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| Sri Manakula Vianayagar Utchavar |
Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple is one of the famous ancient temples in Puducherry that offers holy and divine vibes to the devotees of Lord Ganesha. Widely renowned for its significance, heritage, and culture, this temple is dedicated to Hindu community and has everything you need to take some time off from the busy routine life.
“With the blessings of The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, A gift of a piece of land measuring 106 x 56 sq.m, was made for widening the southern side of Parikrama Arulmigu Manakkula Vinayagar Temple on 21.1.1969.” These words appear as you enter the Manakula Vinayagar Temple of Pondicherry.
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| A Part of southern side of Parikrama |
When the Sri Aurobindo Memorial Fund Society purchased the Montbrun House adjacent to the temple, the Mother sent word to the temple authorities that she would like to offer a portion of land to the temple so that the devotees could have a comfortable ‘parikrama’ to go round the sanctum. This proposal was accepted graciously. The Mother, who was herself a spiritual Power, had an intimate contact with Manakula Vinayagar and kept with her images of Ganesha, and sought his collaboration in tiding over certain difficulties the Ashram was facing. She has also gone on record to reveal how He manifested before her as a flame of golden light encircled by a very brilliant golden aura while retaining his traditional image of an Elephant-headed God.
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| Ganesha figurines indicating the various appearances |
A royal spire of 24 feet and a flagstaff greet the visitors and lead them to a huge ‘mandapam’ held by 12 pillars. Close to the roof, one sees different Vinayaka figurines indicating the various appearances evoked in innumerable temples in India, Japan, Java, Nepal and China. Some of the figures, like the one in which Parvati is holding Vinayaka as a babe on her hip, have been imaginatively created. The little niche in the west corner has Balaganapathi with mango, jackfruit, plantain and sugarcane in his four hands. In the Northwest corner an identical niche has Balasubramania as the deity. Being a child with two hands, he is seen holding a lotus in his right hand.
Both Manakula Vinayagar Temple and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram have made Pondicherry a town of dynamic religious and spiritual activities.
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| Sri Aurobindo and Mother |
Thanks for the Article Prema Nandakumar
Photographs © Pondicherry Arun
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