Thonda Nadu Temple 1. Thirukachi Ekambam - Kanchipuram

SIVAYA NAMA


Kanchipuram Ekamranathar Temple






Kanchi Ekambaranathar Rajagopuram



 Location:

 
Kanchipuram Ekamranathar Temple is the first Thevara Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. This temple is also known as Periya Kovil and Kachi Thiruvekambam.This temple is closer to Chennai and on the Chennai - Bangalore highway. It is on the Chengalpat - Arakkonam rail route. Govt Bus facilities are there from Chennai, Vellore, Mahabalipuram and Arakkonam. Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of India. The skyline is dotted with towers over the temple gateways (Kopuram) of temples. The city was the capital of the early Cholas during the 2nd century BC. It was the Pallava capital between the 6th and 8th centuries.

Reason for the name:

Ekam (Single) + Amram (Mamaram) = Ekambaram (Single Mamaram)

As Lord Siva stays under this single tree he got this name Ekambranathar in this temple

 

Swamy -  ArulMighu Ekambaranathar
 

Amman - Arulmighu Elavarkuzhali
 

Theertham - Sivagangai Theertham
 
Sthala Viruksham - Mamaram




Arulmigu Ekambaranathar



 

Temple:

This Temple is around 3600 years old. One among the Pancha bootha sthalam. Prithivi ( Sand ). The other four are - ( Vayu -  Kalahasthi, Neeru - Thiruvanaikkal, Agni - Thiruvannamalai, Space - Chidhambaram.). The main idol (Shiv linga) of this temple is made of sand and being referred as Prithvi Lingam (Prithvi means earth). The main temple tower (Raja gopuram) is 57m tall, and it was built by Krishnadeva Raya, the popular Vijayanagara Emperor. This vast temple covers an area roughly 47 acres. This temple was sung by all the three Samaya Kuravars ( Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundarar). Sundarar got his right eye sight back on worshiping Ekambaranathar. Manikkavasakar also sung about  Ekambranathar's  glory in his Thiruvasagam. Arunakirinathar and Pattinathar have also praised about this deity in their Thirupugazh and Kanthapuranam.

Sthala Puranam:

As per the legend, the goddess Parvati once playfully closed the eyes of Lord Shiva, and the entire universe went into darkness. Lord Shiva opened his third eye and gave light to the whole universe. To make her realise the folly of her action Lord Shiva renounced Goddess Parvathi. She then left her abode in 'Kailash' and came down to Kancheepuram. In order to atone for her sin, she moulded a Sivalingam out of sand and installed it under a mango tree  in a snake cave called " Pilakasam", on the bank of River Kambai. She prayed to the Lord daily requesting that she be forgiven and taken back. Lord Shiva wanted to test her devotion and caused the river to swell. The Kambaii river overflowed and threatened to engulf the Shiva Linga. Kamakshi, embraced the Linga and saved it from getting eroded. Lord Shiva appeared before Kamakshi and married her.

The mango tree under which Kamakshi installed Shiv linga is believed to be still there in this temple complex, which is believed to be 3500 years old. This mango tree is the sthala vruksham of this temple. The mango tree is said to bear fruits of four different tastes each season, representing four Vedas of Hinduism. You can find the small shrine with the idols of Kamakshi and Shiv linga under the mango tree. This shrine is Called Mavadi Sannathi.

There are other deities in this temple such as Vellakambar worshipped by Brahma, Kallakambar by Vishnu and Nallakambar by Rudra. On the east Pragharam Nilathunda Perumal shrine is there. There are also idols such as Vikata chakra Vinayakar, Arumugar, Sahasara linga, 108 lingas, 63 nayanmars, Markendeyar, Bikshadanar, Nataraja, Pralayam katha amman and Navagrahas.

Near Ekambranatahar temple is Kanchi Kamakshi Amman temple. Between these two temple is Kanthakottam Murugan temple. These three temples together reflects Somaskandar.

Timings:

Morning - 6.00 AM to 12.30 PM

Evening - 4.00 PM to 9.00 PM

Poojas start everyday at 6.00 AM 

Kalaisanthi at 9.30 AM.

Uchikala poojai begins at 11.30AM.

Sayarakshai Poojai starts at 5.30PM

Ardhajama poojai at 8.30 PM.

( Other special poojas are offered every Monday, Friday, Saturdays, on the first day of

  every Tamil month, Sukla Chaturthis, Sashti, Amavasya and Pournami. )

Contact : Temple officer Tel - 044- 27222084

 Photographs:



1. Nandhikeeswarar

 

2. Lingothbavar




3. Enterance to Moolavar Sannithi




4. A portion of the Sthala viruksham -  Mamaram.  More than 3500 Yrs old




5. Pralaya Kala Amman




6. Main Prgharam (1000 Pillars Mandapam )




7. 108 Lingams in the Ull Pragharam




8. Sahasara Lingam



9. Sthala Viruksham and Mavadi Sannithi



10. Arulmighu Elavarkuzhali



Uthsava Murthy



12. Arulmigu Natarajar with Sivakami







Thevara Pathikangal on Ekambranathar Temple



Thirugnasambandar - 4 Pathigam

Thirunavukkarasar  - 7 Pathigam

Sundarar                - 1 Pathigam



வெந்த  வெண்  பொடிப்  பூசு  மார்பின்  விரி  நூலொருபால்  பொருந்தக்

கந்த  மல்கு  குழலியோடுங்  கடி  பொழி ர கச்சி  தன்னுள்

அந்தமில்  குந்தர்  அவர்  போற்ற  சித்திரு  வேகம்பத்

துறைவனை  அல்ளத்துள்  காதென  துள்ளும்       -------------------- திருஞானசம்பந்தர்  ---- 2nd - திருமுறை

கரவாடும்  வன்னெஞ்சர்க்  கரியானை  கரவர்பால்

விரவாடும்  பெருமானை    விடையேறும்  வித்தகனை

அரவடச்  சடை  தாழ அங்கைஎனில்  அனலேந்தி  

ஏறவடும்  பெருமானை என்  மனதே  வைத்தேன்    ----------------திருநாவுக்கரசர்  ------ 4th - திருமுறை  

அளந்தான்  உகந்தமுது  செய்தனை

ஆதியை  அமரர்  தொழு  தேத்தும்

சீலந்தான்  பெருதும்  உடையனை

சிந்திப்  பரவர்  சிந்தையுல்லனே

எலவற்குழளால்  உமை  நங்கை

என்றும்  எதி  வழிபடபெற்ற

கலகலனை  கம்பேன  மனைக்

காண  கண்  அடியேன்   ஏற்றவரே        --------------- சுந்தரர்   ---------- 7th திருமுறை



SIVAYA NAMA

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