Shri Periya nayaki(Brihannayaki) sametha Shri Aruna Jateshwarar(Senjedaiappan)Temple -Thiruppanandal-A padal petra sthalam

This temple is right on the highway from Chennai to Kumbakonam and I have passed through so many times but temple was closed at those times. After visiting the Triloki temple I rushed to see this temple a very well maintained temple attached to the Thiruppanandal aadheenam (Kasi madam)

How to reach:
 The temple is right on the highway from Chennai to Kumbakonam from the lower anaicut .You can not miss this mammoth structure on the left

Rajagopuram

Legends and Stories:

A devotee called Mantharai used to offer garlands to the lord .One day while offering her Saree slipped and she caught it and could not reach the lord to garland him hence the merciful lord bent his red head (Sen jedai appan/Aruna jatadhara = locks like the early morning red sun  before sunrise) in front to receive the garland . The King tried to straighten the lord but entire army could not but a nayanmar Kungiliya kalaya nayanar accomplished the task with a rope tied around his neck he prayed to the lord and his devotion straightened the Shiva linga

Sri Thirugnana sambandar has sung padigams about this temple

Brahma did penance here  to redeem himself from the sin of lying ( the legend of Arunachaleshwara) It is still believed he comes here in the month of Chittirai and himself does the yagnas

View inside the Gopuram

Entrance to the main sanctum which is facing west

Senjadaiappan sannidhi

The kosta vigrahas were unique as below

Sanishwara

Dakshimoorthy/pradoshamorthy Shiva and parvati

Ashta bhuja Vishnu Durga

The entrance to Periyanayaki sannidhi is from the west the idol is facing East

way to ambal sannidhi

Brihannayaki sannidhi

An ancient well maintained Temple with peace and tranquility

Sri Nitheeshwara Shiva temple–Srimushnam

I had the opportunity to visit this ancient temple on 11/06/16 .though I could not find many references to this temple it appears very ancient and is definitely the underdog temple hugely overshadowed by the more famous Sri Bhuvaraha swami temple. The Shiva temple is situated at the back of the more famous Bhuvarahaswamy temple in Srimushnam and very few visit this temple.The priest had finished  the first kala puja and left when I visited hence the temple garba gruha was locked but I did get a good darshan and lot of serenity during the visit.

Nearby there is the Uttaradhi mutt with Raghavendra swami Brindavanam also.The temple tank and the Sthalavruksham of the Bhuvarahaswami are both in front of the Shiva temple.both The Shiva and Ambal Brihannayaki are found having separate sannidhi with Nandi too in front and both are facing east

How to Reach:

Srimushnam can be reached either from Vriddhachalam ( approx. 20 kms)proceeding south towards Andimadam where in you take a left about 20 kms before andimadam after crossing Rajendrapattinam. You cam also travel from Kumbakonam( approx. 67 kms), Gangaikonda cholapuram /Jayamkondan  to Srimushnam.( Recently I have travelled along all these roads and they are in excellent condition as of June 2016)

There is a single prakaram and the Shiva complex has a vestibular approach of two passages up to the garba gruha

The navagrahas in the far corner in the second corridor with other minor vigrahas

The garba gruha

The koshta vigrahas were all unique but many were mutilated too Ganesha, UmaMaheshwara and Agasthya

Arumugham

Dakshinamurthy

Ardhanarishwara

Durga

Chandikeshwara

 

Navagrahas

On the northern side is the complex of Devi Brihannayaki Ambal. it is a separate temple by itself and was serenity personified. The Goddess is about 5 feet tall and standing unfortunately I was too far away to get a better darshan

a unique carving inside on the pillar

The huge Banyan tree in front of the temple. Sri Bhuvarahaswamy is said to have manifested in this tree and the pond in front

Clearly an ancient temple which has had its glorious times today sadly needs more patronage