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 in 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 a 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 faces east with entrance arches on the east and west sides. 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 a little large on a square avudayar and Poosalar one of the 63 Nayanmars are in the sanctum facing south.

In the inner Prakaram sannadhi for Suryan Navagrahas, Pallava King Rajasimhan, Ninravur Polla Pillayar, Nalvar, Sekkizhar, Naagars, Mahaganapathy, Urchava Murtis, 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 Bibhuti all over his body wants to construct a Shiva Temple sitting under the Iluppai tree.  Though couldn’t construct physically construct 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, the Lord asked the king in his dream to postpone the date. The Pallava King Rajasimhan wanted to see the temple and came to Thiruninravur and was able to find Poosalar under the Iluppai tree with great difficulty. Poosalar showed his chest where he built the temple. The king appreciated Poosalar’s bhakti and constructed a temple as per Poosalar’s wish.

Since Poosalar was constructed in his heart ( mind ), it is believed that heart-related ailments will be 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 the 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 the west side

Moolavar Vimanam with Ambal sannadhi vimanam

Nava Kannis

View of the temple from the west side entrance

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

After the 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. Laborers are busy unloading the granite slabs for the pavement. After 15 minutes the Bhatter arrived and opened the temple for the darshan. 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 faces east without Rajagopuram and balipeedam and Molavar vimanam. Anjaneya sannidhi is on the opposite side with a vertical tablet in front. The sanctum consists of Muka maha mandapam and artha mandapam. Sri Ramar, Sri Seetha, and Sri Lakshmanar’s Murtis are very big and Sri Ramar is 8 feet high.

In the Mukha mandapam pillar reliefs of Perumal’s avatars are worth seeing.

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

In Mukha mandapam Nagar Anjaneyar holding Sri Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders and keeping his leg on demon Lankini. ( Seems this is a rare moortham and a 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 the water of this tank/ Eri. Hence Sri Ramar is called Eri Katha Ramar. ( Similar to this there are a 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 the 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 the Railway station south side, 54A to Poonamallee and M54 to T Nagar Rs 3.00 is charged for a 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 trying to lift Rama and Laksmana on his shoulders and the demon Lankini is 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 the 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---