Sri Chandramouleeswarar Temple / Thiruvakkarai Vakra Kaliamman Temple / திருவக்கரை வக்ரகாளியம்மன், Thiruvakkarai, Vilupப்uram District, Tamil Nadu.

This the 30^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. The temple is on the banks of river ( Varaha ) Sangarabarani River – Gingee River and spreads over 10 acres. This place has many ancient histories with archaeological findings. The temple is known for Vakarakali Amman, than Lord Shiva of this Temple, which is immediately after the Rajagopuram. 

Sekkizhar mentions after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruvadugur came to this place, Thiruvakkrai.

    

    கன்னிமாவனம் காப்பு என

        இருந்தவர் கழலிணை பணிந்துஅங்கு

    முன்னம் மாமுடக்கால் முயற்கு

        அருள்செய்த வண்ணமும் மொழிந்து ஏத்தி

    மன்னுவார் பொழில் திருடுகூரினை

        வந்து எய்தி வணங்கிப் போய்

    பின்னுவார் சடையார் திருவக்கரை

        பிள்ளையார் அணைவுற்றார்

After Thiruvadugur Shiva temple Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

    

    கறையணி மாமிடற்றான் கரிகாடரங் காவுடையான்

    பிறையணி கொன்றையினான் ஒரு பாகமும் பெண்ணமர்ந்தான்

    மறையவன் றன்தலையில் பலிகொள்பவன் வக்கரையில்

    உறைபவன் எங்கள்பிரான் ஒலியார் கழல் உள்குதுமே

Moolavar  : Sri Chandramouleeswarar, Sri Chandrasekreswarar

Consort    : Sri Amirtheswari, Sri Vadivudaiambal.

Some of the important details are ………

The Rajagopuram is of 7 tiers. The Vakkarakali Amman sannadhi ( Vakrakali looks ferocious, with pretha Kundala, Kapala Greedam, Kapala Mala, Holds, Damru, Sword, Kattari, Pasam in hands and korai teeth. A Sri Chakra was installed by Adi Shankara. This sannadhi also has the saptamatrikas, belonged to Pallava period. Yogeswara and Valampuri Vinayagar are along with Saptamatrikas. 

Rajagopuram with Vakrakali Amman Temple 

The original image of Yogeswarar of Vakrakali Amman Temple Sanctum 

The original image of Yogeswarar of Vakrakali Amman Temple Sanctum 

Two Dwarapalakis on each side are there with tonsured heads. ) is immediately after the Rajagopuram and has to go to the Shiva Temple through this Vakrakaliamman temple and Vakra Lingam also known as Athma Linga and Kanda Linga Sannadhi facing west.  ( worshipped by Vakkarasuran. The Shiva Linga will be cold in summer and droplets will be visible on top during the Rainy season  ). The half of the Rishabam is only visible outside after Vakkarakali Amman temple and in front of Athamalinga Sannadhi.  Vasantha mandapam a 100-pillar mandapa, is on the right side before the main temple. Once it was in a dilapidated condition and now looks beautiful after reconstruction/renovation. 

On the left Balipeedam with Rishabam with mandapam in front of 2^nd level Rajagopuram ( Kili Gopuram ). Rishabam is a little large in size. Dwara Ganapathi and Murugan are on the right side of the second-level Rajagopuram. The Moolavar Shiva Lingam is Mukha Lingam, with three faces and they are Shiva facing east, Maha Vishnu facing South, and Brahma facing North. A mirror is placed on the back side of the moolavar to see the backside. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, ( Thayar on the opposite side ), Brahma and Durgai. Brahma is in the niche and others are in the ground level since they are big in size. In the artha mandapam Chandran, Suryan, Vinayagar, Dwarapalakas ( second level ), Arumugar and Veerabhadra. 

In the outer prakaram Ambal temple is on the right  and on the left images of Saptamatrikas, Kundalini  Muni’s jeeva Samadhi / sannadhi ) with a Shiva Lingam on the top. ( In koshtam  Dakshinamurthy, Thirumal ), Sannadhi of Varadharaja Perumal ( Facing west ) and Garudalwar,  and Hanuman face opposite each other), Navagrahas ( Sani’s Vahana is facing south ), Sahasrara Linga Sannadhi, and Murugan Sannadhi.

SAPTAMATRIKAS GROUP

Dwarapalakas with simha vahanas are at the entrance of inner prakaram. In the inner praharam  Naalvar ( Here also there is no greedam for Sundarar ), Vinayagar, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Vaatapi Ganapathy, Pichadanar, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Bhairavar, Arthanareeswarar, Durgai, Kundalini Munivar, Nageswarar, Kalabhairavar, Chandikeswarar, Agasthya Lingam, and Natarajar Sabha ( Kept in safe locked  - Natarajar dance is vakkara dance with leg above hip and keeping the legs positions are like Madurai ). In the front mandapam sannadhi for Vinayagar, and 16 faces dhara Shiva Lingam, Veerabhadra with 8 hands.

Dhara Lingam ( Sodasha Lingam )

Ambal Vadivudaiambigai is in a separate sannadhi on the right side or North side, immediately after the Kili gopuram. Ambal is in standing posture with abhaya varada Hastam. 

The 15^th Century Arunagirinathar also worshiped Lord Muruga of this temple and has sung hymns in praise of Muruga.  

    குலகிரி பொட்டெழ அலைகடல் வற்றிட

        நிசிசர னைப்பொரு மயில்வீரா

    குணதர வித்தக குமர புனத்திடை

        குறமக ளைப்புணர் மணிமார்பா

    அலைபுன லிற்றவழ் வளைநில வைத்தரு

        மணிதிரு வக்கரை உறைவோனே

    அடியவர் இச்சையில் எவைஎவை உற்றன

        அவைதரு வித்தருள் பெருமாளே

Brahma - Bairavar - Ardhanareeswarar

Chandikeswarar

The Pallava period Chandikeswarar

 Ashta bhuja Durgai in three bangha standing posture 

ARCHITECTURE

The Temple consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, Maha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. Moolavar uis with 3 faces. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam. The prastaram is with Valapi, Kapotham and Viyyala vari,. A three-tier brick vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum Sanctorum.

 

Thiruvakkarai Sivalogamudaiya Paramaswamy Temple.

There is a separate temple, on the South side of the main temple built by Chembian Mahadevi. The temple was built with Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, vrudha kumudam, and Pattigai. The Vimanam is of Eka tala nagara Vimanam. The inscription records the temple as Chembiyan Mahadevi edupiththa thirukaRRali and Shiva was called Thiruvakkarai Sivalogamudaiya Paramaswamy.

The Dilapidated 100 pillar vasantha mandapam was built like a chariot pulled by horses, which was renovated and looks good. The 8 Pillars are similar to the Pallava period squatting lion pillars. The Mandapam was built during the Sambuvaraiyar's period (the Sambuvaraiyar King's riding on a horse image is on the back side wall of the mandapam.  

 

The specialty of this temple is all the entrances to 1^st level of Rajagopuram to the Moolavar, Rishabam, and Balipeedam are not in a straight line. Shiva is facing east whereas Maha Vishnu ( facing west in a separate temple ), etc. In Navagrahas Shaniwaran's Vahana Crow's head is not in the usual direction.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since the 6^th to 7^th Century saint Thirugnanasambandar has sung Lord Shiva of this temple, the temple might have existed before the 6^th Century. During Parantaka Chozha’s ( 907- 953 CE), son Kandrathitha Chozhan constructed the Thirugopuram ( Rajagopuram..?) and called Kandaritha Thirugopuram also called “Kandar Suryan Thirugopuram”.  Kandrathitha Chozha’s Queen Chembiyam Mahadevi, who reconstructed many temples as Stone Temple, reconstructed this temple also. There were about 43 inscriptions recorded in this temple and the earliest inscription belongs to Aditya Chozha -I.    

The Pallava King Kadavan Avanialappirandan Sarvajna Khadgamalla and Kripanamalla to Koperunjinga-II period inscription ( AR 191 of 1904) without date records that his chief constructed a sluice with feeder channel to the Tank / eri at Olugarai. The inscription continues with Sanskrit records that the channel is named as “Tribhuvananripanatha”. The Olugai Village is in French India, 2 miles from Pondichery, which was also called as Kulothungachozha nallur ( AR 195 of 1904 ), evidently after Kulothunga Chozha-I.

Aditya Chozha-I, ( 870- 907 CE), 19th-year reign inscription ( AR 169 of 1904) records the endowment of lighting a perpetual lamp for which 15.5 Kalanju gold was deposited in the sabha of Eyirur in Nadu Palaiyur Nadu by, Pukalttunai Adigal, mother of Vilupperaraiyar Aiyyakkutti Adigal and the sabha agree to supply an ulakku of ghee per day to the temple.

Aditya-I’s, ( 870 – 907 CE ) 29th-year reign inscription ( AR 168 of 1904 ) records the gift of 100 kadi of paddy by Pukalttunai Adigal, mother of Vilupperaraiyar Aiyyakkutti Adigal, left with the in charge of Kulankilarkal of Thiruvakkarai with an annual interest of 25 kadi paddy occurring on the endowment and the members agreed for the Abhishekam for Tirukkarrali Perumanadigal on asterism Chitra in Chithirai month and Sravana ( Onam ) in Purattadi month every year.  

Koparakesari Parmar Uttama Chozha (?), 10th-year reign inscription ( AR 170 of 1904), records the decision of Perunguri-Perumakkal ( Village assembly ) of Tribhuvana Mahadevi Chathurvedimangalam, grant of 4 veli land with a big well, a dry field and some other land irrigated by the tank at Tiruvakkarai, for the expenses of worship and offering to the gods of Karrali- Paramasvami and Vishnu Bhattaraka and appointment of 4 persons for worship and 4 others to play music during Sripali pooja with provision made for their maintenance with the land got gift at the Village Aliyur. The main Village was evidently called after Tribhuvanamahadevi,  the queen of Parantaka.

Ref:

1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume 12, 13, 17, and 19.

2. Annual report on South Indian epigraphy 1904

LEGENDS

The  Kundalini muni’s generation Vakkarasuran ruled that area and was killed by Kali after worshiping Sri Chandrasekar ( Lord Shiva ). 

As per the Sthala Purana, Vakrasuran a Demon worshiped Lord Shiva keeping him in Kandam. Satisfied by his devotion, Lord Shiva gave him the boon of nondeath. After getting the boon Vakrasuran started torturing the Devas. After Devas complained to Lord Shiva, asked Maha Vishnu to kill Vakrasura. Maha Vishnu killed Vakrasura through his Chakra.

Vakrasuran’s sister Thunmukhi also tortures Devas like her brother. Lord Shiva asked Ma Parvati to kill her. Ma Parvati took the form of Kali. Kali first tore Thunmukhi’s stomach removed her baby as pretha kundala and Killed Thunmukhi. Since Kali Killed Vakrasuran’s sister Stayed here as Vakrakali and the place is being called Thiruvakkarai. 

People believe that worshiping Lord Shiva will remove the vakradosham and call Vakra dosha Parikara sthalam with the presence of Vakra Lingam, VakraKaliamman, and Vakra Shani. People used to circumambulate the Navagraha sannadhi from anticlockwise, instead of usual clockwise. The Shani will remove Vakra dosha after praying for 3 consecutive full moon days.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pournami ( full moon days ), New moon days, Chitra Pournami Utsavam, Aadikiruthikai Utsavam, Karthikai Deepam, Thaipoosam and Pongal, Thai Kiruthikai, Pradosham and Tamil new year Teppa Utsavam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS.

The temple is kept open from 06.00 Hrs to night 20.30 Hrs throughout the day with out lunch break.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The Land Line number 0413- 2680870 and the Mobile number of the Temple Manager +91 9443536652, may be contacted for further details.

e-mail address: vakrakalamman@gmail.com

Temple website:  http://vakrakaliammantemple.com/

HOW TO REACH:

Town buses are available from the Tindivanam bus stand.

There is a place called Perumbakkam on the Pondy to Tindivanam bus route via Mailam ( a Famous Murugan Temple ). From there Thiruvakkarai is about 6 KM. Share autos are available.

The temple is 13.8 KM from Mailam Murugan Temple, 26 KM from Tindivanam, 24 KM from Pondicherry, 29 KM from Viluppuram, and 153 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Tindivanam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

Maha Vishnu - Dwarapalaka - Veerabhadra..(?)

Maha Vishnu Sannidhi

A Bas-relief on a Pillar ( ..?)

An Amman temple on the banks of Temple Tank 

A Half buried Amman sculpture in the same Temple 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---