VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Shenbakeswarar Temple, Natham, Parameswaramangalam ( Ayapakkam / Nathem / Natham moot Road ), Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

Monday, 6 January 2020

Sri Shenbakeswarar Temple, Natham, Parameswaramangalam ( Ayapakkam / Nathem / Natham moot Road ), Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

01st December 2019.

This visit to this Shiva temple was a part of the Pallava & Chozha period temples visit between Kalpakkam to Pulipura Koil in Chengalpattu / Kanchipuram District, scheduled on 01st December 2019. After the Visit to the Vijayanagara period, Vittalapuram Vittala temple, had been to this temple. Though this temple belongs to the Pallava period, it was not added to Google Maps. The place Natham is on the banks of the Palar River.

Moolavar : Sri Shenbakeswarar

Consort : Sri Soundarya Nayaki

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with a Balipeedam and Nandhi in front of the new mukha mandapam. Rishabam also faces east like Lord Shiva under a mandapam with beautiful pillars. In 7 koshtams Vinayagar, Pichadanar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, Sankaranarayanan and Durgai. In the Mukha mandapam, Ambal is facing south (Ambal is holding Nilothpala and lotus flowers in her hand instead of Pasa & Angusam), Arumugar (sitting on Peacock facing opposite direction- called asura peacock), Brahma Sastha, and Vinayagar. The other Sannadhis are under construction.

Even though the temple is under renovation, Lord Shiva is worshipped.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of Sanctum, antaraa, ardha mandapam, maha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhisthana.

The new Sannidhis for Nalvar, Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, Navagrahas, Bhairavar, Suryan, and Chandran are under construction.

Pichadanar

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION

The temple was built during the Pallava King Nirupathungan (869- 880 CE) and was extended during the Chozhas, Pandyas, and Vijayanagaras. The inscriptions belong to Kulothunga Chozha-I, Rajendra Chozha-I, Rajaraja-III, Pandyas, Maravarman Sundara Pandyan, and Vijayanagaras, and are on the adhisthana and sanctum walls.

This place was called in the name of Rajaraja-I (Also called Nakaril Chozhan) as “Nikarili Chozha Chaturvedi Mangalam.” As per the Rajaraja-I inscription, this Village Saba was managed by 12 members called “Samvathsara Variyam”, elected in the Aipasi month. They assemble in the “Rajendra Chozha Sathuschali” mandapa once a year.

This place came under Sembur Kottam in Jayangonda Chozha mandalam. This inscription records the donation of paddy for the poojas. The Pillar Fallen Down inscription records the gift of 90 goats for burning perpetual lamps.

Later, Rajaraja III’s inscription mentions that this place was called Chozhakula Chathurvedi Mangalam. Another pillar inscription records that land was donated to this temple to celebrate Chitraivisu, Ipasi Visu, and Masimaham for the benefit of Rajendra Chozha and Thandi Piratiyar, by the Thandi Piratiyar, Veerakosa Mangalamudayar, and Udayapiratiyar.

In the Pandya period (Maravarman Sundara Pandyan?) inscription, there is a note of “Pazhampattinam Perumantrathalwar”.

The temple was first reconstructed during the Uthama Chozha / Parantaka Chozha period. A 16 Pillard mandapa built during the Rajendra Chozha period was brought down. The temple was in a dilapidated state, and reconstruction is in progress. The Mandapa Simha pillars with inscriptions and ordinary pillars, Dwarapalakas, Jyeshta Devi, Nadukal ie Hero stone, Chandikeswarar, and 5 Shiva Lingas with Nandhis are scattered around the temple. These Shiva Lingas and Nandhis are called Panchabootha Lingas, ie, 5 elements.

One of the inscriptions belongs to Rajaraja-I; the Queen Lokamadevi donated money to convert barren land to fertile land.

LEGEND

There are interesting legends behind the Rishabam / Nandi facing the same direction as Lord Shiva.

Sri Lakshmi came to this Shenbaka forest and did penance to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva asked Rishabam to guard her. So Rishabam turned his back. At the end of penance, Lord Shiva gave darshan to Lakshmi.

Another interesting story is that Lord Shiva went out of this place to the nearby Palar River island and hid there. When Parvati searched for Lord Shiva and climbed the island hill on her knees. Lord Shiva blessed her as Kailasanathar and stayed on the island. So Rishaba is still expecting Lord Shiva’s arrival facing the Kailasanathar temple.