The
visit to this Thalamangai, Sri Chandramouleeswarar Temple, was a part of
Sapthamangai Sthalams around Chakkarapalli, near Kumbakonam, organised by கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று
ஆய்வு சங்கம் on 10th March 2024.
This
is the 6th Sapthamangai temple and Sapthasthana Stalam around
Chakkarapalli, where Indra’s female power, Indrani, worshipped
Shiva of this temple. Ma Parvati worshipped Shiva and had the Naga Darshan.
Moolavar : Sri Chandramouleeswarar
Consort : Sri Rajarajeswari
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple faces east, with an entrance on the east side. Balipeedam and
Rishabam are after the entrance under a mandapam. Vinayagar and Murugan are on
both sides of the sanctum sanctorum. There are no images in the devakostas.
In
praharam, Chandikeswarar, Iyyappan,
and two sthala vruksham, Punniya Tree.
Ambal
Sri Rajarajeswari is in a separate sannidhi facing South. Ambal is in a standing
posture with abhaya varada hastam.
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and mukha mandapam.
The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with the vedika. Brahma kantha pilasters with
kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi
with madhalam and kapotam with nasi kudus. The vesara vimanam is of two talas,
which include the adi tala. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and ashtadikpalakas are on the greeva koshtas.
sigaram is of the vesara style.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
The
original temple may belong to the Chozha period, and the same was reconstructed
during the Vijayanagara / Thanjavur Nayakas and Marathas.
Ashta Bandhana
Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 08th June 1966. Thirupani was
started on 16th November 1960.
LEGENDS
It
is believed that Rajaraja Chozha-I, with his Guru Karuvurar, visited this
temple and worshipped after applying sandal paste on the Shiva Lingam.
As
per the Legend, the Saptamatrikas
worshipped Shiva at these Saptha mangai sthalas and had different darshans. After
hearing this, Ma Parvati also worshipped Shiva and had the darshan of Shiva’s Nethra / eyes darshan at Chakkarapalli (Sri Chakravaheswarar), Ganga darshan
at Ariyamangai (Sri Harimuktheeswarar), Trishul darshan (Ashtra Devar) at
Soolamangai (Sri Kirthivaheshwarar), Pada / kazhal darshan at Nandhimangai (Sri Jambunathar), Damaru darshan at Pasumangai (Sri Pasupatheeswarar), Naga
darshan at Thazhamangai (Sri Chandramouleeswarar) and swallowing alakala
poison darshan at Pullamangai (Sri Brahmapureeswarar). Hence, these 7 temples
are called Saptha Mangai Sthalams.
1 | ஸ்ரீ சக்கரவாகேஸ்வரர் | சக்ரமங்கை | சக்கராப்பள்ளி |
2 | ஸ்ரீ ஹரிமுக்தீஸ்வரர் | அரியமங்கை | அரியமங்கை |
3 | ஸ்ரீ கீர்த்திவாகேஸ்வரர் | சூலமங்கை | சூலமங்கலம் |
4 | ஸ்ரீ ஜம்புநாதர் | நந்திமங்கை | நல்லிச்சேரி |
5 | ஸ்ரீ பசுபதீஸ்வரர் | பசுமங்கை | பசுபதிகோவில் |
6 | ஸ்ரீ சந்திரமௌலீஸ்வரர் | தாழமங்கை | பசுபதிகோவில் |
7 | ஸ்ரீ பிரம்மபுரீஸ்வரர் | புள்ளமங்கை | பசுபதிகோவில் |
Radha,
Durgai, Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, Savitri, and Adi Sankara worshipped Shiva at
this temple. Adi Sankarar did a penance on Shiva to get a darshan of Chandra
pirai (moon). Chandra
came to this temple along with his wives and worshipped Shiva, applying sandal
paste.
There
are two sthala vruksham /
trees in the praharam. The tree’s common name and botanical / தாவரவியல் names are…. புண்ணியவரசு –Ficusmi crocarpa. Believed that
these trees were brought from Punniya loka by Radha, Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Savitri to this Bhulok / earth. It is believed that doing a dhyana under
this sthala vruksham will bring good fortune and benefits. The sloka goes like
this…
புண்ணியத்தின்
புண்ணியத்தால் புண்ணியத்தை புண்ணியாமாய்
புண்ணியத்துப் புண்ணியமாம் புண்ணியத்தைப் புண்ணியத்துள்
புண்ணியத்தார்
புண்ணியத்தில் புண்ணியத்தே புண்ணியத்தாள்
புண்ணியத்தின்
புண்ணியமே புண்ணியமா விருட்சமதாம்.
POOJAS AND
CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Amavasya days, pradosam,
Maha Shivaratri, etc.
The
10-day Sapthasthana pallakku / palanquin celebration will start on Panguni
month Karthigai nakshatra day with flag hoisting. Temple Utsava murtis
will visit all the Sapthamangai Temples.
Thirugnanasambandar’s hymns praise this event as…
பாடினார் அருமறை பனிமதி சடைமிசைச்
ஆடினார் படுதலை துன் எருக்கு அதனொடும்
நாடினார் இடுபலி நண்ணியோர் காலனைச்
சாடினார் வளநகர்
சக்கரப்பள்ளியே.
-சம்பந்தர்
தேவாரம்
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to
19.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The
temple Trustee R Gopalakrishnan, cell no +919894093120, and Gurukkal +91
9751351212 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH
This
temple is on the right side of the Kumbakonam to Thanjavur main road, after
Pasupathikoil.
The
temple is about 2.2 km from Pasupathikoil, 3 km from Ayyampettai, 13 km from
Thanjavur, and 26 km from Kumbakonam.
The nearest
Railway Station is Pasupathikoil, and the bigger Railway station is Thanjavur.
LOCATION OF THE
TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
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OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---