The visit to this Sri Thiyaga
Vinotha Perumal Temple at Ponmar was a part of the “Shiva & Vishnu Temples,
Hero Stones and Heritage Sites Visit”, from Ponmar to Karunilam, near
Guduvanchery, in Chengalpattu District on 24th October 2023. This temple was once in dilapidated condition.
The old post dated 26th April 2016, of
my blog on this temple was updated after reconstruction and Maha Samprokshanam. This Perumal temple is on
Ponmar to Navalur Road.
Moolavar : Sri Thiyaga Vinaotha Perumal
Consorts : Sridevi & Bhudevi
Some of the salient features of this temple are….
The temple faces east with balipeedam and Garudan. The sanctum sanctorum is on an elevated
level with steps to climb up. In sanctum Sanctorum Moolavar Sri Thiyaga Vinotha
Perumal is with Sridevi and Bhudevi,
about 5.5 feet tall. Perumal is with 4 hands. The upper hand holds sankha and Prayoga Chakra ( straight ) and the lower hands are in varada and kadi hastam. Utsavars are in the ardha mandapam.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple is on a raised upanam. The Upana pilasters have the bas-reliefs of the
epic Ramayan scenes. The adhistanam is of kapota bandha adhistanam with
jagathy, Vrudha Kumudam, and Kapotam with nasi kudus. The Bhitti starts with
vedika. The Koshtas are of Sala style and pilasters are with Vishnukantha
pilasters with square base & Naga bandha, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals
mandi, palakai, Veerakandam and Poomottu pothiyal. The Kumbha panjaras are
between Koshtas and Karnapathi.
The Prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus
and Viyyalavari. The nasikudus has the images of bhuta ganas and Epic Ramayan
scenes.
The Bricks Vimanam is above the Bhumidesam. The Vimanam is of two tiers
(total 3 tiers with Adhi Tala). The Tala and Greeva Kostas have stucco
images of Narasimhar, Lakshmi Narayana, Lakshmi Hyagreeva, Lakshmi Varaha etc,.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The original temple belongs to the Chozha
period and was reconstructed during the Vijayanagara period ( the present structure ). The
temple was in dilapidated condition till a few years before, either due to lack of maintenance or may have been destroyed during the Muslim ruler's invasion.
This place Ponmar was called as Jayamkonda
Chozhamandalathu Puliyur kottathu Kalvoy nattu Thiyaga Vinotha Nallur alias
Ponmaru Thiyaga Vinotha nallur - ஜெயங்கொண்ட சோழமண்டலத்து புலியூர் கோட்டத்து கால்வாய்
நாட்டு தியாகவினோத நல்லூரான பொன்மாறு, during Vijayanagara period ( as per Kanchipura Mavatta kalvettukkal Volume – 2, Sri
Sakthipureeswarar Temple’s inscription, which is about 500 meters away from
this temple ). When the
temple was in dilapidated condition, this temple was identified as a Maha
Vishnu temple based on the Garuda’s image on the entrance lintel. Except this
Garuda’s bas-relief, no other idol was found in this temple. So Maha Vishnu was
named after the village name Thiyaga Vinotha Perumal.
As per AR No 125 of 1912, the Chozha King Rajaraja-III ( 1219 CE )
incomplete inscription at Thiruvitriyur Temple, records the order of
transferring this village from one
person to the other inscribe at
Thiruvotriyur Adhipurisvara Temple. This inscription starts with his meikeerthi
as Sir manni iru nangum thisai vilangka
thirumadanthaiyum......
சிர்ம(ன்)னி இருநான்கும்
திசை விளங்க திருமடந்தையும்.... In the ARE report, the king is called Ulagudaiya-Perumal.
The title Parakesarivarman is wrongly engraved for Rajakesarivarman. The King
is addressed as one who would take the country he sees and will not give back, as "Kanda Nadu Kondu Konda Nadu Kudatha –
கண்டநாடு கொண்டு
கொண்டநாடு குடாத உலகுய்யவந்த பெருமாளு..., a title/Meilkeerthi which find in the Vijayanagara
inscriptions of the latter period.
The inscription records that when
the King was pleased to appear at Karuvili in Milalai kuRRam in Pandi nadu, he
issued an order conferring the proprietorship of the Village
Ponmarumaligai in Kalvay nadu in Puliyur Kottam, in Jayankondachozha Mandalam (a sub-division) of Thondai Mandalam on a certain Pugalvanayan of Karuvili. It
appears that the previous holder Sengadavayan betrayed the Royal Command - ராஜ
துரோகம். ( hence it was now given to
Pugalvaniyan ).
The temple was reconstructed and
Samprokshanam was conducted on 05th June 2023.
It is planned to install 12 Alwars
and Udayavar Sri Ramanujar idols sculptured out of Greenstone at a cost of Rs
57000/ each. Sponsors are requested to participate and their fame will last
long till the sun and moon exists.
LEGENDS
This legend is associated with the
Prayoga Chakra, which Maha Vishnu holds. The Amparisa Story, the Thirty-third Sthagam/chapter in the Narayaniyam praises the Prayoga Chakra’s glory. When
Maha Vishnu took the Macha avatar, Sathaviratha received Upadesam from
Vishnu as Guru. In the next birth, he was born as Vaivastha Manu. His son was
Nabagan. Amparisan was born to Nabagan and ruled this complete earth. Amparisan
observed Ekadasi Vradha seriously. Durvasa visited Amparisan when he was
observing Ekadasi Viratham, but he didn’t notice Durvasa. Thinking that Amparisan
was ignoring him, Durvasa Rishi became angry.
Durvasa had sent a Bhoota to destroy Amparisan. On
seeing this Maha Vishnu sent the Chakra as Prayoka Chakra on the Bhoota.
The Chakra killed the Bhoota and chased Durvasa. Fearing the Chakra Durvasar surrendered to
Maha Vishnu. But Maha Vishnu advised Durvasar to surrender to Amparisan. Since
there was no choice but to escape from Chankra, Durvasar surrendered to Amparisan.
Overwhelmed by Maha Vishnu’s, kindness and blessings Amparisan, requested Chakra,
not to harm Durvasa. The Chakra reduced its speed and returned back to Maha
Vishnu. On seeing all these happenings Durvasar, praised Amparisan’s Bhakthi on
Maha Vishnu and the importance of Ekadasi viradha. Durvasa blessed Amparisan
with a lot of boons.
Amparisan worshipped many Maha
Vishnu temples across India, where Maha Vishnu Holds Prayoga chakra and this is
one of the temples. Some of the other temples are Madurai Azhagar Temple,
Aduthurai Vaiyangatha Perumal Temple, and Arumbakkam Sathya Varadharaja Perumal
Temple. As per the sthala purana, Perumal was blessing his devotees from this
temple in 4 yugas.
Maha Vishnu also saved the Gajendra
an elephant from Crockadile, when it called loudly and cried “Adhimoolame”, Maha
Vishnu threw the Prayoga chakra and blessed both Gajendran and the Crocodile to
attain mukti.
POOJAS & CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special
poojas are conducted on Vaikunta Ekadasi, monthly Ekadasi, Purattasi Saturdays,
Markazhi months all days, Hanuman Jayanthi, Krishna Jayanthi, Pushpangi Seva, etc.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open between
08.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
Bhattar Murali may be contacted on his
mobile at +91 9791157243 for pooja details.
The trustees may be contacted on their
mobile numbers +91 8056274746, +918778693401, and +917010216023 for details and developments of the temple.
HOW TO REACH
All the buses from T Nagar, ( 51J, J51, and 51T ) via
Medavakkam pass through the Village of Ponmar
The temple is about a KM off the main road on Malai Street ( Ponmar
to Navalur Road ).
19 KM from Velachery, 10 KM from Medavakkam, and 40 KM from Chennai
Central.
The nearest MRTS Railway Station is Velachery.
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
26th
April 2016.
இன்று 24, ஏப்ரல், 2016, பொன்மார் சென்று இருந்தேன்..மலை வீதியிலுள்ள ஸ்ரீ சக்தி புரீஸ்வரர் கோவில் செல்வதற்கு முன்பு கண்டது மனதை என்னவோ செய்தது....ஒரு பெருமாள் கோயில்.. கீழே விழும் நிலையில்.. பல்லவர்கள் காலத்தில் வெளிப்புறம் கற்றளியாகவும் உள்ளே செங்கற்களாலும் கட்டப்பட்டது...அதே காலகட்டத்தில் கட்டப்பட்டது தான் சிவன் கோவிலும்.. பெருமாள் யாருக்காக காத்துக்கொண்டு இருக்கின்றார்
என்று தெரியவில்லை.
பெருமாள் பக்த்தர்கள்
யாராவது முன் வருவார்களா.. பெருமாள் பக்தர்கள் மிகவும் நல்ல மனம் படைத்தவர்கள்.. கண்டிப்பாக கூடிய விரைவில் ஒரு புதிய விடியலை எதிர்பார்போம்... வலைத்தள அன்பர்களுக்கு ஒரு வேண்டுகோள்.. இதை அதிகமாக பகிர்ந்தால்
ஒரு நல்ல பெருமாள் பக்த்தரை சென்று அடையாதா....
I happened to visit Ponmar, Chennai Perumal Temple on 24th April 2016. Really I felt very sorry to see the condition of this temple. May collapse at any time. A tamarind tree was grown from top to bottom. Some of the outer side carved stones had fallen down. By seeing the structure the temple might have been constructed during the Pallava period, outside with stone and inside with bricks.
I
do not know why the Perumal is waiting so long to ask any one of his devotees to
reconstruct the temple. Hope we will expect a change. Request Perumal devotees
to spread this message and help for the reconstruction of this temple.
HOW
TO REACH :
All the buses from T
Nagar, ( 51J, J51, and 51T ) via Medavakkam pass through the
Village of Ponmar
The temple is about a KM off the main road on Malai
Street
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMAHA---
Nice blog and good pictures...
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