SINGEESHWARAR TEMPLE – MAPPEDU

 SINGEESHWARAR TEMPLE – MAPPEDU - TIRUVALLUR DISTRICT - TAMILNADU

The cosmic dance was in progress, Lord Nataraja was in full splendor doing his Thandavam, however Singee(Nandi) was equally immersed in beating the drums(Miruthangam). So much was he immersed in the miruthangam, that he missed to see the cosmic dance of the Lord. He prayed to lord shiva in this Temple in Mappedu a small village in Tiruvallur district. Pleased with his devotion, the Lord danced once more here and hence the Lord is known as Singeeshwarar, (Singi = Nandi + Eshwarar the Lord).

The Mother Goddess is so fragrant, like a flower that she is known as PushpaKujambal( the goddess of flowers)

Devas and Asuras churned the Ocean of Milk ( Samudra Manthan) in order to get Nectar ( Amrith). Lord Maha Vishnu prayed to Lord Shiva here to give him the Avatar of Mohini (The Celestial Woman). Mohini ensured that the Nectar is given to Devas only without sharing with the Asuras. As Lord Vishnu attained the form of Mohini here, the Village was known as Thirumalpedu, later Meipedu in the past. Mei (Beautiful) Pedu ( Girl) and currently corrupted to Mappedu.

The village is about 40 KM’s from Chennai and is on the route to Arakkonam. It falls under Kanchipuram district. The temple is visible from the 2nd Bangalore Highway.

The Temple was built by the Chola Prince Aditya Karikalan II in the year 967 CE, making it more than 1000 years old.while the extensions were done during the Vijayanagara period. In fact, Ariyanatha Mudaliar a resident of the Village,went to a Sivanadiyar and asked him about his future. The Sage, told him that he will be on a high post in the government and will command respect from others. He also took a vow from the Mudaliar that, he will consolidate the temple of Singeeshwarar. Ariyanatha became the chief accountant and administrator under the Vijayanagara King Krishna Deva Raya & had not kept his word to the Sivanandi.

When he realized this, he built the Rajagopuram, the compound,16 Pillared hall for the Goddess & the Vasantha Mandapam. You can see the image of Ariyanatha Mudaliar sleeping under a serpant hood on the Rajagopuram

Ariyanatha Mudaliar also built the 1000 pillared hall in the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.

At the North eastern corner of the Temple is the shrine of the Lord as a lingam (without his consort) known as Veerabaliswarar. Right opposite to that is the Shrine of Shri Anjaneya, with a Veena.(Unique). Lord Anjaneya composed the Amrithavarshini Raga and sang before the lord here. This shrine is the oldest in the temple and is supposed to be 5000 years old.

The Rajagopuram is five tiered one and is facing south, with a horde of sculptures depicting the gods in various Puranic lore’s across the Mukha Dwaram. As you enter you come into a huge open compound. In a straight line is the entrance to the Mukha Mandapam with a few steps. The mukha mandapam has an adhikara Nandi, and leads to the Ardha Mandapam and a Chathuranga Garbha Griham with a chaturanga vimanam. The lord is about 4 to 5 feet in the form of a Lingam with a circular avudayar or Pindika. After praying to the lord, you come out to the Praharam, where you can find shrines dedicated to Vinayakar, Adikesava with his consort’s Sridevi and Bhudevi,Subramniar with Valli and Devasena. On the Mandapam outer wall you can see, Rutha Ganapathy, Dakshinamoorthy, Maha Vishnu, Bramha, Durga on Mahisha & a shrine to Chandikeshwarar.

On the North west corner is the Shrine of the Goddess Pushpakujambal with a 16 pillared mandapam. Almost on the completion of the circumambulation you see the Vasantha Mandapam ( 20 Pillared), and Anjaneya with the Veena (Unique) praying to the shrine of Veerabaleeshwarar Lingam.

You come to the completion of the prahara with the Balipeetham, Dhwaja Sthambam and the “Singi”(another name for Nandi) – Nandi facing the lord from the East. Before the Nandi is a square stone (Now tiled) on which one has to face the north or south( without showing the back to Nandi or the Lord) and pray to both in a straight Line on the days of Pradosham. The belief is that people with ailments of the Bone, including joint Pains get cured.

As Surya himself prays to the Lord, there is no Navagraham in this Temple. The lord himself is the Adipathi of all the Planets here.

Contact : Shridhar Gurukkal - 9444943644.