The Brindavana of Sri Guru Raghavendra at Papparapatti is known as Dakshina Mantralaya. Papparapatti is a small village in Tamilnadu between salem to bangalore highway.
Location
it is situated about 13 kms from Dharmapuri, NH 7.
Significance
Sri P.R. Srinivasa Rao was looking after the Varadaraja temple activities in the village town papparapatti.
Sri Srinivasa Rao had a series of misfortunes. All the children died one after the other. The family was very saddened. Finally Srinivasa Rao’s wife; Smt Giriamma, delivered a boy, who survived. But the child was suffering from an stomach ailment from birth.They took the child to a famous specialist in Chennai. The doctor thoroughly examined the child. His findings was very disappointing. He said that the ailment had become very chronic and expressed his helplessness to cure the child. Being a great devotee of Sri Guru Raghavendra he advised the parents to go to Mantralaya with the child and seek the blessings of the Divine Guru.
Accordingly, the child’s father, Srinivasa Rao, his wife Giriamma and his sister-in-law (Sri Krishnamoorthi(elder brother’s wife) went to Mantralaya. There they performed seva for two months. The parents became nervous as they could not see any outward changes in the child’s condition. Srinivasa Rao thought of going back home to Papparapatti . Accordingly he sent a telegram to his brother Krishnamoorthi informing about their return programme. He started making preparations for his departure the next day.
In Papparapatti , Krishnamoorthi was making preparations to leave for Mantralaya. He was not aware that his brother and family on the other hand were making preparations to come back from Mantralaya to Papparapatti . He had not received the telegram sent by his brother from Manatralaya about his departure. Krishnamoorthy went to bed early to start for Mantralaya the next day. In the early morning hours on the day ,Krishnamoorthy had a dream. In that, an old Sanyasi appeared before Krishnamoorthy rao and told him “I am coming to your place”. Then he disappeared. Krihnamoorthy Rao woke up. He immediately contacted the scholars and friends there and seekedt their advice. They said “The message of the dream is clear. You need not go to Mantralaya. Instead Sri Raghavendra Swamiji is coming here. You construct a Brindavana here.”
There was great happiness all over. The people of Paparapatti and around were thrilled to hear that Sri Guru Raghavendra Swamiji had blessed them by his presence in their midst. The brothers got together, and decided to construct a Brindavana in Papparapatti itself. They resolved to set apart suitable lands for the upkeep and maintenance of the temple,. The very same night, in Mantralaya, Srinivasa Rao’s wife Giriamma had a dream. In that an old man approached Giriamma and gave her a broom and a mora (normally used for collecting the swept waste etc. from the ground). The lady could not understand the meaning behind the dream; whether it was auspicious or not. She was very apprehensive and upset and wanted to know the significance of the dream. She got clarification from the Archaka, Vedavyasacharya who performed the pooja for the Brindavana.
Sri Vedavyasacharya explained to her that the dream conveyed a very positive meaning. It meant that the stomach ailment the child was suffering from would be cured; as a matter of fact literally swept away. True to his words, the child purged in the afternoon, and became free from the ailment.
The grateful Srinivasa Rao with his wife and child took the permission of the Peethadipathi Sri Sri Suyameendra Teertharu Swamiji and came back to Papparapatti .
Preparations started for construction work of the temple. Two of the brothers went to Bangalore to contact a sculptor for carving the Brindavana.
The sculptor was already working on an order from another party for preparation of a Brindavana. It was almost ready. Just a day before the two brothers came to him with their requirement for the Brindavana, the sculptor got a dream. In that an old man ordered the sculptor “You hand over the present Brindavana that is constructed to the two persons coming to you tomorrow. Do not worry about the earlier order. It will take more time for installation of that.” Next morning, the sculptor was amazed to see the two brothers who came to him as mentioned in the dream wanting a Brindavana.
He immediately offered to hand over the Brindavana to them. Not only that, he even transported it by train to Pallakkadu Railway station and delivered it to the two brothers for installation with great devotion.
The eldest brother Sri Achutha Iyer and a team of devotees, set upon the holy task of bringing the Mrithike from Mantralaya. Accordingly, they went and entreated upon the Peethadipathi of Mantralaya Temple,for Mrithike. The swamiji, was happy to oblige the devootees. Accordingly, after the due prayers and procedures, Swamiji removed the Mrithike to hand over to Sri Achutha Iyer. What a wonder! Everyone there was astounded to see a Saligrama appear along with the Mrithike. The overjoyed devotees not only got the Mrithike, but a holy Saligrama along with it. It was something unique to indicate that the Brindavana at Papparapatti had a very special grace. It was a pointer to indicate the splendour that it would be. Sri mutt swamiji conveyed that Papparapatti is going to be like another Manthralaya; now acclaimed as Dakshina Mantralaya.
In 1996, After the brindavana prarhishtapana at Dharmapuri,the swamiji arrived in Papparapatti and stayed for two full days. He performed puja, panchamrita, archana, deeparadhana etc. to the Brindavana of Sri Guru Raghavendra and the other deities there. In his pravachana he announced that the temple in Papparapatti would develop into a famous pilgrimage centre and will be foundly called as Dakshina Mantralaya.
How to reach:
Take bus from salem to bangalore. Get down at palakkodu. It is around 9 kms from Palakkodu. lots of mini buses and autos are available from palakkodu to papparapatti
By Train: Nearest Railway Station is Dharmapuri
Address: ASTHIKA SAMAJAM TRUST (Regd.)
DHAKSHINA MANTRALAYAM, PAUPARAPATTY AGRAHARAM, DHARMAPURI DT. 636 809.
Madhwa 