Annadanam seva at Suraikayur by Sringeri Math, Pune
Sri Bhava-aushada-Managalambika
Suraikayur is a small village near Ayyampet raliway station in Thanjavur District. The Temple of Shri Bhujapatheeswarar (the name of Shri Bhujapatheeswar is from Bhujangatram, one of the 64 Maheshwara shakti)and Bhava Aushada Mangalambika, has plenty of spiritual significance as described in Soura Purana.
Suraikai (in Tamil) (a.k.a Doodhi in hindi, aanappakaayaa in Telugu) has a shell which enhances the quality of whatever is stored inside. Suraikai siddha had packed rare herbs in thousands of Suraikai shells and buried them underground before the temple came up, ages ago. He had worshipped and taken sookshama samadhi underneath the lingam like Patanjali at Rameswaram, Sata-tapa-siddha at Kalahasthi.
Suraikayur is called Bhaskar Shakthi Sthal. Bhaskar Shakti is Sun Himself garnering the energies of his 12 forms (Mitra, Ravi, Soorya, Bhanu, kaga, Poosha, Hiranyagarbha, mareechi, Aditya, Savitra, Arka and Bhaskara) and offering the same as garlands of light, the shaft of the morning rays of the sun falling on the lingam directly. The Sun alongwith all members of His family (consorts Chchaya, Swarchalamba, sons Saneeswara, Yama, Swayambhu Manu and daughter Yamuna) offers surya pooja thus at specicific temples on particular days and month every year, in addition to Suraikayur.
Solar rays falling on the Linga of Lord Shiva
There is special creeper in the fields, around this temple. This is called Paala-Kattu-Kodi (meaning Sethu- bandhana-latha) and is as strong as metal in any kind of weather. Even to-day they are strewn around the temple. Shri Rama hailing from suryavamsam, had worshipped Shri Bhujapatheeswarar and Bhava Aushada Managalambika and taken this creeper for extraction of juice and construction of the bridge now called Rama-sethu connecting Rameshwaram and Lanka. During the Tamil month of Aavani (Shravana) in solar calendar, for 3 days, Surya Pooja is done; the Sun’s rays fall on the lingam during all these days.
Ksheerabhisheka to Sri Bhujaptheeshwarar\
This ancient temple is prior to and closely associated with the Ramyana. Sri Rama after return from Lanka victory again worshipped at this temple. At that time, this being Bhaskara sthal, Shri Agasthiar again recited the Aditya Hridyam mantra for Sri Rama.
Sri Rama then reenacted to Seetha how she was deceived by Ravana. The nearby villages have names kodu Kizhi (a.k.a Lakshmana Rekha), Pon-Maan-Meyndha-Nallur (field grazed by golden deer, Maareechan).
With the blessings of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Pune branch of Sringeri Math, offered annadanam on all the three days of Surya pooja to all the devotees at Suraikayur.
Devotees participating in the three day pooja-festival
Annadanam seva at Suraikayur