The new calendar for 2016 from the Kanchi madam talks of many newly found adhishtanams of the previous pontiffs. I ventured out to visit the one near Ranipet –the Adhishtanam of Sri Sri Satchidghanendra Saraswatiswamiji the 13 Pontiff of the Kanchi peetam. The place mentioned was Katharikuppam .A Google search led me on an adventure which is memorable. I ended up near Sholinghur at Kattarikuppam which was a wrong call. There was no shiva temple.I proceeded to the nearby Shiva temple near pulivalam and spoke to the priest of the Kameshwarar koil who was very helpful though he did not know of this temple he told me there is another Kattari kuppam near Chittoor road So away I went going around Sholinghur reserving that visit for another day. I ended up near Pudur medu Kattari kuppam this was also a wrong call. There was no shiva temple here also.So crest fallen I proceeded towards Lalapet bus stop and lo Google maps picked up another Katharikuppam I turned in and after travelling about 8-10 kms I found the correct place!!. His holiness had decided to give me a small blessing and showed me the way.
How To Reach:
The shortest way from Chennai is to take the Bangalore highway and turn into Ranipet and Old Bangalore road.Near the MGM resorts take a right turn towards Ponnai and in about 10 kms you will reach the road to Katharikuppam. On the right. Proceed for about 6 kms and you will reach the Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple where the Pontiff is said to have merged with the Shivalingam.
Legends and Stories:
The Legend:
Sri Satchidghanendra Saraswati : Known as Seshaya in his poorvasrama, he belonged to a village on the bank of the Gadilam river. He was the son of Sridhar Pandlta. Like his predecessor, he relinquished his pontificate to his successor and wandered about the environs of Kanchi as an "Avadhuta". After wandering for over thirty-two years, he disappeared into a. temple near Kanchi and it is said that his mortal frame got transformed into a Linga, now identified with Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple at Katharikuppam on Sukla Prathama in the month of Margasirsha of the cyclic the cyclic year Khara (272 AD).
History of thekamakoti peetam(web link to theKamakoti peetam's website history of the mutt).
The temple priest Sridhar a very honest and simple soul narrated that actually there was another brindavanam inside a snake pit nearby( near the temple pond), after Deiva prashnam the jeeva Samadhi of a sanyasi was found there and that brindavanam which has since been re built revealed that the pujya guru of that swamiji was infact the kanchi pontiff who had merged with the Linga inside the temple
The name and Identity of this swamiji is not known yet.
The pond in front had very little water earlier and once many years ago after Mahaperiyava bathed here it started raining heavily and the pond was filled up in no time
The temple itself is very small but the vibrations you receive are something you have to experience to believe
As you enter the main gate you see the banner on the door and a plaque on the wall about the Adhishtanam
The inner Chamber is a small room with the Ambal facing South and the Shivalingam facing East in their enclosures
Both the Shivalingam and the Meenakshi ambal are small in size but the ambience is electrifying. In front of the Shivalingam a pair of Padukas have been installed recently.There was also a sculpture of a Saint?, A siddhar? and hanuman
The outside praharam has small koshta vigrahas like Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Durga and Brahma. There is also a Bhairava, and a navagraha sannidhi. There is also a nagar and a statue of Shiva sitting
For further help Contact the priest Sri Sridharan Cell:8489637744
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