Kolanji Appar Temple : Kolanji Appar Temple Details | Kolanji Appar- Manavalanallur | Tamilnadu Temple

Sri Kolanji Appar temple

Moolavar	:	Kolanji Appar
Urchavar	:	-
Amman / Thayar	:	-
Thala Virutcham	:	Kolanji Tree
Theertham	:	Manimutharu River
Agamam / Pooja	:	-
Old year	:	500-1000 years old
Historical Name	:	-
City	:	Manavalanallur
District	:	Cuddalore
State	:	Tamil Nadu


	Singers:

	-

	Festival:

	10 day Panguni Uthiram in March-April; Chitra Poornima in April-May with 1008 milk pot carried by devotees; 10 day Vasanth Utsav with Laksharchana and Lord Muruga coming in procession with Lord Vinayaka in car; besides monthly special abisheks in Karthika star days. An idol made of sandal paste is placed on a peeta with a crown and worshipped as Kolanji Appar. Krithika day in the month of Aadi (July-August) is grandly celebrated in the temple when large number of milk Kavadis are offered to Lord Muruga-Kolanjiappar. Lord appears in six different Alankaras (dressings) during the 6 day Aipasi Skanda Sashti festival with Laksharchana (offering pujas chanting the name of Lord one lakh time). Marriages are celebrated in the temple. Also Maavilakku worship is followed on Fridays of Aadi (July-August) and Fridays of Thai month (January-February).

	Temple's Speciality:

	Lord Muruga in the temple is swayambumurthi.

	Opening Time:

	The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.

	Address:

	Sri Kolanji Appar Temple, Manavalanallur – 606 001, Vruddhachalam, Cuddalore district.

	Phone:

	+91- 4143-230 232, 93621 51949

	General Information:

	Lord Siddhi Vinayaka in his huge form graces from a shrine facing east on the right of Lord Kolanji Appar. Both shrines have separate vimanas. Two horses are before these shrines looking majestically as if ready for a hunt. There are separate temples for Idumban and Kadamban behind this temple. Close to the Mahamandap opposite the presiding deity is a shrine for Muniappa. There are hundreds of tridents made of steel and stones densely planted opposite Muniappa. Another deity Veeranar is nearby facing east.

	Prayers

	Submission of prayer to Lord Kolanjiappar: People worried due to things lost in theft, non-return of money lent, cheating, suffering from serious diseases, facing problems in families, delay of marriage of son or daughter, unemployment, poverty in family etc. use to submit their grievances in writing. The submission – called Piradhu Kattudhal in Tamil - is addressed to “Manavalanallur Kolanjiappar”. It should also contain details of the devotees’ name and place and purpose of the prayer. The prayer should be clear. This should be delivered to the priest for placing at the feet of the Lord. He will perform archana, put vibhuti-sacred ash and return as Prasad packet. The devotee should tie it with a thread on the Vel in the Muniappa shrine and leave the place. It is believed that the devotee will realize the wish within 90 days. The devotee should pay a fee calculated at 10 paise per kilo metre covering the distance between his place and the temple. After realizing the wish, the devotee can withdraw his/her petition (Rajinama) paying a fee. People pray here in huge numbers seeking solutions for problems they face as mentioned above.

	Thanks giving:

	Devotees offer their commitments by donating cattle, cocks and hens, money equal to their weight, tonsuring, carrying milk pots etc. These are the main commitments. Milk Kavdis are offered especially for Panguni Uthiram. They also punch their bodies-Alagu Kuthal in Tamil. This is a thrilling scene here. They also offer articles as mangal sutras (Pottu Thali in Tamil) and human organs as eye, hand, leg etc. and child images made of silver in the hundi. They also pray to the Neem and Bodhi trees behind the sanctum sanctorum with child dolls in cradles seeking child boon. They donate bells, pulses, cereals as paddy, maize etc. The affluent do mass feeding.

	Greatness Of Temple:

	Presiding deity Kolanjiappar is a swayambumurthy having no form as such. It is said that He has a form too. The 3 feet tall Bali Peeta in the sanctum sanctorum is revered as the presiding deity. Below this installation, is a chakra carved in stone with the Satakshara Mantra (Mantra of six lettrs) of Lord Muruga. All pujas and abisheks are dedicated to Lord Muruga in the form of Bali Peeta. Devotees take Neem Oil to the priest, who in turn place it at the feet of Lord and return it to the devotee mixed with sacred ash. This he does in an orthodox manner. The devotee has to use it after a bath wearing washed clothes and without being in sad conditions caused by some incidents – called Theettu in Tamil. The application of this oil on wounds, boils etc. cure the diseases. This is used on cattle too to heal any wound on them. Many are experiencing the healing effects of this oil. It is noteworthy that this oil is taken by many for their people in foreign countries. People of this place do not dress the new born children with shirts etc. for 90 days. They do not put even tilak. After 90 days they bring the children, place them at the feet of Lord, then dress them and put ornaments and tilak.

	Temple History:

	Saint Sundarar, during his pilgrimage came to this place called Vruddhachalam. Vruddha in Sanskrit means very old. Lord Shiva graces here from the Pazhamalai Nathar temple with Mother Vruddhambika. The antiquity of the place covers many Yugas and is beyond historical conclusions. Sundarar left the place after a formal worship. He did not sing the glory of the antiquity of the place, Lord and Mother as he concluded himself that he was not that ripe or proficient to do so. Yet, Lord and Mother did not want to lose a song from Sundarar. They sent Lord Muruga to Sundarar. He approached Sundararar as a hunter and robbed him off his belongings. When Sundarar demanded them back, Hunter Muruga asked Sundarar to come back to Vruddhachalam – Tirumudhu Kundram in chaste Tamil- and get them back. Sundarar realized that it was the act of Lord. He returned to the place, sang the glory of the Lord and got back his belongings. Hunter Muruga, who graced Sundarar is now the Swayambumurthy in west of Vruddhachalam. The place was dense with Kulanjee trees, He was named Kulanji Appar. The name changed as Kolanji Appar in later days

	Special Features:

	Miracle Based: Lord Kolanjiappar is Swayambumurthy.

Location :
Manavalanallur is 2 km far from Vruddhachalam; 40 km from Ulundurpettai; 25 km from Chidambaram. Bus facilities are available. Town bus facilities are available from Vruddhachalam to Manavalanallur.

Near By Railway Station :
Vruddhachalam

Near By Airport :
Chennai, Trichy

Accomodation :
Cuddalore:

Hotel Surya Priya: +91-4142-233 178; 233 179
Hotel Vaigai: +91-4142-224 321
Hotel Woodlands: +91-4142-230 717; 230 707
Hotel Durai: + 91-4142-224 746; 224 646
Hotel Priya Inn: +91-4142-98946 26157