Prayers for birth at Yama temple: Vellalur

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Prayers for birth at Yama temple: Vellalur

Posted by: "AH Venkitesh" ahvenkitesh viji123

Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:01 pm (PST)

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*Prayers for birth at Yama temple*

*- By Vidyashree Amaresh *

 

*Coimbatore, Aug. 6*: A shrine for the Lord of Death,

Yamadharmaraja, is

very rare. A 306-year-old temple with Lord Yama as the presiding

deity,

which might well be the only one in the country, draws big crowds at

Vellalur, about 20 km from here.

 

People seem in awe of the idea of a temple to a god who is more

feared than

worshipped. R.M. Pazhanisami, the seventh-generation priest of the

temple,

explains that Lord Yama is visualised not just as the god of death,

but also

as the god of dharma, of right conduct in life.

 

Devotees throng the temple with absolutely no sense of fear to seek

common

favours, such as a child for a childless couples or marriage for a

grown-up

daughter. "No, they do not ask Yama to call them later than it is

due," says

the priest with a smile.

 

"My duty as a priest is to convey Yama's advice to seekers who come

with

offerings of lemon, betel leaves, coconuts, fruits, sugar and ghee

(clarified butter). Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are reserved for

enquiries on business ventures. Other days are for guidance on family

matters. And on Sundays, just like any of us, Lord Yama takes a

holiday from

his sessions with mortals," he quips.

 

The priest, who performs puja thrice a day at the temple to the god

of

death, reveals that the temple, consecrated in 1971, is maintained

by the

Thevar community. "My great-grandfather had a dream as though Yama

appeared

in a place that seemed absolutely real and familiar. His search for

the

place began and ended in the fields at Vellalur, which belonged to a

brahmin

landowner. My ancestor found the brahmin and expressed his desire to

construct a temple for Yama there. The latter agreed at once. The

descendants of the man who turned this vision into reality have been

in

charge of the temple since then, with rights of worship by turn," he

says.

 

Says Neelamegalai, a resident of Vellalur and a devotee frequenting

the

temple for years: "The circle is sacred to Lord Yama and hence the

temple

flaunts spherical architecture. Nestled amidst the sugarcane

saplings, the

walk through the narrow footpath to get to the temple is a pleasant

experience in itself."

 

Before one reaches the Chittira Puttira Yamadharmaraja temple, a

small

shrine to Andichi Amman stands as a sentinel. She is the sister of

Chitragupta (or Chittira Puttira as Tamils have it), Lord Yama's

celestial

scribe. She is usually placated first."

 

At the entrance to the main temple is Lord Ganesha. Then the main

chamber

opens the door to the sanctum into which only men are permitted. For

women,

the hall is the final halt for darshan.

 

The fearsome figure astride a buffalo with menacing horns is Lord

Yamadharma. The idol faces the south, holding in one hand the ankus

to guide

his black mount while the other hand grips the whip that draws man

at the

destined moment. Chitragupta sits to his right with his "register of

good

and bad deeds of humans while on earth".

 

The temple has some strange myths. It is said that Lord Yama has

strong

likes and dislikes. He will not tolerate black thread or cloth.

Coconuts

must be offered whole, and no yellow flower is allowed in worship.

His

colourful garland is of oleander, tuberose and basil. Standing with

the

hands clasped at the back is considered "disrespectful" to Lord Yama

and

invites misfortune.