Tiruparkadal Ranganathar Temple

By -

Tiruparkadal, a small village along the Chennai-Bangalore highway near Kanchipuram, is revered by devotees as the equivalent of the 107th Divya Desam. The village is home to two adjacent Vishnu temples, with a large temple tank situated outside. The first temple, Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Temple, features a rare depiction of Vishnu standing atop a Shiva Linga. The second temple is dedicated to Ranganatha, where Vishnu is enshrined in a reclining posture.


A unique aspect of the Ranganatha temple is its presiding deity, crafted from the sacred Atti (fig) tree. This gives the icon a distinct and captivating appearance. Within the sanctum, Lord Ranganatha reclines on Adi Sesha, the five-hooded serpent, accompanied by Sri Devi, Bhoo Devi, and Brahma—all carved from the same Atti wood.

The temple has a few additional shrines, including those for Hanuman, Garuda, and the Alwars. The icon of Goddess Ranganayaki, also made of Atti wood, is particularly striking. While the sculptures of Goddesses in South Indian Vishnu temples are known for their beauty, devotees believe that Ranganayaki here surpasses them all in grace and charm.

According to legend, when Brahma was performing a yagna, his consort Saraswati, in the form of a river, tried to disrupt the ritual. At Brahma’s request, Lord Vishnu reclined across the river, preventing it from advancing. A similar legend is associated with the Yathothkari Temple in Kanchipuram.

There is also a belief that Chitragupta, the divine accountant and assistant of Yama, was absolved of his sins after visiting this temple.

Set in a peaceful village, this charming temple is worth a visit.


Happy travelling.



View Larger Map

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Little known Nimishamba Temple of Chennai

By -
Image
Site Name:  Nimishamba Temple Site Type:  Hindu Temple Location:   Kasi Chetty Street, Sowcarpet, Chennai city, Tamil Nadu state, India Highlights:   A rare temple of Nimishamba in Chennai city Nearest Railway Station:   Chennai - well connected from the cities/towns all over India Nearest Airport:   Chennai has both national and international airports How to reach:   Easily reachable by road as this is centrally located in the city Hotel:  Many star hotels, luxury hotels/resorts, and budget hotels are available in Chennai Restaurants:  All options - vegetarian, non-vegetarian, Chinese, South Indian, Gujarati, North Indian, Punjabi,....- you can find everything in Chennai city Chennai is considered as the gateway to South India. The capital city of Tamil Nadu state of India has hundreds of tourist sites which include museum, British period monuments, temples, beach, etc. Let us explore a little known temple called Nimisham...
Read more

The Tallest Murugan of Chennai

By -
Image
Consecrated in March 2021, the 40 feet high Bala Murugan icon at Saveetha Medical College campus is the tallest image of Murugan in Chennai. Malaysia has 140 feet tall Murugan. In April 2022, the 146 feet tall image of Murugan was consecrated near Salem in Tamil Nadu. However, they are all stucco images. But, the one that we find on the college campus is a monolithic granite icon. Thus, it is the tallest stone icon of Murugan in the entire world. A stone weighing 320 tonnes was brought from Siruvambur near Wallajah, and it was carved to 140 tonnes to get this beautiful and gigantic sculpture. The entire temple complex is designed in the shape of the Devanagiri letter "Om", which can be appreciated in the aerial view.  The west-facing gigantic sculpture is located atop the star-shaped pedestal. It dominates the entire landscape. A large meditation hall is situated below the pedestal. On the open corridor in front of the presiding deity, smaller shrines are found. They enshrine...
Read more

Hastinapuram Navapashanam Murugan Temple

By -
Image
Navapashanam is an amalgam of nine poisonous herbs. It is said to act as a remedy for all types of diseases. It is believed that the Siddhas knew the secret formula to prepare this medicinal potion.  The sculpture of Murugan from the famous Palani is claimed to be made of Navapashanam. Similarly, there is a lesser-known temple near Chennai, which has a Navapashanam Murugan. In Hastinapuram near Chrompet in the southern outskirts of Chennai, in a congested lane called Masjid Street, this tiny temple of Bala Murugan is situated. Murugan, made of Navapashanam, is the presiding deity.  Jalakandeeswara Linga, Meenakshi, and the Siddha who found this temple are the other Murtis found in the temple. Happy travelling.
Read more