VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT

Tuesday 13 September 2016

A Buddha Statue at Ottiambakkam, Chennai, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th September 2016.

This Heritage visit was arranged through R.E.A.C.H Foundation for it’s Epigraphy students by Mr Ramanath on 10^th September 2016. Mr Ramanath accepted my willingness to join with them ( as an old student, I hope ). Though it was not a planned visit, 19 heritage enthusiasts in their car and motor cycles participated in this visit. I was fortunate to hear the history, architecture and inscriptions of Chozhas and Pallavas once again from Mr Ramachandran and Mr Vakula varadharajan after a long gap. We had covered Madambakkam, Sri Dhenupureeswarar, a Chozha Period Shiva Temple, A Buddha Statue at Ottiyambakkam, Nandeeswaram Sri Nadeeswarar a Nandhivaraman a pallava period temple and a Pallavaa / Chozha Period Gajaprishta sanctum Sanctorum Perumal temple at Vandalur.

A BUDDHA STATUE AT OTTIAMBAKKAM, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU.

Our next stop was at Ottiambakkam. The Buddha statue was leaning on a wall of a mandapam belongs to Sri Otteeswarar Temple. The face was damaged, but still the ornamental carvings are worth to see. The Budhha may be of 17^th century, who finds no place to stand. The statue was shifted to many places during the recent years, inside the Village. Mr Ramanath requested the panchayat president to keep in a safe place.

LOCATION OF THE STATUE :CLICK HERE

------ to be continued .

--- Om SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Nandeeswarar Temple, Nandivaram / Guduvancheri, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th September 2016.

This Heritage visit was arranged through R.E.A.C.H Foundation for it’s Epigraphy students by Mr Ramanath on 10^th September 2016. Mr Ramanath accepted my willingness to join with them ( as an old student, I hope ). Though it was not a planned visit, 19 heritage enthusiasts in their car and motor cycles participated in this visit. I was fortunate to hear the history, architecture and inscriptions of Chozhas and Pallavas once again from Mr Ramachandran and Mr Vakula varadharajan after a long gap. We had covered Madambakkam, Sri Dhenupureeswarar, a Chozha Period Shiva Temple, A Buddha Statue at Ottiambakkam, Nandeeswaram Sri Nandeeswarar a Nandhivarman a pallava period temple and a Vijayanagara Period Gajarushta sanctum Perumal temple at Vandalur.

SRI NANDEESWARAR TEMPLE AT NANDIVARAM, GUDUVANCHERY, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU.

This temple is very near to Guduvanchery Bus terminus.

Moolavar : Sri Nandeeswarar

Consort : Sri Soundaranayaki

Some of the important features of this temple are…

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch on the south side. Balipeedam and Nandhi are kept at the eastern side in the outer parakaram. In koshtam Narthana vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai. The Moolavar is of Pallava period and the temple was constructed during nandhivarman. The inscription tablet once found is missing now.

In the inner prakaram sannadhi for Valampuri Vinayagar, Arumugam, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Gajalakshmi, Chandikeswarar, Bairavar, veerabathirar and Suryan. In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Navagrahas and Perumal.

A 9^th to 10^th century nandhi is kept under a canon ball tree ( Nagalinga flower tree) looks beautiful. Since Nandhivarman constructed this temple, may be this place is called as Nandeeswaram after his name.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple is kept open between 07.00 Hrs to 11.30 Hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is very close to Guduvanchery Bus terminus.

About a KM from Guduvancheri Bus terminus.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE

……. To be continued.

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Dhenupureeswarar Temple, at Madambakkam, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th September 2016.

This Heritage visit was arranged through R.E.A.C.H Foundation for it’s Epigraphy students by Mr Ramanath on 10^th September 2016. Mr Ramanath accepted my willingness to join with them ( as an old student, I hope ). Though it was not a planned visit, 19 heritage enthusiasts in their car and motor cycles participated in this visit. I was fortunate to hear the history, architecture and inscriptions of Chozhas and Pallavas once again from Mr Ramachandran and Mr Vakula varadharajan after a long gap. We had covered Madambakkam, Sri Dhenupureswarar, a Chozha Period Shiva Temple, A Buddha Statue at Ottiyambakkam, Nandeeswaram Sri Nadeeswarar a Nandhivaraman a pallava period temple and a Vijayanagara Period Gajaprishta sanctum Perumal temple at Vandalur.

SRI DHENUPUREESWARAR TEMPLE AT MADAMBAKKAM, CHENNAI , TAMIL NADU. ( This post was updated with more details Please Click Here to see the Post )

This is a Chozha period Shiva Temple with lot of reliefs on the 14^th century mukha mandapam pillars. Even though I had been to this temple earlier, it was a different experience this time (For the details of my earlier visits CLICK HERE ). We looked the reliefs in different perspective. The mandapam reliefs has the mixture of both Saiva and Vaishnava cult. The Temple became famous after the people believed in Sarabeswarar, whose relief is in one of the pillar. Sarabeswarar is the combination of Simha and elephant , who can fly. The avathara reduces the anger of Sri Narasimhar. Mr Ramachandran pointed out that the Sarabeswarar is a Jain concept. We had seen the various reliefs like Sri Subramaniar on the elephant gifted by Indiran, Shiva Killing the tortoise ( Kachabesar), Kotravai, Narasimhar in a standing posture which is rare to see, Naalvar on the four sides of the pillar, Jwarahareswarar, etc. Mr Ramachandran explained some of the inscriptions inscribed around the sanctum Gajabrushta wall.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Yamuna Standing the makaram

The magical number – Tamil numbers – add in all direction will give the same answer First Row 8 – 1 – 6, second row 3 – 5 – 7 and third row 4 – 9 - 2

Sarabeswarar and bottom Narasimhar

Uchista Ganapathy

Shiva with five heads

Bootha gana pothyal

Mr Ramachandra Sir is explaining to us

Another form of Somaskandhar – on Shivas lap

Mr Ramachandra Sir is explaining to us

Jwarahareswarar

Veena Saraswathy?

Veena Vinayagar

Another form of Lord Shiva with 5 heads

Narasimhar in standing posture – a rare relief

Another form of Lord Shiva - Kachabesar

Appar, Sundarar Manikkavasakar

Lord shiva with Dhakshan with goats head

Narasimhar in standing posture – a rare relief

Lord Shiva’s Urthuva thandavam

Subramaniyar with Marriage gifts. – on Iravatham gifted by Indiran – earlier before Peacock elephant was his vahan

------ to be continued .

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Tuesday 6 September 2016

Sri Sivakami Ambal Sametha Sri Somanatheshwara Swamy Temple, Sothupakkam, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

04, September 2016

This temple is at Sothupakkam on the way to Chennai to Trichy main road and about ½ KM from Melmaruvathur Sri Sakthi Peedam.

சோத்துப்பாக்கம் ஸ்ரீ சோமநாதீஸ்வரர் சிவன் கோவில்..மேல்மருவத்தூர் சக்தி கோவிலின் அருகே..மிக பழைமையான மூர்த்தங்கள்..வழியில் அன்பர் வேண்டுகொளுக்கு இணங்க சோத்துப்பாக்கம் சிவனைத்தரிசித்த பின்பு..தங்களின் கோவில் வலைத்தளத்தில் வரவேண்டும் என்று கேட்டுக்கொண்டார்.. சுமார் 80 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு அவருக்கு சொந்தமான இடத்தை அகழ்ந்த போது கிடைத்த சிவலிங்கமும் நந்தியும்..காஞ்சி மடத்தின் ஒத்துழைப்பும் பங்களிப்பும் இக்கோவிலுக்கு உண்டு….குபேரர், அய்ஸ்வரேஸ்வரர், லக்குமி இப்போது சேர்க்கப்பட்ட சன்னதிகள்..உள்ளே தற்க்கால டைல்ஸ் பதிக்கப்பட்டு..

Moolavar : Sri Somanatheshwara Swamy

Consort : Sri Sivakami Ambal.

Some of the important details are as follows….

The temple is facing east with a Temple Tank is in front. Navagrahas are in front of the temple and Nagars are under a bodhi tree. The temple is constructed in the year 2014 with tiles all over. A mandapam like construction with Moolavar and Ambal sannadhi are at the centre.

Moolavar is at an elevated level on a platform with ragu and kethu reliefs. Balipeedam Nandhi and Dwajasthambam are in front of moolavar sannadhi. Ambal is facing south in standing posture.

In the prakaram ie in the mandapam sannadhi for Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Kuberar, Aisvaryeswarar, Lakshmi, Natarajar, Bhairavar, Shirdi Saibaba and Chandikeswarar. Vahanas are kept in the mandapam.

HISTORY

It was told that the moolavar, nandhi and Ambal are very old. About 80 years before, for a construction the land was excavated and found moorthams under some depth. So the owner of the land tried to construct through Kanchi pedam and could not do it. Again his son after some years completed the construction of this temple and Kumbhabhishekam was performed during 2014.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple is kept open between 07.00 Hrs to 12.00 Hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 19.00 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Mr P Balachandar Reddiyar and P Sathyanarayana Reddiyar of Sri Balamurugan Rice mill may be contacted for further details on their mobile numbers 9443336777 and 9442239677.

Gurukal is residing next to the temple may be contacted for darshan.

HOW TO REACH:

Sothupakkam is on the national high way from Chennai to Trichy.

About a KM from Melmaruvathur Bus stop.

Lot of Private autos are available from Sri Sakthi Peedam Bus stop.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE