Tuesday, 31 October 2023

Sri Kasi Viswanathar Temple / Sri Kasi Viswanathar Aalayam / ஸ்ரீ காசி விஸ்வநாதர் ஆலயம் / Walajapet, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Sri Kasi Viswanathar Temple at Walajapet was a part of Gajaprishta / Gajabrushta Vimana Shiva Temple and Kanchanagiri Temples Visit around Walajapet, on 15th October 2023. Thanks to Ramesh Krishnamurthy, who took me to these Temples. This Sri Kasi Viswanathar Temple is on the main road in Walajapet, which is easily accessible from bus stand.


Moolavar  : Sri Kasi Viswanathar
Consort    : Sri Visalakshi

Some of the Salient features of this temple are….
The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Entrance to the temple is on the South side after the Rajagopuram. Stucco image of Shiva & Parvati as rishabaroodar, Vinayagar and Murugan are on the south side entrance to the ardha mandapam.  Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Rishabam, Vinayagar and Pazhani Andavar are on the east side entrance. Dwarapalakas, Rishabam and balipeedam are at the entrance of sanctum sanctorum.  Moolavar is little tall on a round avudayar. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

In the inner praharam, Vinayagar, Nayanmars, Nalvar, Chandran, Suriyan, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Shiva Lingam and Parvathavardhini

In the outer praharam, Utsava Mandapam ( Navaratri Kozhu function was in progress during our Visit ), Ardhanareeswarar  and Nagars.

Ambal Visalakshi is in the ardha mandapam facing east with dwarapalakis. Ambal is in standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and ardha mandapam. A 3 tier Stucco vesara vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum.

The Rajagopuram was built completely from base with brick and lime mortar. It has some rare stucco images of Bhairava, Veerabhadra with Daksha, Nandhi, Maha Vishnu’s various avatars on the east and west sides ), Ravana Anugraha moorthy, Dakshinamurthy, etc,.  

 Bairavar with Nandi
 Veerabhadra with Dakshan




HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The original temple may belongs to 15th to 16th Century and the sanctum sanctorum might have been reconstructed during 19th to 20th Century. No old inscriptions are found to prove its antiquity.

As per one of the small inscription tablet installed at the entrance of  Rajagopuram, the Temple is being maintained by Ayira Vaisya ( Beri Chettiars ) Community of Walajapet, for the past 300 years. But when the temple was constructed is not known. During 1936 CE Mr M Manickam Chettiar was the managing Trustee of this temple.

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 02nd September 1949, 09rd September 1979, 17th April 2005 and 30th August 2018.



POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Sankatahara Chaturthi, Kiruthigai, Pournami, Somavaram, Sukravaram, Theipirai Ashtami, Pradosham, 1st day of the month, Navaratri, Aippasi month Annabhishekam, Maha Shivaratri, Arudra Darshan, etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 09.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS
The Trustees may be contacted on the following mobile numbers +919894756747, +919751196675 and +9194435422956  for further details.

HOW TO REACH
This Temple is on the   Madras- Bombay Trunk Road.
The Temple is about 4 KM from Ranipet Railway Station, 5 KM from Chennasamudram Toll Plaza, 5.7 KM from Arcot,  5.6 KM from Ranipet, 29 KM from Vellore and 109 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway Station is Ranipet.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE  : CLICK HERE

 Utsava mandapam / Vasantha mandapam / Kozhu mandapam
Nagars with Vinayagar and Murugan



 South Side entrance
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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