History
Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Baktha Sabha is a registered society which works for the welfare of Arulmigu Meenakshi ambal samedha Chokkalingaswamy temple located in Ravanasamudram of Tirunelveli District.Ravanasamudram was ruled by Ravanappa Naicker few years back.The Sthalapuranam of the Meenakshi Ambal temple testifies to the fact that the temple was built by Ravanappa Naicker.According to this Sthalapuranam,the Gopuram of this temple was built in the year 935 of Kollam Era or Kollam Andu.So,according to the Christian Era,the Gopuram of this temple was built in the year 1760 AD around which time Ravanappa Naicker should have ruled over this place.Later His successor Kaduvetti Rangappa Naicker built the Sabhapathi Mandapam adjoining the temple.This temple has owned the fishery rights over six tanks and nearly 21 acres of wet lands as its source of income.This temple was under the control of Trustee’s till 1997.Later it was handed over to Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowment (HR&CE).Our temple was categorized under the Listed temple under HR &CE department.
This Baktha Sabha was formed under the insistence of our temple Sthalathar Divyasri Gandhieswara Pattar’s daughter Smt.Sankari Krishnan and grandson Sri.Sivayegnesh Krishnan at the first meeting arranged by them in Devi Sri Muppidathi Ambal temple on 22/09/2013 on behalf of all village people.Our Baktha sabha is maintaining a good relationship with Sri Kailash Ashrama and the HR&CE department from the day of its formation.
Main motto of baktha sabha is to develop our temple spiritually by following Veda Agama’s and develop Saiva Nanneri to enhance Hindu dharmic values.The other motto of our Baktha Sabha is to unite all the people of Ravanasamudram and other 6 villages which surrounds our temple.In earlydays, the People’s from villages like Pillayarkulam, Rajangapuram, Manthiyur, Govindaperi, Meenakshipuram, Ramalingapuram were together to worship God Sundareswarar & Meenakshi. But now a days this generation they doesn’t know this temple and its gods are the main Grama devatha for them.We are creating some awareness among them to unite all the peoples of our village and our surroundings to ensure their old fashion like in 1960’s.
Main activity of our baktha sabha ,as a part of developing our temple is performing kumbabhishekam.Our temple kumbabhishekam was held last in 2001.Now more than 15 years had been passed.Earlier in 2013 Sringeri Sadguru Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamigal visited Ravanasamudram and had a darshan at our temple.He quoted that “Archagar is doing pooja very well in this temple.It is known from the sanithyam of swamy and ambal. Swamy Ambal is in need of Kumbabhishekam Now.So do as soon as possible” in his speech.No one took any action for performing kumbabhishekam till date.So we have contacted the HR & CE department from January 2014 to perform kumbabhishekam and develop our temple more spiritual than now by following Veda Agama’s and Saiva Nanneri.