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Gurupeeta — the Pooja Mandira
The Gurupeeta's own shrine, where the Sri Varadaraja Swami that Sri Ramanuja worshipped in person receives his daily aradhana.
What this work involves
When Acharya Sri Ramanuja appointed the four sthanacharya houses he did not hand them offices alone. He gave each household deity murtis he had himself been worshipping, and mantras to go with them.
What came to this house was Sri Varadaraja Swami — Perumal — with Sridevi and Bhudevi: the murti Ramanuja worshipped in person. The family's own history says so plainly, and says where it is. It is in the house still, and it can be seen there.
What stands around him
The divya Sudarshana yantra written in grantha script, Sri Badari Narayana, Sri Bhu sameta Srinivasa, three Krishnas, the Alvars and the acharyas of the sampradaya, and a number of rare salagramas.
Vijayalakshmi Ammanavaru, who the history describes as fulfilling the rarest of requests, is held to have appeared in this house. It is her name the gurukulam and the kalyana mantapa both carry.
The daily aradhana
Conducted to the Agama shastra and the tradition kept here: the same order of offerings, the same mantras, morning and evening, every day of the year.
It does not depend on anyone being there to watch it, which is rather the point. The poojas are made for the wellbeing of all who look to this peetha, and a duty kept only when observed is not a duty.
The kshetra's deities, in the same care
The aradhana of Sri Aravindavalli sameta Badari Narayana Swamy — in the shrine called Dakshina Badarikashrama, beneath the thousand-year-old elachi tree the villages named this house for — is among its oldest offices. Kavigallu Anjaneya Swamy receives a special aradhana of his own.
Devotees are received. There is no audience to be sought and no swami to seek it from: this is a householder's peetha, and people walk into it.
At a glance
- Sridevi–Bhudevi sameta Sri Varadaraja Swami, worshipped by Ramanuja himself
- Given to the house when Ramanuja gave it the sthanacharyatva
- Daily aradhana to the Agama shastra, morning and evening
- The Sudarshana yantra in grantha script, and rare salagramas
- Vijayalakshmi Ammanavaru, whose name the gurukulam carries
- Kept every day of the year, watched or unwatched
- Devotees are received at the mandira
Coming for darshana
Telephone before you come, so that somebody is there to receive you and the aradhana you came for is not already finished.
In pictures
What it looks like
Select any photograph to see it full size.
Keep reading
Our other work
Would you like to help?
The gurukulam teaches free of cost and the kitchen serves whoever arrives — both carried entirely by what devotees give.
Give now by UPI or bank transfer, with an 80G certificate if you need one. Or write to the office to sponsor a particular day of annadana, offer time during a festival, or ask what is needed most — those take a date and a person rather than a payment.