A Wandering Heritager: 2023

Wednesday, 8 November 2023

Pallava Period Hero Stone / Veerakallu / Nadukal / நடுகல் and Kondangi Eri, Kondangi, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Pallava period Hero stone with inscription at Kondangi was a part of “Shiva & Vishnu Temples, Hero Stones and Heritage Sites Visit”, from Ponmar to Karunilam, near Guduvanchery, in Chengalpattu District on 24^th October 2023.

This Hero stone of Kondangi is installed on the south side banks of Kondangi lake. The Hero is shown looking on his left side. Holding a sword on the left hand and a weapon or musical instrument on the right hand near his mouth. The hero is wearing half dress below his waist and a sword is tied to his hip. There is a three line inscription is inscribed bottom of the Hero Stone.

The original inscription reads as....

1.முள்ளிப்பாக்

2.கிழாரு மக்கள்

3.பொ(ன்னம்).

Thanks to Mrs Mangai Veeraraghavan and Mr Veeraraghavan of Villupuram, who brought to light and S Rajagopal Sir deciphering the inscription.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Monday, 6 November 2023

A Pallava Period Dhara Lingam as Siddhar Lingam / Sri Adhipureeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ ஆதிபுரீஸ்வரர் கோவில் / Adipureeswarar Temple, Sonallur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Adipureeswarar Temple at Sonallur was a part of “Shiva & Vishnu Temples, Hero Stones and Heritage Sites Visit”, from Ponmar to Karunilam, near Guduvanchery, in Chengalpattu District on 24^th October 2023.

This Shiva temple little away from the human habitation and on the banks of Sonallur tank, a drinking water source created under the Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam at an estimated cost of Rs 10.79 lakhs.

Moolavar : Sri Adhipureeswarar / Adipureeswarar

Consort : Sri Kamakshi

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

The temple is facing east with balipeedam and a Rishabam. Vinayagar and Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar are at the entrance of sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar Sri Adhipureeswarar is of swayambhu on a round avudayar. A Dhara Lingam ( sodasa lingam with 16 fluted surfaces ), written as Siddhar Lingam and Ambal is in the sanctum itself.

Chandikeswarar, Bairavar and Nagar are around the sanctum sanctorum.

ARCHITECTURE

The total temple is under a asbestos shed. An asbestos shed with two pipe supports are erected in front of the temple.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Considering Siddhar Lingam, a Dhara lingam ( sodasa lingam with 16 fluted surfaces ), this Shiva Temple may be a Siddhar Peedam or a Samadhi temple. Dhara Lingas are usually worshiped during the Pallava period. Hence this Dhara Linga as Siddhar Peedam may be existed since 07^th to 08^th Century.

An 18^th to 19^th Century inscription stone is erected on the left side of Vinayagar. Since oil was applied for a long period the letters are very difficult to read. May be a donation stone to this temple.

HOW TO REACH

The temple is about 500 meters before the Village Sonallur and Sonallur is about 1 KM from Sonallur Junction on Kelambakkam to Vandalur Road.

The temple is about 3 KM from Mambakkam, 6 KM from Ottiyambakkam, 8 KM from Kelambakkam, 15.8 KM from Vandalur and 40 KM from Chennai Central Station.

Nearest Railway Station is Vandalur.

LOCATION O THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Gangai Amman Temple - just before Shiva Temple

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sunday, 5 November 2023

Ponnur Hill Jain Temple Complex, Kundakunda Acharya Paduka / Tapobhumi of Acharya Kund Kund Dev / பொன்னூர் மலை ( ஆச்சார்யா குந்து குந்து தேவ் தபோபூமி ), Ponnur Hill, Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

This Ponnur Hills also called as Nilgiri Hills and renamed as Kund Kund Nagar during recent years. Sri 108 Kunda Kunda Acharya’s padas / foot prints with Mahaveera Idol and Sri Kund Kund acharya meditated cave are on the top of the Hill. The Dharma Chakra stupi is at the beginning of the Steps. The steps are neatly laid up to the Acharya Tapobhumi with a resting Mandapa at the middle. The Temple / mandapa was built with Mahavira Tirthankara image on the back of old and new foot prints of Acharya Kund kund. There is a natural cave is covered with a new structure during recent years. It is believed that Sri 108 Kund Kund Acharya meditated in this cave.

மங்கலம் பகவான் வீரோ மங்கலம் கௌத மோகணீ !

மங்கலம் குந்த குந்தார்யோ நஜன தர்மோஸ்து மங்கலம் !!

ஸ்வஸ்தி ஸ்ரீ வீரநிர்வான ஆண்டு 2522 கார்த்திகை சுத்தம் திரியோதசி திதி, ஞாயிர்றுகிழமை (05-11-1995 ) குந்த குந்த ஆம்னாயம் மூல சங்கம் பலாத்கார கணம் ஆச்சார்ய ஸ்ரீ வித்யாசாகர் நல் சீடர் ஸ்ரீ 108 ஆர்ஜவசாகர் முனிவர்தம் திருமுன் தமிழ்நாடு பொன்னுர் மலை( நீலகிரி )யில் ஆசாரிய குந்த குந்தர் திருவடி அருகில் பகவான் மஹாவீரர் திகம்பர பழமையான அதிசய ஜிந பிம்பம் பிரதிஷ்டை செய்யப்பட்டது.. சுபமஸ்து.

The Mahaveera Tithankara’s old image was installed on the back side of Kunda Kunda Archarya’s padas /foot prints on 05^th November 1995, in presence of Acharya Sri Vidhyasagar’s disciple Sri 108 Arjavasagar Muni.

பரம பூஜய குந்த குந்த ஆசாரிய தேவரின் பழமையான பாத சுவடுகள் தொடர்ந்து சிதிலமடைந்து வருவதை கண்டு சாரித்ர சக்ரவர்தி பிரதம ஆசாரியர் பரம் பூஜ்ய சாந்தி ஸாகர்ஜி மஹாராஜின் பரம்பரை நிகழ்கால ஆசாரியர் ஸ்ரீ வர்தமான் ஸாகர்ஜி அவர்களின் ஸத் சங்கத்தின் வழிகாட்டுதலோடு கிபி 2006 ஆம் ஆண்டு சாதுர் மாதத்தில் இந்த புதிய பாதங்கள் ஸ்ரீ குந்த குந்த தபோகிரி நிர்வாகம் கமிட்டியின் பொன்னூர்மலை, பொன்னூர் உறுப்பினர்களால் நிறுவப்பட்டது. யாத்ரிகர் பழமையான பாத சுவடுகளை தரிசனம் செய்து, புதிய பாத சுவடுகளில் அபிசேகம் செய்யுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்ளப்படுகிறார்கள் ஸ்ரீ குந்த குந்த ஆச்சார்ய கமிட்டி பொன்னூர்.

Due to deterioration of Kund Kund Acharyas 2000 and odd years old foot prints, a new foot print was installed under the guidance of Acharya Sri Vardhaman Sagarji, who is descendant of Sarithra Chakravarthi Piratham Acharyar Parama poojya Shanthi Sagarji Maharaj, by the Ponnur Administration. Hence it was requested to do abhishek to the new foot prints

Brief History of Kund Kund Acharya..

Acharya Kund kund as Padmanandi, was born in a small Village Konakondla in Vairakarur near Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh. But he was called in the name of the Village as kund Kund. He did penance in a small natural cave on the Poonur Hills and authored about 84 books on Jainism in palm leaves. These books mainly covers the Jain principles of Right faith, Right Knowledge and right Conduct.

HILL TEMPLE TIMINGS

Worship times are 05.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.30. Usually the Vathiyar will do pooja around 07.00 hrs and will come back to base temple and nobody will stay there.

Believed that Acharya Kund Kund did penance in this Cave
Believed that Acharya Kund Kund did penance in this Cave
Believed that Acharya Kund Kund did penance in this Cave

KUND KUND NAGAR

The Base complex Kund Kund Nagar consists of, Kund Kund ashram, Sri Adinatha Jinalaya, Guest Houses for the Pilgrims stay, Thiyagi Bhavan, Samosaran and Thirukural Mandapa with research centre.

The Adinatha Tirthankara Jinalaya has the images of Adinatha Tirthankara, Parshvanatha and Chandraprabha are worshipped.

HISTORY OF THE BASE COMPLEX

To construct Kund Kund ashram, Sri Adinath Tirthankara Jinalaya and Samosaran, a land measuring 6 acres and 29 cents was bought. In this 29 cent was donated & registered to ( Sri 108 Kund Kund alias Elachariyar’s Thirukkural in Tamil ), Thirukkural mandapam. This was gifted by, Jengampoondi Sri Sa Sridhara Nainar, a dharmakartha.

Sri 108 Kund Kund foot prints front Mandapa, out side flooring and roof was constructed. For the same the required fund of Rs 9500 was gifted by Sri Delhi Shahi Jain’s wife Ramabhai Ammal. Neminatha Swami Jinalaya was gifted by Krishnagiri Vasudeva Nainar’s wife Kanchanamalai Ammal.

This Digambara Jinalaya, which includes Sri Sri Manthira Swami, was gifted by Jegampoondi Sridhara Nayinar’s Son Sundara Kumara nayinar.

This jinalaya, which includes Sri Adi Tirthankara was gifted by Marudur J Chinnathambi Nainar’s wife Sugavathy Ammal.

As per the order of Melsithamur Svathi Sri Lakshmi Sena Bhattaraka Bhattacharya Swamy’s order, Sri Kund Kund Ashram Panchakuta Jinalaya’s, Pushpanjali nonbu and Pancha kalyana vaibhavam was performed on 14^th February 1975, from the own fund of Sridhara nainar’s Son Sundara Kumara Nainar.