VARAAHEESHWARAR TEMPLE - SHIVA - THE BENEVOLENT - DHAMAL

SHRI VARAHEESHWARAR TEMPLE – DHAMAL – KANCHIPURAM – TAMILNADU.

After Pralaya, at the beginning of a new Kalpa, Lord Brahma was busy at the work of creation. Swayambhu Manu and Shatarupa came into being who would bring forth virtuous progeny to live through the next Kalpa. However, suffering from the atrocities of the Asura Hiranyaksha, Bhoomadevi (Mother Earth) sank to the primordial ocean floor. Lord Bramha requested lord Vishnu to come to his help, so from his nostril came Vishnu in the form of a boar (Varaha Avathar), which grew in size so massive that it carried the earth on its Tusks and placed it back on its orbit.

Hiranyakasha challenged Vishnu in the form of Varaha, to a dual. Varaha lightly tapped the asura on his ear with his hoof & the asura fell dead. The tusk of Lord Varaha was stained with the blood of Hiranyaksha and he was dazed and forgot to return back to Vaikuntha. Varaha murthy had to atone for his sin of killing & hence prayed to lord Shiva for Moksha.

There are supposed to be ten temples of Lord Shiva in an around Kanchipuram where Lord Vishnu in his Avatars Prays to Lord Shiva. In this Temple Lord Vishnu in his Varaha Avatar, prays to Lord Shiva known as Varahaeeshwarar. The consort of Lord Varaheeshwarar is Goddess Parvathi known as Gouri. 

The Temple is facing west and the 7-tiered Rajagopuram is on the western side of the temple. On entering through the Mukhadwaram one comes to a grand open courtyard. Towards the end of this compound are two shrines facing each other perpendicular to the Shrine of Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam(3 feet), with Sudarshana (Chakra) & Panchajanya (Shankh) inscribed on the Lingam facing west. On the left is the shrine of Goddess Parvathi as Gouri with an elephant as her vehicle, instead of the Nandi. 

On the right is the Shrine of Lord Subramanya. Post this is a rectangular pillared hall, with all the pillars intricately decorated with sculpture’s all over. The sculptures include that of Ashtha Bhairava or eight Bharavas & Sarbeshwara. There are also a lot of sculptures of Vishnu. The erosion on the stones makes one think that the structure could be older than most of the temples in Kanchipuram. 

Post this mandapam, is the Mukhamandapam, the Ardhamandapam and a chaturanga Garbhagriha with a chaturanga (Square) Vimana, where Lord Varaheeshwarar (was also known as Pandreeshwarar during the Vijayanagara period) sits as a Lingam facing the west. Since the lord is facing west, the Avudayar or Pindika points to the left.

The temple would have been in existence during the Pallava period in the 6th century CE and would have been renovated many times, with additions, by Chola’s, Pandya’s, Vijayanagara Kings. The place Dhamal was a fort to protect Kanchipuram from invasion. In fact the temple was rebuilt during the reign of Kulothunga II & Raja Raja II in the 12th century CE.

Temple Timings: 07.30 to 11 AM & 05.30 to 07.30 PM.
Contact Number :9994706276