Sri Thulasiswarar Temple / Sri Thulaseeswarar Temple / ஶ்ரீ துளசீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Kolathur, Vembakkam, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Thulaseeswarar Temple at Kolathur Vembakkam near Singaperumal Koil was a part of the Maha Vishnu and Shiva Temples visit at Singaperumal Koil, Kolathur ( Appur, Vembakkam ), Mettu Pudupakkam and Pon Vilaintha Kalathur, on 24^th October 2021.

Moolavar  : Sri Thulaseeswarar

Consort    : Sri Vilvanayagi

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

The temple faces east. Balipeedam and Rishabam/Idabam are in front of the temple under the metacolour sheet mandapam. Moolavar in the sanctum is a little big. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of ardha mandapam. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In praharam Pidari a Village deity as Kalyana Durgai Amman, Vinayagar, Agasthiyar ( Standing and sitting ), Suriyan, Chandran, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar, Bhairavar, Ambal Vilvanayagi, Chandikeswarar, Nagars under the neem tree and Navagrahas.

ARCHITECTURE

The Main temple consists of the Sanctum sanctorum, Ardha mandapam, and a metacolour sheet mukha mandapam. This temple was reconstructed in recent years with brick. The Construction does not follow any of architecture or agama.  A Stucco Ekathala Vimana is over the sanctum sanctorum.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTION

The original temple belongs to the Chozha period and  Vikrama Chozha’s inscription stone is installed on the north side of the compound wall. The inscription records the endowment of burning perpetual lamps for which donations were made to this temple.

It was told that Kalyana Durgai Amman was a Pidari deity, a village-guarding deity with an entrance from the west near the temple. Local people used to offer Non-vegetarian and animal sacrifices. This was stopped during recent years and the access to this Pidari temple was removed. In addition to that the name of the Pidari Amman was also changed to Kalyana Durgai Amman.

During recent periods, after reconstruction, Jeernodharana Ashta Bandhana Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 22^nd August 2010.

LEGENDS

During the celestial wedding of Lord Shiva with Parvati all the Deities, Devas, and Maharishis assembled at Mount Kailash. Due to this the north side of this went down and the south side rose. Lord Shiva asked Agasthiyar to go to the south to balance it. On the way to Podhigai Hills, sage Agasthiyar, came to this place created a pond, and Worshiped Lord Shiva on Puratasi Pournami day/Full moon day with Thulasi and Kondrai flowers. Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Ardhanareeswarar and gave darshan to Agasthiyar. Hence Lord Shiva is called Thulaseeswarar.

Devotees worship Lord Shiva for a good relationship between husband and wife. Devotees with an adverse effect due to Chandra have to worship Lord Shiva on Monday in Chandra Horai to get rid of the adverse effect.

A Pidari Deity worshiped as Kalyana Durgai and the temple above 

Chozha period Chandikeswarar and Chandran

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS:

Apart from oru kala poojas, special poojas are done on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri and Mondays.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.30 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The temple trustee Secretary Mr Ramesh on his mobile number +91 9444022133 or Gurukkal Sridhar on his mobile number +919444812001 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

This place Kolathur ( Appur ) is about 1.5 KM from Singaperumal Koil to Walajabad Road,  5 KM from Singaperumal Koil, 13.5 KM from Chengalpattu, 27 KM from Tambaram, and 60 KM from Chennai Central.

Nearest Railway station is Chengalpattu.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---