KURUNGALEESHWARAR TEMPLE - KOYAMBEDU

 Kurungaleeswarar Temple in Koyambedu,Chennai

Koyambedu in Chennai derives its name from, KO = Horse, Ambu = Arrow, Pedu = Fence( Veli in Tamil). The place is where the Ashram of Rishi Valmiki was located. The twins Lava and Kusha were born here & they arrested the horse of Shri Rama by building a fence of arrows around it.

In this place is the Temple of Kurungaleeswarar, which is around 1500 years old and was built by the Medieval Cholas. A Chola king had driven his chariot over the lingam and a portion of the avudayar sank into the mud. As blood started flowing from the lingam, the King, Built the Temple to propitiate to the Lord and seek forgivance.

Rama sent his pregnant wife Sita to the forest based upon the accusation of a washerman, saying he accepted his wife in spite of her staying in the place of his enemy for some time. The pregnant Sita gave birth to twins named Lava & Kusha in the Valmiki Asharam here.

Shri Rama was holding an Aswamedha sacrifice, and the horse of Shri Rama was tied by Lava and Kusha to a fence in the ashram. The prince Lava and Kusha fought against their father. It is only after the intervention of Valmiki and introducing the twins to their father that, the horse was returned back to Shri Ram. In order to relieve themselves of the Pitru Dosha for opposing their father, they prayed to Lord Shiva here in the form of a Lingam.

The word kurungal means Small or Shrunk, Eshwarar means Lord. The Lord shrunk himself to the size of the young Kids to pray. Hence the Lord is also known as Kushalavapureeshwarar. The Shiva worshipped by the children Kusha & Lava is small in size.

The Temple has a 16 pillared hall with a big canopied space, before the Mukhamandapa or entrance. Each pillar is adorned with the sculptures of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Sakthism, Devas, Rishi’s & Asuras. In one of the pillars is the figure of Sarbeshwarar who is worshipped every Sunday on Rahukalam.

As you enter into the compound you are confronted with the Dhwaja Sthamba, Bali Peetham and the Nandi Mandapa in which the Nandi faces the Lord. The Nandi has a rope from its nostril and has the left leg in a raised position.

This is the outer Praharam and leads to an inner pillared mandapam with intrinsically carved figurines on the pillars. In the outer Praharam is the stone in which lava and kusha are supposed to have the horse tied.

The inner pillared hall has a big figure of Lord Vigneshwara in between the Swamy and Ambal Sannidhi. Crossing this you come into the, Ardhamandapam and Garbhagriham. There is a circumbulation path in the Ardhamandapam.

Coming out of the Mukhamandapam adjascent to it is the Mandapam where you have the Sannidhi of the Goddess. The goddess has her left foot forward signifying her presence to help devotees.

On the front right side of the Sannidhi is the Navagraha idols on a round lotus(Padma) Pedestal ( unique). The Sun god is on a raised level with his consorts Usha & Chaya in a chariot pulled by 7 horses and the charioteer Aruna. The other Navagraha’s surrounding in a lower level in a round fashion.

The unique feature of this temple is the lord faces North, rarely do you find temples were lord Shiva faces North. Further the Ambal Dharmasamvardhini or Aram Valartha Nayagi.Aram (Good deeds) Valartha (Enhancing) Nayagi.(Queen or Goddess) is on the right hand side of the Lord facing North. Generally in all temples the Swamy faces east and the Ambal faces South. This feature of the goddess on the right hand side is also found in the Madurai Meenakshi Temple.

Things to Know or See :

1.This temple is known as Adipradoshapuri, as the first ever Pradosha puja seems to have been performed here.

2. The pillar in which Lava & Kusha tied the horse of Shri Rama.

3.The left leg of the goddess is put forward to do good deeds for the devotees.

4. The round ( Padma) Navagraha Pedestal.

5.Nandi with a rope from its nostril and raised leg.

6. Paintings and frescos in each shrine.