Gunaseelam Prasanna Venkatachalapathy temple

Prasanna Venkatachalapathy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is located in Gunaseelam, 20 kms from Trichy. It is on the banks of River Kaveri. This temple is very famous for its mental rehabilitation centre. A visit to this temple is believed to be healing to the mentally challenged people. This ancient temple has set up a mental health rehabilitation centre that has the official stamp of the Tamilnadu Government, the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu.

The name of the place Gunaseelam derives from "Gunam" (meaning cure) and "Seelam" (place), meaning the place in where illness is cured. "Gunam" also means qualities and "seelam" also means "assuming a lower position". Hence Gunaseelam is the place where Vishnu comes down and addresses the problems of devotees from his heavenly position.

There are references to the significance of this temple in Gunaseela Mahaatmiyam chapter of the ancient scripture, Bhavishyotra Puranam. The legend says, Thaalpiya Maharishi along with his disciple Gunaseela Rishi once went to the Himalayas. On his way back, Gunaseela Rishi stayed back at Tirupathi and was so attracted to Lord Venkatachalapathy. He wanted the Lord to appear in Gunaseelam where his ashram is located. He came back, bathed in River Cauvery and undertook severe penance in his ashram. Impressed with his sincerity, the Lord appeared before him along with Goddess and promised to remain here till the end of Kali Yuga. Pleased with the darshan of Prasanna Venkatachalapathy, Gunaseela Maharishi continued to offer his daily poojas to the lord from his ashram here. At the end of the Dvapara Yuga, the Gunaseela Maharishi's Guru wanted him to go to Naimisaaranyam. Gunaseela Rishi designated his young disciple to continue the daily poojas. However, floods in the Cauvery and dangerous animals in the forest led the disciple to flee the place and thus the poojas came to an abrupt end. The Lord decided to hide himself in a pit. After several years, Chola king Nyana Varma, who ruled this place with Uraiyur as the capital, used to visit Gunaseelam regularly. Every day, cowherds would milk the cows from near the pit and carry the milk all the way back to his court.

One day, to everyone's shock, the milk that was filled to the brim of the pot vanished all of a sudden. An invisible voice wanted the king to dissolve the pit by pouring milk. The king brought in his army and used thousands of litres of milk to complete this exercise. Once dissolved, Vaikunta Vasudevan is said to have appeared before the king as Prasanna Venkatesan. As per the king's wishes, the Lord agreed to remain here and help fulfill all the prayers of the devotees, who visit this temple.

The temple bears absolutely no resemblance to what it was a quarter of a century ago. With devotees’ contribution, the hereditary trustees have transformed the temple to reflect modern day architecture. It is said that, there is a written ancient document, that the temple should be renovated in the 5000^th year of Kali Yuga. The renovation was accordingly done.

It is believed that staying at this temple premises for 48 days, cures all mental illness. Mentally challenged people are taken to this temple from all over the country and kept in the temple premises for 48 days. At the end of the 48 days, it is believed that their illness is cured by the grace of the presiding deity, Prasanna Venkatachalapathi. It is today a blend of faith and modern treatment. The temple have set up a mental health rehabilitation centre equipped with individual rooms and toilet facilities. A psychiatrist visits the centre once every week. There are volunteers who take care of these mentally challenged people on a daily basis. Sacred water is splashed on these mentally challenged people each day during Uchi Kaalam (noon) and Artha Jaamam (night) for 48 days.