Enchanting country of ruins...Welcome to Cambodia...Series 1

Cambodia and its mystic temples are both a visual treat for your eyes and a great exercise for your mind...for all the creative visualisation you might have to do. The wonderful temples, apart from Angkor Wat, are quite a bit in a dilapidated state, due to series of invasions and civil wars, as latest as until 1997. Unfortunately, it is the temples and the statues inside that have borne the brunt of all these violence and stands today as a stark reminder of the dark past. One cannot stop wondering what a spectacle it would be if the temples were in its original gleaming beauty. You can only feel sorry for it now. All said though, even the remnants, as it stands today, still cast a magic charm on the viewers. For the history and trivia lovers, Cambodia has a mention in some of our sacred texts as a famous Shiva sthalam (holy abode of Shiva in the name of Campuchia). In fact, it is also believed that the carnatic raga, Kambodhi, came from this part of the world.

Angkor Wat with all its glory reflected in the lake near-by

So, here we go on a quick tour of temples of Siem Reap, the cultural capital of Cambodia. Siem Reap boasts of an international airport with good regional connectivity, especially from Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, that makes reaching the place quite easy. Two days are good to cover a tour of the major temples. One could take a 1-day or a 3-day pass to cover all key temples in the city. For a more avid enthusiast, there is also a 7-day pass available. Alternatively, if one wants to break away from the temple routine and wants to explore the other side of Cambodia, Kampong Phluk floating village and waterfalls of Kulen mountains may be worthy near-by alternatives. For the one looking for modern works of Khmer architecture and one looking to gather some bit of history, Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, is a good option. We will touch upon Phnom Penh a bit later..now back to Siem Reap and its glorious temples.

ANGKOR WAT: Obviously, we cannot start with a temple other than Angkor Wat. Undoubtedly, the most magnificent and also the best in shape of all the temples. The name 'Angkor Wat' in Khmer translates into 'city of temples' in English. How true? For it is the largest religious compound of the world. Now, that sets the size in perspective. Temples in Cambodia are structured in a similar fashion. The temple is believed to be the maha meru in an ocean that represents the mountain on which the Lord resides and one that is believed to have been churned by asuras and devas in an ocean over thousands of years. Several resources and other forms of god are supposed to have emanated from this grand churn including goddess Lakshmi. Vasuki, the king of Serpants was used as a rope for the churn.

Grandeur gets bigger as we inch closer to the central tower

This theme is so well-entrenched in all the temple architecture here. Most of the temples are surrounded by a pool of water representing the ocean with a bridge connecting to the maha meru, viewed as a rainbow leading to the holy abode.The bridge invariably gets decorated by Vasuki being churned on both sides by devas and asuras. Angkor Wat is no exception.

View of Angkor from Bakheng Hill...looks like a fairy tale pic

From afar, the temple offers a sight of a fairy tale castle as can be seen from the nearby Bakheng Hill. Up close, it is the grandeur that strikes you. The main temple has five entry points earmarked for various class of people like royalty, noble and common men. Once in, it a sculptural treat of Hindu gods as well as Buddha. It was originally built by a Hindu king Suryavarman II in 12th century AD. However, future kings and kingdoms turned Buddhists and today, Angkor carries a mixed influence. Unfortunately, with very few exceptions, most of the statues are either disfigured or damaged. Catching a glimpse of the very few ones that are left behind gives a sense of how the place would have been when it was constructed.

As you walk through the long bridge, you are invariably busy clicking one pic after the other, for as you get closer and closer to the main temple, it starts to look more and more magnificent. Given the tourist crowd, it is always tough to get one neat pic of yourself with the wonder behind. But, whatever you take turns wonderful, thanks to the grandeur on offer. Also, given the water around the temple, you will be able to capture a nice shot with the reflection of the temple in water. This makes it appear even more appealing.

Scenic lake around the temple representing the ocean

The central tower of Angkor Wat can be climbed up through a series of steep, renovated steps. As one climbs, two thoughts strike you: one, people then should have been really healthy, for the steps are really steep and second, they must have been quite short, for the steps are really small in terms of breadth. Once we are up there, it is again a feast for your eyes and camera lens with a lot of interesting sculptures to focus. It also gives a good view of the place around Angkor including its big surrounding lake.

The temple corridor walls are filled with intricate carvings largely from Ramayana. It is really wonderful to see the strong presence of Indian culture and literature in Cambodia and equally sad that it did not continue beyond the 12th century AD.

Wall inscriptions depicting an episode in Ramayana

For someone looking for souvenirs or some local artwork or even wanting to try out the local clothing, there are a lot of shops around the temple. It is always good to exhibit your bargaining skills in these shops and you can really strike a very good deal. Food is a problem in this region, if you are a vegetarian. So, you try and make the best use of what is available.

The exit for the temple is through the back gate and is less splendid. Nevertheless, once you are out, taking a look back will remind you of the wonderful experience you have just witnessed. And yes, before I move on, one word of advice, given the amount of walking you need to do at Angkor and at other temples, do ensure you have a good pair of shoes for support.

This is just Angkor Wat...more temples to follow in the next edition. Stay tuned.

Punnathur Kotta - Elephant sanctuary near Guruvayoor

If you are at Guruvayoor next time, do not miss an opportunity to visit Punnathur Kotta, the elephant sanctuary maintained by the Guruvayoor Devaswom, the temple trust. It is just about 3 kms from the Guruvayoor Krishna temple, located in Thrissur district in Kerala. It is where the temple maintains the various elephants belonging to the temple. There are about 60 elephants in the sanctuary...yes, you heard it right..60 elephants. It is definitely worth a visit just for the numbers at least.

 It is not a sanctuary in the strictest sense of the word. The place is neither a forest area nor do elephants roam around freely. Yet, the place has a charm about it with jumbos all around. The elephants are placed well apart from each other and a nice walk-around has been created for visitors to go around and witness the biggies on either side. Needless to say, the elephants are chained. Although, that is not that the best way to see the elephants, I guess considering the safety of visitors, that is the ideal solution.

As you keep walking along the pathway, you never get a feel, elephant is just an elephant, whether it is one or sixty of them. Each elephant has something unique to offer that you want to capture every little act that each one engages in. There is an old saying that one never gets bored looking at a moon, sea, sky, new born child and elephant. It is said that they continuously keep offering interesting sights for one to remain bespectacled. How true?

At Punnathur Kotta, even after coming through a full round looking at all the elephants, one is not going to feel saturated and there is always an appetite to view more of the big beast. They are of various sizes, shapes and temperament. Some keep moving along, some are happy staying still; some look intensely at you while some just do not bother about your existence. All in all, a paisa vasool and definitely a worthy experience.

They give you enough background for a variety of poses. Interestingly, some elephants are specifically marked as being in the state of masth and visitors were advised not to stay around these elephants for a long time. You could also have a chat with the caretakers and mahouts. They will some nice stories to tell about each elephant. For instance, we were introduced to Padmanabhan, the oldest among the inhabitants and wow...it was truly majestic.

Given that all temples are going to be closed in the region between 1PM to 4PM, Punnathur Kotta is a great choice to fill in the intermittent time. Do check it out...you will feel good that you did not miss it.

Around Mysore - Nanjangud and Somnathpur

A couple of interesting places to visit around Mysore, for those who are making their nth trip to Mysore, n not being equal to 1. I am sure the first trip is always reserved for the palace, Srirangapatna and Chamundeswari temple - rightfully so. If you are done with the routine visits, then a couple of places worth checking out are Nanjangud and Somnathpur.

NANJANGUD: Nanjangud Sri Kanteswara temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. It is located at a distance of about 25 kms from Mysore. It is located on the banks of river Kabini, one of the tributaries of Kaveri. Nanjangud also has a rail head.

The best part of the temple is its proximity to the river bank. When the river is in full flow, like the time I had been there in August, it is a wonderful sight. Pilgrims throng the temple after taking a holy dip in the river, which in itself is a very pleasant experience. No great facility for a dress change though. We need to adjust with some make-shift arrangements.

Apart from taking a dip in the river, one could also go boating on the river in country made boats, Parisal. That again has its own charm. Taking a ride through the small, but beautiful, bamboo grooves in Parisal was one of the memorable experiences of my life.

The temple in itself is quite a massive structure with a 7-tier temple tower greeting you at the entrance. Sandstone colour of the temple tower adds its own touch of beauty to the structure. The temple compound walls are also wonderfully structured with fascinating carvings, both inside as well as outside the temple. The Primary lord, Nanjundeswarar, signifies Shiva who drank poison for the benefit of the world.

The place is considered to be a very sacred one and is revered as Dakshina Kasi. Apart from Shiva, the temple houses sanctums for lordess Parvati and Vishnu among others. There are innumerable wonderfully carved sculptures adorning the temple. There is also a section on sculptures of lord Shiva in various forms, which again speaks volume on Indian craftsmanship. Outside the temple one would also find a huge statue of Shiva in human form, in a sitting posture. The statue, although a recently established one, adds its own touch of sanctity and religious fervour to the atmosphere.

Near-by Nanjangud one could also find decent eating options.

SOMNATHPUR: Quite in contrast to Nanjangud, is Somnathpur or Somnathpura. It used to be a fully functional temple in the good old days, but it is now restricted to tourist interest. Built during the Hoysala period, it is the less known relative of Belur and Halebid temples. In fact, the structure of Somnathpura is quite similar to Halebid, which is so very unique to the Hoysala architecture. This temple too is dedicated toChennakesava. The temple is under the maintenance of Archealogical Survey of India (ASI) and is reasonably well-maintained. It is located at a distance of about 35kms from Mysore in the route to Bannur.

The temple has faced limited destruction compared to Belur and Halebid and hence offers more splendour for the eyes. Words are quite limited to express the beauty of the place. If you are one fascinated by history, architecture and sculptures, then Somnathpur should be definitely on your agenda of places to visit. Such is the treasure trove of sculptures and wall carvings here.

Inside the main temple, you would find three sanctums, dedicated to Kesava, Janardhana and Venugopala. Each of the sanctum has an elaborate entrance with intricate carvings that you could just adore for hours. Each of the pillars inside is uniquely carved and you are left wondering how did they manage to construct such wonders. The layered stone dome that resembles a chandelier beats the pillars in its own way. Unfortunately, the inner sanctums are not well-lit preventing one from taking decent pics.

While you relish the beauty of the inner sanctum and are left awe-stuck, the carvings on the outer wall transport you to a totally different world. You are sure to stretch the memory of your camera, just going on a clicking rampage. Even after that, you are likely to feel whether you have made full justice to the place by clicking enough pics. No camera or camcorder can amply capture what is on display. Probably your eyes are the best possible camera and your brain the best storage medium of all these memories.

One could spend several minutes just adoring the beauty of one sculpture and there are thousands and thousands of them lined all across the walls. Where do we start and where do we end? Well this is the question you will keep asking yourself and probably pass the blame on available time.

Sculptures are presented in three layers. To put very simply, the lower section with innumerable small ones, the middle section with reasonably big ones and the top (vimana) section with its own set of decorations. Leaving aside the main portion of the primary sculptures, one could be left wondering even at the beauty of the simple niceties that adorn these sculptures. Be it the tools on hands of the lords or the umbrella like covering above the head of each lord or the intricacies of leaves in a sculpted tree. The list is endless. One has to view it in person to rejoice it all. My words and pics are only like a small drop in a ocean of architectural treasure trove. Be there to check it out yourself.

NEAR-BY TEMPLES TO VISIT: Apart from Nanjagud and Somnathpur, if you are covering Mysore from Bangalore, then a couple of places you could cover en-route are Maddur and Mallur. Maddur is famous for its vadas and you should definitely try them when you are there. It is located at almost half way between Bangalore (Bengaluru) and Mysore. This apart, Maddur has an Ugra Narasimhar temple where Narasimha is in a state of anger and is seen here in the form of killing the demon Hiranyakashyap. There is a small Varadaraja Perumal temple near-by where the main statue is about 12 ft tall and is a divine sight.

Mallur or Dodda Mallur has a temple for lord Rama in the name of Aprameya. It is at a distance of about 50 kms from Bangalore. It is quite an old and historically recognised temple. Apart from the primary lord, the temple is more famous for Navneet Krishna. In fact, more people now know the temple only by this name. The most interesting aspect of the Navneet Krishna here is that it is in the posture of a child crawling. We have seen pictures of the same several number of times. But, to find statue of Krishna as a crawling child in a stone form is quite unique and you could catch the same here.

Temples in and around Salem - Part III

In this third part of the series on Temples around Salem, I would like to cover temples along the Salem-Tiruchengode route. You can look at Part I of the series at http://travelwithguru.blogspot.com/2011/04/temples-in-and-around-salem-part-ii.html and part 2 of the series at http://travelwithguru.blogspot.com/2011/04/temples-in-and-around-salem-part-ii.html

Apart from Tiruchengode Arthanareeswarar temple, most of the temples along this route are quite small, but some have significant history backing it. Tiruchengode is about 40 kms from Salem. It is well connected through the National Highway and hence commuting is easy.

1. Tiruchengode Kailasanathar Temple: Before visiting the main Tiruchengode hill top temple, one could visit the Kailasanathar temple located at the foot hill. It is a reasonably spacious temple and carries sanctums for gods and goddesses that you generally associate with a Shiva temple. The temple is well maintained and the entrance door carvings are a great treat for the eyes.

2. Tiruchengode Arthanareeswarar Temple: Undoubtedly, the main attraction in this region. The historically famous Arthanareeswarar temple on hill top. It is believed the temple was constructed during 2nd century AD. So, technically, it is over 2000 years old. It is amazing to realise such a wonderful temple having been constructed in that age. Every pillar and corner of the temple speaks volumes of the wonderful craftsmanship that prevailed in the region. A look above and the ceilings are filled with wonderful carvings.

Arthanareeswarar represents union of Lord Shiva and Lordess Parvathi in one human form. The primary statue of the god is said to have been made out of Nava Bhashan, a material that is said to have curative and anti-ageing properties. It is indeed sad that over several centuries people have scrapped out the Nava Bhashan from the idol, wanting to benefit from its medical properties. As a result, the idol looks to be in quite a dilapidated state. One could still make out the broad framework of the idol, but to view the statue in a bad state is disturbing.
There is also a sanctum for lord Muruga, in the name of Sengootu velavar, whose statue is also in the same state as Arthanareeswarar having been made of the same Nava Bhashan. There is also a separate sanctum for lord Vishnu here, assuming the name of Adhi Kesava Perumal. The premise also holds a huge puthu, probably among the biggest I have seen.

It is only recently that a road has been laid through the hill for devotees to reach the temple by vehicle. The road through the hill goes in a slightly round-about fashion, but is definitely worth the experience. The view of the Tiruchengode town and nearby hills from the temple premise is also a great spectacle.

3. Kalipatti Kandhaswamy Temple: On the way back to Salem from Tiruchengode, you could cover a few temples. First among them is a famous Murugan temple at Kalipatti, about 25 kms from Tiruchengode. The temple is backed by significant history and is said to have been one of the key contenders for Arupadai Veedu Murugan shrines. Here, instead of the Vibhooti (holy ash), devotees are given black ash made of sugarcane. This is supposed to have medicinal properties and has even historically supposedly been used for snake bites.

4. Ariyanoor 1008 Linga Temple: This is a modern temple in Ariyanoor, less than 10 kms from Kalipatti. The 1008 lingas are installed all along the way to a small hillock. Each of the lingas carry an unique name too. Once you reach the top of the hillock, there is a big Ganapathi statue to welcome you. The view from there is extremely scenic with coconut and banyan groves. There are also separate sanctums here for each of the Arupadai Veedu Murugan temples. The statues here are pretty much the replica of the original.

Each of the 1008 lingas are sheltered by individual roofing that makes it really a wonderful sight. There is a huge separate sanctum for the primary linga called Arunachaleswarar. To fully justify the grand construction around, the primary linga is really huge in proportion make it an awesome spectacle. There is also a separate sanctum for Lord Anjaneya in the premise.

5. Uthama Cholapuram Siva Temple: Just a km from Ariyanoor is the famous historic Siva temple at Uthama Cholapuram. Here, the lord assumes the name of Karabureswarar and is said to have emerged suyambu. The temple is said to be over 1200 years old. It is believed that the famous Tamil poet Aavaiyar is said to have presided over the marriage of Angavai and Sangavai, the two daughters of King Pari, extensively covered in Tamil history. In fact, there is a life-size statue of Aavaiyar placed at the entrance of the temple. A nice way to complete a temple tour in and around Salem.

Temples in and around Salem - Part II

This is in continuation with my previous post on Temples in and around Salem - Part 1. You can access it at http://travelwithguru.blogspot.com/2011/04/temples-in-and-around-salem-part-i.html.

In this post, I would like to cover temples in the Salem-Namakkal route. There are numerous temples along this route. Most of them are relatively small, nevertheless, significant temples and can be covered in a day.

1. Skandasramam:One of the primary landmarks of Salem or probably the most known temple closest to Salem. It is about 10 kms from Salem town. It islocated on top of a small hill called Skandagiri. A couple of small hairpin bends would take you to the main entrance of the temple. The temple was set up in the 1970s. As the name indicates, it is the temple dedicated to lord Muruga. However, the temple is more famous for the sheer size of statues of various gods and goddesses in its premises. In specific, the relatively big statues of Pancha Mukha Vinayaka, Anjeneya, Danvantiri and Dattareya deserve special mention.

There is also a special hall here for statues of various renowned sages and saints across India. Also, extremely unique and interesting in Skandasramam, is the presence of Nava grahas like Surya, Chandra, Ragu and Kethu with their spouses. I found this quite fascinating. Everything about Skandasramam is quite big in scale and the Nava grahas that way do not disappoint. It is very tough to find statues of Nava grahas with such grand sizes and finesse as you observe in Skandasramam. The same foundation have a Skandasramam constructed in Selaiyur in Tambaram, Chennai which is equally impressive. But, it is always good to visit the place where it all started. A must visit in Salem, especially if you have not been to the one in Chennai.

2. Kumaragiri Murugan Temple: For those fit bodies and souls, the next temple to check out is Kumaragiri. The temple is located on a hill top and is dedicated to Lord Muruga. One needs to climb more than 700 steps to reach Kumaragiri hill top. Unfortunately, you cannot take your vehicle along and will have to be climbed by stairs. The temple truly looked fascinating from the foot of the hill but looked like an exhaustive climb. Given our plans for covering more temples that morning, we decided to give it a skip. But, if you have the time and stamina, it is worth the climb. I will have to probably catch it sometime later.

3. Oothumalai Balasubramaniar Temple: The next hill top we covered was Oothumalai. Here, you could go all the way to the temple by car. Oothumalai isabout 11 kms from Skandasramam. This hill top temple too is dedicated to lord Muruga, assuming the name of Balasubramaniar. It is a small temple, but very interesting for two reasons: Here, Lord Muruga is seen holding the neck of his beloved peacock, a unique posture not to be seen in any other temple. Also, the view from the hill top is amazing and one could capture a good view of Salem town from here.

As you descend a few meters, you would notice a small Shiva temple. Next to the linga, on the rocks one would find wonderful engravings of gods and goddesses along with a suyambuSudharshana chakra. This small section of engravings is fenced and is worth a visit if you do reach Oothumalai.

4. Oothumalai Sathyanarayana Temple: In Oothumalai itself, opposite to the small Shiva temple, a climb through a series of steps would take you to a Vishnu temple, assuming the name of Satyanarayana. It is one of the very few temples dedicated to Satyanarayana in Tamil Nadu and hence assumes significance. The flight of steps are few, probably less than 60, but slightly steep in nature. The temple is a small one but the statue of the principle lord here is worth a visit for its beauty. It does feel quite enchanting to take a round around the temple premise.

5. Rasipuram Kamatchi Amman Temple: As you proceed along the route to Namakkal from Oothumalai. Rasipuram is about 27kms from Salem. This Kamatchi Amman temple is actually in a small town called Pudupalayam, about 3 kms fromRasipuram. The temple is again a small one, but the goddess here is a pretty divine sight.

6. Rasipuram Kailasanathar Temple: The more famous temple at Rasipuram is the Kailasanathar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is a relatively old temple and is relatively a big temple compared to the ones seen thus far. The Lordess here is known by the name Dharma Samvardhini. Like in a typical Shiva temple, there are shrines for lord Muruga, Vinayaka and Dhakshinamoorthy too. A moment away from temples, Rasipuram is famous for its Ghee roast dhosas and is a definite must try item there.

7. Senthamangalam Vishnu Temple: The next temple that could be connected is Senthamangalam Vishnu temple. This is again quite an old temple and is worth a quick look. The temple is located just adjacent to the main bus stand of the town.

8. Dattagiri Dattareyar Temple: Quite close to Senthamangalam, there is a small hill top called Dattagiri. The temple is primarily dedicated to Dattareyar, unison of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. However, very few locals are aware of the temple as belonging to Dattareyar. There is also a sanctum for Muruga here and that is what the locals associate with the temple. The same foundation of Skandasramam is also credited with construction of the Dattagiri temple.

A certain distance to the temple can be covered by your vehicle. However, one would also have to climb a series of about 50 steps as well to reach the temple. The temple primarily has two deities at the top, Lord Muruga and Lord Dattareya, both being quite magnificent structures. There is also a provision to take a round around the temple premise. This is quite a fascinating one given the cool breeze around.

There is also a small temple at the foot hill. Although small, this house foursanctums for Vana Durgai, Ayyapa, Dakshinamoorthy and Saneeswara. One has to take a round trip of the premise to catch sight of the four wonderful sculptures. As though to say it has been set up by the same foundation as Skandasramam, the four statues are quite big in size and the artistry is spell binding. In specific, the statue of Vana Durgai is such a wonderful sight and is worth all the effort.

9. Namakkal Anjeneya Temple: This is one of the more famous temples and has a good coverage on the net. Just thought would include it to give it a completeness. The Hanuman statue here is one of the largest in the region. Several larger statues of Hanuman are now seen across the state, but clearly this is among the oldest and hence carries its own charm and significance. The temple, by size is quite a small one with just the Hanuman statue. The statue is however not covered on top, as the legend has it that any efforts to place a roof on top of the statue has been unsuccessful in the past, either lost to fire or otherwise. The statue is wonderfully sculpted in such a way that the eyesight of Hanuman directly falls on the feet of Narasimha statue located quite a few meters away at the foot of the Namakkal fort.

10. Namakkal Narasimha Temple: The fort temple at Namakkal is quite an old one made by sculpting through the rocks. It is a wonderful exhibition of Indian craftsmanship. The premise of the lord is like a cave, as is generally the case with Narasimha temples. Narasimha is not alone here. We also have rock carvings of Shiva, Brahma and his sons too standing besides him. Interesting aspect of the statue is the red mark on Lord Narasimha's hands, reflecting the legend that the lord presented himself at Namakkal, after killing Hiranya Kashipu. The lordess here is known by the name Namagiri thayar. The sight of the lordess is indeed a great spectacle and quite a divine experience.

11. Paramathi Bheemeswara Temple: One other temple we explored is Bheemeswara temple at Paramathi. This is beyond Namakkal, at about 15-20 kms away. Here, there is an old Suyambhu linga temple that is said to have been installed and worshipped by Bheema from Mahabharatha, and hence the name Bheemeswara. This is quite a small temple, but the pillars and carvings tell a great story of how they have stood the test of times.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISITS: Apart from the temples above, there are a couple of other temples that could also be explored. A Murugan temple at Belukurichi, which is located between Rasipuram and Senthamangalam could be added to the itinerary. Also, there are a couple of old temples at Mohanur, about 15 kms from Namakkal again, but in a different direction from Paramathi. There is one temple here dedicated to Lord Shiva and one to Lord Vishnu, that could also be worth a visit.

Temples in and around Salem - Part I

Just back from a temple tour around Salem. Did a lot of net search to arrive at the list of temples to cover. So, thought would be a good idea to put in at one-place list of possible temples to cover. Broadly there are three routes of coverage, one could plan from Salem: Salem and around, Salem - Namakkal and Salem-Tiruchengode route. I would thus like to make my blog post a three part-series. In the first part, I would cover temples in Salem and around Salem.

1. Raja Ganapathy Temple:It is located at 1st Agraharam, one of the primary market areas of the town and is always bustling. It is a good temple to start one's temple tour around the region. For the size of the outer structure of the temple, the statue of lord Ganesha inside is reasonable large in size and gives one a pleasant feel. This is a small but powerful temple located at the heart of Salem Town.

2. Sugavaneswarar Temple: This temple within Salem is dedicated to Lord Siva. It is a reasonably big temple and one of the primary landmarks of the town. The Siva is said to be a suyambu, meaning, to have come into existence on its own without anyone constructing it. In fact, this is one of the five temples around river kaveri in that region to have emerged on its own. The main linga is in a slightly slanted position. Lordess Swarnambikai is housed in a separate sanctum. There are shrines for other gods like Ganapathy, Muruga and Dakshinamoorthy too.

3. Kottai Mariamman Temple: Kottai Mariamman is believed to be the primary goddess protecting the town. Pilgrims and locals alike throng in big numbers to this temple. The goddess here is in the form of a small, beautiful looking statue and the sight is very pleasing to the eyes. Unlike in a typical Mariamman temple, at the feet of the lordess one would not find a skull or a devil, but rather just a lotus bud, making it quite unique.

4. Kottai Perumal Temple: Kottai Perumal temple is also located in the Kottai region of Salem. Kottai means Fort. When I visited the temple, there was some major renovation work at the temple and hence could not catch a complete glimpse of the gods here. Some of the statues were completely covered in cloth, while in certain other cases only part of the sanctum was open.

5. Ayodhiapattinam Ramar Temple: As the name of the town suggests, this is a temple dedicated to lord Rama. It is quite an old temple with wonderful sculptural works. It is about 10 kms from Salem on the eastern direction. The temple sanctum ceilings are filled with paintings depicting various mythological scenes, although it has got slightly eroded over time. The walls and pillars of the sanctum are beautifully decorated with intricate carvings and sculptures. Legend has it that given the delay in time for Rama to reach Ayodhya from Sri Lanka in time for his Pattabhisheka, Lord Rama had his pattabhisheka done at Ayodhiapattinam, when the good time was still available and later did it in Ayodhya with all necessary procedures. So, we find Rama and Sita in a sitting posture, which is generally not found in other temples.

Ram is seen here with his left leg folded and Sita Devi with her right leg folded. Also housed in the same sanctum are Lakshmana, Hanuman, Vaali and Vibishena. A look at the sanctum gives one a feel that one is actually witnessing a pattabhisheka. In general, we find Sita to be standing to the right side of Rama in most temples. However, here we will have Sita devi seated to the left of Rama as is done during Pattabhisheka.

6. Belur Thanthondreeswarar Temple: About 18kms from Ayodhiapattinam is Belur. Here, there is an historic, grand temple of Shiva with the name Thanthondreeswarar. It is said to have been built in the 12th century. Thanthondree means emerging on its own and as the name indicates, this is a suyambu linga. For a suyambu linga, one would be surprised by the relatively large size of the linga. The rajagopuram of the temple is quite an imposing one and is a 7-tier structure. The temple pillar carvings are also a wonderful work of art. The lordess is known by the name Dharma Samvardhini. One would also find a sanctum for Kalyana Ganapathy, which houses two Vinayaka statues within the same sanctum, one large and one slightly smaller one. People offer prayers here for early marriage of their children.

7. Tharamangalam Kailasanathar Temple: This is an historic old temple at Tharamangalam, about 30 kms from Salem. It is to the west of Salem and hence in the opposite direction to Ayodhiapattinam. This is a temple constructed by the Cholas and carries their typical architectural marks. Lord here assumes the name of Kailasanathar and Lordess is Abirami. The temple tower is an imposing structure but, we could not manage a glimpse of it, since it was completely covered for renovation work. The pillars and ceilings have wonderful stone carvings that one could admire all day long.

There are a couple of interesting features within the temple. The temple's inner walls carry sculptures of various gods, goddesses and sages equidistant from each other, in a variety of postures and displaying varied emotions. One could spend hours admiring the craftsmanship of each of these sculptures. Secondly, we have sculptures of Manmathan and Rathi, Indian god and goddess of love, staring benevolently at each other. This is said to be quite unique not found in any other temple. There is also a pathala linga here in the underground that can be reached by a series of few steps.

8. Omalur Chinna Tirupathi Temple: Omalur is about 10 kms from Taramangalam and from Omalur, the Chinna Tirupathi temple is about an other 10kms. There is one place called Chinna Tirupathi near Salem as well. So, make sure you do not land up at the wrong place. The temple is quite an old one, but has been significantly extended in recent years. So, at the outset the temple looks quite new. However, one can observe the contrast in new and old architecture when one enters the inner sanctum. As the name indicates, it is a temple dedicated to lord Vishnu. The lord here assumes the name of Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal.

REACHING SALEM: Salem is about 300 kms from Chennai. It is an important rail and road junction and is well connected. It is also easily accessible from Bangalore. It is the closest rail head for Yercaud, one of the hill stations in the region, commonly referred as Poor man's Ooty. The Salem town is famous for its steel plants, limestone mines and Mangoes. The town also has an airport where currently only a single flight plies to Chennai.

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.