SUNDARESHWARAR TEMPLE - BUDHAN - KOVUR

SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE IN KOVUR CHENNAI.

Goddess Kamakshi was praying to Lord Shiva ( to marry him)and was in a Tapas In Panchagni, the Doctrine of Five fires involving (Heaven, Earth, Space, Man & Woman). It is one of the 41 prescribed Vedic Ritual. She was doing the penance in Mangadu nearby. The heat generated out of the Tapas of Kamakshi ,was making the surroundings hot and everything was perishing.

Lord Shiva was in a trance himself and hence the sages and devas approached Lord Vishnu, who in turn requested Mahalakshmi to save the world from the heat of the penance. Mahalakshmi came in the form of a cow to worship Lord Shiva to open his eyes and save the world. Pleased with her prayers, Shiva opened his eyes, which subsided the heat and brought a cool waft of air. As Sri Mahalakshmi worshipped here in the form of a cow, the place came to be known as Kopuri (In Thamizh, Ko means cow) and later corrupted to become Kovur.

The saint Tyagaraja of Tiruvarur was passing kovur on his way back from Tirupathy. He was pelted with stones by robbers. However the robbers fell at Tyagaraya’s feet when two boys were pelting stones at them furiously to save Tyagaraya. Lord Rama and Lakshmana had come to save Tyagaraya. Tyagaraya felt the auspiciousness of the place and came back to the Kovur temple and sang 5 hymns in praise of Sundareswarar . The Kovur Pancharatnams are "Ee Vasudha" (Sahaana Raagam), "Kori Sevimpa"(Karaharapriya Raagam), "Sambo Mahadeva" (Pantuvarali Raagam), "Nammi Vachina" (Kalyani Raagam) and "Sundareswaruni" (Sankarabharanam Raagam).

While most of the compositions of Saint Thyagaraja are in praise of Lord Rama only, this is one of the few places where he had composed Keerthanas to Lord Shiva.

Kovur has a massive temple for Lord Shiva consecrated by Sundara ( Parantaka) Chola around 965 AD & was later consolidated by Kulothunga Chozha during the 12th century.

The main deity of this temple is Sri Sundhareswarar (also called Thirumaeneeswarar) and Goddess Sri Soundharaambigai (also called Thiruvudai Naayagi).

The temple is facing south with a beautiful seven tiered Rajagopuram. This temple is one among the Navagraha temples of Chennai (or Thondai Mandalam) for Sri Budhan (Mercury). Lord Sri Sundhareswarar (Sundar means beautiful) and Goddess Sri Soundharaambigai are said to be so beautiful here and hence they are called so. Once you enter through the Rajagopuram, you come into a square compound, you turn to your left and come to the shrine of Sri Vinayaga and Sri Valli Devasena Samedha Sri Subramanyar in the the temple Praharam. After the cirumbulation you come to the eastern side. In the compound you see the Dhwaja Sthamba, Bali Peetham & Nandi Mandapam. A mid size Nandi in Gambhira mudra sits facing the Lord. The Nandi is well ornamented and has a Chakra like (Neththi Chudi) on its forehead. Entering into the Mukhamandapam, on the ceiling you see the Shree Chakra, along with the sculpture of Patanjali Yogi with a snake body and Vyagharapadar with the legs of the tiger. On the same panel you can see a tortoise, and what looks like the story of Gajendra rescued by Mahavishnu.

Post the Mukhamandapam is the pillared ardhamandapam and the Sanctum in the style of Gaja Prishtha ( Elephants Back) or Apsidal or in the shape of a “D”. The Vimanam is also apsidal. The shiva lingam is about 4 feet and the Avudayar is square. Lingam’s installed by Rishi’s have square Avudayars and round, those installed by Kings and other humans. On the left side of the lord is the Shrine of the goddess Soundarambikai facing south. There is no separate shrine for Budhan. On the North-east corner is a pillared mandapam, which has plenty of sculptures and the ceiling has painting and frescos from the past.

Other deities present in the temple are Sri Veerabadhrar, Sri Valli Devasena Samedha Sri Subramanyar and Navagrahams. All 63 Naayanmaars are also present in this temple. Sri Sekkizhaar, who was born in a nearby place ‘Kunrathur’, started writing ‘Periya Puranam’ from this temple only. Another rarity of this temple is the Sthala Viruksham which is the Maha Vilvam tree (Bael- Aegle marmelos). The Maha Vilvam of this temple is a very rare one that each stalk of Maha Vilvam has 27 leaves to it. This Maha Vilvam also has many medicinal properties in it. The Theertham for this temple is called Siva Gangai Theertham.

.

Temple Timings 07.00 AM to 12.00 PM & 04.00PM to 08.00 PM.

Temple Contact Numbers :9789924095,9677155245,044-24780124

Navagraha Temples in Chennai Kundrathur

There is a cluster of Navagraha temples in Chennai, erstwhile Thondai Nadu in and around Kundrathur.

• Agatheeswarar Temple - Suryan – Kolapakkkam – 4.8 KM from Porur.

• Somanaadheeswarar Temple - Chandran – Somangalam - 25 KM from Porur.

• Vaidheeswaran Temple - Angaragan - Poovirundhavalli( Poondhamalli) – 7.4 KM from Porur

• Sundareswarar Temple - Budhan – Kovur – 5.4 KM from Porur

• Ramanaadheeswarar Temple - Guru – Porur – 1.1KM from Porur

• Velleeswarar Temple - Sukran – Mangadu – 7.4 KM from Porur

• Agatheeswarar Temple - Shaneeswaran - Pozhichalur

• Neelakandeswarar Temple - Kethu – Gerugambakkam – 8.8 KM from Porur

• Nageshwarar Temple - Rahu – Kundratthur - 9.3 KM from Porur.

This was founded by Thiyagaraja Gurukkal and Bhuvaneshwari and their family published a small sized book of Navagraha sthala puranam in Chennai.