Roma Maharishi @ Jambukeswarar temple, Thiruvaanaikoil, Trichy

Another place where you can get the blessings of great sage Roma Maharishi is the famous Jambukeswarar and Akilandeswari temple in Thiruvaanaikoil, Trichy. Although , there is no separate sannidhi for Roma Maharishi, you can see him on the pillar just before you enter Jambukeswarar sannidhi just after the kodimaram.

 

There is an ambiguity whether this particular sculpture is Roma Maharishi or Jambu Maharishi who also looks similar with the vriksham coming out of his head (this temple came to be known as Jambukeswarar temple because of the great Jambu Maharishi). However, this particular sculpture in the pillar appears with hair follicles rather than tree branches and sculptures at other places in the temple also confirm to some extent that this statue belongs to Roma Maharishi.

 

Roma Maharishi (at the entrance pillar)

 

 

Roma Maharishi (at another pillar)

Agasthiyar Maharishi@ Sri Agatheeswarar Temple near Thakkolam

Our quest seeking the blessings of great sages led us to a divine place called Thakkolam. Apart from the famous temples Sri Jalanatheeswarar Temple, Sri Umapatheeswara temple, Sri Somanatheeswarar Temple , theniswarar temple, Paliswarar temple and Emaniswarar temple and Sri Thakkali Amman Temple, this place is home to a small temple known as the Sri Agatheeswarar temple which is located on the road to Arakonam, near a small government rural hospital, well before the CISF camp. See this link for more on Thakkolam temples, http://thakkolam.in/SivanTemple.php

 

This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva with Shiva and Parvathy on the Rishaba Vaghanam behind the Shivalingam. It is widely believed that this particular arrangement of Shiva and Parvathy statues behind Shivalingam, is a sign that great sage Sri Agasthiyar Maharishi was blessed with the darshan of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy during their wedding ceremony. To reinforce this, Sri Agasthiyar Maharishi is also there in this temple.

 

The temple is also famous for one more thing - a hundred year old person, who takes care of the temple. Anybody in Thakkolam would direct you to this temple, if you ask for Thatha Koil. It is believed that he is 100 years old (only hearsay among the villagers).

 

Sri Agatheeswarar with Deities of Shiva and Parvathy in the Background

 

Sri Agasthiyar Maharishi

 

The centurion!!!!!

Roma Maharishi @ Jambukaranyeswarar Temple at Koonthalur

Another enchanting place where we can get the blessings of the great saint Roma Maharishi is in a temple known as Jambukaranyeswarar Temple located in a  place called Koonthalur near Kumbakonam.

 

Lord Shiva here was said to be worshipped by Jambu (fox), Roma maharishi, Sita devi and Lord Murugan. It is said that the place is called Koonthalur since the hair of Sita devi dropped here when she took bath in the tank nearby; Roma maharishi worshipped Shiva here and the place was filled with Koonthapanai (a type of palm) trees. Lord Murugan as Kumaragurubarar is present with His consorts Valli and Deivayanai and Thiruppugazh was sung by Arunagirinathar. Thirunavukkarasar also sung pathikam on this temple (Raju's Temple Visits). The place near to the famous Shiva temple at Thirucherai and also on the road to Poonthotam. There is no Navagraham in this temple.

 

It is believed that Roma Maharishi did penance here for more that 1000 years on the banks of river Cauvery. This could also be one of the reasons why this place is called Koonthalur because of Roma Maharishi's hair but it is only our theory without any evidentiary proof to support the same.

 

Roma Maharishi

 

Roma Maharishi (Old Statue)

 

Kaga Bujanda Maharishi @ Swarnapureeswrar Temple, Then Pon Parapi

 

Shri Kagabujanda Maharishi is a great saint who has transcended many yugas. He is considered to be the head of all the Siddhas, Sages, and Maharishis. To know more about this great sage, please see

 

http://www.kagabujandar.org/english_sre_kagabujandar.html

 

The only known place where the great sage can be seen along with his consort Baguladevi is an ancient temple situated in Villupuram district.  The temple is known as Swarnapureeswarar Temple in a place called Then Pon Parapi. To know more about the temple, see

 

https://samiappapalanivelan.wordpress.com/tag/thenponparappi/

http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=604

 

About 1300 years ago, Kagabujanda Maharishi performed severe penance on Lord Shiva for 16 years and had the darshan of Lord with 16 faces in this place. He wished that future generations also should have this darshan and be blessed.  He made and installed this Shivalinga with 16 stripes. 

 

Kagabujanda Maharishi along with his consort Bagula Devi

 

 

 

This temple can be reached by taking a right on the Chennai/Trichy Highway which leads to Salem.Temple contact Numbers : +91-4151- 257057, 94432 40127.

 

Roma Maharishi @ Varamoortheeswarar Temple,Ariyathurai

Roma Maharishi is one of the greatest sages. His name comes from the word "Romam" in Tamil which means hair.  It is believed that Roma maharishi has three and half Crore hairs and the fall of one hair signals the end of one brahma. Maharishi has authored Pancha Pakshi Sastram.

 

For more on Roma Maharishi , please refer

 

http://www.romamaharishi.com/,

http://samiappapalanivelan.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/roma-maharishi-jeeva-peedam/ 

 

In our endeavour to seek this great rishi's blessings, we set out in search of temples and cities which had Roma Maharishi's statue or temples with any connections to Roma Maharishi. We did manage to find a handful of temples in Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh where we could get a darshan and blessings of this great sage. We wish to share this experience with other like minded persons who could be searching for this great sage as we initially set out to do.

 

Some of the temples where Roma Maharishi is present has already been documented by other spiritual seekers. One such forum which helped us start our search is Raju's Temple Visits.  This blog has in great detail laid out the place near Chennai where we first began this sojourn.

The place is called Ariyathurai  and the temple is called Varamoortheeswarar Temple.

 

It is believed that the temple is more than 6000 years old with the presiding deities Lord Shiva known as Varamoortheeswarar and Goddess Parvati known as Maragathavalli . To know more about the temple and directions, please see Raju's Temple Visits

Sage Roma Maharishi

 

Varamoortheeswarar Temple Entrance 

 

We will be posting the places where we have had darshan of this great sage in our subsequent posts one by one under caption " Roma Maharishi"


 

Arittapatti - A Hidden Gem

Our quest towards seeking the final truth led us to a hidden gem among the rubble. We stumbled upon a historic Shiva temple situated near Melur on the Trichy to Madurai highway.

 

It is a cave temple touted to be more than 1000 years( hearsay from the villagers) with the main deity as Lord Shiva flanked by Lord Ganesha and  Lagulisa ( a deity found only in two or three places in Tamilnadu, The Hindu). Lagulisa or Lakulisa is the founder of Pashupata Saivism which is one of oldest Saivite schools that existed as early as first century AD (see Indian Temple and Iconography). There is a goddess Kali statue which is highly gravitating!!!!!!!. Villagers say that the goddess Kali is very powerful. There is also an archaeological survey board which is an ample testimony to the vintage of this great temple.

 

The temple is situated near a place called Narasingampatti on Trichy to Madurai highway. We have to take a right below the flyover at Narasingampatti to reach Arittapatti. If you see TVS company on your left on road , it is safe to assume that you are in the right path.

 

However, you might have to cross a dry river bed or a water body (lucky if it is dry, nowadays dry most of the times) and climb over a small hillock with steps leading to the other side which leads you to a curved path up to the temple. It is advised that you visit the temple with ample day light and with local assistance which is available before you walk into the dry river bed.

 

 

 

Lord Ganesh

 

 

Main Deity

 

 

Goddess Kali

 

 

Lagulisa