Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Vayalanallur Kandaswamy!

Kandasamy Murugan at Vayalanallur
This post is two years late. Although I had visited this temple first in 2015, and then several times since, even taking people on heritage trips, I never got around to writing about the Lord who had become one of my favourites. As I have always seen in Aalayam Kanden, everything happens with His will and he has willed that this post be written on the account of Kanda Sashti in 2017 and so here it is. 

Two years of documenting the temples along the Cooum threw open several rare heritage treasures. One such priceless treasure is the Murugan temple at Vayalanallur. The Topographical List of Inscriptions of Madras Presidency Volume 8 by T V Mahalingam was one of my guiding documents for my study and it spoke about three temples in Vayalanallur, one of which was a Kandaswamy Murugan temple, the second a Durga temple and the third, the Shakthimutreswarar temple.

The current status of the Kandasamy Murugan Temple with the Aditya I inscription luckily intact
Our search of the temples led us first to the Komaleeswaranpet temple, at Kolappanchery. We met Nagahariharan, the priest at Kolappanchery who incidentally mentioned that he was the priest at the Vayalanallur Murugan temple and offered to take us there. He has been conducting the poojas as a volunteer for some years now, purely because his Kuladeivam (family deity) is Murugan.

We were touched by his commitment and followed his two-wheeler into a narrow lane. What would have once been a huge temple, has now been reduced to a single shrine. " Nobody comes to the temple, except on important festival days such as Panguni Uthiram or Thai Poosam where we somehow collect enough money to offer food and prasadams to attract a decent gathering,"said Hari as he opened the door of the temple.

We were awestruck by what we saw. By far, the most magnificent of the Brahma Sasthas that we have seen in that region, stood before us on the floor. Over seven feet tall, with an Akshara Mala in his hind right arm and a Gendi on the left, he stood with a smile turning up the corner of his lips.  There was no pedestal below his feet, no garlands around his neck nor any adornments. Just a humble vastram was all that he had.

The magnificent Murugan at Vayalanallur
Hari offered the prasadam he had carried from his house and performed Harathi. We were moved. All that remained of the antiquity of the temple, was the inscription from the time of Aditya I  (895 AD) about a gift of land made to the temple by Gunakirti Nambadugan, the Kilan of Ayandampakkam for Sribali and other services at the temple which is still found on the footsteps of the temple.

A total of four inscriptions were recorded in Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy 1952-53 as follows:

ARE 1952-53 no 226 three fragmentary stones in Murugan temple Aditya I RY 24 - 895 CE, registers gift of land made by Gunakirti Nambadugan the kilan of Ayandampakkam to the village for expenses of Sribali and other services to god.

ARE 1952-53 No 225 - On a slab in compound of same temple Chola Parthivendravarman r.y.5 - 961 CE - Seems to register the gift of tax free land by a native of Ayandampakkam in Pulal Kottam to the God Sattimutrathudeva of Vayinanallur in Puliyur kottam.

ARE 1952-53 - No 228 - On two slabs same place damaged - Parthivendravarman R.y. 8 - 964CE - records a gift of land made tax free. Mentions Pillaipakkam in Mangadu Nadu

ARE 1952-53 No. 227 - On a stone lamp post in the same place - Rajaraja I - seems to commence with the historical introduction - Kandalulr salai. Mentions a vellala of Sirupuliyur and the God of Vayinanallur situated in Puliyur kottam.

The Shakthimutreswara temple next to the huge temple tank had been lost to time. A look at the gigantic deity gave us an idea of how large the temple would have been in yore. The three inscriptions of this temple, two from the time of Parthivendravarman and one from Rajaraja I have disappeared along with the original temple and several deities that stood there. 

The Shakthimutreswara when we saw him first in 2015
When we enquired with Hari about the Durga temple he did not know much as to where it once stood. However, he remembers villagers saying a huge goddess was lowered into a well because it had become damaged! 

Several deities have been found while excavating around the original site of the Shakthimutreswara temple out of which a Bhairavar has been installed in the Vishnu temple and the Surya placed next to the Shakthimutreswara.

With the grace of the Almighty and generous patronage from the loyal supporters of Aalayam Kanden, we have been successfully supporting the Thai poosam festivities at the Kandaswamy Murugan temple over the last two years. 

Supporting the Thai Poosam festivities through the Aalayam Kanden Trust
The Shakthimutreswara temple has since been rebuilt in a small way, and the deity has found a secure place inside the sanctum.

The Kandaswamy Murugan has since became a member of the Aalayam Kanden family and he was gracious enough to bless the first copy of "The Gods of the Holy Koovam" which was the compendium of ancient sites along the Koovam. 

The Kandaswamy Murugan with the first copy of The Gods of the Holy Koovam
The temple still has very little support or patronage. As we celebrate the victory of good over evil on this Kanda Sashti, let us do our bit to protect and patronise the rare heritage treasures still left among our midst!
Kandasamy Murugan in all his glory after Thai Poosam alankaram
How to reach here: The temple is about 2 kms from Kolappanchery. From Kolappanchery head North. Pass Chokkanallur bus stand and turn right. The temple is on the left. Bus route 54C from Poonamallee to Thandarai is available once an hour. GPS Coordinates : 13.08565622, 80.06954102

Temple Timings: Please inform the Gurukkal before going and he will ensure the temple is opened.

Contact Information: Naagahariharan 90031 54640


7 comments:

  1. நமஸ்காரம். இன்று பரம பவித்ரமான "கந்த சஷ்டி"..எனக்கு விசேஷ நாட்களில் ஆலயம் செல்ல விருப்பம் இல்லை..காரணம் கூட்டம் ...மனம் ஒன்றாது..VIP தொல்லை ...நாங்கள் காஞ்சிபுரத்தில் இருப்பதால் ..நேற்றே என் மனைவியிடம் "நாளை குமரக்கோட்டம் போக விரும்பினால் போயிட்டு வா" என கூறிவிட்டேன்..இன்று கால காலை ஐந்து மணிக்கு கணினியை திறந்தால்..."வயலநல்லூர் முருகன் ...நானே உன்னை தேடி வந்துவிட்டேன் "என்பதுபோல் அற்புத காட்சி தந்தான்..இதைவிட வேறு என்ன வேண்டும்..விரைவில்..அவனருளால் அவனை நேரில் தரிசிக்க இருக்கிறேன்.....இந்த புண்ணியம் தங்களுக்கே...தங்கள் பணி தொடரவும் சிறக்கவும் இறைவனை வேண்டுகிறேன்...மிக்க நன்றியுடன்...

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    1. Mikka Nanri! Thangalukku iraivan arul paripoornamaaga kidaikattum!

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  2. Very good information about the temple at Vayalanallur. The diety is magnificent and beautiful. It is very life like. Very sad to note on the status of our heritage. Thanks and best wishes to all the persons involved in this and may all of them be showered with blessings by the lord for their efforts in bringing back the remains to this state by which we are all benefited in having a wonderful darshan of the magnificent deity.

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  3. Thanks for this. The Murugan is magnificent & beautiful. Thanks for this post again. Had a great dharshan. Nobody was there. Sad condition.

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  4. Very nice blog and pictures thanks for sharing

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  5. முதலாம் ஆதித்த சோழரின் கல்வெட்டு, பார்த்திவேந்திரர் கல்வெட்டு மற்றும் இராஜராஜர் கல்வெட்டுகள் இருப்பதாக கூறியுள்ளீர்கள் அக்கல்வெட்டைப் பற்றி மேலதிக தகவல்கள் கிடைக்குங்களா? கல்வெட்டுகள் எதில் பதிவாகியுள்ளதுங்க?

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    1. ARE 1952-53 no 226 three fragmentary stones in Murugan temple Aditya I RY 24 - 895 CE, registers gift of land made by Gunakirti Nambadugan the kilan of Ayandampakkam to the village for expenses of Sribali and other services to god.

      ARE 1952-53 No 225 - On a slab in compound of same temple Chola Parthivendravarman r.y.5 - 961 CE - Seems to register the gift of tax free land by a native of Ayandampakkam in Pulal Kottam to the God Sattimutrathudeva of Vayinanallur in Puliyur kottam.

      ARE 1952-53 - No 228 - On two slabs same place damaged - Parthivendravarman R.y. 8 - 964CE - records a gift of land made tax free. Mentions Pillaipakkam in Mangadu Nadu

      ARE 1952-53 No. 227 - On a stone lamp post in the same place - Rajaraja I - seems to commence with the historical introduction - Kandalulr salai. Mentions a vellala of Sirupuliyur and the God of Vayinanallur situated in Puliyur kottam.

      Delete