18, August 2013
Almost all the
ancient temples will have a connection with some Siddhars or Munivars
either in the construction of that temple or reconstruction of the
same at a latter state. Both the temples at Thirukachur ( The
Shiva Temple one on the Hill top and the other at the base of the
Hill ) are associated with Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal, a Siddhar
and his disciple Sri Veerasamy Swamikal. I tried my best to present
the details collected at the end of this post. I had the opportunity of
visiting the above siddhar madam during this week end temples visit.
I did not
planned for any temples visit out side the City this week.
When my wife asked me, “ are you going to any temples this Sunday or you will
be at home.“ ( She might have expected me to do some help for her on Sunday ).
This made my mind to plan for this wonderful trip to THIRUKACHUR on 18-08-2013, to have the darshan of Lord Shiva and
Siddhar Peetam. Let us see the details of the temples first and the
Siddhars associated to the temples after.
The archakar came
around 08.45 Hrs when, I reached the temple. The main shrine
was opened and had the darshan of Sri Marundeeswarar.
26 – THIRUKACHUR
This is the 26th Devaram
Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Naadu. Sundarar has sung hymns in praise
of Lord Shiva of this temple.
SRI MARUNDEESWARAR
TEMPLE, THIRUKACHUR MALAI KOIL
Moolavar : Sri Marundeeswarar
, Sri Oushadeeshwarar
Consort :
Sri Irulneeki Ambal , Sri Anthakaara Nivarani.
Some of the important
details of this temple are…..
The temple is facing
west with an entrance mottai gopuram from South. Balipeedam, New Dwajasthambam and Rishaba / Idaba mandapam are on the west and Shiva Lingam is visible through jala / salaram. Ganapathy
and Subramaniyar are in front of moolavar Sanctum.
In koshtam Durgai,
Brahma, Sri Mahavishnu in place of Lingothbavar, Dhakshinamoorthy and
Ganapathy. Bas Reliefs of Dwarapalakas, Ambal, Sundarar, Appar, Pattinathar,
Vallalar, Vinayagar, Dhandapani are in the mandapa pillars.
In the outer prakaram
sannadhi for Gnana Ganapathy, Naagars, Chathuranga Chandikeswarar ( Brahma Mugam – a special in this temple only ), Bhairavar, Suryan and Navagrahas.
Ambal Sri Irulneeki
Amman is in a separate sannadhi in standing posture and facing west. Theertha
well is the owshadham well with steps constructed beautifully.
Two kala Pooja is
being performed with the effort of Sri Kuzhandhai swamikal and Sri
Veerasamy swamikal.
HISTORY:
The temple was built during First Kulothunga and Chozhas period. There is no inscriptions
found. The construction of Rajagopuram will be after the arrival of new
disciple to Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal.
LEGENDS
Aswini Devars worshiped Lord Shiva and Ambal for the medicinal herb
“ Palai Athipalai “ to cure their deceases. Lord Shiva gave this hill
as “The hill earth itself a medicine“. When Sundarar came to
this temple after girivalam, Iraivan served food after getting food from the
villagers as picksha ( Yasakam ).
Brahma
Worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple hence Chandikeswarar is in the form of
Brahma Chandikeswarar with Chathur mugam.
HOW TO REACH :
The temple is on the
bus route from Chennai to Sriperumbudur through Singaperumal Kovil.
On the train route
get down at Singaperumal Kovil and share autos are available from Railway gate.
CONTACT DETAILS :
The land line and
mobile numbers are : 044 2746 4325 and 93811 86389.
LOCATION OF THE
TEMPLE : CLICK
HERE
Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam with Rishabam mandapam are on the west side
View of the temple from west side ( moolavar can be seen through the salaram )
Moolavar vimanam
Steps constructed for the theertha -owshatha - well
Ambal temple vimanam with bell tower
Ambal temple
Front Maha mandapam with relief of dwarapalakars on the pillars
Chathurmuga Chandikeswarar and Bhairavar
Dwarapalakar and a relief of Agasthiyar with Ambal
Front Mottai Rajagopuram
When
I came out to go for the base temple, one of the devotee guided me to the
Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal Siddhar Madam in front of Maruntheeswar
sannadhi. The details are written below separately.
After
Dharshan of Siddhars proceeded to Thazha Koil or Aala Koil - the base
temple. On the way happened to see the name board of Iranthiteeswarar Temple.
This temple is also a shiva temple where Iraivan gave food to Sundarar after
getting food from the villagers as picksha. The sudhai relief is on the top.
Moolavar
Iranthitteesar sannadhi
Another view of Iranthiteesar Sannadhi
SRI
KACHABESWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUKACHUR AALA KOIL.
This
temple on the base level of the hill.
Moolavar : Sri Virunthiteeswarar, Sri
Virunthittavarathar,
Sri Kachabeswarar, Sri
Thiyagaraja swamy.
Consort : Sri Anjanakshi Amman.
Some of
the important features of this temple are….
The
temple is facing east with a temple tank on the right and Sri Vinayagar temple
is in front. In between there is a 16 pillar mandapam. There is no rajagopuram
and a base was constructed long ago, looks mottai gopuram. Balaipedam,
Dwajasthambam with Rishabammandapam are at the entrance of the mottai Rajagopuram. Moolavar is swayambhu and short. In koshtam Vinayagar,
Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu ( in place of Lingothbavar ), Brahma and Durgai. The
Urchavam is for the Thiyagarajar only.
In
prakaram Naalvar, Ganaganapathy, Choleeswarar, Sri Kalatheeswarar, Sri
Maheswarai, Sri Markasahaeswarar, Naagalingam, Naagarajan, Ramanatheeswarar,
Kashi Viswanathar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar are in the inner prakaram.
In the
outer prakaram sannadhi for Maha Ganapathy, Sri Valli Devasena
Subramaniyar, Virunthiteesar, Sundarar and Bhairavar. Sri
Thiyagesar is in front Nakshathira mandapam and facing east. The
entrance to the Moolavar sannadhi is on the south from Nakshathira
mandapam.
A
separate sannadhi for Ambal and facing south in standing posture. Urchava
vahanas are kept in mahamandapam.
The
annual festival is being celebrated during Chithirai month. On the fifth day
Iraivan’s Chin mudra vaibavam is a special one.
HISTORY
The temple was built
during Chozha period and further contributions from Vijayanagaras. Lot of Old
Tamil inscriptions are found around sanctum sanctorum walls, which belongs to Kulothunga Chozha -I, Period.
LEGENDS
Sri Narayanan lost his strength by helping to get nectar / amirtham to
Devas. So he worshiped lord Shiva of this temple to get back his strength.
Hence Lord Shiva is called as Kachabeswarar.
CONTACT
DETAILS
Archakars
Murali and Shanmugam may be contacted for more details and Pooja on
their land line number 044 27463514 and the office number is 044
– 27464325.
Alternatively
the mobile number can also be contacted 93811 86389.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The
temple is open between 09.00 Hrs to 11.00 Hrs and evening 18.00 Hrs to 19.00
Hrs.
HOW TO REACH
SP Koil or Singaperumal Koil is on the bus and Train route from Chennai to Chengalpattu after Maraimalai Nagar. Get down at Singaperumal Koil.
From Singaperumal koil Railway station The Village Thirukkachur is about 2.5 KM.
Thirukkachur Malai Koil is about a KM from Base temple Ala Koil.
Route no 82c passes through the main road from Chengalpattu to Sriperumbudur. From the bus stop the Village is about a KM.
Auto facility is available from Singaperumal Koil bus stop.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK
HERE
Virunthiteesar sannadhi
Sundarar Sannadhi
Gajabirushta Vimanam
Temple view from entrance
balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Rishabam with bell tower view
A closer look of - balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Rishabam with bell tower view
Temple entrance view - Nakshathira Mandapam
16 Pillar mandapam
Mottai Rajagopuram
Lord Shiva who gave food to Sundarar also gave me too. The annathanam was organized through Velachery Thirukoil Uzhavarapani mandram lead by Mr Adalarasan. ( Mobile Number 9445121080, 9884892575 and 9841155511 ). This is being conducted every Sunday between 10.00 Hrs to 13.00 Hrs.
SRI
KUZHANDHAIVEL SWAMIKAL & SRI VEERASAMY SWAMIGAL MADAM.
This
madam is in front of Marundeeswarar Temple on the hill. The jeeva Samadhi of
Guru and his disciple are in the madam. Sri Kuzhandhaivel swamikal was
born in Padappai, a small village near Chennai in weavers family. He got
married to Malai Kozhunthu and had three children after his father’s demise at
his young age. When he came to know that his brother was a thief, who had
stolen the gold covered rudraksham of his friend and tried to sell. So Swamikal
got dejected and gone to Kashi. He has done seva To Lord by making
garland in the Kumaraguruthasa madam ( Bamban swamikal has got the kaashayam in
this madam only ). The mutt’s Gurunathar accepted Sri Kuzhandhaivel swamikal as
his disciple.
One
day Lord Shiva Marundeesar came in his dream and asked him to come to this
temple and take care of the temple. When he came to Thirukachur annual
festival was in progress. After the festival he introduced himself to the
villagers and came to the Malai Koil and stayed in the temple it self and
continued his thirupani. When he tried to came out of the temple his both
eyesight were gone and it came back, once he entered back in to the
temple. He had done lot of siddhus for reconstruction of the temple, converting
iron to gold, etc. He had done Kumbhabhishekam for Lord Shiva shrine, Ambal
shrine, Vinayagar & Navagrahas.
During
construction of the rajagopuram Swamikal had a conflict with the Dhrmakartha
Sivasankaran. The Dharmakartha wants to construct in his name and the money
also to be deposited in to his account, for which Swamikal refused to do so.
In that conflict the dharmakartha tried to kill Swamikal through koolies.
In the first attempt Swamyji escaped through his siddhu of Navakanda yogam ( to
show the body in nine pieces ). After he attained mukthi / jeeva Samadhi and
the Dharmakartha’s koolies cut his body thinking that he is alive. The
koolies also died with the same wounds that they had done to Swamikal.
Swamikal used to say do duty only to Lord Shiva and not to him.
SRI
VEERASAMY SWAMIKAL
After
Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal attained Jeeva Samadhi Sri Veerasamy Swamikal had
taken over the temple’s thirupani. He was born in a small village near
Chengalpattu. He become the disciple of Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamikal when
his ancestors property was divided among his relatives with difference of
opinions. During his period the vimanam’s for moolavar and Ambal was
constructed. Swamikal used to be in mounam most of the time. He used call every
body as Shiva. He was also an instrumental for the temples thirupani at
Dharmaraja temple at Korrukkupettai, Throwpathi amman temple at Saidapet,
before he came to Thirukachur. He has not done any siddhus like his guru Sri
Kuzhandhaivel swamikal. Swamikal attained samadhi on 10-04-1999. The Marundeesar temple’s 1 Kala Pooja and the present 2 Kaala pooja are the
personal effort of Sri Veerasamy Swamikal.
Girivalam
has become famous during his period on every Karthikai month’s 3rd Somavaram
since 1980’s in addition to monthly Girivalam and the same is being
continued even now also. Annathanam is being offered to the devotees during
that day. It was believed that all the prayers will be succeeded if a
devotee undertakes Girivalam and worshiped Lord Shiva Marundeesar.
REQUEST
TO THE DEVOTEES.
Liberal
donations are requested for the reconstruction of Rajagopuram, Sri Subramaniyar
Temple, Theerthakulam renovation, construction of Mandapam for the urchava
vahanams, Temple Chariot / Thirutheir thirupani, Girivala route renovations etc.,
For
details please contact
Arulmigu Marundeesar Thiyagarajar Thirukoil Iraipani Saba
Kuzhandhaivel
Swami and Veeraswami Madam
No
74, Malai Koil Street, Thirukachur
Mobile number
9445693021.
Sri Kuzhandhaivel Swamigal jeeva samadhi - Siddhar Madam.
Sri Veerasamy Swamigal jeeva samadhi
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
