Sri Dhanmeesar Sembon Koil / Sri Dharmalingeswarar / Dharmalingeshwarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ தர்மலிங்கேஸ்வரர் கோவில் – MMTC Colony, Nanganallur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

19^th August 2017.

This 1000-year-old, Chozha Period Sri Dhanmeesar, a Shiva temple is at MMTC Colony, a part of Nanganallur, Chennai.

Moolavar  : Sri Dhanmeesar/ Sri Dharmalingeswarar

Consort    : Sri Sarvamangalambigai

Some of the important features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram and there is a recently constructed Rajagopuram on the south side. Dwajasthambam, Palipedam, and Nandhi are immediately after the Rajagopuram.

In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Agora Veerabhadra, Dhanmeesa Vinayagar, Arasamara Vinayagar with Nagars, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar ( Facing west ).

In the inner prakaram sannadhi for Naalvar, Urchavars, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Anjaneyar and Ambal Sarva Mangalambigai ( Facing South with Vahana).

The Sanctum sanctorum consists of Sanctum, Arthamandaam, and maha mandapam. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

A Fragment of an old pillar is erected in front of the Sanctum, This is the only remains of the 1000 and odd years old Temple, rest of the old structures have been replaced with the latest brick and concrete structure.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

As per the 10^th Century Kampavarman’s 6th reign year inscription recorded by the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department, ( தமிழ்நாட்டுக்கல்வெட்டுகள் தொகுதி - IX, காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டக் கல்வெட்டுகள் தொகுதி - 5, 762 / 2017, வெளிப்புற வடக்கு சுவர் ), A person belongs to Thenkarai mangalam Village of Chozha Nadu donated for playing drum during Thirupalliyezhuchi / early morning pooja. ( Actual Chozha period inscription is not available ).

LEGENDS

As per the history written on the temple wall, during Rajaraja Choha’s 6^th year of rule, 991 CE, a small king by the name Kariyaathithya Chozhan, who ruled Thenkuruminjur, Mizhazhai Kottam, south of Kaveri came to this temple for Shiva’s darshan. He was upset about non functioning of the drum during early morning pooja, due to the non-availability of manpower. So he donated 300 kalanju fertile land for the drummer to beat during pooja hours and inscribed on the kumudam of the sanctum. This story-related stucco image is on the south side Rajagopuram entrance. ( To prove this legend / History, no inscription is found or recorded. only a fragment of a pillar is found in the Maha Mandapam, no other old structure is available Now ).

 The story of a kurunila ( small )  king Kariyaathithya Chozhan’s donation story related stucco

 The story of a kurunila/regional king Kariyaathithya Chozhan’s donation story related to stucco image.

 The story of a kurunila/regional king Kariyaathithya Chozhan’s donation story related to stucco image.

The story of a kurunila/ regional king Kariyaathithya Chozhan’s donation story related to stucco image.

The fragment of the Pillar, installed in the mandapam may belong to the Vijayanagara period which reminds the antiquity of the temple partially.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple kept open between 06.30 hrs to 0.30 Hrs and 7.00 hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The managing committee may be contacted for further details. The Secy Murugappan 944429865, Treasurer Natarajan 9840989825, and Asst Secy Sukumar 9444555947.

HOW TO REACH:

Town Buses 52K, 52P, M1A, M18C, and S11 buses run through that area, get down at Vembuli Amman Temple stop and from the temple is about 500 meters.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:     CLICK HERE

The 2009 AD, photograph taken during Kumbhabhishekam

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---