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TEMPLES AT MANTRALAYAM (Part-1)
Maanchalamma Temple...
Maanchalamma (a form of Goddess Durga) is the presiding deity of Mantralayam the abode of Guru Sri Raghavendra. In her name only, the place was originally called as Manchala or Manchaali. The deity Maanchalamma is said to be the family deity of Prahlada whose descendant was Sri Raghavendra Theertharu. It seems Rayaru used to worship her daily before his Brindavana pravesa and also sought the consent and approval of Goddess Maanchalamma for his settlement in Manchali. Accordingly she gave darshan to Sri Raghavendra Theertharu and blessed him of all her support in his endeavors. In turn Sri Raghavendra Theertharu assured her that who ever visits Mantralayam would first visit her temple, have darshan of Goddess Manchalamma and then only have the darshan of Sri Raayaru (Moola Brundavana). This is the custom that is being followed even today.
Temple of Lord Sri Venkateswara...
An ardent devotee of Lord Sri Venkateswara and with whose blessings and worship Sri Rayaru was born to his parents, Sri Rayaru installed with his own hands the idol of Lord Venkateswara at Manchali and used to worship him daily before entering into Brindavana. We can find the temple of Lord Venkateswara about one km from Manchalamma temple, near the house of Archaka (priest) of Moola Brindavana. Daily pooja/rituals are performed at this temple and it is open for darshan on all the days between 6 am to 12 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm.
Moola Brundavana of Sri Raghavendra Swamy
Why did Sri Rayaru choose this spot for his Brindavana?
Being an Aparoksha Jnaani, Sri Rayaru had divine indications that, shortly his avathara on Earth is coming to an end. Therefore Rayaru went in search of an appropriate spot at Manchali (Mantralayam) to make it as his abode (Brundavana). On one such occasions he directed his Diwan Venkanna (a great devotee of Sri Rayaru) to dig at a particular spot near Goddess Manchalamma temple where a Homakunda (sacrificial fire place) was found.
Sri Rayaru told Venkanna that, this spot was the place where he had performed a large scale Yagna during his incarnation as Prahlada in Kritha Yuga. Also that was the spot where Arjuna (Mahabharatha fame) in Dwapara Yuga during his Jaitra Yatra for performing Rajasuya Yaga by Dharma Raja, could not defeat the local king Anusalva as his chariot was standing on this spot (Homa Kunda). Of course on Lord Sri Krishna’s advice Arjuna could defeat him when he moved a little away from that spot. Such was the significance and sanctity of this spot and Sri Rayaru could identify it with his divine powers. Accordingly Sri Rayaru chose this spot for his Brindavana pravesa and that was where Moola Brindavana was built at Mantralayam that we all see and have darshan today.
Significance of the rock used for Moola Brindavana...
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[/FONT]There is also a legend behind the rock used for the Brindavana of Sri Rayaru. When he came to know that Rayaru is entering into Brindavana, Diwan Venkanna got one beautiful Brindavana made for Sri Rayaru. But it was not approved by Sri Rayaru instead, He took Venkanna to a place called Madhavaram (near Mantralayam) and identified a rock stone on which Lord Sri Rama had rested during his search travel for Goddess Sita Devi in Tretha Yuga. Sri Rayaru wanted his Brindavana to be built with the stone of the particular rock that was sanctified by the touch of Lord Sri Rama.
On the set lunar day in Sri Virodhinaama Samvatsara, Sraavana Bahula Bidigi corresponding to 11th day of August 1671 AD; Sri Rayaru went and sat on the pre selected spot as said above and his Brindavana was built with the stone brought from Madhavaram as per Sri Rayaru’s directions. Inside the Brindavana Sri Rayaru was fully covered with hundreds of Sri Vishnu Salagramas apart from Mruttika (sacred soil). Thus, the Moola Brindavana of Sri Raghavendra Swamy that got sanctified with Sri Rayaru himself sitting inside on a sacred spot filled with all the power of Divinity is rightly referred to as Mantralayam. The place Mantralayam over a period of time has grown by heaps and bounds into a big pilgrimage centre Sri Raghavendra Kshethra attracting lakhs of people visiting and getting their mundane problems and sufferings resolved.
There is a chain of rituals/poojas that are being conducted to the Moola Brindavana as per Mutt’s schedule both in the day and evening times. There will be a ritual of Rathostavam (pulling of chariot) every day in the evening with the Utsava Murthy (Prahlada Rayaru) sitting on the chariot. Thursday is a special day in the diary of Mantralayam Mutt, called as Guru Vara (Rayaru Vara) when special decorations are made to the Moola Brindavana. Annual celebrations called Rayaru Aaradhana (the day on which Sri Rayaru entered into the Brindavana) is held every year in the month of Sravana masam (generally August month), when thousands of pilgrims from all over the country participate in the celebrations that are held for three days.
Temple of Lord Hanuman...
Being a great devotee and upasaka of Lord Hanuman, it was Sri Rayaru’s wish that the idol of Lord Hanuman should be erected opposite to his Brindavana. Accordingly, opposite to Moola Brindavana we find a temple of Lord Hanuman (Aanjaneya Swamy) carved on the same stone with which Sri Rayaru Moola Brindavana was built.
Outside Lord Hanuman temple on the right side we can also find the presence of Lord Shiva in the form of Shiva Linga. It is believed and said that it was found while excavating the spot for Brindavana at Mantralayam and said to have been worshiped by Prahlada Rayaru in Krita Yuga.
Brindavana of Sri Vaadeendra Theertharu...
Adjacent and to the left of Moola Brindavana of Sri Rayaru, we find another Brindavana built in the name of Sri Vadeendra Theertharu, the fifth descendant in the lineage of Sri Raghavendra Swamy. He belongs to the 18th century. In fact Sri Vadeendra Theertharu was the great grand son of Sri Rayaru (in his poorvasrama) who was just two years old when Rayaru entered Brindavana. Sri Rayaru had a vision of this child becoming a saint and his successor in course of time, had kept ready the Brindavana that was originally meant for him and brought by Diwan Venkanna.
Sri Vadeendra Theertharu was a great scholar and an ardent devotee of Sri Raghavendra swamy and had composed number of verses in praise of Sri Rayaru. It is said that on one such occasion, when Vadeendra Theertharu was singing his verse ('Gurugunasthavana') in front of Sri Rayaru Moola Brindavana, the whole Brindavana nodded in appreciation of his scholarly work. Along with Moola Brindavana, daily pooja and rituals are also held to the Brindavana of Sri Vadeendra Theertharu. Devotees while performing pradakshina of Sri Rayaru Moola Brindavana simultaneously cover the pradakshina of Sri Vadeendra Theerthara Brindavana also.
Other Brindavanas at Mantralayam...
As we move towards backyard of the Moola Brindavana we find a row of Brindavanas of some of the Pontiffs who succeeded Sri Raghavendra Swamy in the later years. Daily pooja and other rituals are performed to these Brindavanas also as per the Mutt’s guidelines. Opposite to these Brindavanas we find a big Banyan Tree (Aswattha Vruksha) where devotees perform Naga Pratishta as a part of remedy for Sarpa Dosha.
bhargavasarma {nirikhi krishna bhagavan}: Temples at Mantralayam (Part-1)
