Temple tour- Naamakkal

 Naamakkal

- It is on the road to Trichy from Bangalore,

- The route is: Bangalore-Salem-Naamakkal-(turn left here) to Trichy.

- Massive monolith rock at Naamakkal- the kind seen at rock-fort Trichy, but smaller.

- Atop the hill-top sits a fort.

- At the base are 2 temples:

  (1) Hanuman:

        - The idol in stone, is open to the skies.

        - Black granite monolith rock-cut Aanjaneya .

        - This is the famous "Naamakkal aanjaneya".

        - No crown for Hanuman.

        - The hair is rolled up in a bun at the top, the kind worn by Shiva.

        - Large, prominent eyes.

        - Hands in anjali mudra-Between the pressed palms, is a japa-mala.

        - The stance is majestic.

        - The weight is more on one foot than the other, so that one knee is slightly relaxed.

        - Two small canine teeth- "damshtra"- protrude, one on either side of the mouth.

        - Abhishekam was in progress as we entered. 

        - The priest climbs atop an elevated ridge to get to the top of the idol.

         - Exceptional naadaswaram artiste was playing within the temple premises:

                - first "kaliyuga varadan" in Brindavana Saranga.

                - Next- "vishveshwara! chal-man-tum-kaashi" in Sindhu Bhairavi.

                - We are reminded of the nadaswaram maestro "naamagiripettai Krishnan".

                - He hailed from this part of the country.

       - This Hanuman faces the hillock with the fort mentioned above.

    (2) At the base of the hillock, bang opposite Hanuman, is the "Yoga Narasimha" temple.

         -  This temple is not to be missed!

         - The sanctum has Lord Narasimha as a "bas relief work" on the hillock.

         - The main sanctum has all the features mentioned below: 

            (a) Yoga narasimha is at the centre, Shiva on one side and Brahma on the other.

            (b) Around Narasimha, are rock-cut sculptures- the kind seen at Badami.

            (c) There is Trivikrama to the right (as we face Lord Narasimha).

            (d) Ugra-narasimha tearing apart Hiranyakashipu to the back-left.

            (e) An unusual posture of Lord Vishnu to the left.

                - Sitting on Adishesha (he is not lying down).

            (f) Lord Narasimha's face is covered with a silver mukham.

                - The eyes look real- there is a glint in the eyes!  

From the look of the temple, its pillars and structures, it is evident that the temple is ancient.

The hillock is creased with stain of ribbon-like water-streams that trickle down the hill-sides.