At this time, an accident to the principal idol of Subrahmanyam necessitated the consecration of a fresh idol. A worshipper afflicted with colic had rushed into the sanctum sanctorum and had caught hold of the feet of the Lord Subrahmanyam to deliver him from this dire affliction. The Potris and others in the sanctum were amazed at this sudden move of the worshipper, and, they caught hold of tbe man-to extricate his hold of the feet of the Lord. But unfortunately his hold was fast and the idol gave way and had to be replaced by a fresh one. The consequent Ashtabandhana Kumbhabishekam of the new idol by the Trustees of the temples had to be performed in 1909. The funds at their disposal were found insufficient; and Mauna Swami offered an amount of Rs. 15,117_9_0 as his contribution for the purpose from the Tiruppani exchequer. The consecration was duly performed.
> > Unfortunate ! The Temple that drove back Tsunami ! > > sps
Have been to this temple so many times, during the early days - it was truly a spiritual experience, combined with the pleasures of eating sillu karuppatti, buying mara choppu sets and ofcourse watching the temple elephants given a bath and body scrub with coconut husk n sengal...but the last few times, the place has become very commerical and you see touts / guides even inside the sanctum santorium.
but alas, during all those trips i was blind to history ... which makes me feel bad when i read below....it was there but i was not awake to realise..
There are four lithic inscriptions of the Pandya times collected together and planted now in a line in the southeastern corner of the first circuit of the temple. Two of them belong to Pandya Varaguna Maran of about 875 A.C.; the third of Pandya Mara Varman of about 1282 A.C.; and the fourth of Vikrama Pandya Deva. The inscriptions of Varaguna speaks of his grant of 1,400 gold kasus or coins to the temple, and the injunction that this sum should be invested as a permanent loan among village assemblies, so that the interest therefrom might be spent on this temple.
There is a mention of a shrine to Nakkira Deva, which speaks highly of the literary advancement of the period, when famous poets were deified and worshipped. Nakkirar was the President of the third Tamil academy of poets at Madura and also the author of Tiru-murug- arruppada the first of the Ten Idylls, known as Pathu Pattu; also other works of high literary merit. The descriptive contents of the inscriptions under reference are given below.* The fifth inscription pertains to the local town temple.
No. 26 of 1912 (Vatteluttu) on two slabs set up in the Subrahmanya temple. A record in the 13th year of the Pandya king Varaguna Maraya. The inscription was partially copied in 1903. Registers that the king who was a devotee of Subrahmania Bahtara provided 1,400 gold coins (kasus) for the requirements of the temple throughout the twelve months of the year. The money was distributed amongst the sixteen villages which were required only to pay interest at two kalams of paddy per year on each kasu borrowed, without disturbing the principal (Note the rate of interest.) No. 27 of 1912 (Tamil) on a stone pillar set up in the same place. A record in the 13th year of the Pandya king Maravarman alias Tirubuvanachakravarti Konermaikondan Vikrama Pandya Deva. Records gift of two mass of land at Mankalakkurichi in Tiruvaladivalanadu to a Brahmana of Parakrama Pandya Chaturvedimangalam in Karungudinadu. (The king may be identical with him who came to the throne in A.D. 1282 and was the conqueror of Viraganda Gopala and Ganapati. Mr. Krishna Sastri, however, believes that he was perhaps a contemporary of Arikesari Parakrama, founder of the Tenkasi temple, as Kaliyugaraman was). No. 28 of 1912 (Tamil) on the same pillar. Records in Kollam Era 621, sale of land mentioned in No. 27 to Nakkiradeva Nayanar in the temple of Subrahmania Pillaiyar at Tiruchendil for 630 Kaliyugaranian panam (named after Vira Pandya, the contemporary of Arikesari Parakrama). It is stated that this land which was at Mangalakurichi alias Perunkarnunai Chaturvedimangalam was originally granted to the Brahmana Atthigirinatha Bhattar and two others of Parakrama Pandya Chaturvedimangalam by Ranarangarania Perumal alias Vikrama Pandya Deva. The dedication of a shrine to Nakkira shows the importance attached to in the age to literary greatness. No. 155 of 1903 (Vattehittu) On a slab set up in the second prakara of the Subrahmania temple. A record in the 13th year of Varaguna Marayaharaja II. Records, gifts of money. The object of the inscriptions is thus stated in order to meet the annual requirements of the temple of Subrahmania-Bhatra, which was the deity in the central shrine (Tirumulattanam) at Tiruchendur, Varaguna Maharaja made a grant of 1,400 kasu and entrusted the amount to three of his officers, viz., Iruppaikkudi-Kilavan, Sattamperuman and Alarruranattukkon, with the stipulation that the money should be lent out and with the interest accruing therefrom, the annual requirements of the temple should be met, the capital always remaining intact. No. 156 of 1903 (Tamil)-On the west and southwest walls, of the Sivakkolundiswara temple at Tiruchendur. An incomplete record in Kollam Era 650, Tiruchendr was also called Madevi- Chaturvedil-mangalam
As some may know, I am an ardent devotee of the Lord. Though I agree to the fact that there is commerical tauts and frauds all over the place or even worse, the great beach used as an open air restroom by many, may sound frustrating, Chendur is not that place to be brought down by these cowards. Knowing the Lord and place, these sinners get squished in this life time and births to follow.
That place is a high end cosmic place. One of the very few places in India that has a very high cosmic connection, Tirupathi , Sabari malai, Palani, Sri Rangam, Ahobilam, Kamakshi and Meenakshi temples to name a few in same levels (I do not discredit any other location of any other temple or God however while I compare similar cosmic levels - my personal favorite is Vayalur but these temples do not fall under the same belt as Chendoor). The Lord in his pose of compassion pre / post war stands there. The sun rise surya namaskar ceremony at 6 am, you will see the stillness of the sea. It shudders my spine on how the Lance defies the law of nature. I have been to Chendoor many times and have never seen any disturbance in the sea, just ripples or small waves. Any devotee who meditates on the Lord inside the temple with full concentration even for 1/2 hour inside the temple permises, will be able to get a glimpse of Him. Both Jupiter and Saturn offer their energies when you pray at the temple and / or the Lord. It is a Guru sthalam for people who did not know. On a pure spiritual sense, Thiru chendoor is where the Soul unique uncorrupted part begins to fight Maya (of three sthalams - Chendoor for War against Maya, Thiruparan Kundram - War against Kaamam and Thiru Porur - War against Ahankara). Some brilliant Thirupugazh songs are sung of the temple. Arunamani mevu booshitha song is very intriguing and laden with spiritual knowledge.
It will be that way till sept 15th. Any good astrologer will tell why. Not just these incidents, the incidents at Hyderabad and world over. May God grant us some peace.