Sunday, May 13, 2012

Sri Agastheeswarar temple- Ponneri

This is also an ancient temple built in the Gajaprushti type .There is a golden plough carved inside which shows the name of the place  as Pon eri  (Golden plough)How to reach:On the Kolkatta highway from Chennai after 35 kms you will come to the karanpdai bridge and toll .proceed straight after crossing road to peripalayam at  Thacchur koot road There is an overbridge here so take the service road and take the under pass to the right to enter ponneri  after the karanodai bridge.  Proceed into the harihara bazaar street and before you come to the railway underpass you will see the road to the temple on the right. proceed for a few metres and you will see the temple.
Legend of the temple:
The temple was the place where Agasthya did penance and was relieved of his stomach ache here..The ancient name of this place is Kumbamuni Mangalam. Sage Agasthiar is also known as Kumbamuni, as he once collected the whole of river Cauvery into his holy pot (Kamandalam)
The mandapam in front of the temple and the agasthiyar theertham
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View of the temple
There is a pilliar shrine seen on the left in the snap above we prayed there and entered the rajagopuram. The main shrine beckoned us in front with the nandi and the Kodimaram seen on the right. All the gods here face the east and are prayed to by the sun who graces them in the month of chithirai ( April-May)
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The pillars of the front hall having anjeneya and ganesha
The main sanctum has a huge sivalingam facing the east. The Vimanam is of the gajaprushti type with a carving of a golden plough as seen herePonneritemples 035
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The koshta vigrahas are all enshrined in their niches, Ganesha, Guru,Lingothbhavar,Durgai, Brahmaetc., thereis also a bhairavar and a suryan inside the praharam Ponneritemples 038 Ponneritemples 040 Ponneritemples 041Ponneritemples 042
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Shiva suryan
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Murugan on the left of the main praharam

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Ambal sannidhi to the left of the main sannidhi facing east is found inside themain praharam itself
The outer walls of the temples are painted over with thevarams and other hymnsPonneritemples 045
The sarakondrai plant in full bloom was a nice sight next to the navagraha sannidhi
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