VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT

Monday, 15 February 2016

SALAR JUNG MUSEUM - Hyderabad

15th February 2016

The visit to the Salar Jung museum was made before boarding Train to Chennai, after completing our Yathra to JothirLinga Temples of Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh. I tried to visit all the displays but could not do so, due to want of time and tired.

The museum was established in the year 1951 and managed by the Salar Jung Board under the ‘Salar Jung Act-1961’.It is a rare repository of rare objects from nearly allover the world, right from Europe to Far Eastern nations of Asia. It was initially housed in the ‘Diwan Deodhi’ and latter shifted to this building during 1968, on the bank of the river Musi.

The museum housed in central, Western and Eastern blocks on either side of building. The Western block was named after Nawab Mir Turab Ali Khan ’Mukhtar-ul-Mulk, Salar Jung -I, Mir Ali Khan Bhavan and the Eastern block was name after his son Nawab Mir LaiqAli Khan, ‘Imad-ul-sultanat’, Salar Jung II, Mir Laiq Ali Khan Bhavan.

The collections are the art and antiques of European, Middle eastern and far eastern and far eastern origin apart from the chronicles of the rich Mughal dynasty and the rule of Nizams. Mawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung – III, the last patron of the family is responsible for the maximum collection, conservation and preservation.

The Museum displays includes the Toys, Paintings, Pictures, Sculptures/ Statues made of Stone, Bronze, wood ( some God statues are from Tamil Nadu, Southern Part of India ), Arms and Armours , metal, Glass, Porcelain wares, Glass & Crystal Light chandliers, weapons, walking sticks, Watches 7 grand father clocks, Textiles, Furniture, etc. etc….

NOTE : FRIDAY is a holiday for the museum and entry ticket is Rs 5 and for Camera/ mobile Rs 50.

A Ravivarma painting

A wooden statue - a man on front side and woman on the back

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Monday, 1 February 2016

Sri Somanatheeswarar Temple / Somanatheswarar Temple at Somangalam near Chennai, Chandran Sthalam, one of the Navagraha sthalam around Chennai, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

1^st February 2016.

Participated with Sevas for the Uzhavaram at Sri Kamakshi Samedha Sri Somanatha Eeswarar temple at Somangalam. The work involves cleaning the temple, clearing the bushes on the side of the temple premises, and shifting Dakshinamurthy and Varahi Amman (both damaged) to the other Murtis kept adjacent to the south side of the compound wall. We also moved an epigraph tablet near the sthala Vruksham. It is one of the 108 Gajabirushta Vimana-type temples constructed by Choozhas. This is the Chandran Sthalam and one of the Navagraha sthalams in Thondai Nadu.

Moolavar : Sri Somanatheeswarar

Consort : Sri Kamakshi Amman.

Some of the important details of this temple are….

The temple faces east without Rajagopuram and Dwajasthambam. The only entrance arch is on the south side. Sanctum is of the Gajabirustam type. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, and Durgai. Nandhi is facing east, opposite Moolavar. The story behind this was that during the construction of this temple, Rishabam was sent to fight with the enemies of the Chozha King.

In the front mandapam sannidhi for Brahma in a sitting posture. Bala Murugan, Mahavishnu, and Balasubramaniar.

In the outer praharam, Murtis are positioned on a pedestal (damaged) adjacent to the Compound wall, Chandikeswarar, Subramaniyar, Ambal, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran, and Suriyan.

LEGENDS

Chandran worshipped Lord Shiva to get rid of the curse given by Dhakshan; hence, this is one of the Navagraha Sthalam in Thondai Nadu.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This Gajabirushta Vimana temple is believed to have been built during the 9^th to 10^th century Chozha period. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Sengattu Kottathu Somangalam, alias Rajasikamani Chathurvedi Mangalam, and Lord Shiva was called Someswarar. The inscriptions belong to Kulaothunga Chozha-I (1070 – 1120 CE), Rajaraja Chozha-II (1150 – 1163 CE), Kulothunga Chozha–III with his meikeerthi மதிரையும் ஈழமும் கொண்டருளிய (1178 – 1216 CE). During the Rajaraja-II period, this place, Somangalam, was under Puliyur Kottam, Kulothunga Chozhavalanattu, and Kundrathur Nadu. Kulothunga Chozha-III inscription 1192 CE records the (Adyar) damage caused by the Adyar river flood and the rectification of the Eri (reservoir). The inscriptions mainly record the gifts of lands, Cows, money, etc., towards the burning of perpetual and Sandhi lamps. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Rajasigamani Chathurvedimangalam under Puliyur Kottathu Kulothunga Chozhavalanattu Kundrathur Nadu, and later changed to Panchanadhivan Chathurvedi Mangalam.

Rajathiraja-II’s (1174 CE) inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp by Ekkattu Kottathu Perumunaiyur Karanaththan Chandrasekaran. For which 2 cows were gifted to this temple?

Kulothunga Chozha-III's (1190 CE) inscription records that the eri breached seven places due to heavy rain. Thiruchurakannappan Thiruvekambamudaiyan, alias Kaman Kanda Vanavan, rectified the breaches. He also gave a gift of 40 pazhangasu to rectify in case the eri breaches again. Again 1192 CE, he rectified the eri bund, which breached again.

A 1206 CE inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp by Athipattu merchant ChikkaNdi Chekkar. For which one pazhangasu was gifted to this temple? Another 1209 CE inscription records the gift of 2 Pazhangasu to burn a lamp at the Somanathar shrine by Udaiya Pillai.

Another 1244 CE inscription records the cows that were gifted to this temple for Naivedyam by Kulothunga Chozha Kannappan Adhi Nayakan Neelagangarayan and Ullarilnallan Kalingatharaiyan.

Koperusinga-I’s 1257 CE inscription records that the Gopuram was built.