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---

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.

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 Narthana 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.

Nearest Railway station is Kanchipuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:    CLICK HERE

Maha Periyava stayed here ( PC: Vicky Kannan )

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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

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 21/2 feet below the inner Praharam forms like a moat. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The Chozha period inscriptions are there on the Kumudam adhistanam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

About 2 KM from the Kanchipuram bus stand.

Autos are available from the Bus stand.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 Saptamatrikas Panel

 Varuna

 Kamakshi Amman’s Thabas 

Gandaberunda

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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

23^rd April 2018.

After the darshan of Sri Karukkinil Amarnthaval, while returning to Bus stand happened to see the front mandapam  of this temple through Rajagopuram.  The mandapam was built with Nayak period Kodungai. This made me peep into this temple.

Moolavar: Sri Siddheshwar

Some of the important features of this temple are…

This temple faces east with a 2-tier Rajagopuram on the roadside. Balipeedam and Rishabaam are immediately after the Rajagopuram. In the prakaram sannadhi for Vinayagar, Valli Devasena Subramaniar and nagars.  While doing renovation niches are not provided for koshta Murtis and are installed separately. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

Moolavar is a little large swayambhu about 4 feet tall. Siddhar's stucco images are  in the mandapam along with Kasi Viswanathar.

As per the legend, When Iraivi with turmeric kappu ( paste applied on her body ) was doing thabas on the banks of river Kambai, the turmeric paste on her body dissolved into the water and  turned yellow. Lord Shiva appeared  in the form of Linga on the banks of the river with turmeric paste dissolved water called Turmeric water koothar (Manjal neer koothar). From another legend, Iraivan was worshiped by the Siddhars and got many siddhis, hence Iraivan is called Siddheesar. It is believed that one will be relieved from births, who takes a bath in Sidheertham and worships Lord Shiva (a well inside the temple) on Saturdays and Sundays.

The temple was built with simple walls without adhistanam (which may be done during renovations ). Both granite and sandstones are used on sanctum walls. The front mandapa was built during the Nayaka period with Kodungai.  Above the koshta relief of respective moortham is shown in the thorana. It was claimed that the temple was built during Chozha Period but inscriptions are not found anywhere. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is on the Vallal Pachaiyappan Mudali Street, near Pachaiyappa’s School.

Just a KM distance from the Bus Stand.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Dhakshinamurthy in makara Thorana above Dakshinamurthy Koshtam

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Karukkinil Amarnthaval Temple Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

23^rd April 2018.

Utilizing the opportunity of attending Kumbhabhishekam of Sri Vijaya Vinayagar temple at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering on 22^nd April 2018, visited 4 temples in Kanchipuram. This is one of the 1000 and odd temples of Kanchipuram. Even though the temple was subjected to a lot of changes, still it retains a few heritage-value structures and statues.

Presiding Deity    : Sri Karukinil Amarnthaval.

Some of the important details are…

The temple faces north with a 3-tier Rajagopuram. The Temple tank is in front of the Rajagopuram on the right side.  In front of the Sanctum Sanctorum, 6^th century Buddhas ( two ), Thavvai/ Jyeshta Devi with manthan and manthi along with Nagars. Nagar shrines are in three places in the complex. Both Buddhas are in ardha padmasana and one Buddha is in sparse hastham and the other in Thiyana hastham. In this group, there is a female head god worshiped as Manimekalai.  

Navagrahas are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. There are two Pallava period pillars one is a squatting lion pillar and the other is of elephant face. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. In Ardha mandapam stucco images of Amman, might have been built in recent years. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Amman and Dakshinamurthy. In the outer prakaram sannadhi for Nagars, Amman and Sri Vedapureeswarar. 

Amman is in a ferocious mood killing Mahishan with a trident keeping her right leg on his head and left leg on the thigh.  This place was once a palmyra grove and Amman sat under a palmyra tree, hence Amman is called Karukinil Amarnthaval in Tamil language. Also, there is another version,  Amman to be worshiped during the joining time of evening and night called Karukku. ( Anthi Velai )

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and a maha mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is rectangular in shape, on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta kumudam, and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with Vedikai. The pilasters are Vishnu kantha pilasters with square bases, kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of Valapi and kapotam. A 3-tier brick Salakara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. Amman's various forms are on the Vimana koshtams.   

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Even though the original temple belongs to the Pallava period, nothing was left except two stones of Kumudam in the adhistanam with inscriptions.

 Kumudam stone with inscription - the only proof that this temple belongs to the Pallava Period

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Fridays, especially Adi month Fridays, Sundays, Amavasya days, etc. Adi Month Fridays Devotees Cook Pongal and offer to Amman.

TEMPLE TIMINGS.

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is in Pillayar Palayam,  about 2 KM from the Bus Stand.

Get down at the MettuTheru bus stop on Kamaraj Road, the temple is about 500 meters away.

A Lot of autos are available in front of the Bus Stand.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:    CLICK HERE

 Gajam - Simham ( Maybe the remains of Pallava Structure )

In Koshtam - Mahishamardini 

 Nagars 

 Thavvai / Jyeshta Devi

Wrongly written Manthan & Manthi as Varahi & Chandi Devi

May be hero stone 

THE REMAINS OF BUDDHISM - BUDDHA IMAGES

 Buddha in Bhoomi sparsha hasta- shows that Buddha attained Gnanam

 Buddha in Thyana posture 

 Worshiped as Manimekalai

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---