Sri Mandalaeswarar Temple/ ஸ்ரீ மண்டலஈஸ்வரர் கோயில், Bavasahipettai, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Mandalaeswarar Temple at Bavasahipettai was a part of the 606^th week abhishekam by the Ancient Shiva Temples and Sivamayam Group on 14th June 2026.

Moolavar  : Sri Mandalaeswarar

Consort    : Sri Periyanayagi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the temple. The entrance to the ardha mandapam is from the south. Moolavar is of Swayambhu Bana Lingam. Vinayagar and Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar are on either side of the antarala. A balipeedam and a Rishabam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum.

In ardha mandapam, Vinayagar, Durgai, Bairavar, and Suryan. In koshtam, only Dakshinamurthy.

Ambal Periyanayagi is in a separate Sannidhi that faces south. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

In praharam, only Chandikeswarar.

The Suryan and Chandikeswarar

 Durga

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The temple was built with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The sanctum sanctorum is on an adhistanam. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam. The brick vimanam over the bhumi desam consists of 2 talas, greevam, and vesara sigaram. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtam.

The ceiling of the ardha mandapam and antarala has the bas reliefs of fish, Egamrugam, snakes, tortoise, Solar and Lunar eclipse representation snake swallowing the Sun and Moon.

The bricks are shaped to fit the place

 The bricks are shaped to fit the place

Ceiling bas-reliefs solar / Lunar eclipse 

 Ceiling bas-reliefs solar / Lunar eclipse 

Ceiling bas-reliefs solar / Lunar eclipse 

Pillar reliefs

Pillar reliefs

Pillar reliefs

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple is believed to be 700 years old. But there is no evidence found to prove the same. The present structure may belong to the 17th to 18th centuries.

The temple is in a bad shape and needs renovations and paintings to be done. It is learned from the villagers that part of the temple land was encroached upon and misused.

LEGENDS

There are 5 Sri Kasi Vishwanathar Temples around this place, called "Pancha Kashi Sthalams". It is said that around 1454 CE, these 5 Shiva Lingas were brought from Kashi and installed by Shiva Devotees.

Those places are...

1. Karukkupettai

2. Thimmayanpettai

3. Pudupettai

4. Erivoy

5. Nawab Sahib Pettai

But some people claim that the Shiva temple of Bavasahipettai is also part of "Pancha Kashi Sthalams".

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Kiruthigai, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile number +919361389860 for poojas and further details.

HOW TO REACH

This temple at Bavasahipettai is about 600 meters from Kanchipuram to Chengalpattu Road, 6.6 km from Walajabad, 12 km from Kanchipuram Railway Station, and 31.5 km from Chengalpattu Railway Station.

The nearest Railway Station is Walajabad.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Sivamayam family

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Kailayanathar Temple/ ஸ்ரீ கைலாயநாதர் கோயில், மேலபுலம் புதூர்/ Melapulam Pudur, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

Sri Kailayanathar Temple, at Melapulam Pudur, in Ranipet District, was a part of the “Gajaprishta /Gajabrushta Vimana Temples, on the banks of Palar and Kosasthalaiyar Rivers Visit”, on 03rd April 2026. This is one of the Pallava-period Gajaprishta / Gajabrushta Vimana Temples of Thondai Nadu, without many alterations.

Moolavar  : Sri Kailayanathar

Consort    : Sri Karbagambikeswari

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a balipeedam and Rishabam. Stucco images of Vinayagar, Shiva with Parvati, and Murugan are on the top of the mukha mandapam. Dwarapalakars in painting are on both sides of the entrance to the ardha mandapam. Moolavar is on a round avudaiyar. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durgai.

In the praharam, Nalvar, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Ambal Sannidhi, Saniswarar, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Ayyappan, and Anjaneyar.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi that faces south. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

Pallava period Chandikeswarar

ARCHITECTURE

The temple was built in the Gajaprishta / Gajabrushta architectural style from adhistanam to prastaram. The sanctum sanctorum adhistanam alone was built with stone, and the bhitti was built with bricks and lime mortar. The adhistanam consists of jagathy, vrudha kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti is simple with brahmakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, palakai, and Taranga pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. There is no vimanam above the prastaram.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per the inscriptions, this temple belongs to the 8^th century, the Pallava King Nandi Varman- II, with a title Vairamega Varman’s period, and later received contributions from the Chozha Dynasty. This temple was called Thamar Kottathu Palakathoor, and Shiva was called Thirukoolicharaththu Alwar.

As per the Pallava King Nandi Varman-II’s 2^nd regnal year, the inscription records the endowment of playing music during the Thirubali pooja. Land was gifted to 5 Musicians, of whom one person played Sekandi, and two persons played kalam, by Mullikudaiyan Adithanali.

The damaged Chozha period inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp and the gift of ewes given.

The letter received from the Archaeology Department is given as it is…

வேலுார் மாவட்டம் அரக்கோணம் வட்டம் மேலப்புலம் கிராமம் அருள்மிகு கைலாசநாதர் கோயிலில் காணப்படும் கல்வெட்டுகளின் குறிப்புகள்.

இந்தியக் கல்வெட்டு ஆண்டறிக்கை (ARE) 1916- இன் படி இக்கோயிலில் 2 (152-153) கல்வெட்டுகள் காணப்படுகின்றன.

வேலூர் மாவட்டம் அரக்கோணம் வட்டம் கீழப்புலம் (மேலப்புலம் கிராமம்) அருள்மிகு கைலாசநாதர் கோயிலில் காணப்படும் இரண்டு கல்வெட்டுகளின் காலத்தால் முந்தியவை பல்லவ வம்சத்தைச் சேர்ந்த இரண்டாம் நந்திவர்மன் (கி.பி.730-795) கி.பி. 8-ஆம் நுாற்றாண்டைச் சார்ந்ததாகத் தெரிகிறது. மற்றொரு கல்வெட்டு சோழர் மரபைச் சார்ந்த கல்வெட்டாக கி.பி. 10-11-ஆம் நுாற்றாண்டு எழுத்தமைதியில் காணப்படுகின்றது.

கல்வெட்டுச் செய்திகள்

கல்வெட்டு எண் 152-இல் பல்லவ மரபைச் சார்ந்த வைரமேக வர்மன் என்னும் பட்டப் பெயர் கொண்ட இரண்டாம் நந்திவர்மனின் 2-வது ஆட்சியாண்டு (கி.பி.732) கல்வெட்டாகும். இக்கல்வெட்டில் முள்ளிக்குடையான் ஆதித்தனாளி என்பவன் தாமர் கோட்டத்து பலகலத்தூர் திருக்கூளிச்சரத்து ஆழ்வார் கோயில் திருப்பலி பூசைக்காக இசைக் கலைஞர்கள் ஐவர்க்கு நிலக்கொடை கொடுக்கப்பட்ட செய்தியாகும். இந்த ஐவரில் ஒருவர் சேகண்டி என்ற மேளத்தை கொட்டுவதற்காகவும், இருவர் காளம் ஊதுவார்களுக்கும் அளிக்கப்பட்ட கொடைகள் ஆகும்.

கல்வெட்டு எண். 153-இல் (கல்வெட்டின் பெரும் பகுதி சிதைந்துள்ளது. சோழ மரபைச் சார்ந்ததாகவும் மன்னரின் பெயர் மற்றும் ஆட்சியாண்டு தெளிவாக காணப்படவில்லை. எனினும் இக்கல்வெட்டு இக்கோயிலுக்கு விளக்கெரிக்க ஆடு கொடுத்த செய்தியைத் தெரிவிக்கின்றது.

/ஓம்/-

தொல்லியல் துணை கண்காணிப்பாளர்

/ஆணைப்படி/

12/12/14

உதவி இயக்குநர் (குஇ)

12/12/14 

Ref:

Letter received from the Archaeology Department

Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy ARE 196, Sl Nos. 152 and 153.

Ashta bandhana Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 06^th April 2026, after many years.

LEGENDS

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayagar Chathurthi, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

Only oru kala poojas are conducted in the morning hours. Hence, the exact opening and closing times are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS

The Gurukkal N Raghusarma may be contacted for further details and poojas.

HOW TO REACH

Melapulam Pudur is 5 km from Ocheri, on the Ocheri to Arakkonam Road, 30 km from Arakkonam, 23 km from Kanchipuram, and 29 km from Ranipet. 

The nearest Railway Station/ Junction is Arakkonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Kalathinathar Temple/ ஸ்ரீ காளத்திநாதர் கோயில், மேலபுலம் புதூர்/ Melapulam Pudur, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

Sri Kalatheeswarar Temple at Melapulam Pudur, in Ranipet District, was a part of “Gajaprishta /Gajabrushta Vimana Temples, on the banks of Palar and Kosasthalaiyar Rivers”, on 03^rd April 2026.

Moolavar  : Sri Kalathinathar

Consort    : Sri Gnanambigai

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with an entrance on the east side. Stucco images of Vinayagar, Shiva, Parvati as Rishabaroodar, and Murugan are on the top of the ardha mandapam. Balipeedam and Rishabam are under the metacolour sheet mandapam. Moolavar is on a round avudaiyar. In the koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durgai.

In the praharam, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Bairavar, Chandikeswarar, a Green stone Rishabam as a loose idol (Maybe the original one), and Navagrahas.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi that faces south. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

Rishabam - Green stone as loose sculpture

ARCHITECTURE

The whole temple was constructed with brick and concrete. The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on an adhistanam, bhitti, prastaram, and an eka-tala vimanam. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtams.  

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is claimed that the temple belongs to the Chozha period, and there is no evidence found to prove the same. The original temple may be 200 to 300 years old, and the present structure may have been reconstructed in recent years.

LEGENDS

It is believed that Kalatheeswarar was worshipped by the Snake (Kala), and the legend applicable to Kalahasti is also applicable to this temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayagar Chathurthi, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

Since oru kala poojas are conducted in the morning hours, the exact opening and closing times are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH

The place Melapulam Pudur is 5 km from Ocheri, on the Ocheri to Arakkonam Road, 30 km from Arakkonam, 23 km from Kanchipuram, and 29 km from Ranipet. 

The nearest Railway Station/ Junction is Arakkonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---