Sundara Kamakshi Temple / Sundara Kamakshi Amman Temple, Sirukarumbur, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

15^th December 2019.

The visit to this Shiva temple was a part of the Kanchipuram and Ranipet District temple visit scheduled on 15^th December 2019. When I browsed the web and found that a sculpture of a child in the womb of a mother is available in this temple, created me more interest to visit this temple. After the darshan of Sri Karapureeswarar at Thiruparkadal, had went to this temple. I found it very difficult to reach this temple since it is located between Ocheri and Kaveripakkam and buses refused to stop at Sirukarumbur bus stop. This temple Ambal is more powerful than Lord Shiva, hence called Kamakshi Amman Temple. The Archakar took me around the temple and explained, the specialty of the sculptures. The temple is really a treasure trove for heritage lovers.

Moolavar : Sri Tripurantakeswara

Consort   : Sri Sundara Kamakshi.

Some of the salient features of this temple are...

The temple faces east with a balipeedam, Dwajasthambam base,  and Nandhi.  The entrance arch is on the south side. Both Shiva and Ambal temples are small with Sanctum, artha mandapam and a small mukha mandapam. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai. Dakshinamurthy’s jadamudi with Small Small Shiva Lingas looks awesome.  On the side wall of the sanctum, reliefs of Pulikal Munivar- Vyaghrapada worshiping Lord Shiva. 

In the prakaram Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Bhairavar, Navagrahas and Veerabhadra.   Veerabhadra is with thiruvasi on the back and Dakshan is standing on his right with a goat head. Unlike the usual ferocious look, there is a beautiful smile on his face, hence called Shantha Veerabhadra.

Ambal Sri Sundara Kamakshi is in a separate shrine facing east in parallel with Lord Shiva’s sannadhi. Ambal Kamakshi is in a standing posture and wears anklets. It is very rare to see Kamakshi in standing posture. There is a Srichakra, installed in front of Ambal, by Mahaperiyava. Balipeedam and Simha are in front. The temple was constructed with green stone. The sanctum walls are adorned with beautiful reliefs in between the Pilasters and  Koshtas. The Kumbha panjaras are with mythological animal yazhi lifting the elephants, birds ( Annam, Swan), flowers, Hindu deities, etc. In the mukha mandapa reliefs of saptamatrikas, Mangala symbols, poorna kalasas, Lakshmi, Saraswati, etc,.

ARCHITECTURE

Lord Shiva’s sanctum Sanctorum was built with a sanctum, artha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. The Adhisthana is in the pada bandha adhisthana style, and the prastaram is in the kapotha style. A single tier Gajabirushta vimana is on the prastharam. Ambal Temple is with Sanctum, artha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The Ambal temple was built with green stone, which might have been sourced from Vallimalai or nearby hills.

The dismantled structures like pillars, kodungai, and kapotam with karnakood of the mandapa/shrine are kept in the prakara. The karnakood has the reliefs of deities with minute details.  The archakar showed me the famous sculpture of a child in the mother’s womb and the adult with the mother.

 Koshta with kumbha panjaras on both sides

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTION

Since there are no inscriptions found in the temple and fragment stones unearthed have the inscriptions.  The earliest inscriptions belong to the 10^th Century and from this the temple might have been built before the 10^th Century.  These inscriptions are unearthed under the guidance of Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal from  10^th to 12^th May 2010. As per the inscription this place was called Jayankonda Chozha Mandalathu Paduvur Kottathu "Raja Raja Ceri". Rajaraja Chozha was mentioned as "Rajakesari Varman Rajaraja Devar". ( Hindu Report )

A 10^th Century fragmentary inscription refers to several person names who agreed to serve in this temple and they are Mani Nagan Naruppan, Kuppan Narupponthai, Arunan Thirukkoil Mottai, Tirukoil Poduvan, Ezhilan, etc. 

Another Rajaraja-I, (the 28^th year 1013 CE), an inscription records the consecration of a mental image of Uma Parameswari, consort of Buwaneka Vitangar (Nataraja ) in the temple by an individual called Angala Madeva Gramavithan. The inscription refers to an endowment, on a donation of 100 kalam, which was added to the existing endowment for meeting temple expenses. 

Another undated Rajaraja Chozha-I's inscription records that Nagai Kaniccan alias Irumudi Chozha Muvenda Velan, a ranking Royal official, who gifted 900 measures of paddy, which yielded 30 kalanju of gold as an annual interest that should be utilized for meeting the expenses of the temple.

The temple was rebuilt many times and additional carvings were added during 17^th Century Vijayanagara Period. Later during the Mughals, the temple was left uncared and the same was covered with sand.  In 1958 CE Bhaskara Thondaiman of Vellore Collector took the initiative to uncover the sand and the temple came to life.

Maha Periyava visited this temple during the 1970s. He was instrumental in conducting Kumbhabhishekam in 1979. It was believed that Adi Sankara also visited this temple.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

Since oru kala pooja is conducted the temple will be opened between 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and Devotees are advised to confirm with archakar / Gurukkal.

CONTACT:

The Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile at +91 9486370223 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 750 meters off the Chennai to Mumbai highway. Since buses from Chennai to Arcot, Vellore will not stop at Sirukarumbur Village, get down at Ocheri or Kaveripakkam or Check post. From there can be reached through auto. 

Sirukarumbur is about 5,5 km from Kaveripakkam, 21 km from Arcot, 45 km from Vellore, and 91 km from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Junction Katpadi is about 47 km.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 Poorna Kumbh

 Saraswati

 Valli with Lakshmi

 Kumbhapanjaram

 Monkey eating banana

 Kamadenu

 Dakshinamurthy

   The beautiful smile of Dakshinamurthy

 Shiva lingas on the jadamudi

 Believed to be child in mother's womb

 Baby and mother 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---