My Fav - Muthu Maariamman temple

i do become a sinner if i dont blog abt this fav temple.

its a temple more connected to our family on the whole

Located at the foot of a mountain, creek besides, one of the most peace giving places for me on earth. abt 500 mts from my home. i would describe it as a scenic beauty at vellore.

I get my personal battery recharged here many a times.

Panjalingeswarar - kaveripakkam(பஞ்சலிங்கேஸ்வரர் - காவேரிப்பாக்கம்)

Below content was sent as a mail dated 8/17/2007 (Fri), to friends after my visit to the temple a week before.

This temple, I visited a week back when I started the trip with my parents to invite relatives for my bro’s marriage(27th aug 07). this one is of Lord Siva’s as the name says. Its located in kaveripakkam, next to Waalaja(towards chennai, abt 30kms from vellore).

Five lingams as the name means (panja - 5), one for each element(Panja Bootham) which constitutes the earth are present there along with other shrines. The main shrine is of the Air(one of the 5) Very old one.

As soon as the temple came into the focus of my N70, I started capturing the beauty surrounded by the green fields. When I went in, I continued while my father was explaining each and every thing there. It was around 8 in the morning and the priest was not there. And suddenly I heard a voice shouting at me to stop taking pics. It was someone who was collecting flowers from the garden inside the temple. I answered him rudely that am just taking outside the shrine and that too just towers. He dint seem to bother and repeated not to take. I just said ok and started to come around with my mom.

Then father called me and mom inside the main shrine as he saw the priest came in. Well, without surprise the one who shouted at me was the one who was getting ready to start the pooja for the main shrine. I quietly went and stood. Something was disturbing me inside, i wasnt comfortable :(

After the pooja, the priest was speaking to my father in general, and then started with me politely and gave me the reason for shouting at me. He said that, at times some unknown ppl come to the temple and take pics with their mobile cam, and within few days sculptors are being stolen. Even the police had instructed them(priest) to strictly avoid ppl taking mobile pics. He also added, this is also happening in kanchipuram too. Hearing the reason I apologized and thanked him for the explanation. my discomfort gone now. :)


My father explaining me something

Mom and Dad near One of the 5 Lingams!

Temple pond:

பொன் விளைந்த களத்தூர் ( Pon Vilaintha Kalathur)

(Note: Mozilla browser does not display tamil fonts properly in this page, use IE )


It was a beautiful day for me yesterday and the very reason was my trip to P.V.Kalathur. (பொன் விளைந்த களத்தூர்) A beautiful village uncovered before my eyes.

its 10kms from Chengalpet. Has got many temples.....old, simple and elegant.

when we started from S.P.Koil on Giri anna's 2 wheeler, we first visited Mr.anjaneya in Chengalpet, Kottai Vayil Sri Veera Anjaneyar (கோட்டை வாயில் ஸ்ரீ வீர ஆஞ்சநேயர்). check the pic below. Am told that he is really powerful.

Then we had a 10 km ride with all kinds of typical indian roads especially after the rain. But there was an advange, it was all green to our left and right through out. to add, it was water for every 500 mts atleast. am serious. we had to cross small green mounts too on the way.

Then came the Othivakkam Station/Railway Cross. thats the virtual entrance to P.V.Kalathur.


and yes, We crossed the gate and we were In.

Two roads were seen, we took right to reach the Kothanda ramaswamy temple. The Lord Rama here would be seen as lying on the floor instead of the Aadhi Seshan(5 headed snake) as compared to the Dhanushkodi Lord who would be lying on the Dharbai (A special genus of grass i guess). Temple priest was absent :(. So took our about turn, we were into Lakshmi Narasima swamy temple around 50 mts away. even there the priest was missing. but Giri Anna this time went his way to get the priest. The priest's house was just two houses away. a boy came out, he was the priest. we had the darshan. here the beautiful urchavar, lakshmi narasimhar doesnt have his usual Lion face, the moolavar(Stone idol) is vaigunda Narayanan but the urchavar is Lakshmi Narasimha whose actual moolavar is in Mahabalipuram being transfered here by history. and thats the speciality there.

Giri anna inquired the priest abt the other temples. Kothanda Ramaswamy temple had to be dropped as it wasnt the time to be opened, And we inquired abt the other "Sadhur Buja Kothanda Ramaswamy temple" which is 2 kms away in a place called "Pon Padhar Koodam" (பொன் பதர் கூடம்) . Giri anna little upset as the priest said the road to the temple is bad after the rains and buses have stopped for the next 15 days atleast.

Giri Anna asked me if we should try for it, and i replied, Ya Sure :).

We werent sure of the route, and were guided by strangers rightly back to the Two roads after the Railway Gate, where we took right turn initially. Now we went straight. Lots of Guiding Name Boards (yellow painted) with directions to temple names. And finally we were distracted by a board "Mun Kudumeeswarar" (முன் குடுமீஸ்வரர்). A siva temple ofcourse, in the middle of a plain field, new to Giri Anna too, thats amazing for he knows any temple in south india according to my knowledge. Its an old one too. No priest again, but still we just went in as the outer door was open and worshipped the shrine. Took my time to take pics.

Who cares about crossed display of the Board above? not even i did :(

in the above picture, he is trying to read some stone scriptures written there

If you look at the Vimana of the temple, it would resemble back half of a seated elephant, which is called Gajaprashtam (கஜப்ரஷ்டம்). you can find this in Thirukazhu kundram temple as well which is about 10 kms from PV kalathur.

Note: Most of the information given here are all that i heard from none other than Giri anna himself in one of the many trips we have taken.

Do you know the diff bet a Vimana and a Gopuram? I dint till yesterday :)

Gopuram : Which is the tall tower in the entrance of any temple

Vimana: One over the main Shrine or Sanctum Sanctorum (watever u call it).

and then bisecting the green fields, guided by the breeze, troubled by the roads, our two wheeler took us to Pon Padhar Koodam finally. the priest missing here too. but still we were helped by a person who takes care of the temple. he went out to bring the keys for the main shrine i guess. so i got my time to take pics around again. when i gave a step in the back of the temple, a sudden flight of flock of doves from the Vimana, wow that was one of the most beautiful scenes ever for my eyes. Have tried to get them here, just check.

Can u see the seated doves in the above pic?

By the time, Giri anna called me as the person had returned with the keys to open. we went in and had our darshan. Lord's speciality here is, he has 4 arms compared to usual 2 in other places with Sangu(Big Snail Shell which can produce sound when blown) and sakkaram(special Disc) held in the additional hands. Lord Mr.Anjaneyar attracted me for he is seen keeping his right hand in front of his mouth, an example for his politeness while speaking with Lord Rama. The idol of Lord Rama had his left foot in front and Lord Hanuman's had his Right foot in the front, also with nail impressions in Lord Rama's fingers.....all are things to be noted.

After the darshan I sat for Meditation in my own way. But I was disturbed by the breeze constantly. i cudnt hold my senses feeling the chill of the floor and the gentle breeze from the fields all around.

then we started back, took a Chukku coffee( Watery :( ) break only becoz of a train standing right on the Railway crossing.

Then it was 'my' time to drive the two wheeler. we reached home after our vegetable purchase in the chengalpet market.

It all started by 8.30 Am and over by 11.30 Am. had my lunch and to my room to rest. But this i would cherish all my life for sure.

To check all the pics (have given only selected pics here in the blog) pls check my picasa album

Bye for now!

Blog Date : 8-Jan-2008