The
Visit to this Thirumanangeeswarar temple at Melur near Minjur was a part of
Gajaprishta / Gajabrushta Vimana Temple of Thondai Nadu at Neithavayal near
Minjur, on 31st March 2024.
Moolavar : Sri Thirumanangeeswarar
Consort : Sri Thiruvudai Amman
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple faces east with a mottai Gopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and
rishabam are in front of open mukha mandapam. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance
of ardha mandapam. Moolavar is a little swayambhu, small in size on a square
avudaiyar. Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy,
maha Vishnu, Brahma ( Brahma is with beard ). and Durgai are in the koshtam.
In
the inner praharam Vinayagar, Nagars, Shiva Lingas with Ambals, Sri Valli
Devasena Subramaniar, Bairavar, Chandran, Suriyan, Veerabhadra, Adiars, Nalvar
and Chandikeswara.
Navagrahas
are in the Mukha mandapam and another chandikeswarar is in the outer praharam.
Ambal
is in a separate temple with balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Simha vahana.
Dwarapalakis are at the entrance of antarala. Ambal is in standing posture with
abhaya varada hastam. It is believed that the Ambal idols of this temple,
Thiruvotriyur Thiruvudai Amman and Thirumullaivoyal Kodiyidai Amman are of the same
size and stone sculpted by a single sculptor.
Veerabhadra
Brahma with beard
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple from adhistanam to prastaram was built with stone consisting of Sanctum
Sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam and open mukha mandapam. The Sanctum
Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and
pattika. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The pilasters are Vishnu kantha
pilasters with a square base and naga bandham, kalasam, kudam, mandi, palakai, and
poo mottu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi ( without bhuta ganas) and
kapotam with nasi kudus. The superstructure above the prastaram is constructed
with bricks. The Vimanam is of two talas, greevam and Dravida sigaram. Shiva,
Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma
are in the tala and greeva koshtams.
Kumhhapanjara
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
The
main temple belongs to the 12th and 13th Century Chozha period and the Mukha mandapam was
expanded during Vijayanagara / Nayakas period.
Telugu Chozha’s and Vijayanagara inscriptions are found on the
adhistanam and wall.
The
Vijaya Ganda Gopala ( 1280 CE ) inscription records the gift of money for an
image to Thirupalaivanam Udaiya Nayanar Temple.
Another
Vijaya Ganda Gopalas’ period ( 1253 CE ) inscription records the gift of a lamp
to this temple.
Pandya
period inscriptions are also found in this temple which are found damaged.
Ref:
An
Article by M/s Chitra Madhavan.
LEGENDS
It
is believed that this place was once called Segunda ( fragrant smell ) vana with threes. Shiva was found in the form of Swayambhu and a cow worshipped
Shiva mulching on the Shiva Lingam. Hence Shiva was called Sugundavaneswarar, in Tamil as Thirumanangeeswarar.
It
is believed that it will be auspicious to worship all three Sakthi temples
on a Full moon day / Pournami day in sequence to get Iccha, Gnana, and Kriya
Sakthi’s blessings. It is also believed that it will be equivalent to
worshipping Kasi and Rameswaram. The sequence and the Sakthi temple are, This
temple’s Ambal is Iccha Sakthi, Thiruvudai Amman, Melur near Minjur, in the Morning, Ambal is Gnana
Sakthi, Sri Vadivudaiamman at Thiruvotriyur, in the Afternoon and as Kriya Sakthi,
Kodiyidai Amman at Thirumullaivoyal in the Evening.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri,
Vinayagar Chaturthi etc.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs. to 11.00 hrs. and 17.090 hrs. to
20.00 hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS
The
HR& CE officials M Krishnamurthy +919976849791 and Ezhumalai +918248739713
may be contacted for further details.
HOW
TO REACH
The
temple is about 3.2 KM before Minjur Railway Station, on Manali to Minjur.
The
temple is 8.5 KM from Manali New Town, 14.0 KM from Ponneri Railway Station,
27.3 KM from Chennai Central Railway Station, and 37 KM from Gummudipoondi.
The nearest railway station is Minjur.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Chandikeswarar in the outer praharam
Maha Vishnu
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| Sundarar - Thirugnanasambandar - Appar |
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