VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Manikandeeswarar Temple at Padur, on old Mahabalipuram Road, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

Saturday 9 March 2019

Sri Manikandeeswarar Temple at Padur, on old Mahabalipuram Road, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

3^rd March 2019.

On the way to Padur Pond Tirthankara, we came across this Shiva Temple and it was told/ claimed that it was a Vikrama Chozha Period Temple(?). When we entered inside the temple and thought it may be constructed during recent years. To our surprise the new sanctum was built over the original temple adhisthana with the inscriptions.

Iraivan : Sri Manikandeeswarar

Iraivi : Sri Maragathavalli

The salient features of this temple are..

The temple is facing east with a semi circular name board. Dwajasthambam is immediately after the entrance Gate. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and a open muka mandapam. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in the open mukha mandapa. The sanctum and the other sannadhis were built during 1992 ( Mrs Krishna Veni Ammal ) and 2016.

The main sanctum was built over the old adhisthana ( Jagathy and three face Kumudam are only visible now). The sanctum was built with brick and cement. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. It was told that Moolavar banam is about 12 feet below the floor level. The moolavar is on a square avudayar. Amman sannadhi is in the in the open mandapam facing south. Amman is in standing posture holding Pasam and angusam in the upper hands and the lower hands are in Abaya & Varada hastam. A Mahameru is installed in front of Amman during recent 2016 Kumbhabhishekam.

In the outer prakaram, Sannadhi for Srinivasa Perumal, Nalvar, 63var, Chandikeswarar, Bhavani Amman, Iyappan, Kalabairavar, Suryan and Nagars under a Neem Tree. Garudan, Anjaneyar are the part of Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple. Sri Mahalakshmi and Andal ate at the entrance of Srinivasa Perumal Sannadhi. Perumal is in standing posture and holds the Prayoka chakra and conch in the upper hands.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS:

As per the history this place was originally called as Padagur ( a boat transportation hub ), which got corrupted to present name of Padur. The Nandhivarman period ( 754 CE ), Perumal Temple and This Manikandeswarar Shiva temple inscriptions mentions this place as Paduvur. ( The Thondai Mandalam was divided in to Kottam and Nadus for Administrative conveniences during Pallava and Chozha Period. ). Thondai Nadu was called as Jayangonda Chozha mandalam and this was divided in to 12 Kottams and one of the Kottam Aamur was again sub-divided in to three Nadus via – Amur Nadu ( Mamallapuram), Kumari Nadu ( Talaisayanapuram alias Taiyur alias Rajasekara Nallur) and Paduvur Nadu ( Padur and Thiruvidandai).

It was claimed that this temple belongs to Vikrama Chozha Period ( 1118 to 1135 CE ), but this may be wrong… since A Vishnu Temple was constructed by Nandhivarman ( 754 CE) in Padur and this Shiva Temple Chandikeswarar iconography matches with the Pallava period, hence we may conclude that this Shiva Temple also constructed during 8^th Century Nandhivarman Period. Vikrama Chozha ( 1118 – 1135 CE ) also extended his contributions to this temple. Since the inscriptions are not legible and the details are not known. An ARE inscription mentions a Vishnu Temple. Since there is no separate temple at Padur and the location of Mettutteruvu and this Perumal Sannadhi might have mentioned.
No. 54.

(A. R. No. 8 of 1934-35).

Padur, Chingleput Taluk and District.

On a slab set up in the street called ‘Mettutteruvu’.

The beginning of this inscription is lost, but from palaeography and the letters Nan traceable in the first line, it may be assigned to Nandivarman III. It is dated in the 18th year and registers the gift of 96 sheep by the shepherds (kottaanradis) of Amur-kottam for burning a perpetual lamp before the god Peruma[na*]digal ‘who was pleased’ to stand at Vilupperundaya-Visnugriham in Paduvur.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

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

CONTACT DETAILS:

Gurukkal B. Anand may be contacted on his mobile 9551785164 for further details and pooja.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is about 500 meter off OMR .

The Town buses to Thiruporur and Mahabalipuram on Old Mahabalipuram Road ( OMR) passes through this place Padur.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE