During
my visit to this, Kundadam Kongu Vaduganathasamy Temple, I was refrained from
taking photographs by the temple authorities. Moreover the temple was under
palalayam. Utsava murthy of Vaduga Bairavar was moved to the Ilangoil /
Palalayam Temple and fortunate to worship.
Moolavar : Sri Vidangeeswarar
Consort : Sri Visalakshi
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
This
Kundadam Kongu Vaduganathasamy Temple is facing east and a Temple tank with a
neerazhi mandapam. A Deepa sthambam is in front of the 3 tier Rajagopuram. In koshtam Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy,
Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.
In
praharam Suriyan, Chandran, Pattakkarar,
Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Sri Kalyana Subramaniar ( Peacock face is
on the left side ), Varadharaja Perumal with Garudan, Ramanujar, Hanuman,
Saniswaran, Chandran, Suriyan, Navagrahas and Chandikeswarar.
Vaduga
Bairavar is in a Separate temple. Pambatti Siddhar in the form of Shiva Linga
is under the peepal tree.
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple consists of sanctum sanctorum antarala, ardha mandapam and a open mukha
mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy,
threepatta kumudam and pattaikai. The bhitti starts with vedika. The pilasters
are with kalasam, kudam, palakai and pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi,
kapotam. A two tier brick Vesara vimanam is on the bhumidesam. Shiva,
Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are in the Tala and Greeva kostas.
PC : Web site
PC : Web site
One
of the specialty of this temple is, the different stages of fetus to child in
mother’s womb till its delivery was sculptured in the form of bas reliefs.
The sperm and egg
Ladies assists for delivery
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
It
is believed that the temple was more than 1000 years old and there is no
inscription to prove the same. The mandapas are built at a latter stage.
The
temple was damaged during Muslims invasion and poojas are stopped for about 50
years. With the effort of the Local people, the temple was reconstructed and
maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 1953, in 1995 and in 2008. Now the temple
is preparing for the Kumbhabhishekam in 2024.
Vaduga Bairavar PC : Web site
LEGENDS
As
per the legend.. about 700 years before
Vidanga Munivar did a penance at Kundadam to get the blessings of Sri Kasi
Viswanathar, under a jujube tree. Shiva sent Kalabairavar to this place to save
the Vidanga Bairavar from, wild animals and wild creatures like snakes,
scorpions. Since the penance continued many many years and ant hill was formed
on Vidanga Muni and Bairavar.
The
Chera country Vaniba Chettiars carries pepper sack bundles for sale to Pandya
Country through Kundadam. They used to
stay in this place ( Indhu forest ) Kundadam during the nights. On one day of their
stay, Shiva / Vidanga Bairavar in the form of an old man appeared before them
and asked some pepper, since he was not feeling well due to cold and cough. The Merchant declined and said he was
carrying the green gram and not the pepper. The old man, Vidanga Bairavar with
a smile in his face, said, let it be and left the place.
Next
day morning the merchants continued their journey and reached Pandya Country.
They had sold all the pepper sack bundles to the Pandya King. Before staking them
in the godown, the King wanted to check the sack bundles. One of the sack
bundle was opened and found only the green gram, instead of pepper. The King concluded
that the merchant cheated him and decided to give punishment. On hearing the
punishment, the merchant realized that the change of Pepper to green gram was Vidanga
Bairavar’s play, prayed to Vidanga Bairavar to pardon him.
To
the King’s surprise, Vidanga Bairavar, came on the Merchant and identified
himself as Vidanga Bairavar and told that he only changed the pepper to green
gram. The King didn’t believed and told him, if the Merchant is correct, can
Vindanga Bairavar, make his deaf daughter to speak and the handicapped son to
walk. Vidanga Bairavar satisfied both conditions of the King. The king was
happy, and asked what he has to do. Vidanga bairavar asked the King to take him
out of the ant hill, construct a temple and do abhishekam with milk and pepper
at Kundadam. The Pandya King constructed a big temple, as per Vidanga
Bairavar’s order with 7 praharas. Since Vidanga Munivar did a penance inside
the ant hill, Shiva is called as Vidangeeswarar ( Si Vidangeeswarar is under
the peepal tree ).
Shiva Lingam and Vidanga Munivar PC : Web site
The Pandya King Constructed the Temple PC : Web site 
PC : Web site
Bairavar Purana PC : Web site
This
temple is considered, equivalent to Kashi, hence called as Kongu Kasi. Sri
Thirumuruga Kirupananda Variyar once said, that "காசு இருந்தால் காசிக்கு
செல்லுங்கள்...காசு இல்லாவிட்டால் குண்டடத்துக்கு வாருங்கள் – those has money go to Kashi, if not can come
to Kundadam”.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Deipirai Ashtami Days,
Tuesdays, etc,. Annual functions are conducted in the months Masi and
Purattasi.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 13.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00
Hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The
Land line number +91 4258 263301 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH
The
Kongu Vaduganathasamy Temple is at the centre of Kundadam, is about 200 meters
off from Palladam to Dharapuram main road.
Kundadam
is about 16 KM from Dharapuram, 28 KM from Palladam, 36 KM from Tiruppur, 47 KM
from Udumalpet and 65 KM from Coimbatore.
Nearest
Railway Station is Udumalpet.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
This place Kundadam's story - Connected with Pancha Pandavas PC : Web site
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OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
NOTE
Some of the Photos are taken from the Google Website and thanks for the unknown photographers.
