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Madurai Chithra Ratha Vallaba Perumal Temple – A Must Visit Temple for Chithra Starers !!
As I have been telling before, visiting the temple that is dedicated to one’s birth star is very important. In that way, we are seeing about the temples that are dedicated to each of the Nakshatras one by one. Now, we are going to know about the temple that is considered as auspicious for Chithra Nakshathira.
Sridevi Boodevi Sametha Chithra Ratha Vallaba Perumal Temple in Kuruvithurai, Madurai Dist is the temple that is dedicated to Chithra Starers. The people who are born on Chithra Nakshathira are normally of reserved type and they tend to confine to themselves. They are fond of traveling, good in education and courageous in nature. Chithra starers are advised to visit this temple at least once in a year or on their Birth star days to get relieved from the adverse effects of the planetary positions. This temple is also considered as a Guru Sthalam. As per the inscriptions in the walls of the temple, it is known to have been built some 1000 years ago. But the latest form and the structure of the temple is believed to have been built by the King Jadavarma Vallabha Pandya during 12th century AD.
As per the Sthala Purana, in a war between the Devas and the Asuras, a large number of Asuras were killed. Acharya Shukra (Shukracharya) is considered as the Guru of the Asuras. He had a powerful Sanjeevi Mantra with Him and so he restored all the Asuras back to Life. This powerful Mantra was known only to Him and the Devas wanted to learn that mantra. So they sent Kasa, the son of Jupiter (Guru) to Shukracharya with the intention of learning the Mantra and returning back to them. So with the blessings of his father (Guru), he went to Asuraloka, the Land of Demons.
Devyani, daughter of Shukra was attracted by the handsomeness of Kasa and she fell in Love with him. It was a one-sided Love and Kasa was keen only on his mission of learning the Mantra. One day, the Asuras came to know about the true face of Kasa and so they killed him and burned him to ashes. Then they dissolved the ashes in water and made Shukra to drink it. Since Devyani could not meet Kasa, she was very much upset and begged her father to find him. Shukracharya used his Dyana Drishti and came to know that Kasa was in his belly. He also understood the real intention of Kasa. To please his daughter and to restore Kasa back to life, Guru Shukra recited the Sanjeevi Mantra and taught the same to Kasa when he was still in his stomach. Then Kasa came out alive by tearing his Guru’s Stomach. But he could not tolerate seeing His Guru die before him. So Kasa recited the Sanjeevi Mantra and gave life to Shukra. Then Shukra asked Kasa to marry his daughter. But Kasa explained Shukra that since he was born from his stomach, Devyani would be His sister and so the marriage would be against the Law. Then he left the place with Shukra’s permission.
Devyani got angry by this deed of Kasa and she doesn’t want him to leave her. So she created seven mountains to prevent him from leaving Asuraloka. Knowing this, Jupiter (Guru) performed Tapas towards Lord Vishnu in order to rescue his son. Pleased by his prayers, the Lord sent the Chakkarath Alwar (A discus form of Lord Vishnu) and rescued Kasa from the Demon world. The Lord Vishnu gave Darshan to Jupiter (Guru) from His Rath (Chariot) along with his consorts Sridevi and Boodevi. This darshan of the Lord on a mind-blowing Ratha happened on a Chithra Nakshathira day. Hence this temple is closely associated with Chithra Starers.
The main significance of this temple is that the idols of the Lord, Sridevi, and Boodevi are made up of Sandalwood. The Lord graces in a standing position and the idol is about 10 feet tall. Also, the Guru Bhagawan and the Chakkarath Alwar grace the devotees as Suyambu Moorthy. Guru Bhagawan developed a place for his son Kasa on the banks of Vaigai River and performed tapas towards the Lord in this place for his rescue. So this place is known as Guruvithurai or Kuruvithurai (Guru Iruntha Thurai, Thurai means River bank). Also, since the Lord gave His darshan to Guru on a Rath of Artistic Beauty, the Perumal here is known as ‘Chithra Ratha Vallaba Perumal’.
As mentioned above, this temple is considered as one of the Guru Sthalam. The transition of Guru to the next Rasi (Guru Peyarchi) is observed devotionally in this temple. Special poojas are done to Guru Bhagawan on this day. It is strongly believed that those who worship Vallaba Perumal and the Guru Bhagawan with utmost devotion would get rid of all the Doshas and problems in life.
Though this temple is not listed in the 108 Divya Desams, we can still see the hymns in the praise of Chithra Ratha Perumal and Chakkarath Alwar in the famous Thiruvoimozhi that was sung by NamAzhwar.
