Sri Thirukameshwarar Temple, Madavilagam, Kanchipuram

 

Moolavar: Sri Thirukameshwarar

Amman: Sri Kokilambal

A good 1000 plus years old temple built during the Pallava period and cholas and Vijayanagar empire has done lot of Renovations.

Sri Vygrapathar Maharishi, who by a boon sought by him, was equipped with tiger`s legs to enable him to climb vilva trees to pluck vilva leaves, had worshiped the Lord here according to the temple legend.

Vygrapathar, the Saivite saints, Bhairavar, Vishnu, Murugan with Valli and Devasena are housed in separate shrines in the temple. The temple is open once a day.

The special feature of the temple is it has four sacred tanks.

Two of the tanks are dedicated to God of Death, Yama and Moon, Chandran. The sacred tree is Vilvam as usual with Siva temples. This temple is in a very pathetic condition with bushes all around, bats flying and the Gopura Kalasam itself is not there. The temple urgently needs repair and renovation.

Contact: Daily pujas are conducted and the temple Kurukal Swamynathan can be reached on 96552 25535

Location: Sri Thirukameshwarar Temple, Madavilagam, Kanchipuram 

Sri Veeratteswarar Temple, Kizh Padappai, Kanchipuram

 

Moolavar: Sri Veeratteswarar

Amman: Sri Shanta Nayaki Ambal

A beautiful 1000 years old temple said to have been built during the Sambuvarayar Period and the inscription says that the donations were made for the celebration of Chithirai Vizha. The temple also has the reputation of being one of 108 Shiva temples renovated and consecrated simultaneously in a single day by Nandi Varma Pallavan.

Legend has that Chandran  married the 27 daughters (27 Nakshatira devis) of Daksha but reserved his whole love for Rohini only. Other distressed daughters took their case to their father Daksha who cursed Chandra to lose his brilliant fair complexion by fading each day.

To escape the effects of the curse, Chandra took a pilgrimage to various Shiva shrines. He installed one here and prayed to. You can see chandran appears in the front Mandap of the temple with flowers in his hand showing his worship to Lord Shiva representing the legend accordingly. The idol is made of a single stone on a pillar. 

The name of the place Padappai in Tamil means garden of flowers. While on his way to Vruddhachalam and singing the praise of Lord Vruddhagireeswarar, Saint Tirugnanasambander has praised this temple also in his hymns. Thus the temple is known as Vaippu sthalam.

Veeratteswarar graces from the sanctum sanctorum and the shivalingam is on a square peetam . 

Ambal Shanta Nayaki graces from a shrine facing south standing on a Padma peeta (lotus designed). All powerful and all merciful Sri Chakra is installed at her feet. Ambica being prominent in the temple, devotees has to go to worship Lord Shiva only after worshipping Ambal. 

The shrine is so structured at the entrance with this purpose. Devotees has to bend before the shrine to have the full darshan of Mother, intended to teach them the lesson of humility and also to develop in them the noble quality of yielding to others views also to maintain harmonious relationships. 

Eight Shiva places are known as Atta Veeratta Sthalas where Lord Shiva destroyed the demons. Tirukovilur is one among the eight. Padappai temple is considered to have this attribute and enjoys the status as Sub-Veeratta Sthala (place). 

Guru puja for saint Tirunavukkarasar is celebrated on Chithirai Sadhaya star day in April-May and for saint Sundarar on the Aadi Swati star day in July-August with special pujas and Alankaras.

Location: Sri Veeratteswarar Temple,  Kizh Padappai, Kanchipuram

Sri Vyakrapureeswarar, Temple Tirupulivanam, Kanchipuram

 

Moolavar: Sri Vyakrapureeswarar

Amman: Sri Amirthakuchalambal

A beautiful Pallava period temple and the original Temple, ( a brick temple ) belongs to the Pallava period, and the same was rebuilt by Kulothunga Chozha-I's ( 1070 - 1125 CE ) period. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Kazhiyur Kottathu thaniyur Sri Rajendra Chozha Chaturvedi Mangalam. Lord Shiva was called as Thirupulivalamudaiya Nayanar and Aaludaiyar Thirupulivalamudaiyar.

Vyaghrapada was the son of sage Madhyandhanar. He used to worship Lord Shiva with fresh flowers before the honey bee touched. So he prayed to Lord Shiva to turn his legs and eyes like Tigers to climb trees and plug flowers in the early hours, before dawn. Lord Shiva blessed him as per his wish. Therefore he was called Pulikal Munivar, in Sanskrit Vyaghrapada. Since Vyaghrapada circled around the Shiva Linga, the place was called Thirupulivalam, and the same was corrupted to the present name of Thirupulivanam.

The Shivalinga in the temple is a Swambu with footprints of a tiger on the Linga. Also visible are the hip bone and hairs tied up called Jadamudi on the head. The divine wonder in the temple is that the rays of Sun fall only on the back of the Shivalinga without the shadow of the Linga in both Utharayana and Dkashinayana seasons. (Utharayana covers the six months from January-February to June-July marking Sun’s journey from South to North. Dakshinayana covers the six months commencing from July-August to December-January marking Sun’s journey from North to South).

Lord Dakshinamurthy in the temple has one of his legs on a lion while the other is on Muyalagan symbolizing ignorance. This is the only temple in India with a Dakshinamurthy in this form. He is praised as Rajayoga Simha Dakshinamurthy. He is also called Arthanareeswara Dakshinamurthy as He has one leg on the Simha attributed to Mother Shakti. As the Lord has one leg on the Muyalagan as Nataraja and the other on the lion, He represents the majestic look of a male and the softness of the feminine character.

The sanctum Sanctorum is 15 feet above the ground. It is believed that there is an underground way in the Shiva shrine running up to Kancheepuram from one side and Uthiramerur on the other. It is also said there is a room below this path covered by a huge rock and the proof of this could be confirmed only by a the Archealogical department.

The Shrine of Lord Vishnu in a standing form is behind the Shiva shrine. Lord Narasimha’s sculpture is on a pillar near by.Lord Vinayaka and Lord Muruga grace at the entrance. There are also shrines of Vishnu Durga and Bhairava

The temple has daily one Kala pujai  performed and the kurukal Sri Guna can be reached at 8489448855, 9445221236

Location: Sri Vyakrapureeswarar, Temple Tirupulivanam, Kanchipuram

Sri Maandukaniswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

 

Moolavar: Sri Maandukaniswarar 

Amman: Sri Kamakshi Ambal

A good old 1500 year old temple belonging to the 7th century built by the Pallava rulers. The moolavar  temple is believed to have been installed by Sage Maandokar and has worshipped him here. Hence the name Maandukaniswarar. 

The Nandi turned towards north and they say that Thirugnanasambandhar came to Kanchipuram for his Dharshan and he could not see the shivalingam and the lord asked Nandhi to turn his head and hence the nandhi ‘s face is turned. Here mental illness, delayed chid birth and marriage related prayers are done by devotees.

Contact: The temple really needs a Renovation and daily one Kala pujai is performed. The temple is being maintained by a lady named Dhanalakshmi 8098065544

Location: Sri Maandukaniswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

Sri Ardhanareeswarar Temple, Araneri, Sriperambathur

 

A good old temple and is believed to be around 3500 years old as per the stone inscription. And a Siddhar is believed to have attained jeevasamadhi here. There seems to have been a beautiful stone Mandapam in the earlier years which is completely destroyed with growth of peepal and neem tree. You can see the remains of the mandapam all around the structure.

 

Together the tree looks like swami and Ambal are seated next to each other. The Siddhar is believed to have had a vision of Aradhanariswarar here and attained jeevasamadhi.

This temple needs a complete Rennovation and Araneri village is right behind the Saint Gobain factory on Sriperambathur main road.

Contact: Currently a sivanadiyar is taking care of this temple and daily one Kala puja is performed. His name is  Adhiseshan and can be reached on 8148267567

Location: Sri Ardhanareeswarar Temple, Araneri, Sriperambathur