Alamathi - My favourite place to relax - II Part

                    After purchasing the plots of our choice at Alamathi village, all of us were quiet happy but did not do anything after that!  But Prasad, my brother's son, did not stop with that. He had purchased the plot at Alamathi with some purpose viz for constructing his Packaging Industry Factory there. He is a real Rural Entrepreneur! He was having a vision in his mind! A dream of developing the Royal City, Alamathi, into a first class rural industrial area! He and his wife Smt. Gayathri studied the intricacies of business field viz Labour Laws, Income Tax laws, Company Laws etc in detail and equipped themselves so that they can utilize their vast knowledge in those fields in improving their business and in turn enhance the fortunes of Alamathi village. Prasad used to share his ideas with me very often. I was very much impressed. If Hindustan had four or five  enthusiastic people like him in every village, then the country would march forward in rural development and will be a model state for the rest of the world!

                   'A Rural entrepreneur is one who undertakes an enterprise especially a commercial one in the village side, often at personal financial risk. He will be the managing proprietor of that enterprise and will  supply the capital needed for the same. He bears the risk of production and is the controller of day-to-day management and marketing'.  As such, according to me, Prasad  is a role model of a true Rural Entrepreneur! From the first day on wards, he was visiting the Alamathi village very often along with his wife in connection with the construction of his factory there. He started doing all the preliminary work for the same.Truely, he was the pioneer in the business field in our family!

                  My brother and myself had a different idea in our mind in purchasing the plot there! We are sufficiently old and wanted to spend the rest of our life peacefully in a serene atmosphere, exchanging our views on different topics and exchanging our experiences with our close relatives and friends.  Having taken birth in an orthodox brahmin family, duly initiated in spiritual lineage by our ancestors,  especially by our uncle and Mentor Sadguru Shri. Sadanandanathji, we wanted to lead a spiritual life, following his foot steps and as such following 'Swadharma'. We thought that Alamathi is the suitable place for spending our leisure time in a useful manner, and for spreading the religious philosophies we have inherited during our childhood days from our forefathers. We wanted to hand over ths same intact to our next generation.  We are quiet sure that those teachings are invaluable and due to them only we were able to lead a carefree and a meaningful life hitherto!

                   In the meantime, my friend Shri. G  Viswanathanji enquired me about our purchase of plots at Alamathi. I told him that about fifteen members, mostly our relatives, have purchased the plots there.  He was very happy and told that if we really wanted the area to be developed fast, we should first construct a small Vinayakar Temple there. I endorsed his view. I also told him that some one should take the initiative in that direction. Because I know the difficulties  in constructing a temple and the responsibilities we have to shoulder after constructing same! I also know fully well that I am a lazy person and not fit for that kind of work which required enormous amount of patience, dedication and self effacing bhakthi! As  such I was very cautious in this matter from the very beginning and did not take any steps in that direction.

                   One fine morning my brother's son phoned me and told that they are going to Mahabalipuram to purchase a small Vinayaka idol made of granite for keeping the same in his Packaging Industry Factory which is to be constructed shortly in Alamathi. He invited me also for the above purpose. I was happy and readily accepted to accompany him. What else would be a happy moment for a just retired person like me who had no work to do and was thinking of doing something worthwhile instead of wasting the leisure time! Shri. Prasad,  my brother Shri. V.  Mrithyunjayan, my manni Smt. Abhayambal and myself started our journey to Mahabalipuram. We proceeded in Prasad's same red Maruti.

We saw about 400 Ganapathi vighrahams in many shops at Mahabalipuram but were not happy and could not select the one of our choice. Finally, at MAYAN SIRPA KOODAM we saw one Vinayakar vigraham which was not completely finished at that time and was kept at the entrance. We were told that the shilpi who had sculptured the same did not turn up even after many years and usually those pieces would be kept as such. But we all liked that Vinayakar vighraham very much and requested the owner to give the same to us. The main reason for our liking that piece was that it resembled the Vinayakar idol of Parangipettai 'Karpaka Vinayakar Koil', the one which was just opposite to our rental house there, worshipped by my beloved father Shri. V. G. Venkatarama Sarma, chanting Rudram, Chamakam, Namakam etc daily along with great Shri Neelakanta Gurukkal,  Shri Jagadeesa Gurukkal, Shri.  Kuppu Rao, Archakar Shri. Mani Gurukkal, Shri. Amirtham Gurukkal, Shri.  Ganapathy Iyer and Shri.  Kannan Iyer etc. Fortunately the owner of the sirpa koodam is also from our place, namely from Parangipettai, and he readily accepted to sell the same to us happily. After completing the unfinished work in the piece, viz chiselling the jewel portions in that Vinayakar Shila and opening the eyes of the deity etc, he handed over the same to us. The sirpa koodam people also performed a grand pooja as well, before parting with the vigraham as usual. It was bought for Rs. 17,000/-, ie more by Rs. 10,000/- beyond our original estimate of Rs. 7,000/-. They delivered the vigraham at Vyasarpadi at brother's house.

               Within a day or two  all our relatives thronged Anna's house at Vyasarpadi and many suggested constructing a big temple for the Lord Ganesa as it resembled 'Parangipettai Pillaiyar'. Anna's son Prasad was the prime mover of the proposal. He readily accepted to part with one fourth of his land at Alamathi for the temple and allotted a considerable amount for the same from the amount he had kept for constructing the factory. What a generous mind, that too in the young age! And from Anna's resources and accepting donations from like minded friends and relatives, a small temple in the name of 'SRIVIDHYA KARPAKA VINAYAKAR' was constructed and Pranaprathishta was performed in a grand manner by my brother Shri. V. Mrithyunjayan on 30-8-2009  (Virodhi Year Aavani month 14th, Shukla Paksha Dasami Thithi, Moola Nakshatram, Simha Lagnam). The function was a grand success with the participation of most of our relatives and friends. Naama Sankeertanam by my beloved friend 'Bhajan Ravi Bhagavathar' with the accompaniment  of Dolak by Shri. Ramesh was a feast to the ears on that day! All participated in the Naama Sankeerthanam with atmost bhakathi.

                One Mr. Prakash from Police Department who was instrumental for purchase of plots by many of us in Alamathi  area was a pillar of strength to my brother in the construction of the temple from the very beginning. He used to supervise the construction work of the temple very often and gave valuable suggestions during the construction period. He was a generous man and due to his insistence only the garbhagruham area  was doubled for the Vinayakar Temple. He also donated cement, jalli, iron etc for the temple in large quantities. During the construction days, the selfless service rendered by Shri. Varadan, ex councillar of Alamathi village is also praiseworthy. He still looks after the day-to-day affairs of the temple with dedication.

               In a short period of time, one after the other, granite vigrahas of Lord Shiva in the name of Aadhimooleshwarar, Ambal in the name of Amirthaambikai, Lord Muruga in the name of Swaaminathan, Swamy Ayyappan, Aanjaneya Swamy etc were purchased by my brother in memory of various deities at Parangipettai and other places which we were worshiping in our childhood days. For example, Aadhimooleshwarar and Amirthaambikai are the deities representing Agaram koil deities of Parangipettai, Lord Muruga in the name of Swaminathan, representing our family deity at Swamimalai, Lord Ayyappan, representing Sabarimalai Ayyappan, Dhakshinamurthy, representing the Dhakshinamurthy at Aalangudi and Aanjaneyar, representing Aanjaneyar at Sanjeevarayar koil, Parangipettai. Actually before the construction of the temple , we visited most of the above temples, prayed before those deities and brought Vibhuthi, Yanthrams etc for placing them below the deities at Alamathi during their consecration.
     
Daily poojas are performed in our temple according to Vaideeka tradition and also many uthsavams  are celebrated  in a grand manner.  Ganapathi Homam on every Sankatahara Chathurthi day is performed regularly without any break from the date of consecration of Karpaka Vinayakar. Vinaayaka Chathurthi, Kaarthikai Dheepam, Thai Poosam, Hanumath Jayanthi, Nrusimha Jayanthi and Sankara Jayanthi  are some of the festivals that are celebrated in a grand manner every  year with the participation of most of our relatives and friends.                      
                                                                                                                                ---To be continued.