Sri Neelamalar Kanni Ambal Sametha Sri Swarnagateshwara Swamy Temple, Thirunelvennai, Ulunderpet Taluk, Villupuram District

Sri Gurubhyo Namah! Sri Maha Ganapathaye Namah!! Sri Maatre Namah!!!

Sri Sadashiva Samarambhaam, Poorvacharya Madyamaam, Asmat Aacharya Paryantam Vande Guru Paramparam!!!

I submit this work unto the lotus feet of Sri Sri His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Bharathi Teertha Mahaswamigal, Sri Sringeri Saradha Peetam.



Presiding Deity:      Sri Swarna Gateshwarar/ Sri Vennaiyappar(Tamil)
Presiding Goddess: Sri Neelamalar Kanni



This temple is located in a small village called Thirunelvennai in Ulundurpet Taluk of Villupuram District of Tamilnadu. While travelling from Thirukovilur towards Trichy Chennai NH via asanur main road, one has to cross Eraiyur and take right and travel for 4 kms via Vadakurumbur village.


This temple is located in centre of the village, the deity is known as Sri Swarnagateshwarar. The temple doesn't feature a gopuram. In front of the temple entrance you can see Sri Nandi. No Dwajastambam is seen.As you enter the temple you can reach the main sanctum of Lord Shiva. The Linga is said to be swambhu. Above lord one can see a hanging roof made of Rudraaksha.  The lord is facing east.



After having his darshan as you circumambulate, you can see the shrines of Lord Ganesha, Lord Subramanyah, Lord Vishnu.

After having darshan of these shirnes one can reach the shrine of the Lordess Neelamalarkanni.




The legend as told to me by the priest is , Lord Shiva offered a pot full of gold to help the people here. The priest further added that this place was so rich that once to prevent a major breach on the bank of the village tank people used the rice bags cultivated to make an embankment, however not much about this temple is known today.


The  priest further added that the temple has started attracting patronage and people have  started visiting this temple from different towns.

The temple needs a good amout of upkeep and patronage.

 

Sri Kanakambika Sametha Sri Madyanatheshwara Swamy Temple, Thirupalapandal, Thirukovilur, Villupuram District

Sri Gurubhyo Namah! Sri Maha Ganapathaye Namah!!

Sri Sadashiva Samarambham Sri Sankaracharya Madyamaam Asmat Acharya Paryantam vande Guru Paramparaam!!

I submit this humble attempt unto the lotus feet of his holiness Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswami of Sri Sarada Peetam , Sringeri

 

 
This temple is located enroute to Sankarapuram from Thirukovilur in a village named by ThiruPalapandal.

Presiding Deity: Sri Madyanadeshwarar(Sanskrit)/ Sri Mattheeswarar(Tamil)
Presiding Goddess: Sri Kanakambika( Sanskrit)/ Sri Ponnammai( Tamil)
Stala Vruksham: Vanni Tree

This temple is currently in a state of neglect, full of foliage, infested with bats, the outer wall ruined by neglect over a period of time.

This Temple's history is not known to many as this temple was not having any worship services for the past 5 decades. However with few of the locals taking initiatives, the temple was opened and poojas were happening for 1 time a day for the past few months. 

When i visited this temple in the evening, fortunately the priest was there and performed aarthi to the Lord.  Lord Madyanadeshwara is small linga. I could sense the vibrations in the sanctum, which was infested with bats and bat remains.



 After having darshan of Lord, the priest took me around the temple's inner praharam. There are  shrines of Lord Shanmuga, and on the kosta, Lord Ganesh, Lord Dakshinamoorthy, Lord Lingothbhava, Lord Brahma, Sri Durga.

 

The goddess Sri Kanakambi is a small idol clad in saree. When the priest performed the aarthi i could see the smile on the face of Devi.  I felt like sitting there for a while but could not do so as the place was infested with bats.

Here infront of her shrine there is a Nandi Placed.

 

 



 

 

The Navagraha shrine is infront of Sri Kanakambika's Shrine.

 

 

The temple is said to have 9 tunnels connecting various places of importance of yester years. The priest showed me one such tunnel in the artha mandapam of the Lords Shrine.

 

 

 

The Temple complex has separate enclosures for Cooking( Madapalli), Place to Tie Elephants and  Sabha Hall for Nataraja. Now all this place are in a state of dispair,which needs repairs very badly.  The Dwaja Stamba has to be repaired.

 

 

Above Madapalli, Below Elepahant Mandap

 

 

 

The temple priest Sri Bharanidharan travels from 10 Kms to perform the pooja.  He informed that they are looking for donors who can participate in renovation of this temple.

 

Images The Nataraja Sabha and Dwaja Stamba are given below.

 

 

 

 

There are lot of inscriptions on the walls of the temple. I presume the ASI Chennai Chapter would have already dechipered the same. From the size of the temple and the location it is located, this would have played a strategically important role in the early diplomacy.

 

 

 

The priest informed me that there are two other temples of the same period, which are also in ruins. Due to the time constraints i could not visit those temples.

 

I wonder how people could just leave the places to ruin which were once a prominent place of worship. What happened to the families of priests who were looking after these temples.

 

 

Please write to me incase if you feel like helping this temple. My email id is nrbarve@gmail.com

 

 

 

Lakshmi Narayana Swami Temple , Alur, Thirukovilur

Temple Left to face the Nature's Test & Abandoned by the locals

Sri GnanaAmbika Sametha Sri Marudeeswara Swamy Temple, T. Edaiyar, Villupuram District

Presiding Deity     :  Sri Marudeeswara Swamy

Presiding Goddess: Sri Gnanaambika

Stala Vruksham    : Maruda Maram

Theertham            : Dhakshina Pinakini River/ Then Pennai River


This temple is located in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu, The place is called the T. Edaiyaru which was originally known as Thiru Edaiyaru. The legend is that when Lord Shiva was telling Shiva Rahasya to Devi Parvathi there happened to be a parrot sitting on the tree top and chirping, disturbing the whole process. Hence Devi Parvathi cursed the Parrot to be born in Earth and do penance to get rid of the sin.

The  Parrot was blessed to be born as the Son of Sage Veda Vyasa. The Child was named as Suka who later was known as Sri Suka Brahma Maharishi.  Sri Suka did penance here in this holy place and got rid of his sin.

Another Legend is that as Sage Agasthiyar was sent to Southern part  to equalise the tilt  which happened during the occassion of Lord Shiva's Marriage, the  Sage was offered to view the cosmic vision of Shiva Parvathi Marriage . In this place, Sage Agasthya had the vision of the Lord exchanging Garland with Devi Parvathi.(Maalai Matru). To emphasis this event the Lord is facing West and Devi is Facing East. 

The presiding deity is of immense beauty and the sanctum is emanating such a divine aura even a layman can feel it.

The temple is well maitained and on any given day you can have darshan of the lord from morning 6 Am to 12 Pm and in evening 4 Pm to 8 Pm. This Temple is located at a distance of  5 KMs from another Paadal petra stalam  Thiruvennainallur.

Sri Neela Visalakshi Sametha Sri Vyagrapadeeshwarar Temple, Siddhilingamadam, Villupuram District

Om Namah Shivaya!!!

Presiding Deity : Sri Vyagrapaadeshwarara
Presidng Goddess: Sri Neela Visalakshi

This Temple is about 10Kms distance from Thirukovilur in a village called SiddhiLingaMadam. This Village is located near the banks of ThenPennai River...  ( River looks like a stretch of plain sand as it had not carried any water in the past two years due to insufficient rainfall).

I visited this village on official duty @ about 8 Pm on one particular day and looked at the renovation work of a Mid sized Temple Ratha/Car, As i enquire about the same the people informed me that there is a Shiva Temple in the Near by Street.  I decided to Visit the temple and left the village as they had already closed the temple.

I happened to Visit the Village the very next week and it was after noon about 3 Pm. This time also i felt like visiting that temple however the temple was to be opened only at 5Pm. However the curiosity made me to try my luck , I knocked at the doors of the Temple Preist , an elderly brahmin who stays in the sannidhi Street.  To my surprise he obliged to open the doors.

As i enter the temple, i worship Lord Ganesha, near the Dwaja Stambam. I followed the priest, he opened the sanctum and did a wonderful aarthi. I had a wonderful darshan , i could see a cut mark on the Shiva Linga. I enquired , he informed this place has very ancient history and lot of rishis did penance here.  Over a period of time the temple was covered by dense foliage and was not accessed for ages.

Later about 1000 year back, when the forest was cleared to make a settlement of the then king, this mark has happened when the axe hit the Shiva Linga.

Sri Vyagrapadha Maharishi, with his Tiger Paws used to climb the trees and pick flowers from and offer to God. He is seen in Meditative Posture behind the Sanctum.

In the recent days, Sri Gnananda Giri Swami , Guru of Sri Vittal Das Swami of Kumbakonam Vittal Mandir, did his penance in this village before moving to Thapovanam  Near Thirukovilur.

The Goddess Sri Neela Visalakshi is of  great beauty and graces her love to one and all.


You can reach this place from Thirukovilur, Villupuram, Thiruvennai Nallur

Three Tiered Gopuram

Sri Nandi

Lord Ganesha ( Kostha Moorthi)

Sri Dakshina Moorthy Statue  Near the Dwaja Stambam

Sri Dakshinamoorthy

Sri Vyagrapada Maharishi Meditating with Chin Mudra depicted as Seated on a Lotus

Sri Muktambika Sametha Sri Ardhanaareshwara Swamy Temple, Rishivandhiyam, Villupuram District

Presiding Deity: Sri Ardhanaareshwara Swamy

Presiding Goddess: Sri Mukthambika

Stala Vriksham: Pinnai Tree & Mahila Tree

Teertham : Agasthiya Teertham, Indra Teertham, Sankara Teertham

 

This temple is located in Rishivandiyam , in Villupuram District. This place gets its name from " Rishi Vanda Vanam". It is a beautiful temple having its history recorded for more that 1000 years. Thesame was built by the early Pandya Kings and later renovated by the successors Pandya Kings and Vijayanagara Emperors.

As you enter the street leading to the temple you can see a four pillared mandap housing the Nandi Deva in front of the temple.The temple entrance has a 7 tiered Gopuram/Tower. The mandap infront of the gopuram has idols of the Shiva Family.

As you cross the Gopuram and enter the temple there is another Nandi housed in a smaller mandap.

You enter mahamandap you get to see the Lord Nataraja & Sivakami towards your right, Sri Vinayagar and the Palliyarai towards your left. After worshipping Sri Ganesha and as I enter towards the Sanctum , the feeling changes, i felt as i am going to my parents place where they both are sitting together and eagerly wanting to grace their blessings.

As i entered the queue to take the darshan, the preistperformed the mangala aarathi. I enquired with him about the temple history, he narrates the history as follows…..

" The baanam ( the lingam ) is swayambhu and is very special as it houses both Lord Shiva and Lordess Parvathi, however one cannot see Parvathi Devi normally. Indra Deva was performing pooja to Lord Shiva on a daily basis with Milk abhishekam, however he would leave without taking dasrshan of Devi Parvathi ! Being offended by the act of Indra Deva, Sri Parvathi devi complained to Lord Shiva, who inturn offered his Left side to Parvathi Devi. While DeveIndra was performing abhiseka he saw Parvathi Devi in the left part of the Lingam. Havingrealized his ignorance lord indra sought forgiveness from Devi Parvathi and went to his Loka,Until today one can see Devi parvathi in the Lingam while Honey abhiseka is performed"

He further informed that" This temple is also place of granting marriage boon to those who seek it. During the marriage of Lord Shiva & Lordess Parvathi, as people went to Northern Land the earth tilted towards North, Hence Sage Agasthiyar was asked to travel Southward to couter balance the tilt with the assurance of he will get to see all the rituals of the Marriage , This place is one such place where he saw the marriage"

After explaining the history we were asked to do a cicumabulation and come to Sri Mukthambika Shrine, while doing the pradakshina( going around the shrine) one can get to see the gostha devatas,

Sri Vinayagar, Sri Dakshinamurthy, Sri Lingothbavar, Sri Brahma, Sri Durga Devi, Sri Chandikeswara, and the Nayanmars.

By the time we reach the Shrine of Mukthambika the priest had opened the doors and asked us to come and perform aarthi. The devi offers mukthi(liberation) to her devotees hence the name. The idol of Devi is of immense beauty that will keep you bound there. You can get to see a human sized stone carved statue of Mahavishnu in the Mandapa before the Sanctum of Devi.

The Specialities of the Temple:

1. One can get to see Lordess Parvathi while performing Honey abhisheka and Milk Abisheka.

2. It is marriage boon offering temple, one has to visit this temple for 3/5 Amavasyas and perform archanai and in one of the months can offer the abhishek.

3. There is statue of a Yaali ( A mythical Creature) carved in one stone and in its mouth one can see a stone ball, which you cannot take out, however it rolls inside its mouth.

4. The temple has in its praharam five pillars which produces rhytmic sounds.

5. The Utsavar/ Somaskandar in the temple is of incomparable beauty.

How to reach?

One can reach Rishivandiyam from Thirukovilur, Kallakurichi or Ulundurpet.