The second visit to this Sri Vanmeeganathar Temple and Sri Kanthaswamy Temple at Cheyyur was a part of the 604th week abhishekam organised by the Ancient Shiva Temples and Sivamayam Group on 31st May 2026.
The first visit to this temple was part of the Jain sculptures at Onambakkam and Cheyyur Temples. Shiva and Ambal of various temples are sculpted on all the pillars. The mandapam was added during the Vijayanagara Nayakas period.
Kodimaram (Dwajasthambam), Balipeedam, and Rishabam mandapam.
Moolavar : Sri Vanmikanathar
Consort : Sri Mithambigai
Some of the important features of this temple are …
The temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram and a mandapam. Balipeedam and Rishabam are on the east side of the outer praharam. Dwarapalakas Suvdhan and Sumugan are on either side of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is on round avudaiyar. Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai are in the koshtam.
Ambal is in a separate sannidhi that faces south. Dwarapalakas Jai and Vijay are on either side of the sanctum sanctorum. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.
In the outer praharam sannadhi for Durgai, Saptamatrikas, Vinayagar, Subramaniar, and Chandikeswarar.
In front of the temple, there is a Vinayagar Sannidhi, and Murugan is standing without a sannidhi –in the open sky - also called Brahma Sastha (Missing now).
Vinayagar and Mayura urugan /Subramaniar - Dancing on the Peacock - A rare Sculpture
Vinayagar - Dakshinamurthy - Lingothbavar
Durgai
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The temple was built with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam. Due to the increase in floor level, only pattikai is visible. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettu potyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. An eka tala vesara vimanam is over the bhumi desam. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtams.
One pillar has the sculptures of Manuneethi Chozhan's story around the four sides of the pillar. In the main pillars leading to Ambal sannidhi, the horses are driven by ladies, which I had not seen anywhere. At the entrance of the artha mandapam on the right side, Mayura Subramaniyar is worth watching, dancing on his vahana, the peacock.
Tiger face on the stomach of a bhuta/ dwarf on the prastaram valapi - this is actually bhuta vari and the face in the belly is called keerthi mukha / tiger belly - seems to be a standard feature in early Chozha temples - to see one of the bhuta ganas shown like this, please click the link: http://poetryinstone.in/tag/tiger-belly ( With the permission of Mr Vijay)
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The temple belongs to the 11th to 12th-century Chozha period and later received contributions from Vijayanagaras. As
per the inscriptions, this place, Cheyyur, was in Jayamkonda Chola Mandalam. Shiva
was called Putridankonda Mahadevar. Later received contributions from Vijayanagaras.
Vira
Rajendra’s 1068 CE reign inscription records some donations given to this
temple.
Kulottunga
Chola I’s 1117 CE reign inscription records the endowment of burning a
perpetual lamp.
Rajadhiraja
II’s 1171 CE reign inscription records the grant of a salt-pan to help
support the temple's daily operations.
Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on the 10th July 1970.
Cheyyur
Thiribhuvana ChakravarthikaL…..
Most of the inscriptions are damaged, and one inscription records only the king's title as.. Thiribhuvana ChakravarthikaL…..
LEGENDS
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, etc.
This temple is dedicated to Uthra Nakshatra and is a parihara sthalam.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
Sakthitharan Gurukkal may be contacted for darshan and pooja through his mobile number +919444729512.
HOW TO REACH
The temple is about 300 meters from the Cheyyur bus stand, 23 km from Koovathur, 23 km from Melmaruvathur, 37 km from Kalpakkam, 49 km from Mahabalipuram, and 57 km from Chengalpattu.
The nearest Railway Station is Melmaruvathur.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Chozha period Sri Vinayagar in front of the Temple.
Sri Subramaniar, as Sri Brahma Sastha, standing in the open sky, looks new (Missing now).
Bas-relief on the ceiling - (solar eclipse ) and Sri Chakra in the middle
Macha Muni bas-relief/ some claims as Varuna sitting on his vahana on the mandapam pillar
Ambal temple Mandapam pillars, ladies are riding on a horse
Varahi Amman bas-relief on the mandapam pillar.
Vedhalam bas-relief with an owl's face in one of the pillars between Ambal and Shiva's Sannadhi. In those days, people used to worship by lighting lamps on the pillar. Now it is being used for putting out vibhuthi.
Buddha
Brahmi
Donors of the mandapam
Donors of the mandapam
Balipeedam Dwajasthambam and Rishaba mandapam
Sivamayam family
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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