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First Hindu temple built in the US, in the year 1905. I'm on the fence, from an architecture point of view.
... it is more withdrawn than deep sleep, also, more wakeful than the waking state ...
17. Mai 2025
(taken March 2020)
What is necessary now is to recognise our own nature instead of going on being confused.
The ever present Buddha nature is like the unhindered sun shining in the sky, but sunshine never reaches inside a cave facing north. This cave is an analogy for misunderstanding, wrong view or partial understanding.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
thank you friends for being here! <3
Be conscious of yourself as consciousness alone.
Watch all the thoughts come and go.
Come to the conclusion, by direct experience, that you are really consciousness itself, not its ephemeral contents.
Annamalai Swami in
the stars may be seen distinctly before the sun rises, but as His light advances their rays are gradually absorbed by His, and they become invisible. Not from the want of light in themselves, but from the superior effulgence of the chief luminary.
The case is similar here, for there is a strong and universal light which absorbs all the little distinct lights of the soul. They grow faint and disappear under its powerful influence and self activity is now now longer distinguishable.
separate consistently and perseveringly the "I am" from this or that and try to feel what it means to be, - just to be, - without being this or that.
Nisargadatta Maharaj
youtu.be/WxaUClPz9k4?si=N2WPJbZpgUmN9p0s
a happy series of about fourteen photographs happened yesterday; I will post one of them every day until they are all out. This is my latest arrival which came last year; a Les Paul Traditional in sunburst. So here is No 2. <3
Thanks you all friends for your support, visits, faves or comments!
as we continued along the road around the hill, it soon became dark and we entered the northern road which already spots the first shops of the city of Tiruvannamalai. The shops usually have no door and open towards the street.
Oh yes, I shouldn't have cut his feet!!
day 6/7
like the mirage that produces an illusory oasis in the desert, the senses create the impression that there is a real world in front of us that is being perceived by the mind. The apparent reality of the world is an illusion. It is merely a misperception. ...
Self inquiry is the process by which attention is put on the substratum, instead of on the names and forms that are habitually imposed on it. Self is the substratum out of which all things appear to manifest and the Jnani is the one who is continually aware of the real substratum.
Annamalai Swami
youtu.be/1_j0C8_6pr4?si=hqvPFlRdNnw_0ymQ
personal interpretation; in this picture the mirage is already dissolving because the focus of attention is slowly retreating to it's source.
youtu.be/4O-NOxQlKKM?si=KEroeHTb5WmygFTS
You are not earth, water, fire or air.
Nor are you empty space.
Liberation is to know yourself
as Awareness alone—
the Witness of these.
Abide in Awareness
with no illusion of person.
You will be instantly free and at peace.
You have no caste or duties.
You are invisible, unattached, formless.
You are the Witness of all things.
Be happy.
I am wonderful indeed--
beyond adoration.
I am astounded at my powers.
The universe appears within me
but I do not touch it.
from the Ashtavakra Gita
repost
seen from the south; almost every morning those clouds are there; by noon they will have disappeared.
In Hinduism (especially in Jnana Yoga and Advaita Vedanta), neti-neti is the mantra, meaning "not this, not this." This expression can be found in the Upanishads. One of the first Advaita philosophers to propose the neti-neti approach was Adi Shankara. This apophatic practice (see apophatic theology) is an expression of the fact that the Absolute is not something that can be described - it is beyond discursive thinking.
Neti-neti is also an analytical process — understanding something through a clear definition of what it is not. One of the key elements of Jnana Yoga is the “net-net research” - an approach to understanding the nature of Brahman without using asserting (and, therefore, inadequate) its definitions or descriptions: more precisely, we are talking about consistent “discarding” attempts to define the Absolute in a discursive way.
The goal of this exercise is to remove conceptual schemes and other obstacles to meditation. Similarly, a sage can express the nature of the divine, simply pointing out its incompatibility with anything else.
Similar directions in other (and Indian) theological systems trying to uncover the Absolute, noting what it is not (neti - not that), are called apophatic theology.
原则
ascending from the town (Tiruvannamalai) and after a stop at Virupaksha cave, we reached Skandashram. These people gathered in the shade of a big mango tree and seemed to discuss things about Sri Ramana who lived here for many years until the death of his mother, after which he settled down on the Southside of Arunachala and where thus Sri Ramanasramam was founded.
day 7/8
Paññā (Pāli) or prajñā (Sanskrit) "wisdom", is insight in the true nature of reality, namely primarily anicca (impermanence), dukkha (dissatisfaction or suffering), anattā (non-self) and śūnyatā (emptiness).
Indian cities are cauldrons of turmoil but there are quiet spots as well. One such is the handsome Porter Town Hall in Kumbakonam. It's named after a great educator who did much for Indian education: William Archer Porter (1825-1890). The faux-gold statue in front is of Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902). He was an expert in Vedanta and Yoga and important in their transmission to the West. Also a pantheist and secular socialist his mottos were 'Strength is Life' and "Arise! Awake', extensively explained in a speech held here in 1897. They immediately reminded me of the great Dutch orator, educator and socialist politician Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis (1846-1919), who in 1898 founded an important socialist journal.
After a couple of minutes, back into the turmoil...
allow the mind to rest with vivid clarity in an unaltered, empty state of mind. When the mind is still then settle into that stillness without trying to alter it in any way. ...
Patrul Rinpoche
within such nature as dharmata there is nothing whatsoever to be cultivated or achieved. It is present as your natural possession from the very beginning.
Every type of activity or effort binds you with the rope of ambition. There is no separate result to achieve by means of effort and striving. Let your mind of equality relax, unsupported in the realized state of dharmata. ... but nevertheless a person like you cannot let go and cannot stay put. You always make elaborate plans for unnecessary activities and think not for an instance of the dharma practice that is needed ....
- Padmasambhava
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a happy series of about sixteen photographs just happened; I will post one of them every day until they are all out. This is my latest arrival which came last year; a Les Paul Traditional in sunburst. So here is No 1. <3
Thanks you all friends for your support, visits, faves or comments!
© Cynthia E. Wood
www.cynthiawoodphoto.com | FoundFolios | facebook | Blurb | Instagram @cynthiaewood
[11/25/08: This is the 'phone booth' at the Vedanta Olema Retreat Center in Marin County. My friend Alison and I stopped here to look around while we were on a little photo-roadtrip this past weekend. I especially love the jar marked "telephone money." There were about 40 cents in the jar, including a few pennies; I don't get the impression they're doing a lot of talking on the telephone up there...]
Among the sources of Western esotericism, the Hermetica is the most prominent. It is a collection of writings on cosmology, astrology, alchemy, and magic, and it has its origins in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. The Hermetica is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and magic, is a significant figure in the Hermetica. Greeks in Egypt came to identify Thoth with their god Hermes.
Hermetism, in its ancient context, is closely related to pagan Neoplatonism. Neo-Platonists practiced Theurgy, a form of pagan mystical practice and magical ritual. The concept of theurgy came from the Chaldean Oracles, which describe the physical world as a prison from which the higher human soul must escape.
Gnosticism is a heresy from the early Christian era. The word Gnosticism comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning “knowledge” or “insight,” and it pertains to hidden or secret spiritual knowledge. Gnostics believe that their souls are trapped in an imperfect world and that through esoteric knowledge they can be freed from the prison of this material world.
During the Italian Renaissance, a priest named Marsilio Ficino taught new spiritual concepts of Platonism and the Hermetica. This caused a revival of Neoplatonism and Hermetism. During this time, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola blended Kabbalah with Hermeticism. Then came figures such as Johannes Reuchlin, Johann Trithemius, and Henry Cornelius Agrippa, who mixed forms of Hermeticism with Neoplatonism, Neopythagoreanism, magic, astrology, alchemy, and Cabala. After came John Dee, who was an advisor to Elizabeth I. He immersed himself in astrology, alchemy, and Cabala. John Dee and Edward Kelley collaborated in angel magic for several years. And an influential figure in medicine named Paracelsus, combined alchemy with Hermetic and Neoplatonic ideas to form his medical theories. The Emerald Tablet, one of the oldest alchemical writings, played a major role in Renaissance esotericism. The saying, “as above, so below,” comes from the Emerald Tablet.
Christian theosophy emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in reaction to the strict orthodoxy of the Lutheran Reformation. Jacob Boehme was the figure behind the start of this movement. His ideas influenced intellectual movements such as Romanticism and Idealism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Platonism and Hermeticism are an essential part of theosophy. Rosicrucianism also arose in the seventeenth century. “From its obscure origins, the Rosicrucian myth would inspire literature, eighteenth-century Masonic adaptations, the rituals of the Golden Dawn, the leading magical order of the modern occult revival, and still exerts a powerful mystique today.”
Many secret societies formed in the eighteenth century, with their different esoteric beliefs. Many of these societies had relationships with the various Masonic lodges. Continental Freemasonry latched onto many of the esoteric ideas of these societies. The higher degrees of Freemasonry usually incorporated themes of theosophy, Rosicrucianism, and alchemy. Therefore, in the eighteenth century, Freemasonry was a major conduit for the spread of Western esotericism.
Emanuel Swedenborg had a great influence on eighteenth-century theosophy and was a major player in the development of modern esotericism. The Enlightenment influenced esoteric ideas, and they were accepted by many eighteenth-century illuminists. Then came Franz Anton Mesmer, who developed the theory of animal magnetism. His legacy can be traced to the early beginnings of modern Spiritualism. Animal magnetism was rooted in esoteric traditions. A key figure in animal magnetism was Justinus Kerner. His work became well-known throughout Europe. Another key figure was Baron Jules Dupotet de Sennevoy, who used animal magnetism to “unlock the secrets of magic.” His ideas influenced modern occultism. Helena Blavatsky, one of the founders of modern Theosophy, was a big fan of Dupotet. She also linked animal magnetism to magic. A man named James Braid coined the term “hypnotism” to describe animal magnetism. Hypnosis played a major role in the development of modern psychology. (Though they stripped the occult “ideas” from animal magnetism (hypnotism), I consider hypnotism to be an occult “practice.” Both Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung experimented with hypnosis.
In the mid-nineteenth century, occultism was introduced to America, predominantly through forms of animal magnetism, Swedenborgianism, and Freemasonry. Animal magnetism was introduced to America by Charles de Poyen. It quickly spread among occultists and spiritualists and was often combined with Swedenborgian ideas. Then came Andrew Jackson Davis, who communicated with a spirit he later identified as Swedenborg. He wrote a book called The Principles of Nature, which utilized Swedenborg’s ideas. His book sold many copies and became one of the founding texts of modern Spiritualism. Out of animal magnetism came the movements of New Thought and Christian Science, which integrated traditional Christian ideas with nineteenth-century metaphysical traditions. Next came modern Spiritualism, with its entertaining showmanship (self-moving furniture, self-playing musical instruments, and body levitation). Although the concepts of Swedenborg and animal magnetism were part of modern Spiritualism, the movement emerged independently of these influences.
The modern occult revival of the nineteenth century was complex. Romanticism sparked interest in the mysterious and unknown, thus creating an interest in animal magnetism, Spiritualism, and magic. A man named Eliphas Lévi became a pioneering figure in this Western occult revival. Lévi mixed ideas of animal magnetism with his philosophy of magic. Lévi used the Kabbalah and the Tarot as a source of magical symbolism. Much of modern occultism recognizes the Tarot as a root of mystical symbolism and imagery. Aleister Crowley believed himself to be a reincarnation of Lévi. Helena Blavatsky was also a fan of Lévi. In the second half of the nineteenth century, a Freemasonry order called the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia was founded. In turn, some of its members founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Golden Dawn produced various offshoots, impacting Western esoteric traditions during the twentieth century.
Arthur Edward Waite came out of the Golden Dawn. He was a poet, scholar, mystic, and occultist. He was a prolific writer on esoteric matters. He was also a co-creator of the Rider-Waite TAROT card deck, which is one of the most popular Tarot decks. Aleister Crowley also came out of the Golden Dawn. Crowley wrote “The Book of the Law,” which stated, “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!” Crowley used sex magick as a major tool for his magical system. Crowley referred to himself as the Great Beast 666. “Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern witchcraft, introduced Crowleyan magick into the neopagan Wiccan movement.” Dion Fortune, who had a great impact on modern Western esotericism, also came out of the Golden Dawn. She was one of the most influential twentieth-century occultists and ceremonial magicians. She had a significant influence on both later ceremonial magic and Wicca. “She was perhaps one of the first occult writers to approach magic and hermetic concepts from the psychology of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.”
The Theosophical Society was founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott. Blavatsky combined elements of Neoplatonism, Renaissance magic, Kabbalah, Freemasonry, ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman mythology and religion, Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta into her religious system. Her new religious movement played a major role in the spread of esoteric traditions in the modern era, and it was likely the biggest Influence behind the modern occult revival. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Theosophy gained a large international following. Her work prepared the foundation for what is now known as the New Age movement.
Alice A. Bailey authored many books on Theosophy. She was one of the first writers to use the term New Age, and her works have significantly influenced the New Age movement. Alice and Foster Bailey founded the Lucifer Publishing Company, which was later named the Lucis Publishing Company. (The Theosophical Society had also used the name “Lucifer” for its early magazine.) World Goodwill, which is part of Alice Bailey’s Lucis Trust, is an accredited Nongovernmental Organization with the Department of Public Information at the United Nations. The Lucis Trust is also on the Roster of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Carl Jung, the famous psychiatrist, had a profound impact on the world of psychology and spirituality. Esoteric traditions profoundly shaped Jung’s understanding of the human psyche. Gnosticism deeply resonated with Jung’s theories. His ideas have had a significant influence on the New Age movement. Western esotericism gained renewed momentum from Jung’s implied spiritualization of the psyche.
“Ever since Plato’s separation of the body and the soul, Western esotericism has traced a path in which the soul has been granted some share in divinity.” Hermetism, Neoplatonism, and modern-day Western esotericism provide people with a vision of the cosmos in which their soul has divine purpose. With the popularity of New Age and neopagan philosophies in the West today, esoteric traditions will continue to evolve and lay claim to some sort of enlightened gnosis.
I think that modern esotericism will lead down the road to Alice Bailey’s vision of a world religion—the fusion of faiths. This concept has been around for a long time. Here is the concept: a one-world government is needed to unite mankind in order to create a world of peace and prosperity (political Gnosticism). To accomplish a one-world government, all religions must unite under one umbrella (spiritual Gnosticism). Many groups have been working towards this goal, such as the Parliament of the World’s Religions, the International Association for Religious Freedom, the World Congress of Faiths, Nostra Aetate, and Religions for Peace.
Nietzsche’s murder of God is an element of parousiastic Gnosticism, which seeks to destroy everything that is perceived as unjust (imperfect), and to replace it with a just (perfect) order through the power of human means and intellect. Therefore, the Christian God of the West has to go, and so does Western democracy. Just like the murder of God, Nietzsche’s transformation of man into the superman is an attempt to murder man. “Historically, the murder of God is not followed by the superman, but by the murder of man.” The Marxists must destroy capitalism and instate communism, thus killing off bourgeois society. They are trapped in this world of capitalism; thus, their world is a prison. The Marxists are trapped in a system of private property and must transcend private property, abolishing it forever. Marxists must transcend the evils of this capitalist world and evolve into the “socialist man”/“communist man.” They must destroy the current system to gain their utopia. Indeed, “socialism is man’s positive self-consciousness,” his gnosis.
“Communism is the riddle of history solved, and it knows itself to be this solution. The entire movement of history, just as its actual act of genesis—the birth act of its empirical existence—is, therefore, for its thinking consciousness the comprehended and known process of its becoming.” – Karl Marx
“The positive transcendence of private property as the appropriation of human life, is therefore the positive transcendence of all estrangement—that is to say, the return of man from religion, family, state, etc., to his human, i.e., social, existence.” – Karl Marx
Political Gnosticism is seen in communism and National Socialism. Political Gnosticism is alive and well today, with affluent people and organizations who want to transform our world into their utopian dream. The United Nations, with its Sustainable Development Goals, is the chief example. The World Economic Forum is another. Through their gnosis, they can bring peace and prosperity to the world.
“Queer theory brings knowing and being into the education of young children.” In queer theory, people are born (trapped) in the wrong body; their bodies are prisons. “Young people are absorbing the idea that the physical body is not part of the authentic self—that the authentic self is only the autonomous choosing self. This is ancient Gnosticism in new garb.”
Transhumanists want mankind to transcend into the superman. Man is trapped in this mortal body, but the goal is to someday attain immortality. They will use technology and super intelligence to solve man’s problems, to bring about a perfect world of peace and prosperity.
The Bible warns about the forming of a future one-world religion—the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. It warns of a one-world cashless currency system, which will be connected to the Mark of the Beast. Without this one-world digital ID Mark, which will be located on the right hand or forehead, a person will not be able to buy or sell. The man who implements this system will be the Antichrist. His Mark will plunge mankind into the first stages of transhumanism. Those who refuse this transformation into the superman will be put to death—the murder of man. The Western religion of Christianity will be replaced with the worship of Caesar (the Beast). Western democracy will be replaced with totalitarianism.
The gnosis: if you eat the fruit, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God.
All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.
Swami Vivekananda (Indian Spiritual leader of the Hindu religion (Vedanta). Disciple of the famous 19th century mystic-saint Sri Ramakrishna of Calcutta. Founder of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks. 1863-1902)
Of what avail is knowing things
Other than the Self? And the Self being known,
What other thing is there to know?
That one light that shines as many selves,
Seeing this Self within
As Awareness' lighting flash;
The play of Grace; the ego's death;
The blossoming of Bliss.
from Atma Vidya (Self Knowledge) of Sri Ramana Maharshi
statue of Sri Ramana in the samadhi hall
here I met Murali a young man from Tiruchirapalli, still further south of India. We continued to walk together the remaining kms, talking and discussing spiritual things. On the way I convinced him to stay for two more days and walk with me again; he had come only for one day and wanted to drive back in the evening. Finally we decided to meet again early the next morning at the ashram gate of Sri Ramanasramam.
I don't remember whether this is at Varuna or Vayu Lingam, one of the eight main temples around Arunachala.
day 6/5
Your duty is to be and not to be this or that. ‘I am that I am’ sums up the whole truth.
The method is summed up in the words ‘Be still’. What does stillness mean? It means destroy yourself. Because any form or shape is the cause for trouble.
Give up the notion that ‘I am so and so’.
All that is required to realize the Self is to be still. What can be easier than that?
~Ramana Maharshi
day 5/7
this is how girivalam, (circumambulation) the circuit around the holy hill Arunachala is supposed to be done.
© Cynthia E. Wood
www.cynthiawoodphoto.com | FoundFolios | facebook | Blurb
Vimukti is quite possibly the oldest man I have ever met, and I did nothing to make him look younger or 'better' here. And while he may be very old and very frail, to speak to him was to be in the presence of a very alert, very aware mind; not only that, to speak to him was to be in the presence of loving kindness... He had such a sweet demeanor, and tranquil calmness seems to be written all over his face; this was not an agitated, excitable soul. Vimukti (an assumed name, no doubt) was a tiny bit apprehensive about having his portrait taken -- not to be disagreeable or uppity or anything, but apparently because no one had ever taken his portrait before...or so he said. I think it was high time someone took this gentle man's portrait. [Taken at the Vedanta Olema Retreat Center in Marin County.]
This picture is #1 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at www.100Strangers.com.
Bhaja Govindam is a popular 8th century Hindu devotional composition believed to have been composed by Adi Shankaracharya. This work of Adi Shankara underscores the view that devotion (Bhakti) to God, Govinda, is a vastly important part of general spirituality and especially Bhakti Yoga and Bhakti movement. This work is generally considered a good summary of Advaita Vedanta.
The composition has a very deep meaning. You can find the complete bhajan and its translation here.
[From archives of my Mt abu trip in feb,09]
This village is supposed to be displaced from the construction of a huge University from Vedanta company.
Praise That,
which is Bliss itself,
which is by nature stillness and light,
and which by Its knowing
reveals the world as a dream.
Ashtavakra Gita
the sun rising behind Arunachala, the ancient, sacred hill in South India.
Malkiat Grewal Procam Slam Finisher at TCS 10K 2025 in Bengaluru.
To become a Procam Slam Finisher in 2025, you must complete the feature races at each of the four Procam International events within the specified time limits. This includes finishing the Open 10K at TCS World 10K Bengaluru, the Half Marathon at Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, the 25K Run at Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, and the Marathon at Tata Mumbai Marathon.
"Age 75 , Retired Para Military Force (CISF) President Police Medalist-2007 : Love Marathon , Cycling, Photography, Gardening, and Goa beaches."
later in the afternoon I took another walk towards Skandashram; at a particular spot one has a beautiful overview over the city of Tiruvannamalai and the great temple (not on the picture).
day 5/13
First Hindu Temple in the West, also known as the Old Temple, corner of Filbert and Webster Streets, San Francisco, California. The building was constructed in 1905 by the Vedanta Society of Northern California Vedanta is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. A young disciple of Vedanta, Swami Trigunatita, took over the society's leadership in 1902 and planned the temple that would become the organization's headquarters. In 1905 the first two floors were constructed in a conventional Western design. In 1908, Trigunatita, in collaboration with architect Joseph Leonard, added a third floor and a profusion of towers and domes, transforming the prosaic structure into a unique example of architectural eclecticism. In 1915, during the PanamaPacific International Exposition, the temple became an urban landmark, and its exotic architecture became a symbol of San Francisco's claim to be the "Gateway to the Orient". The temple was renovated in 2017 and is still in use as a residence for monks and a location for Friday night meetings and Sunday school.
a lady from Estonia took a few hours to complete this dedicated work in a small shallow pond in front of Sri Ramana's Mahanirvana room. Each flower is sitting in a small mud pot at the bottom of the pond. See pictures preceding for how the work started.
day 5/6
ascending from the town (Tiruvannamalai) and after a stop at Virupaksha cave, we reached Skandashram. These people gathered in the shade of a big mango tree and seemed to discuss things about Sri Ramana who lived here for many years until the death of his mother, after which he settled down on the Southside of Arunachala and where thus Sri Ramanasramam was founded.
day 7/7
I had tried the same shot before; then changed from Auto white balance to sunlight, which gave the picture more warmth.
This fifth day, which was the third day I was allowed to spend at Sri Ramanasramam, was one of the golden days of the whole trip with plenty of opportunities to take shots in a relaxed and free mood.
this is a closer look into the Mahasamadhi room; - see picture before for more information!
day 5/12
Description of Temple
Koviloor, at present, is a small village, 2 kilometres away from Karaikudi, an educational and commercial centre. The main features of Koviloor are our temple and the mutt.
On the main road, two magnificent chariots constructed with concrete, on both sides of entrance, welcome us to Koviloor Mutt and Temple and from that point a well laid road, leads us to the southern tower of the temple.
The temple is surrounded by four broad Mada Streets. In front of the temple, on the eastern side is the tank "Madhu Puskarani" with a mandapam in the centre of the tank. Surprisingly, by the grace of the lord, the tank is always full with water even during hot summer months. On the southern side, our mutt stands like a palace with granite structure. Northern and western side of the temple, residential quarters for the temple and mutt employees are built. The main temple tower, Rajagopuram, is built with seven tiers according to 'Agama' tradition. It is full of beautiful sculptures.
The History
The Koviloor temple of "Sri Kotravaleeswarar" was initially built by one Pandiya King "Veerasekara Pandiyan" approximately thousand years ago. At that time Koviloor was known as Saliwadi (Land of Rice) and Kalani Vasal (Land of Agriculture). It had been a laterite construction.
Later during the 18th century, His Holiness Shri la Sri Mukthiramalinga Gnana Desika Swamigal had started reconstruction work. Simultaneously he had established our Vedanta Mutt, when it came to be known as Koviloor.
Once Pandiya King Veerasekaran went for hunting near Saliwadi village and lost his sword and later recovered. He ordered the construction of the temple and named the deity as Kotravaleeswarar or Raja Katka Parameshwar (God who saved King's sword, valour and there by citizens)
A legend explains how merciful and considerate has been the Goddess towards the truthful devotees. In ancient times there was a devotee by name Sivagupthan, living at Saliwadi with his wife Sudanmai and daughter Aradhanavalli. One day Sudanmai asked her daughter to go to their farm to protect the rice grains from birds. At noon, the mother went to the farm and fed her child with curd rice. The child relished the food and happily ate it.
But to the surprise of Sudanami, after some time Aradhavalli came running and requested for lunch. On enquiry it was explained that she had not gone to the farm at all, instead gone to play with her friends. Immediately Sivagupthan and Sudanmai realised that Mother Universe had come down to save their rice grains. They rushed to the temple and saw the Mother sitting with a smile and remains of curd rice on her lips. From that day onwards She came to be known as "Thirunellai Amman" (Goddess who saved rice grain).