Sri Maragathambal Samedha Sri Hridayaleeswarar Temple and Sri Eri katha Ramar Temple – Thiruninravur, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu.

1^st, September 2015.

Continuation to the previous post….

Utilizing the opportunity of participating the Uzhavaram by Chennai sevas had the darshan of Sri Hridayaleeswarar and Eri Katha Ramar at Thiruninravur.

SRI MARAGATHAMBAL SAMEDHA SRI HRIDAYALEESWARAR TEMPLE – THIRUNINRAVUR.

This part of this post was written as a separate post with updated History & Inscriptions, Architecture and Legends. Please click this link to see the updated post. 

This Shiva temple is few meters away from 58^th Divyadesam, Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple at Thiruninravur.

West side entrance

Moolavar    : Sri Hridayaleeswarar

Consort      : Sri Maragathambal

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with entrance arches on the east and west side. On the east side entrance Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishabam. Sri Vinayagar and Balamurugan are at the entrance  to the inner prakaram. The sanctum sanctorum is of Gajabirushtam  style with Pallava Architecture. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Vishnu Durgai. Moolavar is little large on a square avudayar and Poosalar one of the 63 nayanmar is in the sanctum facing south.

In the inner Prakaram sannadhi for Suryan Navagrahas, Pallava King Rajasimhan, Ninravur Polla Pillayar, Nalvar, Sekkizhar, Naagars, Mahaganapathy, Urchava moorthangal, Valli Devasena Subramaniar with Naagars, Chandikeswarar, Palliyarai, Natarajar saba, Bhairavar and Chandran.

In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Vinayagar, Nava kanniyar, Mandapam and office Room. Ambal is in a separate sannadhi facing south.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple is about 1300 years old and some inscriptions are available on the sanctum wall.( very difficult to read. )

Stala Puranam

Pallava King Rajasimhan

Inscriptions on the sanctum wall

LEGENDS

The temple was constructed by Pallava king  Rajasimhan for Poosalar. The story goes like this… Poosalar who applied vibhuti allover his body wants to construct a Shiva Temple sitting under Iluppai tree.  Though couldn’t construct physically constructed the temple in his heart with a concentrated mind and fixed a date for consecration (Kumbhabhishekam). Since the date of consecration coincides with Pallava King Rajasimhan’s Kailasanathar temple at Kanchipuram, Lord asked the king in his dream to postpone the date. The Pallava King Rajasimhan wants to see the temple and came to Thiruninravur and able to find Poosalar under the Iluppai tree with a great difficulty. Poosalar  showed his chest where he built the temple. The king appreciated Poosalar’s bhakthi and constructed a temple as per Poosalar’s wish.

Since Poosalar constructed in his heart ( mind ), it is believed that heart related ailments  will get cured by worshiping Lord Shiva of this temple.

TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple is kept open between 06.00 Hrs to 12.30 Hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The temple dharmakartha is Sri Jagan Somasundaram of Devakottai, a Nattukottai Nagarathar and the manager is Mr D Balakrishnan whose mobile number is 9444164108.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about 3 KM distance from Thiruninravur Railway station which is on the way from Chennai Central to Tiruvallur- Arakkonam.

Town buses are available from Railway station’s south side, 54A to Poonamallee and M54 to T Nagar.

Share autos are  also available from Thiruninravur railway station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE 

 East Side entrance

Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishabam 

View of the temple from west side

Moolavar Vimanam with Ambal sannadhi vimanam

Nava kanniyars

View of the temple from west side entrance

A round stone, what for it is used?- Used for Grinding of lime mortar during renovation

After darshan of Sri Hridayaleeswarar, went to Sri Eri Katha Ramar temple. When I reached, the temple was not opened. Went around the temple. Development work of paving the floor around the sanctum was in progress. Labourers are busy in unloading the granite slabs for the pavement. After 15 minutes the Bhatter arrived and opened the temple for the dharshan. Wow it was a wonderful darshan of Lord Sri Ramar and waiting has been rewarded. 

SRI ERIKATHA RAMAR TEMPLE.

This temple is on the west side of the 58^th Divya Desam of Sri Ennaipetra Thayar samedha Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple  on the banks of Varuna Pushkarani.

Moolavar : Moolavar Sri Ramar with Sri Lakshmanan on the left.

Thayar    : Sri Seetha Piratiyar.

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with out Rajagopuram and palipedam and Molavar vimanam. Anjaneya sannidhi is on the opposite side with a vertical tablet is in front. The sanctum consists of Muka maha mandapam and artha mandapam. Sri Ramar, Sri Seetha and Sri Lakshmanar’s moorthams are very big and Sri Ramar is 8 feet high.

In the mukha mandapam pillar reliefs of Perumal’s avatharams are worth to see.

It was said that the temple is very old with there is no evidence to prove. To my shock there is an inscription slab is being used as a stepping stone to the sanctum.  The temple must be a reconstructed one.

In Mukha mandapam Nagar and Anjaneyar holding Sri Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders and keeping his leg on demon Lankini. ( Seems this is a rare moortham and similar one is available at Naimisaranyam ). Sri Ramar and Sri Lakshmana’s feet can be seen on the back side of Hanuman.

The temple’s tank varuna Pushkarani is very big with a neerazhi mandapam. Sri Ramar saved the people from flooding water of this  tank/ Eri. Hence Sri Ramar is called as Eri Katha Ramar. ( Similar to this there are few Eri katha Ramar Temples in and around Chennai and another one is at Madurantakam).

There is a mandapam on the left side before entering the temple with madras roofing wooden beams in a dilapidated condition 

TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple is kept open between 08.00 Hrs to 12.Hrs to 16.30 Hrs to 19.00 Hrs some times only morning will be open.

CONTACT DETAILS

Sri Venugopal Bhatter7845785715 and 9840837689

Devotees in group  may approach Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple for opening.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about 3 KM distance from Thiruninravur Railway station which is on the way from Chennai Central to Tiruvallur- Arakkonam. Town buses are available from Railway station south side, 54A to Poonamallee and M54 to T Nagar Rs 3.00 is charged for 3 KM distance )

Share autos are also available from Thiruninravur railway station ( Rs 7 was charged).

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE 

 Temple front view

 Epigraph on the steps

 Front Mandapam

 Sri Anjaneyar

 Temple view from outside

 Neerazhi mandapam  in the varuna pushkarani 

 Fish reliefs on the ceiling

 Sri Seetha with Sri Ramar

 Sri Rama with Sri Lakshmana

 Anjaneyar lifting Rama and Laksmana on his shoulders and the demon Lankini under his feet 

 Reliefs on the Pillars

 Reliefs on the Pillars

 Reliefs on the Pillars

 An Anjaneyar relief on a granite stone slab in vertical position 

 Madras roof mandapam with wooden beams

 Madras roof mandapam with wooden beams

After Darshan of Sri Eri katha Ramar, returned back to 58^th Divya desam of Sri Ennaipetra Thayar samedha Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple and joined with the Chennai sevas for the Uzhavarapani. The details are posted separately.

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---