Thaiyur Chenkanmaleeswarar Temple

Those who live in the high-rise apartments and ultra-luxurious villas of Thaiyur, the southern suburb of Chennai, may not know the village's old stories and heritage value. The development of IT industries and real estate sectors have totally changed the landscape of Thaiyur. Till the 1990s, the site was a calm and serene remote village with a few houses surrounded by paddy fields. Chenganmaleeswarar Temple, located right on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), was a major pilgrim center for the nearby villages. The annual float festival was extremely popular, which drew a massive crowd of devotees from the surrounding localities to this hamlet.

Compared to other ancient temples of Thaiyur, Chenganmaleeswarar is popular even today, thanks to its prime location. However, the popularity of the temple does not help much. The heritage significance and the historical details remain unknown. This article is written to throw light on those aspects of the holy site.

Introduction

Chenkanmaleeswarar Temple is located in a hamlet named Chenganmal. It is situated at a distance of one km from Thaiyur (pronounced as Taiyur), 6 km from Tirupporur and 38 km from Chennai. 

There are seven prominent Shiva temples around Tiruvaiyaru called Sapta Sthana Sthalams. Most of us know that. 

Similarly, there are seven ancient Shiva temples in the Mylapore locality of Chennai. They are also known as Sapta Sthana Sthalams. Some of us might know this already.

None of us might know that even Thaiyur has seven ancient temples of Shiva. They were once known as Sapta Sthana Sthalams of Thaiyur. 

After talking to many village elders, I managed to collate the list of all these temples with great difficulty. However, there is a slight difference of opinion in the identification of the seventh temple. Here goes the list.

1. Chenkanmaleeswarar (the temple on which this article is written)

2. Mareeswarar

3. Murugeeswarar (This is the biggest temple of Thaiyur. Click the link to read my article on this temple.)

4. Jalakandeswarar

5. Azhageesar

6. Komaleeswarar

7. Abhatsagayeesar or Baleeswarar of Sozhathangal (or) the temple inside the forest of Chenkadu

Google Map location (coordinates) of Chenkanmaleeswarar Temple is provided at the end of the article.

Legend

As per the sthala purana (local legend), Shiva killed Jalandhara Asura with his Trishul and Chakra (discus). Vishnu regularly performed poojas by offering 1008 lotus flowers with the desire to get Chakra from Shiva. On one particular day, while Vishnu was about to complete his ritual, he realized that he had only 1007 flowers. Hence, he sacrificed his eye and offered the same as a flower to Shiva. Pleased by Vishnu's devotion. Shiva appeared to him and presented Chakra. The word "Chenkan" means "red-eyed" or "lotus-eyed" in Tamil. Chenkanmal Eswara means the Lord of Mal (Vishnu) with lotus eyes.

This legend is associated with this temple. The same tale is assigned to two other temples too, namely Mayavaram Tiruvizhimizhal and Tirumalper.

History

It is widely believed that the temple was originally built by the Cholas. Even a legend claims that Chenkanan Chola built it, and hence it is named Chenkanmaleeswarar. However, as per the historical evidence, the oldest inscription is from the Pandya Kings. There is no Chola era inscription found. I believe that the original temple was built during the 13th century CE by the Pandyas and later renovated during the Vijayanagara period. 

Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I's inscription (13th century CE) is found on the east wall of the Maha mandapa. It talks about specific taxes.

An inscription from Maravarman Vira Pandya (14th century CE) found on the south wall of the same mandapa records the construction of the Alankara mandapa.

Another inscription found somewhere in this village and not in this temple dated 1363 CE records the land gifted to this temple as per the order from Rajanarayana Sambuvarayar.

The inscription on the north wall is from Krishnadevaraya (1520 CE). It talks about the expenses borne by a person for repair works of the temple.

The inscription on the south wall of the sanctum states that the temple was renovated by Muthuvelu Chetti, S/O Parasurama Chetti, from Chennai, in 1707 CE.

A short inscription found near the bas-relief image of beard man on the south wall of the sanctum states that the person named Vijayarayar renovated the temple. The funny part is that people believe that this image represents Rajaraja Chola.

Temple Layout and Sculptures

Chenkanmaleeswarar

The east-facing sanctum with Vesara vimana houses the presiding deity Chenkanmaleeswarar, in the form of a Shiva Linga, about 1.5 feet high. 

The metal icon of Bhoga Shakti, called Piriyavidai in this temple, is found near Shiva Linga.

Mandapams

Ganesha and Murugan with peacock are located at the entrance of Ardha mandapa.

A long shrine in Maha mandapa houses all the processional images. The icons of Nataraja, Sivakami and Manickavasagar are pretty big in size. Somaskanda, Murugan, Brihannayaki in the standing posture, Subramanya with his two consorts, Chandikeshwara, Uma Maheshwara and a small image of Uma in the standing posture are the other metal Murtis housed here.

The stone sculpture of Surya is found at the southwest corner of this enclosure.

Maha mandapa, having a lot of old circular-shaped pillars, has two entrances, in east and south directions. Both of them are extended into Mukha mandapams. The east entrance has a sculpture of Ganesha.

Brihannayaki

The presiding Goddess, Brihannayaki, is enshrined in the south-facing shrine. It has its own ardha mandapa and maha mandapa.

Nandi Mandapa

In the open corridor, Nandi mandapa, bali peetha (offering platform) and dhwajastambha (flagstaff) are located, facing the main shrine.

Other Shrines

In the prakara around the two main shrines, the sub-shrines of Ganesha, Gaja Lakshmi, Subramanya-Valli-Devasena and Navagraha are situated.

Surya is found facing Shiva's shrine near the temple entrance. Samhara Bhairava is on the true left side of the Goddess' shrine.

Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Brahma and Durga are the Koshta Devas. Dakshinamurti belongs to the Vijayanagara period. The other images appear to be of a later period.

A later Chola period sculpture of Thavvai (Jyeshtha) accompanied by her children and crow is found as a loose sculpture.

Chandikeswara is found in a sub-shrine in his usual location near the relief image of Durga.
A small mandapa is located near the shrine of Ganesha.

A few tiny bas-relief images of devotees, Adhikara Nandi and Linga, are sculpted near the Koshta Ganesha. The devotee with the beard was the one who repaired the temple, as per the short inscription found near him. However, the locals mistake him as the Chola King who built this temple originally.

Temple Entrance

The entrance of the temple faces east direction. It does not have a tower (gopuram). Instead, it has stucco images that depict the legend of the temple.

 A holy peepul tree with a few icons of serpents is located near the entrance.

Temple Pond

The attractive pond located next to the temple full of beautiful lily flowers is called Vishnu Teertha. It is located on the left side of the temple. 

Not many know that this pond has a connection with the Kanda Kottam temple in the George Town locality of Chennai. In 1673 CE, Vellore Mari Chettiar and Kandappa Achari, two staunch devotees of Murugan, regularly visited Tirupporur Murugan Temple. One day, when they were resting under a neem tree in the banks of this pond on their way to that temple, they accidentally discovered an image of Murugan buried under a snake-hole. They happily took that icon with them and installed it in Rasappa Chetti Street in Park Town. The site slowly developed as the famous Kanda Kottam temple.

Happy travelling.