VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Gangatheeswarar Temple, Eswaran Kovil / ஈஸ்வரன் கோவில், Pudumavilangai/ புதுமாவிலங்கை, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu.

Sunday 4 September 2022

Sri Gangatheeswarar Temple, Eswaran Kovil / ஈஸ்வரன் கோவில், Pudumavilangai/ புதுமாவிலங்கை, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Gangadeeswarar Temple at Pudumavilangai, was a part of “Ashta Siddhi Temples” visit, located between Kosasthalaiyar and Koovam rivers, on the north side of Perambakkam. Apart from Shiva temples, on the way visited Perumal temples also.

கங்காதரீஸ்வரர் பதிகம்

நதிமேவுஞ்சடையுடைய நாயகனே நான்மறையி னடுவினின்ற

பதியே யெம்பெருமானே பக்தர்களுக்குள் சுரக்கும் பாண்டுரங்கா

புதுமாவிலங்கை நகர் மேவுகின்ற மெய்ப்பொருளே புலவர் போற்றும்

மதியேறுந் திருநுதலான் காமாக்ஷிமணவாள மலர்தாள் போற்றி

.... யாழ்பாண சாமியார் ( வருடம் 1920 )

Moolavar : Sri Gangadheeswarar

Consort : Sri Kamakshi Amman

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

The temple facing east with a 2 tier Rajagopuram is on the south side. Stucco images of Somaskandar, Shiva and Parvati as Chandrasekar, Urdhva thandavar, Veena Dakshinamurthy are on the Rajagopuram. Entrance to the maha mandapam is from the south ie opposite to Ambal. The entrance is with a open mukha mandapam and Stucco image of Ambal is on the top. Shri Shiva and Parvati’s kalyana kola stucco image of on the top of the mandapam on the left side. Balipeedam and Rishabam are on the east side. A Hole is provided on the wall opposite to Rshabam’s face. Stucco image of Shiva with Parvati as rishabaroodar, Shri Shiva’s family in Kailash, Ambal worshiping a Shiva Lingam, Vinayagar and Murugan are on the top of the east side parapet wall.

In Koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. In Prakaram, Vinayagar as Maha Ganapati, Sri Devi & Bhudevi sametha Pandurangan, Sri Valli DevaSena Subramaniar Chandikeswarar, Saptha Kannis ( Pattarika Kannika, Deva Kannika, Padma Kannika, Sindhu Kannika, Agaja Kannika, Vana Kannika, Sumati Kannika, both in stone and Stucco. Rishabam and Elephant are in front ), Nagars and Bairavar.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and maha mandapam. The adhistanam is of simple pada bandha adhistanam with Jagathy, 3 patta kumudam and Pattigai. The bhitti starts with vedika. The pilaster are Brahmakantha pilaster with malai thongal, thamarai kattu, kalasam, thadi, kudam, mandi, palagai, veerakandam and vettu pothyal.

The Koshta are supported with ½ brahma kantha pilasters. The Makara thoranas above the koshtas are with the bas-reliefs of Krishna, Sri Rama with Sita and Lakshmana. The prastaram consists of lotus petals valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus. An ekathala Nagara vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. The Stucco images of Shri Shiva with Parvati, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are in the Greeva Koshtam. Maha Nasis are on the cardinal directions of Sigaram. Kodi karukku is on the 4 corners of Sigaram.

Rama, Sita and Lakshmana bas reliefs on the makara thorana

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This one of the Shiva Temples built during Chozha period maintains the original structure without much modifications. Later extensions were done by the Vijayanagaras.

It is believed that the pilasters and pillars are brought from a dilapidated Perumal temple of the same Village about 150 years before. The Makara Thorana of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana may belongs Pandurangan Temple of the dilapidated Perumal Temple.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in the year 2018.

LEGENDS

This is one of the Ashta Siddhi Shiva temples ( 8 Shiva Temple ) located between Koovam and Kosasthalaiyar rivers, on the north side of Perambakkam in Tiruvallur District. It is believed that the Sage Agasthiya installed these 8 Shiva Lingas, worshiped and obtained ashta siddhis. The each Shiva temple is associated with one of the Ashta siddhis. The details of this Mahima Siddhi from Srimad Bhagavatam are...

Mahima- மஹிமா

மெய்ப்பொருள் சொல்லிய மெல் இயலாள் உடன்

தன்பொருள் ஆகிய தத்துவம் கூடிடக்

கைப்பொருள் ஆகக் கலந்திடும் ஓர் ஆண்டின்

மைப்பொருள் ஆகும் மகிமா அது ஆகுமே.

With this siddhi, one can increase size of the body like Vishwaroopam. By worshiping Shri Shiva Agastheeswarar, now called as Sri Gangadeeswarar of this temple at Pudumavilangai, one can obtain the siddhi of Mahima.