Time out at Neyveli - Part II

Next day we started off at 6.a.m, to our family deity temple at Siruvacchur from Neyveli. This is on the way to Tiruchy.(If interested,to more about this temple,dig my archive and read the post dated sep 24,09 - Why the delay?.) Every year we make a trip to the temple and light the traditional ‘maa villaku’. We returned back to neyveli by 10.a.m


In the evening we went to my favorite place in Neyveli- The natarajar sannidhi. It is a beautiful temple, very spic and span. It has a huge Nataraja (dancing shiva) made of Panchaloha (alloy of 5 metals) crafted somewhere near Kumbakonam by master artisans. It measures 10 feet in height and 8 feet wide. The idol of nataraja is placed in the meditation hall. The very presence of the huge idol arrests your mind, very apt for a meditation hall.The temple has small temples around of vinayagar, durga,navagraham and 108 alwars. On one corner of the temple is the model of ‘Manu’s needhi Mani’( the judgement bell of King Manu). The story behind the bell was narrated to shre and shar by Sundari mami (I will blog about it later).







After some beautiful moments we left to Villudayan patti Koil (temple of murugan). On the way to the temple, my husband showed shre and shar his school, his cricket ground( sharun envied his father since he does not have the luxury of such a huge ground to play in our apartment) and the quarter they occupied while he was young. The blue berry tree in his house compound reminded Bala of his childhood memories. He recalled how he and his friends climbed the tree and after plucking the berries, stocked it in the pockets of his white uniform. The berries had stained the white pockets purple, and his cool and gentle father who had never beat him, struck him for the first time on seeing the stained pockets. He told shre and shar that his father had never ever shouted / beat him except for this incident.

Villudayan patti koil is the abode of Lord Muruga. It has colorful frescos and murals depicting Lord Muruga’s life. Shre and shar knew most of the stories, thanks to Amar Chitra Katha. They did not know the story of Avvaiyar’s sutta pazhama/sudada pazhama. So, sundari Mami narrated the story to Shre and shar. After our darshan, we headed back home.

Next day night we had to leave for my parents place at Bangalore and so decided to rest the whole day since we had seen hectic days ever since we started from Sec’bad. But that was not to be……

Await my report on Thiuvahindipuram and cuddalore.