Tapping on our foreheads, breaking coconuts, Thoppukaranam, doing Archanai with Arugampul and Erukkam, offering Modakam are very special for Lord Vinayaka. Of these, circling or doing Pradakshina for Vinayaka is also very special. We circle him at least 3 times and at times, 21. When we come around Lord Vinayaka who received a fruit as a gift by circling Parvati & Paramesvara, we get all kinds of benefits. His stomach seems like the world. When we come around him, we get all including strength and knowledge.
There are many differences in every Vinayaka idol, generally he has his trunk turned towards his left side. But, in some idols, he has his trunk turned towards his right side. This is Valampuri Vinayakar. Starting from the right corner of his mouth, circling around the chin and the head, descending through the trunk and end at its curved end, we get the shape ஓம். We don't get this specialty in idols with trunk turned towards left side.
Of all the places with Valampuri Vinayaka temples, Thiruvalanchuzhi, a place near Kumbakonam is very special.
In Maharashtra, Lord Vinayaka is being worshipped by many people. The worship of beginning god- Vinayaka and concluding God- Hanuman is very prominent in that region. During British period, patriotic campaigns were not allowed. So, people, especially Bal Gangadhar Tilak, used this Ganesh Chaturthi Festival for spreading patriotism. As these campaigns were religion based, the British did not interfere. Even today, when Ganesh Chaturthi comes, Mumbai becomes so beautiful with different colours and many more. In Maharashtra, there are many Ganesha devotees. They are called Gaanapatha(காணபதர்கள்). They worship Lord Vinayaka only. They are one in the Shan Mathas(6 different religion) categorized by Adi Shankara. The Shan Mathas are- Gaanapatha- Devotees of Lord Vinyaka, Koumaram-Devotees of Lord Muruga, Shaaktam-Devotees of Ambal, Saivam- Devotees of Lord Shiva, Vaishnavam- Devotees of Lord Vishnu.
In Maharashtra, there are 8 places for 8 Vinayaka temples called as Ashta Vinayaka. Of these, a temple called Mayureshwar(மயூரேசர்) in Morgaon or Morgaom is very special. Morgaom was earlier Mayuragram. The temples of other deities around Morgaom are in the same order as they should be around Lord Vinayaka. Mayura means peacock in Tamil. As far as we know, Lord Muruga has peacock as his Vahana, but here Lord Vinayaka has Peacock as his Vahana. He is Mayuresar.
In this temple, Thiruvalanchuzhi in Tamil Nadu has been described. It has been given the name Dakshinavartham and said that this was the capital of Lord Vinayaka's temples. In Thiruvalanchuzhi, Valampuri Vinayaka has just a shrine but he is not the main deity of the temple. This temple presiding deity is Lord Shiva. Other than Valampuri Vinayaka, there is Vellai Pillaiyar(வெள்ளைப் பிள்ளையார்) shrine. Here, in Valampuri Vinayaka's shrine, he has his trunk turned towards right, and outside, he has his trunk turned towards his left. Lord Shiva in this temple had been sung by Gnanasambandhar and Appar. But still, Vellai Pillaiyar is very special. Those days, after agreeing for sculpting, the sculptors had to write the terms of agreement. While writing, it was written that except 5 sculptures, they would be able to do everything, as they are beyond their talent. Those 5 are Avudaiyar Temple Kodungai, Kadaram Kondan Mathil, Thanjavur Gopuram, Thiruvizhimizhalai and at last Thiruvalanchuzhi's Palakani(See Picture at last).
This Vellai Vinayakar was worshipped by Indra. As a result, he got the nectar. He was made with the milk of Parkadal or the ocean that was churned and that is why he is white in colour and also called Svetha Vinayaka. Pooja should be done without touching the idol. Brahmotsavam is done for Vinayaka and not for the main deity of this temple, Lord Shiva. Just as Valampuri Vinayaka has his trunk turned towards his right, Kaveri river also turns towards right to go around the temaple.
Kaveri river was in the Kamandalu of Sage Agastya. It was Pillaiyar who took the form of a crow, pushed the Kamandalu and poured all the water from it. After crossing Kumbakonam, she disappeared into a pit. Sage Herandar sacrificed his life as per the condition made by Goddess Kaveri. Again, she started flowing and she came around this Pillaiyar Kshetram and turned right.
