Sri Pancha Lingeswarar Temple, Kondapuram, near Kaveripakkam, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th March 2019.

When we were about to wind up our Heritage Visit with the Thiruparkadal Vishnu temples, Mr. Ramesh told me to drop me at Toll Gate to catch a bus to Chennai. Further, Mr Ramesh said that there is an old temple at Kaveripakkam, which is usually kept locked, and let us try our luck this time.  It was around 13.00 hrs when we reached the temple and to our surprise, the temple was kept open and the Gurukkal was preparing for the Pooja.

Moolavar    : Pancha Lingas 

Main deity  : Chidambaram Akasa Lingam

Consort      : Sri Kamakshi

 

Some of the Salient features of this temple are…

The sanctum sanctorum complex consists of  5 Linga sannidhis for Prithvi - Earth, Appu – Water, Agni – Fire, Vayu – Air, and Agaya - Space are installed in separate sannadhis.  Agaya – Space (Chidambaram) Linga was considered as the main sanctum with Palipedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam. This sannadhi is facing east. Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai are in the main sanctum devakoshtam. The Temple Pond is on the south side of the temple complex.

 

In addition to this, there are sannadhis of two Kamakshi Ambals, Natarajar, Ganapathy, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, and Navagrahas in the temple complex.

 Chozha / Pallava period Pillar with capital

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple was reconstructed in the recent years. The mandapa around the sannadhis are a mixture of Chozha, Pallava, and Vijayanagara pillars. Some pillars of Capital/pothyals look like the Pallava period. There are no inscriptions found in the temple adhistana, but we had seen a fragment of inscription stone near the well which belongs to the Chozha period 11^th to 12^th Century.

Rajendra Chozha-I's period inscription stone

The inscription starts with Chozha King Rajendra Chozha-I’s meikeerthi as "திருமன்னி வளர விருநில மடந்தையும் போர்ச்சயப் பாவையுஞ் சீர்த்தனிச் செல்வியுந் தன்பெருந் தே.. . The inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp for which 90 sheeps are gifted.

As per the Rajagopuram recent period inscription speaks about the legend associated with the temple. This place Kondapuram is a part of Kaveripakkam also called Saiva Puram on the banks of river Palima was called “Thiruveni Chaturvedi Mangalam” in ancient times.  

LEGENDS

Ambal Kamakshi installed 5 lingas and worshiped before she had done the dhabas on the banks of river Kamba. Hence This place was considered a sacred place for the Munis and Rishis to do dhabas and worship Pancha Lingas.

 

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

As per Gurukkal, the temple will be kept open between 07.30 hrs to 11.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The mobile number +91 95977 12495 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

Kondapuram is a part of Kaveripakkam and the temple on the roadside

Kaveripakkam is on the  Chennai to Bangalore National Highway before Toll Plaza.

Kaveripakkam is 16.4 km from Ranipet, 17.6 km from Arcot, 32.2 km from Kanchipuram and 38.1 km from Vellore.

 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Vijayanagara period mandapa pillars

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---