Adipureeswarar Temple

Overview

The Thiagarajaswamy temple in Tiruvotriyur stands majestically in this industrial area, busy with activity and commerce. Devotees from six sects of religion perform puja here. Saivites, Vaishnavites, Saaktar, Uchavar, Adi Saivites and Namboodris visit and worship the manifestations of Shiva and Shakthi at this temple. Tamil Nadu has innumerable temples, both Saivite and Vaishnavite, which have ancient history and a rich cultural heritage. From this plethora, 275 Saivite temples or punyastalas have been selected as Paadal Petra Stalams on the basis of their antiquity, the richness of their cultural ethos, and the quantum of eulogy dedicated to the temple.  In the same manner, 108 Vaishnavite temples have been selected as Divyadesams.Tiruvotriyur is located about 10 kilometres from Chennai. Trains from the Chennai Central Suburban Railway Station in the route marked ‘Chennai – Gummidipundi’ stop at Tiruvotriyur. Tiruvotriyur is also accessible by local Government buses.Of the 275 Paadal Petra Stalams, 32 lie in the Tondi Nadu, among which the Thiagarajaswamy temple at Tiruvotriyur is special. Saivites, Vaishnavites, Saaktar, Uchavar, Adi Saivites and Namboodris visit and love the signs of Shiva and Shakthi.

About The Temple

The Thiagarajaswamy temple is a masterpiece of South Indian temple Architecture. The awe-inspiring Raja gopura, the Gajapurhta Vimana, the Vasanta Mandapa, the Thiagarajan shrine, the Ornate doorways and the Nandipeeta vidana are some of the rare masterpieces of fine art. Stone inscription from variegated sources proliferate the temple, bearing testimony to the eloquence of the royal patronage extended to this temple. Gods, goddesses, devas, sages, kings, poets and devotees have worshipped Shiva in his various forms at this temple. The Stalapurana at Thiruvottiyur and the Thiagarajaswamy temple in particular, colleted from various sources like stone inscriptions, references from poems like the Thevaram and Periapuranam and stories which have been sustained and circulated through an aural-oral tradition inspire awe and fear in the listener. Stone engraving from variegated sources multiply the temple, bearing confirmation to the regal's expressiveness support stretched out to this temple. All the data from these stone engravings have been gathered and distributed by the Tamil Nadu Government as reports in the accumulation fit in with the times of the Chola lords, Madurai Konda Gopura Kesarivarmam, Uttama Chola Devan, Raja Chola I, Rajendra Chola I, Rajathiraja Chola I and Kulothunga Chola I have been found. From the Pallava period, engravings from the times of Vijaya Aparajitha Potharaiyar, Kovijaya Niruthungavarmar and Kovijaya Kambavarmar have been found. Among the Pandiyas, engravings from the times of Jatavarma or Thirubhuvan Chakravarthy Sundara Pandian have been found. From the Rashtrakutas, engravings bearing the lord's name of Kanchi and Tanjore, King Kannara Devan have been seen. Engravings from the Vijayanagar Kingdoms that have been found are said to have a place with the rules of Sayanna Udaiyar, Devaraja's child Punnana Udaiyar and Veerappradaba Devaraja Maharayar. Stone engraving from the Sampuvaraaya line fit in with the rule of Sakalabhuvana Chakravarthy Raja Narayana Sampuvaraayar. Pandit Sathuranana, a Keralite, was knowledgeable in numerous languages. He was an understudy of Niranjana Devar, who had been preparing a few understudies on the statutes of Saivism. At around 11 A.D. amid the tenth year of the standard of the Pallava King Kovijayakamba Varma, child of Nandivarma III, he incepted the temple Niranjana Devechuram at Thiruvottiyur. He gave a few lands for this temple. Pandit Sathuranana joined as a pupil of Niranjana Devar. He was a companion of the Rastrakuta King Vallaba, when youthful. Later, he came to Chola Nadu and helped King Rajaditya Chola. In a fight that followed between the rulers, Rajaditya Chola slaughtered King Vallaba. Heartbroken after this occurrence, Sathuranana disavowed the world to wind up a parsimonious. A stone engraving dated to the twentieth's season’s year of the tenet of Krishnadevaraya III gives this data.

After Niranjana Devar's destruction, Sathuranana turned into the establishment's leader and other people who tailed him named themselves by the same name. This is the reason there is a bounty of Pandit Sathurananas in different stone engravings between 10 A.D. also, 12 A.D. say that numerous supporters examined different sacred texts at the Sathuranana madam. Kambar learnt Valmiki's Ramayana from him. Legends say that Kannagi who smoldered Madurai showed up as Vattapparai Amman before Kamban with a light of flame and bade him to make a sonnet on her. The Pandit Sathurananas amid the rules of the Chola lords Rajendra I and Kulothunga I were knowledgeable in their subject. A stone engraving says that Pandit Sathuranana, who possesses the Sathuranana madam and the crematory grounds of Thiruvottiyur gave King Rajendra I, 450 coins on his birthday. The same reference is made in a few different engravings. Sage Vakkesa originated from Kodambakkam and taught Saiva Siddanta to the understudies at Thiruvottiyur. Amid the ninth year of the rule of King Rajathiraja II, the Panguni Uthram celebration led at Thiruvottiyur. The ruler had likewise gone to this celebration. On the 6th day, the representation of Padampakka Nathar was set under the stalavriksha. Around the same time the 'Aalludai Nambi Sripuranam' was displayed. Amongst the individuals who were available were Sage Vakeesa and Pandit Sathuranana. Sage Vakeesa is said to have given an explanation of the purana. Other than this, Sage Vakeesa has composed a book titled clarifies the subtleties of Saiva Siddanta and gives an inside and out examination of the subject. This book is viewed as a power even today.

Temples are huge formations, not only in terms of their structure, but also in terms of the renovation work and upkeep that has to be done form time to time. Kings and devotees down the ages have toiled hard for the Thiagarajaswamy temple at Thiruvottiyur. King Tondaiman ruled from Kanchipuram. He established his authority over all the other small kingdoms around Kanchi. But two Kings, Vannan and Onnan refused to subjugate to this authority. Tondaiman led a battle against these kings, but lost because a demon that defended them ate up King Tondaiman’s army. Totally disarmed, he went to Sage Vromasa for guidance. He gave him a dharbai a blade of grass to fight the demon. Tondaiman wondered as to how a delicate blade of grass was going to defend him. But he left for the battle without a word. When the demon emerged, he flung the dharbai at him. The blade of grass became the mazhu – the weapon of Shiva and chased the demon. The demon, recognizing the weapon, as Shiva’s own, knew that he would be destroyed. Angered he ate up the kings Vannan and Onnan and ran for his life, never to come back again. Tondaiman became a great devotee of Shiva. He restored the Thiagarajaswamy temple in 750 A.D He worked on the restoration of the temple and constructed the shrines of Vadivudai Amman, Gunalaya vinayagar, Vattapparai Amman, Valarkali Amman, Arul Jothi Murugan, Akasalingam, Sahasralingam and the 27 Natchktras. He also constructed the gopuras and the temple walls. Besides this, he also procured 500 shivalingas and 500 austere Brahmins from Kasi and reinstated the temple according the agama texts. Moreover, he conducted the Tirukkadalattu, a water festival on Masi Magam. He gave away several lands and towns to the temple. Thiruvottiyuran Adimai was an ardent Devotee of Sri Thiagarajaswamy and Vadivudai Amman. He undertook the restoration of the temple and organized the kuta muzhukku of the temple in 1936. For 12 years, he visited the temple from his home in Choolaimedu without fail (even on the day of his son’s demise). Such was his devotion. He worked fervently and diligently for 14 years and completed the restoration work of the temple. He has also built a school and a hospital in honour of the reigning deity of Thiruvottiyur. More recently, the Kumbhabishekam of the temple was conducted on July 6th 1998 with the participation of thousands of devotees.

About the deity

Lord Vinayaka in this temple is appears as the Gunalaya Eramba Vinayakar and blesses the devotees. Ramalinga Adigalar has sung a few verses in praise on him. This temple is likewise alluded to as Gunalayam and Shiva is called Gunalaya Selvar. Arunagirinathar has sung on Lord Muruga who resides here. Likewise Chidambara Nathar has sung a Pillaitthamizhil praising the magnificence of this god. It is additionally said that Maraimalai Adigalar got relieved of his stomach ache, the reason for which was unknown, after praying to Lord Muruga. Gowdeeswarar is believed to be performing retribution at his Sannithi. The image of Gowdeeswarar was installed by the Adi Saivites, who are said to have come from Gowda district of the Himalayas. It is believed that the Adi Saivites in the past had chanted had continuously chanted the Omkara without stopping. Lord Dakshinamoorthi shrine, unlike other Lord Siva temples, is seen facing north. The shila of the Lord is also large. Generally Lord Dakshinamoorthi, in other Siva sthalas will be seen facing southward as he clarifies the doubts of the Sanakathi sages. According to the legends, the north facing Dakshnamoorthi bestows devotees with learning and riches.

Anjaneyar in this temple is seen sculpted on the temple pillar. Devotees offer thulsi garlands and butter to him. Goddess Kali has a separate shrine in this temple. She is known as Vattaparai amman. Adi Shankara is said to have installed sri chakra on a sone in front of her to calm down the Devi and to make her Sowmyaroopi meaning calm, graceful and resplendent. Other deities that grace the temle are Jaganadhar, Annamalayar, Thiruptheeswarar, Kuzhandhai Eesar, Jambukeswarar, Nagalingar, Meenakshi, Sundareswarar, Sagasralingam, Amirthakandeesar, Gowrieeswarar, and Ekapaadhar. The twenty-seven stars of Tamil calendar are believed to have worshipped Shiva in this temple. To this day a select group of Nampoothiri families perform pooja and aradhana to this God and Goddess as ordained by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.

Legend and Stories

Creator Brahmma, one of the trinities, began the creation of the world. While in the process of creation, he came across a city which was already created, even before he could proceed with the activity of creation. He started wondering on who would have created this. To know about this he reached out to Lord Vishnu, who informed him that the city was created by Lord Shiva and is known in the name of Adipuri denoting the first and oldest city. Lord Vishnu directed his son (Brahmma), born out of his naval, to go to the sacred place of Tiruvottriyur and pray to Lord Shiva and then proceed with creation. Lord Brahmma came to this place and venerated Lord Shiva. The Lord ordered the sea to move on (Othi) to enable Brahmma’s creation. Hence the place derived the name Othiyur and in course of time transformed to Ottriyur or Tiruvottriyur.

Festivals

Special Festivals

In this temple there 27 lingam which has represent the 27 stars ,similarly in this temple there are panja pootha lingam also there for dharisana's. Every friday and full moojn day there will be uchi kaala special poojai for vadivudai amman temple..

Mahasivarathri in Masi (February-March) and Tiruvadhirai in Margazhi (December-January) are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Accessibility

This temple is situated at Tiruvotriyur, in northern part of Chennai city and is well linked by town buses from every part of Chennai city. There is also a suburban railway station

Temple Address