Sri Vaitheeswarar Temple / Sri Vaidhyanathar Temple / Vikrama Chozha Temple, Chinthamani, Viluppuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The second visit to this Shiva Temple was a part of the Viluppuram Heritage Walk organized by History Trails, on the 24^th and 25^th of July 2021. The First visit to this Sri Vaitheeswarar temple was a part of the Villupuram temple visit on 8^th June 2019. This place is being called locally as Chinthamani Nallur.

Moolavar  : Sri Vaitheeswarar / Sri Vaidyanathar

Consort    : Sri Thaiyal Nayaki.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with an entrance arch. The stucco image of Shiva Linga is on the top of the arch. Balipeedam and Nandi are in front of the mukha mandapam. In the sanctum, the Moolavar is a little tall on a round avudayar. In Koshtam, Bickshadanar/Pichadanar, Vinayagar with samara & Venkotrakudai, Oorthuva Thandavar (Natarajar), Dakshinamurthy (holding Damru & Deepam and Kallala maram is separately shown on top), Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai, Bhairavar, and Shiva with Parvati as Alingna murthy.  Stucco Dwarapalakas, Vinayagar, and Murugan are at the entrance of Ardha mandapam.

Ambal Sri Thaiyal Nayaki is in a separate temple, facing east with a sanctum and a mukha mandapam.  Ambal is facing east. In the praharam sannidhi for Anjaneyar/ Hanuman, Navagrahas, Suriyan, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar, and Jeeva Samadhi of a Siddhar. In the Samadhi, Panchabhuta Lingas, Nagars, and Vinayagars are installed.

ARCHITECTURE

The main temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and an open mukha mandapam. The ardha mandapam pillars are worth seeing. The Koshta murtis are masterpieces of Chozha sculptures. 

The adhistana is with upa peedam, jagathy, three patta kumuda, and kapotam. Bhuta ganas are in the valapi (Nandi is also seen along with Bhuta Ganas), and viyyalavari is above the prastaram. A 2-tire vesara vimana is over the sanctum. A moat is around the sanctum. Stucco images of Lord Shiva & Parvati’s marriage are on the top of the mukha mandapam.

Maybe Vikrama Chozha

Vinayagar is along with Bhuta Ganas in Bhutavari (valapi) 

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:

The temple was built during the Vikrama Chozha period and named after his father, the “Kulothunga Chozheeswaramudaiya Mahadevar” Temple, and is now called “Vaitheeswaran Temple”. This place was called in the name of Kulothunga Chozha’s wife's name, “Madhuranthaki", also called “Dheena Chintamani”, and now called Chinthamani and locally “Chinthamani Nallur”. On the South side of jagathy, there is a Vikrama Chozha’s inscription with his title as “Poomathu Punara… “.

Vikrama Chozha’s two incomplete inscriptions are recorded from this temple. One of the inscriptions records the burning of Perpetual lamps for which donations were made to this temple.

Vikrama Chozha's another incomplete inscription records the donations made to the Oorthuva Thandava Natarajar…  

The entrance arch was constructed, and Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in January 2020, January.

The inscription of "தீன சிந்தாமணி...".. this place's name

Vikrama Chozha's inscription

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, Important functions like Pournami Pooja, pradosam, Maha Shivarathri, and Thaipoosam are celebrated in a grand manner.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT:

The mobile number of the priest, +94427 79895, may be contacted for further details.   

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 500 meters off the Chennai to Trichy GST Road.

Chinthamani is about 10 km before Viluppuram, 68 km from Pondicherry, 32 km from Tindivanam, and 189 km from Chennai.

All the buses on the GST road will stop at Chinthamani.

The nearest Railway Station is Viluppuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---