Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

DHARBHARANYESHWARAR TEMPLE - SHANI ( SATURN) - TIRUNALLAR

Dharbharanyeswarar Temple,Tirunallar –Shani(Saturn) Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple  or  Dharbharanyeswarar Temple  is a Shiva temple dedicated to Lord Dharbharanyeswar. There is a shrine dedicated to Shani (saturn) located in the Temple in Tirunallar town in Karaikal district of Pondicherry. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva, ( Dharbaranyeswar)  and the place Tirunallar  was historically called Dharbaranyam. The presiding deity, Lord Shiva in the form of   a swayambhu lingam coming out of Darbha grass hence known as Dharbaranyeswarar. His consort is Praneshwari. The worship is also centered around the icon of planet saturn, called Shani, originally treated as the door keeper of the shrine. According to Hinduism, saturn resides in each  rasi (zodiac) for two and half years. The tradition is to worship Shani before entering the inner sanctum of Lord Siva. Kings in the past had donated milch cows for the upkeep of the temple. From the cowherd community a cowherd(Idayan) was selected

KAMAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE - THE NAVEL OF GODDESS SHAKTHI - KANCHIPURAM

  Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple - The Navel of Goddess Shakthi. Bhandasura the evil Asura was tormenting Indra and the devas. The devas prayed to Shakti in the form of a Parrot, residing on a Champaka Vriksha (Magnolia Champaka) at Kanchi. Hearing the plea of the devas, the goddess Kamakshi appeared from the Bila Dwara and destroyed the evil asura in this place. The bila dvara leading to bilakasha or Mahameru can be seen today in front of the tapomagna kamakshI sannidhi inside the garbhagriha of the Kamkshi Temple. The Kamakshi AmmanTemple is an ancient Temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi, the ultimate form of Shakthi. It is located in the historic city of Kanchipuram The Temple in all probability was built by the Pallava Kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram. The temple is one of the 51 Shakthi Peetham and is associated with the Navel of the Goddess, the Goddess was prayed to by Adi Shankara. Kamakshi, Meenakshi & Akilandeswari from Kanchipuram, Madurai & Thiruvanaikoil re

ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 3 - THE CELESTIAL MARRIAGE - SHIVA - GHARAPURI -

GHARAPURI  - ELEPHANTA CAVES 3 THE MARRIAGE OF SHIVA AND PARVATHI - attended by relatives, Gana’s, Rishi’s and Deva’s. SHIVA's marriage to PARVATHI, who is standing to his right. SATI who is reborn as PARVATHI to a father who  adores her, does penance to LORD SHIVA to attain him, SHIVA is pleased with the Penance of Parvathi and decides to marry her King HIMAVAN the father, who loves UMA or PARVATHI his daughter, gives her in marriage to SHIVA as SUNDARA. Parvathi Stands on the right hand side of Shiva before marriage. HIMAVAN along with his wife MENA ( MAINA)  placing Uma’s hand in the hands of the LORD SUNDARA.  PARVATHI’s brother MT. MAINAK   with a Kalash (Pot) in his hand and CHANDRA (MOON) behind him. Parvathi is bedecked in Jewels and even Shiva  is crowned and jeweled with necklace and he is holding the sash of his garment which is flowing up to his ankle. A coy PARVATHI bedecked with jewels,SHIVA with a beautiful crown,necklace and yagyopavitham. Sitt