Divya Desams - Pandya Nadu - 1 of 18 - Thirumogur - Thirumohoor

 Pandiyanadu DivyaDesams - 1 of 18

Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal Temple

திருமோகூர் காளமேகப் பெருமாள் ஆலயம்

Pandiyanadu DivyaDesams - 1 of 18

Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal Temple

திருமோகூர் காளமேகப் பெருமாள் ஆலயம்

13 Kilometers east of Madurai on the route to Melur

In 1970 the Pandiyan express from Chennai to Madurai took about 11 hours and today it takes less than 8 hours. The Tejas day Express takes slightly more than 6 hours and I thought it was a good speed to cover 500 kilometers. It is the most convenient train from city center to city center. Wherever we go, we prefer staying close to the focal landmark. The place around Meenakshi temple has several functional lodges and one such is the Sabarees Residency. Unassuming, small, with decent well-airconditioned rooms and with 24 hrs hot water for less than Rs.2000. It is less than 250 meters from the west tower and in close proximity to some low-cost, tasty, and hygienic food places.

We arrived a day earlier than the start of the tour wanting to savor the Meenakshi Amman temple and its magnificent towers. More about the temple when I recall it further down in this series.

Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal is the story of Mohini avatara and his grace in offering Amrita - the elixir of immortality and a higher level of knowledge and power, to the Devas and denying it to the Asuras. The interesting story of the eclipse of the Sun and the Moon by Rahu and Ketu respectively is associated with the distribution of Amrita by Lord Vishnu as Mohini. Enchanted by the seductive Mohini, the Asuras agree to let her distribute the Ambirosa. Mohini distributes it first to the Devas. However, asura Svarbhanu figures out the trick and sits alongside the Devas. Sun and the Moon point out the asura in disguise to Lord Vishnu as Monini and she promptly slices him with his Sudarsana Chakra but not before he had partaken in the elixir. The severed parts became Rahu and Ketu and thus forever enemies to Sun and Moon.

By his avatara as Mohini in this place, it was called as Mohana Kshetram or Mohini Oor and later called Mohoor. "பெருமாள் மோகினி அவதாரம் கொண்டு அமிர்தத்தை தேவர்களுக்கு வழங்கிய தலம் என்பதாலேயே, இந்தத் தலம் மோகன க்ஷேத்திரம், மோகினி யூர், மோகியூர் என்றெல்லாம் அழைக்கப்பட்டு, இப்போது மோகூர் என்று விளங்குகிறது."

Kalamega Perumal offering the Amrita to the Devas is a metaphor for the Lord's mercy in protecting us from the trappings of Arishadvarga are the six passions of mind or desire. We only need to surrender and his name will offer liberation. காளமேகம் - Kalamegam means a rain-bearing cloud and the Lord's grace is such, raining his grace on his devotees. He removes the veil of "Maya" - Illusion.

‘தாளடைந்தார் தங்கட்குத் தானே வழித்துணையாம் காளமேகத்தைக் கதியாக்கி’

The main deity (Moolavar) is Kalamegaperumal in "panchayudha" kolam and in a standing posture. The presiding deity Himself led Nammazhwar to Vaikunta. This is the only place where the Lord escorted a Bhaktha to Moksha. He is called வழித்துணை பெருமாள் for this. The lords utsavar - processional deity is called "Margabhandhu" - the one who accompanies and protects the travelers in their journey to their Liberation.

"The specialty of the temple is the presence of Chakratalwar with 16 hands and each hand holding a different weapon. There is Lord Narasimha behind "Chakratalwar" with "shanku chakra". There are 154 alphabets carved in the 6 circles and there are pictures of 48 gods. Chakratalwar is found in Prathyaaletha posture which implies the readiness to help devotees at all times".

There is one more Perumal Sannadhi with the lord giving darshan in Prathana Sayana Thirukolam on Adisheshan with Sridevi and Bhoomidevi Thayaar praying at the Lord’s feet. An interesting feature is that Adishesan has a golden covering "thanga kavacham" and this form of the Lord was prior to the Lord taking Mohini avatharam. The Lord gave dharshan to Sage Pulasthya - the "manasa putra" - mind bord son of Lord Bramha here as Thiruparkadal nathan.

நாமடைந்தால் நல்லரண் நமக்கென்று நல்லமரர்

தீமை செய்யும் வல்லசுரரை அஞ்சிச் சென்றடைந்தால்

காமரூபங் கொண்டு எழுந்தளிப்பான் திருமோகூர்

நாமமே நவின்றென்னுமின் எத்துமின் நமர்காள்

- நம்மாழ்வார்

Let us pray to Sri Kalamega Perumal and Mohanavalli Thayar for removing Maya and offering us Liberation.

As we exited the temple - we were blessed to hear from a senior and learned Azhwar about Kalamega Perumal. Please see video.

Sriram(Hari)