CHIDAMBARESWARAR TEMPLE AND SILAMBESWARAR TEMPLE AT KAVANTHANDALAM, KANCHIPURAM DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

15^th March 2010.

The visit to this Chidambareswarar Temple and Silambeswarar Temples are the part of Shiva, Vishnu and Amman Temples Visit on the banks of river Cheyyar a tributary to river Palar, scheduled on 15^th March 2020. On the way to Sri Silambeswarar Temple, we happened to cross this newly renovated Chidambareswarar Shiva temple. Initially we thought this may be completely a new Temple, but we are told that this temple is more than 1000 years old. During Chozha period, this place was called as Jayankonda Chozha Mandalathu Ootrukottaththu Thammanur Nattu Kavanthandalamana Chathurvedimangalam. 

Moolavar  : Sri Chidambareswarar

Consort    : Sri Maruvar Kuzhaliammai

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

The temple is facing west with balipedam and Nandhi. Vinayagar and Murugan are at the entrance of the main sanctum sanctorum. In prakaram sannadhi for Maruvar Kuzhali Ambal sannadhi facing South.  There is no images in the koshtas.  There is no compound wall too.

It was told that this temple is more than 1000 years old and renovated completely. Kumbhabhishekam was conducted about a month back. Hope The Shiva Linga, Nandhi, Durgai, Sandikeswara and pranalikai are seems to be old. The sandikeswara is in the form of bas-relief.  As per the iconography of Durgai  the original temple may belongs to 12^th to 13^th century.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is about 14 KM from Walajabad, 18 KM from Kanchipuram,  44 KM from Chengalpattu Junction and 75 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Chengalpattu.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

 Durgai

                                        Sandikeswara

SILAMBESWARAR TEMPLE

This Silambeswarar temple was in news about an idol of Indira or Murugan on Elephant was unearthed from a field at Kavanthandalam. We thought of exploring further on that. The temple structure is found in dilapidated condition. Trees were grown on the structures. There are three sannadhis in side the temple. The sannadhis are empty now and it was told that Perumal was shifted to Bhagwan Thirumalaisamy Temple which is about 500 meters from this temple.  Out side the Temple structure there are two idols and the one is a Chozha period Nandhi. The other one is the newly unearthed idol. Indra or Murugan sitting on Elephant. The Idol seems to be un finished and partly damaged. Couldn’t identify who is on the elephant.

The temple was completely constructed with  bricks. The style of Vimana and the stucco images this structure belongs to an Amman or Ambal temple. But what happened to Shiva Temple and what are the two sannadhis before the main sanctum..?.  The archaeological excavation may throw some light on this. The Nandhi is the only proof that a Shiva Temple might have been existed in this place.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---