Thirukallil

 After 4 long years I am writing this blog with the sole aim of guiding shivanadiyars to  this

place. I was really appalled when I read various books that guide us to this temple. So want to make

the directions as simple and lucid as possible so that adiyaars who utilize public transport will be

benefitted.


Thirukkallil or Thirukandalam (as called now) is a small village located some 40 - 45 kms from the

Chennai city. Its really a very small village with very very  limited access to the towns nearby (public

transport). I will now explain various possible routes from Chennai city to this abandoned place.

Routes are ordered according to their degree of complexity (first being simple ).


1. Broadway / Poonamallee / Tambaram / Vallalar nagar  to  Red hills  (respectively 17 km , 23 km,

   41 km, 15 km). Red hills is well connected to all these places.

   Red hills to Kannigaiper (Kanniputhur) - 16 km. Its better to take a route bus which goes to

   Periyapalayam , Uthukottai ,  Puttur or Thirupathi as they bypass Karanodai and saves time than      

   a   local bus .

   Kannigaiper to Thirukkallil - 4 km. Its vary difficult to get a bus. Autos are plenty.

   There is a direct bus plying between Vallalar nagar and Vengal which goes through Thirukaallil

   (time to be enquired)


2. CMBT to Kannigaiper (buses going to Periyapalayam and Thirupathi) - 33 km. Red hills is

    eventually crossed in this route too.


3. Madras high court to Karanodai (route no 57 F). We need to come to bypass to catch a bus to

    Kannigaiper.


4. Redhills to Alamathi - 11 km. Alamathi to Thirukkandalam - 6 km. Though shorter than the

    previous routes, one need to cross a dry kotrralai river and the bridge is not in a good condition.

    Also, Thirukkallil is not well  connected to Alamathi as it is to Kannigaiper.


5. Thiruvellore  to Kannigaiper - roughly 35 km. There are two routes ; one going through

    Thirukkallil and the other one bypassing Thirukkallil. I do not have any idea about the buse routes

    and their frequency.


Of all the routes mentioned above going to red hills or taking a direct bus from CMBT to

Kannigaipair looks to be more feasible.


Thirukkandalam is totally placed away from the other nearby towns and no facilities should be

expected ( I was not even able to locate a tea shop).  Its  better to  equip with  all the basic amenities

before commencing the  journey.

Temple complex is  small but  with one circumambulatory path , very relaxing and refreshing indeed.

Temple tank is flooded with water and the temple is open throughout the day from from 6 AM to

PM ( as said by the temple people).

Moorthy :  Sri Shivandeshwarar

Ambaal  :  Sri  Anandavalli


Vimanam (Gajabrushtam ) and beautifully sculpted ambaal denotes its a Pallava built temple. this temple is mentioned I mudhal thirumurai ( Sambandar).

Temple pooja is taken care by 104 year old priest.

I hope this blog will be useful.



Thennadudaiya Shivane potri

Ennattavarkkum iraiva potri







 

Needamangalam - "Santhaana Ramaswaminam"

"Ee mahilo sogasaina chola seemandhu"
- Sri Thyagaraja

this is a mukhari raga kriti (muripe mu galige) of my guru which clearly states that chola cities are beautiful in this entire world. This chola kingdom consists of many and major and minor cities, but the unique and uniform feature of all these cities are that they are nourished by the river Cauvery and all these have temples with mind blowing history and architecture along with their holiness. The holiness of cauverythata ( bank) is mentioned here again in the same kriti "eedu laeni malayamaaruthamuche koodina cauvery thatamanthu" (He asks Lord Sri Rama do u need any other better place than this cauvery thata). To here this song click here.. One among these cities is Needamangalam which is situated on the way to mannarkudi either from kumbakonam or tanjavoor. It is also situated on the banks of Vennar, a dis tributary of cauvery. Thus it is no surprise to find a sri rama temple (refer above). Now i ll be describing about this temple.

Santhaana Ramaswaminam

This kshetra is neither included in 108 vaishnava dhivya sthalams or abhimana or purathana sthalams. The only link showing the existence of this temple is a kriti by Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar(MD) - Santhaana Ramaswaminam in the raagam Hindolavasantham. He mentions "santatam yamunambapuri nivasantham nathasantham hindolavasantham". Three things to be noted here :

1. why it is called as yamunambapuri?

2. note the raga mudra

3. why he is called as santhaana ramaswamy?

We all know MD furnish geographic references and sthala puranas in his kritis.Thus to know the answer for the fist question we need to step in into the temple.

Temple

River Vennar welcomes you into the city and the temple is located in the centre of the town.

Santhaana Ramaswamy Temple


Other names : Sakethakshetram; Yamunambapuram
Vimanam : Thriaranga vimanam
Pushkarini : Vennar, Saketha pushkarini






Saketha pushkarini

It is a small, clean and very neat temple with a single prakaram. Saketha pushkarini is seen just in front of the temple.

Sthalapuranam: The answers for first and last questions in MD kritis is in the sthalapuranam. This temple was built by the king Pratapasimha in 1761 AC. His wife is Yamunambaal. This couple couples were childless and worshipped Santhaana Ramaswami here and were blessed wuth a child. This is portrayed in the same kriti "santhana sowbhagya vihtharanam" - one who provides santhaana sowbhagyam. Thus this kshetra is called Yamunambapuri and Lord here called as "Santhaana Ramaswami". This song once again displays the beauty of MD kritis. To here the song click here...( song number 414)

Even now, childless couples come here and worship this Lord after taking a bath from this holy pushkarini and were blessed with a child.

Location: Needamangalam (alternate name: Nidamangalam) is a panchayat town in Thiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 35km from Thanjavur and 318Km from Chennai. It is around 45 minutes drive from kumbakonam.