Indian Columbus

Thaiyur, a remote, peaceful village till a few years ago, is a fast developing southern suburb of Chennai. Not many know that it is the site of seven ancient temples of Shiva called Sapta Sthana Temples of Thaiyur. This article is about one of those seven temples, the Mareeswarar Shrine. The list of seven temples of Thaiyur: 1.  Chenkanmaleeswarar    (Click the link to read the article about this site.) 2. Mareeswarar (the temple on which this article is written) 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 Till the early 2000s, the temple was in ruin. The current structure of the temple was built in 2007 CE, and the gigantic Raja gopuram (tower) was built in 2019. Except for Shiva Linga, Nandi, and a King's bas-relief image, all other sculptures are new...

No! It's not an ordinary roadside temple. It is supposed to be one of the ancient temples of Chennai and its suburbs. Unfortunately, the temple has lost most of its structures and its glory in due course of time.  Located in a remote hamlet called Kayar near Mambakkam in the city's southern outskirts, Aadereeswarar temple is believed to have been built by the Cholas in the 10th century CE.  An inscription dating the 23rd year of Rajakesari Chola's reign records the sale of some tax-free lands by the Sabha of Kayaru to a person in Naraiyur Nadu. The person endowed the land to offer Nanda lamps to Koothapperumanadigal (Nataraja) in the temple of Ageppidarar. It further states that Kayaru was in Kumili Nadu, a sub-division of Amur Kottam. From this inscription, we understand that the presiding deity (Shiva Linga) was called Ageppidarar, and the temple was big enough to have a separate shrine for Nataraja in those days. (The reference of this inscription is A.R. No. 442 of 1922...

On the southern outskirts of Chennai, near Tirupporur, there is a village called Kattur. The site known for its reserve forest has a big temple named Uttara Vaidya Lingeswarar. About one km from the temple, a remote and secluded place is surrounded by a few hills. The locals call this place Ammapettai. Atop a mountain here, Bhairava temple is located. The hill is too steep, and there are no proper steps. After one km of trekking, one can reach the hillock temple. It is a small shrine with a tiny icon of Bhairava. A few statues of dogs and elephants are found scattered in front of the shrine. There is another sub-shrine enshrining Ganesha on the hill. The hill gives a breathtaking view of the surrounding villages. A visit to this place would provide a different and refreshing experience for Chennaiites for sure. Happy travelling.

Vaidyanatha or Vaitheeswaran Temple is an ancient and famous temple in Central Tamil Nadu. There is a temple with the same name located in Northern Tamil Nadu, and it is known as Uttara Vaidya Lingeswarar Temple. (The word Uttara denotes north). The temple is located in Kattur village near Tiruporur on the southern outskirts of Chennai. The original temple was in a dilapidated state. To my knowledge, there was no inscription discovered on the site. The current structure is completely renovated with new icons in 2004 CE. The presiding deity and a few pillars in Maha Mandapa are the exceptions. The Maha Mandapa appears to be of 17th/18th-century work.  The east-facing temple has a five-tiered tower. The sanctum enshrines a moderate-sized Shiva Linga called Vaidya Lingam. In Maha Mandapam, Thaiyal Nayaki, the Goddess, is enshrined in a south-facing shrine. The images of four devotees of Shiva called Nalvar and Sekkilar are too found in the same enclosure. As per the legend, Agastya go...

Traditional houses, wide pathways, scenic hills, fertile fields, large trees, beautiful ponds, ancient temples, the delight of heritage lovers, the paradise of history buffs, the holy site revered by the saintly poets and an enchanting village! My limited vocabulary does not allow me to describe this better. This article is about three ancient Shiva temples located in an extraordinarily charming hamlet called Tirukkachur .  I visited the village and wrote a detailed article about ten years ago. When I revisited the place this year, I could not find any improvement. Though the temples are well maintained, there are hardly any visitors.  Why does the site remain less explored? Why do even those who live in the nearby cities such as Chennai and Chenglepet ignore this place? After spending a few sleepless nights thinking about its plight, I decided to spend dedicated efforts to come up with a long and detailed article. I am sure this narration would reach thousands of people. At l...