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Thirukkadigai, Sholinghur – Yoga Anjaneya Swami Temple

Yoga Anjaneya Swami is a boon-bestowing form of Lord Hanuman, who is depicted in a Yogic pose

By AstroVedPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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Yoga Anjaneya Swami is a boon-bestowing form of Lord Hanuman, who is depicted in a Yogic pose. Lord Hanuman is familiar to all those who have read or heard the Ramayana. He leads the army of monkeys to Lanka on the expedition to rescue Lord Rama’s wife Sita and wage war against the demon king, Ravana.

Hanuman or Anjaneya, as he is also known, is greatly venerated in India. People invoke his blessings for protection from evil forces as he has great courage and strength. Hindu texts mention 8 Chiranjivis (immortal beings), of which one is Lord Hanuman. Supposedly, he will exist on earth chanting Rama’s name and stories till Kaliyuga ends.

Some well-known religious reformers are supposed to have seen Anjaneya during their lifetime. They include Madhvacharya (13th century CE), Tulsidas (16th century), Samarth Ramdas (17th century), Raghavendra Swami (17th century) and Swami Ramdas (20th century).

There are many temples for Yoga Anjaneya in Tamil Nadu. One among them is the Yoga Anjaneya Swami temple in Thirukkadigai, Sholingur.

Sholingapuram is a quiet village in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, and it is also a place of pilgrimage. The place boasts shrines for the Hindu deities Narasimha, Hanuman, and Perumal. 

Legend Behind the Temple

The temple has many legends around it. One says that Sage Viswamitra got his Brahmarishi title by admiring Lord Narasimha there for about 45 minutes. Another legend claims that Indra would bathe in the Pushkarani here and worship Narasimha. The Pushkarani’s name is ‘Thakkan.’ Devotees believe that the water of the Pushkarani has medicinal properties and has the power to heal many diseases. Once, Budha (planet Mercury), the son of Chandra (Moon), came to this temple and prayed to the deity. After this, he got relief from the curse given by Sage Durvasa. 

Mentally ill people are brought here, and they take a bath here as the belief is that they will be cured after bathing in the Pushkarani and worship the Gods enshrined in the temples on the two hillocks. 

In the ancient period, when King Karikaala Chola of the Chola empire was ruling the region, he divided his kingdom into small districts. He gave the name, ‘Kadigai Kottam’. Many kings of the Pallava dynasty founded academic and sculpting centers at this place.

Significance of the Temple

To reach the shrine, one has to climb around 406 steps. The small hillock on which the temple stands is 350 ft high. A roof covers the steps, so one need not fear the blazing sun or pouring rain. Anjaneya is in a seated position, holding a Shankhu (conch) in his upper left hand and Chakram (discus) in the upper right hand. In his other hands, he has a Jaba malai (rosary) and a Japashankhu. He is Chaturbhuja (having 4 arms) and faces the west. Supposedly, Lord Vishnu rewarded Hanuman here.

This is the only Divya Desam, which gives special importance to Hanuman. As Hanuman sits in a yogic pose, he is called Yoga Anjaneyar. Devotees believe that he is always looking at the shrine of Lord Narasimha and praying to the deity. Rama Pattabishekam is carved on his crown. Hanuman offers both protection and boons to his devotees. This is the only shrine in India where Hanuman is seen with Shankhu and chakra that Narasimha gave him to protect his devotees.

There are separate shrines for Ranganathar and Rama that are adjacent to the Hanuman shrine. Sita and Lakshmana are also present, along with Rama. Rama was consecrated here so that Hanuman could worship him. The temple has 2 towers and 2 Theerthams – the Rama Theertham and Hanuman Theertham. Another Theertham, the Pandava Theertham, is at the bottom of the hill. 

Sholingur was a Shaivite stronghold earlier. One can find Nandis and Sthupas even now in many parts of the town. 

Temple Events 

People who flock to this temple are firm in their belief that Hanuman will protect them and grant their wishes. Many devotees perform Yoga Anjaneyar Homam to propitiate the deity and get his blessings. In Karthigai month, and on Sundays, special Poojas for Anjaneya take place. 

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About the Creator

AstroVed

AstroVed is a #1 online astrology and remedies portal whose focus is to merge the technologies of the ancient traditions with our modern science. https://www.astroved.com/

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