VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : April 2018

Monday, 30 April 2018

Sri Abiramesuwarar Temple, Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

30^th April 2018.

This Sunday 29^th April 2018, the Chitra Pournami day, happened to visit Kanchipuram and thought of worshiping Sri Chitragupta. Since the darshan queue was very long, decided to worship Sri Abirameeswar and continue my search for Buddhas in the Shiva Temples of Kanchipuram. This is one of the 108 Shiva temples of Kanchipuram and a lesser-known Shiva temple.

Moolavar: Sri Abiramesuwarar

Some of the details are...

This temple faces east on the opposite side of Sri Ulagalantha Perumal temple. The temple is very simple with sanctum, artha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. Nagar is on the back side of the temple with a recent period inscription tablet. There is evidence left to conclude that the temple is very old. Maybe the front Mandapam was built during the Nayaka Period.

LEGENDS

As per the legend the Shiva linga was installed by Perumal. Perumal worshiped Lord Shiva before retrieving back the Power of Indira from Mabali. Perumal was granted 3 step places by Mavali. Perumal took the Vamana avatar and with the two steps, Perumal got the earth and the sky. The third step kept Perumal on Mavali’s head and pushed him to Pathala. Perumal thanked Lord Shiva and was stationed before this temple as Ulagalantha Perumal.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The opening time is unpredictable and we may have the darshan of Lord Shiva through the grill gate.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is very close to Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple and about a KM distance from the Bus stand.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: (Very close to) CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Saturday, 28 April 2018

Sri Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thenambakkam, Kanchipuram, District, Tamil Nadu.

23^rd April 2018.

This Shiva temple is also one of the 1000-odd temples of Kanchipuram. It was said that Sri Brahmapureeswarar temple with Gajaprishta Vimana at Thenambakkam is a part of the City when I mentioned Guru Koil is the only Gajabrushta Vimana Temple in the city of Kanchipuram, but this is also one of the Gajaprishta Vimana Temples. This temple is also called "Shivasthanam".

A mandapa was built at the entrance after 2018

Moolavar: Sri Brahmapureeswarar.

Some of the important details are…

The temple faces east without any entrance arch or Rajagopuram. A Mandapam was built in recent years. Rishabam and balipeedam are in front. In the outer praharam a place where Maha Periyava stayed for a year, a Veda patasala is functioning, Navagrahas, Bhairavar, stucco images of Vyasar & Adhi Sankarar, Chandrasekara Ganapathy (completely covered with granite), Swaminatha Swamy and Nagars under a Peepal tree.

Dakshinamurthy

Murugan

Chandikeswara

Durga

Pada

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of a sanctum ardha mandapam and a maha mandapam. It is believed that the sanctum has the Gajaprishta Vimana built during the Pallava period and later renovated during the Chozha and Vijayanagara Periods. In koshtam nardhana vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Vishnu Durgai. All the Koshta murtis seem to be new.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple might have been constructed during the Pallava period and reconstructed during the Chozha Period. Shri Shiva was called Moolasthanatheeswarar till 1920. The only inscription recorded from this temple belongs to Rajanarayana Sambuvarayar. In that Lord Shiva was recorded as Chuvaramudaya Nayanar.

The inscriptions (faintly visible) on the wall

During the 1950s Kanchi Maha Periyava came to this temple, stayed there and took over the control of this temple, and converted it into a private temple. This temple is not under the control of Tamil Nadu HR & CE department Control.

Now, the Temple activities are taken care of by the Sri Sankara Bhakta Jana Sabha trust, a unit of Sankara Mutt and also running a Veda Patasala.

LEGENDS

It was said that Indira Gandhi Visited this temple and got the blessings of Maha Periyava. She had chosen the “hand” symbol for her Congress Party after seeing Maha Periyava’s blessing hand.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH

The temple is on Kanchipuram to Walajabad – Chengalpattu road.

The temple is about 5.2 to 5.8 km from Kanchipuram Bus Stand.

Autos are available from the Bus Stand.

The nearest Railway station is Kanchipuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Mutt

Maha Periyava stayed here (PC: Vicky Kannan)

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Friday, 27 April 2018

Sri Punniyakotteeswarar Temple/ Punniya Koteeswarar Temple / Puniya Kodeeswarar Temple, Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

23^rd April 2018

This is one of the 1000-odd temples of Kanchipuram and this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. On the way to the Kanchipuram bus stand from Sri Brahmapureeswarar Temple, the auto driver took me to this temple on Punniyakotteeswarar Street.

Moolavar : Sri Punniyakotteeswarar

Some of the important features of this temple are…

This temple faces east without Rajagopuram or the entrance arch. The temple is about 5 steps below the ground level. Dwajasthambam, Palipedam, and Rishabam are in front of a Vijayanagara Nayaka period-built mandapam The mandapa pillars have the reliefs and the ceiling panel reliefs are cute. Some of them are Fish, gymnastics of two persons, Tortoise, Snakes, Chandra and Surya Girakanas. Sannadhi for Subramaniyar, Vinayagar, and Navagrahas.

In praharam sannadhi for Naalvar, Sapthamatha panel, and Kailasanathar Shiva linga. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

Saptamatrikas

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of a sanctum, antarala, and artha mandapam. The entrance to the artha mandapam is from the south. The sanctum is about 2.5 feet below the inner praharam forms like a moat.