The tale of Neyveli Anjaneyar

We visit temples more often. But have you ever wondered about the history of a temple? Two days back when I went to my native, my sister called me to drop her at the Anjaneyar temple. I was surprised to hear that as I was not aware of any Anjaneyar temple in my locality. Then she told me that it is a small (very small) temple in the Mandarakuppam-Township main road. Then I remembered the temple. It is a temple that originated 12years back.

12 years back (I was studying 7th then and we used to travel in school bus in that main road), a speeding lorry crushed a group of monkeys that tried to cross the main road. It was ofcourse an accident. The monkeys crossed suddenly and the driver of the lorry could not do anything. The guilt of killing a monkey, related to Lord Hanuman, can be terrible even though it is an accident. So this lorry driver burried the bodies of all the dead monkeys in the vacant space near the main road, placed a small statue of Lord Anjaneyar, lighted a lamp, prayed and left the place. This picture shows the first statue placed by the lorry driver and you can also see lot of lamps which people light everyday.During my school days I occasionally used to see one or two people praying at the temple.

The temple remained as it is till I completed school and joined college. I never noticed the temple when I went to my native during all these years and I went to the temple with my sister two days back. As I heard, a slightly bigger temple was built adjacent to the previous temple with a bigger statue. I have photographed the new statue here.

Now, there is a separate pujari for the temple. He is living just behind the temple. Every day there is a half an hour pooja at 6 p.m and the temple door is never closed. When we went for the evening pooja, there was atleast 40 people in all ages were present there. Small kids to age old people. The pujari told me that every day someone comes with pongal, sundal or vada and offer to the god and later distribute to all the devotees. Moreover, they offer special pujas on all the auspicious days and 'Moola Natchathram' days every month. They also have this tradition, the pujari has two laminated sheets with songs praising the lord. He randomly selects two people, one male and one female and give it to them to sing or recite the slogams and songs printed in the sheets. Luckily for me, I got the sheet. I joined with a few old people there and recited the slogans. My sister later told me that she is visiting the temple every saturday for the past 4 months and she tries to get that sheet every week; she had got only once and that I am very lucky.

I believe that this small temple will grow into a big place of worship in the next few years. If you ever happen to visit neyveli, please visit the temple. It is located near the Mandarakuppam bus stand in the main road to Neyveli Township.