VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Kurungaleeswarar Temple and Sri Vaikundavasa Perumal Temple, Koyambedu, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. OYAMBEDU, CHENNAI.

Sunday, 10 April 2016

Sri Kurungaleeswarar Temple and Sri Vaikundavasa Perumal Temple, Koyambedu, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. OYAMBEDU, CHENNAI.

10^th April 2016.

It was a long time ago that I visited the Koyambedu Shiva temple, and I also forgot the details of the temple. Thought of recollecting the memories after a visit to this temple. Of the three days of holiday, the first day went off for the Buckingham Canal Trip, and after a day's rest, we visited Koyambedu and had the darshan of Sri Kurungaleeswarar and Sri Vaikundavasa Perumal. Both temples are unique in nature, and the details are..

SRI KURUNGALEESWARAR TEMPLE – KOYAMBEDU.

This temple is on the banks of the river Cooum at Koyambedu. As per history, Sri Rama, with his sons Lavan and Kusan, meditated on the banks of the river and worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

This is one of the Thirupukazh Paadal Petra Sthalam, in which Arunagirinathar has sung in praise of Muruga of the temple and calls this place Koyambedu as Kosai Nagar.

ஆதவித பாரமுலை மாதரிடை நூல்வயிற

தாலிலையெ னாமதன கலைலீலை

யாவும்விளை வானகுழி யானதிரி கோணமதி

லாசைமிக வாயடிய னலையாமல்

நாதசத கோடிமறை யோலமிடு நூபுரமு

னானபத மாமலரை நலமாக

நானநுதி னாதினமு மேநினைய வேகிருபை

நாடியரு ளேயருள வருவாயே

சீதமதி யாடரவு வேரறுகு மாஇறகு

சீதசல மாசடில பரமேசர்

சீர்மைபெற வேயுதவு கூர்மைதரு வேலசிவ

சீறிவரு மாவசுரர் குலகாலா

கோதைகுற மாதுகுண தேவமட மாதுமிரு

பாலுமுற வீறிவரு குமரேசா

கோசைநகர் வாழவரு மீசடியர் நேசசரு

வேசமுரு காவமரர் பெருமாளே.

Moolavar : Sri Kurungaleeswarar aka Sri Kusalavapureeswarar

Sri Kusalaveswarar, Sri Ganaprakasar,

and Ganapureeswarar.

Consort : Sri Aram Valartha Nayaki

Some of the Important features of this temple are…

The temple faces North with a 16-pillar mandapam in front of Rajagopuram, and four sides of each pillar have the reliefs of Shiva Parvati, Hanuman, Sarabeswarar, Ravanan, Shiva dances, etc.. There is no other Shiva temple facing the north side. (I was a little confused after seeing the Location of Sannadhis.)

As we enter through the 5-tier Rajagopuram, Adhikara Nandhi is on the left and Kala Bairavar is on the right. Balipeedam, Nandhi, and Dwajasthambam are immediately after the Rajagopuram. In koshtam, Vinayagar and Brahma are on the east side, Dhakshinamoorthy is on the back of Moolavar ( in place of Lingothbavar), and Mahavishnu and Vishnu Durgai are on the west side of the sanctum. Moolavar is short to give darshan for the children, and it was believed that Sri Rama’s sons, Lavan and Kusan, worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

In the outer praharam sannadhi for Vinayagar, Somaskandar, Sri Valli Devasena sametha Sri Subramaniar, Sri Kasi Viswanathar & Visalakshi, Yaha salai, 4 Pillar mandapam.

In the inner praharam sannadhi for Chandran, Sabha mandapam, Suryan (a Big size murti), 63var, Santhana Kuravargal (Meikandar, Arul nandhi sivam, Marai Gnanasambandar, and Umapathy Sivam), Vinayagar, Jurahareswarar, Chandikeswarar, Agastheeswarar, Sastha, Subramaniyar, Kurukiya Lingam, Lakshmi, Naalvar, Gana Saraswati, Naagars.

Ambal Sri Aram Vallarta Nayaki also faces north in a separate temple. There are no images in the koshtam and praharam.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple pada bandha adhisthana with Jagathy, muppattai kumuda, and pattika. The Vimana is with adhistanam, bhitti, prastaram, sigaram, greevam, sigaram, and stupi. The prastaram is with valabi, kapotam, and Bhumidesam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per the inscriptions, the temple was built during Kulothunga Chozha’s period with a square Vimanam. Even though the temple belongs to the Chozha period, the sanctum is square, and Gajabirushta Vimanam is missing.

Kulothunga Chozha period inscriptions

TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple is kept open from 05.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The office telephone number is 044- 24796237.

Temple website http://www.kurungaleeswarartemple.tnhrce.in/

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about 1 km from the CMBT bus terminus, Metro Railway Station, and the Omni Bus stand.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

63var

Dhakshinamurthy is on the back side of Moolacar, facing south

SRI VAIKUNDAVASA PERUMAL TEMPLE.

This temple is on the left side of Sri Kurungaleeswarar temple, ie, in front of the 16-pillar mandapam.

Moolavar : Sri Vaikundavasa Perumal

Thayar : Sri Kanaka valli Thayar.

Some of the important details of this temple are….

Sri Anjaneyar sannidhi is in front of the temple and by the side of the 16-pillar mandapam of the Shiva Temple. The mottai gopuram with out Vimanam on the top. Dwajasthambam, Garudalwar and Balipeedam are at front on the outer prakaram. In sanctum Moolavar, Sri Vaikunta Vasa Perumal with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. Perumal’s left posture is not as usual, and it seems Perumal is calling the devotees. and blessing on the right hand. This is the unique posture of Perumal.

Sannadhi for Sri Kanaka Valli Thayar on the left and Andal sannadhi on the right in the outer prakaram.

In the maha mandapam, moorthams for Valmiki, Lavan & Kusan, Seetha in maravuri and Alwars.

On the mukha mandapam sudhai sirpam of Sri Ramar fighting with his sons Lavan and Kusan. It is believed that Ramar fought with his sons to get back his Aswamedha Yaga Horse.