Friday 12 February 2021

Ambal Brahmapureeswarar Temple / Maha Kalanathaswamy / அம்பல் பிரமபுரீசுவரர் கோயில் / Ambar Perunthirukoil / Ambal, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 171st Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 54th sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place was called as Ambar during 6th to 7th century and now called as Ambal. This place was also called as Marapuri and Indrapuri during ancient times.


In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Ambar Makalam.

பொருஇ லாதசொல் புல்குபொன் நிறம்முதல் பதிகங்களால் போற்றித்
திருவின் ஆர்ந்தகோச் செங்கணான் அந்நகர்ச்செய்த கோயிலைச் சேர்ந்து
மருவு வாய்மைவண் தமிழ்மலர் மாலைஅவ் வளவனைச் சிறப்பித்துப்
பெருகுகாதலில் பணிந்துமுன் பரவினார் பேணிய உணர்வோடும்

Thirugnanasambandar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord  Shiva of this temple..

எரிதர அனல்கையில் ஏந்தி எல்லில்
நரிதிரி கானிடை நட்டம் ஆடுவர்
அரிசிலம் பொருபுனல் அம்பர் மாநகர்க்
குரிசில்செங் கண்ணவன் கோயில் சேர்வரே
....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
                                                                -கூட்டாக
கருவம்பர் தம்மைக் கலவாத மேன்மைத்
திருவம்பர் ஞானத் திரட்டே
....... திருவருட்பா
Moolavar  : Sri Brahma Pureeswarar
Consort    : Sri Sugunthakauntahalambigai,
                 Sri Poongulazhiammai.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…..
The temple is facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, a stone Rishabam and a big stucco Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram.  This is one of the Maada Temple built by Ko Chenkat Chozhan. On the upper level sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is of swayambhu. In Koshtam only Dakshinamurthy. In the lower level Koshtam  Vinayagar, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai. Somaskandar is on the back side of moolavar.

In Prakaram Padikasu Vinayagar ( 3 nos), Subramaniar, Mahalakshmi, Jambukeswarar, Somaskandar, Vinayagar, Ko Chenkat Chozhan, Saraswati, Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Suseela Ambal, Bhairavar, Suriyan, Somasimarar, Punnaivana  nathar, Sthala Vinayagar, Subramaniar, Ayyappan, Mahalakshmi, Jambukeswarar, and Chandikeswarar.

Urchavars, Lord Shiva who gave Darshan to Brahma with Rishabam, Brahma, Nalvar. Brahma recovered back to original from Annaparavai after worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

The 15th Century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung Hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

சூதர் மண்டலந் தூளெ ழுந்துபொடி
            யாகி விண்பறந் தோட மண்டியொரு
            சூரி யன்திரண் டோட கண்டுநகை             கொண்டவேலா
    சோடை கொண்டுளங் கான மங்கைமய
            லாடி இந்திரன் தேவர் வந்துதொழ
            சோழ மண்டலஞ் சாரு மம்பர்வளர்             தம்பிரானே


HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
As per Thirugnanasambandar, that this is one of the Mada temple built by the Chozha King Ko Chengat Chozha. Latter the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during early Chozhas period and extended during Pandyas, Vijayanagaras / Marathas.

Except Rajaraja’s 10th reign year inscription on the Somaskandar Temple, the rest are fragment inscriptions which are either damaged of incomplete.

The Rajaraja’s 10th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning two perpetual lamps to Uyyankondar Vallanattu Ambar Nattu Vaikavur alias Ethirili Chozha Nerkundram Ethirili Chozheeswararam udayar temple by a merchant of this place Ambar.  

The Fragment inscriptions records the sale of Lands through auction, Kulothunga-III conquered Madurai, Sri Lanka ( Eezham ), Karuvur / Karur, Pandiyas crown and also mentions a place called Melur alias Arithuvaner kundram, exists during Chozha period. 

LEGENDS
As per the legend Amban and Ambasuran are the sons of sage Durvasa. They were the ardent devotees of Lord Shiva and blessed with the various powers. They misused the powers by terrorizing the Devas. When this was brought to the notice of Lord Shiva, asked Ambal to to take action against them. Kali another form of Ambal took the form of an young girl with Mahavishnu as an old man went to Amban and Ambasuran. On seeing Kali as an young girl, both Amban and Ambasuran started fight with each other for the young Girl. In the process of fighting, the elder was killed and Kali killed the younger brother. To get rid of the sin caused due to killing of Ambasuran, Kali came to this temple and worshiped Lord Shiva after making the Shiva linga on her own hands. The hand finger marks can be seen on the moolavar. The place where Ambasuran was killed was called as “Ambagarathur”, which is near to this place.   

It is believed that marriage obstacles will be removed after worshiping Lord Shiva of this temple for 5 Consecutive weeks. The devotees offer 2 garlands of which one will be returned to devotees, which should be used for the marriage.

This place obtained the name as Maakalam, since a sage Maakaalan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Hence this place is called Maakaalam. The sage also worshiped in four other places. They are Ambar Makalam, Irumbai Makalam, Mahakaal in Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh.

Soma yagna was performed for Somasimara Nayanar in this place and Lord Shiva also participated. Somasimara Nayanar express his wish of conducting a Soma yagna in which Lord Shiva wants to be participated to Sundarar. So he sought the help of Sundarar to bring Lord Shiva for the Yagna. Sundarar requested Lord Shiva to participate in the Somasimaran’s yagna. Lord Shiva readily accepted and participated. Lord Shiva and Parvati gave darshan to Somasimara Nayanar and  Sundarar.

அம்பர்நக ரந்தணார் சோமாசி மாற 
        ரன்பர்களாம் யாவர்க்கு மன்பினமு தளிப்பர்
ரும்பர் நிகழ்வகையாமம் பலவுஞ் செய்யு
        முண்மையினர் ரைந்தெழுந்து மோவா நாவார்
நம்பர்திகழ் திருவாரூர் நயந்து போற்று
        நாவலர்கோ னடிபரவு நன்மையாலே
யிம்பர்தொ வும்பணிந் தேத்த மேலை
        யேழுலகு முடனாளு மியல்பி நாரே
...... திருத்தொண்டர் புராணசாரம்... சோமாசிமாற நாயனார்
It is believed that Indra, Nagakanni, Vyasar, Durvasa, Saptarishis worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Masi Maham and Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Nov – Dec ) and every month pradosham.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs

CONTACT DETAILS :
The Land line number +91 4366 238 973, may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH :
Ambal Temple can be reached, from Kumbakonam to Ambal road, via Nachiyarkoil or Kumbakonam to Ambal Road Via Peralam, Koothanur /Kuttanur.  are on the bus route  Mayiladuthurai from there  Ambar Makaalam is 4.4 KM and Ambar is 2 Km from Ambar Makalam.
The temple is 2 KM from Ambar Makalam 4.4 KM from poonthottam, 7 KM from Peralam, 21 KM from Karaikal, 25 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 25 KM from Thiruvarur, 40 KM from Kumbakonam and 282 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway Station is Poonthottam and Junction is Karaikal.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE









--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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