Sri Perumbakkeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ பெரும்பாக்கீஸ்வரர் கோவில், பெரும்பாக்கம் / Perumbakkam, Nookkampalayam Road, Perumbakkam, Chennai District, Tamil Nadu.

This Sri Perumbakkeswarar Temple is a part of Sri Pazhandi Amman, A Grama Thevathai temple of Perumbakkam, near Medavakkam.

Moolavar  : Sri Perumbakeswarar

Consort    : Sri Meenakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple is facing east with a temple tank on the back side of the temple. Balipeedam and a rishabam are under the open mukha mandapam. Stucco Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of Sanctum sanctorum. Utsavars and Natarajar are in the antarala. Moolavar in the sanctum Sanctorum is on a square avudayar. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar and Brahma. 

In Praharam, Vinayagar, Nalvar with stucco image of Karaikal Ammaiyar and Kannappa nayanar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Saraswathi, Bairavar and Navagrahas.

Ambal Sri Meenakshi is in a separate sannidhi facing South. Amba is in standing posture with abhaya varada hastam. 

ARCHITECTURE

The total temple was built with Bricks and cement concrete. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and a open mukha mandapam. Meenakshi Sundareswarar Kalyana kola stucco image is on the top of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam on a Padma peedam, with jagathy, muppattai kumudam and pattikai.

The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, palakai, Vettu pothyal. The Deva koshtas are of padra koshtas. Stucco image of Dakshinamurthy with sanakatha munivars are on the top of the Dakshinamurthy koshtam. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus.

The Vimanam above the prastaram is of Nagara style with one tala, greevam and nagara sigaram, Stucco images of Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are in the tala and greeva koshtams. Maha Nasis are on the cardinal directions of the sigaram.   

The Mukha mandapam pillars are of yazhi pillars. Mukha mandapam Ceiling and side walls are painted with 3 D Shiva Lingam, Nalvars, Shiva’s family, Natarajar, Annamalaiyar with Unnamalai, Maha Lakshmi, Durgai and Saraswathi.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

During my last Visit in 2018, this Shiva temple was under Palalayam. The details are written in separate post. The Shiva Linga of Sri Meenakshi samedha Sri Perumbakka Eswaran  is kept in side a shed. On the back side there is a Adhi Shiva Linga under the clutches of peepal tree’s roots. The construction of the new Shiva temple was stopped for want of money. It was planned to construct separate sannadhis for Sthala Vinayagar, Bala Murugan, Amman Sannadhi, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Iyappan, Vishnu, Somaskandar, Suryan, Chandran, Natarajar, Annapoorani, Chandikeswarar and 5 tier Rajagopuram.

Again visited the temple on 7^th April 2024. The construction of the present temple was completed and Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted during the month of September 2023. The Nalvar sannidhi was built and consecrated on 20^th March 2024 and mandala poojas are in progress during my visit.  

The temple was built by Saravanan Sthapathi Shanmugam from Devakottai. 

Some of the Old History of this temple are…

This place Perumbakkam was called as Jayangonda Chozha mandalathu, Kulothunga Chozha valanattu, Puliyur Kottathu Perumbakkam, during Chozha period.

Some of the Experts are of the opinion that, the recorded temple vide A.R. No. 207, 208 and 209 of 1961-62, may be this one, based on the Shiva Lingam, which is under the clutches of Peepal tree roots and the Rishabam. But many refers Sri Agastheeswarar Temple at Sithalapakkam ( previously  known as Perumbakkam ), since the record refers as Agastheeswarar Temple.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs. to 12.00 hrs. and 17.00 hrs. to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The trustee Mr A Rajasekar may be contacted on his mobiles 9841082724 and 8056109893 for further details. 

Alternatively Secretary Mr Shankar Aravamuthan +9198400 09956 may be contacted.

HOW TO REACH:

Perumbakkam is on the south part of Chennai, about 2 KM from Medavakkam Junction, 12 KM from Velachery MRTS Station,11.3 KM from Tambaram and 20 KM from Kilambakkam bus Terminus.

Town buses are available from various parts of Chennai City.

Nearest Railway station is MRTS Velachery.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Aambaravaneshwarar Temple/ ஸ்ரீ ஆம்பிரவனேஷ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், Koohoor/ Koohur, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Aambaravaneshwarar Temple at Koohur, was a Part of “Kumbakonam Temples Visit” - on 09^th March 2024. Since I couldn't join the Thukkachi Kumbhabhishekam & Heritage walk organized by கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம், 2^nd and 3^rd September 2023, visited this temple, previous day of the Saptha Mangai Temples Visit, on 10th March 2024. 

Ashtabhuja Durgai

This is also one of the Devara vaippu sthalam, sung by Thirugnanasambandar in Kshetra kovai Pathigam, as “Kuthangudi Vedhikudi Punalsoozh Kurundankudi...” the thevaram goes like this ..

ஆரூர் தில்லையம்பலம் வல்லம் நல்லம்

    வடகச்சியும் அச்சிறுபாக்கம் நல்ல

கூரூர் குடவாயில் குடந்தை வெண்ணி

    கடல்சூழ்கழிப்பாலை தென்கோடிபீடார்

நீரூர் வயல்நின்றியூர் குன்றியூருங்

    குருகாவையூர் நாரையூர் நீடுகானப்

பேரூர் நன்னீள்வயல் நெய்த்தானமும்

    பிதற்றாய் பிறைசூடி தன்பேரிடமே.

… Thirumurai 2-175-1

Moolavar  : Sri Aambravaneshwarar

Consort    : Sri Mangalambigai

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is on a round avudayar. In Koshtam, Natarajar with Karaikal Ammaiyar & Kali, Durvasa, Dakshinamurthy, A Shiva Linga banam as Lingothbavar ( Maha Vishnu and Brahma on both sides) , Brahma, Pichadanar ( wrongly written as Gangalar ), Ashtabhuja Durgai ( with a parrot in  one hand, Arikanda and Navakanda bas reliefs on both sides).

In Praharam, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Bairavar, and Navagrahas.

Ashtabhuja Durgai

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, vrutha kumudam and pattika. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The Pilasters are of Vishnu kantha pilasters with square base, kalasam, kudam, Palakai and tharanga pothyal. The koshtas are padra koshtas. The Prastaram consists of valapi with bhuta ganas, kapotam with nasi kudus and Viyyalavari. The Temple from adhistanam to prastaram was constructed with stone and the above one tala, greevam and vesara sigaram are constructed with bricks.  Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are on the tala and greeva koshtam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built during 9^th to 10^th Century Adita Chozha period. Hence this place was called as Aditheswaram and Shiva was called as Aditheswarar. As per the inscriptions this place was under "Chathriya sigamani Valanattu Thirunaraiyur Nattu / Kootrathu Koorur and now called as Koohur.  Shiva was called as Udaiyar Thirumambazhamudaiyar. ( ஆம்பரவனேஸ்வரர் – ஆம் மரம் ( மாமரம் ) + வனம் + ஈஸ்வரர். திருமாம்பழமுடையார் – மாமரங்கள் நிறைந்த காட்டில் வசிக்கும் ஈசன் )

The Ambal sannidhi mukha mandapam was built by Devakottai Arunachala Chettiar family and their Grand father and mothers sculptures are on the Pillars with their names inscribed.

First Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 1946, Second in 1980 and third on 11^th September 2014, after renovations done by. அ. ராம. அ. லெ. அ. லெ. Muthuveerappa Chettiar and Arunachalam Chettiar family. The Temple’s hereditary Trustees are Dr. Justice A R Lakshmanan ( Late ) and family members.

Ref:

As per the inscriptions and display banner at the temple

கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம்,'s banner 

PC .  Gopinath, கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம்,

Rjaraja Chozha-I's inscription. PC .  Gopinath, கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம்,

அ. ராம. அ. லெ. அ. லெ. Muthuveerappa Chettiar's grand father and his wife

LEGENDS

As per the legend, Durvasa Maharishi did a penance at this place. He used to offer a mango fruit to Shiva and eat afterwards. When Pandavas came to this temple, Draupadi asked Bema / Arjuna for the Mango fruit. Krishna / Narada Maharishi came to this place, when Arjuna plucked the Mango Fruit. To avoid the curse of Durvasa Maharishi, Narada made to join the Mango fruit back to the tree through some mantra. There is a temple for Draupadi as a child and Arjuna near this Shiva temple.

Durvasa Maharishi

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular two kala Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, maha Shivaratri, Nataraja Abhishekam, etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH

This place Koohoor  is on the Mathur to Nannilam Raod

On Kumbakonam to Thiruvarur, turn left towards Nannilam after Nachiyarkoil.

The temple is about 14.2 KM from Kumbakonam Railway Station, 32 KM from Thiruvarur, 56 KM from Thanjavur,

Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---