OM NAMASIVAYA
THIRU ACHIRUPAKKAM
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LOCATION:
Acharapakkam is located on the Chennai-Trichy National Highway, 96 km away from Chennai and 3 km away from the famous temple town Melmaruvathur. There is a railway station also for Achirupakkam
REASON FOR THE NAME:
This temple is associated with the Puranam of Thripura samhaaram. Three demons - Tharakasuran, Kamalakshasuran and Vidyunmaliasuran, powered by the boon received from Lord Brahma, built fortresses of gold, silver and iron with wings, started harassing the Devas. The Devas in distress, approached Lord Siva to kill the Asuras and save them from the misery. The boon from Lord Brahma meant that the Asuras could only be killed through a single arrow that shot through all three of them and since the fortresses moved about in the air, the feasibility of them coming on a straight line was very rare and to kill them through a single arrow was next to impossible.
Lord Siva set out on this difficult task using the upper worlds as the roof of the chariot, the lower worlds as the base, The Sun and the Moon as wheels, the four Vedas as the horses, the Mount Meru as his bow and Vasuki as the string and Lord Narayana as the arrow. While he ascended the chariot, he forgot the most important thing, which was worship of Lord Ganesha. It is a practice and as a rule it has been decided by all ( Vishnu, Brhama and other Devas ) that before start of any new task Lord Ganesha will get the important and get the pooja. Though Lord Ganesha is his son, he was not an exception to the fact that any task has to begin with the worship of Lord Ganesha, the preventor of hurdles. Since Lord Siva had forgotten this important aspect, Lord Ganesha broke the axle of Siva's chariot .
Lord Siva realising his mistake, came down and worshipped Lord Ganesha and then set out on his task and he was able to defeat the Tripuram at Thiruvathigai. Since the achu -அச்சு (axle) broke at this place in to two இறு parts பாகம் , it came to be known as அச்சு + இறு + பாகம் = அச்சிறுபாகம் (Achu+Iru+pakam = Achirupakam latter it becomes as Achirupakkam). The Achumuri Vinayagar temple is just before the main temple and we are supposed to worship the Achumuri Vinayagar first before worshipping at the main temple.
STHALA PURANAM:
Once a Pandya King was passing through this area,he saw a giant olden Monitor (உடும்பு ) running through the bushes. He ordered his men to trace it and soon they found the monitor disappear near the root of a "Sarakondrai"(சரக்கொன்றை) tree. The king ordered the tree to be axed down and when the men tried to do that, blood started oozing from the roots and found a Siva lingam. The King was shocked. That night, Lord Siva appeared in his dreams and asked him to build a temple for him in that place..
The King sought the assistance of Sage Trinetradhari to build the temple. He then proceeded onwards on his journey. On his return, he found the temple had been constructed with two sanctum sanctorums. When he questioned the Sage Trinetradhari about it, he said one is for the Lord who occupied your heart and blessed (Umaiaatcheeswarar) and the other is for the Lord who occupied my heart ( Emaiaatcheeswarar). The shrine that Sage Trinetradhari built for the Swayambu Lingam is in line with the Dwajasthambam, and Bali peetam. The special feature here is that the demons Tharakan and Vidyunmali who were killed by Lord Siva are the Dwarapalakas in Siva's shrine.
The other shrine called Umaiaatcheeswarar which the Sage built for the King is in line with the Rajagopuram. It has a Nandhi which is in a meditative posture and it is believed that the samadhi of Sage Trinetradhari can be found below this Nandhi. This shrine also has the idols of Lord Shiva and Parvathi behind the Shivalingam in a marriage posture (மணக்கோலம்).
The Sage also had darshan of Lord Shiva and Parvathi under the Sthala Vriksham - the Sarakkondrai tree. A beautiful shrine which has idols of Siva, Parvathi and Trinetradhari under the tree.
This temple was worshipped by Sage Kannuva , Sage Gouthama in Thridhaya yugam, Brahma and Vishnu in Dwabara yugam and Agasthiar in Kali Yugam. The temple tank outside in front of the temple is considered to be created by Brahma and is called Brahma Theertham; and the well near the Sarakkondrai tree in the outside praharam is considered to be created by Vishnu.
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| Front View |
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| Emmai Aatcheeswarar |
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| Ilang Kizhiyammai |
Temple:
The main temple is a big one, built in one acre land with a 5 tier Rajagopuram and two praharams. The main entrance is towards Emai Aatcheeswarar, a Swayambu lingam on a Square avudayar built by the Sage Thirinendhrathari for himself in line with the Dwajasthambam, Bali peetam and Nandhi. There is an underground room in the sanctum mandapam covered with stone tiles now.
The other main shrine Umaiyatcheeswarar is present in the inner praharam on a circular Avudayar and was built by the same Sage for the King is in line with the Rajagopuram. Behind the lingam is Lord Shiva and Parvathi devi in human form in Marriage posture as stone sculpture. Sage Agasthiar got the dharshan of Lord Siva’s marriage in 17 places.
The Nandhi is in an unusual meditative posture with eyes closed. It is said that Sage Thirinendhrathari, who constructed this temple is in Jeeva Samadhi under this Nandhi. Inside the shrine, Sri Saraswathi devi and Lakshmi are also present.
The Rajagopuram is in line with one main shrine Emai Aatcheeswarar and the Dwajasthambam/Balipeetam/Nandhi are in line with the other main shrine of Ummai Aatcheeswarar and so they all together are not in line.
Next to the Umaityactcheeswarar shrine is the shrine of Sri Srinivasa Perumal with Alarmel Mangai Thayar with the Perumal standing on an Avudayar.
Polla Pillaiyar with His consorts Sidhi and Budhi, a lingam intervened between two Nagars, Sundara moorthy Swamigal with Sangili Nachiyar and Pavai Nachiyar, Sekkizhar, Natarajar surrounded by Sivagama Sundari, Manicka Vasagar and Karaikkal Ammaiyar, Kala Bairavar with a Brahma Kabala garland of skulls are the other deities present in the inner praharam
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| Ummai Aatcheeswarar |
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| Natarajar and Sivakami Ambal |
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| Uthsavar |
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| Mahalakshmi |
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| Mahavishnu |
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| Sthala Viruksham Sarakkontrai and Sri Kondraiadi Easwarar |
PATHIGAM:
பொன்றிரண்டன்ன புரிசடை புரள
பொருகடற் பவளமொ டழல்நிறம் புரையக்
குன்றிரண் டன்ன தோளுடையகலங்
குலாயவெண் ணூலொடு கொழும்பொடி யணிவர்
மின்றிரண்டன்ன நுண்ணிடையரிவை
மெல்லியலாளையோர் பாகமாப் பேணி
அன்றிரண் டுருவ மாயவெம் அடிகள்
அச்சிறு பாக்கம தாட்சிகொண் டாரே.
மைச்செறி குவளை தவளைவாய் நிறைய
மதுமலர்ப் பொய்கையிற் புதுமலர் கிழியப்
பச்சிற வெறிவயல் வெறிகமழ் காழிப்
பதியவ ரதிபதி கவுணியர் பெருமான்
கைச்சிறு மறியவன் கழலலாற் பேணாக்
கருத்துடை ஞானசம் பந்தன தமிழ்கொண்
டச்சிறு பாக்கத் தடிகளை யேத்தும்
அன்புடை யடியவர் அருவினை யிலரே.
----------------- 1st Thirumurai திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
Saint Tirunavukkarasar mentions this temple in the Kshetra Kovai Pathigam .
எச்சில் இளமர் ஏம நல்லூர்
இலம்பையங் கோட்டூர் இறையான் சேரி
அச்சிறு பாக்க மளப்பூர் அம்பர்
ஆவடு தண்டுறை அழுந்தூர் ஆறைக்
கச்சினங் கற்குடி கச்சூர் ஆலக்
கோயில் கரவீரங் காட்டுப் பள்ளி
கச்சிப் பலதளியும் ஏகம் பத்துங்
கயிலாய நாதனையே காண லாமே.
------------------- 6th Thirumurai திருநாவுக்கரசர்
கைத்தல நிறைகனி யப்பமொடவல் பொரி
கப்பிய கரிமுகன் அடிபேணிக்
கற்றிடு மடியவர் புத்தியி லுறைபவ
கற்பக மெனவினை கடிதேரும்
மத்தமும் மதியமும் வைத்திடு மரன்மகன்
மற்பொரு திரள்புய மதயானை
மத்தள வயிறனை உத்தமி புதல்வனை
மட்டவிழ் மலர்கொடு பணிவேனே
முத்தமி ழடைவினை முற்படு கிரிதனில்
முற்பட எழுதிய முதல்வோனே
முப்புர மெரிசெய்த அச்சிவ னுறைதம்
அச்சது பொடிசெய்த அதிதீரா
--------------- Thirppughazh அருணகிரிநாதர்
Festval:
Ten days Chithirai Brahmmotsavam in April-May and on the last day at Perumperu Kandigai village Lord's marriage dharshan to Sage Agasthyar function will be held. Sage Thirinendhrathari did penance here for long time after completing the temple and under the kondrai tree here and got the dharshan of Lord Siva. This is being celebrated every year now as “Kondraiyadi Seva” during the seventh day evening of the Chithrai festival. Special pujas on new moon and full moon days are observed in the temple. Navarathri and Pradhosham are other impotant functions in this temple.
Timings:
The temple is open from 6.30 a.m. to 11.30 Noon. and from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m
Contact:
Sri Sankara Gurukkal +91- 44 - 2752 3019, 9842309534
Address:
Sri Atcheeswarar Temple, Achirupakkam, Madhuranthakam Thaluk, Kancheepuram district.
603301
THIRUCHITRAMBALAM
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