Sri Marundeeswarar & Sri Kachabeswarar Temple, Thirukachur, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

 18, August 2013

Almost all the ancient temples will have a connection with some Siddhars or Munivars  either in the construction of that temple  or reconstruction of  the same at a latter state.  Both the temples at Thirukachur  ( The Shiva Temple  one on the Hill top  and the other at the base of the Hill )  are associated with Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal, a Siddhar  and his disciple  Sri Veerasamy Swamikal. I tried my best to present the details collected at the end of this post. I had the opportunity of visiting the above siddhar madam during this week end temples visit.

I did not planned  for  any temples visit  out side the City this week. When my wife asked me, “ are you going to any temples this Sunday or you will be at home.“ ( She might have expected me to do some help for her on Sunday ). This made my mind to plan for this wonderful trip to THIRUKACHUR on 18-08-2013, to have the darshan of Lord Shiva and Siddhar Peetam. Let us see the details of the temples  first and the Siddhars associated to the temples after.

The archakar came around 08.45 Hrs when,  I  reached the temple.  The main shrine was opened and had the darshan of Sri  Marundeeswarar. 

26 – THIRUKACHUR

This is the 26^th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Naadu. Sundarar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

( This post was updated with Thevara Hymns, History & Inscriptions, Legends, etc. For details of this post please click this Link )

SRI MARUNDEESWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUKACHUR MALAI KOIL

Moolavar    : Sri Marundeeswarar , Sri Oushadeeshwarar

Consort      : Sri Irulneeki Ambal , Sri Anthakaara Nivarani.

Some of the important details of this temple are…..

The temple is facing west with an entrance mottai gopuram  from South. Balipeedam, New Dwajasthambam and Rishaba / Idaba mandapam are on the west  and Shiva Lingam is visible through jala / salaram. Ganapathy and Subramaniyar are in front of moolavar Sanctum.

In koshtam Durgai, Brahma, Sri Mahavishnu in place of Lingothbavar, Dhakshinamoorthy and Ganapathy. Bas Reliefs of  Dwarapalakas, Ambal, Sundarar, Appar,  Pattinathar, Vallalar,  Vinayagar, Dhandapani are in the mandapa pillars.

In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Gnana Ganapathy,  Naagars, Chathuranga Chandikeswarar ( Brahma Mugam – a special in this temple only ), Bhairavar, Suryan and Navagrahas.

Ambal Sri Irulneeki Amman is in a separate sannadhi  in standing posture and facing west. Theertha well is the owshadham well with steps constructed beautifully.

Two kala Pooja is being performed  with the effort of Sri Kuzhandhai swamikal and Sri Veerasamy swamikal.

HISTORY: 

The temple was built during First Kulothunga and Chozhas period. There is no inscriptions found. The construction of Rajagopuram will be after the arrival of new disciple to Sri Kuzhandhaivel  Swamikal.  

LEGENDS

Aswini Devars worshiped Lord Shiva   and Ambal for the medicinal herb “ Palai Athipalai “  to cure their deceases. Lord Shiva gave this hill as  “The hill earth itself a medicine“. When Sundarar came to this temple after girivalam, Iraivan served food after getting food from the villagers as picksha ( Yasakam ).

Brahma  Worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple hence Chandikeswarar is in the form of Brahma Chandikeswarar with Chathur mugam.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is on the bus route from Chennai to Sriperumbudur through Singaperumal Kovil.

On the train route get down at Singaperumal Kovil and share autos are available from Railway gate.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The land line and mobile numbers are : 044 2746 4325 and 93811 86389.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

  Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam with Rishabam mandapam are on the west side

 View of the temple from west side  ( moolavar can be seen through the salaram )

 Moolavar vimanam

 Steps constructed for the theertha -owshatha - well

 Ambal temple vimanam with bell tower

 Ambal temple

 Front Maha mandapam with relief of dwarapalakars on the pillars

 Chathurmuga Chandikeswarar and  Bhairavar

 Dwarapalakar and  a relief of Agasthiyar with Ambal 

 Front Mottai Rajagopuram 

When I came out to go for the base temple, one of the devotee guided me to the   Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal Siddhar Madam in front of Maruntheeswar sannadhi. The details are written below separately.

After Dharshan  of Siddhars proceeded to Thazha Koil or Aala Koil - the base temple. On the way happened to see the name board of Iranthiteeswarar Temple. This temple is also a shiva temple where Iraivan gave food to Sundarar after getting food from the villagers as picksha. The sudhai relief is on the top.

SRI IRANTHITTESWAR SHRINE : 

 Moolavar

 Iranthitteesar sannadhi

Another view of Iranthiteesar Sannadhi 

SRI KACHABESWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUKACHUR AALA KOIL.

This temple on the base level of the hill.

( This post was updated with Thevara Hymns, History & Inscriptions, Legends, etc. For details of this post please click this Link )

Moolavar  : Sri Virunthiteeswarar, Sri Virunthittavarathar,

                 Sri Kachabeswarar,  Sri Thiyagaraja swamy.

Consort    : Sri Anjanakshi Amman.

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with a temple tank on the right and Sri Vinayagar temple is in front. In between there is a 16 pillar mandapam. There is no rajagopuram and a base was constructed long ago, looks mottai gopuram. Balaipedam, Dwajasthambam with Rishabammandapam are at the entrance  of the mottai Rajagopuram. Moolavar is swayambhu and short. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu ( in place of Lingothbavar ), Brahma and Durgai. The Urchavam is for the Thiyagarajar only.

In prakaram Naalvar, Ganaganapathy, Choleeswarar, Sri Kalatheeswarar, Sri Maheswarai, Sri Markasahaeswarar, Naagalingam, Naagarajan, Ramanatheeswarar, Kashi Viswanathar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar are in the inner prakaram.

In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Maha Ganapathy, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar,  Virunthiteesar, Sundarar and Bhairavar. Sri Thiyagesar is in front Nakshathira mandapam and facing east. The entrance to the Moolavar sannadhi is on the south from Nakshathira mandapam.

A separate sannadhi for Ambal  and facing south in standing posture. Urchava vahanas are kept  in mahamandapam.

The annual festival is being celebrated during Chithirai month. On the fifth day Iraivan’s Chin mudra vaibavam is a special one.

HISTORY

The temple was built during Chozha period and further contributions from Vijayanagaras. Lot of Old Tamil inscriptions are found around sanctum sanctorum walls, which belongs to Kulothunga Chozha -I, Period. 

LEGENDS

Sri Narayanan lost his strength by helping to get nectar / amirtham to Devas. So he worshiped lord Shiva of this temple to get back his strength. Hence Lord Shiva is called as Kachabeswarar. 

CONTACT DETAILS  

Archakars  Murali and Shanmugam  may be contacted for more details and Pooja on their land line number 044 27463514 and the office number is     044 – 27464325.

Alternatively the mobile number can also be contacted 93811 86389.

TEMPLE TIMINGS  

The temple is open between 09.00 Hrs to 11.00 Hrs and evening 18.00 Hrs to 19.00 Hrs. 

HOW TO REACH 

SP Koil or Singaperumal Koil is on the bus and Train route from Chennai to Chengalpattu after Maraimalai Nagar.  Get down at Singaperumal Koil.

From Singaperumal koil Railway station The Village Thirukkachur is about 2.5 KM.

Thirukkachur Malai Koil is about a KM from Base temple Ala Koil.

Route no 82c passes through the main road from Chengalpattu to Sriperumbudur. From the bus stop the Village is about a KM.

Auto facility is available from Singaperumal Koil bus stop.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :  CLICK HERE 

 Virunthiteesar sannadhi

 Sundarar Sannadhi

 Gajabirushta Vimanam

 Temple view from entrance

  balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Rishabam with bell tower view

 A closer look of - balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Rishabam with bell tower view

 Temple entrance view - Nakshathira Mandapam 

 16 Pillar mandapam

Mottai Rajagopuram 

Lord Shiva who gave food to Sundarar also gave me too. The annathanam was organized through Velachery Thirukoil Uzhavarapani mandram lead by Mr Adalarasan. ( Mobile Number 9445121080, 9884892575 and 9841155511 ).  This is being conducted every Sunday between 10.00 Hrs to 13.00 Hrs.

SRI KUZHANDHAIVEL SWAMIKAL & SRI VEERASAMY SWAMIGAL MADAM.

This madam is in front of Marundeeswarar Temple on the hill. The jeeva Samadhi of Guru and his disciple  are in the madam. Sri Kuzhandhaivel swamikal was born in Padappai,  a small village near Chennai in weavers family. He got married to Malai Kozhunthu and had three children after his father’s demise at his young age. When he came to know that his brother was a thief, who  had stolen the gold covered rudraksham of his friend and tried to sell. So Swamikal  got dejected and gone to Kashi. He has done seva To Lord by making garland in the Kumaraguruthasa madam ( Bamban swamikal has got the kaashayam in this madam only ). The mutt’s Gurunathar accepted Sri Kuzhandhaivel swamikal as his disciple.

One day Lord Shiva Marundeesar came in his dream and asked him to come to this temple and take care of the temple.  When he came to Thirukachur annual festival was in progress. After the festival he introduced himself to the villagers and came to the Malai Koil and stayed in the temple it self and continued his thirupani. When he tried to came out of the temple his both eyesight were  gone and it came back, once he entered back in to the temple. He had done lot of siddhus for reconstruction of the temple, converting iron to gold, etc. He had done Kumbhabhishekam for Lord Shiva shrine, Ambal shrine, Vinayagar & Navagrahas.

During construction of the rajagopuram Swamikal had a conflict with the Dhrmakartha Sivasankaran. The Dharmakartha wants to construct in his name and the money also to be deposited in to his account, for which Swamikal refused to do so.  In that conflict the dharmakartha tried to kill Swamikal through koolies. In the first attempt Swamyji escaped through his siddhu of Navakanda yogam ( to show the body in nine pieces ). After he attained mukthi / jeeva Samadhi and the Dharmakartha’s koolies cut his body thinking that  he is alive. The koolies  also died with the same wounds that they had done to Swamikal.  Swamikal used to say do duty only to Lord Shiva and not to him.

SRI VEERASAMY SWAMIKAL

After Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal attained Jeeva Samadhi Sri Veerasamy Swamikal had taken over the temple’s thirupani. He was born in a small village near Chengalpattu. He  become the disciple of Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal when his ancestors property was divided among his relatives with difference of opinions.  During his period the vimanam’s for moolavar and Ambal was constructed. Swamikal used to be in mounam most of the time. He used call every body as Shiva. He was also an instrumental for the temples thirupani at Dharmaraja temple at Korrukkupettai, Throwpathi amman temple at Saidapet, before he came to Thirukachur. He has not done any siddhus like his guru Sri Kuzhandhaivel swamikal.  Swamikal attained samadhi on 10-04-1999. The Marundeesar temple’s 1 Kala Pooja and the present  2 Kaala pooja are the personal effort of Sri Veerasamy Swamikal.

Girivalam has become famous during his period on every Karthikai month’s 3^rd Somavaram  since 1980’s in addition to monthly Girivalam and the same is being continued even now also. Annathanam is being offered to the devotees during that day.  It was believed that all the prayers will be succeeded if a devotee undertakes Girivalam and worshiped Lord Shiva Marundeesar.

REQUEST TO THE DEVOTEES.

Liberal donations are requested for the reconstruction of Rajagopuram, Sri Subramaniyar Temple, Theerthakulam renovation, construction of Mandapam for the urchava vahanams, Temple Chariot / Thirutheir thirupani, Girivala route renovations etc.,

For details please contact

Arulmigu Marundeesar Thiyagarajar Thirukoil Iraipani Saba

Kuzhandhaivel Swami and Veeraswami Madam

No 74, Malai Koil Street, Thirukachur

Mobile number 9445693021.

 Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamigal jeeva samadhi - Siddhar Madam. 

Sri Veerasamy Swamigal jeeva samadhi 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---