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

10^th March 2019.

When we are about to windup 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 told 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 opened and the Gurukkal was preparing for the Pooja.

Moolavar    : Pancha Lingas ( Main deity is Chidambaram Akasa Lingam )

Consort      : Sri Kamakshi

 

Some of 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 a 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. Temple pond is on the south side of the temple complex.

 

In addition to this there are sannadhis  for Two Kamakshi Ambals, Natarajar, Ganapathy, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar and Navagrahas.

 Chozha / Pallava period Pillar with capital

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

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

Rajendra Chozha-I's period Inscriptions 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 as Saiva Puram on the banks of river Palima was called as “Thiruveni Chaturvedi Mangalam” in ancient times.  

LEGENDS

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

 

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

As per Gurukkal, the temple will be kept opened 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 road side

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---