Sri Somasundareswarar Temple /PillaiyarKovil / Kattukale Selva Vinayagar Temple Kandy, Sri Lanka.

The Visit to this Sri Somasundareswarar Temple also known as Kandy Katukale Selva Vinayagar Temple at Kandy, in Sri Lanka was a part of Sri Lanka’s (Ezha Nadu) Paadal Petra sthalangal Visit scheduled between 28^th November to 2^nd December 2013. Utilizing this opportunity, we have Visited some, Shiva, Murugan, and Amman Temples and Epic Ramayan-associated sites of Sri Lanka.

 

Moolavar    : Sri Soma Sundareswarar

Consort      : Sri Meenakshi

The important features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar, Shiva Lingam is of Pancha (5-Five) mukha. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.

In the inner praharam Bhadrakali Amman, Nalvar, Kalyana Venkatesa Perumal, Maha Ganapathy, Somasundarar, Rajarajeswari (Urchavar), Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Pancha Lingam, Maha Lakshmi, Arumuga Swamy,  Navagrahas ( In sitting posture) and Thillai Chitsaba.

In Mandapam sannidhi for Dhandayuthapani, Selva Vinayagar, Panchamuga Vinayagar, Meenakshi Ambal and Palliyarai. Paintings of Vinayagars are in the mandapam.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and ardha mandapam. The adhistanam is a simple padabandha adhistanam with Jagathy, Three patta kumudam, and Pattigai. The Bhitti starts with Vedhika and the pilasters are Vishnu kantha pilasters with square base, naga bandham, kalasam, kudam, mandi palakai, and Poo mottu pothyal. A 2-tier Vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. The Koshatas of sala type.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per history (Legend), in 1815, Kandy Kingdom king VikramaRajasingan and his wife worshiped in this temple. Hence, the original temple was dedicated to Shiva and the Vinayagar was installed during the 20^th Century. From the Vikramarajasingan period (1747 – 1784), the Vinayagar was taken in procession to Sri Dalada Maligawa, a Buddhist temple on the last day of the procession and the Priest would do pooja. Do not know whether this practice is still being followed or not.  

The temple and mandapam are built with stone by Devakottai AR. L Vagai Nattukottai Chettiars. The First Chettiar was Na(gap)pan Chettiar. The temple was managed by his descendants till 1938. The temple was considered a private temple. In 1938, a Trust was formed to look after the temple with trustees V Krishnamurthy, Mohan Nagalingam, Siva Subramaniam, and P Palaniappan. In 1968, Mr Doraisamy Pillai, Ka Sellamuthu, and P L Andiappan had become trustees. It was understood there was a legal dispute between the trustees.

Maha Shivaratri festival was started in 1967.

In September 1983, a fine arts institute was opened to teach Dancing and music. The students participate in side events too.

It was told that Vinayagar Utsava Murti was taken to the Kandy. Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in the years 1988, 2000, and on 10^th May 2019. The 5-tier Rajagopuram was built in 2000.

LEGENDS

After the Kandy kingdom was taken over by the British, Nattukottai Nagarathar came to this place to do trade. They used to take a bath in a pool/tank in that area and wash their clothes beating on a polished stone. Initially one of the Chettiar thought, the stone might have been polished due to the continuous beating of clothes. The Chettiar with a curiosity turned the stone and found it as Vinayagar/Ganesha. With the permission of the British, the Chettiar constructed a temple named Selva Vinayagar Temple.

In another legend, the Vinayagar came in the dream of the Chettiar and complained that a washerman was beating on his back. The Chettiar took the Vinayagar and constructed a temple.

In another Legend, a person called Gurusamy from South India came to Sri Lanka to worship Shiva Temples and settled in Kandy. Vinayagar came in the dream of Gurusamy and told that he is on the banks of tanks and is being used for washing clothes, by the washermen. And asked him to install it in the Shiva temple. With the help of Villagers Gurusamy moved Vinayagar to this temple and installed it. Later a temple was constructed by the Sthapathis Sellakkannu Mahizhavan.

 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayagar Chaturthi, Arudra Darshan days, Navaratri festival, etc,. An 11-day Panguni Uthiram festival will be conducted in the Tamil Month Panguni and Theerthavari will be held at river Thannakumbara Mahavali Ganga on the 10^th day, followed by Thirukalyanam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 Hrs to 21.00 hrs

CONTACT DETAILS

The temple may be contacted on Landlines at +94 81 222 2677 / +94 81 447 0982, for further details.

HOW TO REACH

The temple is 1.7 km from Kandy Railway Station,  24 km from Matale, 73 km from Dambulla, 135 km from Colombo, and 151 km from Anuradhapura.

The nearest Railway station is Kandy. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---