After Mailam
Murugan’s blessings reached Tindivanam through a Town bus. Got down at the
beginning of the bridge and reached the Chennai bus stop under the
bridge. Boarded a bus to Acharapakkam after seeing the name was written
behind the bus. Otherwise I would have choose to reach Chennai. I did not
collect details of Acharapakkam temple before starting this week
end visit. The temple is about 2 KM off main road. This is my second visit to
this temple.
29 – AATCHEESWARAR
TEMPLE ( AKSHEESWARASWAMY TEMPLE ) ACHIRUPAKKAM ( ACHARAPAKKAM )
Now this place is
called as Acharapakkam. This is the 29th Devaram Paadal Petra
Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of
Lord Shiva of this temple.
Rishabam Mandapam with Dwajasthambam
Moolavar : Sri Aatcheeswarar, Sri Aatchikondanathar,
Sri
Paarkapureeswarar, Sri Sthiravarapureswarar,
Sri
Mullaikkanamudayar.
Consort : Sri Ilangiliammai, Sri Sundaranayagi,
Sri Balasukambigai,
Sri Athisundarambal.
Some
of the important features of this temple are as follows…..
The Achirutha
Vinayagar sannadhi is on the east mada street just before the main temple. The
story behind the temple is, when Lord Shiva went to destroy the three puram (
Tharagan, Kamalatchan, Vidhvan mali who ruled at Thiruvadhigai near
Panruti ) ie Devas as ratham, Suryan and Chandran as wheels, The four vedas as
Horses, Meru as bow, Vasuki as string, Thirumal as arrow and Brahma as sarathy,
without given any the part to Sri Vinayagar. So vinayagar has played his
role as usual by breaking the axle. Realizing this Lord Shiva
blessed Vinayagar and proceeded to Thiruvadhigai and destroyed three
puram.
The main temple is
facing east with 5 tier Rajagopuram. There are two Shiva sannadhi. The
Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are facing Aatcheeswarar ( Emai
Aatcheeswarar ). But the main entrance is towards Umai Aatcheeswarar sannadhi.
There is an interesting story behind this. The Pandya king who found out the
Lord Shiva’s moortham after following the udumbu in side Kontrai tree asked the
minister to built a Shiva temple. So the Minister built the temple on his name
as Emai Aatcheesar. The king got angry on the minister, so the minister has
built another sannadhi and told the King that one is Umai Aatcheesar.
On the right side of
dwajasthambam Ambal Ilangilammai is in a separate Sannadhi. On the left
Saptamatrikas, Nagars, Kondraiadi Eeswarar, and Navagraha
Sannadhi.
In the inner prakaram
on an elevated level from left are Polla Pillayar with Sidhdhi & Pudhi,
Naalvar, 63var in stone, Alamelu Mangai Thayar, Srinivasa Perumal, Umai
Aatcheesar ( Shiva and Parvati Thirumana Kolam in sitting posture behind
moolavar) with his concert Uma Parvati, Palani Andavar, Sri Lakshmi, Durgai, Sarasvathy,
Arumugar with valli devasena, 63var in Cheppu idol, Urchava
moorthangal, Natarajar saba, Arunagiri Nathar in north east corner, Bhairavar
with brhama kapala mala, and Suryan.
In koshtam Vinayagar,
Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durgai. Lot of old Tamil
inscriptions found around the karuvarai wall.
Moolavar Emai
Aatcheesar is short on short Avudayar. As per the history the
artha mandapam from where we used to pray was a well and was closed with stone
slabs.
The Temple
chariot construction is in progress.
The temple outside
and inside was not kept neatly. Lot of vegetation has grown in the outer
prakaram and inner prakaram behind umai Aatcheeswaear sannadhi.
HOW TO REACH:
Achrapakkam is on the
National highway Chennai to Villupuram before Tindivanam. The
temple is about 1.5 KM off main road.