha mukha anjaneyar of 36’ height. The five faces represents Garuda, Hyagreeva, Narashima,Vamana and Anjeneya.

Importance: One day in his fight with Rama, Ravana was helpless and was asked to return next day with his armies to continue the fight. Ravana took the help ofMailravana

Mail ravana will die only when all the 5 gaint bee's (vandu) are killed at the same time. Rama knew the secret and he gave all his powers to Anjaneya. He was also blessed with the powers of Garuda, Hyagreeva, Narashima and Varaha.

That is how pancha mukha anjaneya came to help people in their difficulties when they worship him.
Thiru Arisili:

One of 275 Devara sthalam.

The place is reached from Pondicherri to Dindivanam via Kiliyanoor, Stop at Ozundiyapattu and 1.5kms from there. From Dindivanam it is 2.5kms.

Main deity: Swayambu linga known as Arisili nadhar and his consort Periya nayaki ammai. Sthala vruksham: Arasa vruksham.

Importance : The linga is in small size and goddess in different sanctum. Other deities likeGanapathy, Subramanya with Valli and Devanai, Chandeeswarar and navagraha.

Purana says King Sathyavradhandevotee of Siva developed an nandavanam (garden) with flowering plants, useful for his worship. Unfortunately something was eating all his plants and spoiling his nandavanam. King was angry and he started watching the nandavanam.

He came across a deer which was grazing and he tried to kill it. The deer escaped into a bush and from there a hunter came and started fighting with King. After sometime the hunter disappeared inside the bush. King was surprised and started clearing the bush and he found a linga there and he built a temple and named him as Arisili nadhar.

Sambandhar visited and sang hymns on Siva.

The temple timing is 7-12am and 4-7pm.