The
visit to this Sri Pachai Amman Temple at Munugapattu, Valappandal/ Vazhaipandal, was a part of the “Pallava
period Shiva, Amman and Jain Temples Visit” in Tiruvannamalai and Ranipet
Districts on 3rd September 2023. Thanks to Mrs Radhabalan of
Kanchipuram for taking me to these temples. This Temple is on the south bank of the Cheyyar River.
Moolavar : Sri Mannarswamy
Consort
:
Sri Pachaiamman
Some
of the salient features of this temple are…..
The
Vazhmuni and Semmuni sannadhis are in front of the Temple, facing north, on the
other side of the main road. Both Vazhmuni & Semmuni are in stucco images and are big in size.
PC - Website
The temple faces East with an entrance arch. A stucco image of Pachai Amman is on the entrance arch. Veeraiyan & Veerayi images are in front of the 3-tier Rajagopuram
with a mandapam, built with brick and lime mortar. Sri Mannar Swamy with a Rishabam in front, Pachai Amman, and Utsavars sannidhis are in a row facing East. Shiva as Mannar
Swamy is in a sitting posture on the left side Sanctum of Pachai Amman with
Rishabam in front. The Main idol is of
Stucco in green colour, and a stone idol is in front. Pachai Amman is in a sitting
posture with 4 hands. The upper hands are holding Pasa and Angusam, and the lower hands
are holding a bowl and a Pirambu/cane.
In the praharam, stucco images of Munis, in different postures, are lined up on the east
side. Elephant, Horse, and Rishabam are on the right side, as Nagars and Navagrahas.
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple maintains its old Brick Rajagopuram structure on the East and North sides.
The stucco images of Vazhmuni and Semmuni, and different munis, are in the
praharam.
The
temple complex consists of a Shrine for Mannar Swami and Sri Pachai Amman.
These two sannidhis and Utsav murtis shrines have been reconstructed in recent
years with stone.
The temple of Pachai Amman Temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antara,
ardha mandapam/maha mandapam, and a recently built concrete open
mandapam. The ceiling of the open mandapa is painted with the sthala purana.
The
sanctum sanctorum is on a upanam and pada bandha adhistanam with three patta
kumudam. The bhitti starts with vedikai. Brahmakantha pilasters are shown with
kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and pushpa pothyal. The prastaram
consists of valapi, kapotam, and bhumidesam. A two-tier vesara vimanam is over the
sanctum sanctorum. Amman’s various forms are in the tala and greeva koshtams.
The temple, from adhistanam to prastaram, was built with stone, and the superstructure above prastaram was built with brick and cement mortar.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
The
original temple may be 300 to 400 years old. The sanctum was rebuilt in
recent years.
LEGENDS
Here, the Pachai Amman is considered the incarnation of Ma Parvati, and Shiva has a human face like Mannar Swamy. As per
the Legend, when Shiva and Parvati were at Kailash, Bhrigu Muni came to worship
Shiva. Since Shiva and Parvati are
sitting together, Bhrigu Muni took the form of a beetle, circumambulated Shiva alone, flying through
the gap between Shiva and Parvati. On seeing this, Ma Parvati felt that she was
insulted by Bhrigu Muni without worshipping her. When she asked Shiva to give the left side of his body to her, Shiva didn’t give a proper reply. Ma Parvati
knows that Shiva will grant her wish if she does severe penance. So, Ma Parvati
came to this earth and selected this place to do the penance. She sent her son
Vinayagar to get some water to do pooja. He went to the hill and found Muniwar in tapas with a kamandala full of water. Vinayagar took it and made it run as the Kamandala River. Then she sent Muruga to get water. Muruga made a river to flow
through his spear /Vel, called Sei+River (Sei-Son), which has been
corrupted to the present name of Cheyyar. In the meantime, Ma Parvati had made
to flow the river Pirambaga Nadhi flow with her Pirambu. All three rivers joined
together in this place called Mukkoottu, and Shiva is called Mukkoottu Shiva. The place
has been corrupted to Munugapattu.
Ma
Parvati made a Shiva Linga with sand and did abhishekam with the Mukkoottu
river water. Then she started her penance after creating a Pandal using
plantain trees (Hence this place is called Valappandal). Some asuras tried to disturb her penance.
Shiva as Vazhlmuni and Maha Vishnu as Semmuni guard her to complete her
penance. Satisfied with Ma Parvati’s penance, Shiva asked her to come to
Thiruvannamalai, where Shiva gave her the left part of his body, and the form is
called Ardhanareeswara.
The legend of Pachaiamman…
After coming to the earth, Ma Parvati didn’t get water immediately. Due to this, her body has become hot and red in colour due to anger. After getting water
through his sons, Vinayagar and Murugan. Then, Ma Parvati started her penance in calm, and her body turned green.
The
people of this region worship Pachai Amman as their Kula Deivam. Since
Shiva was made out of mud, ie, மண்,
Shiva was called Man
Lingeswarar, Man Swamy, and the same has
been corrupted to Mannar Swamy. Even though this temple is popularly known as
Pachai Amman Temple, Shiva as Mannar Swamy is the prime deity of this temple. The three specialities of this temple are that Ma
Parvati did penance under a plantain tree pandal, Shiva is in human form, and
Shiva and Maha Vishnu as guardian / dwarapalakas.
POOJAS AND
CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Amavasya Days, Aadi month,
Fridays, etc. The annual festival will be celebrated in August. Pachai Kungumam
is offered at the sanctum.
Devotees
used to do tonsuring their heads for the wishes fulfilled and do pooja to the
vehicles.
Nagars and cradles
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 14.00 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 20
hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The
temple landline number +91 4182
244441 may be contacted for further
details.
HOW TO REACH
This
temple is 12 km from Arani, 24 km from Cheyyar, 38 km from Arcot, 54 km from
Kanchipuram, 53 km from Vellore, 74 km from Tiruvannamalai, and 145 km from
Chennai.
The nearest
Railway Station is Kanchipuram.
LOCATION OF THE
TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Veeraiyan & Veerayi ( Believed to be Hero Stones )
All Green - to signify Pachaiamman
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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