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Bindiganavile Sri Keshava Perumal Koil |
Third Party Video
Third Party Video
Third Party Video
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The landscape of South India is filled with small yet significant temples. To really understand our religion and appreciate the spiritual history of India we must explore the stories of the small village temples. Some of these temples gives us answers to the way Hinduism works. One such village is Bindiganavile. Here is an ancient temple of Sri Channa Keshava Perumal who resides along with Sri Sowmyanaayaki Thaayaar. The temple is over a 1000 years old and dates back to the Hoysala period. The temple was visited by Acharya Ramanuja during his travels. In this sleepy village the people and temple existed for centuries........ unknown and content. Little did the villager know that an event would soon take place that would transform the temple and village to the focal point of history. Legend has it that the Channakeshava Temple at Belur placed an order for a wooden Garuda Vahana. The order was given to a Scupltor Kanchipuram. The Garuda Vahana was ready and being transported to Belur, located close to Bindiganavile. As night fell the caravan transporting the Vahana decided to stop at Bindiganavile. That night the head of the caravan had a dream. In his dream Lord Garuda appeared and told him ....... “we are now in Keshava’s Sannidhi and I would like to stay here and serve the lord”.
The caravan leader did not take the dream seriously and prepared to move on in the morning. To his surprise he realized that the Garuda Vahana would not budge. While the team was struggling with the Vahana the local Palegara or officer came to the spot. The Palegara had a dream also. In his dream Lord Garuda had asked him to find this temple and make arrangements for his Vahana to be installed for puja.The Palegara took over the situation and completed the wish of the Lord. As per the Lord's wishes Garuda or Vynatheya as he is known here was installed as an Archamoorthy and daily pujas are conducted for him. In all the other Visnu temples Garuda is installed as a Vahana in Dwajastambha or the flag pole. Soon the the temple at Bindiganavile became a powerful Sri Vaishnava pilgrim center as Lord Guruda chose the temple as his adobe. Let us back track and learn more about the village. The village has found mention in the Puranas as Mayurapuri. The original name of the village was Dindiganavile or the village of Dindiga plants and peacocks. The name finally transformed into Bindiganavile or the land of Hillocks and peacocks. Bindiganavile had a big lake which was fed by the great Veera Vaishnavi River. The river flowed swiftly from the west to the east till it merged with the Shimsha river. This gave the villagers their staple earnings from sugarcane. Time passed by, and the Garuda installed was slowly covered by an ant hill. Soon snakes took up residence in the shrine. The Garuda statue was obscured and the puja stopped. It was at this time Garuda decided to take matters in his own hand. He appeared in the dream of Rao Bahadur Sri.B K Garudachar the then Bangalore Municipal Chairman. Sri.B K Garudachar was also originally from Bindiganavile. Garuda asked him to install a new vigraha or idol and start the pujas once again. Sri.B K Garudachar hired the best wood Scupltor and proceeded to Bindiganavile. He purchased the best quality Sandalwood and asked them to sculpt a new Garuda. The Scupltor were not experienced in the design of a Garuda statue. The work could not progress. Garuda once again appeared in the dream of the Scupltor and instructed them to begin work in the morning. When the Scupltor went to the wood they realized that an outline of the Garuda Statue was marked on the wood. They went to work and we can see the magnificently carved sandal wood statue of Garuda....... installed and used for Puja. The wood that was left over was carved in a equally magnificent Aanjaneya. There is an ancient story of how Garuda was called upon to appease the Nagas to win his mother's freedom. The Nagas do not keep their promise and Gruda is forced to battle with them. In light of this story we see that Vynatheya idol has been adorned with serpents like Adishesha, Gulikais , Vasuki, Udidara, Karkota Padma, Mahapadma and Shankapala. These serpents have become Garudas ornaments and headgear. Lord Vishnu was impressed by Garudas selfless devotion to his mother. He accepted Garuda as his Vahana or vehicle. Garuda is also known by other names due to his many qualities and strengths. Some of the names are Suparna, Vynatheya, Naagari, Nagabhushana, Jithanthaka, Jithamithra, Ajitha, Sarvathomukha, Garuthmaan, Khagheshwara, Thaksha,Pakshiraja, Vedaswaroop and Kaashyapanandana. Reaching Bindiganavile from Bangalore is done by driving on the Tumkur Road past Nelamangala, Kunigal, Yedyur and Bellur Cross. At Kadabahalli located 8 km from Adichunchangiri Medical College we take a left turn to reach Bindiganavile located 10 km away. This temple has significance to the Hebbar Iyengars, a sub sect of Srivaishnavas. Some of the famous Hebbar Iyengars who find their roots here are..... Rao Bahadur B.K.Garudachar, B.N Garudachar, B.S.Ranga and India's atomic energy expert Dr. Raja Ramanna. The temple architecture is of typical Dravidian design and follows Pancharathra Agama discipline for worshiping the lord. A beautiful Rajagopurammakes the temple stand out on the horizon from a distance. In the main hall of the temple Lord Channakeshava is flanked by a beautiful idol of Thayar Sowmyanayaki and Vynatheya, Aanjaneya and also Kalyana Vynatheya with Rudra and Sukeerthi. On the rear of the temple the older Garuda idol is is encased in a Brindavana. As a recent addition a Alwars Sannidhi was built to house Alwars like Dhanvanthari, Krishna, Vishwaksena, SudarshanaNaarasimha, Ramanuja, Yamunamuni, Nathamuni, Vedantha Deshikar. The exquisitely carved Vahanas are used during the famous Rathothsavam of the temple. This festival is the most important festival and the full village come to life. The festival is celebrated for 10 days and devotees travel from all over the world to attend the pujas. The temple kitchen serves a sumptuous lunch to the visitors. The temple pujas are conducted by "mari" bhattar for the last several decades. Many important festivals are celebrated....... to name a few
The B K Garudachar Charities has built and runs a Choultry. This is augmented by some new construction of rooms and a large Dining Hall. Devotees visiting the temple are ensured of a comfortable visit. Bindiganavile Shri Vainatheya Bhaktha Mandali was created to manage the temple activities. The Mandali has surpassed itself in converting the temple into super efficient and well run shrine. Old devotees are amazed by the speed at which the temple has been improved both in service to the Lord and to the people. Bindinganevele also has a beautiful 600 year old Shiva Temple. Lord Shiva, Parvathi, Subramanya, Ganesha, Srinivasa and Navagraha find worship in the temple. An interesting incident in the Sri Keshava Perumal Koil has given the village a small temple for Udbhava Aanjaneya along with Rama, Sita and Laxmana. Once again, we see that Lord Aanjaneya made his appearance by His choice in the form of a Swayambu, not carved by man, idol. |
