A Wandering Heritager: SRI BHOOMEESHWARAR TEMPLE, MARAKKANAM, ECR ROAD, TAMIL NADU.

Wednesday 8 May 2019

SRI BHOOMEESHWARAR TEMPLE, MARAKKANAM, ECR ROAD, TAMIL NADU.

28^th April 2019.

This Bhoomeeshwarar Temple visit was a part of temples visited on 28^th April 2019, from Thindivanam to Pondicherry, bus route. Few weeks before Mr Ramesh of Munnur asked to visit the temples in their Village, which are very old. When Mr Manoj and Shyam asked me to join with them for this trip, I readily accepted and travelled along with them from Chennai. During our visit, visited some new temples and three Thevara Paadal petra Shiva Sthalangal. Started on Saturday Evening, stayed at a hotel near Marakkanam to save the travel time and to cover more temples.

On Sunday morning our first visit was to Sri Bhoomeeshwarar Temple on the Junction of ECR & Tindivanam to Marakkanam Road.

Iraivan : Sri Bhoomeeshwarar

Iraivi : Sri Girijambal

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch. Before the entrance there is a mandapam with lot of Hindu deities reliefs on the base. The Mandapa belongs to Vijaya nagara Nayak period. A Deepasthambam, Palipedam, Dwajasthambam, Rishaba mandapam and a Navakanda Nadukal are in front of the sanctum. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, Antarala, arthamandapam, a Muka mandapam and two mandapas on North and south side. The sanctum is of Pathabandha adhistanam. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dhakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai with 6 hands.

Chandran and Suryan are installed in a sannadhi on the right side immediately after the arch. In the front mandapam Karnapooshana Vinayagar, A Rishabam, Sri Lakshmi Vinayagar. Chozha Dwarabalakas are at the entrance of the sanctum. Urchavars are in the antarala. On the left mandapa, Naalvar, Ammans, Vinayagars (3 ), Sapthamathas, Iyyanar. In the prakaram sannadhi for Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar, Kotti room and Shiva Lingas. Ambal is in a separate temple like sannadhi facing East. Navagrahas and Bairavar are in the arthamandapam.

LEGEND:

As Per the legend, Lord Shiva in the form of a Sage, came to a Devotee’s house. When the Devotee offered food, the sage said, he will take food only after performing Pooja. The Devotee kept his Marakkal ( a vessel to measure paddy or Salt.) kept upside down and decorated with flowers. After pooja the sage had the food and left. The dvotee tried to remove but couldn’t do so. Instead it disappeared. On seeing this the devotee ranout of his house, shouting Markkaal kaanom. Latter he found out his marakkal on the sea shore and Temple w‘built on that place. Somebody says that “Marakkal Kaanom", has turned to Markkanam.

INSCRIPTIONS:

There are 47 inscriptions in the temple. The Rajarajachozha-I, Rajendra Chozha-I, Vijaya Rajendran Rajadhiraja Chozha-I, Kulothunga Chozha-II and III and Vijayanagara Dynasty.

Lord Shiva was Called as Bhoomeeswara Thevar, Bhommeeswarathalwar, Thirubhoomeeswaramudaiya Nayanar, Bhoomiswaramudaiya Thambiran, Thirubhoomiyappa Thambiran ( Vijayanagara Period ).

As per the inscription the Place Marakkanam was mentioned as Rajaraja Peralam, Pattinam, Eyil Pattinam and Kandrathitha Nallur. Marakkanam Came under Pattina Naadu, during Rajaraja Chozha, Kandraritha Nallur in Pattina Nadu, Vijaya Rajendra Chozha Valanadu in Jayangonda Chozha mandalam. During Vikrama Chozha the Markkanam was gifted to Brahmins and called as Vikrama Chozha Chathurvedhi mangalam. Some of the Chozha inscriptions mentions this place as Manarkaanam, due to seashore sand and latter turned to Marakkanam.

The inscriptions mainly speaks about Tax relaxation on Salt Pan for burning 2 Lamps, gift of Sheep/ Goat for burning of a Lamp, Sale of Land for Nandhavanam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Archakar Chandrakumar may be contacted on his mobile 9943911879 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is on the west side of East Coast Road (ECR) at Marakkanam.

All the buses from Chennai and Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry passes through Marakkanam.

Marakkanam is 118 KM from Chennai, 62 KM from Mahabalipuram, 33 KM from Pondicherry and 47 KM from Tindivanam.

Nearest Railway station is Pondicherry.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE