Thirukazhukundram - Eagle Temple near Chennai

Recently I had an opportunity to visit the historic Thirukazhukundram temple. The temple is located near Chengalpet, about 60kms from Chennai. It is a temple located on a hill top. Apart from a great dharshan of lord Shiva, a visit to the temple offers a very refreshing experience with cool breeze and amazing locales, so pleasing to the eyes.

BRIEF HISTORY: The temple has a nice history backing it. Simply put, two sages on account of a curse get born as eagles (kazgugu in Tamil) on earth. They were destined to be on earth until all their sins were absolved and they attained nirvana. These eagles have historically been found to have hovered around the temple here and in fact they come to a specified location on the hill near the temple. It's been a traditional practice to feed these eagles at around noon every day. The observation of eagles have stopped in recent years. However, one could now have a sight of the eagle feeding point. This also explains the name of the temple and the village below. Thirukazhukundam literally stands for hill temple of the eagles.

REACHING THERE: The temple can be reached from Chennai by two routes. One could come via Tambaram and Chengalpet. If one comes in by this route, then one needs to get into Chengalpet town (avoid the by-pass road) and take a left near at a prominent junction (junction has a statue of Rajiv Gandhi). Thirukazhukundram is about 15 kms from the junction. Alternatively, one could come via Mahabalipuram. The temple is also around 15kms from Mahabalipuram. The nearest rail head would be Chengalpet.

FLIGHT OF STEPS: The hill-temple is open from 9AM to 12PM and then from 4PM to 6PM. To reach the temple, one needs to climb a series of 500+ steps. However, one need not panic about the number of steps. Each step is relatively small and well-laid. Further, there are benches put up along the way for pilgrims to take rest and climb the stairs in phases. The stair gate opens at 8:30AM in the mornings. It would be a god idea to reach the temple by around 9-9:30AM, as there could be delays in opening the gate.

MONKEYS GALORE: Like any other hill temple, the hill is laden with monkeys. So, one needs to be careful in terms of what they carry with them. Avoid taking any eatables openly in your hands. The monkeys are after any objects in plastic covers. So, avoid carrying any item in plastic covers openly. Also, avoid carrying water bottles, if possible. Monkeys do come after such bottles to quench their thirst. Although it's a great sight to see monkeys feeding themselves with the bottles, it is better to avoid them. Also, for those who are a touch afraid with monkeys around, it would be advisable to carry a stick with you.

VEDAGIRISWARAR: At the hill top is a temple for lord Shiva, assuming the title Vedagiriswarar, meaning the protector of vedas. The temple tower has a more rounded structure, similar to North Indian temples rather than the standard pyramid structure that we see across South India. The shiva linga in the temple is seen decorated with flowers and ornaments that would quickly remind one of Thiruvannamalai. With wonderful decorations and with oil lamps lit all around the karpagraham (sanctum), the linga is a very pleasant sight.

I am sure you would forget all aches in your muscle, having climbed 500-odd steps, the moment you witness the god in all the glory. The mere sight carries an amazing vibe that makes you feel fulfilled. You would definitely feel that all the effort was definitely a great worth. Behind the linga, one could see the statues of Somaskandar (Lord Shiva, Lordess Parvathy and Lord Muruga as a child) engraved on the wall. One interesting aspect of the temple is the fact that one would not observe the statue of Nandhi in front of the main linga as in all Shiva temples. In that sense, one could have a more direct face-to-face dharshan of the lord here. Apart from this, the temple also hosts statues of Ganapathy, Muruga and Lordess Sokka Nayaki.

Having had a fulfilling Dharshan, one could enjoy the cool breeze and amazing views the hill top has on offer. One could have a great view of paddy fields all the way till the horizon, the bustling Chengalpet town below and several water bodies that drain the region. The most interesting of them is a large temple tank called Sangu (conch) Theertham. The temple tank is clearly one of the biggest I have ever seen.

The way down from the hills is through a different set of stairs. On this route, one would find the Eagle feeding point as well as a couple of Shiv Lingas. There is also a small cave temple en route, but it remains closed. One could see wonderful sculptures carved inside the caves, although most of them appear to have worn down over time. The descent also offers better view of the town and the Sangu Theertham.

THIRUPARASUNDARI TEMPLE: There is a big temple located near the foot of the hill dedicated to Lordess Thirupurasundari Amman. The temple towers can in fact be viewed from the Vedagiriswarar Temple. This again would remind one of Thiruvannamalai, given the temple towers on all four sides of the temple compound. The temple towers are quite a tall structure with each of them having at least 7 tiers.

A small Shiva linga is also housed within this temple by the name Bhaktavatsaleswarar. This temple is quite an historic one housing several sanctums including one for lord Muruga. The main sanctum is dedicated to Lordess Thirupurasundari Amman. On the inner walls of the sanctum, one would find Abirami Sthothra mala engraved in marble. The temple also boasts of a huge pond, named after Nandhi, called the Nandhi Theertham. The pond is said to have curative properties.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISITS: Interested pilgrims could also visit Rudhrakoteswarar temple located within the town. This is a small temple dedicated to lord Shiva and a visit to this temple is said to be equivalent to performing penance with 1000 rudrakshas. One needs to take the straight road from Thirupurasundari Amman temple towards the Sangu Theertham and take a right turn there to reach the Rudhrakoteswarar temple.

SCHEDULING YOUR VISIT: You could possibly start from Chennai, reach Thirukazhukundram via Chengalpet, complete the dharshan of the three temples, spend the afternoon (when all temples are closed between 12Pm-4PM) at Mahabalipuram and then push for a couple more Vishnu temples along the route, namely Thirukadalmallai (in Mahabalipuram itself) and Thiruvidanthai (on the way back to chennai). In fact, both these temples are among the 108 Divya Desam temples.

In Thirukadalmallai, one would have a Dharshan of Sthala Sayana Perumal, where Lord Vishnu is seen in a reclining position. The uniqueness of this temple is that, unlike other places where the lord is in a reclined position on Adi Seshan (the snake), here he is found lying down on the floor. The lordess of the temple is called Nila Mangai, meaning lordess of the land. This temple is said to have been constructed as a pallava king feared the sea could possibly erode the sea shore temple in Mahabalipuram and hence wanted to construct a temple slightly away from the sea.

In Thiruvidanthai, one could have a dharshan of Nithya Kalyana Perumal, where the lord is seen holding the beloved lordess on his lap. The lordess here is known by the name Komathivalli Thayar. Both the lord and the lordess here are seen here in kalyana kolam (marriage costume). Alternatively, apart from these two temples one could also visit the famous Muruga temple Thiruporur, where the lord is known by the name Kandhasamy.

Temples in and around Madurai

I was on a trip to Madurai recently. This was just my first trip to Madurai and was long overdue. It was a two-and-half day trip, covering Madurai and Theni. The rain threat was always around and even before we started, I was busy praying rain should not play spoilsport. Luckily, it stayed away and allowed us the luxury of covering the various temples as planned.

My first halt was undoubtedly at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. I have seen enough photos of the temple tower, tank and the goddess. Yet, the sight of these in person, left me spell bound. The intricate work on the temple towers, in specific, was literally out of the world. No surprise, the place was in contention for the wonders of the world. I am not going to verbally express my thoughts on the temple here, for partly it is not going to be justified and partly because there is already enough material on this on the web. So, let me share my thoughts on what other possible temples you can explore in and around Madurai.

1. KOODAL AZHAGAR TEMPLE: This temple is located right at the heart of the city and close to the Periyar bus stand. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is regarded as one of the 108 sacred Vishnu Temples in India (Divya Desam). The temple tower is a beautiful structure and unlike a typical pyramid structure, has a slightly more circular dome-like structure, that adds to the beauty. It's a relatively small temple and the primary lord here is known by the name Koodal Azhagar. Here, the lord is seen in a sitting posture with his consorts. One interesting aspect of the temple, which even some of the locals are not aware of, is that apart from the primary god, Koodal Azhagar, two other lords, namely Suryanarayanan and Seerabdhi Narayanar reside in this temple. The former is in standing posture and the latter in a reclined posture. The sanctums are located in two floors above Koodal Azhagar, thus making this temple a 3-tier structure, with each lord residing one above the other. This makes the temple really unique and worth a visit.

2. IMMAIILUM NANMAI THARUM SIVAN TEMPLE: This temple located at a walking distance from Koodal Azhagar temple has a very fascinating name. The name suggests that the lord is the protector across all issues and across all births. This historic temple dedicated to Lord Shiva has a very pious feel about it and makes for a quick visit.

3. TIRUPARANKUNDRAM: The famed Murugan temple is located at about 8kms from Madurai. It is one of the six primary abodes of Lord Muruga. This is the place where Muruga is supposed to have married Deivanai. This is a rock-cut temple where sanctums have been carved out of rocks. The interesting aspect of the temple is that one gets to have a darshan of five sanctums from a single stretch. The sanctums of Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapathy, Muruga (with Deivanai) and Lordess Durga are placed just next to each other. The idols are quite large in size allowing for a more fulfilling dharshan for devotees.

4. NAGASAI TEMPLE: This is a Shirdi Sai Baba temple located enroute to Tiruparankundram. This is one of the earliest Sai temples in the country having been founded in 1943. The current statue however is a much newer one. The sai temple is well maintained and activities are carried out as in any Sai Baba temple across the world. You could probably close your day with a trip to the Sai Baba temple, where you can join the Bhajans and the mangala aarthi is taken at 08:00PM.

5. KURUVITHURAI GURU TEMPLE: This is a temple dedicated to Lord Guru/Dhakshinamoorthy. The temple is located about 25 kms North-west of Madurai and is about 8 kms from a place called Cholavandhan. The primary deity of the temple is actually Lord Vishnu (in a tall, standing posture). However, the temple is famous as Lord Guru's shrine. In fact, Lord Guru and Sakkarathazhwar are seen together in a single shrine and they are aid to have emerged Suyambu (on their own at this place). The beautiful stream that runs besides the temple adds to the beauty of the trip.

6. EDAGANATHAR TEMPLE: This Lord Shiva temple is located at Cholavandhan and can be combined with a trip to Kuruvithurai. In fact, the entry arch to the temple is relatively small and is on the road that leads to Kuruvithurai that one could miss it. However, the temple by itself is quite large in size and carries a mystic feel to it. The temple has a strong history and is said to have emerged as a symbol of saivism winning over jainism when there was a discussion on which was a superior religion. Leaving the duel aside the temple is definitely worth a visit for a wonderful spiritual feel it offers.

7. KALLAZHAGAR TEMPLE: This is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located about 20 kms north of Madurai. Similar to Koodal Azhagar temple, Kallazhagar temple is also considered one of the 108 divine Vishnu temples of India. Here, the primary deity Kallazhagar is seen in a standing posture. Kallazhagar is considered the brother of Lordess Meenakshi, who is said to have offered Lordess Meenakshi's hands in marriage to Lord Shiva (Sundareswarar). The temple tower is an astounding structure with wonderful sculptural work. The temple corridor pillars are also very intricately carved and is definitely worth exploring.

8. PAZHAMUDHIR CHOLAI: This is one of the six primary abodes of Lord Muruga, similar to Tiruparankundram. This is the abode where Lord Muruga seems to have shown himself in front of the famous Tamil lady poet Avvaiyar. This is a reatively small temple but with significant history. The temple is located about 4 kms from Kallazhagar temple. In fact, Kallazhagar temple is located at the foothill, while Pazhamudhir Cholai is slightly uphill.

9. NOOBURA GANGAI: If you move further uphill from Pazhamudhir Cholai, you would find Noobura Gangai. Not many who visit Pazhamudhir Cholai temple is even aware of Noobura Gangai. After travelling a km uphill from Pazhamudhir Cholai, one needs to walk about 60 steps to reach Rakkai Amman temple. From the foot of the Lordess (the rock beneath the statue), there is a natural spring that gets generated. Interested could have a quick bath as well in wonderful natural spring, although the set up is not great for having a proper bath. However, a look at the spurt in flow of clean, natural water is definitely worth a visit.

10. NARASINGAM: As you move from Noobura Gangai back to Madurai, one could make a visit to Narasingam. The temple located at an interesting set up is located just below a mountain range called Yanamalai (meaning Elephant hill, as it represents a sitting elephant). There is a huge lotus pond just outside the temple. The temple, as the name of the village indicates, is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, one of the forms of lord Vishnu. Narasimha is seen in a sitting posture here and is carved out of a rock in a small cave. outside is a large statue of the goddess. Plans are on to give a gold plating to the temple gopuram.

11. THIRUMOHUR: This is again one of the 108 sacred Vishnu temples of India. The temple is also strongly revered as the shrine for Chakkarathazhwar. The temple is an ancient one and also houses separate sanctum for Srirangam Ranganathar and Hanuman. The temple is located between Narasingam and Madurai.

12. THIRUVATHAVUR: This is an ancient Shiva temple located between Thirumohur and Madurai. So, it makes a nice finish to your Madurai trip and gets you back to Madurai. The place is also the birth place of Manikavasagar, the great Saivite poet.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: Madurai is about 450 kms from Chennai and is well connected by train and air. One needs to spend at least two days to explore these temples well apart from the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. Also, note that all these temples are closed in the after noon between 12PM and 4PM. So, one should plan the schedule of visits accordingly and use the noon time for covering the distance.

Have a great trip in this temple city!!!