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/ Sri Vanmeeganathar
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 called Jayangonda Chola Mandalathu Chembur Kottathu Puraiyur Nattau Cheyyur alias Jayangonda Chozha Nallur. Shiva
was called Putridankonda Mahadevar. Later, it received contributions from Vijayanagaras.
Vira
Rajendra’s 1068 CE reign inscription starts with his meikeerthi and records the endowment of Naivedyam to the God and the burning of 6 sandhi lamps. For the same, a land was gifted to this temple by Senapathy Marayan Maduranthakan alias Rajarajanayabalan.
Kulottunga
Chola I’s 1117 CE reign inscription records the endowment of burning a
perpetual lamp at Shiva and Ambal / Palliyarai Nachiyar sannidhis. For the same 30 cows and 20 kasus were gifted to this temple by Raja... tharayan. The inscription also continues an endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by his brother, Chozha Madurantaka Devan. For the same 120 kuzhi land, 20 kasus and 12 Ewes.
Vikrama Chozha's 9th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Thiraiyan Valavatharaiyan Sivakathiganga Devan. For the same land was gifted to this temple.
Another Vikrama Chozha's 3rd reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp by Valavatharaiyan Sivakathiganga Devan. For the same endowment, a land was gifted to this temple.
Another Vikrama Chozha's 3rd reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp by this village Vellatti Kothai's daughter Uyyavanthal. For the same, she had gifted 12 ewes. The same village, Thirayan Thangi Manthurainambi, gifted 12 ewes for burning a sandhi lamp, and this temple, Sivabrahmanan Nattu Peruman alias Putridangonda Mamuni, gifted 72 ewes for burning 6 sandhi lamps.
Kulothunga Chozha's 47th year of reign inscription records an endowment by the Cheyyurudaiyan Thangi Manthurainambi. The same gift was received by the 3 Bhattars of this temple.
The Chozha King Rajaraja's 4th year of reign inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp by Nelkuppaiyudaichi Arunthavam Seithal. For the same, she had gifted 12 ewes to this temple.
The Chozha King Kulothunga Chozha's 49th year of reign inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp by Vellalan Neithavayiludaiyan Velan Devarkandan. For the same, he had gifted Kasu... and 3 ma land to this temple.
Vikrama Chozha's 8th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Thiraiyan Mathevadikal Kaikokan alias Rajathirajavalatharaiyan. For the same, he had gifted 90 ewes to this temple.
Thiribhuvana Chakravarthikal Rajarajadevar's 9th reign inscription records the grant of a salt-pan by Thiraiyan Otrikondan Thiruchitrambalamudaiyan alias Chembiyan Vallatharaiyan, to help
support the temple's daily poojas and thiruvizha.
The Chozha king Rajathiraja's 8th year of reign inscription records the grant of a salt pan for the daily poojas by Thiraiyan Madurantakadevan alias Rajakembeera valatharaiyan, and Gangaikondan alias Karikala Chozhan Virayan and ..... Chembiyavalatharaiyan.
Rajaraja Chozha's 5th reign year inscription records the endowment of Thirumanjanam/ sacred bath, Naivedyam and burning of sandhi lamps on the birthday of Thiraiyan Thevarkandan Thanguvan alias Uthama Chozhavalatharaiyan's Mother.
Kulothunga Chozha's 4th reign-year damaged inscription records the gift of a saltpan as a capital for the Thirupadimatru. This inscription also refers to the names of Madurantaka Vinnagaralwar, Arumozhi eswaramudaiya Mahadevar and Kulothunga Chozhiswaramudaiyar.
Ref:
South Indian Inscriptions volume -8.
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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