Sri Chennimalai Andavar Temple / Chennimalai Murugan Temple / சென்னிமலை தண்டாயுதபாணி கோயில், Chennimalai, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

 07^th April 2016.

This month’s planned temple visits are  3 hill temples (Chennimalai, Othimalai, and Velliangiri Hills) and Bannari Mari Amman temple. Since I could not get the return ticket to Chennai from Erode after my official work at Ooty, I postponed my travel to Monday, the 4^th of April 2016. To utilize the time effectively plan the above temples on Sunday and Monday.

   

My first Hill temple visit was to Chennimalai. During my earlier visit to this temple, the Rajagopuram was under construction. The Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 07-07-2014 after the construction of the Rajagopuram and renovation works.

This temple is considered one of the Arupadaiveedu temples of Kongu Nadu. They are.......

1. Thirumurugan Poondi, Avinashi, Murugan with 6 heads & 12 hands.

2. Othimalai, Murugan with 5 heads and 08 Hands.

3. Tindigul Chinnalapatti, Murugan with 4 heads & 8 hands.

4. Kumaran Karadu, Kasi Palayam, near Gobi, Murugan with 3 heads & 6 hands.

5. Chennaimalai, Murugan with 3 faces & 4  hands.

6. Palani, Murugan with one face and two hands as Dhandayuthapani.  

SRI CHENNIMALAI ANDAVAR TEMPLE- CHENNIMALAI.  

Chennimalai is situated in Erode district and is part of Kongu Nadu. Weaving is the main activity in and around Chennimalai. The temple is dedicated to Lord Sri Murugan, and people call him Chennimalai Andavar; it is situated at a height of 1750 feet. The temple is believed to be 3000 years old. The temple can be approached through a road and neatly constructed steps. The Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 07-07-2014. The 5-tier Rajagopuram was constructed at Rs 5 crores. Chennimalai was also called Siragiri, Sikaragiri, Pushpagiri, and Magudagiri.

 Temple view from the back side 

Moolavar: Sri Chennimalai Andavar (Sri Murugan)

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The story of the temple goes like this… At  Kodumanal village, 5 km away from Chennimalai, A Cow used to be milked in a particular place daily. On seeing this, the farm owner dug the place and found a beautiful statue of Lord Muruga. The surface was not smooth below the hip. While cleaning with a chisel, blood oozed out, so the farm owner stopped cleaning and installed it on this Chennimalai Hill. 

There is a sannidhi for Sri Muthukumara Saavan - a Navakanda statue / sirpam - which was built by URC educational institutions of Erode.

There is a sannidhi for Sri Aadhi Vinayagar and Gurukkal said that a snake worships Pillayar and hides in one of the holes in the wall. 

SRI CHENNIMALAI ANDAVAR TEMPLE  

A Vilakkuthoon is in front of the Rajagopuram at the end of the steps. The 5-tier Rajagopuram is at the entrance, and Peacock, balipeedam, and Dwajasthambam are in the praharam. In Chennimalai Andavar sanctum koshtam: Sikivahana Murthy, Agni Jatha Murthy, Sujanma Murthy, Sowpeya Murthy, and Devasenapathy Murthy.

Sannadhi for Vinayagar, Navagrahas, Chandran, Suryan, Bhairavar. Sri Markandeshwara with Nandhi, mini Kodimaram, and balipeedam are on the left of the main sanctum with his consort Sri Umayavalli. The Gurukuls of Sri Markandeswara Temple belong to the Markandeya gotra of Thirukadaiyur, and they were brought by Sivalaya Chozhan.

Outside the main sanctum mandapam walls are reliefs of Rahu, Ketu, and Guru on the right. Kasi Viswanathar and Visalakshi Sannadhi are on the right side of Sri Chennimalai Andavar Sanctum.

 Sri Chennimalai Andavar sannadhi Vimanam 

SRI VALLI DEIVANAI TEMPLE.

Moorthams of Valli & Devasena are made of a single stone with Shiva Lingam on the base. Vilakku thoon, balipeedam, and Peacock are in front of the temple, and Chennimalai Andavar’s sudhai sirpam is on the mandapam arch.

It was believed that both were in Thabas to marry Chennimalai Andavar. Sri Valli and Deivanai, as Amirthavalli and Sundaravalli, had done dhabas to get married to Chennimalai Andavar. Chennimalai Andavar assured them that he would marry both when they were born as Valli & Deivanai.

 Valli Deivanai Temple  

PINNAKKU SIDDHAR.

Pinnakku Siddhar is one of the 18 Siddhars and attained mukti in this Sthalam. He got his wisdom from his Guru Pambatti Siddhar.

His tongue was split into two parts, so he was called Pinnakku Siddhar. He was also called Nandeeswarar due to the Tejas on his body. He advised devotees not to tell lies. There is a small cave in which Pinnakku Siddhar did his meditation. 

 

 Siddhar sannadhi 

ARCHITECTURE

The temple complex consists of the main temple for Sri Chennimalai Andavar,  Sri Valli Devasena Temple, and Pinnakku Siddhar jeeva Samadhi.

The temple can be reached from the base through two paths. One is via bus, car, van, etc., which is a 4 km distance, and the other way is through a footpath with neatly paved 1330 steps and mandapams to take rest.

  

There are 1330 steps (in some books it is written as 1300 and in some books 1320, etc.), which denotes the  Tamil Thirumarai  Thirukural, a Tamil literature, which has 1330 verses. At the entrance of the footsteps route sannidhi for Skandar, Kadamban, and Idumban.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per Mr Raju, Head and epigraphist of Tanjore Tamil University, the temple was built by Karikar Chozhan (proof: Chozhan Poorva pattayam). There are 17th- and 18th-century inscriptions/ epigraphs available in this temple. Thirupani was done by Sengathurai Poojari during the 19^th century and in the 20^th century by Vettuvapalayam Velalathambiran.

For Chennimalai Andavar’s thirumanjanam water is brought from the base daily through (Pothi kaalai -  பொதிகாளை) bull. It was an achievement that in 1984 a bullock cart was pulled by two bulls from the base to the top of the hill through steps. 

Adhi Vinayagars Sannidhi mukha mandapam was constructed by Narayana Swamy Gounder.

130/2005. The 1710 CE Tamil inscription on the pillar in the temple on the hill; no details are available.

பொஆ 1719, ஆண்டு மலைக் கோயில் கருவறை நிலைகால் இடப்புறம் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு வேலர் கோயில் கட்டிய விபரத்தைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது. சாலிவாகன சகம், என்பதற்குப் பதிலாக கலியுகம் எனத் தவறாக எழுதப்பட்டுள்ளது. (காலக் குறிப்பு தவறாக உள்ளது).

131/2005. The 1723 C.E. Tamil inscription on the roof near the door jamb mentions the name Palani Thattan, son of Velathattan.

மைசூர் மன்னர் தேவராச உடையாரின் பொஆ 1723 ஆம் ஆண்டு, சென்னிமலை மலைக்கோயில் நுழைவாயில் விதானத்தில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு பூந்துறை வேலத்தட்டான் மகன் பழனித்தட்டான் நுழைவாயில் திருப்பணி செய்தார் என்பதைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது. (சென்னிமலை அருணகிரிநாதர் பாடல் பெற்ற முருகன் திருத்தலம்). 

 

132/2005. The  1856 C E inscription on the western wall of the kitchen records the construction of the kitchen by Kuttiya Gaunder.

பொஆ 1856 ஆம் ஆண்டு, மலைக் கோயில் மடப்பள்ளி மேற்குச் சுவரில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு கள்ளிப்பட்டி குட்டியாக்கவுண்டர் மடப்பள்ளி கட்டியதைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

Reference

ஈரோடு மாவட்டக்கல்வெட்டுகள், தொகுதி – 3.

 

 Aathi Vinayagar sannadhi  

Chennimalai is the birthplace of the freedom fighter Tiruppur Kodi Kaatha Kumaran.

 

The statue of freedom fighter Thirupur Kodi Kaatha Kumaran 

LITERATURE

The Sthala Purana was written by Saravana Munivar after referring to Kanchipuram Cheppedu. Kandar Sasti kavasam by Sri Balan Devaraya Swamigal was first sung at this temple.

Arunagirinathar has sung hymn Thiruppugazh and got padikkasu from Chennimalai Andavar.

சிரகிரி (சென்னிமலை) 348

பகலிரவினிற் றடுமாறா; பதிகுருவெனத் தெளிபோத

ரகசியமுரைத் தநுபூதி ; ரதநிலை தனை தருவாயே

இகபரமதற்கிறையோனே; இயலிசையின்முத் தமிழோனே

சகசிரகிரிப் பதிவேளே ; சரவணபவப் பெருமாளே.

.....அருணகிரிநாதரின் திருபுகழ்

LEGENDS

Sivalaya Chozhan was cured of disease after worshiping Sri Chennimalai Andavar, and he is responsible for bringing Thirukadaiyur Markandeya gotra Deivasikamani Pandithar to do pooja at Sri Markandeswara Sannadhi. 

Sivalaya Chozha’s other name is Chenni, so the place was named after him as Chennimalai.

Devotees used to do special Poojas to get rid of the obstacles to their marriage.

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple is open between 06.00 hrs and 20.00 hrs without a break and closes after Artha Jama Pooja.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The temple website: http://www.chennimalaitemple.tnhrce.in/

The Temple office phone number is 04294-250223, and the Malaikoil numbers are 04294 – 292595 and 292263

e-mail address is chennkovil@gmail.com

HOW TO REACH :

Chennimalai can be reached by bus from Erode and Perundurai.

The nearest Railway Station is Perundurai, and express trains will stop at Erode.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 The temple entrance arch on the main roadside 

 A Vinayagar sannadhi 

 A Mandapam before the steps. 

 Vilakkuthoon at the start point of the steps

 Skandar- Idumban and Kadambar Sannadhi 

 Long view of the temple from the steps at the starting point 

 The beginning of the steps 

 Long way to go 

 Long way to go 

 Long way to go 

 Long way to go with a resting mandapam 

 Muthukumara Saavan’s  Sannadhi 

 Muthukumara Saavan’s Navakanda statue 

 Long way to go 

 Yes, we have reached the temple – view from the 1200^th step

 Rajagopuram with Vilakkuthoon 

 Chains made of a single stone- Rajagopuram ceiling view 

 Temple view through Rajagopuram

 Valli Deivana Temple Vimanam 

 Siddhar Sannadhi & the left is the cave  

For More photos on the Picasa web album: CLICK HERE

The temperature was very hot and sweating.  The backpack was pulled down, and I found it extremely difficult to climb up the hill. It took about 3.30 Hrs for the visit to the hill temple. By 12.30 hrs, completely exhausted. Happened to see my brother, and he dropped me near the Perundurai Bus Stand to reach my native Village (Pappavalasu – a tiny Village on the way from Perundurai to Kunnathur).  

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMAHA---

…..To be Continued with Sri  Bannari MariAmman