Sri Asthrapureeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ அஸ்தரபுரீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Anoor, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

27^th August 2017.

After the Kumbhabhishekam of  Sri Munkumeeswarar Temple at P.V. Kalathur, Chengalpattu, we continued our journey to Anoor on the banks of the River Palar. The temple is about 12 km from Chengalpattu.

Moolavar : Sri Asthrapureeswarar
Consort   : Sri Soundara Valli  

The Salient features of this temple are...

The temple faces East with a Deepasthambam and an entrance arch. Nandhi, Palipedam, and the platform for Dwajasthambam are immediately after the entrance arch. 

In koshtam Dakshinamurthy and Durgai. Came to know that some of the statues were stolen. It was interesting to note that Dwarabalakars, Vinayagar, and Murugan are reliefs chiseled at the entrance of the sanctum. Pallava and early Chozha period Thavvai/Jyeshta with Manthan and Manthi Agni Matha and a Vinayagar are found on the south side of the praharam wall. The construction of Vinayagar and Subramaniyar sannadhis is in progress.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of a Sanctum Sanctorum, Antarala, Artha mandapam and a muka mandapam. Now, only the pillars are standing in the muka mandapam. The pillars are simple without ornamental capital.

 
The temple was built with stone and Vimana with brick. The Temple and the Praharam walls are in dilapidated condition, and renovation is in progress. (Understood R.E.A.C.H Foundation under the leadership of Mr. Sathyamurthy involved in the renovation of this temple). Renovation is being carried out in a traditional way using lime mortar.

HISTORY

Kootruva Nayanar and Pugazzhendi lived here. The original temple was built by Pallava King Vijaya Kamba Varman during the 7^th century. His son Aparajitha Varman was defeated by the Chozha King Adhithya Chozha-I, and this paved the way for the Chozha's regime. After the Pallavas, the temple had the contributions of the Chozha kings Parantaka, Rajaraja, Kulothunga, and Nayakas during the Vijayanagara period. As per the inscription, this place was called "Sathyasraya Kulakala Chaturvedi Mangalam" and also Aniyur, Anniyur, and Adhiyur. This place was under Jayankonda Chozha Mandalathu Kalathur Kottathu, Kalathur Nadu. Lord Shiva was called "Thiruvampangattu Mahadevar".  

The inscriptions on the sanctum wall belong to 6^th to 7th-century Pallavas, 9th-century Chozhas, and 16th-century Vijayanagara period. The Rajendra Chozha period inscription speaks about musical instruments like the Padagam, Thimilai, Karadigai, Kalam, and Sekandi. 

The Pallava King Kamba Varman period inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Aithara Kiramaviththan.  

 

 Inscriptions

 Inscriptions

LEGEND

As per the legend, Arjunan has gotten the Pasupatha Aasthra from Lord Shiva of this temple. Hence, Lord Shiva is called Asthrapureeswarar, and the hill nearby is called Asthra Hill.

It is also believed that court cases and encumbrances will be relieved after worshipping Lord Shiva and Ambal of this temple. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 a Lotus panel on the ceiling

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sri Munkudumeeswarar Temple at Pon Vilaintha Kalathur ( P.V. KALATHUR), Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

  27^th August 2017.

It was a long time due to visiting Chozha and Pallava Period Temples and heritage sites around Chengalpattu. Utilizing the opportunity to attend the Kumbhabhishekam of Sri Munkudumeeswarar temple at Pon Vilaintha Kalathur, visited Anur, Ozhalur, and Pulipakkam. When Mrs. Radha Kumar invited us to visit Chengalpattu,  I readily accepted the invitation.

On 27^th August, I started around 06.00 hrs from Tambaram after picking up Mr Raja on my scooter. It almost took us about an hour to reach Chengalpattu at a steady speed of 40 km/hour. When we reached Chengalpattu Court, Mrs Radha Kumar was waiting for us. Pon Vilaintha Kalathur (P.V. Kalathur) is about 10 km from Chengalpattu. 

It was a wonderful experience to attend Kumbhabhishekam and watch Gurukal pouring the holy water on the Kalasams sitting on the temple roof.  We went inside the temple a little earlier to see the Chozha period inscriptions, Koshta murtis, and Moolavar.

Moolavar: Sri Munkudumeeswarar

Consort  : Sri Meenakshi Amman

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with a  damaged Rishabam outside the temple praharam wall. Once, it was sitting under a mandapam, and now only the 4 pillars are standing. The temple has entrances from the east and south. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu (in place of Lingothbavar), Brahma, and Durgai. 

Dwajasthambam, Palipedam, and Nandhi are immediately after the east-side entrance. In the prakaram sannadhi for Anukai Vinayagar, Subramaniyar with Valli Devasena and Chandikeswarar. Navagrahas, Bairavar, Suryan are in the front mandapam. Sri Meenakshi Amman is facing south in a separate sannidhi. 

ARCHITECTURE

The Temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antrala, artha mandapam, and Muka mandapam. Though the Vimanam is of Gajaprishtam, the sanctum Sanctrorum is square in construction. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta Kumudam, and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with vethikai. The pilasters are with square bae, naga bandham, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and Pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam, and Bhoomidesam. Two-tier stucco Gajaprishta vimanam is on the Bhumidesam.

LEGENDS

Moolavar is a little tall and swayambhu. There is a tuft on the Shiva Linga’s head. The story behind this goes like this… When the Chozha King came to worship Lord Shiva for a child boon, the Gurukkal gave a garland to the king, and in turn, he gave it to his Queen. When a hair was found in the garland, Gurukkal said that it belonged to the Lord, and he will show tomorrow, how it has come into the garland. In the night, the Gurukkal prayed to Lord Shiva to save him from the Chozha King’s punishment. The next day, when the Gurukkal showed arathi, the Chozha king had seen a tuft on the head of Lord Shiva. Hence Lord Shiva is called Sri Munkudumeeswarar.

The place is called Pon Vilaintha Kalathur. As per the legend, a Brahmin had given a piece of land to a Shiva devotee to look after his land which sowed paddy. When the Brahmin happened to see the gold was yielding from the Shiva Devotee’s land, he became greedy and asked the Devotee to take all the paddy of his land and give the paddy yielded to the Devotee’s land. When asked by the villagers, he refused to share with the Devotees. When this case went to Chozha King’s court, the King took all the gold to the Government treasury. The Brahmin lost both shares and the Devotee has got more paddy yield through God’s grace. Hence, the place is called Pon Vilaintha Kalathur in short, P.V. Kalathur.  

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

This is the birthplace of Kootruva Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, and the Poet Pukazhenthi, who wrote Nalavenba. This temple was built with brick and mud during the reign of Pallava King Nandivarman III, and the same was rebuilt with stone during the reign of Chozha King Vikrama Chozha. As per the inscriptions, Lord Shiva was called "Perunthiru Koil Mahadevar," and as per Rajaraja III's inscription, this place was called "Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Kalathur Kottathu Kalathur nattu Kalathur".

Simha Varman’s inscription speaks about the income from the reservoir to be given to this temple. During the second  Kulothunga Chozha’s 12^th year of rule, one of his official & chieftains, Anabaya Mooventhavelan, merged some of the villages near this place, called “Kulothunga Chozhar Chiruthonda Thokai  Nallur,” and gifted them to this temple.

The Inscription recorded from this temple belongs to Nandivarman-III, Vikrama Chozha, Kulothunga Chozha-III, Rajaraja Chozha-III, Pandya Kings Sundara Pandyan, Veera Pandiyan, and Thondaiman. The temple is under the control of ASI but managed by a Trust.

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs and 07.00 hrs and between 17.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The following mobile numbers may be contacted for further details: +919789049704 and +919962467355

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 10 KM from Chengalpattu.

Share autos are available from the Bus stand

The nearest Railway station is Chengalpattu.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Some of the photos are taken from the website, and thanks to the unknown photographers

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---       

Sri Jaganatha Vinayagar and Jaganatha Perumal Temple at Tharamani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

26^th August 2017.

Daily morning I used to cross this temple while going to the office and think of visiting one day. That one day happened today, though this Vinayagar temple visit was planned in yesterday’s Vinayagar Chathurthi special visit list.

Moolavar   : Sri Jaganatha Vinayagar  and

                : Sri Jaganatha Perumal.  

Some of the important features of this temple are…

This temple faces east without any entrance arch and Dwajasthambam. Vinayagar Sannadhi  ( in koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu and Durga ) is on the right and Perumal Sannadhi  (In koshtam Narasimhar, Varakar, and Venugopalar) is on the left side.

In the front prakaram sannadhi for Dharma sastha (Iyappan), Mayuranathar ( Murugan ), Bhuvaneswari, Shiva, Anjaneyar, Bairavar and Navagrahas.All these sannadhis are facing west. Nagars are under the Bodhi tree.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 Hrs to 10.30 Hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is very near to the Taramani bus stand where the town bus route number 5c starts.

Just opposite the IIT Taramani Gate.

On the bye pass road, the temple is about a km.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:    CLICK HERE

Urchavar after Chuthurthi procession

 Bhuvaneswari Amman sannidhi 

 Mayuranathar Sannidhi (Murugan)

 Shiva and Anjaneyar Sannidhi 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sri Venkatesa Ananda Vinayagar Temple / ஸ்ரீ வெங்கடேச ஆனந்த வினாயகர் கோயில், Madhya Kailash Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

 25^th August 2017

This was one of the Vinayagar Chathurthi special darshan of Sri Venkatesa Ananda Vinayagar Temple in the midst of the Traffic island at Madhya Kailash, Adyar. Chennai.

Moolavar : Sri Venkatesa Ananda Vinayagar

Some of the important features of this are…

The temple faces east and has a three-tier Rajagopuram. The temple floor is nine steps below the Ground level. Previously, the Vinayagar was in the middle of the road. During the formation of the IT express highway (Rajiv Gandhi Salai), the Vinayagar was shifted to its present place, and the temple was constructed.  

Dwajasthambam, Palipedam, and Vahana moonchuru are immediately after the Rajagopuram. In the praharam on the left sannidhi for Sri Swetha Murthy ( Shiva Temple ), under the rudraksha mandapam. In koshtam Brahma, Mahavishnu, and Dakshinamurthy.

Sri Adithyan on a seven-horse chariot sannidhi is on the opposite side of Shiva’s sannidhi. The sannidhi is built like a chariot.

Sri Aathiyantha Prabhu—Sri Vinayagar is in a standing posture, a cheppu image. The devotees can perform pooja to this murthy with their own hands.

On the right of the Moolavar, sannidhi is for Abirami (In koshtam Ambal), and Sri Vishnu is for Sri Venugopalaswamy with Sengamala Thayar. (In koshtam, Vishnu and Suka Munivar with Markandeyan) In between is the Anjaneyar Sannadhi. A Bell tower is on the left side of Sri Rajagopalaswamy Sannadhi. Amman images are installed on the 4 sides of the Bell tower.

Swarna Bhairavar and Navagrahas are on the northeast corner of the temple complex.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The last Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 15^th July 1984. The Nattukottai Arasar Dr. MAM Ramaswamy had contributed to the construction of this temple. The temple is being managed by the Ananda Vinayagar Charitable Trust.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be opened between 05.00 hrs to 0.30 Hrs and 6.00 Hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The temple can be contacted on the following landline number. +91 44 22350859 and  +91 44 22300936.

HOW TO REACH:

Madhya Kailash is at the start of Rajiv Gandhi Salai  (Express Highway).

Town buses are available from various parts of the city and the name of the bus stop is Madhya Kailash before Adyar & Thiruvanmiyur.

Just opposite to Kasturibai MRTS railway station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:    CLICK HERE

 Adithyan ( Suriyan ) sannidhi 

 Aathiyantha Prabhu (Vinayagar Cheppu image)

 Abirami sannadhi 

 bell tower 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---