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A check on time

Photos: S.S.Kavitha and Special arrangement

Only one of its kind The temple tower, side view of the temple, plaques at the entrance of the temple

A Temple for sale? Unbelievable and blasphemous, you may think. But it is a harsh reality too.

The temple in mention is the Nera Kovil (temple for time) and the deity worshipped here is Sri Kaaladevi Amman. Situated on the Madurai-Srivilliputhur Road, exactly two kilometres from M.Subbulapuram near T. Kallupatti, a lonely stretch leads to the small temple that is unique in structure and puja timings.

The temple resembles an ‘oodukai’ (Lord Shiva’s ‘dumroo’) and the sanctum sanctorum is octagonal in shape. The deity is in a standing posture in the centre of five circles and five-faced stars that represent the powers of creation, protection and destruction, stars and planets, five elements and devas. The temple gopuram also looks different with eight-storyed structure representing the different life-stages of man. The 52-feet tower looks simple with figurines of flowers and swasthik.

“This is the only temple for time in the world,” claims Swamithasan Guruji, who established it in 1999. He says that “under the guidance of the supreme power that showed him the way from Mount Abu to this village where he rested and he chose to build the temple.”

In 1999, he built a pyramid-shaped hut that served as the temple. Later when devotees began to throng, the hut was slowly converted into a concrete structure by 2006.

The temple is open from 5 p.m. till morning. Devotees prefer to spend the night on the temple premises after participating in yaga puja performed only on the new moon and full moon days.

The time circle moves 102 times for a second. Good times come at one point of time just for a fraction of a second. That is why the priest requests the devotees to spend the night on the temple premises. “It is good to come in a group of eleven,” he says and adds that the time circle has 11 aarams (points). The temple also provides free food to devotees on the yaga puja days apart from distributing holy water collected from all sacred water bodies in the country.

“Once you visit this temple, all your problems get automatically solved. But a visit is not that easy either. For, it is believed that it is the call of the Goddess that enables your visit,” vows a devotee, S. Lakshmaswamy.

Born at Ayyaneri, a village near Kovilpatti, Swamithasan was in the Army.

He got married after 15 years of service but problems in life made him ponder why people suffered even after performing ‘pujas’ and ‘pariharams.’ He began his search for the truth.

“After 25 years of search, I understood that time is precious. Even God would be able to help people who have good time and Goddess Sri Kaaladevi alone can convert bad times into good times,” he says.

After making visits to all holy places in the country, it was at Mt.Abu that he had a revelation, he claims.

He designed a statue and from there he came down to M. Subbulapuram village in Perayur taluk, Madurai district where he bought two-acres of land and established the temple.

The temple is not only for those who suffer due to bad times, but also cures health problems such as swelling, headache, back ache, heart problem, knee pain, fits and bone disorder. Swamithasan says over 80 per cent of the devotees have got cured here.

Now, Swamithasan Guruji wants to hand down to the responsibility to a devoted and a rich person so that he can repay the loans he has incurred in constructing the temple.

“I am not able to serve like before given my advancing age. I am looking for somebody who can serve the temple and the people. This is my only concern now,” he says.

Everybody knows time is precious and a healer too. But an exclusive temple for Time is indeed interesting. Any takers for the temple may contact 94421-73049 for more details.

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