Monday 17 December 2012

Sri Dhandeeswarar Temple, தண்டீஸ்வரம் தண்டீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Dhandeeswaram, Velachery, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,

16, December 2012
The Shiva temple at Dhandeeswaram (is a part of Velachery), Chennai, is a 10th to 12th century  old.  There are lot of Tamil inscriptions found around sanctum wall. Since the temple is about 2 KM from my residence I used to go on Sundays and important functions. During Maha Shivarathri day I used to be there throughout the night. The outer  prakaram was constructed in concrete during recent years  through devotee’s donations, whose names appears on the pillars.

5 Tier Rajagopuram 
Moolavar    : Sri Dhandeeswarar
Consort      : Sri Karunambigai

Some of the important features of this temple are as follows....
The Rajagopuram is of 5 tiers on the south side. There are three tier gopurams on the east and west side of the temple ( Which are kept locked ). East side will be kept open during pradosham days. There is an Alangara mandapam on the left side of south entrance where important functions are held. At the east side entrance Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam and Rishabam in a small mandapam. In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy ( Dhakshinamoorthy is facing Kubera moolai, hence he is called as Kubera Dakshinamurthy ),  Lingothbavar ( The lingothbavar is Chandrasekarar, the Maan  and Mazhu   are interchanged from the usual positions ), Brahma and Durgai.

On the east side entrance  to the main shrine, sannadhi for Kaalai sandhi Vinayagar and Murugan.  Sannidhi for Vinayagar and Sri Valli Devasena  sametha Sri Subramaniar are in artha mandapam.

In Prakaram Sannadhis for Somaskandar ( Murugan is not there at centre ), Chandrasekar & Ambal, Maha Lakshmi, Saraswati, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Thirugnanasambandar, Natarajar Sabha, Bairavar, Vishnu and Suryan.

Standing in one place near Chandikeswarar, we can have the darshan of Sri Mahalakshmi, Saraswati and Durga.  And also we can have the darshan of Moolavar and Ambal sannidhi vimanas.

In The outer Prakaram 63var, Naalvar, Kasi Viswanathar, Vaitheeswaran, Chokkanathar, Meenakshi, Navagrahas and   Naagars. The Temple has lot of Vahanas which are used during urchavam were kept in the outer prakaram. 

The Ambal in this temple was installed by Appaya dheekshithar with Srichakra, during 16th century, similar to Mangadu and Thiruverkadu. ( Appaya Dheekshithar’s wife  was from Velachery – There was story behind that - )

The thirukulam or the Temple Tank ( Yama theertham ) is on the main road, west side of the temple with grill/ fence  work on all the four sides.

It was learned that sun light will fall  on moolavar one day in a year, it is not happening nowadays due to obstruction of a new building constructed on the eastern side.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS: 
Inscriptions,  belongs to Sundara Chozhan ( father of Rajaraja Chozhan ), are found around Karuvarai wall. They were not maintained and  are in un readable condition  due to painting. As per the inscriptions this place was called as "Velicheri" during Chozha Period and Velachery during Pandya Period. This place was in Jayankonda Chozha Mandalathu Puliyur Kottathu Kottur Nattu Velicheri.  

One of Rajaraja Chozha - I's 10th reign year ( 995 CE ) inscription records Rajarajar as "Kovi Rajakesari Mummudi Chozhar". This inscription records the endowment of Naivedyam and burning of Sandhi Lamp, by Chozha Nattu Kizhar kootrathu Vaikoorcheri Amudhan Pichchan alias Chembiyan Kizhanattu Kon at Shiva Temple at Tharamani "Tharamani Mahadevar". For which a land was gifted. ( The Tharamani Mahadevar temple is not tracable now for its where about )  

One of the inscriptions is about a donation to burning a lamp in the sannadhi. From the inscription the temple must be 1055 years old. This is the first temple constructed by Chozhas in Thondai Nadu as per Mr Vakula Varadharajan, a Historian.

LEGENDS:
After Eman lost his dhandam at Thirukadaiyur, in Dwaraba yugam  Eman came to this place, created a Temple Tank ( Now called as Yema theertham  on the west side of the temple with fencing ) and worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple and got back his dhandam. Hence Iraivan is called as Sri Dhandeeswarar  and the place is called as Dhandeeswaram.

All the 4 Vedas were taken  away by Somugasuran and kept under the sea. The Vedhams had done dhabas at this place and worshiped Lord Shiva at Thiruvanmiyur to get rid of Asura dosham.  Hence This place was called as Vedasreny which is latter called by the present name of Velachery. There is also another version that this place was called once as Velvichery which became the name of Velachery.

SPECIAL FUNCTIONS
Shastiapthapoorthi functions are performed here next to Thirukadaiyur ( Who could not go there ). The present charge is Rs. 7500.00.

Thiruvasagam mutrum othuthal is being conducted regularly on 'magha' nakshatra day  through Velachery Kovil Thirupani mandram under the leadership of Mr Adalarasan

There was a Digital banner erected recently in which the names of the defaulters of Tax, rent etc., to the temples are printed.  The temple has many properties and the income is a question.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The Temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 21.00 Hrs

CONTACT DETAILS:
Office Phone number :+91 44  22436121
Sivachariyar Mobile number : Kumarasamy Gurukkal. 9884402525

HOW TO REACH :
Lot of Town buses available from various parts of  Chennai City to Velachery and the bus stop is Gandhi nagar or Dhandeeswaram bus stop between Gurunanak College and Vijaya nagar bus terminus.  ( equal distance from both bus stops. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

 Somaskandar
 Tamil inscriptions on the wall behind karuvarai fully damaged and not readable due to painting
 Moolavar & Ambal sannidhi vimana can be worshiped standing in one place
 Ambal sannidhi vimanam
 ( Maan and Mazhu  are interchanged in Lingothbavar )
 Chandrasekarar - opposite to  Lingothbavar
 Alangara mandapam in which urchavam, functions like,  Shastiapthapoorthi are held in this mandapam.
Kasi Viswanathar and Vaitheeswaran Sannadhi in the outer prakaram.
 Saba mandapam Vimanam
 View from east side with dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishaba mandapam.

Maha Shivaratri 2016 : CLICK HERE
--- OM SIVAYA NAMA ---

19 comments:

  1. Respected Sri Veluswamy garu, Namaste. On 01/12/2013 (Sunday) I was in Velachery to visit my nephew and he had guided me to this temple. Now I was searching about this temple and reached your blog. Your blog has good amount of useful information. Wish I would have seen this blog before my visit, so that I would have enjoyed it more.

    Respects,
    Ramakrishna GS
    0-9866521090.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Temple has a good history. i am staying near to this temple and visit it twice a week. but a main drawback of this temple is that such a historical beauty doesn't have its original beauty, i.e it i not maintained neatly. water stagnates here and there and everything seems to be tidy. most precious statues are found on the waste places which is really hurting. if this could be protected then this could stay long to prove our pride.

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  3. It is True ma. I too up set over the maintenance of the precious kalvettukkal which tells us the age of the temple and throws light of many facts. We used to face this problem during rainy season especially . Now this temple has a lot of income after displaying the defaulters list, but where it goes? The temple has a vast land on the Velachery to Thiruvanmiyur by pass road now being used as Parking lot. Thirupani was conducted recently through Velachery thirupani mandram, was not an expense to the temple income and annadhanam is also done through donors. Temple authorities can improve a lot if they wish.

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  4. Very well written post, with good pictures. Had been to this temple today, though it is no less in significance to Kabaleeswarar or marundheeswarar temple, the upkeep and patronage seems to be poor. Felt very peaceful and blesses visiting this temple..

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  5. Honestly my heart is weeping. Why they have to use tiles inside a sanathi? why people just don't understand the true historical beauty? Use such crap tiles to decorate their shower room or toilet and NOT inside the temple. A Somaskandar without Skanda inbetween Uma and Shiva is aburvam. But the background is hurting. We can make one hundred tiled walls but cant make one simple stone wall like our ancient temples. There is no necessity to built a new temple or add an extra sanathi in an existing temple. But please protect existing monuments as it is. I need such temples to show my children and grand children and teach them how great we were. At least for their sake please do something to protect them. Hail APPAR swamigal and his brilliant ULAVAPANI.

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  6. Thanks Rajkumar S for your comments. The old temples are destroyed in the name of renovation. Already the east side big building constructed, obstructs the sun light falling on the moolavar.
    Renovation of Selliamman temple in front of Dhandeeswaram Shiva temple is in progress. No one will agree that it was a old temple like Shiva Temple.
    OM Shivaya nama

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  7. Now it is God's turn to saves himself from us...
    Om Shivaya nama

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  8. Hi there, awesome site. I thought the topics you posted on were very interesting. I tried to add your RSS to my feed reader and it a few. take a look at it, hopefully I can add you and follow.

    Packers and Movers Velachery Chennai Call +91 9380223600

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  9. Dakshinamoorthy faces south - how can he look at kubera moolai from there which is supposed to be in the north?

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  10. Kuberan occupies the direction is north but whereas the south west direction is for wealth and called as Kubera moolai as per vasthu

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  11. Awesome blog! I am really impressed by this blog! The pictures are really nice and cool

    Packers and Movers thiruvanmiyur Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  12. Super cool blog Mr.Veludharan! Thanks.
    I reside near the temple & I'm very much proud to be a part in constructing this temple. I was 10 at the time of contruction, I used to water treat the ceiling column beams. Proud of my grandfather S.P.Ramiah(ex-trust), who raised this temple with the help of everyone & with all his efforts.
    -S.L.R

    ReplyDelete
  13. Super cool blog Mr.Veludharan! Thanks.
    I reside near the temple & I'm very much proud to be a part in constructing this temple. I was 10 at the time of contruction, I used to water treat the ceiling column beams. Proud of my grandfather S.P.Ramiah(ex-trust), who raised this temple with the help of everyone & with all his efforts.
    -S.L.R

    ReplyDelete
  14. U look sathiyam cinemas the interior designs is more preferred for looking and sound effects

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  15. ஐயா,
    நமஸ்காரம்.
    எங்கள் தங்கை பீமரத சந்திக்காக திருக்கடையூர் கோயிலுக்கு செல்ல முடியவில்லை.
    பீமரத சந்திக்காக இந்த கோயிலுக்கு சென்று பிரார்த்திக்கலாமா என்று advise செய்யமுடியுமா?
    நன்றி.

    ReplyDelete