CHANDRA CHOODESHWARAR TEMPLE – HOSUR – KRISHNAGIRI DISTRICT – TAMILNADU
On a small hill lock of 250 Ft in the town of Hosur in Krishnagiri district, Tamilnadu about 40 KM’s from Bangaluru,is the temple of Lord Shiva in the form of a Swayambhu Lingam without a proper Avudayar or Pindika known as ChandraChoodeshwarar, with his Consort Goddess Margathambal. Chandra meaning (Moon) Chooda meaning ( Jewel) Eshwar means Lord. Lord, who adorns the Moon as a Jewel. The third crescent of the waxing moon is adorned as the crown jewel by Lord Shiva. The 3rd crescent is visible across the globe, and viewing the 3rd crescent is surmised by Hindu’s as equal to seeing Lord Shiva.
Goddess Parvathi is known as Maragathambal. The word Maragatham in Tamil means Emarald which is green, signifying the name of the Goddess as Prakrithi or Nature, Greenery or Fertility.
The period of existence of this temple cannot be assessed, however the Temple seems to have been reconstructed in or extended in the year 1260 CE, by a Vassal or chieftain of the Hoysala Kingdom known as Thirupuvanamalla Parvatharaja Anthiyazhvar, under the Hoysala King Veera Someshwara(1235 – 1263 CE). The temple has been in existence before this, as it carries the inscription of Rajendra Chola whose reign was from 1014 to 1044 CE. The temple has been passed on from Chola’s , Hoysala’s,Pandya’s & the Vijayanagara Kings. The temple seems to have further gone into renovation by Azhakiya Perumal Aathimoolam sometimes later. The area of the Temple which was a forest was known as bhadradri and the Hill was known as Bhadragiri, in the Brahmanda Purana. The temple is defenitely more than a 1000 years old.
The Brahmanda Purana says that, Dharmaraja was being persecuted by disruptive elements. He knew that, only Lord Shiva could protect him. He came to the forest south of the River Pennai and did penance to lord Shiva in the forest of Bhadradri. The Lord pleased with his penance appeared before him and converted him to a VRishabham (Bull) and made him his vehicle. He also blessed the place with bounty of nature and made the hills sacred. So beautiful was the place that, the Lord wanted Parvathi to visit this place and took the form of a Udumbu (Iguana) or monitor lizard in crystal shining with multiple colour’s. Parvathi attracted to the iguana, started chasing it along with her attendants, the chase made her hot and red in colour. The iguana reached the forest of Bhadradri and stopped. Goddess Parvathi stealthily moved to catch the iguana, but a Sage named Mudkalan saw the colourful crystal like Iguana and called out to his friend Uchchayanan loudly. Hearing the sound the Iguana disappeared. Seeing this Parvathi became angry and cursed both the Sages to become dumb and deaf and wander the forest as Hunters. Realizing that the lady was none other than Goddess Shakthi, The sages sought her forgiveness. She had cursed the devotees of her Lord Shiva & in repentance prayed to a lingam to absolve her of the sin and to relieve the sages out of the curse. The crystal Iguana returned and the Goddess touched the Iguana’s green tail, which transformed her skin colour to green. The Lord showed himself and blessed Parvathi and the sages, he also said that the sages will be relieved of the curse when they see the iguana in the forest again as hunters. He also told Parvathi that he was playing with her as the Crystal Udumbu (Iguana).
The lingam to which Parvathi had prayed, is the Lingam in the Temple of Chandra Choodeshwar. Since Parvathi had touched the Green Iguana and became green in colour, she is known as Maragathambal or the Green Goddess.
The temple being on a hill, has stairs to climb ( Cars can go up to the Top, parking available).There is a pond on the climb called Maragatha teertham. The entrance is through the west and leads to the circumambulation towards the eastern entrance. The temple is on the end of a compound. In the compound the entrance into the Mukhamandapam is through the Eastern doorway. On the entrance is a the Dhwaja stahambam, Balipeetham and a Large Nandi. Crossing this one comes to the Ardhamandapam, which leads to the sanctum. In the sanctum is the small Swayambhu Lingam of Lord Shiva facing East, with the Avudayar on the ground.
Coming out of the Ardhamandapam on the southern side & behind the shrine of the lord are the shrines of Vinayaka as Rajaganapathy, to the right, Subramania Swamy on the left and on the extreme left is the Majestic standing 5 FT idol of Parvathi as Maragathambal. The outer walls of the Garbha Griha is lined up with the Koshtha devatas, Ganapathy, Dakshinamoorthy, Vishnu & a unique statue of Siva Lakshmi and a shrine to Chandikeshwarar.
The compound of the Mukhamandapam is elevated on the left side with a platform containing, 63 Shaivite Saints, Kalabhairavar and other gods. In one corner is the small sculpture of Vayu holding the Temple aloft. The Platform also has sub-shrine with of 8 Gods of the Cardinal direction
Kubera - North, Yama – South, Indra – East, Varuna – West, Isana – North east, Agni – South east, Vayu North west , Nairuiti – North west and Lord Shiva as Chandra Choodeshwar in the Centre as the Adipathi or Overlord.( See Photographs).
The temple is bereft of any decoration or artwork on the pillars and is all bland & round in shape, except for the Pillars in the Garbha Griha, which has little decoration. The Shrine of Rajaganapathy has decorative Murals of Lord Shiva on the Left with four hands and what looks like an Eagle on his left back hand. The sculpture of Parvathy with a dagger and a Child holding on to her legs is on the left wall of this shrine, Which makes one think that the Temple would have been built or rebuilt with separate shrines during separate timelines.
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