Sri Kari Krishna perumal Temple at Ayarpadi- Ponneri

This is a very ancient Krishna temple a rarity in Tamil nadu as krioshna temples are few compared to Shiva temples. . It was supposedly built by Karikala Chola I hence the lord is called Kari krishna  and the Goddess is called  Soundaravalli nayaki which is Karikala Chola’s mother’s name apparently. Sages Bharadwaja and Agashtiya have  done penance here and the same is depicted in the outer mandapam.
How to reach:
Ponneri is about 35 kms from Chennai you will come to the karanodai 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 look for the board indicating ponneri.Proceed for 3 kms to reach  the bazaar and proceed straight under the railway bridge and before the River bridge take a left turn the temple is on the main road on the right
Legends Of the temple and Uniqueness:
There was an old Ant hill for which the cows of the village used to offer milk. When the villagers were wondering what was happening they heard a divine voice instructing them to wash the ant hill with cows milk and Sri Krishna will emerge. Accordingly they were doing it. Since they were  over anxious , some one tried to dig below and  the lord told them to stop and thus  he is found in the present state with feet buried inside the ground and tilted to the right. He does not have a pedestal here !! he is a common man like you and me!!.standingon the same mother earth.
The ruler, Karikala Chozha built a temple for the Lord  and hence the name Kari Krishna. The Lord is in the form of the shepherd, holding the whip in His right hand and the left hand rests on His thigh. There is a knot  on His head.
The place is famous for begetting progeny. Many couples come here with Banana, milk etc and pray.
There are two Dwaja sthambams one in front of the ramar sannidhi and one in front of the Krishna sannidhi.
The Thayar sannidhi is placed to the left of the Krishna like in a shiva temple unlike other Vishnu temples
The Mandapam in front of the Temple is also splayed out and leaning just like the perumal inside who is also leaning to one side. It is not a defective construction it is a marvel which has stood solidly for  a few thousand years all the outer pillars are leaning outwards like the bloomingpetals of a flower (see below)

The main entrance has a rajagopuram with a newly built cement mandapam in front!!

As you enter you can see the Krishna sannidhi in front with the garudalwar in front and the Dwajasthambam

The thayar sannidhi is seen on the right of the picture above and below is the view of the thayar sannidhi from front

The main praharm

There are a lot of Mandapams inside the temple with various vaishnava saints. There is also a big ant hill



Andal sannithi behind the main temple
Ramar sannidhi  Rama and Sita are present here  with the Hanumarin front  and the Kodimaram behind  
A truly heavenly experience
This temple is believed to be a prarthana Sthalam for child birth. On Rohini star every month, if childless couples visit the Kari Krishna temple with two plantains, ½ litre milk, 100gms butter and oil (Gingely lamp oil) and perform an archanai, the Lord is said to immediately bless the couple with progeny.
Temple Time : 730am-1030am and 530pm-830pm
Archakar:
Mohan Rama/ Srinath Bhattar @ 044- 27972290/ 94447 20636
Sampath Kumar/ Krishna Kumar/ Sai Krishna Bhattar@ 044- 27974934 /
99941 82494

Tiruvalleeswarar Temple at Padi Chennai- (Famous for guru bhagawan)

When we travel from ICF over the new flyover towards Avadi there is a small road on the left after a Kalyana mahal as soon as you descend from the flyover, you can see the padavettu amman temple on the right take the left  turn here and travel for half a kilometer you can see the temple on the right.
Padi is a historical place where Armies of Kings used to camp with all their weapons (Padi= weapons repository army camp) The temple has been rebuilt by Kulatunga chola III and Krishna deva raya. The Padavettu amman about half a KM away is also part of the temple where Victorious commanders would even sacrifice their own heads here (So gory!!) Today the outer praharams of the temple have been taken over by the city and roads have been built with  many buildings and tragically what remains is only the inner  praharam. The temple tank is seen at a distance with two roads in between which speaks a lot about the development of the city!!
The legend goes back to Mahabharatha days as Sage Bharadwaj (Dhrona’s father) had visited this temple. The name Validhayam comes from Valiyan – the black bird. Once Sage Bharadwaj took birth as a bird due to a curse and he worshipped Shiva here to clear off his curse. Legend also holds that Vinayaka got married to Kamalai and Vimalai daughter of Brahma in this place. Brahaspathi, Vishnu, Hanuman, Sugreeva, Rama, Agasthiar, Vayu, Indhra, Agni, Sun God and Moon God worshipped Shiva of this place.

This temple has been visited and sung by saints Thirugnana Sambandar, Arunagirinathar, Ramalinga Adigalar, and Pamban Swamigal.
Thirumylai, Thiruvanmiyur, Thiruverkadu, Thiruvirkolam, Thiruilambayangottur, Thiruvooral, Thirvalangadu, Thiruvenpakkam, Thiruppasur, Vadathirumullaivoil, Thirvottriyur all these eleven temples are structured in the form of a Garland and Thrivalithayam is in the centre of this Garland. Also this temple is also referred as Gurusthalam as this is one of three temples worshipped by Lord Brahaspathy or Guru, the other two being Thittai and Thiruchendur.
Lord Shiva here is known asTiruvalleeswarar, Validaayanathar,The amman  is known as Jagathambigai, Thaayammai. Thiru Gnanasambandar has composed hymns at this temple.

The east gopuram (tower) with 3 tiers is the main entrance to the temple.
Inside the main entrance there is broad inner courtyard on all the four sides of the main shrine giving it a look of broad expanse


 
The back side of the main praharam



(The North side praharam with the navagraha seen in the far right)
Entering the inner mandapam, the main sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shiva is situated. The sanctum is semi-circular in shape at the back. (Gaja prishti Vimana ). The main deity is  facing east and to the right is the Ambal facing towards south.
A beautiful Simha Vaahanam and balipeetam faces the Goddess from the southern outer corridor.
Inside on the western back wall of the sanctum you can see  Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma in the North . It ‘s a rare sight to see the trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva in the same complex. In the outer  prakara you can see Dakshinamurthy, Bikshadanar, Annai Uritha Devar, and Rishabanthikar.
Sthala Vinayaga:
Usaually the Lord Vinayaka is placed at the Southwest corner. But in this temple, somaskanbdar is placed instead and Vinayaka is located next to the main gate . He is named as Varasiddhi valampuri Vinayaka.
Lord Muruga:
Following Vinayaka, Lord Muruga is located along with his wives valli and Deivaanai. Lord Muruga is with a single face and four hands.
To the back of the sanctum are a series of small enclosures  of gods along with the Lingam they worshipped, Meenakshi along with Sundareswarar in the lingam form, The lingam worshiped by Indra, Lingam worshiped by Bharadwaja are placed each in different enclosures At the north west corner, a long serpent along with lingam (Nagalingam) is placed. Following these deities, Veerabadra is in the sitting posture
Lord Bhairava:
Just at the back of Goddess temple, at the North east corner, Lord Bhairava is located. He is present here in Ugraroopa with skewed teeth, three eyes. His Jadamaguda is surrounded with Jwalas with his Vahana, a Dog. not only this, at the south entrance, the four Samaya Kuravars are in the standing posture. Next to them, Arunagirinadhar, Ganapathy and the Sun God blesses in the sitting posture.
Moreover, of all the urchava vigrahas of the temple Nataraja is the most important. The Ambal siva gama sundari's statue along with Nataraja and Manikkavasakar are placed in the sabhai in front of the Ambal's sannidhi. At the sides of the Gopuram entrance, Lord Vinayaka and Lord subramanya are placed.
 
“Jeyankonda Chola Vala Nattu, Puzhal Kutrathu, Ambattur Nattu Thiruvallithaya Mudayar” is the description found in the stone inscription inside the temple. It testifies that the places like  Puzhal and Ambattur are there since last 700 years going by the inscriptions.
 

There is a seperate shrine for Guru (Jupiter) - one of the Navagrahas - in the eastern outer corridor and this temple is also considered as a Guru Parihara Sthalam. Guru Bhagwan is seen here facing towards west.
Guru Dakshinamoorthy:
The Dakshinamoorthy form of Lord shiva is praised and prayed as Lord GuruDakshinamoorthy

. Brahma had  four  children Sanakar, Sananadanar, sanadhanar and Sanathkumarar. Though they were brialliant enough in their vedic knowledge, they wanted to know the imbibed truth of Vedas in order to fight against the worst qualities,like  jealousy, revenge  and Maya. Answering their prayer, Lord Shiva took the form of Lord Dakshinamoorthy and started preaching them. This is how, the name and form of Guru Dakshinamoorthy came in to existence.
. Guru Dakshinamoorthy here blesses people with marriage and fertility . Guru Dakshinamoorthy is sitting with his right leg down and left left leg folded touching his waist under the Kallala tree. The jadaparam which was worn at his head adds to his beauty. He has four hands and has got udukkai rounded by serpent in his upper right hand, Jwalai on the upper left hand. The lower right hand has got the chinmaya mudra and the lower left hand has got book facing down. His posture is straight and equal. He wears tiger skin, yagnopaveetham and Kundalas(ear rings). The Rudraksha around his neck falls till his chest. Around Dakshinamoorthy, sanakadhika saints are placed. Muyalagan who is at his feet has serpent on his left hand. This form of Guru Dakshinamoorthy is called as 'Vyagyana Dakshinamoorthy'.