Sri Munigiri Digambara Jinalayam at Dusi Mamandur Rock Cut Cave, Sanjeevi Rayar Swamy Temple at Ayyangarkulam, Sri Sthambeswara Shiva temple, Seeyamangalam, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

                                                                            05 February 2012

On 4^th Feb 2012, along with Reach Foundation members went to the following temples near Kanchipuram. I enjoyed the tour and learned many things I did not know. The tour mainly focused on having more exposure to the early Tamil scripts chiselled on the walls of the temples and caves. I sincerely thank the Reach Foundation and Mr Varadharajan, who have immense knowledge about the places and temples. (He made short films on Chola Kings and Pallavas for the Discovery Channel.) He explained every detail of the temples we visited. We (12 people) went to all the places through a van from Chennai, which cost us only Rs 650.00 each, including very good food for the whole day,  packed from Chennai.  

On the way, we had a darshan of “Saptamatrikas” at Pazhaya Seevaram on the roadside (Sri Arulmigu Aartrangarai Amman Thiru Koil). All are in a sitting posture with a left leg folded. The Saptamatrikas and a Pillayar belong to the Pallava Kings period, made out of sandstone, since it is on the roadside, regular poojas are conducted.

 

SRI MUNIGIRI DIGAMBARA JINALAYA  - AT KARANTHAI

There are a lot of  Jain temples from Kanchipuram to Arani via Vandavasi, built in many villages. One such place is Karanthai. The temple is very spacious, and we found Pallava-period Tamil inscriptions. We were allowed to take photographs. We found a lot of similarities between Hindu temples and Jain temples. The Rajagopuram and the moolavar vimanam are built very similarly to Hindu temples. There are four separate shrines for  Sri Munigiri Digambara, Sri Bramakshan – Sri Bhrama Thevar (Similar to Ayyappan in meditation posture with the band on one leg), Sri Mahavir, 1008 Sri Virukshaba Natha Bhagwan and Sri Kuhmandini Yakshi – Sri Dharma Devi.

 

In Dharma Devi, the mandapam paintings were done beautifully on the ceiling. We understand that there is no abhishekam for the Moolavar since the moolavar was made of stucco. There is a Navagraha sannidhi in which the deities are named as follows.

Badma Tirthankara	- Suriyan
Vaasu Boojya Tirthankara	-Angarakan
Varthamana Tirthankara	- Guru
Mallinaatha Tirthankara	- Budhan
Pushpathantha Tirthankara	- Sukaran
Muni Sooviratha Tirthankara	- Sani
Chandraprabhu Tirthankara	- Santhiran
Naemi Tirthankara	- Raghu
Barkoova Tirthankara	- Kethu

 

The Jinalaya vimanam is of the vesara style (some claim it as the Gajabirusta / Gajaprishta Style - Back of elephant). In the 1008 Sri Virukshabanatha Gopuram, we could see the Saraswati Stucco statue on the top. Education and Medicine for the local people are the motto of Jainism.

 

( Saraswati Temple )

 

( Murals on the ceiling of Dharma Devi Temple )

                                            ( Murals on the ceiling of Dharma Devi Temple )

                                            ( Murals on the ceiling of Dharma Devi Temple )

                                            ( Murals on the ceiling of Dharma Devi Temple )

( Saraswati temple )

( Navagraga's Sannidhi  and the corresponding Tirthankaras ) 

( Rajagopuram is similar to Hindu temples ) 

( Rajagopuram )

Ramar

DUSI MAMANDUR

There are four rock-cut caves in the Mamandur hills, of which two caves were used as shrines with Pallava Period Tamil inscriptions. The total site is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).  There is also a natural cave with a stone bed in which early 2nd-century Tamil Brahmi inscriptions were found on the rock. There are no proper steps to reach this natural cave. The details of the two rock-cut cave temples are as follows, and the other two were only mandapams with no specific importance.

This cave is called the Rudra Vilasawaram cave temple. This rock-cut temple consists of a front mandapam with two rows of pillars. The pillars are, as usual, massive square at the base & top and octagonal in the middle and carry heavy corbels. The pilasters at either end are square from base to top. A flight of three steps from the Mandapa leads to the entrance of the simple shrine; such shrines are guarded by a pair of Dwarapalakas, or the doorkeepers typical of a deity enshrined. Only the Shiva Statue is found in the middle of the three shrines. There are two Chozha inscriptions of the time Parantaka Chozha and Rajaraja, called this cave Viruttiravaliswaram and Valiswaram respectively, and mention the Chitraaneghatalaka, a large Pallava irrigation tank. No Pallava inscription exists, but stylistically the cave is attributed to Mahendra Varma Pallava-1(600 – 630 CE).

The north-end rock-cut cave temple faces east. The pillars have a lotus symbol of octagonal faces with pothiyals/corbels/capital. This was chiselled during Mahendravarman-1 (600 – 630 CE). This rock-cut cave has Tamil inscriptions on the inner mandapam wall. From the inscriptions, it is learned that Mahendravarman has written the dramas Mattavilasa Prahasana and the other names of Mahendravarman are “Sathru Mallan”, Nithya Virthan, and “Sathya Saanthan“. In the shrines, holes are provided to install the statues. At present, there is no statue.

LOCATION OF THE CAVE: CLICK HERE

( Second cave ) 

( Pillars with Pothiyals on the same rock)

( Pallava period Tamil inscriptions ) 

( Siva lingam was installed after completion - Dwarapalakas also chiselled) 

( Third cave ) 

( Brahmi letters on the rock ) 

( Way to climb the Brahmi letters cave ) 

( Tablets found on the banks of the lake near Dhooshi)

SRI SANJEEVARAYA  SWAMY TEMPLE/ ANJANEYAR TEMPLE, Ayyangarkulam 

This is also one of the oldest temples and is maintained by a private trust. Only the main shrine is in good condition. The wall and the front gopuram are in damaged condition. The inner shrine's outer walls have huge grandha inscriptions. There are 83 postures of Anjaneya chiselled on the pillars. There is a small mandapam with old marks of Gajalakshmi stucco images found below the roof.

Nadaivavi: Also, we visited the architectural marvel of the arch with mandapam completely built in a well, which is below the ground level. During the Chithirai festival, Sri Varadharaja Perumal of Kanchipuram, who came on a procession to this place, used to stay in this mandapam. During that time, water was taken out, and a permanent structure was erected. This structure is not used now. (It was learned that the Naan Kadavul film was shot in this place).

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

( Entrance mandapam of the Anjaneya Temple ) 

( Mandapam of the  banks of the Temple Tank ) 

( Bas-relief of Hanuman on the pillar ) 

                                                   ( Bas-relief of Hanuman on the pillar ) 

( Grantha inscriptions on the wall)

( A big stone pot ) 

SRI AMIRTHAVALLI SAMETHA SRI STHAMBESWARAR SHIVA TEMPLE.

This is also one of the rock-cut Shiva temples under the control of ASI. But daily poojas are conducted by the priests. This Seeyamangalam is about 4 km from Thesur, for which we have to take the left diversion from  Vandavasi to Arani. There are a lot of Tamil inscriptions found on the walls of the inner, outer, and pillars. Here we can see the details of warriors' statues with their feelings before and after the war. The temple has the first Lord Shiva's Aanandha Thandavam chiselled on one of the pillars, with minute details of the sculpture can be seen. Agni in one hand and a weapon in the other. It is a wonder to see how a big Shiva Linga was taken and installed inside a small Sanctum. The sanctum vimanam is on the top of the rock, very much similar to the Valli malai near Vellore. This temple complex is very big and neatly maintained by ASI, as it was once.  This temple has no Dwajasthambam, and there is no separate sannidhi for Ambal.  Since it is of rock-cut cave temple, it has no inner prakaram  

From the Tamil inscriptions, it is learned that the rock-cut temple was built during the Pallava kings' period. As per Mr Vakula Varadharajan, it is also learned that Bodhidharma was from this place. According to him, the film ‘Elam Arivu “ was distorted from the original story. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

  ( The Moolavar vimanam can be seen on the rock )

 ( Majestically standing even after centuries )

 ( The Moolavar vimanam can be seen on the rock )

 ( View of the temple complex )

 ( Tamil Inscriptions ) 

  ( Tamil Inscriptions ) 

  ( Tamil Inscriptions ) 

  ( Tamil Inscriptions ) 

  (We can see one Bhuta gana playing a drum under the feet of Lord Shiva, for his dance. The snake is under Lord Shiva's feet instead of his neck. The regular Muyalakan is not under the feet of Lord Shiva.

Vamana avatar

(Front maha mandapam)

The above Photographs were taken with my Sony Ericsson X10 Mini mobile.

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA --- 

Tirupati Pada Yatra 2012, from Chennai to Tirumala Tirupati.

07, January 2012

I am lucky enough to join the SPIC's  30^th Patha Yatra group to Tirumala from Chennai. This was my 6^th pada yatra from Chennai. The route followed was Chennai,  T Nagar – Red Hills – Karanodai -Periyapalayam (Night stay ) – Uthukottai – Surutapalli – Nagalapuram – Pitchathur (Night stay) – Narayanavanam -  Puthur (bypass) – Vadamal pet (Night Stay) – Tiruchanur – Alipiri – Tirumala. We had a tough time walking between Puzhal & Red Hills and Periyapalayam & Uthukottai (early morning 02.00 Hrs to 05.00 Hrs) since it was raining. Many devotees had the bite of chappal and boiled.  Apart from this, I had the other problem of muscle cramps in my right leg.  

Devotees sincerely followed the schedule, got up at 02.00 Hrs, and started Yathra every day. On the last day of our yatra, ie, on 04-01-2012, we started at 01.00 Hrs to avoid the Vaikunta Ekadasi rush ( Skipping the Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple at Tirupati ). But to our surprise (Disappointment), on reaching the Kali Gopuram, we are able to get the Darshan ticket only after 12.00 Hrs on 05.00 Hrs. ( Man proposes, God Disposes). So we are forced to take rest in the rooms on 04-01-2012 night. On 05-01-2012, the rush was regulated by the Devasthanam strictly as per the timings allotted. Entered in the “Q” at 09.30 Hrs as per the announcement (12.00 Hrs Darshan time). After 6 Hrs moved into the “Q”,  we can see Lord Balaji’s  Nija pada Darshan, and we are lucky enough to see the ‘SORGA VAASAL Darshan’ too. Returned to Chennai around 03-00 Hrs on 06-01-2012.     

WE EXTEND OUR SINCERE THANKS TO ALL THE SPONSORS OF THIS PATHA YATHRA AND PRAY THAT LORD BALAJI SHOWS HIS BLESSINGS ON THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

( Stucco Rishabam in front of Surutapalli Pallikondeswarar Shiva Temple )

( Surutapalli Pallikondeswarar Shiva temple - This is the only place where Shiva's image is in stucco images as moolavar)

                                           ( Nagalapuram Sri Vedanarayana swamy Temple )

Sri Maha Vishnu's avatar stucco images in front of the main Rajagopuram

 Nagalapuram Sri Vedanarayana Swamy Temple 

Nagalapuram Sri Vedanarayana Swamy Temple Rajagopuram with Thayar Sri Vedavalli Sannadhi Vimanam 

 Nagalapuram Karuvarai entrance Rajagopuram 

( Siva Linga Kone falls on the way to Nagalapuram )

 Rajagopuram view from inside - Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple at Narayanavanam 

  Early morning view of Sri Padmavathi Thayar Temple Rajagopuram 

( Hanuman statue  on the route to Thirumalai )

( The Rajagopuram near mulangal muduchu )

Night view of Rajagopuram with lighting decoration 

( Thiru Kalyana Mandapam in front of Rajagopuram where the early morning program is  in progress )

( Stucco images on the walls - southern side )

( Stucco images on the walls - southern side )

( Temple tank - beautifully maintained )

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per Kudavayil Balasubramaniyam, the 1542 CE inscription in this temple records that the special naivedyam of athirasam is to be offered to the Lord on Deepavali Day. 

Details will be added later...

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA : ---