Sri Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvankarani village, Walajabad, Kanchipuram

 

Moolavar: Sri Jambukeswarar

Amman: Sri Akhilandeswari

A beautiful small temple that has been recently built in the village of Thriruvankaranai. The way this temple came into being is quite interesting as well as quite inspiring too.

It is said that the villagers here has been requesting for a Shivalayam  for some time and a local Iyangar bhattachar named Sri Srikanth initiated the efforts and gathered the villagers together and approached few trusts in Chennai like Gurukataksham Trust and Thirukovil Vazhipadu Khuzu team and under the guidance of Sri Chrompet Kannan maama and the support of Avalur Venkataramanan and Avalur Manoharan, this temple work was undertaken in a rapid 108 days scheme. The decision of site and construction was taken on 17th Mar 2022 and on 17th Jun 2022 the Mahakumbhabishekam was performed.

The lingabanam here has a good story behind it. A person named Sri London Venkatraman had a dream that he is supposed to travel to India and go through the river Narmada and pick up Sivalingams from underneath. So based on this dream he came down to India and travelled 30 kms across Narmada on a boat and took dips in prominent points showed by the boat man and had picked up 19 Narmada Shivlingams. These lingams are naturally formed under the river. All 19 linga banams were handed over to Sri Kanchi Madam and was kept at the Adhishtanam in Orikai.

When the villagers approached Sri Chrompet Kannan mama, he took them to Bala Periyava at Orikai in Kanchipuram and got them this beautiful Shivalinga Banam for this temple. And interestingly Bala Periyava's blessing was given in the form of naming this temple moolavr as Jambukeswarar and Ambal as Akhilandeswari. The most astonishing thing is since the time the Yagasalai for Kumbhaishemak was erected, rains have been pouring continuously in middle of June which is very rare, and just to show that Sri Jambukeswarar who is known for water in the Pachabootha sthalam is really blessed this village with water during the kumbhabhishekam event.

It has been a blessing for our team also to have played a small role in supporting this noble cause and we thank the Gurukataksham trust for the opportunity.

Currently Mandalabhishekam is going on and a Kurkal has been appointed to take care of the daily puja kaingaryam. This temple even celebrated its first Pradosham on 26th June 2022.

A must visit place for all, especially to see the beauty of Narmada lingam which is naturally formed so perfectly.

Contact: The Temple Contact at present is Sri Srikanth who can be reached at 9962229110

Location:

Sri Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvankarani village, Walajabad, Kanchipuram

Sri Sivakozhundandavar Temple, Sivan Koodal Village, Sriperumbudur, Kanchipuram

 

Moolavar: Sri Sivakozhundandavar

Amman: Sri Maragathavalli

A very Ancient temple belived to be built during the Rajendra Chola period. The temple inscriptions show it as the 3rd regional year of Rajendra Chola. There are inscriptions referring to Kulothugs Chola as well as Vikrama Cholas gifting huge amounts of land to this temple. Vikram Chola had renovated the vimanam as per the inscriptions, but now there is no vimanam at all.

The outer prakaram and ghosta murthies show the antiquity of this temple. Apparently the vimanam has been destroyed by age and now a small vimanam has been constructed on top which actually does not match the magnificent look of this temple. 

In the outer prakaram, on the right above the ghosta vigrahams, you can see very interesting carvings. For example above Ganapathy you can see Gajalakshmi, above Dhakshinamoorthy you can see Kuberan being worshipped by a king, right above Mahavishnu you can see Krishna in Kaliyamardhanam and above Durgai you can see an elephant being carved. Right around the temple on top you can see series of bhoothaganams, as if in a pose of holding the roof of the temple in their hands.

You can see many broken idols right around the temple premises. It is supposedly to be maintained by ASI. There is no daily puja being performed and only Pradhosham and Shivaratri has many people visiting.

Contact: Mr. Chinrasu can be reached on 9791421924 for opening the temple. People are allowed to perform pujas on their own

Location:

Sri Sivakozhundandavar Temple, Sivan Koodal Village, Sriperumbudur, Kanchipuram

Sri Vedagiriswarar Temple, Thirukalukundram, Chengalpattu

 

Moolavar: Sri Vedagiriswarar

Amman: Sri Sokka Nayagi Ambal

This Shiva Sthalam is the 28th Devaram Paadal Petra Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. Vedagiriswarar, the Lord of the Hill Temple, has been praised in song and verse by the four great Tamil Saints; Thirugnana Sambandar, Appar, Sundaramurti and Manikkavasakar. These four Nayanmars have visited the temple complex. A shrine, Naalvar Koil, It is also considered as Thiruvasaga Sthalam. Saint Arunagirinathar had praised Lord Murugan of this Temple in his Thirupugazh Hymns.

The word Thirukazhukundram comes from the Tamil words Thiru (Respectful), Kazhugu (Vulture/Eagle), Kundram (mount). It was known as "Thirukazhugukundram" in ancient times, which over time became Thirukazhukundram. The town is also known as Pakshi Theertham (Bird's Holy Lake) because of a pair of birds -Most likely Egyptian vultures- that are believed to have visited the site for centuries.

This temple consists of two structures, one at the foot hill and the other at the hill top. The Foot Hill Temple, also called as Thazha Koil houses the presiding Bhaktavachaleswarar and Mother Thirupurasundari. The temple at the foot-hills has four towers (gopurams) closely resembling the architecture of the Annamalaiyar Temple. It was in Bhaktavachaleswarar Temple that Lord Siva appeared before the Tamil saint Manikkavasakar, in the form of Dakshinamurthy, and initiated him into the secrets of the holy Panchakshara.

The Hill Temple, also called as Malai Koil houses Vedagiriswarar and Mother Sokka Nayagi.

According to a legend, sage Pusha and sage Vidhadha performed penance on Lord Shiva seeking Sharoopa status. Lord modified their demand and granted the Sayujya status and promised elevation to Sharoopa later. The sages refused to accept the offer and were adamant on their demand. Angry Lord cursed them to become eagles. Since then, they are in this hill known as Shambu and Aadhi and are worshipping Lord with the Pakshi Theertha they had created.

It is believed that they are the two eagles that visit Thirukazhukundram daily from time immemorial, in order to worship Siva and to obtain salvation from their curse. To attain moksha and regain their original forms, they have to worship the deity of this temple till the end of Kaliyuga. While these sacred Eagles were known as Sandan and Prasandan in Thretha Yuga, Sambathi and Jatayu in Krutha Yuga, Sambhukthan and Mukundan in Dwapara Yuga, in Kali Yuga they are now known as Pusha and Vidhadha.

It is said that after a bath in the Ganges in the morning, they come here at noon for food, reach Rameswaram in the evening for darshan and return to Chidambaram for the night. The eagles circle around the temple top and approach the priest. They eat the balls of rice and after cleaning their beaks in the water kept in a small vessel nearby, take off, circle around the tower again and fly off. This has been going on for centuries now. The scene is also sculpted on one of the walls in front of Goddess Thirupurasundari, in the lower temple.

The hillock is named as Vedagiri, since it is traditionally believed that the four (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana) Vedas are seen one above the other in the form of four rocks. Lord Shiva is believed to be emerging from the head of the fourth (Atharvana) Veda and said to have derived the name Vedagiriswarar (a Swayambhu lingam), When Sri Anjaneya took the Sanjeevi Parvatha from Himalayas, some parts of Mountain fell over this mountain. Hence even today rare herbals are available here.

It is believed that Indira is still worshipping Lord in this temple. As an evidence of this fact, thunder falls through a hole in the tower above the sanctum sanctorum (Vimana) and goes around the Shivalinga. Unbearable heat is experienced while opening the sanctum next day. This happens once in a few years. Scientists had proved that such an incident took place on the 10th November 1930.

Location:

Sri Vedagiriswarar Temple, Thirukalukundram, Chengalpattu