“Thirukoil Uzhavarapani at Arulmigu Sri Sornambigai Udanuraai Sri Thokkeeswarar Temple, Villiambakkam, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

 06, October 2013

This October 2013, Uzhavarapani was at Arulmigu Sri Thokeeswarar Shiva Temple at Villiambakkam, near Chengalpattu. Lord Shiva has given me another opportunity last  week on  06-10-2013 to join with “Thirukkovil Uzhavarapani Mandram “(திருகோயில் உழவாரப்பணி மன்றம்-வேளச்சேரி, சென்னை -600042), under the head of thiru Adalarasan.  The Villiambakkam is on the Chengalpattu to Kanchipuram Train and bus route. The Thirupani was painting and removing vegetation on the unused land inside the temple. Breakfast and lunch were organized through donors.  About 500 Shiva devotees from various places. It was like a star in the sky; I could not count when I looked at it from the sky. Most of the devotees are regular participants, and very few are newcomers like me.  With the Iraivan’s blessing, I was lucky enough to participate in the October month’s thirupani without any phone calls.

After reaching Chengalpattu around 06.45 hrs by train, I boarded a private bus to Villiambakkam, which is about 7 km. The temple was about a km from the bus stop, after crossing the railway line. The temple is small, but the area is a little large. The total area of the temple was protected through the compound wall, and the Temple Tank is in front on the east side. The temple was reconstructed and looked like new. Kumbhabhishekam was performed about 5 years before. The Vimanas and stucco images were painted with a gold color. These were not painted during this uzhavarapani.

I joined a group to clean the cobwebs in the mandapams and clean the mandapams kodungai built with concrete. Started a little earlier, before breakfast. After breakfast, we continued our work. I was very tired due to the sun’s heat, and we worked till 11.30 hrs. Could not rest inside the temple due to the rush (devotees are everywhere) and rested outside. Since I was too tired, after a good lunch pushed off from the temple around 14.00 hrs. Missed the Kailaya Vathiyam with drums and old horn instruments, sung by the IOC devotees. A devote dropped me in his car at Villiambakkam Railway station to catch the train to Guindy, where I kept my Motorcycle.

VILLIAMBAKKAM NEAR CHENGALPATTU

 

Moolavar sannadhi with mandapam in front

Moolavar    : Sri Thokkeeswarar

Consort      : Sri Swarnambigai

Some of the important features of this temple are...

The only entrance arch is from the south side, and the temple faces east, with a temple tank in front. There is also an arch on the east side with a small gate. There is no Dwajasthambam.

Sannadi in the outer praharam for Sri Vijayaganapathy, Sri Vetrivel Murugan with Sri Valli Devasena, Ambal sannadhi with simha vahana, Navagrahas, Sri Bhairavar, Sri Chandran, and Sri Suryan. 

In Sri Vijaya Ganapathy Sannadhi’s koshtam, Sri Saraswati (In standing posture - a rare moortham, Sri Lakshmi (image is not there), and Sri Brahmi.

In Vetrivel Murugan’s koshtam, Sri Gugan, Sri Dhandayuthapani, and Sri Subramaniar.

In Moolavar sannidhi's koshtam. Sri Dakshinamurthy, Sri Vishnu, Sri Brahma, and Sri Durgai.

In Ambal sannidhi’s koshtam Sri Koumari, Sri Vaishnavi, Sri Brahmi, Sri Maheswari and Sri Varahi.

The temple premises have buildings for a store room, an office room, and a classroom for the Night study.

It was sad to see an epigraph with old Tamil inscriptions lying near the gate and being used for different purposes. Looking at it the temple must be 200 to 300 years old. It was told there is a 15th-century Vijayanagara period inscription about the donation of Land, which we couldn't trace. It was also said that as per the inscription, Iraivan was called Koteeswarar  

HOW TO REACH :

On the Chengalpattu to Kanchipuram route on the bus as well as on the train, the place is called Villiambakkam, and the temple is about 1 km off the main road and station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Entrance arch - on the south side

Moolavar sannadhi east side entrance arch

Ambal sannadhi

Moolavar sannadhi vimanam

Navagrahas with their vahanas

Thirukkulam / pond

The entrance arch on the east side

Rishabam with balipeedam

Sri Saraswati in Vinayagar sannadhi's koshtam in standing posture - A rare Murti

An old Tamil inscription / Kalvettu lying near the gate - proper care is not taken

Moolavar vimanam view from the terrace - looks cute

Ambal vimanam view from the terrace

Sri Vetrivel Murugan sannidhi - view from Ambal sannidhi 

PHOTOS TAKEN DURING UZHAVARAPANI

Preparing for the uzhavarapani, breakfast

Uzhavarapani in progress - Clearing of vegetation 

Uzhavarapani in progress - Cleaning of moolavar sannadhi mandapam - kodungai 

                                                            Uzhavarapani in progress

                                        Uzhavarapani in progress- Painting of Ambal sannidhi 

                                                           Uzhavarapani in progress

Uzhavarapani in progress - Cleaning of the compound wall  with a high-pressure water jet 

Uzhavarapani in progress - Cleaning with a high-pressure water jet

Uzhavarapani in progress - Cleaning of Ambal sannadhi 

Uzhavarapani in progress - Cleaning of Moolavar vimanam with a high-pressure water jet 

Lunch preparation is in progress

PHOTOS TAKEN AFTER UZHAVARAPANI 

Chandran sannadhi - with half pirai (half moon) behind his head

Navagrahas sannadhi and Bairavar sannidhi in front 

Ambal sannidhi after painting 

Sri Murugan Sannidhi after painting 

Entrance arch - south side 

Compound wall  with temple, view from outside

Next month’s Uzhavarapani will be at Arulmigu Thirupurasundari udanurai Arulmigu Ilavapureeswarar temple at Vilangadupakkam, Near Redhills on 03-11-2013. All are requested to join in this uzhavarapani

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---