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 later stage. Both the temples at Thirukachur  (The Shiva Temple, one on the Hilltop, 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 to visit the above Siddhar Madam during this weekend's temple visit.

I did not plan for any temple visit outside the City this week. When my wife asked me, “Are you going to any temples this Sunday, or will you be at home?" (She might have expected me to help 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 with the temples after.

The priest 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 part of 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 faces west with an entrance mottai gopuram from the 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 the Moolavar Sanctum.

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

In the outer praharam, 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 sannidhi in a standing posture and facing west. Theertha well is the Aushadha well with steps constructed beautifully.

Two kala Pooja are being performed with the effort of Sri Kuzhandhai Swamigal and Sri Veerasamy Swamigal.

HISTORY: 

The temple was built during the Kulothunga Chozha-I and Chozha period. There are no inscriptions found. The construction of Rajagopuram will be after the arrival of the new disciple to Sri Kuzhandhaivel  Swamikal.  

LEGENDS

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

Brahma worshipped 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 available from the Railway gate.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline 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 the west side  (Moolavar can be seen through the Salaram)

 Moolavar vimanam

 Steps constructed for the Tirtha - Aushadha - well

 Ambal temple vimanam with bell tower

 Ambal temple

 Front Maha mandapam with relief of Dwarapalakas on the pillars

 Chathurmuga Chandikeswarar and  Bairavar

 Dwarapalakar and  a relief of Agasthiyar with Ambal 

 Front Mottai Rajagopuram 

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

After the darshan 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 a bicksha. The stucco relief is on the top.

SRI IRANTHITTESWAR SHRINE : 

 Moolavar

 Iranthitteesar sannadhi

Another view of Iranthiteesar Sannadhi 

SRI KACHABESWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUKACHUR AALA KOIL.

This temple is 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 faces east with a temple tank on the right, and the 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, which looks like mottai Gopuram. Balaipedam, Dwajasthambam with Rishaba mandapam are at the entrance of the mottai Rajagopuram. Moolavar is swayambhu and short. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, and Durgai. The Urchavar Thiyagarajar. 

In the praharam, 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 of the Nakshatra mandapam and facing east. The entrance to the Moolavar sannadhi is on the south of Nakshatra mandapam.

A separate sannidhi for Ambal and facing south in a standing posture. Urchava vahanas are kept in the maha mandapam.

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

HISTORY

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

LEGENDS

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

CONTACT DETAILS  

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

Alternatively, the mobile number can also be contacted at 93811 86389.

TEMPLE TIMINGS  

The temple is open from 09.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and evening from 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 the 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.

The auto facility is available from the Singaperumal Koil bus stop.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE 

 Virunthiteesar sannadhi

 Sundarar Sannadhi

 Gajabirushta Vimanam

 Temple view from the entrance

  Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam with bell tower view

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

 Temple entrance view - Nakshatra Mandapam 

 16 Pillar mandapam

Mottai Rajagopuram 

Lord Shiva, who gave food to Sundarar, also gave me. The annadhanam was organised through Velachery Thirukoil Uzhavarapani mandram led by Mr Adalarasan. (Mobile Numbers 9445121080, 9884892575, and 9841155511).  This is being conducted every Sunday between 10.00 hrs to 13.00 hrs.

SRI KUZHANDHAIVEL SWAMIGAL & SRI VEERASAMY SWAMIGAL MADAM.

This madam is in front of the Marundeeswarar Temple on the hill. The Jeeva Samadhi of Guru and his disciples are in the madam. Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamigal was born in Padappai,  a small village near Chennai, in a weaver family. He got married to Malai Kozhunthu and had three children after his father’s demise at a 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 it. So Swamigal got dejected and went to Kashi. He has done seva to the Lord by making a garland in the Kumaraguruthasa madam (Bamban Swamigal has got the kaashayam in this madam only). The mutt’s Gurunathar accepted Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamigal 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, stayed in the temple itself, and continued his thirupani. When he tried to come out of the temple, his eyesight was gone, and it came back once he entered back into the temple. He had done a lot of siddhis for the reconstruction of the temple, converting iron to gold, etc. He had done Kumbhabhishekam for the Lord Shiva shrine, the Ambal shrine, Vinayagar & Navagrahas.

During the construction of the Rajagopuram, Swamigal had a conflict with the Dhrmakartha Sivasankaran. The Dharmakartha wants to construct in his name and the money also to be deposited into 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 siddhi of Navakanda yoga ( to show the body in nine pieces ). After he attained mukti / jeeva Samadhi, the Dharmakartha’s koolies cut his body thinking that he was alive. The koolies also died with the same wounds that they had inflicted on 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 took over the temple’s thirupani. He was born in a small village near Chengalpattu. He became the disciple of Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal when his ancestors' property was divided among his relatives with different opinions.  During his period, the vimanam for Moolavar and Ambal was constructed. Swamikal used to be in Mounam most of the time. He used to call everybody Shiva. He was also instrumental in the temples of thirupani at the Dharmaraja temple at Korrukkupettai, and the Throwpathi Amman temple at Saidapet, before he came to Thirukachur. He has not done any siddhis like his guru, Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamigal.  Swamikal attained samadhi on 10-04-1999. The Marundeesar temple’s 1 Kala Pooja and the present  2 Kaala Pooja are the personal efforts of Sri Veerasamy Swamikal.

Girivalam has become famous during his period on every Karthikai month’s 3^rd Somavaram since the 1980s, in addition to monthly Girivalam, and the same is being continued even now. Annathanam is being offered to the devotees during that day.  It was believed that all the prayers would be successful if a devotee undertook Girivalam and worshipped 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 Utsava Vahanas, Temple Chariot / Thirutheer 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 ---