BALEESHWARAR & BALAMBIGAI TEMPLE - NIRUTTI LINGAM - PARIVAKKAM

 Ashthadikapala Temples - 9

NIRUTTI LINGAM

BALEESHWARAR & BALAMBIGAI TEMPLE - PARIVAKKAM - AVADI - CHENNAI

NIRUTTI, Nirrti,Nirhti is an auspicious goddess linked with deathly realms and sorrow and is often linked with KALI in the form of Dhumavati a tantric goddess. She is potrayed as ugly & Old and is associated with inauspicious things.

The word Nirhti means devoid of "Rta". ( In the Vedic scriptures "Rta" is the natural order of functioning of the Universe and everything that is contained in it.The guardian of absence of Cosmic disorder. Nirhti is mentioned in the Rigveda, for seeking protection from herself. As per the Shatapatha Brahmana she is the regent of the SOUTH - WEST quarter of the cardinal directions and is one of the Eight and only goddess Dikapala. In Puranic stories she is known as ALAKSHMI the opposite of LAKSHMI. Lakshmi married Mahavishnu & Alakshmi married Shiva. During the churning of the Ocean, Alakshmi came first and then came Lakshmi.

The goddess has dark black complexion and is revered as sacred and auspicious being the colour of mother earth and wears black dress. She is the Rupam of MAHAVIDYA, which are a group of ten aspects of ADIPARASAKTHI. They are all forms of PARVATI the Ardhangini of SHIVA.

This beautiful Temple represents the great lord Mahadev in the form of a Lingam depicting his Ardhangini Devi Parvati as Nirutti. The temple in itself is very old, the Lingam predates the temple.

In a fairly large compound, without a Rajagopuram,on entrance you can find a small but beautiful Nandi Mandapam with Nandin. After this is the mukhamandapam with multiple pillars decorated with fascinating sculptures. On the far end of this Mandapam is a small antarala which leads to the Garbhgriha of the Lord as a Lingam facing east known as BALEESHWARAR. To his left is the sanctum of Goddess Parvati as BALAMBIGAI. On circumambulation the Koshtha walls of the Garbhgriha is lined up withVinayaka,Dakshinamurthy,Lingothbhavar,Brahma & Durga. There is a shrine for Kalabhairava in the precinct. The temple is well maintained.

Being part of the Ashthadikapala temples surrounding the Vedapureeshwarar Temple, this Lingam could be presumed to be from the time of the reign of the great CHOLA King KULOTHUNGA CHOLA II, (1133 - 1150 CE) about 800 years ago or more and must have passed through many dynasties.