Ganapathi Agraharam

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Gajananam Bhoota Ganadi Sevitam,
Kapittha Jammbu Phala Charu Bhakshanam ।
Umasutam Shoka Vinasha karakam,
Namami Vighneshwara Pada Pankajam ॥

Temple Information

Location

Ganapati Agraharam is around 25 kms from Kumbakonam and from Thiruvaiyaru it is 10 km.

Timing

Temple premises open from 6:00 AM till 12 noon and from 5:00 PM till 8:00 PM.

About the Place

With paddy fields and farms that dance with the currents, banana and sugarcane fields reaching for the sky, Thanjavur offers panoramic beauty to its visitors. Mornings begin with the gracefulness of peacocks and the earthy smell of wet soil. We witness the villagers bowing down to the divine Cauvery river which adds diversity to the region while providing its people with a livelihood

The Temple

Every soul that resides in Papanasam Taluk, Thanjavur definitely knows about this famous Ganapathi temple maintained solely by the Agrahara people. When the entire world celebrates Vinayagar Chaturthi in the best manner possible, wouldn't the festivities be grander here?

Of course they are!

Unlike us, the people of the Agraharam do not worship separate Ganesha idols during Chaturthi. All the kozhukattai neivedyam and puja is done for the deity in the temple only.

Once when someone prepared neivedyam for a separate idol, all the kozhukattai turned into scorpions. It was believed they didn't follow the temple's niyamanam.

Temple History:

The deity at the temple was installed by Agastiyar. Later, when Gautama Maharshi was passing through this then drought-stricken village, he instructed them to find the idol. The people of the Agraharam literally unearthed the deity. Pleased, Ganesha is said to have helped the village.

Sarpa Vinayakar:

Once when the temple was gearing up for its Kumbabhishekam (or Samprokshanam), a few men were cleaning the garbhagriha (the innermost sanctum) and one of them heard hissing sounds resembling that of a snake. On being advised to ignore the same, he continued cleaning the place but he gradually got a fever. When none of the medications worked, his family consulted someone who told them that only the pandit (priest/gurukal) has the right to enter the garbhagriha. He advised them to read Vinayakar Sahasranamam and present Sweet Pongal as neivedyam for the deity and as expected, the person's fever came down. Hence, it is believed that anyone who has any health issue should read Sahasranamam and give sweet Pongal as neivedyam for Pillaiyar who will help them come out of the same.

Kovil and Periyava

When people starved for food along with various health issues, Periyava instructed the people of the Agraharam to do a japam in Karthika Masam for 1 mandalam (45 days) from the 2nd friday of the month. After lighting a lamp in each house of the Agrahara and after completing Pillayar's Saayaratchai puja, an elder person starts the japa slokam and the others continue the same. This sloka is said 366 times. To encourage children to join the same they used to give them 10 or 25 paise coins. Nowadays, they are presenting the children with pencils, notebooks and even biscuits for encouragement. This is primarily for

logakshemam (World peace and harmony).

Kozhukattai Neivedyam

Neivedyam for Pillaiyar is the various types of kozhukattai prepared right at the village. Some prefer coming to the village and preparing the kozhukattai themselves in accordance with madi - acharam. But, if one wishes to offer neivedyam to Pillaiyar then there are people in the village who prepare the neivedyam and offer it to the deity.

Mrs. Latha Ganesan, a resident of Ganapathi Agraharam, is widely known in the region for preparing neivedyam for Ganapathi.