Sri Andhakaara Nivarani Sametha Sri Oushadheeshwara Swamy Temple, Thirucachur, Singaperumal Kovil, Chennai

Sri Gurubhyo Namah!! Sri Maha Ganapataye Namah !!!
SadaShiva Samarambaam, SankaraCharya Madyamam, Asmat Acharya Paryantam, Vande Guru Paramparaam!!
I pray unto the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Bharathi Theertha Maha Swamigal, Sri Dakshinamnaya Srigeri Saradha Peetam.


Presiding Deity : Sri Oushadheeswara Swamy( Sanskrit)  - Sri Marundeeswarar( Tamil)
Presiding Goddess: Sri Andhakaara Nivarani( Sanskrit) - Sri Irul Neekki Thayar( Tamil)
Theertham: Oushadha Theertham
Stala Vruksham: Jack Fruit ( Palaa Maram)


This Temple Located near Singaperumal Temple , around 3 Kms off the GST Road on the West Side, in a village called ThiruCachur. This Village has two ancient Shiva Temples.

1. Sri Oushadheeswarar Temple on a small hillock and
2. Sri Kachabeswarar Temple ( Thiagaraja Swamy Temple) in the Village

 

Sri Oushadheeswara Temple is located in a samll hillock. The main entrance of the temple is facing South, the entrance doesn't have a Raja Gopuram.

Once entered the temple you come across a mandapam which has beautiful sculptures on its Pillars.

Towards the Left of this Madapam there is a small Shrine for Sri Gnana Ganapathi Facing East.

The Main Shrine is reachable from the main south entrance and the Lord is Facing West. The Sanctum reverbarates with the vibrations emanating from the Lord.

One Can have Darshan of Sri Durga, Sri Brahma, Sri Vishnu, Sri Dakshina Moorthy, Sri Ganapathi, Sri Chandikeshwara on the kosta while doing pradakshina..

The shrine of Devi Sri Andhakaara Nivarani is next and is located to the Right of the Mandapam. As the priest performed the aarthi i was able to have darshan, and could feel the powers which could dispel any darkness.

The temple has a well designed Well which is used as theertham . The Oushada theertham.  The Well has a side entrance and has few steps to climb down and get water for abhishekam.

Then you have the Navagraha Shrine on the south east Corner of the Temple.

The Legends: ( As told to me by the priest)

1. Once Indra was suffering from some form of ailment, Aswini Devas the celestial doctors having no clue about the ailment of Indra, did penance to acquire the requesite knowledge for administering the medicine. Lord Shiva guided them to this place called Oushada Giri and advised to find the herbs from there. Having reached this place and unable to find the correct herb they prayed towards Devi Parvathi.  Devi Parvathi pleased by the prayers of Aswini Devas dispelled their ignorance and guided them to get the correct medicine. Thus Devi is Called by the name of Andhakaara Nivarani.

2. Here the belief is that the Soil/ Mud is itself medicine. By having strong belief and smearing the same one can get rid of chronic ailments.

3. The Chandikeswara is having four faces which is unique to this temple.

4. By doing Girivalam,( Circumambulation of The Hillock) on Pournami Day or Fridays one is blessed with Gods Grace.



The temple is well maintained and as any other temple with support from the devotees is getting renovated.

Sri Tripurasundari Sametha Sri Marundeeswara Swami Temple, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai

Presiding Deity: Sri Marundeeswara Swamy
Presiding Goddess: Sri Tripurasundari
Stala Vruksham: Vanni Tree
Theertham:  Originally this temple had 5 Theertham out of which one in ceased to Exist. Two are in the form of Tank/Pond, other two are in the form of well..


This temple is located in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai. This Temple is just located on the start of the East Coast Road ( ECR ) in Thiruvanmiyur.

The main entrance is located in the East side which is adorned by a 7 tiered Rajagopuram, as you cross this  entrance there another 5 tiered Gopuram. Between this two Gopuram is a Mandapam which has few beautiful paintings. Towards left there is a Theertham, and towards right there is a stage for cultural activities. As you cross the second Gopuram, you could get the darshan of Lord Vigneswara and Lord Muruga. They both are facing East.

Then you enter the Somaskanda Mandam and the God is called as Sri Thyagaraja Swami.  After worshipping the Sri Thyagaraja Swami we enter the main shrine where Lord Marundeeswara swami is Located. Lord is facing West. The Shrine is well maintained. The inner praharam has shrines of Sri Ganapathy along with the  4 Saivate saints ( Appar, Sundarar, Manickkavasagar and Thirugnanasambandar), Gajalakshmi, Sri Subramanyar, Urchava Murthies, Sri Natarajar, 108 Shiva Lingams, Kedarishwarar, Ramanatheswarar, Sundareswarar, Arunachaleswarar, The Sixty three saivate saints. The Kosta has Sri Durga, Brahma, Dakshinamurthy, Vinayagar.

After having darshan of Sri Marundeeswara Swami,  one can enter the shrine of Goddess Sri Tripurasundari. Goddess is facing south. As i entered the shrine i could feel the mothers grace in full.

Legends:

1. Sage Vasishtha's celestial cow after being cursed , did penance here to get rid of the curse.
2. Sage Valmiki, the narrator of Srimad Ramayana, did penance here, and the town is named after him, Thiru (Sri) +Vanmi(Valmik) + Oor( Place) = Thiruvanmiyur
3. Lord Shiva Shared the Secret Knowledge of the herbal medicine to Sage Agasthya hence the Name Marundeeswara.

Temple Timings:

From morning 6:00 AM to 12 PM and 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM

 

Sri Karpagambal Sametha Sri Kapaaleeshwara Swamy Temple, Mylapore, Chennai

Presiding Deity: Sri Kapaaleshwara Swamy
Presiding Goddesses: Sri Karpagambal
Stala Vriksham: Punnai Maram

This temple is located in heart of Chennai , the Mylapore.  The goddess Devi Parvati worshipped Lord Shiva in the Form of a Peahen.  Hence the place got its name Mayil(Peahen)- Puram ( Place) = Mayilapuram which later became to be known as Mylapore.

This temple complex is of prinstine beauty, the complex consist of a Temple Tank, The Temple , The Festival Mandapam.

The Temple has its main entrance on the east which has tower facade/ Gopuram. The Gopuram boasts various idols which are very beautiful. As you enter the temple from the east main entrance one can have the darshan of Lord Sri Ganesha in the form of Nardhana Vinayagar. Lord Ganesha is here in dancing form.

As you start from  Ganesha Shrine towards the main shrine, one can have darshan of Lord Annamalaiyar and Sri Unnamalai Amman. As you further walk towards the sanctum one can visit the Temple of Sri Singaravelavan,  Lord Murugan in his Six Faced Form with his consorts Sri Valli and Sri Deivanai.  Infront of Lord Singaravelavan Temple, one can find a shrine dedicated to Sri Arunagirinathar.

As you pass the Sri Nandi the Temple management has made a queue which will take you to the Shirne of Shri Karpagambal, The Presiding Goddess. The devi's name translates to the one who continuously grants boons to the devotees. There are lot of songs and strotras sung in praise of Devi Sri Karpagambal.

After having darshan of Sri Karpagambal the queue takes you to the Shiva shrine ,  Lord Kapaleeshwara. You can see Sri Durga , Sri Brahma , Lingothbavar, Dakshina moorthy, Selva vinayagar in the most a of the sanctum. The praharam of Lord Kapaleeshwara also houses Palliyarai, 63 nayanmars , bairavar, veerabhadra and few other gods. 

The Legends:

1. Sri parvathi performing penance in the form of a peahen .

2. Thiru Gnanasambandar bring back a girl to life from the ash pot . 

3. Birth place of Sri Vayilar Nayanar, who is one of the 63 nayanmars.

The temple is well connected by Road,rail, and Chennai has an international airport.

This is one of the Seven Shiva Temples of Mylapore

The temple timings :

5 am to 12 pm 

4:30 pm to 9:00 pm

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 Vishnu Temples- Om Namo Narayanaya!!!!!

Dear Friends ,

Soon i will start wrting about Vishnu Temples  i have visited ,  I am Planning to start my Vishnu Temple Series with a very Lesser Known Temple , Sri Narasimha Swamy Temple , Anthili, Near Thirukovilur

Followed by
1. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple ,  Thiruvarangam, Near Thirukovilur.
2. Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Temple, Parikkal, Villupuram District.
3. Sri Neeragaswami Temple, Thiruneermalai, Chennai,
4. Sri Parthasarathy Swami Temple, Triplicane, Chennai,
5.Sri Madava Perumal  Temple, Mylapore, Chennai,
6. Sri Bhoo Varaha Perumal Temple, Thiruvidanthai, ECR,
7. Sri Stala Sayana Perumal Temple, Mahabalipuram.

Then Followed  by Kanchipuram Divya Desham Series and so on .......

I Pray to God that He grant me the knowledge and power to conserve time , the resource i waste the most and the will to visit many more temples and write about them.

 

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.