Ponnur Hill Jain Temple Complex, Kundakunda Acharya Paduka / Tapobhumi of Acharya Kund Kund Dev / பொன்னூர் மலை ( ஆச்சார்யா குந்து குந்து தேவ் தபோபூமி ), Ponnur Hill, Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

This Ponnur Hills also called as Nilgiri Hills and renamed as Kund Kund Nagar during recent years. Sri 108 Kunda Kunda Acharya’s padas / foot prints with Mahaveera Idol and Sri Kund Kund acharya meditated cave are on the top of the Hill. The Dharma Chakra stupi is at the beginning of the Steps. The steps are neatly laid up to the Acharya Tapobhumi with a resting Mandapa at the middle. The Temple / mandapa was built with Mahavira Tirthankara image on the back of old and new foot prints of Acharya Kund kund. There is a natural cave is covered with a new structure during recent years. It is believed that Sri 108 Kund Kund Acharya meditated in this cave. 

மங்கலம் பகவான் வீரோ மங்கலம் கௌத மோகணீ !

மங்கலம் குந்த குந்தார்யோ நஜன தர்மோஸ்து மங்கலம் !!

ஸ்வஸ்தி ஸ்ரீ வீரநிர்வான ஆண்டு 2522 கார்த்திகை சுத்தம் திரியோதசி திதி, ஞாயிர்றுகிழமை (05-11-1995 ) குந்த குந்த ஆம்னாயம் மூல சங்கம் பலாத்கார கணம் ஆச்சார்ய ஸ்ரீ வித்யாசாகர் நல் சீடர் ஸ்ரீ 108 ஆர்ஜவசாகர் முனிவர்தம் திருமுன் தமிழ்நாடு பொன்னுர் மலை( நீலகிரி )யில் ஆசாரிய குந்த குந்தர் திருவடி அருகில் பகவான் மஹாவீரர் திகம்பர பழமையான அதிசய ஜிந பிம்பம் பிரதிஷ்டை செய்யப்பட்டது.. சுபமஸ்து.

The Mahaveera Tithankara’s old image was installed on the back side of Kunda Kunda Archarya’s padas /foot prints on 05^th November 1995, in presence of Acharya Sri Vidhyasagar’s disciple Sri 108 Arjavasagar Muni.

பரம பூஜய குந்த குந்த ஆசாரிய தேவரின் பழமையான பாத சுவடுகள் தொடர்ந்து சிதிலமடைந்து வருவதை கண்டு சாரித்ர சக்ரவர்தி பிரதம ஆசாரியர் பரம் பூஜ்ய சாந்தி ஸாகர்ஜி மஹாராஜின் பரம்பரை நிகழ்கால ஆசாரியர் ஸ்ரீ வர்தமான் ஸாகர்ஜி அவர்களின் ஸத் சங்கத்தின் வழிகாட்டுதலோடு கிபி 2006 ஆம் ஆண்டு சாதுர் மாதத்தில் இந்த புதிய பாதங்கள் ஸ்ரீ குந்த குந்த தபோகிரி நிர்வாகம் கமிட்டியின் பொன்னூர்மலை, பொன்னூர் உறுப்பினர்களால் நிறுவப்பட்டது. யாத்ரிகர் பழமையான பாத சுவடுகளை தரிசனம் செய்து, புதிய பாத சுவடுகளில் அபிசேகம் செய்யுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்ளப்படுகிறார்கள் ஸ்ரீ குந்த குந்த ஆச்சார்ய கமிட்டி பொன்னூர்.

Due to deterioration of Kund Kund Acharyas 2000 and odd years old foot prints, a new foot print was installed under the guidance of Acharya Sri Vardhaman Sagarji, who is descendant of Sarithra Chakravarthi Piratham Acharyar Parama poojya Shanthi Sagarji Maharaj, by the Ponnur Administration. Hence it was requested to do abhishek to the new foot prints  

Brief History of Kund Kund Acharya..

Acharya Kund kund as  Padmanandi, was born in a small Village Konakondla in Vairakarur near Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh. But he was called in the name of the Village as kund Kund. He did penance in a small natural cave on the Poonur Hills and authored about 84 books on Jainism in palm leaves. These books mainly covers the Jain principles of Right faith, Right Knowledge and right Conduct.   

HILL TEMPLE TIMINGS

Worship times are 05.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.30. Usually the Vathiyar will do pooja around 07.00 hrs and will come back to base temple and nobody will stay there.

Believed that Acharya Kund Kund  did penance in this Cave 

Believed that Acharya Kund Kund  did penance in this Cave 

Believed that Acharya Kund Kund  did penance in this Cave 

KUND KUND NAGAR

The Base complex Kund Kund Nagar consists of, Kund Kund ashram, Sri Adinatha Jinalaya, Guest Houses for the Pilgrims stay, Thiyagi Bhavan, Samosaran and Thirukural Mandapa with research centre.

The Adinatha Tirthankara Jinalaya has the images of Adinatha Tirthankara, Parshvanatha and Chandraprabha are worshipped.

HISTORY OF THE BASE COMPLEX

To construct Kund Kund ashram, Sri Adinath Tirthankara Jinalaya and Samosaran, a land measuring 6 acres and 29 cents was bought. In this 29 cent was donated & registered to ( Sri 108 Kund Kund alias Elachariyar’s Thirukkural in Tamil ), Thirukkural mandapam. This was gifted by, Jengampoondi Sri Sa  Sridhara Nainar, a dharmakartha.

Sri 108 Kund Kund foot prints front Mandapa, out side flooring and roof was constructed. For the same the required fund of Rs 9500 was gifted by Sri Delhi Shahi Jain’s wife Ramabhai Ammal. Neminatha Swami Jinalaya was gifted by Krishnagiri Vasudeva Nainar’s wife Kanchanamalai Ammal.

This Digambara Jinalaya, which includes Sri Sri Manthira Swami, was gifted by Jegampoondi Sridhara Nayinar’s Son Sundara Kumara nayinar.

This jinalaya, which includes Sri Adi Tirthankara was gifted by Marudur J Chinnathambi Nainar’s wife Sugavathy Ammal.  

As per the order of Melsithamur Svathi Sri Lakshmi Sena Bhattaraka Bhattacharya  Swamy’s order, Sri Kund Kund Ashram Panchakuta Jinalaya’s, Pushpanjali nonbu and Pancha kalyana vaibhavam was performed on 14^th February 1975, from the own fund of Sridhara nainar’s Son Sundara Kumara Nainar.

HOW TO REACH

This Ponnur Hills is about 10 KM from Vandavasi, 38 KM from Uthramerur, 43 KM from Melmaruvathur, 46 KM from Tindivanam and 133 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is  Tindivanam, where all trains will stop.

LOCATION OF PONNUR HILLS       : CLICK HERE

Thirukkural mandapam 

SAMOSARAN

Chaturmukha Tirthankara

Looking from the Hill

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Vallapurieswarar Temple / வல்லம் வல்லபபுரீஸ்வரர் கோயில் / Very Ancient Vallapurieswarar Sivan Temple / ஸ்ரீ வல்லபுரீஸ்வரர் சிவன் கோயில், Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Sri Vallapurieswarar temple was a part of “Gajaprsihta / gajabrushta Vimana Shiva temple at Vallam and Jain Temples at Ponnur and Ponnur Hills Visit”, on 22^nd October 2023. This is one of the Pallava period Shiva Temple with gajaprishta / gajabrushta Vimanam in Tiruvannamalai District in Tamil Nadu.

It is believed that the hymns sung by Thirugnanasambandar on Thiruvallam, belongs to this place Vallam and not the Thiruvalam, near Ranipet. In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar mentions Thirugnanasambandar’s route as Thirumalpur – Thiruvallam ( 1003 of Thirugnanasambandar's puranam ) – Ilumbayankottur-Cooum and Thakkolam. In this, both the places Thiruvalam and this Vallam are little far off and routes are not matching.   

எரித்தவன் முப்புரம் எரியின் மூழ்கத்
தரித்தவன் கங்கையைத் தாழ்சடைமேல்
விரித்தவன் வேதங்கள் வேறுவேறு
தெரித்தவன் உறைவிடம் திருவல்லமே.

Moolavar  : Sri Vallapurieswarar

Conort     : Sri Kadina Kujambigai

Some of the Salient features of this temple are…

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch form east. Stucco image of Shiva and Parvati are on the top of the entrance. Balipeedam and Rishabam are immediately after the east side entrance. There is a 3 tier Rajagopuram on the South side which is not used now.  Dwarapalakas, Vinayagar and Murugan are at the entrance of ardha mandapam. Rishabam and a balipeedam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is little big on a Square avudayar. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In praharam, Saptamatrikas, Shiva Linga, Nagar, Maha Vishnu, Sri Valli Devasena Arumugar, Suriyan, Navagrahas, Bairavar and Chandikeswarar.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi on the back side of Moolavar sannidhi facing east. Ambal Kadina Kujambigai is in three banga standing posture, while upper hands are holding pasa angusam and lower hands are in abhaya varada hastam. Third eye is on the forehead. The sannidhi is constructed such that circumambulation can be done both Shiva and Ambal Sannidhis.  

Durgai and Ambal

Saptamatrikas

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and a maha mandapam. The temple was constructed in gajaprishta style from adhistanam to sigaram. The adhistanam is of pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta kumudam and pattika. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The Pilasters are of Vishnu kantha pilasters with square base, naga bandham, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and poo mottu pothyal. The Kostas are of sala style. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasikudus and Viyyalavari. The eka tala Vimanam is of gajaprishta style. Stucco image of Shiva with Parvati is on lalada nasi, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are in the Greeva Kostas.

There is a Pallava period Kubera’s sculpture is installed at the entrance of the Temple. The bottom has the bas relief of Gurukkal carrying the naivedyam and a person is holding an umbrella on the top of Naivedyam and another person is ringing a bell. The entrance column  and a mandapam Pillar, in place of Naga bandham on the left side, is in the form of Sanga Nidhi.

Nagabandham - Sanganithi

Sanganithi and Padmanidhi

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple belongs to Pallava period and reconstructed as a stone temple during Chozha period and received contributions from Pandyas and Vijayanagaras.  

Pandyas and Vijayanagara period inscriptions are found on the adhistanam and wall. As per the inscriptions this place was called as Jayamkonda Chozha mandalathu Venkundrakottathu Valla Nattu vallam. And Shiva was called as Vallathu aludaiyar Thiruavagathechuramudaiya Nayanar.

Thiribhuvana Chakravarthi Sundara Pandyan’s 12^th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning 5 perpetual lamps by Azhipadai Thangi Villagers. The tax collected from all the sources to be given to the temple as irayili.  ( SII Volume-7, No 82 ).

The Vijayanagara Period Mahamandaleswara Chaluva Narasingaiya period inscription records the donation of lands as Thevadhanam. ( SII Volume-7, No 83 ). 

LEGENDS

As per the legend, the demons around this are didn’t allowed to worship Shiva of this temple, when Sugar Maharishi. Shiva with the help of Vinayagar in the form of elephant chased them away. Since Shiva gave the vallamai / strength to Sugar Maharishi, Shiva is being called as Vallapapurieswarar. It was told that the some of the Village names are associated with this legend. Since Vinayagar chased away the demons, at a place called Anaibogi, The villagers gathered and prayed Shiva is called as Urgudi, etc,.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, maha shivaratri, Vinayagar Chaturthi, Panguni Uthiram, Arudra Darshan etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple is under oru kala poojas and usually kept open around 10.00 hrs. An operator / meikavalar is staying on the back side of the temple, who may help to open the gates for the darshan of Parivara sannidhis.

HOW TO REACH

Vallam is about 2.7 KM off from Vandavasi to Polur Main road and after Ponnur Hills.

The temple is about 17 KM from Vandavasi, 19 KM from Chetpet, 42 KM from Uthiramerur, 47 KM from Polur, 50 KM from Tindivanam and 140 KM from Chennai.

Nearest railway Station is Tindivanam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Veerabhadra..?

Lingothbavar- Dakshinamurthy - Brahma 

Old and New Chandikeswaras 

Pichadanar

Rishaba Vahana

Maha Vishnu and Lakshmi

Bairavar and Suriyan

Suriyan ( Chozha Period )

Dwarapalakas 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---