Skip to main content

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 respectively form the important centers of worship of Goddess, in Tamil Nadu.
The Idol of , Kamakshi, is seated in Padmasana, a Yogic posture signifying peace and prosperity, instead of the traditional standing pose. Goddess holds a sugarcane bow and bunch of five flowers in the lower two of her arms and has a pasha (lasso), an ankusha (goad) in her upper two arms. There is also a parrot perched near the flower bunch. Kamkshi is also revered as the consort of Ekambaranathar in the Ekambareswarar temple nearby. There aren’t any temple for the goddess, nor any shrine in any of the shiva temples in Kanchipuram & there is no shrine to Shiva in the Kamakshi Temple.
In total there are 5 shrines dedicated to Kamakshi,
1.The main deity, Kamakshi also known as Sri Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari.
2. Tapah Kamakshi – The goddess who prayed to lord Ekambarabathar under the mango tree and married him. Hence the lord does not have a consort in any of the Temples in Kanchipuram.
3. Anjana Kamakshi – Lord Rama prayed to her.
4.Swarna Kamakshi – Golden Kamakshi,created from the 3rd eye of the goddess,as the shakthi of Ekamranatha, also known as Ekambika. The original Idol is in Tanjore in the bangaru Kamakshi temple.
5.Utsava Kamakshi – The idol which is taken in procession during festivals.
There is a shrine to Sage Durvasa opposite to the Garbhagraha, who did the prathishtha of the Shakti Peetham in the form of a Srichakra. Adi Shankara the famous 8th century CE scholar and saint, re-established the Sri Chakra in this Kamakshi Devi temple in the trough-like structure in that shrine.
What to see :
1.Kalabhairavar & Mahishasuramardini Shrine embedded in the Main gopuram.
2.Dhwaja sthamba, Shakthi Peetham & the gold plated Lion.
3.Kamakshi devi in Padmasana – Main deity.(Unique, the sitting posture)
4.Other Kamakshi shrine.
5.Rishi Durvasa shrine Opposite to the main deity.
6.Shrichakra of Durvasa muni.
7.Nandavanam
8.Panchaganga Teertham.
9.Mandapam with its intricately carved Pillars.
Temple Timings- 5.30 AM to 12 Noon & 4PM to 8.15.PM.
Temple Contact Numbers : 044-27222609

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE PART 1 - TARAMANGALAM

SRI KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE- TARAMANGALAM - SALEM DISTRICT - TAMILNADU.- PART 1 Seven tiered Rajagopuram Shaped like a chariot. Mahavishnu gave his sister Parvathi in marriage to Shiva. This process of handing over the bride, is known as "Thaaram vaththu koduppadhu" in Tamil, hence the name of the town THARAI MANGALAM now known as Tharamangalam. MAHAVISHNU giving his sister MEENAKSHI in marriage to SHIVA. In the centre of this Town is an exotic Temple of Lord Shiva as Shri Kailasanathar with his consort Sivakami Devi. One of the rarest of temples with a treasure of exotic Sculpture and the many stories attached with them. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL U NKNOWN TEMPLES IN TAMILNADU. The first precinct on entering from the Rajagopuram. The temple had an existence before the 10th Century CE. However the same was rebuilt by the Getti Muthaliar Clan who ruled the Kongu Part of Tamilnadu from the 13th to the 17th century. The temple seems to have b...
Post a Comment
Read more

KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE PART 2 - SHIVA - THE SUNDARA - TARAMANGALAM

SRI KAILASANATHAR TEMPLE - TARAMANGALAM - SALEM DISTRICT - TAMILNADU - PART 2. MADANIKA at the entrance  In the Kailasanathar Temple,there are 3 precincts in this temple, the open outer precinct and the inner precinct in the form of the Mukhamandapam, leading to the Garbhagriha.At the left of the entrance to the Mukhamandapam a Mummudi or 3 Vinayaka statues are at the left side of entrance. In to the Mukhamandapam you come to a treasure of Art Gallore. Lord Shiva as Kailasanatha, Sits in the form of a Small Lingam Facing West with the Avudayar or Pindika to the right of the lord in the Garbha Griha post an Ardhamandapam. Opposite facing the Lord, a little towards his right Side is his consort Goddess Parvathi standing in the form of Sivagami Devi. Towards the left opposite of the lord, is the sanctum of Karthikeya with Six faces. All these three sanctums including that of the lord is in a Trikona (Triangle) shape. On circumambulation, the oute...
Post a Comment
Read more

ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 10 - SHIVA as LINGA – The SAGUNA form of NIRGUNA - GHARAPURI

GHARAPURI  - ELEPHANTA CAVES 10 SHIVA as LINGA – The SAGUNA form of NIRGUNA. Symbolic form of SHIVA – SHAKTHI. DWARAPALAKAS to the shirne of MAHADEVA Saguna  means “with attributes.”  Nirguna  means “without attributes.” “ Saguna ” describes a God with (tangible) attributes. The term “ Nirguna  Brahman” describes a God with no (tangible) attributes (source). The most popular form of worshipping Lord Shiva in Hinduism is in the LINGA form. It is known as SHIVALING or SHIVALINGA. The LINGA symbol is an attempt to give form to the formless, referred as Supreme Being or Brahman in Hindu religion. When a LINGA is installed on a YONI, it represents the union of SHIVA and SHAKTI – the beginning of creation. It is found at the centre of the temple, often resting in the middle of a rimmed, disc-shaped YONI. SHIVA as a LINGAM In the main cave, in the right middle six steps lead to a raised platform of 3.5 feet high. A cu...
Post a Comment
Read more