Tuesday 16 November 2021

Travellers Resting Mandapam / Eclipse Mandapam, Alathur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

I dedicate this post to our friend Liesbeth Pankaja Bennink, since she used to call this as eclipse mandapa. She had done an extensive research on these mandapas. When I was referring a bas relief of this mandapa she was very happy and told which is very unique. She had sent her you tube link of her research video presentation which is very interesting. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meshOWV35so&t=17s ). In that She thanked Padma Priya Baskaran, Dr Ravichandran and me. May her soul rests under the Lotus feet of Lord Shiva. 

Bas-reliefs on the ceiling represents solar and Lunar eclipse

The visit to this Travellers Resting Mandapam at Alathur on Old Mamallapuram / Mahabalipuram Road was a part of Pallava & Chozha period Shiva and Vishnu Temples and Heritage site Visits at Payyanur, Alathur and  Siruthavur  of Chengalpattu District on 17th October 2021.



This mandapam is facing South with all the three sides are closed. Till recent years the last day of Kandar sashti, soorasamharam was celebrated at this Place. The Utsavar Sri Muthukumaraswamy of Thiruporur will come to this place Alathur and bless his devotees. 

The Mandapam might have been constructed during Vijayanagara nayaks period.  Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar bas-reliefs are on the back side wall of the mandapam. Few images are on the pillars. The bas reliefs of Fishes, Snake swallows Suriyan / Chandran, A Snake chasing a Rabbit, Patanjali, Keerthi Mukha with a lady and Lotus medallion are on the ceiling of the mandapam.  Soorapadman’s wooden statue is also kept in the mandapam.


Vinayagar and Sri Devasena Subramaniar

HOW TO REACH
This mandapam at Alathur is on the Chennai to Mamallapuram ( OMR ) road.
Alathur is about 5 KM from Thiruporur, 13 KM from Mamallapuram, 29.3 KM from Chengalpattu, 38 KM from Tambaram and 46 KM from Chennai.
Nearest railway Station is Chengalpattu.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE  : CLICK HERE

Bas-reliefs on the ceiling represents solar and Lunar eclipse
Bas-reliefs on the ceiling represents solar and Lunar eclipse
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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