Sri Vidyashankara Temple, Sringeri

This awesome temple is under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India owing to its architectural marvel.  A unique monument combining Hoysala (Chalukya) and Dravidian architecture styles in 1338 AD.

 

Elliptical in shape, this stands on a plinth and commands a magnificent view! This temple is a veritable store house of sculpture both inside and outside. 

VidyAshankara temple is a monument to jagadguru VidyA TIrtha, who entered into "lambika yoga sajIva Samadhi"(consciously entering into meditation to cast off the body) at the temple site. This 14th century temple is hailed as ‘poetry in stone'.

 

Sringeri is one of the mutts Adi Shanakara established in 8th centrury AD. The construction of the this temple is in 14th century, by Vidyaranya who was instrumental in the rise of Vijayanagar empire. The 12 pillars inside the temple has 12 zodiacal pillars called "Rashi Sthambas" and the sun beam illuminates only one pillar each month, entering the temple!

 

The outside sculpture of this temple features 61 images of various scenes from the puranas. 

 

 

 

The Dasavatharam is depicted on both sides.

The one above depicts the story of the Sage Markendaya, saved from Yama, by Lord Shiva as Kalasamhara Moorthy

 

 

What attention to detail.. The left panel depicting the "Kama Thaganam" and the right depicting the "Tripura Samharam" of Lord Shiva!

 

 

 

Koyambedu Vaikuntha Perumal Temple & Kurungaleeswarar temple

Koyam means horse in Sanskrit, and this place is associated with lava and kusa, sons of Rama.

 

 

Vaikunta perumal temple has idols of Rama in Maravuri and a pregnant Seetha, Sage valmiki with the two little boys.

 

Opposite to this temple is the kurugaleeswarar temple aka kuchalavapureerswarar- the boys worshipped shiva here, and so the lingam is also small as the name Kurungalerswarar denotes.

 

The unique significance of this temple is that both ambal and shiva face North, ambal sannidhi is on the right side to Shiva which is supposed to be powerful. In the outer prakaram of shiva, there is an idol of surya.

 

Other significance - Dakshinamoorthy (instead of lingotbhavar) behind the shiva sannidhi on the outer wall, Gnana Saraswathi without a veena, and a Vishnu Durga with shankuchakram

The dashavataram depicted in the gopuram at Vaikunta perumal Kovil

Thirumoolar

திருமூலர் அவரது பாடலில் " யாவர்க்குமாம் இறைவருக்கொரு பச்சிலை, யாவர்க்குமாம் பசுவுக்கொரு வாயுரை, யாவர்க்குமாம் உண்ணும்போது ஒருகைப்பிடி, யாவர்க்குமாம் பிறருக்கு இன்சொல்தானே"

இதன் மூலம் இறைவனுக்கு வில்லவ இலையான பச்சையிலையால் அர்ச்சித்து விட்டு, பசுவுக்கு ஒரு வாய்அளவிலான பசும்புல்லும், தான் உண்ணும் உணவில் மற்ற வர்களுக்கு ஒரு கைப்பிடி உணவும் வழங்குங்கள். இதுவும் முடியாத போது தாங்கள் பேசும் பேச்சிலாவது பிறரிடம் அன்பாக பேசுங்கள் என்ற கருத்தை வலியுறுத்திகறார்!

Kapaleeshwarar Kovil

Excerpts from the  Parthasarathy Mudaliar Endowment lecture by Chitra Madhavan on Kapaleeshwarar kovil. Mudaliar was very closely associated with this temple and was instrumental in construction of idols/figures in the temple gopuram. He's never missed a pradosham pooja at this temple, and his final days were at Varanasi, where he did pooja for 45 days and then attained jala samadhi in the Ganges!

 

 

 The temple's name is derived from the words kapalam (head) and "eeshwarar" - when Shiva plucked one head of Brahma. Later on Brahma did a penance and installed this lingam to please Shiva. And the other name with regard to Karpagambal is that Parvati is like the wish yielding Karpaga Tharu; and once when Parvati was not attentive to Shiva's upadesam and watching a dancing peacok, she was cursed to turn in a peacock and was instructed to worship Shiva to regain her normal form. The north east corner of the temple's block is the "Punnai Vana Nathar" shrine and we can see a representation of this legend on stone in a small Shrine under a Punnai tree (Sthala Vriksha).

 

Thiruvotriyur was a prime "Kapalika" cult town in earlier years - (The Kāpālika tradition practices the tantric form of Shaivism and these skull men carried a cranium begging bowl), and this cult might have had an influence on naming of this temple too.

 

Thiru Mayilai has been mentioned by Ptolemy, the Greek traveller as Millarpha and the seaport recorded as Mylar farm and did you know that its the birth place of Tiruvalluvar too? - The earliest Saivite saints of 7th Century, Thiru Gnana sambandar and Appar and two prominent Alwars (Peyazhwar and Thirumazhisai alwar) have all mentioned about the temple/place in their works.

 

One interesting observation was that the existing structure is not the original temple - The original 8th century shiva temple built by the pallavas was along the sea coast, referred from the hymns of Sambandar. Later on they say it was destroyed by the Portuguese and in that place they built the santhome church. The present temple was relocated before 350-400 years ago.

 

Amazing facts

 

1. The specialty of this temple is that it has 2 Dwajasthambams! - apart from a dwajasthambam in front of the main deity, there is one more in front of the Singaravelan sannadhi too.
2.  Vishnu Sharma taught Panchatantra to King Amarashakthi's sons (who is referred to as the king of Mylapore)
3.  The height of the sanctum of Singaravelar is a little higher than Kapaleeshwar, and the murugan sannidhi has a small opening directly. This seconds the fact that the relocation of the Kapaleeshwarar temple next to this
4.  The East Gopuram base is entirely Granite and the upper part is brick and stuttco, follows vijayanagar architecture and resembles Meenakshi amman temple gopuram.
5.  The notable sculptures in the temple gopuram include various kshetra natarajas, Heramba Ganapathy (riding a lion with multiple heads), Sage Bringhi with 3 legs, Ravana lifting Mount Kailash, Various roopams of Dakshinamurthy, Meenakshi Sundareshwar wedding, Kannapa nayanar story, Chandikeswarar story (who is the body guard of shiva and the head of his Ganas).
6.  In the Thirugnana sambandar shrine near the Dwajasthambam you can see his idol along with Poompavai. Sivanesa Chettiar, Poompavai's father wanted to get her married to Sambandar, but before he arrives, she dies. Her ashes are in the urn, during the 13 day period and Sambandar sings a pathigam to redeem her life back.
7.  Vaayila Nayanar (one who cant speak) - another saivite saint who built a golden temple for shiva in his heart to perform pooja, attained salvation here..

Kanyakumari Amman & Soundaryalahiri

 

 

Did you know that the monumental work of "Soundaryalahari" was composed by Adi Sankara at Kanyakumari?

 

The life-like image of Devi Kanyakumari with a smiling face is a combination of innocence, purity and beauty. Here Devi who stands alone continues her eternal penance and radiates sanctity all around. The lines in Soundaryalahari which read "O Goddess Jagadambal, you have given me the faculty of speech. I compose this poem in your praise and offer it to you"

 

The first part of 41 verses called `Aanandalahari' is regarded a `Mantra Sastra' describing the subtle forms of Devi and mode of worship of the Divine Mother;The remaining 59 verses contain an exquisite portrayal of the physical form of Devi from head to foot ending with a prayer for Her grace.

 

Adi Sankara exclaims, "O Mother your right eye being the Sun creates day and your left eye being the Moon creates night". The rising Sun and the setting Sun can only be seen at Kanyakumari simultaneously and not elsewhere. (And Chitra Pournami is special)

 

As a mark of his visit, a shrine of Adi Sankara was erected between the temple of Devi and the bathing ghat at the tapering end of Kanyakumari. There is an arch nearly 30 feet height in front of the shrine and on the top of the arch an image of Dakshinamurty is fixed; The main shrine contains the marble image of Adi Sankara with his four disciples. The holy feet of Sankara are also enshrined separately in the eastern side of the main shrine.

 

 

Amazing facts about Tirumala Deity

 

 

 Excerpts from Srivari Brahmotsavam publication of The Hindu..

1. The first reference to the heavenly abode of Lord Venkateshwara dates back to 2nd century in the Silappathikaram
2. Why is the annual festival called Brahmotsavam? - Lord Brahma himself descends on Tirumala to conduct the festival every year - A small blank chariot "Brahma ratham" moves ahead of the processions during the utsavam.
3. The day before the Brahmotsavam, the commander in chief of the Lord's army - Sri Vishwaksena goes around the temple town supervising the arrangments, and in the course of his inspection he collects the sacred earth "Mritsangrahanam" required for the yagasala inside the temple.
4. On the 6th night of the Brahmotsavam - only women are allowed to pull the swarna ratham!
5. The Brahmotsavam begins with Dwajarohanam when the sacred yellow flag with imprint of Lord Garuda is ceremoniously hoisled atop the dwajastahmabam
6. What are the seven hills? - Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Vrishabadri, Anjanadri, Narayandri and Venkatadri - and the temple is located on the seventh peak, Venkatadri,thus earning its name, Thiru Vengadam!
7. It is believed that Lord Mahavishnu directly descended and self-manifested himself(swayambu) to the Tirumala hills from his heavenly abode of Vaikuntham. The sanctum sanctorum which houses this awe inspiring idol is called Ananda Nilayam.
8. The Murthy stands directly beneath the Anandha Nilayam Vimanam and at any point of time the deity is decorated with no leass than 2 quintals of precious ornaments!

Thiruneer Malai

From Chitra Madhavan's lecture on Temples around Chennai : Thiru Neer Malai

அன்றாயர் குலக்கொடி யோடனிமா மலர் மங்கை யொடளப்பளாவி அவுணர்க் கென்றானு மிரக்க மில்லாதவனுக் குறையு மிடமாவது, இரும்பொழில் சூழ் நன்றாய புனல் நறையூர் திருவாலி குடந்தை தடந்திகழ் கோவல் நகர் நின்றானிருந்தான் கிடந்தான் நடந்தாற் கிடம் மாமலையாவது நீர்மலையே.

A glimpse of 2000 year old temple where The Lord appears in four forms - ...

1. In the foot hill as "Neer Vanna Perumal" (Rama) like Nachiyal Kovil
2. On the top of the hill as "Ranganathar, Trivikrama and Shantha Narasimhar" - Compared by Thirumangai Azhwar as - Ranganathar as in Sarngapani temple, Narasimhar as in Thiruvali Thiru Nagari (Near Sirkazhi) and Trivikrama as in Thiru Kovilur!

Interesting facts about the temple

- You can see the idol of Thirumangai Azhwar and his wife Kumudavalli
- Dwajastambam not alinged to the Sanctum
- Valmiki was blessed with Rama Darshan alongwith Seetha, Lakshmanan, Bharatha Satrugunan
- Ranganthar is four- armed (unlike Srirangam where he has 2 hands)

What you should not miss in this temple

- The Vijayanagar architecture outside and Chola architecutre inside
- The fluted pillar and the amazing Vijayanagar Mandapam on the top of the hill