Sri Muktheeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ முக்தீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Kaveripakkam, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Muktheeswarar Temple at Kaveripakkam was a part of Shiva, Vishnu Temples and Heritage sites at Thirumalaicherry, Gudimallur and Kaveripakkam. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr Ramesh Krishnamurthy for taking me to all these places. This temple is believed one of the Mukthi sthalam.

Moolavar  : Sri Mukhtheeswarar, Sri Vedapureeswarar

Consort    : Sri Alangaravalli

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with 5 tier Rajagopuram on the south side. Stucco images of Lord Shiva with Parvathi, Vinayagar and Murugan are on the top of the maha mandapam south side entrance. A Balipeedam, dwajasthambam and Rishabam / idabam are on the east side of the temple. It is claimed that the Moolavar in  the sanctum looks like swayambhu, but it is not so on a round avudayar. Stucco Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. In praharam, Vinayagar, Sri Valli devasena Subramaniar, Nalvar, Bhairavar, Pancha Lingas  and Navagrahas ( Rahu on tortoise and Shani Bhagwan on Eagle vahana ).

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi in the maha mandapam. Images are in the Koshtams of ambal sannidhi. In the outer praharam Dashabhuja Vinayaka Sannidhi,  a Vinayagar sannidhi, Kalyana mandapa, a Shiva Linga with a Rishabam / Idabam & a part of Vijayanagar period pillar and Utharakosai dosha relieving Dhyana mandapam with various stucco images of Kali etc,.   

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and a Maha mandapam. The adhisthana is of kapothabandha adhisthana with Jagathy, Threepatta kumuda and kapotham with nasis. Bhitti starts with vedhika and koshtas are separated by the Brahmakantha pilasters. The pilasters are with malaithongal, kalasam, thadi, kudam, mandi with lotus petals, veerakandam and Vettupothyal. The 2 tier Vimana is with stucco images of Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi, Brahma are on the 1^st level and Greevam koshtams. The sikaram is of vesara style with maha nasis on the 4 cordinal directions. 

The Ardha mandapam was supported with vrutha pillars and Vettu pothyal. The Kalyana mandapam and maha mandapam was constructed during Vijayanagara period. The Pillars has the bas reliefs of Bhairavar, Pichadanar, Veerabhadra, floral motifs, Shiva Lingas, erotic sculptures, Dancers, Rishis, Vinayagar, Murugan, Maha Vishnu, Hanuman, Ramar with Sita and Lakshman,  Donors etc,. The pillar reliefs are painted colorfully.

The temple was reconstructed and found various structures like horizontal beams, makara thorana are used on the prakaram walls.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple might have been constructed during Chozha period and the same was reconstructed by Vijayanagara's.

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 1^st October 2017.

LEGENDS

It is believed that Seshadri Swamigal came to this temple and got enlightened, hence the original name of Sri Vedapureeswarar was changed as Sri Muktheeswarar.

It is believed that siddhars attained mukti after worshiping Lord Shiva of this temple. Hence this temple is considered as a mukthi sthalam and devotees can do pithru dosham pariharam in this temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, maha Shivaratri, New moon days, full moon days, Sankatahara Chaturthi, Kiruthigai, Navaratri, Deepavali, Thai Pongal, Vinayagar Chathurthi, Panguni Uthiram etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH

This temple at Kaveripakkam is about a KM from Madras – Bombay trunk Road / Chennai to Vellore Road / Mumbai Hwy.

The temple is about 10 KM from Walaja Toll gate, 11.6 KM from Walajahpet, 15 KM from Sholinghur, 17.4 KM from Arcot, 17 KM from Ranipet,  38 KM from Vellore and 95 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Sholinghur

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Kaveripakkam Lake with 10 Sluice Gates and 2 overflow gutters, Kaveripakkam, Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Kaveripakkam Lake at Kaveripakkam was a part of Shiva, Vishnu Temples and Heritage sites at Thirumalaicherry, Gudimallur and Kaveripakkam. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr Ramesh Krishnamurthy for taking me to all these places. 

The Kaveripakkam lake get its  inlet water from river Palar and overflow water flows as Kosathalai River, which splits at Kesavaram Dam on continued as Kosathalai River and joins with Bay of Bengal. The diverted water from Kesavaram flows as Cooum River. The Kaveripakkam lake was excavated during Nadhivarma Pallava-III in 8^th Century. The banks are raised and strengthened at various stages. It was told that the stones of the dilapidated Shiva and Vishnu temples of Kaveripakkam was used for strengthening the banks of this lake during British period.

Kaveripakkam Lake holds 1474 Million cubic feet of water. The height of the lake is 30.65 feet, the bank length of 8.35 KM and spreads an area of 6.2 square miles ( 3968 acre ). The lake water irrigates about 19500 acres of land. The lake has 10 slucies and 2 over flow structures. 14 Villages gets benefit out of this lake water. In addition to this, the over flow water feeds about 55 small lakes / eris. The overflow water is regulated through 58 big sluices. The 10 sluices which feeds water for irrigation are named like, Nari ( Fox ) sluice, Lion Sluice, Palla Sluice, Moola sluice etc. The common inscription of all sluices are as flows.

Built by the order of the

Board of Revenue 1837

C M Oglive Esqre Principal Collector

Liue – W.I.Bird wood Civil Engineer 2^nd Dn

Mt Geo. Oliver Surveyor

C. Appoo Moodelly Huzzoor Maistry

 

The sad part is this lake is, 50% is encroached, the capacity also shrinks due to poor maintenance of the lake and accumulation of vandal earth.

HOW TO REACH
This temple at Kaveripakkam is about a KM from Madras – Bombay trunk Road / Chennai to Vellore Road / Mumbai Hwy.
The temple is about 10 KM from Walaja Toll gate, 11.6 KM from Walajahpet, 15 KM from Sholinghur, 17.4 KM from Arcot, 17 KM from Ranipet,  38 KM from Vellore and 95 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway Station is Sholinghur

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Over flow shutters 

Sluice 

An encroached banana plantain farm, now submerged under water

Duragai Shrine near Loin Sluice

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sundara Varadar and Azhagiya Ramar Temple / சுந்தர வரதர் & அழகிய ராமர் கோயில், Kaveripakkam / காவேரிபாக்கம், Ranipet District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Sundara Varadar and Azhagiya Ramar Temple at Kaveripakkam was a part of Shiva, Vishnu Temples and Heritage sites at Thirumalaicherry, Gudimallur and Kaveripakkam. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr Ramesh Krishnamurthy for taking me to all these places. This temple was inside the Kaveripakkam fort and about 300 meters from Sri Abhaya Varadharaja Perumal temple. This temple is also called as Sathya Varadha kshethram.

Moolavar  : Sri Sundara Varadar

Thayar     : Sri Sundaravalli

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple is facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Deepa Sthambam, Balipeedam, Kodimaram and Garudan are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar in the sanctum is about 6 feet tall with 4 hands. Holding Sangu / Conch and Chakra in the upper hands and Lower hands are in abhaya and resting on mace / gadhai. There is no murtis in Koshtam. Utsavars Sri Varadharaja Perumal and Sridevi and Bhudevi are in front of moolavar. Utsavars  are very old compared to Moolavar.

In Praharam, Thayar Sundaravalli, Sudarsana & Narasimhar Andal, Alwars, Nigamantha Maha Desigar, Ramar ( damaged ) in green Stone, unearthed from the temple tank, Nagas and Garuda and Azhagiya Ramar.

Thayar Sri Sundaravalli is in a separate sannidhi facing the same direction of perumal

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a three anga adhisthana. The hemakuta Vimana ( Nagara ) is over the sanctum sanctorum.

The Thayar sanctum is on a padabhanda adhisthana with jagathy, virutha kumuda, pattigai, on a lotus pedestal. The bhitti starts with vedhika. The brahma kantha pilasters are on the wall. The Koshtas are empty. The Kumudam and jagathy are in green stone. These stones are with Rajaraja-I period inscriptions brought from a dilapidated Temple and not belongs to this temple. The ardha mandapa pillars are also in different style. Thayar sannidhi is without vimanam.   

One of the specialties of the temple is Jala made out of green stone is installed on the south wall of ardha mandapam.

Moolavar Vimanam

Thayar Sannidhi

Pillars of different styles 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per Gurukkal Narasimhan, the temple was built about 800 years before. Most of the stones, Pillars with Chozha period inscriptions were brought from elsewhere and the temple was built. There is no relation to the inscriptions and this temple. Some of the inscriptions belongs to Chozha Period especially Rajaraja Chozha-I. Inscriptions from 10^th Century to 17^th century are found on the wall stone, floor stones and pillars.     

During Muslim rule, many of the temple’s idols were thrown in to the well or buried in the ground. The Azhakiya Ramar was unearthed from Kottai Perumal temple along with Thayar and Hanuman. Azhikia Ramar was brought to this temple and installed in a separate sannidhi. The Ramar in green stone and granite stone are unearthed from the well and installed in the praharam and ardha mandapam.

As per the History the war between Raja Sahib with 7000 soldiers and Robert Clive with 500 soldiers held at this place. Raja sahib was defeated and killed in the war. It is believed that his body was cut in to pieces and thrown on many places.

Mangalasasanam was done by Ahobila Madam 42^nd pattam Injimedu Sri Azhagiya Singar, 44 & 45^th Azhagiya Singars, Srirangam Periashram Srimad Andan Swami, Kanchi Kamakoti Chandrasekhara Saraswathi Swamigal. 

Compound wall was constructed during 2011. Sri Azhagiya Ramar temple, maha samprokshanam was conducted on 02^nd July 2009.

One of the inscription of this Sri Sundara Varadharaja Perumal temple  belongs to the Sundara Chozha's 6th reign year. This inscription records the donation of 90 Sheep / goat to the Kalapriya Devar  Temple by Chambakkan of Kumara Chetti's son. He owned a shop at Kalapriya Angadi in Paduvur Kottam Siruthimiri Nattu "Kirthi Marthandam" nagar. Based on this inscription some of the experts like S R Balasubramaniyam, the Kalapriya Marthandam temple might have existed in Kaveripakkam itself and might have been destroyed. But this was not accepted by K G Krishnan and C R Srinivasan. But this may belongs to Thirumalaicherry Shiva temple. 

Rajaraja Chozha's inscription belongs to some other temple

LEGENDS

It is believed that river Palar was flowing on the north side of Kanchipuram. The legend applied to Kanchi Athi VaradaRaja Perumal Temple, Palli Konda Perumal temple near Vellore is applied to this temple also, since all the three temples are on the banks of Palar River / Vegavathi river ( The legend goes like this.. When Brahma was doing a yagam with out Saraswati, she got angry and took the form of Vegavathi River and flowed with full flow to destroy yagam.  To the request of Brahma, Vishnu lay down and stopped the flow of Vegavathi river). This Temple is in the territory of the legend happened and this temple was once on the banks of River Palar.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Panguni Uthiram, Avani Thiruvonam, Sri Rama Navami, Chithirai & Panguni Kalyana utsavam, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Margazhi, Purattasi Saturdays.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

R. Narasimhan, who knows the historical back ground of the Temple and Kaveripakkam, may be contacted on Land line and mobile numbers +91 4177 254522 and +91 9791687534 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

This temple at Kaveripakkam is about a KM from Madras – Bombay trunk Road / Chennai to Vellore Road / Mumbai Hwy.

The temple is about 10 KM from Walaja Toll gate, 11.6 KM from Walajahpet, 15 KM from Sholinghur, 17.4 KM from Arcot, 17 KM from Ranipet,  38 KM from Vellore and 95 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Sholinghur

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Dwarapalakas

Both Ramars are recovered from Temple tank 

Azhagiya Ramar Temple

Thayar Sannidhi

Jala made out of green stone

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---