1, May 2014.
Thanks
to Lord Shiva for given me the opportunity to meet my readers once again
after a gap of 3 months. I am slowly recovering from the accident
and even though, I was advised not to take long trips, I had taken this long
trip by bus. Due to official compulsion, I was forced to take this trip to
Chettinad. Also, my job was to inspect a job carried out at
Chettinad Shiva Temple. All the temples I visited are about 2 to 3 km
apart, hired an auto to travel to these temples.
I
extend my thanks to Mr. Muthu Arunachalam of Kanadukathan for providing me
the details of Sri Karaimel Azhagar Ayyanar Temple through a 1995
Kumbhabhishekam Malar.
SHIVA TEMPLE AT CHETTINAD
Moolavar
: Sri Sundareswarar
Consort
: Sri Meenakshi
Some
of the important features of this temple are….
The
temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram and there is Rajagopuram on the
south side too. Moolavar is a little taller. Ambal is in a separate sannadhi
facing south. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and
Durgai.
In
parakaram sannadhi for Chandikeswarar, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena
Subramaniar, Gajalakshmi, Saba mandapam, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran and
Suriyan. Temple Pond is on the east side with unique construction. There is a
separate temple for Sri Muthu Ganapathy on the left side of the main temple facing
east.
Inside the mandapam
ceiling were with lot of paintings. On the south side Ambal’s Nine
Avatars (NAVRATRI FESTIVAL). All the paintings were done with herbal paints.
(Herbal).
Sri Mahishasuramardhini
Shiva and Parvathi's marriage
HOW
TO REACH :
The temple is at Kanadukathan also called Chettinad. 5 km away from the by-pass road.
Buses are available from Karaikudi, Pudukottai, and Trichy. From the Kanadukathan bus stand, one can auto to the temple.
CONTACT DETAILS :
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK
HERE
Sri Muthu Ganapathy Temple
The temple Pond/ Thirukulam - A unique construction
Rajagopuram with newly installed lightning arrestor
Moolavar Vimanam after restoration
Mooligai painting of Gajalakshmi
Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar
Sri Abirami Amman
Sri Rajarajeswari
SHIVA
TEMPLE – PERIYA KOIL , AT MELUR,
KANADUKATHAN.
The three-tier Rajagopuram
Moolavar :
Sri Kailasanathar.
Consort : Sri Soundarya Nayaki.
Consort : Sri Soundarya Nayaki.
Some of the important features of this temple are
……
The temple was built by Nattukottai
Nagarathars. The statues of Nagalinga Chettiar, Annamalai Chettiar,
Subramanian Chettiar, Manickam Chettiar, Perichiappa Chettiar, and Muthappa
Chettiar are along with the mandapa pillars, who had contributed to this temple construction.
The temple faces east with two-tier Rajagopurams,
one is in front of Moolavar, and the other is in front of Ambal Sannadhi. Ambal is also
facing east. The temple is of stone structure with vast
paraharas and with lot of minute carving pillars. Dwarapalakas looks cute. A stone chain is hanging from the entrance ceiling.
Moolavar is suyambu and short. In koshta Murtis of Vinayagar,
Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai. In the praharam (between Moolavar and Ambal
Sannadhi) Somaskandar and Chandikeswarar. In prakaram, sannidhi for Vinayagar, Valli Devasena
Subramaniar, Maha Lakshmi, Hanuman (a relief on the pillar), Palliyarai,
Bairavar (in a separate sannadhi), Saneeswarar, Navagrahas, Chandran and Suriyan.
HOW TO REACH :
About a KM distance from Kanadukathan.
CONTACT DETAILS :
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
The Arch Stucco images between the two Rajagopurams
The Rajagopuram in front of moolavar sannadhi
The corridor - beautifully chiseled stone Pillars
The entrance to Moolavar Sannadhi
The stone chain is hanging from the ceiling
Beautifully chiseled pillar Pothiyals and above Yazhi
Beautifully chiseled Pillar for the Dakshinamurthy mandapam
KARAIMEL AZHAGAR AYYANAR TEMPLE
( Some of the details given below are taken from the Year 1995
Kumbhabhishekam Malar – In that Sri
Ayyanar was mentioned as Sri Poorna Pushkala Ambal Sametha Hariharaputra Maha Sastha Sri Karaimel
Azhagar Ayyanar ). It was believed that
Sri Ayyanar was the next incarnation of Lord Sri Ayyappa of Sabarimala. We can see a similarity of
Parivara Devadas when compared with Sabarimala.
Stucco Horse with stucco images
Moolavar : Sri Ayyanar
Consort :
Sri Poornakala, Sri Pushkala
Some of the important features of this temple
are……
The temple faces east with a temple tank on the
south side. Moolavar is in a sitting posture with a lotus in one
hand.
In parakaram sannadhi for
Nondi Karuppar, Pechiamman, Paramanur Kali, Periya Karuppar, Chinna
Karuppar, 18m padi Karuppan, Pechi Muthamman, Akora Veerapathirar, Saptamatrikas, Muneeswarar, Arasu Mukam, Sannasi ( Sanyasi or a munivar ) and Bairavar.
Balipeedam with vahanam Elephant are in the
mandapam. Dwarapalakas are in stucco installed at the
entrance of the temple. Stucco Horse images are on the left side
of the main temple entrance.
The priests are non-Brahmins (Velalars - Kuyavars – mud pot manufacturers). Goats and Cocks are offered to Ayyanar ( Since Ayyanar
is a Non Vegetarian God).
Entrance to the main shrine with Dwarapalakas on both sides
LEGEND
There was a hearsay that Kanadukathan, Sri
Sathappa Chettiar’s family members
passed through this place with their daughter, the daughter went outside and she did not turn up
after a long time. When she was called, a Devine voice (அசரீரி) was heard as “I
had merged with Karuppar (நான் கருப்பனுடன் கலந்து விட்டேன்)”. After that, Sri Ayyanar became the Kula Theivam for these people. Annual festivals are regularly conducted. Chettiars used the tonsured heads of their first sons or daughters in this temple.
Ayyanar is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Sri Ayyappan (who was born to Lord Shiva and Sri Vishnu) married Poornakala and Pushkala and stayed in this temple to bless the Nagarathars as Kaval Theivam.
It is believed that this Ayyanar is also a Kula Theivam for Kanadukathan Nattukottai Nagarathars and for Madurai Melur Navinipatti, Valladappatti, Kottakudi, Attadaippatti. (once these people lived in Surakkudi about 300 years before and moved to Melur – This was disclosed by Sri Ayyanar himself came on priests (அருள் வாக்கு) at the time of performing the Kumbhabhishekam) Madurai Melur people also contributed to the development of this temple.
HISTORY
Sri Ayyanar was once in the midst of thorny bush and a thatched shed was constructed by the 5 sons of Ayangudi Vellayan Chettiar. After 200 years a stone temple was re – constructed. Kanadukathan Sri Sathappa Chettiar’s statue is in Mandapam, whose predecessors had done the construction of this temple.
Now the temple is under the control of a Trust
headed by Sri Dr. AC Muthiah, a leading industrialist of South India.
Temple Tank with Temple complex
Moolavar Vimanam
SRI KANMAI KARAI MEL AYYANAR THUTHI ( This was composed by கவிஞர்
அரு. சுப்ரமணியன் ) Taken from 1995 Kumbhabhishekam malar.
அழகே உருவான எம் ஐயனாரே
அற்புதங்கள் நிகழ்த்திவரும் ஐயனாரே
கரைமேல் அழகரான ஐயனாரே
காக்கவேணும் எம்குலமே ஐயனாரே
சிலையாக இருந்தாலும் ஐயனாரே
சிறப்பென்ன அறியாமோ ஐயனாரே
கருப்பனுடன் சேர்ந்திங்கு ஐயனாரே
காக்கவேணும் எம்குலமே ஐயனாரே
வளமான வாழ்வெல்லாம் ஐயனாரே (நீ )
வழங்கிய தோர் செல்வமன்றோ ஐயனாரே
நிலையான வாழ்வு தந்து ஐயனாரே
என்றும் வளமோடு காக்கவேணும் ஐயனாரே
பூரணமாய் புட்கலையாய் ஐயனாரே
புகழ்சேர்க்கும் இருமாதர் ஐயனாரே
வலம் இடமாய் காட்சிதந்தே ஐயனாரே
வந்து நலம் சேர்க்கவேணும் ஐயனாரே
பாடிஉனைப் பணிந்திடுவேன் ஐயனாரே ( நீ )
பக்கபலம் தந்திடுவாய் ஐயனாரே
தேடிஉனைச் சரணடைதோம் ஐயனாரே
திவ்யமுடன் காக்கவேணும் ஐயனாரே
சார்ந்ததொரு கண்மாயும் ஐயனாரே
சாலையுடன் சேர்ந்த கரை ஐயனாரே
பார்புகழும் உன்பெருமை ஐயனாரே
பாடிநிதம் தொழுதிடுவோம் ஐயனாரே
கேட்டவரம் தந்தருளும் ஐயனாரே - உடன்
கேடு வினை தீர்த்தருளும் ஐயனாரே
பாட்டினிலே மனம் குளிர்ந்து ஐயனாரே - இந்தப்
பக்தர் நலம் காத்திடுவாய் ஐயனாரே
--- ஓம் சிவாய நம ---
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