Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple visit

March 22 was day nine of the 2019 Innersearch in Sri Lanka. Not far from the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple is where Yogaswami was born. As a young man, Yogaswami, known as Sadasivan, would frequent this temple, so our lineage has long held a deep connection here. Gurudeva was once invited into the inner sanctum by the head priest to do arati. This was unheard of at the time, and surprised many temple priests in the area. The head priest simply told them, "I saw Lord Muruga at the entrance, so I let Him in." This time around, to the surprise of many, after the homa Bodhinatha and the monks were also invited into the sanctum and Bodhinatha did the grand abhishekam himself. The energy of the invocation, puja, temple circumambulation, homa and abhishekam was tremendously electrifying. This continued when a second puja was conducted at an altar before the Mayil Vahana, where the Six-faced Shanmuga was the presiding deity. 1008 names were chanted by the revered chief priest of the Temple Maharajasri Ratnasabapathy Kurukkal. The event continued with a parade of Shanmuga around the first prakaram (the outer part of the inner sanctum) of the Temple. Temple prasadam was served as lunch, following these events. Overall, Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple blessed us with a day of powerful, divine energy.

Final arati with six priests to the six-faced Kandaswamy

At the entrance of the Kandaswamy Temple

Maharajasri Ratnasabapathy Kurukkal came rushing to greet Satguru Bodhinatha and the pilgrims

Kurukkal personally escorted us around the temple to do the circumambulation when we first arrived

Stopping at the Ganesha shrine

Murugan\

s names for chanting in Tamil'

Innersearch pilgrims following Kurukkal and the monks around the sanctum.

In the early 1990s this area was declared a high security zone. The structure was damaged in the civil war. This hole is part of the current renovation process.

Rishi Thondunatha and the monks followed to enter the inner sanctum. A rare opportunity indeed.

One of the priests chanting

The homa kumbhas were prepared prior to our arrival

Kurukkal had several assistant priests for these elaborate prayers.

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and the monks bring the offerings into the sanctum and Satguru does the abhishekam

Dishanna and Lyla bring some cool air to Satguru

This little one is starting early. He grabbed the tavil stick and insisted on drumming, to the delight of his father and the musicians.

The offerings for the puja for the main sanctum were brought around the temple

The final arati for Shanmuga

Bodhinatha taking the flame from the main puja in the sanctum

Both sides of Lord Kandaswamy shown. This is the back

This is the front side

Vibuthi prasadam distributed after puja to the Innersearch pilgrims

Bringing the utsava Murugan out from its shrine

From left: Ganesh Annadurai, Suganth Srichandramohan and Shaha Shebabrata

Dohadeva from Singapore looking toward the inner sanctum

After puja, the Innersearch pilgrims had the blessings to carry the palanquin of utsava Murugan around the temple

The paraded kumbha being brought into the sanctum

Offering from the homa flame\

s ashes were mixed with ghee and offered as a tilak for all'

The utsava Murugan makes stops at each side shrine

After the utsava Muruga was returned to the shrine, the screen rolled sideways

Selvon Mardemootoo next to an iron grill with the Vel and swan designs

Sheela Visswanathan from California

Aubrey Burke in the middle offering his prayers to the utsava Murugan. He decided to stay back in Sri Lanka and continue his pilgrimage for another month

Local devotees came for this glorious puja

Haran Kandadas from California

Ashish Chitnis from North Carolina getting the sprinkles of blessed water

Eric Mackow, Dr Rama Rao and Karthik Suresh

Dr. Mruthyunjaya from New York and Purany Ponniah from Singapore

One of the side shrines with Siva Nataraja and Parvathy

Close up. Not a common sight to have a full Tirusula with Damaru next to a Siva Nataraja dancing pose and Parvathy. Nevertheless a beautiful and powerful addition.

Another view of Shanmuga

Preparing for the Shanmuga puja in front of the main sanctum

The final offering was placed into the homa by Satguru Bodhinatha

}

];