Ramanisblog

Tag: Temples of Tamil Nadu

  • Hanuman Uproots Shiva Linga Hanuman Pit Thirukkurankaval

    Anjaneya, Hanuman is considered to be an Avatar of Shiva and some Purans mention Him as the Son of Lord Shiva.

    Though Hanuman was an ardent Devotee of Lord Rama, He was a devotee of Shiva as well.

    But there is an incident narrated in the Valmiki Ramayana, where Hanuman uprooted the Shiva Linga!

    Hanuman Worships Shiva.png
    Hanuman Worships Shiva.

    Lord Rama, after the killing of Ravana, was advised to perform Prayaschitta, Atonement, for killing Ravana a Vedic scholar and a devotee of Shiva in Rameswaram, within two days from the date of killing Ravana.

    Rama accordingly reached Rameswaram,while Hanuman and Jatayu were sent to search for A Shiva Linga

    As they were delayed, Sita, asked by Rama , to. form a Shiva Linga out of sand , as the suspicious Muhurtha was about to end..

    Sita did and at the same time Hanuman with the Linga was sighted.

    Hanuman was upset that the Linga was not used by Sita .

    Rama asked him to remove the Linga by the Sita so that Hanuman’s Linga could be installed,

    Hanuman tried to uproot it, but finding the job tough, coiled His Tail around the Linga and uprooted it.

    This fell few miles off Rameswaram and it is called Hanuman Pallam, Hanuman Pit.

    In the process Hanuman’s tail was cut off.

    Hanuman realized his folly and Rama advised him to perform Pooja for Shiva at Thirukkurankaval .

    Hanuman did so..

    ‘

    Lord Hanuman realized his folly. It was pre-ordained that the lingam prepared by Lord Sita was to be used for the rituals and sought forgiveness from Lord Rama and Sita to regrow his tail.

    Lord Rama suggested to Lord Hanuman that he seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva instead and suggested that Lord Hanuman visit Thirukurungaval and worship Lord Shiva there to get back his tail. Hence the place has acquired its name, Tirukurunkaval (Place where Lord Shiva was worshipped by a monkey-faced God) The testimony to this story is that it is one of the few Lord Shiva temples in the world, with a shrine to Lord Hanuman facing Lord Shiva.

    It is also a metaphorical message that Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu (of which Lord Rama was an incarnation) are the same.

    Thirukkurankukka/ Thirukkurankaval is one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva in Myladuthurai, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.  This is one of the 5 prominent temples of Lord Shiva ending its name with ‘Ka’ and they are: Thiruvanaikka, Thirukkodikka, Thirunellikka, Thirkolakka and Thirukkurankukka.

     

    Presiding deity –  Lord Thirukunthalanathar/Kunthaleswarar /Kundalakarneswarar with his consort Goddess Sri Kunthalambikai

    Mangalasasanam – Thirunavukkarasar

    Theertham – Hanumath Theertham

    Sthalavruksham – Mango tree

    Worshipped by – Lord Anjaneya

    Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord Nandikeshwara, Lord Subramanya with his consorts Goddesses Sri Valli  & Deivayanai, Lord Surya, Lord Bhairava, Idols of Anjaneya, Anjaneya, Goshtamurtham – Lord Dakshinamurthi, Goddess Sri Durga,

    Festivals – Maha Shivaratri, Masi Makam, Amavasya, Chithirai Utsavam, Arudra Darisanam, Aippasi Annabhishekam, Thirukarthikai, Markazhi Utsavam

    Citation.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundala_Karaneswarar_Temple

  • Arunachala Shiva Thiruvannamalai Three Billion Years Old, GSI

    Arunachala Shiva.jpg
    Shiva In Thiruvannamalai.

    Shiva In Thiruvannamalai , An artist’s conception. Image credit, http://www.arunachalasamudra.org

    People go over their heads on some archeological sites over a few thousands year old.

    But in India, there are sites which are over A Million year old in India, like the one in Pallavaram Chennai.

    Arunachal Mountain, Pre Historic Conception.jpg Arunachal Mountain, Pre Historic Conception.

    Arunachala, Google Earth.jpg Arunachala, Google Earth.’

    ‘Archaeologists have discovered India’s oldest stone-age tools, up to 1.5 million years old, at a prehistoric site near Chennai. The discovery may change existing ideas about the earliest arrival of human ancestors from Africa into India…

    The Story of Attirampakkam.’

    Million year old Tamil Site

    The Tamil Literature is over a Million year old.

    ‘Archaeological research has uncovered evidence of fossil remains of animals and primitive stone implements around the northern Tamil Nadu that could be dated to belong to around 3000,000 BCE.[citation needed]Humans in South India,

    Millon Year old Tamil quotes Vedas

    Tamil quotes Vedas and they in turn quote Tamil.These two are so interwoven it is difficult to determine which is earlier.

    The presence of Sanatana Dharma in the Dravida Desa, that is south of the Vindhyas seem to be earlier than the one in the north.

    Please read my Post on this.

    The archeological finds, the temples in South India confirm this view.

    Of the many tools to date the monuments, sites,Banded Iron Formation(BIF), of analysing the rock formation is one.

    The other reliable tools include Astronomy,Carbon Dating,Etymology and of course Archeology.

    The Arunachala Mountain in Tamil Nadu, this is also called Thiruvannamalai.

    This mountain is referred to in the Puranas, a quote is provided below.

    The Ithihasas, Ramayana and Mahabharata are old, they quote the Puranas, which are older.

    And ancient Tamil Language also quote the Purans.

    So the Puarans are ancient History.

    This Purana states that the Arunachala is ancient!

    Skanda Purana quote on Thiruvannamala.gifi. Skanda Purana on Thiruvannamalai.

    ‘Geological experiments in and around Tiuvannamalai have revealed that the rock (charnokite) which makes up Arunachala covering is older than 3.5 billion years old ( Geological Survey of India) and

    Banded Iron formations around Tiruvannamalai area are thought to be about 3 billion years old.

    (Mineralogy and chemistry of banded iron formations (BIF) of Tiruvannamalai area, Tamil Nadu,Journal of Earth System Science,Volume 98, Number 2 / July, 1989.)

    It is thus evident that even scientific conclusions do place Arunachala Age to be beyond 3.5 billion years and perhaps the range would be 4.4 to 3.5 billion years old.

    Citation.

    http://arunachalaheart.blogspot.in/2009/04/arunachala-geology.html

    https://cosmicmaps.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/arunachala-holy-mountain-of-cosmic-vibrations-and-spiritual-axis-of-earth/

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  • Gnana Mudra Rama Without Bow Arrrow Nedungunam

    It is very rare to find Lord Rama with out His Bow and Arrow.

    And Lord Rama with Gnana Mudra?

    As far as I know, Vishnu or His avatars do not exhibit Gnana Mudra.

    Lord Shiva, that too in the form of Dakshina Murthy, one who faces South or one who is in the South exhibits Mudra,

    Vishnu’s Reclining form is Yoga Nidra.

    But there is a rare Temple of Lord Sri Ram , Nedungunam, near Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, where Lord Rama appears without His Bow and Arrow.

    And He is with Gnana Mudra.

    Yoga Rama,Nedungunam.jpg Yoga Rama,Nedungunam.

    Chin Mudra.

    The thumb and forefinger on each of the hands are jointed, forming a zero. The rest of the fingers are extended. The hands are placed palms-up on the thighs or knees while sitting in vajrasana. This mudrā activates the diaphragm, making for deep “stomach-breathing” as the diaphragm pushes out the internal organs when it descends towards the pelvis on inhalation. Slow rhythmic breathing in a 5-2-4-2 rhythm (5 being the exhalation, and 4 is the inhalation) makes prana flow in the pelvis and in the legs.

    Located 24kms South of Vandavasi on the Kanchipuram – Chetput-Thiruvannamalai route at the foot of the Dheergajala Mountain is the over 500years old Yoga Rama temple in Nedungunam where Lord Rama is seen in a unique sitting ‘Chin Mudra’ posture without his bow listening to Hanuman’s Vedic recital.

    Legend.

    Answering the prayers of Rishi Shugar, Rama provided darshan to him and stayed here for a day on his way back to Ayodhya after defeating the Lanka King Ravana.

    The temple which was built by various kings 700 years ago is a living legend of several periodical specialties and uniqueness. The temple houses several huge mandapams to facilitate the formation of yaga salas. The uniqueness of this schetra is that the ‘Moolavar’ Sree Rama’s divine posture, cannot be seen at other places. Here Sri Rama sits as ‘Yoga Ramar’ without bow and arrow and with the right hand positioned close to his heart in a ‘Gnana Muthirai’. This is further complimented with lord Seetha in sitting position holding a lotus flower and Lakshmana standing with bow and arrow followed by ‘Sri Anjaneya’ sitting in front of Sri Rama in reading posture referring to ‘Brahma Sutra’ inscribed on palm leaves.

    Sri Rama and Sri Seetha are sitting on a peetam inscribed with lionheads. According to history the moolasthana moorthis are Rishiprathista. As per sthala purana Sri Rama has visited Suga Bramarishis ashram and blessed him while returning from SriLanka after Thewar and stayed here for a day.

    Moolavar : Yoga Rama East Facing Sitting Posture with Sita and Lakshmana by his side
    Thaayar : Shengamala Valli Thaayar
    Temple Time: 7am-10am and 6pm-8pm
    Contact : Badri Narayana Bhattar @ 94452 15776

    Nedungunam Sri Ramanithya Pooja Trust
    1,VIVEK NAGAR,
    GINGEE ROAD,
    CHETPET-606801
    THIRUVANNAMALAI DT
    Contact: Badhri Bhattachar – 81245 42753, 94452 15776( Check the Phone numbers)
    Trustee – 94871 20139
    Email: contact@nedungunamramar.com

    How To Reach.

    Bus Numbers 148, 208 and 422 from Koyambedu bus stand go through Nedungunam
    By Car from Chennai, one can drive 90kms to Melmaruvathur and then take a right to drive 30kms to Vandavasi.

    The alternate route is to taka right at Padalam (15kms after Chengalpet on the GST Road) to reach Uthira Merur. From Uthira Merur, one has to drive 25kms south to reach Vandavasi.

    Temple site.

    http://nedungunamramar.com/index.html

  • Ancient French Chinese Kings In Thanjavur Big Temple

    I have been trying to date Indian Legends, Mythology, Epics and the Vedas through Archaeology,Culture, Language,literary sources and Astronomy.

    Tanjore Big Temple.image.jpg
    Thanjavur Big Temple

    I did not think of looking into architecture in the Temples of India.

    I did not bother to check whether the Temples had any reference to other cultures of the world.

    It looks they do.

    Sculpture of French King in Thanjavur Temple.image.jpg Sculpture of French King in Thanjavur Temple.

    Yesterday I received an interesting Video from my brother’s daughter through Whatsup

    This post is a follow up of this information.

    Scroll down for Video.

    In the Thanjavur Brahadeeswara Temple, also known as the Big Temple, one come across cultures which do not represent Indians,

    Early Indians did not wear shirts.Nor did the keep their hair long, they were clean-shaven.

    And they definitely did not wear hats.

    Women did not wear high heels shoes/footwear.

    Present History tells us that there were no modes of Travel to reach foreign lands, especially through land, save the Horses.

    We find, in The Thanjavur Big Temple a sculpture showing an Image carved in the Gopuram  ( Temple Tower)of a distinctively western looking Man with Hair flowing, wearing a hat.

    And he is seen wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

    The Big Temple was built in the year 1010 AD.

    There was Robert , of the same period, King of France during that time.

    The sculpture bears an uncanny resemblance to him.

    There is another sculpture which is definitely Chinese, which shows a Man with a flowing beard and this is a mirror split image of a Chinese Emperor.

    I have written post on the name of Lord Rama’s name being found in Sumerian King’s List.

    That the Tamils were the ancestors of the Chinese and the Chinese  worshiped Shiva.

    And Lord Nataraja was the  Guardian of Chinese Buddhism.

    I have also traced the origins of Sumerians, Aztecs and Mayans to Sanatana Dharma and Tamils.

    Possible explanations.

    1.The world was well-connected, despite History’s assertions that only by 1500 AD India, then called Bharatvarsha was connected to the west.

    In the absence of swift mode of transport fo which I am yet to get evidence , I am inclined to discard this theory.

    2.That Tamil Kings carved sculpture of Foreign Kings in the Temple.

    Carvings in Temples are usually of,

    Gods,

    Kings who built the temple or ancestors,

    Events from the Puranas and Ithihasas and

    in exceptional cases Natya(dance) poses in Chidambaram Nataraja temple and elsewhere  and life situations as found in Khajuraho.

    It is also customary to sculpt the Devotees of Gods, like Nayanmars or Azhwaras, Rishis.

    But never a Foreign King or a commoner who does not have an important role in building the temple.

    I surmise that the people of India were present throughout the world as the ancestors of world races and these images were a representation of these ancestors, whose exploits could have reached the Indian shores over a period of time because, as of now, we have no evidence to suggest the people could have traveled in the same period from one end of the world to another.

    I shall change my theory when I come across irrefutable evidence that ancient Indians/Tamils had a faster mode of Transport than Horses and ships.

     

     

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  • Shiva Marriage Tree Kanchipuram 3500 Years Old Validated

    The Panchabhutha Sthala Kanchipuram has Ekambareswarar Temple

    This Temple represents Prithvi ,The Earth Element of Nature.

    Mango Tree where Shiva and Parvathi were Married.Image.jpgT
    Mango Tree where Shiva and Parvathi were Married,Ekambareswarar Templ, Kanchipuram. Click to Enlarge

    This town Kanchipuram,housing Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple, is in a straight line with Chdiambaram ,Aakasa Sthala (Ether) and Sri Kala Hasti,Vayu Sthala, Air Element.

    Ekambareswarar Temple.Kanchipuram.image.jpg
    Ekambareswarar Temple.Kanchipuram.

    (I am providing the Legend of the temple in this post)

    In addition to being geographically linked to two Shiva Kshetras of Elements, it is curious to find that there is a Mango Tree, where Lord Shiva and Parvathi got married.

    And this Tree is about 3500 years old.

    Sage Agastya shows he way to date this tree

    The marriage of Shiva and Parvathi, to my knowledge, happened once in Himalayas and the same event was witnessed by Sage Agastya, who could not attend the marriage because Lord Shiva ordered him to proceed to South to counter balance the earth.

    This has happened about 40 million years ago, based on earths’ plate movement.

    ‘

    ‘Life in the universe is created and destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is one full day (day and night) for Brahma. The lifetime of a Brahma is believed to be 311 trillion and 40 billion years-Hindu Cosmology.

    ‘Eighty million years ago, India was approximately 6400 km (3968 miles) south of the Eurasian plate. Separating the two was the Tethys Sea. The Indo-Australian tectonic plate – containing the continent of Australia, the Indian subcontinent, and surrounding ocean – was pushed northward by the convection currents generated in the inner mantle. For millions of years, India made its way across the sea toward the Eurasian plate. As India approached Asia, around 40 million years ago, the Tethys Sea began to shrink and its seabed slowly pushed upwards.’

    https://ramanisblog.in/2015/03/22/shiva-uma-wedding-agastya-to-south-40-million-years-tectonics-proof/

    This is what Agastya had seen, if he had seen it immediately after the marriage when he crossed over the Vindhyas

    Another theory is that Agastya came to South around 5000 years ago .

    This is based on the  Agastya Star Canopus presence  when Agastya moved to South.

    ‘

    If we make 8°meridian altitude as the criterion for visibility,
    the date of Agastya would be shifted to about
    4000 BC.
    The dates 5000 and 4000 BC
    should therefore bracket the probable epoch
    of Agastya crossing the Vindhyan mountains.’

    As Time is Cyclic in Hinduism, these events keep on occurring  in every  Yuga.

    The Kali Yuga is about 5000 years old.

    The marriage of Shiva and Parvathi coud have played out again towards the end of Dwapara Yuga  as well around 5000 years ago!

    Now to the Mango Tree at Ekambareswarar temple being 3500 years may be validated by this calculation.

    The unique features of Ekambareswarar temple:

    1. The image of Lord Ekambaranathar is believed to have been created by the deity Parvathi devi herself, who is said to have performed a penance to attain him.
    2. The processional image of Ambal Parvathi is Elavar Kuzali Amman.
    3. A mango tree, the Sthala Virusham is at the back of the Sanctum of the inner precincts of the temple, which is over 3500 years old. It is the belief of the religious people that the Devi Parvathi had worshipped Lord Siva under this tree.
    4. The branches of this Mango tree is said to bear four different types of mangoes, representing the four Vedas in Hinduism.
    5. The main temple tower is 192 feet and is the 5th tallest tower in Tamil Nadu, visible even from a distance and was built by the famous Vijanagaram King, Krishnadeva Royar in the year 1509.
    6. There is another smaller tower inside the temple which is called as the Pallava Tower.
    7. There is a Sahasra Lingam with one thousand small lingams etched on the body of a big Lingam icon in the praharam.
    8. One hundred and eight Lingam icons are installed in the first corridor platform of the temple (Praharam)
    9. The images of Navagrahas are seen with their mounts or vahanas, a posture so rare to see in other temples.
    10. On the day of the Ratha Sabthami, the rays of Sun fall directly on Lord Siva in Sanctum Sanctorum, which is a marvel in the architecture and speaks loudly on the knowledge of astronomy of the artisans who had constructed this temple.
    11. All the three Carnatic Music Maestros, Thyagaraja, Shyama Sastri, and Muthuswami Dikshadar had visited this temple and sangkirthanas here.
    12. The temple has five corridors (praharams) including the outer surrounding streets of the temple.
    13. The Tirtham of this temple is named, Sivaganga Tirtham
    14. There is a famous Vaishnavite temple, Tiru nila thingal Thundam, the 49th Divadesam, consecrated by Saint-poet,Tirumangai Alwar situated in the inner precincts of this temple. The arulmigu Perumal’s name is Nila Thingal Thundaththan and that of Thayrar, Ner oruvarilla Valli. This is the most important aspect of this temple and one of the two such Vishnu temples in the same precincts of the Siva’s temple in South India. The other being that of Govindaraja Perumal at Chidambaram. (There is another Divya desam the 54th one, consecrated by the saint poetTirumangai Alwar, called Tiruk kalva nur within Kamatchi Ammantemple in Kanchipuram itself but, this is in Ambal’s temple and not in Siva’s. The presiding deities here are Adivaraha Perumal and Thayar Anjeelai Valli Nachiyar)

    Legend.

    The sthalapurana says that when Lord Siva was deeply immersed in the task of creating, protecting and destroying the Universe, Parvati, his consort, in a jocular mood, closed his eyes.This resulted in staying the process of creation and destruction as well as obstruction to the natural law of things. It was a serious matter and Siva became angry and cursed Parvati to go to the Earth and expiate her misdeed.accordingly Parvati came to the banks of the river Kampa under a single mango tree at Kanchi and made a Shivalinga out of sand and worshipped it.
    To test her sincerity Siva placed various obstacles and hindrances in the way of Parvati’s penance. But with the help of Vishnu she could tide over all the difficulties. At last Siva hurled a deluge by taking out the Ganges from his matted hair,
    to wash away the Linga worshipped by Parvati. She clasped it with all veneration to her breasts and this pleased Siva who took her again as his consort. The temple is said to have been built at the spot where the lord forgave her. Ekambar-inside
    In the month of Phalguni on the 10th day of Uttiram the marriage of Siva and Parvati is celebrated with great pomp and splendor.
    Another version of the story is that Siva and Parvati fell out in a game of dice. Siva cursed Gowri to become ugly.With the help of Vishnu Parvati propitiated Siva by performing penance under a single Mango tree at Kancheepurarn on the banks of the Kampa River, and regained her beauty with dazzling eyes, from which the name of Kamakshi has been derived for the tutelary goddess of the temple. As Parvati regained Siva under the Bird's Eye View
     mango tree the name of Ekamranatha (Ekaone, amra – mango, and natha-Lord) was given to Lord Siva. It later became Ekambareswara. Another legend connected with the marriage celebration is that connected with Agastya being vouchsafed its darsan when he had come South from Kailas.
           The ancient mango tree in the courtyard is worshipped by all even today with great veneration. It has got four branches representing the four Vedas. Each branch bears fruit with a different taste and the leaves are also different in appearance. It is a popular belief that if a childless woman takes the fruit of the tree she is blessed with children. In the prakaram round the mango tree is a lingam. Which is a composite of 108 small lingams and another one of 1008 small lingams. There are idols of the 63 Nayanmars also. There are two tanks in the temple, Kampa Nadi and Sivaganga. There is a Vishnu shrine in the Siva temple and the name of the Vishnu is Nilatingal Tundattan. The temple has silver and gold-plated vahanams of considerable value. Originally built by the Pallavas, this large Siva temple was later reconstructed by the Chola and Vijaynagara kings. Here, Lord Siva is worshipped as Earth or Prithivi, which is one of the five elements. The dimensions of this temple are reflected in its 20 – acre spread and its tall south gopuram which soars to a height of 58.5m.

    Citation.

    https://csgraju.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/splendors-of-indian-temples-19/

    http://www.kanchi.nic.in/ekambara%20temple.html

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