Presiding deity : Sri Venkatachalapathy
Procession deity: Srinivasan
Mother Goddess : Aalamelumangai Thayar
Holy spring : Water in the well
Offering – Nivedhana: Rice
Reputation: Then Tirupathi (Tirupathi of South)
Antiquity : 600 years
Place : Sindhupatti
District : Madurai
History:
During the days of Thirumalai Naicker a group of people went on a pilgrimage around the country. During the tour, they stopped at a place with dense tamarind trees. They took the grinding stone in the cart for preparing the cooking but could not move the stone. Thinking that they or one of them would have committed a mistake, they began singing the hymns of the Lord. Lord, in the form of one among them said that Lord Venkatachalapathi was at the spot where they could not remove the grinding stone. They made a stage, placed a lamp on it and worshipped the Lord. They later informed the king about their experience. The king built a temple for Lord Venkatachalapathy and arranged daily pujas.
The place is the favourite shrine of Vanamamalai Jeer. The Shrine is as holy as the Tirupathi in the north and could not be discriminated as big or small. According to scriptures, Indira was relieved of his curse incurred due to his arrogant behaviours. He performed the Angapradhakshina (rolling around the temple) in this shrine.
Reputation:
The flag post (Kodimaram) in the temple is offered abishek which is not followed in other Vaishnava Temples. Also the devotees are offered the sacred ash (Vibhuthi) as in Shiva temples. Offering pujas of kinds to the flag post brings in many benefits to the devotees, it is believed and followed in this temple.
Prayers:
This is the place where Indira was saved from his sins. Every human problem, including changes arising after the solar and lunar eclipses in people’s life has a solution in the temple if the devotee sincerely prays here. Newly wedded couples visit the temple on the Vijayadasami (10th and concluding day of Navarathri) day for perennial peace and happiness in their marital life.
Festivals:
Perhaps this is an exceptional Vishnava temple where a festival is observed for the destruction of Mahishasura, the demon which is popularly celebrated in Devi temples onlyduring the Navarathri period. Tamil New Year Day, Vaikasi (May June) Thiruvonam, Krishna Jayanthi, Pongal, Vijayadasami, Karthikai deepam, Masi Magam, Vaikunda Ekadasi festivals are celebrated very devotionally attracting huge crowd.
General Information:
The temple is open from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. During festival days the temple is opened even earlier. Pujas are performed twice a day.
Sindhupatti is 38 kms from Madurai and 13 from Usilampatti. Buses from Madurai and Usilampatti are available only on fixed hours. Some buses plying to Thirumangalam pass through Sindhupatti. The temple may be contacted on telephone No. 04552-247201. Archakar Uppiliappan may be contacted on phone No. 04552-247324.
Nearest Railway station and airport is Madurai.
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