A Wandering Heritager: SRI ADHIPUREESWARAR TEMPLE, PALLIKARANAI, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU

Monday 20 January 2020

SRI ADHIPUREESWARAR TEMPLE, PALLIKARANAI, CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU

22^nd December 2019,

After Kayarampakkam Sri Thiruvaheeswarar Temple’s visit, on the way to my residence Visited this temple, which is on the west side of the Velachery to Tambaram main road at Pallikaranai. During my previous visit some of the sannadhis are not added.

Iraivan : Sri Adhipureeswarar

Iraivi : Sri Sri Shantha Nayagi

Some of the important features of this temple are ....

The temple is facing east with a three tier Rajagopuram. The temple tank is on the east side of Velachery to Tambaram main road which was renovated with steps recently, with walking track on the bund. Balipedam, Dwajasthambam and Nandhi are after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is swayambu. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

Ambal is in a separate sannadhi in arthamandapam. Ambal sanctum has the koshtas of Mahalakshmi, Saraswati and Kamakshi.

In the parakaram Siva Anjaneyar, Maha Ganapathy ( Vinayagar and Anjaneyar are facing each other, Valli DevaSena Arumugar, Sabamandapam with procession deities, Navagrahas ( Adhipureeswarar is at the centre ), Sandikeswarar, Vinayagar, Brahmi, Maheswari, Varahi, Raghu & Kethu, Swarnna akarshna Bhairavar, Sarabeswarar, Viyaghrapathar, Navagrahas and Pathanchali. Nagars are under the sthala vruksham. The other Vrukshas in side the temple are Shenpagam, Rudraksha, Vellerukku, Kondrai, Peepaul, Iluppai, Vengai, Bamboo, Parai, Arali, Parijatham, Vanni, Neem, Mullai and mahizhamaram.

In Adhisthana kandam inch sculptures of Kannappar purana, Peacock worshiping Lord Shiva, Spider, Snake and Elephant worship lord Shiva.

LEGEND

It was believed that those could not go to Kalahasti, can perform parikara pooja at this temple also. One of the speciality in this temple is sun’s rays used to fall on moolavar from 15^th to 30^th of Masi month, every year. Munivars Vyaghrapadar and Pathanchali worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

Lord Shiva gave life to all living things after the pralayam, which are merged with him ( palli – merge ). Hence Lord Shiva is called as Karunamurthy and this place is called as Pallikaranai. ( Krunai- mercy - which turned to Karanai ).

ARCHITECTURE.

Originally a brick temple was built on a granite stone adhisthana. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and arthamandapam. The adhisthana is a Pathabandha adhisthana with tripatta Kumuda. Inch sculptures are in the kandam. The mandapam and Rajagopuram are built in the recent years with concrete. The sculpture depicting Solar eclipse, Lunar eclipse and Fishes are on the ceiling of arthamandpam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS:

It is claimed that the temple is more than 700 years old. 1525 AD, Krishna Devaraya period inscriptions and 3 more latter period inscriptions are found on the adhisthanam and walls. The place was called as Jayangonda Chozhamandalathu Puliyur Kottathu Surathoor Nattu Pallia kaaranai and Lord Shiva was called as Adheeswaramudaiyar. The inscription also mentions a name as Parvatheeswaramudiayar, we may take that this temple also called by this name.

The Krishna Devaraya’s period ( 1525 AD ) Tamil inscription mixed with grantha records, the equal sharing of the Tax income from the houses ( 1.25 panam for a month ) with periphery markings as south of Pashathanagar koil, north of soolakkal, east of Veerathal koil to be given to Parvatheeswaramudayar and Veerathal ( Kaliamman ) for maintenance. The inscription also mentions a two thari ( தறி ) for Thirupana Perumal.

The other inscriptions mentions the thirupani / maintenance of Sevatha Pandithar’s son Devan Pandithar, Saththanathan, Madhava Pandithar Narasaiyan, Sevaka Perumal, Thambar, Siva Brahmanan’s son Thigamalar Udaiyan and Ponnambalanatha Pandyan.

This Brick temple was found in dilapidated condition due to lack of maintenance and patronage. With the effort of Local people and Shanthanayagi Trust, reconstruction was started in 1984 and maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 22^nd August 1999. The Rajagopuram work was also started in 2011 and Completed in 2013. The temple is under the control of HRCE Department.

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple is kept open between 06.30 Hrs to 11.00 Hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The mobile numbers are 9840109495, 9444326057 and 9884235555.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is on the Velachery to Tambaram main road at Pallikaranai.

Pallikaranai is 11 KM from Tambaram, 4 KM from Velachery MRTS Railway station and 25 KM from MGR Central Railway station.

Nearest Railway station is Tambaram and next Chennai Central Station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE