Sri Kachabeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ கச்சபேஸ்வரர் கோயில், காஞ்சிபுரம் / Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

08^th April 2018

This is one of the 1000 and odd temples of Kanchipuram. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva,  also called Kachaalai Udaiya Nayanar as per the inscriptions.

Moolavar    : Sri Kachabeswarar.

Consort      : Sri Sundarambigai

Some of the important details are…

The temple faces east with an entrance through a 5-tier ( may have been built in the 13^th century ) Rajagopuram on the north side. The Temple tank is on the right inside the complex.  Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are in front of the main sanctum sanctorum. There is also a 5-tier Rajagopuram at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum.

In the inner prakaram sannadhi for Nalvar, 63var, Nandhikeswarar, Chandrasekar, Polla Pillayar, Murugan, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Saraswathy, Navagrahas, Bairavar, Vishnu, Urchavars.

In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. Moolavar is of sandstone  ( Prithvi Lingam ) and Somaskandar panel is on the back wall of moolavar.

In the 2^nd outer prakaram sannidhis for Yoga Siddheshwar, Gana Siddheshwar, Sathurmukeswarar, Natarajar, and Valli Devasena Subramaniar. 

In the 3^rd Prakaram  Ayyanar with Poornambika and Pushkala as Dharmasatha,  Lingabeswarar, Sathurpukeswarar, Sthala Vruksha Murukadi, Naagars under Peepal tree ( a Hero stone too ?... ), Ishta Sidheswaran, Pancha Sakthi Vinayagar, Durgai Amman Sannadhi, Bairavar and  Suryan ( rebuilt shrine with sandstone and granite stones with inscriptions ).

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and Maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam. The Eka Tala Vimanam is of Nagara Style. The Temple from adhistanam to Sigaram was built with stone.  

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Inscriptions belonging to the 10 – 11^th century are available in Durgai Amman sannidhi, and Suryan sannidhi, and the main sanctum speaks about various donations given by Chozhas to this temple. Even though the temple was built by Chozhas, later renovated with mandapams during the Vijayanagara Period.

 The sthala purana relief – Vishnu worships Lord Shiva as a tortoise (Katcham)

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 Hrs to 11.30 Hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The temple is under the control of the HR & CE Dept. and the landline number is  044 2723 3384.

HOW TO REACH :

Very close to Bus stand about a KM  in Pillayarpalayam, on west Raja Street.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE    -: CLICK HERE

REFERENCE: 

A book on Nagareshu Kanchi, a retrospective on Kanchipuram compiled by Prof Madhusudhanan Kalaiselvan.

Ayyanar as Dharmasatha

 with Poornambika and Pushkala

 Nandhikeswarar

 Ambal embraces  Lord Shiva

 Veerabhadra

 Buddha reliefs 

Buddha reliefs 

Hero Stone along with Nagars

 A Gajalakshmi Panel near the Temple Tank made out of sandstone

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---