Thirumanam Dhathreeswarar Temple (Kanchipuram - Tamil Nadu) | My Travelogue - Indian Travel Blogger, Heritage enthusiast & UNESCO hunter!

Readers who also read my other blog on Fashion might know I had a simple, elegant temple wedding. So, before that, my mom and me hunted for quite a few temples where wedding could be held. While doing a search, we came across this temple that was in a village called Thirumanam, the Tamil term for marriage!!! Though we decided on some other temple for the wedding ceremony, we later went to this temple just for a visit.

This was recently renovated, but definitely done with a lot of sense unlike Thanthondreeswara temple at Kanchi. A lot of care has been taken to maintain the authenticity and the old world charm to the temple.

The temple is said to be built by the Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan in 13th C. The Lord Shiva here is called Dhathreeswarar and his consort is Prasannakusalambikai,

Dasavathara is depicted as pillar reliefs in 3 different places in this temple. As soon as you enter, on the right is a 16 pillared mandapam. In many of these pillars, the 10 avatars are distributed. Again in the Maha Mandapa, in various pillars the avatars are shown. Once again, in the circum-ambulation passage of sanctum sanctorum, in various pillars you can spot the 10 avatars.

Apart from Dasavatara, you can also spot several siddhars and saints in the pillar relief sculptures. Esp., the Jadamudi siddhar with a lot of hair in the circumambulation passage pillar, Praana Deepika Siddhar in the one of the 4 pillars around Nandi, another Siddhar in the 16 pillared mandapa with a bow & arrow standing atop the sharp end of the sword. Several siddhars are said to be lived in this area.

Apart from these there are several other interesting pillar reliefs. One of Siva as Bikshadana with women following him, another of Jvarahareshwara, some erotic sculptures as well!

Right at the entrance on either sides are Kodippen. Right atop is a huge square of several sculptures with a Siva Lingam right at the centre.

Very close to this is the Sundararaja Perumal temple. Will post more about it in the next post.

TO GET THERE:

From Tambaram: 25km via Outer Ring Road

From Guindy: 27km via Porur

On Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Wce8d

Ph.no. of temple priests:

Kumaran - +91 94447 93942

Ramesh - +91 94456 03942

Dedicated to Venkat

7 comments:

AnonymousJanuary 24, 2015 at 4:38 AM
Isn't unusual, in old TN temples, to have dasavathara depicted in Shiva temples?Nirmala Srinivasan
R Niranjan DasFebruary 1, 2015 at 11:39 AM
Interesting carvings.
injamavenFebruary 6, 2015 at 7:29 AM
#7 there's that hooded guy leaning on his staff, again. Someone gave a name, but I've mislaid it.
BhushavaliAugust 5, 2015 at 7:34 PM
Nirmala, No. Not unusual! Thanks for visiting my blog & leaving a comment! :)
Injamaven, We'll figure that out.
Niranjan, Thank you!
UnknownNovember 18, 2015 at 8:10 AM
Dear ms Bhushavali ,
good day.. i m intrested to know more about jatavarman sundara pandya related temples..
i am from malaysia,,i hope to come and visit those temples..
kindly advice me temples that is known to be built by him or contributed partly by him..
please email to rpathma2@gmail.com..thanks
UnknownNovember 18, 2015 at 8:10 AM
Dear ms Bhushavali ,
good day.. i m intrested to know more about jatavarman sundara pandya related temples..
i am from malaysia,,i hope to come and visit those temples..
kindly advice me temples that is known to be built by him or contributed partly by him..
please email to rpathma2@gmail.com..thanks