VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT

Monday 23 October 2017

Sri Bhashyakara Adhi Chennakesava Perumal Temple / பாஷ்யகார ஆதி சென்ன கேசவ பெருமாள் கோயில், West Mambalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

23^rd October 2017.

When I stayed at Jaffar Khan Pet I used to visit Shiva and Vishnu temples around Ashok Nagar & Mambalam. After I moved to Velachery, I started to document the temples I Visited and could not visit these temples. In addition to this one of my well wisher asked me to visit and write temples of Mambalam also. Earlier Visited this Perumal temple twice on Vaidkunட்a Ekasi day. After a gap of 10 years, I found the temple had undergone many changes. The sanctum was reconstructed, New sannadhis were built, paver blocks has been laid around the sanctum and looks like new.

Moolavar. : Sri Adhi Chenna Kesava Perumal.

Thayar : Sri Sengamala Thayar.

Some of the important details are as follows....

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch on east and north. Anjaneyar and Thumbigai alwar sannidhis are immediately after the east side entrance arch. Nagars are under the arasamaram, madapalli, office room, Chakkarathalwar, vahana mandapam and unchal mandapam are in the outer prakaram.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of a sanctum, artha mandapam, and a mukha mandapam. Deepa sthambam, palipedam, Dwajasthambam and Garudalwar are at the entrance of mukha mandapam. In the artha mandapam, sannadhi for Sengamala Valli Thayar, Andal, Srinivasa Perumal, Alwars, Udayar ( Ramanujar ).

LEGENDS

As per the legend Madhavachar an ardent devotee of Sri Ranganathar of Srirangam started their pilgrimage to Triplicane and Thirupathi to get a child. While crossing this forest area Kesava Perumal as a small boy helped them to stay in a dilapidated mandapam and offered them food. During night Kesava Perumal appeared in their dream and said he is under this mandapam with his consort. Next day with the help of local people digged that place and found out Sri Kesava Perumal and his consort. Madhavachar built a small temple. After the darshan of Balaji at Tirupati and Parthasarathy at Triplicane, Madhavachar came and stayed here.

The temple is under the control of Sri Kothandaramar Temple of West mambalam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be opened between 06.30 Hrs to 10.45 hrs and 17.15 hrs to 20.45 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Temple web site: http://bashyakarakesavaperumaltemple.tnhrce.in/admin.html

The land line number is 044 2370 0243

HOW TO REACH:

Mambalam and Saidapet suburban railway stations are near to the temple.

The Town Buses 5E,5T, 10e, 11G, 11H, 12G, 49A and S35 passes through this temple Bus Stop Mettupalayam.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Sunday 22 October 2017

Thyagaraja Temple, Thiyagesar & Kamalambal Temples at Thiruvarur, Thiruvarur Dist, Tamil Nadu.

... A Continuation post Of Arura.. Thiyagesa . Thiruvarur Temples Visit .. Part -1

This post was updated with Thevara Hymns, History, Inscriptions, Architecture and legends, etc,. For the details of the updated post please click this Link.

14^th October 2017,

This temple visit was a part of Thiruvarur temples visit organized by RATHAM for Prof. Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan. On 14^th October 2017, Evening also we Visited the Thiruvarur Thiyagarajar temple around 06.40 Hrs after the darshan of Sri Venkatachalapathy temple at Pulivalam. This time we went through west side 5 tier Rajagopuram through which majority of the devotees enter. It was told that during Muslims invasion Chidambaram Natarajar was brought to this temple twice for safety reasons and kept in the front mandapam, where the museum presently functions. Also Prof. Madusudhanan narrated the fire accident happened to the “Aazhi ther” in the year 1926 CE. In that Murugan Achari tied Thiyagesar and jumped to save Thiyagesar. Thiyagesar was saved but Murugan lost his life in the process.

The Aazhi ther- temple Chariot

The west side rajagopuram

Kamalambal Sannadhi was our next destination. The temple is a latter addition facing north east direction may be during Vijayanagara Period with a Dwajasthambam and Palipedam. Ambal is in sitting Sukhasana or the swastika asana posture. In the mandapam Uchishta Ganapathy Keeping Ambal on his left thigh. In the temple mandapam music treat was rendered by Mr Bharat and Sunil.

Sri Kamalambal in Swastika Asana

When we came out side, we had seen the Matruraitha Vinayagar. The story goes like this. Sundarar got his gold coins from Lord Shiva Sri Virudhagireeswarar of Virudhachalam ( Thirumuthukundram ) left it in the river and had taken from this Thiruvarur temple tank. He suspected the purity of the gold that the same as the one he dropped at Virudhachalam Manimuktha River. Vinayagar came and certified the purity.

Then Comes the Katchi koduthar Sannadhi. Lord Shiva gave darshan to Thandi adikal, Sundarar and manuneethi Chozhan

Maatruraitha vinayagar

It was planned to attend 15^th Sunday, evening Thiyagesar pooja after the darshan of Sri Kasi Viswanathar at Kulikarai, to see the rituals and procedure followed. We missed the opportunity since we arrived late. We had the darshan of Sri Thyagaraja and moved to Kamalambal sannadhi and we had the Musical concert rendered by Mr Bharat and Sunil. The song was composed by Prof. Madhusudhanan, with this we wounded our Thiruvarur Temples Visit. On the way we had seen an old Tamizi inscription found out by Dr.. The details of this is not known yet.

Parivattam Cloth to Thiyagesar

The early Tamizi inscription found out by Dr Arunkumar

The benefits of taking bath at this place of the temple tank – these inscription tablets are installed around the temple tank

I extend my sincere thanks to the organisers of RATHAM, Prof. Madhusudhanan, Mr. Ramabadran, Mr Arthanari Subramaniyan, Mr Jagadeesh, Mrs Padma venka, Mrs Indra, the musicians Mr Bharat, Mr Sunil and the other participants for this excellent guided tour to Thiruvarur Temples and the hospitality. Thanks to one and all.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Saturday 21 October 2017

Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvarur, Thiruvarur Dist, Tamil Nadu.

This post was updated with Thevara Hymns, Architecture, History & Inscriptions, Legends etc. For the details of the updated post please click this link.

14^th October 2017,

This was a planned temples visit in and around Thiruvarur organised by RATHAM for Prof. Madhusudhanan KalaiChelvan on 14^th and 15^th October 2017. Out of two days we had spent almost a day in Thiyagesar Temple. A temple is not only a worshipping place, but it has the treasure of culture, architecture, history, Heritage and so on. The temple complex is very large with many sannadhis. There is a saying that temple is 5 veli area, Temple tank is 5 Veli and Nandhavanam is also 5 veli area.

As a part of Padal Petra Sthalangal Visit, visited this temple earlier during March 2012 and had the darshan of Sri Thiyagesar. There are two Padal petra sthalangal ( Thiyagesar and Araneri ) inside the temple premises. Hope during 6^th to 7^th century most of the present shrines may not be there. Entered through the east Rajagopuram built by the Chozha King Kulothunga –III. It was believed that the two statues in the Rajagopuram are Kulothunga-III and his guru. Prof. Madhusudhanan explained the History, statues in the first level and 2nd level and construction details. It is believed that the temple exists before Chozha period and even before Naalvar ( Thirugnanasambandar, Appar, Sundarar and Manickavasagar ). Sundarar in one of his hymn asks Thiyagesar, when did he came to Thiruvarur.

a dancing girl at the centre with musicians on both sides

Relief of elephant delivery and the other elephants are helping

Nandhi in Bhootavari

Purusha mirugam

After a music treat at Thevasiriyar mandapam by Mr Bharat, had the darshan of Lord Shiva Akileswarar at Araneri. Chembian Madevi had contributed for the pooja and it is believed that Araneri Temple was built by her.

Perumal dances before Vinayagar to get back his chakra

The platform for preparing garland to Lord Shiva

Moolavar Putridangonda Nathar is in the form of an Ant hill. ( The practice of worshiping ant hill started around 5000 to 8000 years before ). On the left side of sanctum is Thiyagesar Sannadhi. Somaskandar is worshiped as Thiyagesar. Only the faces of Shiva and Ambal can be seen and the rest are covered completely with flowers and Kandar will not be visible always. A Special parivattam cloth is being weaved by the local community especially for Thiyagarajar. This temple is one of the saptha Vidanga sthalam ( The Maragatha Lingam was given to this temple by Musukuntha Chakravarthy which he got it from Indran ). Since Lord Shiva’s visit to out side is unpredictable, Nandhi is always ready to accompany with him in standing posture. On the opposite to Thiyagesar, sannadhi for Sundarar with Paravai Nachiyar and Seraman Peruman. Poojas are conducted by a community called Nainars, who only authorised to touch and do pooja. The Dwarapalakas are made of bronze looks cute. Prof Madhusudhanan pointed out that the space behind Thiyagesar, may be a room to keep the jewellery or may be a Sannadhi for Vishnu...?. After the darshan of Sri Thiyagesar we went around the sanctum, admiring the beauty of Rishabanthikar with Ambal, Vatapi Ganapati and paintings around the sanctum.

Kasukalanju Vinayagar

Nandhi in standing posture- ready to go with shiva

Vatapi Ganapathi

Rishapanthakar

Ceiling painting around sanctum

Inch sculptures of Mahishasura Mardini

Inch sirpam of Shiva Holding Ganga on his head - Gangadhara

Next we had the darshan of Sri Neelothpalambal and had seen the paintings drawn during Maratha period on the walls of maha mandapam. We came across Vallabhai Ganapathy, Kasukalanju Vinayagar ( a Chozha Bronze ), Vatapi Ganapathi otherwise known as Kolukattai Pillayar ( Brought from Vatapi, in memory of Kalinga Victory by Chozhas ) and every one has their own story. Some of the inscriptions are Rajendran I, which speaks about the golden lamp gifted to this temple on his birth day of Adi Thiruvathirai.