Goddess who grants boons instantly
The front view of the Nimishamba temple at Srirangapatnam.
IT JUST happened accidentally. On the morning of February 14 this year, as my friend and I were stepping out of Ranganathittu bird sanctuary near Srirangapatna after photographing some of the birds there. As we waited for an auto, one went past. The auto-man signalled to us to wait. He returned and agreed to drop us at Srirangapatna bus stand for Rs. 30. He also suggested that we visit Nimishamba shrine in Srirangapatna for an additional Rs. 70. When he uttered `Nimishamba,' I was reminded of the greatness of the shrine in fulfilling the desire that flits across one's mind in its precincts. And I did not want to miss the opportunity. My friend after much persuasion, finally agreed to accompany me.
The temple of Nimishamba lies at a distance of two kilometres from Srirangapatna bus stand in the eastern direction beyond Tippu's summer palace. The temple is at a higher elevation on the bank of the Cauvery, and faces east. The river flows by at a lower level, and steps have been neatly cut on stone slabs to reach it. It is a small shrine with a seven-tiered rajagopuram. Goddess Nimishamba's sannadhi is to the right as one enters the shrine. It is a fine piece of icon, and on the day of our visit, She was beautifully bedecked with jewellery and garlands of red roses. In front of the Goddess is placed the Sri Chakra to which puja is done with kumkum by the priest. The devotees were in rapt attention till deeparathanai was shown to the deity.
Adjoining the sannadhi of the Goddess is that of Siva, whose appellation is Aksheeswara. The icon is a small sized linga. The Nandi is proportionately small sized, and is diagonally facing Siva.
Only after showing `deeparathanai' to Siva, it is shown to the Goddess. Adjoining this sannadhi is that of Lakshminarayana. All the three sannadhis are in a row. There are no suka nasi and Navaranga. There is only a muka mantapa.
There is a big brass bell hanging from the ceiling, which is rung by the priest himself after placing the `bali bhojanam' on the bali peetam for the crows to eat. Once the bell is rung, the crows come down to the bali peetam in an orderly way to partake it!
It is indeed unique to this temple. There is a prakaram for circumambulation.
The Nimishamba temple has shot to fame recently for its instant granting of boons to those who pray here.
It would be of interest to note that marriage proposals which have been dragging on for years, get clicked immediately after visiting this shrine.
It is probable that the temple might have been built during the reign of Raja Wadiyar I (1610-38 A.D.) who ascended the Mysore throne at Srirangapatna. Regular puja has been done for the last 50 years. The temple falls under the HR&CE of Karnataka State.
R. KRISHNAMURTHY
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