17th August
2015
On
16th August I had been to Purasaiwakkam Sri Gangadeeswarar
Temple. This visit was planned to worship Sri Oondreswarar
of Thiruvenpakkam, where Lord Shiva gave Oondrukol to Sundarar when he lost his
eyes. The original Murtis are brought to this temple while constructing the
Poondi reservoir. Lord Shiva wishes to stay here even after constructing a new temple at Thiruvenpakkam, the present Poondi. (
For details of my Thiruvenpakkam Visit.
From
Guindy to Egmore went by Train and from Egmore Railway
station walked up to the temple. The route was Egmore Railway station –
Poonamallee High Road- Dr Alagappa Chettiar Road – Sri Gangadeeswarar Temple
Road.
SRI
PANGAJAMBAL SAMEDHA SRI GANGADEESWARAR TEMPLE – PURASAWALKAM.
This
temple is at Purasawalkam, a part of Chennai City close to Egmore.
The 5 tier Rajagopuram.
Moolavar : Sri Gangadeeswarar
Consort : Sri Pangajambal
Some
of the important features of this temple are....
The
temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam, and Rishabam are on the front side.
In
the outer prakaram sannadhi for Urchavar Mandapam with 63var, Siddhi
Vinayagar, Vaitheeswarar, Sri Balasubramaniar, Kuruntha Malleeswarar ( North
Indians do abhishekam on their own hands), Ambal Temple Simha vahanam with balipeedam and Dwajasthambam, Sathya Narayana Perumal, Bana lingam
without avudayar, Yaha salai, Navagrahas, and Sri Ramalinga Vallalar.
In
the outer prakaram walls stucco bas-reliefs of Shiva’s Leela. They are Shiva’s
anandha thandavam, Carried mud to stop the water of vaigai for Pittu, Shiva
kicking Yama for Markandeyar, Kannappar applying his eyes of Shiva,
Burning Muppuram / Tripurantaka, Ravana lifting Kailash, Shiva gave darshan to Karaikal Ammaiyar.
The
sthala purana stucco images are Bhakirathan not respecting Narathar
and Narathar giving curse/sabam, Bhagirathan worshiping Lord Shiva, and Lord Shiva giving
darshan to Bhagirathan.
The temple sthala purana - Bhakirathan’s court where Ladies are dancing and Narathar was respected when he visited Bhakirathan’s court. Narathar gave him sabam to get the decease of mega noi. (மேக நோய் )
The temple sthala purana - Bhakirathan Worshiping Lord Shiva – Ganga flowed from Shiva’s head and Bhagirathan got relieved from the decease. ( In another version Bhakirathan got Ganga water to get rid of his ancestor's sin )
In
the inner prakaram sannadhi for Ambal, Naalvar, Maha Ganapathy, Nagars,
Bhagirathan, Kasi Viswanathar, Sekkizhar, Kulachirai Nayanar, Suryan, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Uchishta Ganapathy, Sri Oondreswarar, Minnoli ammai,
Shanmugar, Durgai, Bhairavar, Dakshinamurthy, Palliyarai, Bhairavar,
Chandran, Suryan, Natarajar Saba.
Nalvar
Reliefs is on the pillar in front of Moolavar sannidhi. Once
this place was with a large number of Purasu trees, hence this place was called Purasawalkam
Around the Sanctum
is in the form of a moat/ agazhi type. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu,
Brahma and Durgai.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
As per the inscriptions, this place was in Puliyur Nadu a sub-division in Jayangonda Chozha mandalam during the Chozha period. ( Ref: Chennai Mavatta Kalvettukal, Tamil Nadu, Archaeological Department )
The 13th-century inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp at Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Puliyur Nattu Thiruvanmiyur Ulakaludaya Nayanar Temple, by Neelakangaraiyan.
The 15th Century Vijayanagara period inscription (maybe Devarayar ), is found much damaged. the letters like kanda kanda, Samudrathi, Kesavettai, Sri Veeraprathapa, Raya maha rayar etc. The details couldn't be identified.
The 16th Century Vijayanagara period inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp daily, for the same Kong.... kon Azhagu Perumal, one of the mandradis kudi amarthappattathu ( may be given to this temple ), belongs to Jayangonda Chozha mandalam.
Another 16th Century Vijayanagara period inscription is much damaged and words like taxes, and Kanikkai are mentioned.
LEGENDS
The legends like Tripura samharam, Ravana Lifting Mount Kailash, Vinayagar get Gnana pazham, Bakiratha's penance to bring Ganga river are in the form of stucco images on the wall.
Stucco relief of Shiva’s Leela – burning of Muppuram
Sudhai relief of Shiva’s Leela – Churning the par kadal – Vasuki the snake – as thread and Mount Meru as mathu
The story of Gnana pazham (ஞான பழம் )
Stucco image of Shiva’s Leela-Ravana Lifting Kailash
POOJA TIMINGS:
The
temple is kept open for darshan between 07.00 Hrs to 11.00 Hrs and 16.30 Hrs
to 21.00 Hrs
CONTACT DETAILS :
The
office telephone number is 044 26422487
The
temple web Site
HOW TO REACH :
Bus
facilities are available from various parts of the city.
2
KM from Egmore station via Gandhi Irvin Road – Nair Road – Dr Alagappa Chettiar
Road – Gangadeeswarar temple road.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK
HERE
Entrance view of the temple after Rajagopuram
Moolavar Vimanam
Lord Shiva’s Stucco images /statue – Bhagirathan is worshiping Lord Shiva. It was said that there is a light and show
about the history of the temple after 19.00 Hrs
This set of idols /Murtis belongs to Thiruvenpakkam
This set of idols /Murtis belongs
to Thiruvenpakkam, presently called Poondi, Shiva
temple. While constructing the Poondi Reservoir Moolavar Sri
Oontreeswarar, Ambal Minnoli Ambal, Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, and Bairavar were
brought and kept in this temple. After some years the Murtis were installed
in this temple itself. After completion of the Poondi reservoir the present
temple at poondi was reconstructed and when asked to shift the
original moorthams, Lord Shiva has not given permission and stayed there.
One of the Rishaba's horns is in broken condition due to the hitting Sundarar's oontrukol, which can be seen. The Sivachariyar told me that 6 kala poojas were performed at Thiruvenpakkam and now one
Kaala Pooja has been performed ( For my Thiruvenpakkam visit - Please Click the link for the updated post, AND Please Click this link for my first visit without Update).
After darshan, thought of worshiping Sri
Agastheeswarar at Villivakkam. I had been to this temple once and we used
to cross the temple around 05.00 Hrs on the way to Thirupathi Patha
yathra. A lot of renovations have been carried out and kumbhabhishekam
was also performed recently ( Due to renovation the temple lost its identity,
how ? written separately ). Walked to the temple from Villivakkam bus-
stand. Tried to get the sthala puranam, ( for know epigraph
details ) but the bookshop was not open. Epigraph details are not
mentioned on the temple website.
SRI
SWARNAMBIGA SAMETHA SRI AGASTHEESWARAR TEMPLE - VILLIVAKKAM ( Written in a separate post... for the details please click this Link ).
This temple is at Villivakkam a part of Chennai
City and close to Bus terminus and Railway station.
நாடகமா டிடநந்தி கேச்சுரமா
காளேச்
சுரநாகேச் சுரநாக
ளேச்சுரநன் கான
கோடீச் சுரங் கொண்டீச்
சுரந்திண் டீச்
சுரங்
குக்குடேச் சுரமகத்தீச்
சுரங்கூறுங்கால்
ஆடகேச் சுரமகத்தீச் சுரமய
னீச்சுர
மத்தீக்சுரஞ் சித்தீக்சுர
மந்தண் கானல்
ஈடுதிரை யிராமேசசுர மென்றென்
றேத்தி
யிறைவனுறை சுரம்பலவு
மியம்பு வோமே.
….. திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் ( 6-71-8 )
Moolavar Gajabirusta Vimanam
Moolavar : Sri Agastheeswarar
Consort : Sri Swarnambika
Some of the important features of this temple
are...
The main entrance is from the south with a Mottai
Rajagopuram and the arch above was built in recent years.
Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam are at the
east entrance in the outer prakaram. Sannadhi for Naagars, Lingas, Vilvambigai, Aadhi
Sankara and Navagrahas.
In the inner prakaram sannadhi for Surayan,
Nandeeswarar ( with Rishabam head ), Naalvar, Ganapathy, Urchavars, Kasi
Viswanathar, Agasthiyar, Palani Andavar, Lakshmi, Saraswathy, Sri Valli
Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Bairavar and Chandran.
Vinayagar and Subramaniar are at the entrance of
sanctum. Dwarapalakas are a little big in size and cute.
In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu,
Brahma and Durgai. Sanctum is of Gajabrushta type and Agazhi type of
construction. Moolavar is in an elevated position. In Nagabharanam
looks cute.
Ambal sannadhi is in the same prakaram facing
south. Lord Shiva permitted Ambal to give darshan to Agasthiyar with
gold ornaments, hence Ambal is called Sri Swarnambika. This
sthalam is one of the 108 Sakthi sthalam.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The temple has Chozha Period inscriptions which prove
that the temple existed for more than 500 years. ( A separate post is
written about the inscriptions ).
The stones with inscription ( only a portion of the epigraph) on the wall in the inner prakaram. Could not identify, in which language it was written. With little light, I found that the stone was kept upside down. Some inscription blocks are used for the outside wall. We cannot trace under whose period the temple was constructed. Totally it was a mesh. There are some inscriptions on the base of the Ambal sanctum also in an unreadable condition.
Epigraph details are not mentioned in the temple web site also. In the name of renovation, without knowing the importance of the epigraph details the identity and authenticity of the temple was destroyed and the future generations will be kept in the dark. Here are some of the epigraphs/inscriptions...
This epigraphic stone is kept up side down.
The epigraph on the base of Ambal sanctum base
The epigraph on the base of Ambal sanctum base
This epigraph is on the outside wall
LEGENDS
The history says that Agasthiyar Killed demons Vilvalan and Vatapi. To get rid of brahmahathi dosham Sri Veerabhadra helped Agasthiyar and got relieved. Hence Sri Veerabhadra's sannadhi is opposite to South side entrance and facing north.
Mars created a spring and worshiped Lord Shiva. Naagars are around Neem and Peepal trees on a raised platform. Devotees worship during Aadi Tamil month.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS :
The temple is kept open between 06.00 Hrs to 12.00
Hrs and 16.00 Hrs to 20.30 Hrs with 4 Kala poojas.
CONTACT
DETAILS :
The telephone number is 044 26172326
TNHRCE Dept Executive officer 9790996743 &
Clerk 9952038155
Temple web site
HOW
TO REACH :
Villivakkam is well connected with various parts
of Chennai city and a KM from Bus terminus and Railway station.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK
HERE
The
south side entrance of the temple
The south side entrance of the temple Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Nandi on the east side small entrance from the Temple tank
Moolavar Gajabirusta Vimanam - another view
Temple tank
Devotees worship Nagars under Neem and peepal /Arasa trees.
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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