| Published on 24-08-2007 In General |
| Viewed 13413 times |
| Now, a Golden Temple in Tamil Nadu |
|
|
Written by
T. S. V. Hari |
MALAIKODI (TAMIL NADU): "The Taj Mahal was built as an expression of love for a single person, but the Sri Puram Lakshmi Narayani Golden Temple stands for unconditional love for the entire humanity," says the 31-year old holy man who simply refers to himself in the third person feminine gender as "Amma" (mother).
Like his more famous namesake who also answers to the name of Jayalalithaa – the supremo of the main opposition in Tamil Nadu – "Amma" also is fluent in Tamil and English – in that order.
This is a second shrine in India to be referred to as a Golden Temple."
The first is situated in Amritsar - the holiest place of the Sikhs in north western India.
Sri Puram is situated at the foot of a small range of green hills 6 km east of Vellore in a place known as "Malaikodi" which means "the corner of the hills."
Pronounced "Malai Kodi" (the "o" being stressed as in the word "code"), the second word also stands for crores in Tamil.
Every little detail about the shrine is opulent starting with the numerical connotation of the name. At least a sum more than Rs.300 crores has been spent in the creating of the temple – in a time span slightly less than six years.
Its consecration has been completed on a blustery Friday morning immediately after the inauspicious hour of "Rahu Kaalam" during the best period of the day – during "Amritha Yogam" with the waters brought from various rivers of the nation.
But the Sri Puram temple (situated 150 km west of Chennai) is a "secular" affair since it has 300 quotations from the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran featured on its star-shaped walkways that culminate at its golden centre whose steps are paved with expensive polished slabs of black and multi-coloured granite. On sq ft of each is priced at Rs.150 per sq ft according to sources in the trade.
The total built up area is 55,000 sq ft sitting at the centre of a 100 acre plot. Its centrepiece – with intricate carvings covered in wafer thin leaves of gold created out of 1.5 metric tonnes the yellow metal is breathtaking in its beauty.
It houses a stone icon of Goddess Lakshmi – the Hindu Goddess of wealth also covered with an armour of pure gold.
The temple itself is shaped like a star – reminding many of the foreign devotees present in sizeable numbers in the vicinity of the Jewish symbol – the Star of David.
"We know it is also the sign of the universal goddess – Lakshmi," reveals William who gives only one name and admits he is of Canadian origin.
"If we had built a hospital, factory, educational institution or a business, it would have ended up serving a small community. But now, Amma's temple will sow the seeds of goodness in the hearts of everyone who visits here," avers the swarthy looking 31-year old Godman.
"For every mother, nursing a slightly ill child is a challenge because the medicine is usually bitter and hence needs a sugar coating.
Once the medicine goes in, all is well with the young one again. Similarly, we have created your (he stresses on the word) Golden Temple – a materialistic sign to attract people. People will come here to admire the opulence but will go back with wisdom and good thoughts and therefore better human beings. And this wisdom in turn spread a message of universal love will spread far and wide – throughout the world," Narayani Amma a.k.a. "Shakti Siddha" points out.
The Narayani Peedam has a 17-year old history.
"Once there was a mere glob of mud through which snakes emerged in this neighbourhood. Now, we have created your temple to get humanity to understand that human life is a rarity. One has to get the best out of it, and if it is for a common, public goal, it is all the more better," Amma reflects.
Sans details, the holy man adds that he has spent approximately Rs.50 crores and change on charity – including hospitals, help to the physically challenged and other similar causes.
Amma has left out the fact that there are several rows of air-conditioned flats abutting the shrine, a huge guesthouse that looks like a 3-star hotel – all owned by the organisation.
A nationalised bank's ATM counter and a police station are located nearby.
"Amma" also claims to have renovated over 600 temples around the area at a cost of Rs.3 crores.
Over 700 policemen (including 160 officers which had two superintendents and an inspector general) were deployed to regulate the flow of nearly 35,000 devotees on Friday's consecration which coincided with another, more established day to worship the Goddess of Wealth in south India.
Explaining the source of his funds, "Amma" says that his foundation is present in more than 6 countries including USA, Canada, Singapore and Australia.
The established "Agama" systems of worship are not being followed in Sri Puram.
Instead, it will be the more secretive "Sri Vidya method" – a rare form of occult propitiation started by "Adi Shankaracharya" is to be followed here.
Hindu theologians opine that the method either helps its practitioner garner untold wealth or can result in unwelcome repercussions like acute poverty and even death.
Neelakanta Gurukkal, a Hindu priest who has returned after a stay in Australia for several years said, "Many devotees who followed this system have become extremely rich, but an equal number of opted for a life of simplicity. I know of others, who became deaf very early in life. Its significance is that they only hear the Mother Goddess Shakti. And some devotees who tried their hands at this kind of worship died premature deaths. One can never be sure as to what causes these, but the common thread for all this is that all of them tried their hands at the Sri Vidya system," he adds. |
|
|
|
|
| Social Web |  |
| |
|
|
| |
Processing please wait ...
Top Stories
