Dakshina Kala Bhairavar Temple, Dharmapuri, TN


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Temple-01.jpg

I wrote about my first visit to the Temple in my ownership thread. On 10th and 17th Dec 2017, I made my 2nd and 3rd visits. Even many regulars did not know details, about “Pooja Timings, What to do, Where, When etc”. So I felt compelled to open a separate thread.

Prologue :
Dakshina Kala Bhairavar Temple is at Adhiyaman Kottai near Dharmapuri, TN (Google Map link). Kalabhairavar Statue is in almost every Shiva Temple, but, THIS temple is only “one of the TWO Temples in India”, where "Kala Bhairavar" is the Main Deity. The FIRST TEMPLE is in Kasi / Varanasi. I visited the Temple at Kasi in 2004 and now this Dakshin Temple. Info about the Temple can be found in this Official Temple website (link) and also at this Blog (link).

Believed Benefits: If we visit this Dakshin Temple and have Dharshan during Rahu Kala Pooja for 13 days (times), all problems due to Enemies, Black Magic, Family Curse(s) will leave. It is believed that above remedies will ALSO happen, if “Holi Water (sprinkled on the Devotees after conducting a ‘Special Pooja’) falls on devotees”.

SPECIAL Pooja :
When : On the "night of waxing moon and Ashtami

Where : Homa is conducted at the dedicated place JUST in front or the Temple. Knowledgeable people pay “months in advance” to sit beside the Homa Gundam. Area is partitioned by metal rods. Other devotees can sit outside the partitioned area. There was a Shamiana overhead for those outside.

In the next Pic, between I and the Grills, about 25-30 ft distance was there. For this and next Pic, I used my Mi A1's 2X mode, so objects appear closer.
Temple-04 Homa 1.jpg

in the Pic below, you can see devotees sitting on the floor.
Temple-04 Homa 2.jpg

Timing : Approx 3.5 hours, between 10:30PM to 2:00AM (or 11:00PM to 2:30 AM)
What happens: Lots and lots of Mantras are Chanted over the 3+ hours period. Many items are offered to Agni Bhagwan, including 100s of kgs of “red chilli” and also “black pepper”. I didn’t feel any irritation in my eyes nor didn’t feel “burnt chilly smell” as I was engulfed by smoke coming out of Yagam”. “Wow”. After these, they mix Kumkum in Holi water and do one more round of Pooja (3rd round, I guess). This 3rd round lasts about 30 minutes.

Climax: After 3rd round, volunteers are stationed on the Temple Roof, and they sprinkle Kumkum mixed Holi water on the devotees. It is believed that “ALL problems due to Enemies, Black Magic, Family Curse(s) or bad planetary positions” will leave”. Once blessed, 80% to 90% devotees leave soon. Be prepared for some extreme pushing around during this sprinkling ceremony.

Bus connectivity: Plenty of special busses from “Hosur to Salem / Krishnagiri to Salem / Dharmapuri to Salem” stop near the Temple. Those coming in the reverse direction also stop. Between 2:30 AM and 2:55 AM, I saw 5 to 6 TN Govt buses and 2 Pvt Buses.

Next day morning : In the early morning, Kala Bhairavar gives Dharshan in “Satru Samhara Alangaram”. It is believed that “problems created by enemies will disappear, if we get this Dharshan. Announcement came over the PA System that “this Dharshan will be at 7AM next day”.

Frequency of Pooja : Conducted EVERY MONTH on the “night of waxing Moon and Ashtami”.

Expected Crowd : Huuuuuuuge, for the space available. I think, during my stay between 5:15 PM and 2:55AM, about 4,000 to 6,000 devotees could have come. About 1,500 – 2,000 devotees could have been present at night 2:30. You will be pushed around a lot, like in a Kumba mela. Take care of Children and Elderly. The crowd can easily separate them.

Special Dharshan Queue : Costs Rs.100/- per head. We spent nearly 3 plus hours in this Spl. Most of us felt that the regular Queue was moving Faster.

Temple-02 Crowd 1.jpg

Temple-02 Crowd 2.jpg

Temple-03 Shamiana.jpg

Time management: After Dharshan, it is bit tough to pass time, till 10:30 / 11:00 PM. Other than the Shamiana and shelter provided by 30 odd shops, there is no “covered place to sit around”, in the event of Rains. Lots of small shops are around the Temple selling “Tender Coconut, Fruits, South Indian Food, Milk/Tea/Coffe etc”. So food is NOT a problem. There is a Police Station within 100 ft of Temple. We walked around the Village to pass time. Around 10:30PM, my Hi Command found a place on the Floor within 40 feet of ‘Homa Gundam’ to sit, while I and my Daughter went to the Car and slept. I guessed there were about 300 Cars that day. Wife called me at 1:30 AM and I found sooooo many people sleeping on the ground around the Temple (using bed-sheets / mats), the way you see in Village Festivals. When the 3rd and FINAL Pooja started around 1:55AM, I couldn’t control and went back to sleep in the Car. Next Call came at 2:30AM, when “Holi Water” was being sprinkled. It took 3-5 minutes to break thro’ the Crowd. I kept my Daughter right behind my back, held onto both her hands and managed to get inside the Crowd and met the main purpose. This “Holi Water sprinkling” lasted for about 10 to 15 minutes, I guess. One needs to hurry up a little.

What Next : If you have time, you can stay till 7-7:30 next day morning for Bhairavar's Dharshan in “Satru Samhara Alangaram”. If time is short, have Tea/Coffee and leave. Shops were still open, when we left at 2:55 AM.

Note-1: Whenever I spot a Dog playing on the road or running towards the Car, I just mouth the word "BHAIRAVA", and the Dog(s) would turn away. It’s been happening to me for years; even when I had my Matiz. It happened yesterday evening too.

Note-2: Dog hits could be trouble. Apart from handing the angry people, Dog Hits result in Repair Bills of Rs. 40,000 (link) to Rs 2.2 Lakhs (link); these are from team-bhp site. In TAI, a Pig hit is reported to have caused Rs 22K Repair Cost (link).So, try to avoid Dog Hits, but NOT at the cost of other lives or properties.

Note-3 : Way to Temple: If you are traveling from Salem, after you pass "Thoppur Toll" you will cross "Pagalahalli and Gengalapuram"; then you have to take right at Seshampatti to join SH-17. Temple is about 3km from here.

Note-4 : Way to Temple: If you are traveling from Krishnagiri to the Temple, a "Sign Board" would invite you to go thro' Dharmapuri. IGNORE it and continue on NH 44. Then, take left near this spot (link) before a Flyover. There is a signboard too showing way to Adhiyaman Kottai. Go below the flyover, keep Left and join the SH 17. This Road is straight and good. The Temple is to the left within 3.5km, from the Flyover.

Note-5: A2B, Thoppur is about 20 km from Temple. But, they close after 11 / 11:30 PM.
 
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Tonight is the "night of waxing moon and Ashtami". Last year Dec we were there. My Hi Command desires to be present during the Special Pooja (from tonight 11:00PM till Sunday 2:30 AM).

We are leaving for the Temple today evening. This time we plan to stay overnight to get Bhairavar Dharshan in “Satru Samhara Alangaram” by 7am on Sunday morning. Will update with pictures once we are back.
 
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Around 6:45 pm on Saturday, the 29th Dec 2018, we started for the Temple and reached by 11:05 pm. The Yagna had started by then. Luckily got a Parking Space very close to the Temple; in fact just two cars away from the spot where I parked an year ago.

Pic-3.jpg


Compared to my Dec 2017 visit, Temple authorities had made a separate enclosure so that those who paid to participate in the Yagna could be seated in relative comfort (I guess). As crowd was huge as expected, I couldn’t go near to have a glimpse of what was going on during Yagna. We went around the Temple, family lit Diyas but we did not go inside Sanctum Sanctorum for Dharshan, due to the loooong Queue.
Pic-1.jpg

As soooooooooo many devotees were sleeping in Cars and wherever they could find a neat place, we too made ourselves Comfy in the Car and dozed off, listening to the Chants coming off the speakers. Around 2am (on Sunday) the Chants stopped and a typical dum-du-dum dum-du-dum Damru sound woke me up. The Yagna continued. By 2:45-2:50am, a feverish pitch engulfed the Temple area, as volunteers were preparing to sprinkle Holy water onto devotees.

We too went and got ourselves blessed. BUT, there was way tooooooooooooooo much jostling. City folks might not like it. Good news is YOU CAN COLLECT Holy water in Bottles, after 3:10 am, from where Yagna was conducted. JUST HANG AROUND. I went back to my Car, picked up a Bottle, went to the Yagna area thrice and collected some 250 ml of Holy water plus Kumkum. Me and Family happieeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Pic-2.jpg

Pic-4.jpg


Went to car and all of us slept again. By 6:00 am (on Sunday) the activity around temple picked up and the sounds from crowd finally made me come out of Car by 6:30am. Ten minutes later, we joined the Special Dharshan Queue.

By 7am, the door to Sanctum Sanctorum was opened for the Devotees.
Pic-5.jpg

By 8:30am we entered. Lord Kalabhairava was dressed in Kumkum color RED in his Satru Samhara Alangaram. I offered few Lemons, the Pujari took it, touched an idol to bless the Lemons and returned them to me. By 8:40am, we were in the Car getting ready to return to B’lore.


Summary:
  • Special Pooja (on the night of waxing Moon & Ashtami): From (10:30 – 11 pm) to (2 to 2:30) am
  • You need to book in advance, if you want to sit closer to Yaga Gundam. I heard for next few years it is booked.
  • Being present in a Holy Place during a Holy Yagna is considered good enough.
  • If possible stay awake during the Pooja; as God told us to sleep, we slept ;-)
  • During sprinkling of Holy water (around 2:45 am), you can avoid getting severely jostled; Between 3:00 and 3:20am, you can comfortably collect Holy water in bottles instead.
  • Those interested can stay till next day morning and have Satru Samhara Alangara Dharshan after 7 am. Be prepared to spend an hour or two in the Queue.

That’s all folks.

PS: Getting rid of Curses and Bad stuff alone is not the end. We need “to be Good, do Good, consciously NOT do any Bad stuff, EARN our Salary/Money and help the needy”. For such Human beings, “Help is always available” whether they believe in God or not.
 

Nairrk

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Well explained travelogue and quality pictures.[cheers]

The Holy water - is it natural one (from the Well) or being prepared for this special purpose?
 
Thread Starter #5
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I found one more link with additional details here.

Well explained travelogue and quality pictures.[cheers]

The Holy water - is it natural one (from the Well) or being prepared for this special purpose?
Thanks for pointing out the missing link. I guess normal water is mixed with Kumkum and kept near the Yagna Place. Chanting of Mantras during the Yagna & the occasion make water Holy. Of course, there's a chance water could be from Cauvery & other Holy Rivers / places. I didn't spot any well in Temple premises.

This night Pooja is known as "Shatru Samhara Homam" involving Kuruti pooja (blood rituals). Perhaps centuries ago, they could've used real blood, but migrated to water+kumkum over time. Pssssss Pssssss, though I am a non-vegetarian, I felt jittery the first time I attended "kuruti pooja" in Dec 2017 [;)]
 

Nairrk

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I did guess. But I thought it could be a mixture of Water + Kumkum + Turmeric (this mixing is used for Kuruti pooja in many south Indian temples).
 

mayankdixit

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PS: Getting rid of Curses and Bad stuff alone is not the end. We need “to be Good, do Good, consciously NOT do any Bad stuff, EARN our Salary/Money and help the needy”. For such Human beings, “Help is always available” whether they believe in God or not.
This is a great and very valuable message you posted here. This is the actual truth.
Thanks.
 
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