07th April 2016.
This month’s planned temples visits
are 3 hill temples ( Chennimalai, Othimalai and Velliangiri Hills ) and
Bannari Mari Amman temple. Since I could not get the return ticket to Chennai
from Erode after my official work at Ooty, on Sunday, postponed my travel on
Monday the 4th April 2016. To utilize the time effectively
planned the above temples on Sunday and Monday.
My first Hill temple visit was to Chennimalai.
During my earlier visit to this temple, the Rajagopuram was under construction.
The Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 07-07-2014 after construction of
Rajagopuram and renovation works.
This
temple is considered as one of the Arupadaiveedu temples of Kongu Nadu. They are.......
1.
Thirumurugan Poondi, Avinashi, Murugan with 6 heads & 12 hands.
2.
Othimalai, Murugan with 5 heads and 08 Hands.
3.
Tindigul Chinnalapatti, Murugan with 4 heads & 8 hands.
4.
Kumaran Karadu, Kasi Palayam, near Gobi, Murugan with 3 heads & 6 hands.
5.
Chennaimalai, Murugan with 3 faces & 4 hands.
6.
Palani, Murugan with one face and two hands as Dhandayuthapani.
SRI CHENNIMALAI ANDAVAR TEMPLE- CHENNIMALAI.
Chennimalai is situated in Erode district and a
part of Kongu Nadu. Weaving is the main activity in and around Chennimalai. The
temple is dedicated to Lord Sri Murugan and people used call him as
Chennimalai Andavar and situated at a height of 1750 feet. The temple is
believed to be of 3000 years old. The temple can be approached through road and
neatly constructed steps. The kumbhabhishekam was performed on
07-07-2014. The 5 tier Rajagopuram was constructed at a cost of Rs 5
crores. Chennimalai was also called as Siragiri, Sikaragiri, Pushpagiri and
Magudagiri.
Temple view from back side
Moolavar : Sri Chennimalai Andavar ( Sri Murugan )
Some of the important features of this temple are….
The story of the temple goes like this… At Kodumanal
village, 5 KM away from Chennimalai, A Cow used to milch on a particular place
daily. On seeing this the Farm owner digged the place and found a
beautiful statue of Lord Muruga. The surface was not smooth below the
hip. While cleaning with chisel, blood was oozed out, so the Farm owner stopped
cleaning and installed on this Chennimalai Hill.
There is a sannadhi for Sri Muthukumara Saavan - a Navakanda
statue / sirpam - which was built by URC educational institutions of Erode.
There is a sannadhi for Sri Athi Vinayagar and
Gurukkal told that a snake is worshiping pillayar and hides in one of
the hole of the wall.
SRI CHENNIMALAI ANDAVAR TEMPLE
A Vilakkuthoon is in front of Rajagopuram at end
of the steps. The 5 tier Rajagopuram is at the entrance and
Peacock, balipeedam and Dwajasthambam are in the prakaram. In Chennimalai Andavar sanctum koshtam Sikivahana murthy, Agni Jatha murthy, Sujanma murthy, Sowpeya murthy and Devasenapathy murthy.
Sannadhi for Vinayagar, Navagrahas, Chandran,
Suryan, Bhairavar. Sri Markandeshwara with Nandhi, mini Kodimaram and balipeedam
are on the left of main sanctum with his consort Sri Umayavalli. The
grukkals of Sri Markandeswara Temple belongs to Markandeya gothram of
Thirukadaiyur and they were brought by Sivalaya Chozhan.
Out side the main sanctum mandapam walls reliefs
of Raghu, Kethu, Guru, on the right. Kasi Viswanathar and Visalakshi sannadhi are on the
right side of Sri Chennimalai Andavar Sanctum.
Sri Chennimalai Andavar sannadhi Vimanam
SRI
VALLI DEIVANAI TEMPLE.
Moorthams of Valli & Deasena are made of
single stone with Shiva Lingam on the base. Vilakku thoon, balipeedam and Peacock are in front of the temple and Chennimalai Andavar’s sudhai sirpam is on the mandapam arch.
It was believed that both are in thabas
to get marry Chennimalai Andavar. Sri Valli and Deivanai as Amirthavalli and
Sundaravalli had done dhabas to get married with Chennimalai Andavar.
Chennimalai Andavar assured them that he will marry both when they re-born as
Valli & Deivanai.
PINNAKKU
SIDDHAR.
Pinnakku Siddhar is one of the 18 siddhars and
attained mukthi in this sthalam. He had got his wisdom from his Guru Pambatti
siddhar.
His tongue was split in to two parts, so he was
called as Pinnakku Siddhar. He was also called as Nandeeswarar due to thejas
on his body. He advised devotees not to tell lie. There is a small cave in which Pinnakku Siddhar
had done his meditation.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple complex consists of main temple for Sri Chennimalai Andavar, Sri Valli Devasena Temple and Pinnakku Siddhar jeeva Samadhi.
The temple can be reached from the base through two paths. One is via bus, car, van etc, which is 4 km distance and the other way through footpath with neatly paved 1330 steps and mandapams to take rest.
There are 1330 steps ( some books it was written as 1300 and in some books 1320, etc, ) which denotes the Tamil thirumarai Thirukural a Tamil literature, which has 1330 verses. At the entrance of the foot steps route sannadhi for Skandar, Kadamban and idumban.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
As per Mr Raju Head and epigraphist of Tanjore Tamil University, the temple was built by Karikar Chozhan ( proof: Chozhan Poorva pattayam ). There are 17th and 18th century inscriptions/ epigraphs available in this temple Thirupani was done by Sengathurai Poojari during 19th century and in 20th century by Vettuvapalayam Velalathambiran.
For Chennimalai Andavar’s thirumanjanam water is brought from base daily through ( pothi kaalai - பொதிகாளை ) bull. It was an achievement that during 1984 a bullock cart was pulled by two bulls from base to top of the hill through steps.
Adhi Vinayagars Sannidhi Mukha mandapam was constructed by Narayana swamy Gounder
Chennimalai is the birth place of the freedom fighter Tiruppur Kodi kaatha Kumaran.
The statue of freedom fighter Thirupur Kodi kaatha Kumaran
LITERATURES
The sthala puranam was written by Saravana Munivar after referring Kanchipuram cheppedu. Kandar Sasti kavasam by Sri Balan Devaraya Swamigal was first sung at this temple.
Arunagirinathar has sung hymn Thiruppugazh and got padikkasu from Chennimalai Andavar.
சிரகிரி (சென்னிமலை)
348
பகலிரவினிற்
றடுமாறா; பதிகுருவெனத் தெளிபோத
ரகசியமுரைத்
தநுபூதி ; ரதநிலை தனை தருவாயே
இகபரமதற்கிறையோனே;
இயலிசையின்முத் தமிழோனே
சகசிரகிரிப்
பதிவேளே ; சரவணபவப் பெருமாளே.
.....அருணகிரிநாதரின் திருபுகழ்
LEGENDS
Sivalaya Chozhan got cured from a decease after worshiping Sri Chennimalai Andavar and he is responsible for bringing Thirukadaiyur Markandeya kothra Deivasikamani Pandithar to do pooja at Sri Markandeswara Sannadhi.
Sivalaya Chozha’s another name is Chenni, so the place was named after him as Chennimalai.
Devotees used to do special Poojas to get rid of the obstacles for their marriage.
THE TEMPLE
TIMINGS:
The temple is kept open between 06.00 Hrs to 20.00
hrs without brake and closed after artha jama Pooja.
CONTACT
DETAILS :
Temple office phone number 04294-250223 and the
malaikoil numbers are 04294 – 292595 and 292263
E mail address is chennkovil@gmail.com
HOW TO REACH :
Chennimalai can be reached by bus from
Erode, and Perundurai.
The nearest Railway station is Perundurai and
express trains will stop at Erode.
The temple entrance arch on the main road side
A Vinayagar sannadhi
A Mandapam before the steps.
Vilakkuthoon at the start point of the steps
Skandar- Idumban and Kadambar Sannadhi
Close up view of the temple from steps start point
The beginning of steps
Long way to go
Long way to go
Long way to go
Long way to go with a resting mandapam
Muthukumara Saavan’s Sannadhi
Muthukumara Saavan’s Navakanda statue
Long way to go
Yes we have reached the temple – view from 1200th
step
Rajagopuram with Vilakku thoon
Chains made of single stone- Rajagopuram ceiling
view
Temple view through Rajagopuram
Valli Deivanai Temple Vimanam
Siddhar sannadhi & The left is the cave
For More photos on
Picasa web album : CLICK
HERE
The temperature was very hot and sweating. With the back bag
was pulling down and found extremely difficult to climb up the hill. Almost it
took about 3.30 Hrs for the visit to the hill temple. By 12.30 hrs
Completely exhausted. Happened to see my brother and he dropped me near
Perundurai Bus stand to reach my native Village ( Pappavalasu – a tiny Village on
the way to Perundurai to Kunnathur).
