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My grandfather moved from here to teach English literature at the St. Joseph’sArts and Science College, Bengaluru, many years ago when the British still ruled and the state of Karnataka was not yet formed. I was born in Bengaluru and so was my father. Therefore for all practical purposes Bengaluru is my native place.

Our Kuladeivam however is this Kalyana Venkatraman a “Swayambu-Murthy”. This Perumal stands majestically inside a little Kudavarai (cave) on top of this west-facing hillock called Thanthondri (Thandoni) Malai. The cave was artificially deepened and a stage erected over and around the Swayambu Perumal. Here Arulmigu Kalyana Venkataramana Swamy poses with his consort Lakshmi on his chest. This is one of the few temples where there is no separate sannidhi for the “Thayar” (Mother Goddess).

According to the Sthala Puranam, Adiseshan prevented Vayu from entering Vaikunta at a time when Thirumal (Vishnu) was in conversation with Thirumagal (Lakshmi). They got into a fight and the Lord in order to put an end to the fight organized a contest – a test of strength, he asked Adiseshan to wrap his body around the Tiruvenkata Malai (Tirumala) and asked Vayu to use his strength to dislodge the mountain from the coils of Adiseshan. Vayu lost the contest. He however waited for Adiseshan to relax his coils, turned himself into a great cyclone and blew so hard that a piece of the mountain dislodged and landed at Thanthondri. This is why Thanthondri malai is also called “Then Tirupati” The Tirupati (Balaji) of Tirumala decided to make Thanthondri also his residence and declared that this hillock would possess the same holiness and divine shakti that Tirumala possesses.

During the month of Puratasi (Kanya Maasa) it is our family tradition to worship this Kalyana Venkatramana Swamy on one of the Saturdays of the month. For the puja a “Maa Vilakku” (a lamp made of rice powder and in which ghee is used instead of oil – this Maa Vilakku is then taken as Prasad). Today (September 30, 2017) was the day of that Puja. A few photos of the puja and also of Tanthondri malai.

  Photos of Arulmigu Kalyana Venkatraman, courtesy: http://www.thanthoniperumal.tnhrce.in/index.html