Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashramam: Doddamallur- Sri Apprameya Swamy Temple- Report by Sri V K Rajagopalan

Doddamallur - Aprameya Swamy Temple

About 60Kms from Bangalore, on the Mysore - Bangalore Highway (one mile from Channapatna), the tall tower of a famous temple peeking through the swaying coconut palms seems to beckon your attention. The highway road sign identifies the place as Mallur Agrahara. The curious traveler who pulls over to explore this tower, would have reached the temple of Lord Aprameya, His Consort Aravindavalli and the renowned ‘Ambegal’ Krishna.

This is a Divya Kshétram and a Punya Bhoomi. The verdant greenery, Punya Theerthams, the temple complex and its āvaranams all provide for an atmosphere conducive for religious piety.

“MALLUR” has an interesting story to its name. Sārangadāra, a King, had his limbs amputated by his enemies, who threw them in the Nirmala river, which flows near this place. Though suffering from immense pain, he chanted the Bhagavath nāmā incessantly and approached the temple where he was blessed with a darshan of a Divya Jyothi. With the Lord’s bountiful grace, his limbs grew back to their original form. “Growing” in Tamil is “Mulaithathu” and since Sārangadāra’s limbs grew back, this Kshétram got its name ”MULAITHOOR” (Tamil) and as time passed , “Mulaithoor” became today’s “Mallur”.

This sthalam is also referred to by other names in our ancient sacred texts, a few being:

“DAKSHINA AYODHYA”: “CHATUR VEDA MANGALA PURA”: “GNYāNA MANTAPA KSHéTRAM”: “RAJENDRA SIMHA NAGARI”:

Sri Aprameya swamy Temple is a very ancient structure. Some historians date it back 3000 years, but local historic documents date it not less than 1500 years. There is evidence that this temple existed even before Lord Ramanuja’ s Digvijayam in Karnataka and it will not be a surprise if it was built much before Lord Ramanuja’ s Birth. There is a written document preserved to date, which mentions the Kainkaryam of lighting Nanda Deepam to Lord Aprameya in the year 980. This is a proof of the temple’s existence in that period.

Legend has it that Lord Rāma stayed here, in Dakshina Ayodhya, for many years and during this time, he worshipped Lord Aprameya. Hence Lord Aprameya is also known as Sriramaprameya. Lord Rāma also performed Homams and other rituals in this place and even to this day, there are remnants of the structures where he conducted the Yagnams. In kshetram Mahatmiyam Kandam of Brahmanda Purana there is a description of Lord Aprameya in twelve chapters.

The specialty of the temple is it is standing on sand and not on any solid foundation. It appears from the style of construction of the temple, that it was expanded during the regimes of certain kings who ruled Mallur in the past.

Standing outside the temple, one can see the towering and beautiful Raja Gopuram. Built in the dravidian architectural style, one finds sculptures from the Dasa Avataram adorning the side walls (Madal) of the Raja Gopuram. The Maha Dwaram is 30 feet high. Opposite the Maha Dwaram is the tall Deepa Sthambam made from a single stone which vies with the Maha Dwaram in height, at 30 feet. Facing the Rajagopuram, is the Purandaradasa Mantapam, a tribute to the composer of the famous krithi “Jagadoddharana Adisidalu Yashoda” which immortalizes his ecstasy on seeing the Navaneetha Krishna here, for generations to come.

This is the sannidhi of Sri Aravindavalli Thāyar. As Goddess Maha Lakshmi was born in a Lotus flower in Vishnu Theertham (to the North West of the temple), she is known as Aravindavalli. She is seated in the Padmasana posture on a Lotus. Thāyar is giving darshan with her chaturbhujams, holding Lotus flowers in the two upper hands and blessing devotees with two hands in Varadha and Abhaya postures. In the same Sanctorum you will find idols of Sri Andāl Thāyār and Sri Desikan.

As you proceed to the North Western ramparts of the temple, the next Sannidhi you see is that of the renowned Lord Navaneetha (Thavazrar/ambegal (crawling)) Krishna. This Krishna figures in a lot of Purānas. It is believed that Sage Vyasa did the Prathishta of this Vigraham. This lovely, adorable Krishna Vigraham depicts Him in a crawling pose, holding his favorite butter in his right hand. It appears as if Lord Krishna is crawling towards you to invoke the maternal instincts within you, compelling you to spontaneously shower your love on him. His face is like Poorna Chandra Bimbam, his doe-like eyes are very attractive and the curly locks of his hair are a sight to behold. This Neela Megha Shayma is crawling on a Garuda Peetam. He is adorned with a lot of jewels like amulets, chains, necklaces and anklets. He flaunts his Pulinagam (Tiger Claws dollar) as if to show off his prowess while the priests make sure he wears it to avoid Kan Dristi Dosham from his many devotees ogling at his boundless beauty! While drinking in this lovely sight, you may think you heard the jingling of bells from the cord he wears around his waist and the gorgeous anklets adorning his tender ankles, as he crawls closer to your heart!!

His beauty inspired Purandara dasa to compose the popular krithi “Jagadoddharana Adisidalu Yashoda” when he visited this sannidhi. The delicious Navaneetham he is holding in his right hand is no ordinary butter but Gnyanam (self realization) shaped like a butter ball. Parandhāman is willing to share this precious treat with you, if only you ask him for it, with a true mind. Another boon that this God is famous for granting is the gift of children to those who need it. The loads of silver and wooden cradles in the Sannidhi offered by people desirous of begetting offspring stand testimony to this fact.

You are now in the divine presence of the majestic looking moola moorthy of Lord Sri Aprameya made of Sāligrāma Shilā. It is an ancient Idol of the Lord.’ Prameyā’ means measurable quantity, Aprameyā means immeasurable and since his mercy is of immeasurable quantity, he is called so

His two upper arms are holding the Shanka and Chakra and in the lower two arms are the Gadhā and Padma in the Abhayahastam mudra. The Shukanāsika Mantapam houses Lord Aprameya’s Uthsavar in a sandal wood Mantapam. He is bedecked with jewelry. This Uthsavar is a replica of the Moolavar and is extremely beautiful. Uthsavar is accompanied by Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi thāyars. The Divine trio are accompanied by a Uthsavar Moorthy of Lord Ramanuja and it appears as if he is doing Kainkaryam to the Trinity.

For further details please visit the individual web site www.doddamallur.com

Doddamallur Aprameyaswamy Temple